I have a vested interest in any men’s rights lawsuits, being a man and everything.  And as a guy who has paid his share of child support, and had his share of experience in the somewhat biased family courts system, I can easily agree that there does need to be some parity in men’s and women’s rights.

But not this way:

Male activists want say in unplanned pregnancy.

NEW YORK (AP) — Contending that women have more options than they do in the event of an unintended pregnancy, men’s rights activists are mounting a long shot legal campaign aimed at giving them the chance to opt out of financial responsibility for raising a child.

…

The suit addresses the issue of male reproductive rights, contending that lack of such rights violates the U.S. Constitution’s equal protection clause.

The gist of the argument: If a pregnant woman can choose among abortion, adoption or raising a child, a man involved in an unintended pregnancy should have the choice of declining the financial responsibilities of fatherhood. The activists involved hope to spark discussion even if they lose.

OK, first of all, they are operating under a flawed belief.  In regard to adoption, unless the father is not consulted, he has the right to object to an adoption of his child and to take custody.  Case law has found in the father’s favor when the mother conceals knowledge of the child and adopts it out without his consent, so this is already a fallacious argument. 

The second fact is that giving men free reign to "opt out" is a dreadfully bad idea, because it encourages men to be irresponsible by statute.  We have enough dead beat dads already, why enable them even more.

Now admittedly, there is one issue concerning an unplanned pregnancy where men are not given equal rights, and that is concerning abortion.  A woman can not only abort the child against the fathe’s wishes, she can do it without even consulting him.  I have to admit that there is an unfair aspect of that.  But if you apply the 14th Amendment’s equal protection clause to that, the remedy would be to force the woman to abort, and I just cannot bring myself to go there.

Updated below!

The Dubai Ports World broohaha has now come full circle, and then some.  Sister Toldjah reports on the hysteria including this Fox report on the Decision by DPW to pull out.  She has done a great job of pulling all the stories together.

All along, it was feared by many commentators that the overt distrust displayed to The UAE would have an impact on their cooperation in the war on terror. That remains to be seen, but it appears that economically ithere will be a consequence. We now have the first hint of retaliation and disgruntlement by Dubai, including a possible threat to the local economy in the form of lost orders for Boeing.  As seen on Drudge, Dubai is not happy with the hostility:

Dubai threat to hit back
By Roxana Tiron

Dubai is threatening retaliation against American strategic and commercial interests if Washington blocks its $6.8 billion takeover of operations at several U.S. ports.

As the House Appropriations Committee yesterday marked up legislation to kill Dubai Ports World’s acquisition of Britain’s Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation (P&O), the emirate let it be known that it is preparing to hit back hard if necessary.

A source close to the deal said members of Dubai’s royal family are furious at the hostility both Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill have shown toward the deal.

“They’re saying, ‘All we’ve done for you guys, all our purchases, we’ll stop it, we’ll just yank it,’” the source said.

Retaliation from the emirate could come against lucrative deals with aircraft maker Boeing and by curtailing the docking of hundreds of American ships, including U.S. Navy ships, each year at its port in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the source added.

It is not clear how much of Dubai’s behind-the-scenes anger would be followed up by action, but Boeing has been made aware of the threat and is already reportedly lobbying to save the ports deal.

I can’t really describe just how friggin tired of political correctness I am.  Things like this are why.  I love the state of California, I was born there and lived most of my life there, but sometimes they really piss me off.

From WND

CALIFORNIA SCHEMIN’ ‘Mom,’ ‘dad’ to be axed from school textbooks?  Zelda’s revenge: Gender-neutralizing bill could also jeopardize prom kings, queens

A traditional-values organization in California is warning the state’s residents that a bill pending in the Legislature, if approved, could remove all references to gender in public schools – threatening even references to "mom" or "dad" in textbooks.

If the bill, SB 1437, were to become law, warns the Capitol Resource Institute, "it could potentially require gender-neutral bathrooms in our schools and all references to ‘husband’ and ‘wife’ or ‘mom and dad’ removed from school textbooks as the norm."

Sponsored by Democratic Sen. Sheila Kuehl – a lesbian actress best known for playing Zelda in "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis" in the ’60s – the legislation would add "gender" (actual or perceived) and "sexual orientation" to the law that prohibits California public schools from having textbooks, teaching materials, instruction or "school-sponsored activities" that reflect adversely upon people based on characteristics like race, creed and handicap.

States Capitol Resource Institute on its website: "The reason this is such an outrageous bill is because it is the most extreme effort thus far to transform our public schools into institutions that disregard all notions of the traditional family unit. SB 1437 seeks to eliminate all ’stereotypes’ of the traditional family so that young children are brainwashed into believing that families with moms and dads are irrelevant.

"The social experiment pro-homosexual activists have envisioned for our young children is mind-boggling!"

The organization notes the bill also applies to school activities, which include cheerleadering, sports and events like the prom.

"Under SB 1437, school districts would likely be prohibited from having a ‘prom king and queen’ because that would show bias based on gender and sexual orientation," said CRI. The measure also could affect issues like gender-specific sports teams.

Fires roared in Alabama, as church after church were set ablaze in a string of arson attacks.  Communities were openly fearful, some suggested this was an anti christian persecution.  I ever recall hearing a few mutters of racism, despite the fact that a few of the churches were majority white or mixed congregations.

Imagine everyone’s surprise, to find it wasn’t some hateful bigoted athiest or anything of that sort.

It was a bunch of kids having fun:

TUSCALOOSA, Alabama (Reuters) - Authorities have arrested three college students in connection with a spate of fires that damaged or destroyed 10 Baptist churches in Alabama, investigators said on Wednesday.

Prosecutors identified the suspects as Ben Moseley and Russell Debusk, 19-year-old students at Birmingham-Southern College, and Matthew Lee Cloyd, 20, who transferred last year from Birmingham-Southern to attend the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Federal and state investigators planned to release details at an afternoon news conference.

The pastor at one of the destroyed churches said investigators notified him of the arrests on Wednesday.

"We are relieved. We were fearful while they were on the loose because we did not know their agenda," said Jim Parker, pastor of the Ashby Baptist Church in Brierfield, Alabama, which was burned to the ground.

At least 10 Baptist churches have been damaged or destroyed in arson fires that began on February 3. Several had their doors kicked in and their pulpits set ablaze but no motive was known.

The FBI was investigating whether the fires could be considered hate crimes under the Church Arson Prevention Act. The 1996 law makes it a crime to intentionally damage or destroy houses of worship or to use threats or violence to halt the exercise of religion.

Another article features this catchy quote:

An ATF affidavit said Moseley told agents on Wednesday that he, Cloyd and Debusk went to Bibb County in Cloyd’s Toyota sport utility vehicle on Feb. 2 and set fire to five churches. A witness quoted Cloyd as saying Moseley did it "as a joke and it got out of hand," according to the affidavit. 

Well I would personally file this in the "better late then never" catagory myself.  How many years have passed since 911, and now finally someone decides to close a border:

http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/03/08/D8G7NJE80.html

Gov. Janet Napolitano on Wednesday ordered more National Guardsmen posted at the Mexican border to help stop illegal immigrants and curb related crimes.

National Guard troops have worked at the border since 1988, but Napolitano signed an order authorizing commanders to station an unspecified number of additional soldiers there to help federal agents.

Once the funding is approved, the troops will monitor crossing points, assist with cargo inspection and operate surveillance cameras, according to the order.

"They are not there to militarize the border," the governor said. "We are not at war with Mexico."

I am sure that many feel good liberals are having howls of rage, since many of them support laws and policies that basically legalize illegal aliens.  I am sure a civil rights complaint will be filed, maybe even harassment charges by the ACLU.

But honestly it is refreshing to see someone make an attempt to do something to curb the growing illegal alien population, estimated at 12 million.  When undocumented workers comprise 5% of the workforce, something is wrong.

You would think that the border security would matter in this post 911 world, but instead we are treating the south border like a Speedy Gonzales cartoon.

Sadly I expect this to amount to almost nothing, because we need more then Arizona to mobilize.  If New Mexico, California and Texas don’t do likewise, all this amounts to is a big detour sign. 

But it’s a start I guess.