Crowd estimates have put attendance as high as 80 people for Glenn Beck’s Restoring Honor rally in Washington, D.C., this past weekend. Of those 80 people, 78.4 of them were white. It’s obviously because Glenn Beck followers hate black people almost as much as they hate the gays.

The Washington Post claims an overwhelmingly white crowd. The Huffington Post says, “The rally drew white people like grilled cheese to white bread.” Salon referenced the overwhelmingly white crowd of thousands having to strain to hear Beck because they couldn’t get in range of the massive speakers. Interesting that they couldn’t get closer to the speakers in the sparse crowd.

In other news, elementary schools across the nation welcomed back thousands of people this week, the overwhelming majority of whom were children.

Some things are just not newsworthy. It’s not exactly news that the majority of the Restoring Honor attendees were white, because the majority of Americans are white. Besides that, I fail to see what the skin color of the participants has to do with the price of loans from China.

Yet the mainstream and liberal media delight in reporting to us that Glenn Beck supporters are, more often than not, white. Why is this news? They might as well report that some house in Oklahoma didn’t burn down today or Paris Hilton is kind of slutty. Common, everyday facts and occurrences don’t deserve a headline.

This just in! Being predominately attended by white people, the Glenn Beck rally was an accurate racial representation of United States citizens. No wonder MSNBC’s ratings are so low.

If reporters and commentators want to report on rallies and race, I’d suggest looking into Al Sharpton’sReclaim the Dream march. Held across town from the Beck rally, Sharpton’s event was also overly monochromatic. Here’s a potential headline: Sharpton Harps on Identity Politics to a Predominately Black Crowd.

And they say Glenn Beck is the racist.

Cross Posted at The Stir

The following post was written somewhere over middle America, in route from Wisconsin to California.

There are definitely positives and negatives to the widow seat on a plane. The advantages: A view, and somewhere to put your head should happen to doze off. I suppose you could put your head on the person sitting next to you, but unless you’ve promised to love each other in sickness and in health for as long as you both shall live, I’m going to say that the person in seat 13B is not going to enjoy your drool on his shoulder. He might, but then you’d have other problems.

The negative of the aforementioned window seat is that with today’s cramped planes, you’re trapped. And when you’re me, you have to pee a lot. Seriously. I have a bladder the size of a walnut, and 9 months each of Thing 1 and Thing 2 tap dancing on it didn’t exactly help matters.

The result is that I had to literally climb over the guy sitting next to me to use the facilities. Sorry Guy Sitting Next To Me! I’m sorry there was turbulence right then too. That was awkward. Let’s never speak of this again, ok?

Good. I’m glad we have an understanding.

If you are one of my eight regular readers (muchos gracias, by the way), you know that I spent a long weekend in Wisconsin visiting my friend Brittany. It was no Spain, but it was lovely and perfect, and I’m pleased as peach punch (I think that might be a southern expression, but “pleased as cheese curds” didn’t have quite the same ring to it.)

I got in on Friday and forcibly willed myself not to scream and run and hug my friend in the middle of a crowded airport. Only airheads do that, and ladies and gents, I am not an airhead. I am a ditz. Keep it straight.

Anyway, there was some loudness as we hugged and buzzed with excitement over seeing each other for the first time since Ms. B. moved from SoCal to America’s Dairyland.

And then we did my favorite thing in the whole world.

We went out to dinner.

Palms Bistro in Milwaukee, I salute you.

Food: Lobster macaroni and cheese with crimini mushrooms, asparagus, and truffle oil. Cocktail: Bangkok Blaze (it might have been a fever or hot flash or something. Sorry, I had two. The details became fuzzy), a sweet hot drink with chili infused vodka, pineapple juice, and mango puree. Company: Perfect.

Cheers from Milwaukee!

And on the way home, I saw my first lightning bugs. They were not what I was expecting. You know those glow in the dark stick things popular with kids at Halloween and on the rave scene? Yeah, lightning bugs are nothing like that. They’re more…electrical. Like bright little flying Christmas bulbs. And they flash; they don’t glow continuously. They are strange and wonderful creatures, but still bugs. So no, I did not try to catch one and smear its butt juice on my body. But thanks for the suggestion, Twitter followers!

Saturday brought an eerie kind of calm to this work-at-home mama. It was so… quiet. Well, except for the quiet pings and taps of giant bugs flinging themselves into the windowpanes. Dumb bugs. And they wonder why they’re at the bottom of the food chain. Ok, they probably don’t wonder, which is the exact reason they are on the bottom of the food chain.

After lounging and relaxing and laying around, we got dolled up and headed out to Chicago with plans to meet up with Rebecca and her hubby Cris, Nathan, Lisa, and Karl. See? Twitter people get out.

I sucked down one of these in preparation of our Night in Chicago

I always love meeting people in the flesh after I’ve gotten to know them online. And 9 times out of 10, I get exactly what I expect. If you’re chatty on twitter, you’re probably chatty in life. If you’re an observer, commenting on this or that situation, I won’t be surprised to see you hanging slightly back, taking everything in.  If you talk about tranny dolls on Twitter, you most likely do in real life as well.

Brittany, Rebecca, Me

I hate to break it to you people, but am I as big a dork offline as I am online.

Oh, you knew that?

Well at least we’re on the same page then.

Glad that awkward revelation is over.

A bride-to-be poses with her leetle friend and Rebecca

On the same night I met some awesome friends, I experienced my first Chicago style deep-dish pizza. God bless the creative genius behind that one. Four words: I will be back.

I have mentioned my love affair with food, right?

Nathan, Lisa, and Karl

Sunday was spent much like Saturday was, except that we went to bed before 10 because we hadn’t gotten home from Chicago until 4am. Hey, when we party, we do it right.

On Monday I ate chocolate cake, ice cream, a pickle, swiss cheese, salami and a lollipop. No wait, that was The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Sorry, I confuse my life with his sometimes. I think it’s the food-love thing.

Let’s try this again.

On Monday, I went to work with Brittany, who handles the social media for Mark Neumann’s campaign. I sat at a desk for 11 and a half hours and did nothing but research, write, tweet, email, more research, more writing, more writing, and more writing. I think it’s the most work I’ve ever gotten done in one day.

Amazing what happens when you’re not getting interrupted every five seconds to fix a snack, break up a fight, move the laundry through, kiss a booboo, or run errands.

But I have to admit; I sure did miss those, “Mama nuggle me, please?” interruptions.

So back to reality, back to sticky fingers, spilled milk, scrapped knees, and crayon drawings on the coffee table. And that’s just Leif! I’m sure the kids will have their own issues too.

Thank you to my darling friend Brittany for being the best hostess around.

For making my bed.

For showing me The Ugly Truth.

For driving me to and from Chicago because we didn’t want to spend the money on a hotel room.

For cheddar and chive smashed potatoes.

I miss you already.

Now I just have to figure out how to hold it another hour until we land in San Diego. Because that poor fellow sitting next to me is sleeping, slumped over on his tray table.

Well what do you know? There is somewhere to put your head in the middle seat after all.

Will wonders never cease?

With all things in life, moderation is key.

With two young daughters at home, I’ve had to think about random things like when they can go to the mall with friends unsupervised, when they can start dating, and when they can start wearing makeup.

I believe that the privileges of adulthood should be granted incrementally to children, as they mature and prove themselves worthy. I also want to teach them that life is what you make of it, and not to let other people’s expectations alter your own life.

Just because your twelve year old friends are dating, that does not give you permission to date.

I totally just became my mom.

It’s ok. I like my mom.

But what happens when we allow society to alter our children’s hearts and minds so completely that they lose their sense of self? We get eighteen year olds using Botox.

From the Associated Press (H/T Breitbart.com):

MANILA, Philippines(AP) – Filipino teenage singer Charice Pempengco says she prepared for her debut on the hit TV show “Glee” by getting Botox and an anti-aging procedure “to look fresh on camera.”

The 18-year-old Charice, whose singing career rocketed after appearing on Ellen DeGeneres’ and Oprah Winfrey’s talk shows, underwent a 30-minute Thermage skin-tightening procedure and Botox to make her “naturally round face” more narrow, celebrity cosmetic surgeon Vicki Belo told ABS-CBN television.

I doubt that a teenage girl got the idea to get Botox on her own. Shame on her parents, her manager, and any other person in Charice’s life that encouraged this procedure. The only skin-altering treatment a teenager needs is acne medication.

Maybe eighteen is the new forty.

From Houston News:

The teenage son of a Harris County deputy constable shot a burglar this afternoon who tried to break into their home, authorities said.

The boy, 15, and his sister, 12, were alone about 2:45 p.m. when someone tried to kick open the front door then soon after the back door of their home in the 2600 block of Royal Place Court, officials said.

Their father was at work at the time, said officials with the Harris County Precinct 1 Constable’s Office.

When one of the suspected burglars kicked open a window, the boy grabbed a rifle and fired. Both burglars then fled, officials said.

Soon after the shooting, a man showed up at Tomball Methodist Hospital with a gunshot wound. He is being questioned by investigators. There was no information about the second suspect, who remains at large, officials said.

The children were not injured during the ordeal, officials said.

Investigators with the Harris County Sheriff’s Department have launched an investigation.

I love every part of this story. I love the fifteen year old knowing gun safety and how to use a firearm. I love him protecting him home, and more importantly, his little sister. I love the intruder getting shot. I love Texas. The whole thing is just plain awesome.

It’s hard to tell which has messed up in the Gulf more, BP or DC. Both are doing a phenomenal job of neither kicking ass nor plugging the hole. British Petroleum, who couldn’t be bothered to follow safety rules, had to remove it’s PR nightmare CEO Tony Hayward from the clean-up operation last week following the Oil Summit. Even though he is the head of BP, Hayward appeared clueless as to what caused the leak, how to stop the leak, and how to clean up the spilled oil from the leak.

The government, which couldn’t be bothered to enforce safety rules, hasn’t been much better. The Obama administration refused the help of the Dutch, and as Geert Visser, consul general for the Netherlands in Houston said, “What’s wrong with accepting outside help? If there’s a country that’s experienced with building dikes and managing water, it’s the Netherlands.” Those in Washington have refused to let local authorities in affected states and communities take charge. When President Obama made the gulf oil spill the topic of his first Oval Address last week, even the folks over at MSNBC thought it was ineffective at best.

It’s safe to say that both entities are mucking things up royally. And refusing to play nicely together. Deputy Press Secretary Bill Burton made jokes about Tony Hayward taking in a yacht race over the weekend, saying:

“You know, look, if Tony Hayward wants to put a skimmer on that yacht and bring it down to the Gulf, we’d be happy to have his help…Tony Hayward, I guess, took himself at his word that he was going to get his life back here. It’s clear that he has. But what’s important to us is that the people in the Gulf get their lives back. It’s not so easy for them to just take a weekend away and forget about everything that’s happening down there.”

It’s just not right for Tony Hayward to indulge in some rest and relaxation over the weekend while there are people losing everything down in the gulf. Right or wrong, even I agree it doesn’t look good. So what did Mr. Burton have to say about President Obama’s Saturday golf game?

“I don’t think that there’s a person in this country that doesn’t think that their president ought to have a little time to clear his mind.”

Hypocrites. One leader is shrugging off his responsibilities, the other is clearing his head. I guess some animals really are more equal than others.

From POLITICO:

Obama talked about America’s dependence on fossil fuels and how we could not “transition out of a fossil-fuel-based economy overnight. We can’t do it in five years. We can’t even do it in 10. So we’re going to continue to need to develop domestic oil consumption. We’re going to still need oil exports. And if it’s safe, then offshore drilling can be a part of that.”

He said, however, we have to invest in research and continue development of new resources building on the work that’s already been done on “solar and wind and biodiesel and energy efficiency in cars and buildings.”

“And if we don’t, then accidents are going to happen again,” he said. “They may not be of this size and this scope, but we’re going to continue to see big problems.”

If the government doesn’t invest in green energy, accidents are going to happen? Huh? Accidents are going to happen, period. Accidents have been happening since the dawn of time, and many evolutionists would even have you believe that our very existence is an accident. Even if, at some distant point in the future, we don’t use oil for our energy, whatever the new means are will be accident-prone. It’s just the way life is. Before people died in car crashes, they died in horse-drawn buggies. No amount of government regulation is going to fix that.

Obama also talked about what he considers a key issue: the role of the federal government. “I will say that there is a debate that we’ve been having for a long time and we’re going to keep on having in this country about the proper role of government,” he said. “And I think that this crisis has been a good case study in how some people feel pretty contradictory about that role.

“Some of the same folks who have been hollering and saying ‘do something’ are the same folks who, just two or three months ago, were suggesting that government needs to stop doing so much. Some of the same people who are saying the president needs to show leadership and solve this problem are some of the same folks who, just a few months ago, were saying, this guy is trying to engineer a takeover of our society through the federal government that is going to restrict our freedoms.”

There was some real irritation in his voice when he said: “And so — and this translates into very concrete terms — I think it’s fair to say, if six months ago, before this spill had happened, I had gone up to Congress and I had said we need to crack down a lot harder on oil companies, and we need to spend more money on technology to respond in case of a catastrophic spill, there are folks up there, who will not be named, who would have said this is classic, Big Government over-regulation and wasteful spending.” (Emphasis mine)

If people can’t understand the difference between the government taking over private business and the government responding to a natural disaster in a timely manner, then there’s nothing I can do. No one is asking the government to crack down harder on oil companies.

I would like to ask that the safety procedures already in place be followed. BP may have been negligent, but the government turned a blind eye and rubber-stamped its approval.

I would also like to ask that the government not stand in the way of people offering to help. Just three days after the explosion, the Dutch government offered to send ships outfitted with oil-skimming booms. The White House declined the offer.

Maybe, just maybe, the federal government can step back and let state and local governments do what they need to do to protect their constituents. Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal requested boom barriers right away, and was apparently brushed off by the federal government.

What the heck good is a government that bankrupts us, but doesn’t help us in our hour of need? What is the point?

I swear I’m getting more and more libertarian everyday.

*grumble*

John Hawkins of Right Wing News joins the show this week, plus cocktail time with Mike G. Oh yeah, and the President says the three letter word for derriere.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Yesterday President Felipe Calderon of Mexico visited President Obama in the White House. It is unclear whether or not he was required to show papers to gain entry to the United States. Not that it seems to be very difficult to crash state dinners these days. Even Michaele and Tareq Salahi almost put in an appearance.

Before the snazzy dinner sponsored by you and me, the taxpayers, the two heads of state addressed the controversial Arizona immigration law.

President Obama said:

“I want everyone, American and Mexican, to know my administration is taking a very close look at the Arizona law,” he said. “We’re examining any implications, especially for civil rights, because in the United States of America, no law-abiding person, be they an American citizen, a legal immigrant, or a visitor or tourist from Mexico, should ever be subject to suspicion simply because of what they look like.”

And President Calderon invited Americans to come to Mexico, take on a false identity, and take advantage of every public service available, from the education of our children (who of course will be taught by bilingual teachers) to food stamps (so we can have more children on Mexico’s dime). Oh, and of course free health care for everyone.

Ok, not really. But I’m sure that’s what he meant.

[podcast]http://www.candidconservative.com/thesmartgirlreport/TheSmartGirlReport%2020100331.mp3[/podcast]

Jason Mattera discusses his new book Obama Zombies: How the Liberal Machine Brainwashed My Generation.

Tom Reed talks about his run for Congress in New York’s 29th district — the seat previously held by Eric Massa.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Cross-posted at Smart Girl Nation

Rafraf Barrak is just like any other twenty-something woman trying to figure out what to do with her life.  What to apply her studies to?  What is she good at?  Can she make a living with the skills she has obtained?  Does she enjoy those skills enough that that living will be worthwhile?

Just like any other twenty-something.  Except that Rafraf never would have had those options if she had remained in the country of her birth.  You see, Rafraf might be living legally in America now, but she was born in Iraq.  She was born into a life where the government decided her education for her, her contact with others was decided by her culture, and eventually, her elders probably would have decided her marriage for her.  It’s a way of life that not many Americans can fathom.

Rafraf came to America with the help of a news correspondent.  Having been born and raised in Iraq, she had had no intention of ever leaving there.  In fact, she had never even been outside of Baghdad until she accepted a job as a translator for a news station during the tumultuous time after 9/11.   While working as a translator for NBC, she eventually landed in the care of Don Teague.

Rafraf and Don formed a friendship, and after insurgents in Iraq threatened her life, he helped her flee to the United States.  Having been raised to believe that America was the root of all evil in the world, she was understandably scared and nervous.  She hesitantly stepped off the plane and into the welcoming arms of the Teague family and a new life.

Life in America was a far cry from her life in Iraq.  She could make her own decisions.  She could go where she wanted, speak to whom she chose to, ask questions and get answers.  Men didn’t treat her as an inferior being; they looked in her eyes when they spoke to her, rater than averting their gaze as Islamic men did.  She didn’t even have to wear a headscarf.

Saved By Her Enemy is co-authored by Don Teague and Rafraf Barrak, and it is the tale of their unlikely relationship and Rafraf’s transition from second-class Iraqi citizen to liberated woman in America.  It is an eye opening must read book, detailing a way of life that will make any Smart Girl glad to be living in the land of the free.

I was able to chat with Rafraf about her experiences as a child and young woman in Iraq, and her new American life.  Listen to The Smart Girl Report podcast to hear Rafraf talk about everything from her experiences as an Iraqi living in a city being bombed by night to her dating life in America to her conversion from Islam to Christianity.

Listen to The Smart Girl Report here.

Order Saved By Her Enemy here.