In the aftermath of the New Castle prison riot -- the moment in which Governor Daniels' privatized prison hopes and dreams became a nightmare -- there was a common thread of defense for the Governor's policies by referencing that "these things happen all the time." Well, it appears that if the "things" they were referring to are riots in facilities run by the GEO Group, then they were spot-on.

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While gas prices climb into the $4.00 range, and local lawmakers argue over the virtue of a statewide suspension of the gas sales tax, Congress is working to make certain that the horrific price gouging that has been seen across this country in times of crisis is not repeated again.

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For those who may have forgotten, Amy Sorrell was the journalism teacher at Woodlan High in Fort Wayne, until a student editorial published in the school paper that advocated for the tolerance of homosexuality almost cost the instructor her job. She was eventually reinstated after local and national outcry at what was seen as a clear attack on both the freedom of school publications and tolerance, but she was punished by a required school transfer and the stipulation that she is unable to teach the subject she loves for three years.

As her employers at East Allen Community Schools continue to treat her as if she was directly responsible for their boneheaded handling of school policy, American University’s law school and the Marshall-Brennan Constitutional Literacy Project have honored teacher Amy Sorrell with the Mary Beth Tinker Award.

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This is pretty huge:

Eli Lilly and Co. today became the latest large Indiana employer to oppose a proposed constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.

Tony Murphy, Lilly's senior vice president for human resources, sent a letter to House Speaker B. Patrick Bauer, D-South Bend, and other legislators saying the amendment could hinder Lilly's ability to attract employees and also paint an image of Indiana as an intolerant state.

You can read the letter in its original form here, but I have transcribed it below for your viewing pleasure.

Dear Speaker Bauer:

Thank you for asking for our view on the proposed legislation SJR 7, Section 2, (b) and whether Lilly provides domestic partner benefits. Headquartered in Indianapolis, Lilly is one of the largest private employers in Indiana, employing nearly 16,000 people in this state.

In January of 2004, Lilly made the decision to offer domestic partner benefits. Uncertainty around the current language of SJR 7, Section 2, (b) has raised concerns with many Lilly employees in Indiana that these benefits may be at risk. As a result of this uncertainty, some employees may choose to leave Indiana to work in a state where these benefits are perceived not to be threatened.

Given the great lengths Lilly takes to attract and retain top talent from around the world, we oppose any legislation that might impair our ability to offer competitive employee benefits or negatively impact our recruitment and retention.

Beyond this, we are concerned that the proposed legislation sends an unwelcoming signal to current and future employees by making Indiana appear intolerant. As a result, we believe this amendment works against Indiana's stated desire to broaden its appeal to attract new businesses to the state.

Thank you for the opportunity to comment. If I may be of further assistance, please contact me at [phone number].

Sincerely,

Tony Murphy, Ph.D.

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I recognize that the AVA is a completely non-partisan organization, but I think that this type of behavior transcends party ideology and touches on a larger problem that our nation's foregin policy "leaders" have displayed on a consistent basis.

Cross-posted from Blue Indiana:

I'm sorry, but I couldn't help but put a post up on this, even if it was only a blurb at the end of an article. In an AP article from yesterday on the plight of Iraqi refugees, Rep. Pence had this to say at the end of the piece.

But Ackerman said the administration has been moving too slowly.

"We have left thousands of Iraqis high and dry, desperate and deserted," he said. "These people are now in flight because of our own failure."

He said he is planning to introduce legislation to provide safe resettlement in the United States for Iraqis who face persecution or who had put their trust in the U.S.

Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind., expressed particular concern about the fate of Iraqi Christians. (emphasis added)

Of particular concern? Can that be interpreted in any other way than to say, "Iraqi Christians deserve more attention than their Muslim brethren?" Certainly they face discrimination within Iraq, but to say that they deserve any more attention than the rest of the country is not only ridiculous, but also pompously ethnocentric.

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