UPDATE: Karl’s piece, below, is much better than this (which is like shooting fish in a barrel with dynamite).ÂÂ
Meet William Neal, juror at a trial regarding Hamas-funding “charities”:
The defendants were accused of illegally routing more than $12 million in support to the terrorist group Hamas through a series of charities, known as zakat committees. Prosecutors said those committees are controlled by Hamas. Defense attorneys argued HLF simply helped out Palestinians living in desperate poverty and provided support to widows and orphans regardless of whether they served Hamas.
Interestingly, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas effectively sided with prosecutors recently by claiming he was closing down 92 charities he said had been taken over by Hamas.
*****
Among the examples cited:
- Arguments for conviction met with immediate scorn and ridicule. At times, Neal raised his voice, cursed or otherwise belittled them for what they said. A handful of jurors called for an immediate break after he hollered “f*** your opinion” to a female juror.
- Williams said she felt pressured by a majority of jurors into voting to acquit defendant Mufid Abdulqader. To them, Abdulqader was a bit player with no control over HLF money. Later, however, Williams said she saw receipts showing HLF paid Abdulqader’s travel expenses to attend a fundraiser. Already convinced there was a conspiracy to support Hamas, she decided that Abdulqader was a part of it. But the other jurors refused to let her change her vote on conspiracy counts, saying Abdulqader’s verdict form already had been signed and put away. Deliberations continued for at least another week after Williams’ request was rejected. That’s what prompted her to speak up when the judge polled the jury.
- In a case featuring more than 80 videotape and audio recordings, jurors did not watch one video or listen to one tape during the 19 days of deliberations. Those who wanted to examine the exhibits were told it was a waste of time and printed transcripts were sufficient.
******
Neal made his disdain clear two days after the mistrial in an interview on Dallas radio station KRLD.
“A lot of the jurors couldn’t even say words that had four syllables,” Neal said on the Ernie and Jay show on KRLD 1080 AM. “They just picked the jury based on socio-economical reasons. A lot of these people are blue collar, you know, working UPS, working food, cafeteria cashier. You had people [from] secluded lifestyles. They had no idea of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. They had no idea about worldly affairs. To get them and you show them bombs and show them kids – that’s not our lifestyle so we’ve got to vote them guilty because of that. That’s the whole reason.”
The Dallas Morning News noted Neal “also had difficulty calling Hamas a terrorist group. ‘Part of it does terrorist acts, but it’s a political movement. It’s an uprising.'”
He reinforced that assessment in the IPT interview, saying he read the Hamas charter twice during deliberations. “They haven’t always been a bombing kind of group,” he said.
Hamas’ first actions involved shootings and stabbings. Its preamble to the charter includes this: “Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it, just as it obliterated others before it.”
So, to Neal, what is Hamas?
“It is marked as a terrorist organization. My personal viewpoint, I didn’t know too much before. I see it as a political struggle. Our country was founded on a terrorist act. The Boston Tea Party wasn’t a tea party, dude. It was a rebellion against the king’s wrath. They fought back against an oppressive government.”
He argues that prosecutors never proved that Palestinian charities, the zakat committees, were controlled by Hamas. HLF routed its money to the committees. Absent that proof of Hamas control, Neal reasons, the defendants can’t be convicted. Within hours of the mistrial, he told reporters the government’s case “was strung together with macaroni noodles.”
“There were so many gaps in the evidence, I could drive a truck through it,” he told the Morning News.
That, the three other jurors interviewed said, was not the case. Neal simply refused to consider it as valid evidence. Even at the end, a majority favored convicting Baker and Elashi, Williams and the unnamed juror reported.
Dude.
“Our country was founded on a terrorist act. The Boston Tea Party wasn’t a tea party, dude. It was a rebellion against the king’s wrath. They fought back against an oppressive government.”
The King’s wrath? I wonder if Neal considers current luxury taxes and import tariff’s a type wrath worthy of an insurrection? I somehow doubt it.
Damn apostrophes are always unruly in the morning.
“Our country was founded on a terrorist act. The Boston Tea Party wasn’t a tea party, dude. It was a rebellion against the king’s wrath. They fought back against an oppressive government.â€Â
Dude, it was terrorism…against the tea, man! (bonghit) Tea, Israeli children…same shit, dude.
This douche sounds like a monologue from Seth Rogan’s upcoming weed flick. Why the other jury members didn’t just break this asshole’s nose the first time he freaked out on one of them, I have no idea.
Dude, the King’s Wrath? I have that album, it’s totally awesome, dude. That part where the dude goes like, weeeeeeeeeee…whaaaaaaaaaaaa…weeeeeee! with like, the guitar and like totally, like burns out the amp? You know? Like, dude. So Awesome. Dude. Checked them out live on the hemp stage at the concert for Justice. Was awesome. So cool dude, that was the night Toby puked on my Free Mumia shirt and we had to call his mom to pick him up. Dude.
Cha..it was awesome.
Bender, if that ain’t great minds thinking alike, I’ll burn my Phish CD’s.
“Dude, it was terrorism…against the tea, man!”
Cha, dude, and those minutemen? Dude, they were terrorists inf the day. You know, hidin’ behind all of those rocks murdering those righteous British dudes in their shiny red coats. Cause, you know, back then, like, war was civilised and everybody lined up in fields all nIce and linear and took turns, man. Dude, just like our circle of sharing when we, like, pay homage to those righteous earth spirits and then take turns doin’ hits from Lilybird’s awesome beer and schnapps bong .. takin turns … in a circle …
Uh … Dude? What were we talkin’ about?
100 bucks says this f#ckhead obviously views himself as very enlightened while the rest of Americans, ie. the UPS workers, blue collar employees and cafeteria women, (you know the people in “middle America”) are stupid and easily led sheep. Alex can I take “People that vote Democrat” for 200?
And he had, like, serious munchies, dude.
Everything is justified if you feel oppressed. Unless you’re not in an approved victim group. Then everything you do is wrong.
It’s pretty simple, man.
“A lot of the jurors couldn’t even say words that had four syllables,” Neal said on the Ernie and Jay show on KRLD 1080 AM. “They just picked the jury based on socio-economical reasons
Some of the jurors couldn’t say words with four syllables, while the clever Mr. Neal showed off by actually adding syllables to words.
I took a good look at his picture, and one question kept popping into my mind:
What was this dude’s original name, and how many “-“s and “‘”s were in it?
Just askin’…
Well, that didn’t work out too well. I guess I should have spelled out “apostrophes” and “hyphens”.
There. Is that better?
I bet this guys DailyKos nic is “TheHammerOfTruth”
Or maybe “hyphens” and “apostrophes”…
The new litmus test of the left – words of four syllables.
Isn’t that the guy from “Home Improvement?” How did he get on a jury?
And why is he getting younger?
daleyrocks, I believe you mean to say it is the new litmustical test.
Litmustical Testosterone™
How base.
That’s testosterous.
I had a feeling that the jury result in that case was due to a shithead like that dude, or a ringer.
Why didn’t anyone go to the judge and complain about that asshole?
My apologies to all bearded non-crazed non-progs in this blog, but what a surprise. The guy has a beard. I know it’s just anecdotal, but every crazed whack job prog that I know has that same beard. What the hell is up with that?
I thought that was a pensive Adam Sandler with a beard the first time I saw it. This guy is a real fuck-tard. He prolly considers moveon too conservative for his tastes.
I know it’s just anecdotal, but every crazed whack job prog that I know has that same beard. What the hell is up with that?
After I read your post, the next thing I saw was the pic at the bottom of PW’s left sidebar. Ewwwwwwww!
Yeah, but that guy, I forget his name again, can carry it off. Plus, I really didn’t mean to imply that all bearded people are crazed leftists, just that most crazed leftists that I KNOW have beards.
In the wackadoodle’s case it isn’t the beard so much that starts humming the Twilight Zone theme at me, as the incredibly narrow space between his eyes.
Isn’t there a name for that, the condition where your eyes dry out because they’re always rubbing together?
His beard is hiding a weak mouth and low self-esteem.
Guys, guys. There’s no reason to attack the man based on his beard or beady eyes. Go after the obvious comb-over!
Looks like Shazam the American, or whatever that dude’s name is, if you ask me.
(Of course no one did, but it’s not like I care about that.)
s. A lot of these people are blue collar, you know, working UPS, working food, cafeteria cashier. You had people [from] secluded lifestyles.
Because, you know, if you are blue collar you’re not allowed to read about world events. It’s amazing we even allow the commoners to be jurists. Can’t we limit it to college professors and the professional classes?
Man, John Landis looks terrible .
BJ – That is not Richard Karn/Al Borland. He is a bit heavier, and a pretty damn good golfer. He took me for cash last summer with a birdie on #17. Lucky bastard.
“A lot of these people are blue collar, you know, working UPS, working food, cafeteria cashier”
For a movement that claims to be for the working stiff, the Left sure doesn’t think much of them on a personal level.
What does this assclown do that makes him so fucking superior than the rest of us? Let me guess. African-American Studies and Womyn’s Studies professor at a 3rd tier midwestern university.
How long until he changes his name to Achmed Salim Al-mutanabi?
wackadoodle
That’s a mighty big word you got there, McGehee. Almost as big as Neal’s other impressive word, macaroni. My mind hurts from all this fancy talk!
Wackadoodle came to town
A-riding on his high horse
Said “this case is built on macaroni”
And bugged out to the golf course.
William Neal: a one-man OJ jury.
What a pompous dickhead.
Looks like DeNiro’s evil younger brother to me.
Just listening and reading his words, he does not strike me as being all that intelligent, articulate, etc … He seems like a real fucker though.
You are so judgmental, JD. I’m just glad Mr. William Neal was not as judgmental as you, because that is NOT what a jury is for.
LOL!
Dudes, but he knows things. Like …
The Dallas Morning News noted Neal “also had difficulty calling Hamas a terrorist group. ‘Part of it does terrorist acts, but it’s a political movement. It’s an uprising.’â€Â
He reinforced that assessment in the IPT interview, saying he read the Hamas charter twice during deliberations. “They haven’t always been a bombing kind of group,†he said.
See, he’s kinda right. Hamas formed in 1987, and they didn’t start all-out blowing themselves up until 1994. I think Neil should join up!
Apparantly, Neal suckles at the the breast of Jimmy Carter.(You can all thank me for that image later.) He showed remarkable restraint by not refering to the word “apartheid” when he was trying to bring nuance to understanding the sunni death cult. Of course like the bunny killer, Neal is a little , ahem, selective with his facts. This appears in the preamble of Hama’s charter:
“Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it, just as it obliterated others before it.”
Perhaps he skipped over the preamble in his haste to digest the meaty tome. Or maybe he’s just another clueless, asshat, Jimmah wanna be.
He’s a graphic artist, not unlike the blue-collar working stiff I got to paint the mural on my van, except not quite as smart.
He’s a graphic asshole.
MayBee – It is one of my many flaws. Aggressive stupidity should not be tolerated though. William Neal – I judge thee to be unworthy of cleaning the lice from Rosie’s backhair, and the leftovers from Michawl Moore’s asshairs. I am judgemental that way.
Now you’ve done it, JD. coming your way are Homicidal jihadist dwarf clowns!
Been nice knowin’ ya…
Dan, thanks for the kind update, though you’re doing yeoman’s work here in JG’s absence. And to think I passed this story up to stay on my “beat.”
If you’re ignorant or you have no idea about any culture or you have no idea about a certain way of life or you don’t know that Hamas was once a political – and it still is a political figure – you know, they still do political things. And if you’re going to sit there and show bomb belts, and you’re going to show what they’re doing to the, you know, in their homeland – why didn’t they show us what – I know it’s not important in the case but at the same token you could show what Israeli people are doing to Palestinian people,” Neal said.
But, it’s not important in the case, and I’m sure his opinions had NO IMPACT upon his performance as a juror.
BJ – Bring them on. The dwarf jihadi clowns that I cannot step on I will nuke with my “nonexistent” nuke program.
Wat is this, RWN? Find one liberal douchebag and try to say via th healine (w/o reasoning, of course) that said douchebag is representative of people who lean left? And double special bonus points if you can use this hasty gen to intimate that libs are terrorists or traitors.
I don’t agree with a lot of what’s on this blog, but you guys usually do a better job of avoiding this sort of intellectually laziness.
should be ‘headline’, not healine
No, this is like a Dewar’s profile.
Dewchbag Profile.
Because anti-Jewish/ pro-Palestin liberals are so hard to find, right?
Warning – some images of ugly, smelly, naked hippies. Nothing you haven’t seen before.
So, the other day, operating on a tip, US forces got in a convoy and went to a village where there was a weapons cache. Upon entering the village, they were met with hostile fire and chased out of town. Damn terrorists
On April 19, 1775, occupying forces, i.e., Brits, operating on a tip, marched out of Boston to Concord. They were met there by hostile fire and chased out of town. Damn patriots.
The only difference is that the first story is made up (yet a variation happens almost everyday, but we have air power and Right on our side) and the second happened. I hate to say, but the fucktard has a bit of a point. Rumor has it Mao loved Washington’s tactics (if not his politics)
In fact, entire books have been written, describing the American Revolution as a guerrilla war or a Civil war. So, the dud is apparently grossly mistaken re: Hamas, but he seems to have a pretty good understanding of the start of the American Revolution….
Washington’s Crossing
David Hackett-Fischer
(2004. New York: Oxford University Press.), 564 Pages.
steve – If you are not a Hamas apologist, an apologist for terrorists, then you are not being questioned. However, if you think Hamas is a philanthropic organization, or a benign political movement, then you are, demonstrably, pro-terrorist.
“steve – If you are not a Hamas apologist, an apologist for terrorists, then you are not being questioned. However, if you think Hamas is a philanthropic organization, or a benign political movement, then you are, demonstrably, pro-terrorist.”
You’re missing my point, JD.
The headline: Faces of American “Liberalismâ€Â
So the intimation there is that liberals are for the destruction of Israel or are pro-hamas, which is a crock of shit.
So, the other day, operating on a tip, US forces got in a convoy and went to a village where there was a weapons cache. Upon entering the village, they were met with hostile fire and chased out of town. Damn terrorists
Why are you calling them terrorists?
Carin:
You distortion is even worse than the headline. You can point to the extremists and try to say most iberals agree with them all you want. Only problem is that it’s not true.
Other than, your good.
Are you typing one-handed, steve? It would explain a lot.
I say it ’cause it’s FUNNY Steve.
And, when I go to Ann Arbor the stores do funny things like debate whether or not they should allow their coops to sell products of Israel. And, I see those Pro-Palestine signs everywhere.
Sure are a lot of “extremists” out there, huh?!?
HalM: Just about every member of this community has an acute awareness of the difference between guerilla warfare and terrorism. I suggest that you do some studying until you are similarly aware.
“And, when I go to Ann Arbor the stores do funny things like debate whether or not they should allow their coops to sell products of Israel. And, I see those Pro-Palestine signs everywhere.”
1. Again, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hasty_generalization
2. Being pro-palestinian might mean being for a two state solution. I’m ‘pro palestinian’ inasmuch as I think there should be some form of Palestinian state. One needn’t be for the destruction of Israel to be for a Palestinian state (even if the Palestinians are as much or more responsible for there not BEING one…but that’s another debate).
And I suppose you exhaustively queried your anecdotal sample to make sure you didn’t confuse being pro-Hamas/anti-Zionist with being pro- 2 state?
I’m sure you did….
Litmustical Testosteroneâ„¢
That’s a Led Zeppelin tribute band that plays in bars around southern Wisconsin/northern Illinois. Snow mobile season is coming baby!
I see, Steve, it’s all about nuance.
“I see, Steve, it’s all about nuance.”
No, those are pretty big differences you’re ignoring, and the appeal to anecdote is a pretty big mistake.
No subtlety there.
“This is who they are. This is what they do.”–Glenn Greenwald, generalizing out of a (false) account of one blogger’s evidence
Look, I’m pointing out one dumbass, dumbasses. But it just goes to prove that the only consistency you have is that you hate it when the gory ox is yours.
Problem is steve, people on the Left tend to think that Hamas is just misunderstood, and if we just gave them a little land, they would quit hating and murdering the Joooooooooooooooooooooos. If history is any guide, giving them more land will just get the homicide bombers closer to Jerusalem.
Dan – You are doing him a disservice by calling him a dumbass. He is demonstrably dangerous.
One needn’t be for the destruction of Israel to be for a Palestinian state (even if the Palestinians are as much or more responsible for there not BEING one…but that’s another debate).
Sure, one needn’t be … but they so often are. Zionism = Nazism and all that. I’m sure you’ve seen the signs at the liberal protests around the country for the last 6 years. Of course, there are all those articles of “moderate” liberals denouncing the hyperbole of their wacky fring. Now … where did I put the links to ALL THOSE ARTICLES? It’s gotta be here somewhere.
Can I get an “e” ? Insert where appropriate.
“Wat is this, RWN? Find one liberal douchebag and try to say via th healine (w/o reasoning, of course) that said douchebag is representative of people who lean left? And double special bonus points if you can use this hasty gen to intimate that libs are terrorists or traitors.
I don’t agree with a lot of what’s on this blog, but you guys usually do a better job of avoiding this sort of intellectually laziness.”
So how about rebutting something the douchebag said, and explain specifically how it is not a typical Democrat/leftist position, because broadly generalizing about disliking generalizations is also intellectually laziness, and really kind of silly, don’t you think?
All right, just empty his quiver, why don’t you?
Some of us noticed the quotes around one of those words.
You, apparently, didn’t.
“The only difference is that the first story is made up (yet a variation happens almost everyday, but we have air power and Right on our side) and the second happened. I hate to say, but the fucktard has a bit of a point. Rumor has it Mao loved Washington’s tactics (if not his politics)
In fact, entire books have been written, describing the American Revolution as a guerrilla war or a Civil war. So, the dud is apparently grossly mistaken re: Hamas, but he seems to have a pretty good understanding of the start of the American Revolution….”
Uh, no, he has no point, as “guerrilla” is not synonymous with “terrorist.” Guerrilla tactics involve small, short, ambush engagements against armed forces with no clearly established front line. Terrorism is the willful targeting of civilians to achieve political goals. Thus, nothing occurred in your first scenario to demonstrate that the enemy forces were terrorists. Now, if you said the village not only had a weapons cache, but was also decorated by the eviscerated bodies of children tied to the street lights, then you’d have terrorists. Of course, that would greatly throw off you comparison to the Revolutionary War and highlight exactly way William Neal is such a fucktard.
You can save your explanations about how George Washington wasn’t a terrorist, seeing how they’ll pass into one ear and right out the other with people like Hal. After all, “One man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter,” right? Hal is and his ilk will do whatever they can to excuse the excesses of Hamas, Hezbollah, Al Qaeda, etc. because whatever those people do, America is just as bad, if not worse because of [insert lefty grievance here].
And as for steve and his complaint that:
It’s funny how people like him can say things like that, but talk out of the other side of their mouth when noting that the crowds at the anti-war rallies which include–pardon me, are organized by–these “extremists,” are so massive. Yeah.
“You can point to the extremists and try to say most iberals agree with them all you want. Only problem is that it’s not true.”
Doesn’t seem to be able to state specifically why not, either.
Or maybe he is busy rewriting the definition of terror for this thread. Something more in line with the new definition of torture, one would suppose.
And, waiting for a liberal to denounce it’s wacky fringe is about as fruitless as waiting for massive denunciations from the Muslim community for terrorism or other stupid shit. You’ll find it here and there, but often there will be a “BUT” in there somewhere.
Hmm… here’s some persuasive evidence for the Washington/terrorist connection.
He’s a graphic artist
Read: he works as a part-time barista.
What a yutz.
Oops, looks like I messed up the Washington link.
“You can point to the extremists and try to say most [l]iberals agree with them all you want. Only problem is that it’s not true.”
Pot, Kettle, Black. Since all us conservatives are just knuckle-dragging gun-toting gay-bashing brown-people-hating racist Jesus freaks (especially the Jewish ones).
And what the hell is a “barista” supposed to be? Means “bartender” but sounds like “barrister”? How self-important.
Let’s focus on the question raised: The point that Dan was making is not that all liberals are terrorist apologists (quotes, we got quotes!) but that this asshat made it a point to publically state his “concerns” about Hamas, delibrately misrepresented their charter and willfully made a connection between peaceful Hamas and tea murderers and ambushing Colonials. Beyond the historical and intellectual moronity of this position (not to mention it’s shining, self serving nature) we can make a connections to some Liberals/progressives/leftists/dumasses who very publically over the last several years have made hay at various demonstrations about the evil Jewish occupiers and the lack of justice for the sainted Palestinians.
Leave us not forget a past president who proclaimed the vast majority of blame belongs to Israel, using a term that likens the Jooooos to a government that practiced institutionalized oppressive racism for decades. If it is your desire to read that book, be forwarned that the amount of fireworks logic and utter ignorance of basic facts will drain knowledge and intellect from your head like a synapse tractor beam.
Rather than making the completely false complaint that commentators are condemning all liberals for Palestinian worship be prepared to acknowledge that there is a significant movement within the liberal base, that sees Israel as evil and glories in uncritical liberation Theology when waxing poetic about the sainted Palestinians.
Discernment: The other white meat.
One more thing:
This has been pointed out earlier but it bears repeating.
Please consider the difference between the following:
1) Boxes of Tea
2) Truckbombs in markets crowded with women and children, suicide bombers in student cafes and busses filled with women and children, gunmen running into mosques and throwing grenades and spraying the congregants (“fortunately” mostly men.)
Please note: If you fail this test we shall be forced to fart in your general direction and mock you all a second time.
BJ, the similarity is obvious. Because of all that tea being drowned, the piteous little moppets of the East India Company directors couldn’t have the finer bread made for royalty, and had to settle for something coarse and mealy like what a mere duke or duchess would eat. The wails and sniffles emanating from their playrooms must have been heartrending.
Whereas, those people splattered all over the buses and pizza parlors? They’re just jooooz.
Forgive me, McGehee, for forgetting to factor in the Chosen and the Enlightened.
I shall buy a case of fair trade cofee as atonement.
To lighten the mood, I offer a poem about peace, dedicated to BJ, McGehee, and alpuccino. And, Kyoto.
Make the world a better place,
Tea-bag steve in his face.
Satisfying, like a cup of tea.
BJ – That you even have to explain this to the leftards, which you did quite well, is just fucking sad. Pathetic even.
I try, JD, I try. And I’m not alone in that. How many well conceived and written tomes by the likes of Jeff and ric locke have been presented, only to be brushed away by the barest of consideration?
I’m just carrying the water of the giants, man.
Um, carrying the water for giants, or else it just sounds creepy.
“One man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter.”
Again, the Klan is probably kicking itself that it didn’t think of this rationalization for its action.
Guerrilla tactics in the American revolution were an exception, not the rule. In both Concord and Lexington the British faced local militia. The American combatants were considered rebels by the crown. Hamas are not freedom fighters. They are a criminal enterprise financed by Iran and Syria. Just, like , ya know, pointin’ it out.
“Comment by steve on 12/11 @ 3:00 pm #
Wat is this, RWN? Find one liberal douchebag and try to say via th healine (w/o reasoning, of course) that said douchebag is representative of people who lean left?”
Actually, that’d be TWO liberal douchebags.
I think I spotted a trend.
“The headline: Faces of American “Liberalismâ€Â
So the intimation there is that liberals are for the destruction of Israel or are pro-hamas, which is a crock of shit.”
Except for the fact that that is exactly what reactionary leftists like yourself are for, and a are pro- for.
channeling Mr. Burns:
And if I were to run over him in my automobile[/necklace him/feed him to sharks/turn him over alive and well to tender mercies of AQ/etc], I would be arrested!
…Ahh, but would I get a juror like him? That changes the math.
“Again, the Klan is probably kicking itself that it didn’t think of this rationalization for its action.”
Ah, the Klan.
The terrorist arm of the Democratic Party.
[quote]“There were so many gaps in the evidence, I could drive a truck through it,†he told the Morning News.[/quote]
I SWEAR I WASN’T THINKING OF THIS SOUNDBITE AHEAD OF TIME!!!
welp, there goes that joke.
You stop paying attention for, like, 6 months and someone goes and changes the comments system? What up with that?
The tags in the pointy brackets still work. FWIW.