Arizona Politics for Conservatives: Sonoran Alliance
Arizona Politics, News, Commentary and Information with a Blatantly Conservative Worldview Presented by an Alliance of Writers, Activists, Consultants and Government Insiders.
Tune in to Fox News to watch Saddleback Church Pastor Rick Warren discuss the issues with both Senators Barack Obama and John McCain.
The forum is also being carried live. Click here to watch or to revisit.
After the forum, we want you to hear your impressions. Who do you think did best and why?
The Phoenix New Times has finally gone too far and should be shut down. Its August 14th edition contains not just one, but hundreds of photographs of young children completely naked in provocative poses. How is this not child porn? According to the definition provided by Cornell Law School, child porn includes “lascivious exhibition of the genitals or pubic area of any (minor).” The New Times didn’t post the pictures on its website, tellingly, they are only in the print edition (we would not link or post to them regardless). Somewhat less offensive pictures are on the website, such as the cover picture.
The New Times’ excuse is that the children’s mother took the pictures as “art.” That doesn’t get around the law however. Because then any child pornographer could use that excuse (“Johnny’s mom took the pictures and said it was ok for me to display them for anyone who wants to see them”). Parents have been prosecuted before for sharing naked pictures of their children .
What is the difference between this and what the Phoenix New Times did? Marc Greenberg and Jeff Libman ran a website (like the Phoenix New Times runs a newspaper/website) which provided nude pictures of children modeling, some with the permission of their parents. The two men were prosecuted for child porn, and the court found that posing in yoga positions was enough to constitute sexually suggestive photographs. Similarly, the children in the New Times photos are posing in what looks like yoga/sexually suggestive positions.
ABC-15 covered the story, and says the Phoenix Police is investigating. Let’s hope some family groups get involved and have the New Times prosecuted. This is outrageous. If allowed to continue, it only encourages pedophiles, because it whets their appetite for more, and their next prey will not have the approval of their parents, since very few parents permit their children to be exploited.
Consider the audience – a look through the Phoenix New Times reveals that their readership is the “prurient” type, based on the hundreds of pornographic adult types of ads it contains. This is evidence the photographs were not displayed as “art” but rather to appeal to the prurient interests of its readership. If they had been meant as “art,” they would have been featured in an art magazine, not an “adult entertainment magazine” as many refer to the New Times.
News from the Harper campaign – pretty interesting he’s gotten not only the AZ Chamber of Commerce’s endorsement, but also the liberal Phoenix Chamber of Commerce.
Endorsements for Senator Jack Harper’s Re-election Keep Rolling In Despite Vicious, Misleading Attacks.
The National Rifle Association’s Political Victory Fund, The Arizona Chamber of Commerce, The Arizona Association of Realtors, The Arizona Right-to-life PAC, the Legislative District Four Republican Committee, The Fraternal Order of Police, The Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce, and numerous constituents have openly sided with Senator Harper, over the pro-higher taxes John Zerby. Senator Harper announced the endorsement of the two of the most popular office-holders in Arizona, Sheriff Joe Arpaio and County Attorney, Andrew Thomas. In a recorded message to the Republicans of Legislative District Four, Thomas said, “Jack’s opponents are running a very misleading ad that implies that I do not support Jack and that’s simply not true. Jack Harper is a solid conservative and a great Republican. Please vote for Jack Harper for State Senate.”
In the debate between Harper and liberal challenger Zerby, it was clear that only Harper understood state issues without special interest groups forming his opinions. After the C.C.E.C. debate, Zerby canceled all further debates with Harper, opting to allow the Democratic Party’s machine do his speaking for him.
On March 31st and April 2nd of this year, Senator Harper canvassed the neighborhood of John Zerby, collecting signatures for Harper’s nomination petitions. Over half of the registered Republicans were home and none refused to sign Harper’s nomination petition. Harper said, “If the people that know the pro-gay marriage, pro-higher taxes Zerby the best, his neighbors cannot support him, why would anyone?” In a debate sponsored by the Citizen’s Clean Election Commission, Zerby opposed the Marriage Amendment and opposed the permanent elimination of the state property tax. In addition, Zerby said he was open to new taxes.
Harper countered the vicious negative attacks that have become increasingly personal to his family:
One mailer/commercial had comments by Republicans and the Arizona Republic Newspaper. Some were taken out of context. One was from a challenger the day before Harper defeated him in a primary election 77% to 23%. County Attorney Andrew Thomas is a Harper supporter and is being maligned by the left also in this election.
The second mailer/commercial claimed Harper opposed increasing a buffer for child-molesters around daycare centers. Actually, Harper studied the issue and explained why the bill was worded wrong in it’s introduced form. Harper later voted for the bill after the sponsor amended the bill on Harper’s advise.
The third mailer/commercial tried to make Harper look self-serving. The mailer claimed that Harper filed bankruptcy and then sponsored a bill to increase his salary. The legislation was a referral to the ballot, not a raise in Harper’s salary. It was actually to decrease what the Salary Commission was referring to the ballot (25% this year). There were three years between when Harper filed because of his business and when the referendum was authored. Harper stands out as the legislator that avoids votes to enrich himself, more than any other legislator.
There are two more weekends before the election. Next weekend, John Zerby’s liberal friends in the labor unions and advocacy groups for gay marriage may imply that Jack Harper is the one that actually shot JFK.
The final weekend, Zerby’s liberal friends from the labor unions and gay-marriage advocacy groups may claim that Jack Harper is actually the father of John Edwards’ and Rielle Hunter’s “love child”.
To volunteer for the campaign to stop higher taxes and gay marriage, contact Senator Harper by email jhrtp@msn.com or phone 623-680-3530.
