Alternative News

Amish leader sentenced to 15 years for beard-cutting ‘hate crimes’

"The leader of an Amish cult — who allegedly ordered followers to forcibly cut the beards and hair of those who criticized his leadership — was sentenced to 15 years in prison. The 67-year-old Samuel Mullet Sr. was convicted not just of assault but of hate crimes, as prosecutors said the victims’ right to religious expression was violated. The sentence sat between what the government asked for — life in prison — and what the defense sought, which was at most two years. Fifteen others implicated in the crimes were sentenced to between one and seven years in prison." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingAmish leader sentenced to 15 years for beard-cutting ‘hate crimes’

Arizona Politician Parodied By Fake Twitter Accounts Pushes Bill To Make Online Impersonation A Felony

"Arizona State Representative Michelle Ugenti has proposed a bill that would make it a class 5 felony to impersonate someone online 'with the intent to harm, defraud, intimidate or threaten.' That last part, obviously, limits the purely parodical accounts, but the definitions of those words could be quite broad, and the risk of an overly broad interpretation is quite real. Considering that class 5 felonies in Arizona come with a 'presumptive sentence of a year and a half imprisonment,' you would hope that the definitions here would be a lot clearer." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingArizona Politician Parodied By Fake Twitter Accounts Pushes Bill To Make Online Impersonation A Felony

Seattle Mayor Orders Police to Dismantle Its Drone Program After Protests

"In an amazing victory for privacy advocates and drone activists, yesterday, Seattle’s mayor ordered the city's police agency to cease trying use surveillance drones and dismantle its drone program. The police will return the two drones they previously purchased with a Department of Homeland Security grant to the manufacturer. In May of last year, we urged concerned citizens to take their complaints to their local governments, given Congress has been slow to act on any privacy legislation. The events of Seattle proves this strategy can work and should serve as a blueprint for local activism across the country." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSeattle Mayor Orders Police to Dismantle Its Drone Program After Protests

Excessive Criminal Laws Trap Honest American Businessman

"Florida seafood importer Abner 'Abbie' Schoenwetter spent years in a U.S. federal prison for supposedly violating the laws of Honduras... even though the Honduran government proved he was innocent. In an appalling miscarriage of justice, Schoenwetter lost his thriving business and years with his family. This shocking true story warns of the U.S. government creating new criminal laws that affect every American -- a problem known as overcriminalization." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingExcessive Criminal Laws Trap Honest American Businessman

Columbia-Juilliard Student (and Award Winning Musician) Committed for 30 Days After Cursing at Professor

"After cursing at a professor during a Spanish final, former Columbia-Juilliard student Oren Ungerleider was involuntarily committed to St. Luke’s Hospital and kept there against his will for 30 days, according to a lawsuit he filed against the University this month. When he arrived at St. Luke’s, Ungerleider was interviewed by a series of psychiatrists, and he refused to answer their questions, the complaint says. When he tried to leave, three doctors tackled him and forcibly injected him with the drug Haldol. Doctors medicated him against his will and kept him in containment, it says." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingColumbia-Juilliard Student (and Award Winning Musician) Committed for 30 Days After Cursing at Professor

Fed Has Bought More U.S. Gov’t Debt This Year Than Treasury Has Issued

"So far this calendar year, the Federal Reserve has bought up more U.S. government debt than the U.S. Treasury has issued. By the close of business on Wednesday, Feb. 6, according to the U.S. Treasury, the total federal debt had climbed to $16.4799 trillion—an increase of $47.2 billon for the calendar year. At the close of business on Jan. 2, the Federal Reserve had owned $1.661 trillion in U.S. Treasury securities. By the close of business on Feb. 6, it owned $1.7172 trillion—an increase of $51.1 billion for the calendar year." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingFed Has Bought More U.S. Gov’t Debt This Year Than Treasury Has Issued

Reality Check: President Obama’s Rules For Assassinating U.S. Citizens?

"It is a story that has made national headlines in the past twenty four hours but a story Reality Check has been telling you for nearly two years. NBC News obtained a copy of the Obama administration’s rules for assassinating U.S. citizens." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingReality Check: President Obama’s Rules For Assassinating U.S. Citizens?

Washington state prepares to take on TSA

"HB 1454, The Washington State Freedom Of Travel Act, uses clear and commonsense language to point out the illegal activities which the TSA is already carrying out on a regular basis and sets penalties for violations within the state. The bill goes on to mention the illegality of groping and removing children from parental custody without permission, important sections in light of the TSA's apparent policy of hiring criminals, including a former Catholic priest who was defrocked for sexually abusing young girls." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingWashington state prepares to take on TSA

Incoming CIA Director John Brennan refuses to say whether waterboarding is torture

"At his confirmation hearing on Thursday, President Barack Obama’s nominee for CIA director refused to state whether or not waterboarding was a form of torture. When pressed by Democratic Sen. Carl Levin of Michigan, John Brennan said the simulated drowning technique should be banned. However, he repeatedly declined to label the practice torture." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingIncoming CIA Director John Brennan refuses to say whether waterboarding is torture