The Jennings Line

Peter - no one could have said it better. Kevin has given his life to making schools safer for all kids. If the Obama adminstration backs down, that's it for me.

Bravo! Couldn't be better said. We need some stiffening of the presidential backbone on our issues.

It all started with a loathsome right-wing Bay Area blogger and self-described "operative" who goes by the pseudonym "zombie." See zomebietime.com to see what kinds of "proof" this anonymous coward is spewing. He/she also delights in publishing photos of the Folsom Street Fair, etc., in the interest of fomenting anti-gay sentiment among his/her followers.

But I noticed that zombie conviently has not footage from the "tea parties." HMMMMMM

With Respect Peter, but Jones admits to being a communist, hate to break it to you and your readers but this is a capitalist country. I don't want that to change so the man should have not even been in that position. However is Obama would just admit thats the change he wants he should be honest about it and let the people decided.

I have no idea who kevin Jennings is, and I havent heard anything about him on Rush or FOX. I avoid listening to the left wing hate machine of MSNBC. The next to go should be Anita Dunn who admits she likes Mao and reads his stuff and admires him, this guy killed more people than Hitler...........

Just saying

OK I know mr. Jennings now and I'm pretty sure he should be in charge of anything with the word safe in it.

According to Mr. Jennings’ own description in a new audiotape discovered by Fox News, the 15-year-old boy met the "older man" in a "bus station bathroom" and was taken to the older man’s home that night. When some details about the case became public, Mr. Jennings threatened to sue another teacher who called his failure to report the statutory rape "unethical." Mr. Jennings’ defenders asserted that there was no evidence that he was aware the student had sex with the older man.

However, the new audiotape contradicts this claim. In 2000, Mr. Jennings gave a talk to the Iowa chapter of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, an advocacy group that promotes homosexuality in schools. On the tape, Mr. Jennings recollected that he told the student to make sure "to use a condom" when he was with the older man. That he actively encouraged the relationship is reinforced by Mr. Jennings’ own description in his 1994 book, "One Teacher in 10." In that account, the teacher boasts how he allayed the student’s concerns about the relationship to such a degree that the 15-year-old "left my office with a smile on his face that I would see every time I saw him on the campus for the next two years, until he graduated."

Mr. Jennings’ denials about these events reveal a lack of remorse. He has not admitted that he made mistakes in this case, and he now refuses to answer any questions about the scandal

and this is the guys back you got?

hi, a few comments from a canadian...

I don't know anything about Mr Jennings, nor the details involving some horny teenager looking for toilet sex... but it seems to me that Mr Jennings did the SENSIBLE thing to advise the young man to practice safer sex. i mean, let's face it... teens are *going to have sex*, that is a FACT of life, so rather than preaching, persecuting and *ignoring reality* ('hoping' for abstinence until it's 'legal' for them to act upon their natural sex drive), it makes better sense to coach/teach the teen to make informed choices, particularly about methods of safer sex... in this case, "use a condom," as Mr Jennings rightly advised the young man to do.

now, speaking for myself, i was having (oral) sex with an older man when i was 14 (i'm 40 now)... and not once did i feel coerced, threatened or used in any way. in fact, i looked forward to visiting my older friend on a regular basis. it kept me off the streets & out of trouble. we had great conversation and i learned a lot from him. and occasionally, he gave me a blowjob, big deal... where's the harm in that? demonizing teens for having sex causes the REAL harm, not the act itself.

has the far-right become so enraged about no longer being in power, that they are now in constant ATTACK mode, practically foaming at the mouths, like the rabid neo-conservative ideologues that they are? it sure looks that way to me.

obviously, these people are NOT interested in seeking common ground & bipartisanship, nor coming together for the sake of their country. on the contrary, Limbaugh's 'dittoheads' are on a destructive mission to annihilate anyone & everything on the centre/left of the political spectrum.

it's a really sad commentary on what's going on in the United States these days... and what's worse for us Canadians, *everything* that happens in America has a profound influence on our own Conservative government's policy/agenda here in Canada.

so PLEASE, my American friends, FIGHT BACK against these uber-conservatives, who are on a mission from hell to bring your country (and ours) to its knees (ahem, so to speak), in their desperate attempt to seize power & control of your government AGAIN.

and good luck... you're going to need it!

Rest assure my canadian friend Obama is on the verge of preparing his own “enemies list. Thereby “Nixifying” the White House. You just might get your wish, but be careful what you wish for, with no debate, no press to challenge leads us down a dangerous road, to a soft tyranny that seems to be in the making.

mike, you're not one those Alex Jones 'truthers', are you? ugh, i hope not.

and c'mon... you're not *seriously* comparing Obama to the Nixon administration (who ushered in America's asinine War on Drugs, and went on to demonize everyone from homosexuals to 'communists' to Jews, and anyone else who opposed Nixon doctrine)... are you??

America's angry neo-cons are on a race to the bottom... why on earth would you want to be a part of that??

I dont care for alex jones some people u just cant reason with. I do think the debate in this country has gotten nastier and nastier and not for the better. About Obama and his enemies list that should bother everyone, because what would be the next step with that list? Just ask Peter who wrote this blog. he'll become Obama's worst nightmare! How is that civil, how is it reasonable debate or protest? It's not. Peter is basically saying he'll turn the tables on Obama and do what Obama wants done to those he disagrees with. He's becaoming part of that left wing hate media he claims to hate about us Republicans. Ironic isn't it? Asking questions, debating, challenge ideas, being honest about ones intentions in a civil manner is whats great about this country. Its too bad were losing that to a bunch of screwballs on both sides.

mike, what 'list' are you speaking of? please be specific.

i think your president has got better things to do, and a lot more on his plate (like much needed healthcare reform, the economy, wars all over the place, etc)... rather than worrying about compiling some imaginary "list of enemies"

i do agree, however, that the tenor of dialogue in America has gotten shrill and very nasty... but the 'hate', as you put it, is actually coming from the RIGHT (not those of us on the left), as it ALWAYS has.

i should also add, the Nixon administration DID, in fact, compile a 'list of enemies'... but i just don't see that kind of 'tyranny' as being part of Obama's agenda.

unless YOU happen to KNOW stuff about Obama that the rest of us don't?? again, be specific, don't just spout-off meaningless conjecture and speculation about his administration... without providing factual evidence to back up what you're saying.

i realize the political landscape in America is a pretty crazy place, and the Democrats are pretty fucking lame (no balls at all), but the Republicans are bound & determined to burn every bridge (with their aggressive/imperialist foreign policy) and ultimately destroy America from within, just so they can seize power again.

the Obama administration is definitely the lesser of the evils. i mean, just imagine... John McCain and Sarah Palin could be running your country (into the ground) right now!

the entire world breathed a massive sigh of relief when Obama got elected, because quite frankly, the thought of a McCain/Palin administration, plus 8 more years of Republican rule scared the bloody hell out of everyone.

Obama ain't that bad, really... but you need to PUSH him in the right (left) direction.

I said he was on the verge, heres why I'd think that.

a reported effort by the White House to marginalize the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, a supposed effort by the Health and Human Services Department to put a “gag order” on the insurer Humana, the White House move to take on Fox News, Obama’s repeated criticisms of banks and investment houses, his alleged “taking names” of “bondholders who resisted the GM and Chrysler bailouts,” and the president’s move to make insurers the bogeyman of the health care debate.

Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) was the victim of a sort of payback, saying that after Kyl suggested the stimulus plan wasn’t working, the White house subsequently wrote the governor of Arizona that, “If you don’t want the money, we won’t send it.”

Republican Conference Chairman Lamar Alexander (Tenn.),Sen. Bob Bennett (R-Utah) questioned the power of White House “czars,” they both were “called out” on the White House blog.

If the president and his top aides treat people with different views as enemies instead of listening to what they have to say, they’re likely to end up with a narrow view and a feeling that the whole world is out to get them. And those who served in the Nixon White House know, that can get you into a lot of trouble.

Can u imange if Bush did any of this? If he'd called MSNBC a non news network the Dems would be allover him so lets get real.

Yes I agree Mccain would have been a big mistake! This way America can see that the far left is not the way to go, sure we'll hurt for awhile but if its what it takes to get another Clinton or Reagan I'm all for it!

umm, the so-called 'health insurers' ARE the "bogeymen." they are America's 'corporate health care' (and i use the words 'health' and 'care' in the loosest possible sense), where the *bottom line* is - and always has been - THE #1 priority. they are, after all, private-for-profit health insurers. they are not in the 'business' to protect your health, they are an 'insurance company' after all, and as everyone knows, insurance companies do NOT like to pay their claimants, if they don't 'have to', particularly if they 'uncover' that their client (victim more like it) had some 'pre-existing' condition (and there are MANY evidently), for which they can be nickel and dimed to death with co-pay fees and/or denied coverage altogether.

hmm, possible scenario with YOUR health insurer, mike - yeah, we know you need that liver transplant, Mike, but didn't you read the fine-print on your contract?? you see, you've got this 'pre-existing condition', so umm, i'm afraid we can't cover your medical bills for that procedure... but good luck though, maybe the bank will be kind enough to give you a loan to pay for the new liver that you NEED!

christ almighty, it doesn't take a genius in medicine, nor economics for that matter, to quickly come to the realization... a system whose very foundation is built upon ruthless capitalism and greed (as over 40 million under/uninsured Americans, and counting, already know), is simply not compatible with human health. Humana, and its corporate brethren, are THE problem. these *businesses* are legally bound, by corporate law, to maximize profit - always at the expense of their clients (YOU for example), who are often interrogated/investigated for 'pre-existing conditions' and other such nonsense, for which your 'insurer' can, and absolutely will, DENY you coverage for the medical procedures that you NEED. medical treatment to improve the quality of your life, or indeed, to survive in many cases.

so tell me, mike, how is that business model in any way compatible with protecting & preserving human health? it's not. if anything, it is utterly destructive to human health, and the nation overall.

insurers, like Humana, are exploiting the sick and dieing, to turn a profit. and we're not talking small money here either, these insurance companies rake in billions every year, and naturally, their top CEOs are rewarded for keeping costs down (denying coverage to the sick and dieing), whilst maximizing profits in any ruthless way they can.

THAT is not 'health', nor is it 'care'
a system built upon profit & greed is morally repugnant, and certainly does nothing to insure, nor ensure, the health of a nation's people.

in a word... it's SICK!

i'll come back and address the rest of your post shortly... but i must eat now. bbl

Two things: 15 year olds have sex. It's too bad when that happens from an encounter in a public restroom and doubly worse with no counseling on safer sex. Kudos to Jennings for acting responsibly. The other, well, Obama lost me at Rick Warren. I mean really, imagine the first gay president (as if) were to invite the grand muckedly-muck from the KKK to talk at his inauguration as a show of diversity. On this, the prez "acted stupidly" and I'm surprised that some of are okay with it.

I'm sure we can both go on an on about our medical needs/stories about when we got something and when we didnt. I'm lucky I've got great insurance. But I'll give you one of my stories and then my take on the whole health insurance game. my tcells were below 100 with a sky high viral load, I needed a hip replacement, my doc ask me if it was even worth the surgery! Guess what at the end of the day it was MY Decision no one else's! It wasnt some bureaucrat in DC or a state house running the numbers to see if it was truly worth it or not. Like it would be if DC ran things.

Health Insurance: I'm sure your a Fine gentleman Franics. I dont hate you, I dont hate sick people or poor people for that matter, I just dont want to pay for your health care, an I dont want you to pay for mine. I dont want to die and someday I'm sure that great health ins plan I have will be gone. But for you to pay for my health is not right and I wouldnt ask you too. I have family, theres groups and org's out there that help. Keep it out of washingtons hands!

But, In a sense we do pay for health care now to a degree and what we pay now, I'm not saying to get rid of, just NO to a national plan.

mike, i believe you are overlooking something... the 'national plan' does NOT intend to deny coverage to ANYONE, because that is the *essence* of the plan itself - EVERYONE is covered - NO american is turned down for medical treatment, under single-payer (public) health care. other industrialized nations, and not just Canada, have adopted similar publicly-funded health systems; and the health index for those countries is considerably better than that of the US. so, if nationalized healthcare can care work for other countries, including your neighbours to the north, then why would a similar system not work for American people?

you seem to have this irrational fear that 'socialized' medicine is somehow going to transform America into a third world banana republic or something. at least, that's the kind of thing i hear most often from the ill-informed, who've been propagandized into believing such nonsense.

look, the insurance companies have a vested interest in promoting that kind of bullshit & FUD (scare tactics) around the healthcare issue... their well-paid lobbyists 'working' the politicos on capital hill, pushing back hard on healthcare reform, doing their best (worst) to make damn sure that the status quo stays just as it is, as they and their bosses continue to ride the gravy train of exploit & greed.

it's odd to hear you say stuff like, "I dont want to pay for your health care, and I dont want you to pay for mine." we canadians don't think like that... we think every life has value, and worthy of medical treatment, even if he/she can't afford it on their own. people should not be punished - denied health care - just because they didn't 'plan' on getting sick (already have private insurance, and no pre-existing conditions, etc).

i'd like to think that we are less cruel, up here in canada... and i think many Americans are now coming to that realization, finally. the health of a nation is only as strong as the health of its people. the number of uninsured Americans without proper healthcare has become ridiculous embarrassing for a rich country like yours, and America does itself a disservice by allowing so many of its people to go without access quality medical care, that would otherise, help ensure that they stay in good health and remain productive citizens.

what's wrong with the government (our elected representatives) trying to keep the nation healthy? and it's sound economics too. a national plan would, in the end, cost LESS than the BILLIONS that are being wasted right NOW on 'corporate healthcare' - in which heartless insurance executives and their shareholders get to decide whether - or not - you are allowed to receive medical treatment. meanwhile, they continue to enrich themselves, and i do mean get RICH, at the expense of the nation's health.

mike, i urge you to re-think your position on the public health plan. it's not intended to exclude anybody from getting the care they need. also, from what i've read, the public 'option' is just that, it's YOUR choice to either opt-in, or continue with your private insurer instead. it's a stupid compromise, but so goes politics in America.

btw, did you know that in 2007 the CEO of Humana 'earned' more than $10 million in salary alone (not including millions in bonuses, plus all the other corporate perks)... but sadly for him, the economy took a downturn in 2008, so he had to settle for only $4.5 million (base salary). and this 'nice guy' is one of the *lowest paid* CEOs in the health insurance industry/scam.

here, see for yourself:
http://www.healthreformwatch.com/2009/05/20/health-insurance-ceos-total-compensation-in-2008/

mike, the issue isn't whether or not someone's nephew has sex with an older man... this IS going to happen, as it has been since we climbed down from the trees. thing is, teenagers are jacked-up on hormones and WILL seek to satisfy their sexual urges, and that is NORMAL.

so instead of creating needless hysteria, which is ultimately more harmful for everyone, why not counsel the teen on practising safer sex... since they're gonna do it anyway?

Now that Canada’s system has matured (or decayed), severe problems have developed. Costs for the national and provincial governments are exploding and some cancer patients are waiting months for diagnostic tests and treatment.

Some of the telltale statistics are frightening;

· The time it tales to be referred by a family doctor to an appointment with a specialist has increased from 3.7 to 8.3 weeks

· The time between the appointment and actual treatment has increased from 5.6 to 9.4 weeks, ranging from 5.5 weeks for oncology to 40 weeks for orthopedic surgery

One for-profit practice, The Cambie Surgery Center, run by Dr. Brian Day, has 120 doctors working there. His practice is growing because public hospitals are sending him many patients who would normally wait for months before receiving treatment. Since the Quebec Supreme Court ruling, private clinics are opening at a rate of one per week. Dr. Day plans on opening private hospitals in Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Calgary and Edmonton. Dr. Day, although continually threatened by the government, stated, “We’ve taken the position that the law is illegal. This is a country in which dogs can get a hip replacement in under a week and in which humans can wait two to three years.”

Over the last 18 months, Dr. Day’s hospital has been under contract to perform knee, spine and gynecological operations on more than 1,000 patients.

Care to guess how many Candians cross the border into the U.S for treatment? I've seen several different numbers but it amounts to about 15 thousand.

Want to see a primary care doctor in the U.S.? Pick up the phone and call one. In Canada, get in line behind the five percent of the population waiting to get a primary care physician (about 17 million Canadians).

As anyone who has ever run a business has learned, competition is the lifeblood of efficiency. What liberals never seem to understand is without that competition, complacency and waste become commonplace. One visit to a Veteran’s Administration (VA) hospital in the U. S. might challenge any positive thoughts you may have

When I got my hip done the doc said when you want to do it, next week maybe? I chose to wait for a month.

And if a man can work hard go to school work his way up the ladder of success I dont hold it against him if he makes 30 grand or 10 million.

As far as a 15yr kid goes we are a Nation of laws. In stead of suggesting a condom he should have said thats statutory rape and I'll have to report it. Trust me kids know, my nephew knew about condoms and safe sex waaaay before I thought he should but he knows and hes just turned 14.

I think we'll have to agree to disagree most likely. Stay Healthy!

mike, cherry picking (isolated) problems in Canada's healthcare system does nothing to diminish the fact that America's healthcare system is falling apart and failing its people, and miserably so.

incidentally, our healthcare system in canada has been under attack for years by profit-motivated scam artists (like those in America) who'd love to destroy our universal healthcare system, and to some degree, those 'enterprising' scumbags are succeeding in eroding what Canadians have worked so hard to build. and let's face it, there are massive profits to be gained (stolen) by exploiting something that people need, access to health care.

btw, you also conveniently ignored the fact that, according to the world health organization, the United States has a significantly HIGHER RATE OF MORBIDITY & MORTALITY than Canada does, including all of the other industrialized nations that have adopted a system of socialized medicine. in other words, a publicly-funded health care system has been statistically proven to provide better care, for MORE people (per capita), than America's Corporate Healthcare / Insurance Industry is able to do. so please, do yourself a favour, look this information up... before you go bashing the Canadian health system. it also might help if you didn't get your 'facts' from Faux News. just sayin...

btw, even if/when there might be a wait time for some non-life threatening condition (like hip replacement), in Canada, the patient will actually GET the (elective) treatment they need... whereas in the US, those who cannot afford it (40+ million american citizens now and growing), will NEVER receive the treatment they need, hip surgery or otherwise; thanks to the generous 'compassion' of Corporate Healthcare - brought to you by America's health insurance *industry*. and think about that word, 'industry', because that is precisely what it is. the corporate mandate of these health insurance companies (greed-motivated organizations) is primarily to maximize profit, even when it is to the obvious detriment of their clients' health, and to the nation itself. the 'bottom line' is essentially what motivates the insurance industry in general, thus it is more profitable for these health insurance companies to deny claims for medical procedures AND even allow their clients DIE, rather than provide the care people need and deserve. a DEAD client is worth a helluva a lot more (to the insurance company) than a patient who needs expensive medical treatment. it's simple, yet entirely short-sighted, corporate economics.

now, the 'underlings' who WORK for the health insurance industry need jobs, we all understand that; but even some of those, employees in the health insurance industry, former & present, have come forward to expose the obscene neglect & abuse that the private-for-profit health insurance has wreaked on the american public. to put it bluntly, America's health insurance industry is a SCAM; and the WHO indices for world health clearly reveal that to be the ugly truth.

furthermore, there is no rational reason for one of THE wealthiest countries in the world to allow a very large percentage of its population, tens of millions and growing by the day, to go *without* access to medical treatments & procedures, just so insurance executives can 'earn' themselves bigger bonuses, buy bigger yachts, mansions and what have you (quite literally), while at the same time, denying coverage to their sick & dieing clients - all in the name of almighty profit.

well, to my way of thinking, sacrificing public health, for the sake of financial profit, seems like a terrible idea to me, and ultimately, compromises the health of the entire nation... as we are now witnessing in America.

back to Canada... while it is true that some of us canadians may have to wait a bit longer than our wealthy american counterparts for certain elective procedures, like 'hip replacement' and so on... that is the price we are willing to pay, because in the end, we know that ALL canadians are provided fair/equal access to world-class health care; unlike in America, where $some people$ are more equal than others. and if you were being fair, you would have mentioned that Canadian doctors & nurses are working hard to refine our healthcare system to provide more timely access to elective / non-emergency health services. our population is aging, after all, so there are many more senior citizens coming into the system. but that doesn't mean our current standard of socialized medicine cannot handle the burden - it CAN, providing we don't hand it over to private interests (like in the US), losing sight of Tommy Douglas' dream, of providing universal access to the best health care for every single Canadian citizen, regardless of their status in life, or ability to pay. now that is CIVILIZED.

imo, a nation without universal access to health care services, is a nation in DECLINE, as increasing numbers of its citizens become sick and unable to WORK, contribute to their communities and so on.

but don't take my word for it... just take a look around you, mike. when more than half of Americans are screaming FOR publicly-funded healthcare (according to recent polls), then i'd say that has got to account for something. your fellow americans are fed up, mike; they've had *enough* of 'corporate healthcare', which is utterly corrupt and rotten to the core, because that is the *nature* of the health insurance 'business'. profit BEFORE health.

private insurance is just not compatible, nor concerned whatsoever, with the health of Americans, even when the nation overall is suffering because of the obscene cruelty and neglect of these insurance robber barons.

anyway, enough said on that.

getting back to the horny 15 year old... i still say that Mr Jennings did the right thing, by advising the teen to practice safer sex (knowing full well that there was little, if anything, he could practically do to prevent the teen from pursuing his sexual desires). as Lou said, teens have sex, that is just a fact of life, we all did it, yourself included i imagine. lecturing the young man about 'the law' isn't going to do anything to protect him from STIs. in fact, Jennings may have even saved this young man from the ugly fate that has befallen you and i. but as you say, mike... we'll agree to disagree.

anyway, thank you for wishing me good health... same to you, my friend

and i think that's gotta be it for me on this one... i need a nap after all this friggin typing!

cheers / f

ps - and one more thing, mike... without socialized medicine, i would not be here (alive) today to have this discussion with you. thankfully, i am reasonably healthy and able to lead a somewhat normal life, considering the circumstances, which as you know, are often quite overwhelming for PHAs.

BUT, if i had to PAY out of pocket for medications and/or fight with some private insurer to cover medical treatments... then without a doubt, i would be dead by now.

socialized medicine works.

Michelle Obama on Health Care:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/23/michelle-obama-makes-heal_n_331683.html