Joe's Ban on Funds for Carter Center Opposed

Well, what do you know, sanity prevails. This article appeared in the 5/3 edition of the Detroit News.

Saturday, May 3, 2008

Funds ban for Carter Center is opposed

Gregg Krupa / The Detroit News

Some Arab-American and Muslim leaders objected Friday to the proposal by U.S. Representative Joe Knollenberg, R-Bloomfield Hills, to deny federal funds to the Carter Center in the wake of former President Jimmy Carter's meeting with a ranking member of Hamas.

Amid concerns by the Bush Administration, Carter met in Syria with Khaled Meshal, the chief strategist for Hamas, which the United States identifies as a terrorist organization. Hamas officials also are the elected leaders of the Palestinian Authority.

"As a former president of the United States, you undoubtedly understand that the United States must speak with one voice to our enemies," Knollenberg said in a April 9 letter to Carter. Knollenberg then offered a bill, the Coordinated American Response to Extreme Radicals (CARTER) Act that would ban federal financing of the center Carter established to further human rights.

"Knollenberg's legislation seeks to hamper the efforts of a center that promotes free elections, which the Bush Administration has said is the key to democracy and cultivating progress in the Middle East," said the Council of American Islamic Relations, in a statement.

While the legislation is given little chance of approval in Congress, Arab-American leaders said it was particularly disappointing given Knollenberg's recent efforts to improve relations in the Middle East by forming a bipartisan Jordan Caucus and encouraging relief for the Iraqi refugees.

"There is absolutely nothing constructive about this initiative that supports the Bush Administration's progress towards peace," said Leigh O'Neill of the Arab American Institute.

"I think we are living our last days of the American political era when even a former president can be sanctioned for his political views," said Imad Hamad, regional director of the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee.

A group of 50 Republican and Democratic members of Congress recently signed a letter to Carter expressing objections similar to Knollenberg's.

"President Carter or any former president carries with him a weight that other citizens do not," said Nate Bailey, a spokesman for Knollenberg. "And in this particular instance, the action he took was in direct contrast to the stated policy of the United States for more than 20 years."

You can reach Gregg Krupa at (313) 222-2359 or gkrupa@detnews.com.

Joe Knollenberg's temper tantrum against Carter

Recently Joe Knollenberg has been trying to get in the news by railing against Jimmy Carter's talking to Hamas and has proposed legislation to cut off federal funding to the Carter Center. Before we do that, it might be a good idea to look at some of the accomplishments of the Carter Center.

When asked directly on Fox News whether there is any chance of his legislation passing, he evades the question. This is all for show, folks. Whether you agree with Carter's talking with Hamas or not, Joe Knollenberg is just trying to get his free media time with a constituent audience.

The Carter Center Peace Programs: Peace With Justice

Peace with justice requires resolving conflict according to rules agreed to by all, beginning with the shared commitment to human rights and democratic values. Today, virtually all governments claim to share this belief. The Carter Center, in partnership with others, seeks practical ways to narrow the gap between the rhetoric and realities of government policies in countries striving to overcome legacies of oppression and deadly conflict by building more just societies of their own.

At the invitation of governments and in cooperation with civil society, The Carter Center continues to play a leading role in election observation across the developing world, broadening its participation to help countries better prepare for elections and build upon the results to deepen democracy and ensure peace becomes permanent.

Whether helping to standardize election procedures in China's villages, giving voice to human rights defenders in Africa, or increasing transparency of campaign finance and governance in the Americas, the Center's programs work to attain peace with justice in those areas of the world most in need and who request our help.

The Carter Center's principled impartiality and record of achievement give its peace making programs the credibility needed to work nationally, regionally, and globally.

These programs include:

• The Democracy Program: working for the development of inclusive democratic societies and the empowerment of citizens through election observation, consensus-building for international standards for democratic elections, and democracy-strengthening activities in emerging democracies and regional organizations.
• Human Rights Program: intervening on behalf of victims of human rights abuses; strengthening the voices of human rights defenders internationally; and building capacity for rule of law in partnerships with civil society, governments, and international organizations.
• The Conflict Resolution Program: helping prevent deadly conflict, mediating differences, and ensuring that peace processes become irreversible at the invitation of parties to disputes and assisting capacity building for conflict resolution in regional organizations.
• The Americas Program: improving regional cooperation and the deepening of democracy within the Western Hemisphere, thwarting corruption, increasing transparency,, and decreasing social inequities to ensure that free and fair elections lead to the consolidation of democratic institutions and rule of law.
• China Program: advising China's Ministry of Civil Affairs on local elections practices, voter education, and data collection.

Current peacemaking initiatives include:

• Observing the 2008 constituent assembly elections in Nepal
• Encouraging post-conflict strengthening, rule of law, and respect for human rights in Liberia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Helping citizens and governments fight corruption by supporting access to information laws in Latin America and the Caribbean and Africa
• Strengthening the voices of human rights defenders internationally through an annual human rights defenders policy forum and by advocating for stronger international human rights systems, such as the U.N. Human Rights Council
• Working at the forefront of efforts to develop a new international election observation methodology for observing electronic voting technologies as part of a project to develop standards for democratic elections
• Supporting stronger regional protection of democracy and implementation of the hemispheric anti-corruption treaty in the Americas

Knollenberg takes shot at Carter's age in interview about Carter

Well, it's hard to believe, but Joe Knollenberg actually found a way to make it into the news. Joe Knollenberg is ok with torture, no health care for 47 million Americans, the war in Iraq, the shredding of the civil liberties of Americans, and a whole host of other issues that have been devastating to our standing in the world.

Now, though, he wants to go after Jimmy Carter. Now, I don't pretend to know if Carter's conducting talks with a leader of Hamas is a good idea or not. It seems any time, though, that we are talking to our enemies conducting diplomacy at least we have a chance at negotiating a settlement of differences.

In this interview (click here to listen. it starts about half way through) Joe actually took a shot at Carter's age, suggesting that Carter may be losing it by choosing to talk to Hamas.

Knollenberg wants Carter Center funding cut

Hamas meeting prompts legislation

By TODD SPANGLER • FREE PRESS WASHINGTON STAFF • April 17, 2008

Rep. Joe Knollenberg is pushing legislation that would prohibit the federal government from giving money to a center headed by former President Jimmy Carter – a reaction to Carter’s plans to meet with Hamas, an Islamic militant group.

Knollenberg, a Bloomfield Township Republican, introduced the legislation in Congress on Wednesday to block future funding of the Carter Center, a human rights organization based in Atlanta and founded by the former president.

Carter has been criticized by officials in the United States and Israel for agreeing to meet with Hamas as part of a Mideast peace mission. Hamas has opposed peace negotiations and has called for Israel’s destruction, and the United States considers Hamas a terrorist organization.

Said Knollenberg: “America must speak with one voice against our terrorist enemies. It sends a fundamentally troubling message when an American dignitary is engaged in dialogue with terrorists. My legislation will make sure that taxpayer dollars are not being used to support discussions or negotiations with terrorist groups.”

Knollenberg, according to his staff, was the first member of Congress to speak out against Carter’s meeting, sending him a letter after hearing of it and asking him to reconsider.

“I would hate for Hamas to realize any benefit from an American dignitary, such as you, engaging in dialogue with them,” he said.

The bill, the Coordinated American Response to Extreme Radicals or CARTER Act prohibits taxpayer funds from being appropriated to the Carter Center, which Knollenberg’s office said has received at least $19 million in federal money since 2001.

The Associated Press reported Carter’s meeting with Hamas officials was occurring in Cairo, Egypt, today

Joe Knollenberg: Screw the Sick; Carter met with Terra-rists

by: Eric B.

(From Michigan Liberal)

Quick, which dirty commie pinko hippie said this:

Disarmament with mutual honor and confidence is a continuing imperative. Together, we must learn to compose differences, not with arms, but with intellect and decent purpose.

If you said the five-star general who planned and carried out the invasion of Normandy, and later as president said that he'd use force to prevent the dirty Reds from taking over the Middle East, you'd be right. But, those were perhaps naive days, what with generals talking about peace plans and rebuilding Europe with American money and what not. Talking, especially to people you call enemies, is treason, which explains:

With the highly publicized meetings of late between Jimmy Carter and the terrorist group Hamas, Rep. Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) is pushing legislation that would prohibit the federal government from giving money to the Carter Center here in Atlanta.

I mean, this is just downright embarrassing. You can think that talks with Hamas will ultimately not be fruitful, but punishing a Nobel Peace Prize laureate for trying to promote peace (not to mention playing a big role in the historic talks between Begin and Sadat that got both of them the same prize)? The name of the bill? The Coordinated American Response to Extreme Radicals Act (CARTER Act). It's a slap in the face to an ex-president and an insult to the idea of respectful disagreement.

But, naturally, Knollenberg's legislation wouldn't actually hurt Carter, but rather those who benefit from Carter's work, which is really all of humanity. That means Joe Knollenberg wants to punish all of humanity because Jimmy Carter is going to a part of the world where he's had success finding peace where it'd proven elusive for the previous four decade, and try to help people compose differences, not with arms, but with intellect and decent purposes.

Ike must be rolling over in his grave at the idiocy rampant in what used to be his party.