Death, False Imprisonment, and Persecution

We shall all die some day. That is the fate of all mortals. Before that day of destiny it is our task to scatter the moments of a life well lived, of a God truly worshiped, a spouse well loved, children lovingly corrected, friends appreciated, the helpless defended, parents honored, benefactors thanked. When our souls pass on, if those who mourn our passing can recall the good memories like snapshots scattered on the ground before them in their daily walks through the world then they will be comforted. That is how we can prepare for inevitable death. Not that we shall seek out our death, or kill ourselves like devil-worshiping pagans, but face the future bravely after considering what is necessary to be done and what is not.

In order of increasing solemnity, here are the stories of three bloggers who have ventured to do that which they determined to be necessary and faced the consequences.

First, Right Truth spreads the word about Lionheart, who has had a warrant filed for his arrest in England on hate speech charges.

Fellow blogger Lionheart sent me an email this morning to let me know a warrant has been issued for his arrest. Why? Because he blogs about Islamic terrorism. He says:

I am currently out of the Country and on my return home to England I am going to be arrested by British detectives on suspicion of Stirring up Racial Hatred by displaying written material" contrary to sections 18(1) and 27(3) of the Public Order Act 1986.

This charge if found guilty carries a lengthy prison sentence, more than what most paedophiles and rapists receive, and all for writing words of truth about the barbarity that is living in the midst of our children, which threatens the very future of our Country.

This, the prosecution of citizens for blogging the truth about what is happening in their own communities, is what comes of hate speech laws. They are supposed to soothe hurt feelings, but end up destroying free speech and turning law-abiding adults into mewling infants able to only cry for succor from the teat of the socialist nanny government. Hate speech laws do nothing to restrict criminals who never intend to act within the law. They only restrict those who are basically law abiding, and they turn law abiding citizens into sheep. Hate speech laws are an abomination and must be abolished everywhere.

Also on it: Bournemouth Nationalist; Song Dong Nigh; Wheat and Weeds; Terry Morris; Gates of Vienna; Old Atlantic Lighthouse; Vanishing American; Dinosaur; Stix Blog; Atlas Shrugs; Always on Watch; Wake up America.
Google search here.

Next, Fouad al Farhan, probably the best known Saudi blogger, has been arrested in Jeddah.

Saudi blogger Fouad Al Farhan was arrested on Tuesday December 11 after his office was forced into in Jeddah, located in Western Saudi Arabia. He was detained without an explanation or reasons for his arrest. Fouad Al Farhan is considered among the first Saudi bloggers to blog using their real names and his blog discusses social problems and tackles national issues frankly.

See also: Google search, CNN, WaPo 1 & 2.

Finally, in the saddest news for our trio, Maj. Andrew Olmsted who blogged at Obsidian Wings and formerly did the Iraq Report for Winds of Change, was killed in Diyala province in Iraq on January 3. From hilzoy at Obsidian Wings:

Andy was a wonderful person: decent, honorable, generous, principled, courageous, sweet, and very funny. The world has a horrible hole in it that nothing can fill. I'm glad Andy -- generous as always -- wrote something for me to publish now, since I have no words at all. Beyond: Andy, I will miss you.My thoughts are with his wife, his parents, and his brother and sister.

What follows is Andy's post: a bit here; the rest below the fold. [UPDATE: I'm adding links to Andy's last post at his Rocky Mountain News blogs, from about a week ago, where friends and family are expressing support in comments; to an article from yesterday that I believe is about his death; and to a post he wrote on his reasons for going to Iraq last June.]

Read an extract from the comments at Rocky Mountain News Blogs.

Major Olmstead,

My name is Jeff Casey and I am CAPT Tom Casey's younger brother. Three army guard members arrived at our door today to tell us that Tom was killed in small arms fire today (1/3/08). They also told us that both his wife and my mother had already been notified of which neither had actually occoured. I am writing to you to determine if my brother has actually fallen in small arms fire like they said or if the army got that piece of information wrong as well. If you get this and the information turns out to be false, please have Tom contact us as soon as possible. Thank you

-jjc
Posted by Jeff Casey on January 3, 2008 04:09 PM

[...]

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From what I can piece together, Major Olmstead and my brother CAPT Thomas John Casey were the 2 soldiers killed in Diyala province yesterday. I can only assume that they took the lead when the team was ambushed, and are the true definition of heros. Tom was one hell of a brother/soldier/father/friend and I will miss him dearly. My condolences go out to Andrew's family, we know exactly what you are going through-jjc
Posted by Jeff Casey on January 4, 2008 05:42 AM

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Major Andrew Olmsted and Captain Thomas Casey were both killed when we were ambushed. They both displayed tremendous courage under fire. I am proud to have served with them. They will be greatly missed. We were all blessed to have known them. They will always be my brothers in arms.Captain John Thompson
Nightmare 3
Posted by John Thompson on January 4, 2008 06:37 AM

Dear Reader, cry if you must. Rest in Peace Andrew Olmsted and Thomas Casey.

More at memeorandum.

Technorati Tags: Moral Clarity, Andrew Olmsted, Fouad al-Farhan, Lionheart