The BBC reports that Shimon Peres urges Israelis to rally against extremism

Israel’s president has urged Israelis to rally against ultra-Orthodox Jewish extremism in what he called a fight for the “soul of the nation”.

Shimon Peres was speaking as hundreds gathered in the town of Beit Shemesh to protest against the way some ultra-Orthodox Jews treat women.

There have been two days of clashes in the town after a girl said she had been harassed on her way to school.

Some ultra-Orthodox in Beit Shemesh are seeking to segregate men and women.

In another article the BBC highlights some of the thinking of the ultra-Orthodox: King’s Torah splits Israel’s religious and secular Jews

Rabbis Dov Lior and Yacob Yousef had endorsed a highly controversial book, the King’s Torah – written by two lesser-known settler rabbis. It attempts to justify killing non-Jews, including those not involved in violence, under certain circumstances.

The fifth chapter, entitled “Murder of non-Jews in a time of war” has been widely quoted in the Israeli media. The summary states that “you can kill those who are not supporting or encouraging murder in order to save the lives of Jews”.

At one point it suggests that babies can justifiably be killed if it is clear they will grow up to pose a threat.

The ultra-Orthodox don’t work, don’t have to serve in the Israeli military, or contribute to society in any meaningful way. Their views of women are every bit as extreme as the Taliban, and they will take to the street and attack people with stones and spit on them. They also oppose Zionism and don’t recognize the current state of Israel as legitimate. Their political party is part of the current ruling coalition.

Do not expect to read about any of this in the American media – it isn’t going to happen, even though the current demonstrations in Beit Shemesh started after a young American school girl was spit at and cursed as she walked to elementary school.

Update: I was surprised and pleased to see I was wrong about the US media, as they have picked up the story about Beit Shemesh at McClatchy, CNN, and CBS. About time.

Charlie Pierce is calling for a better class of lies from the Clown College that constitutes the Republican Presidential candidates.

Come on, let’s show some preparation. Even the Shrubbery figured out he had to destroy his National Guard records to run for President. These guys aren’t even that prepared, although Willard did ensure that all of the e-mails from his days as the Massachusetts governor went away.

It would appear that the insurance companies are going to have to struggle along with only Joe LIEberman in the Senate, as their second Senator, Ben Nelson has accomplished his goal of serving enough time to qualify for a Congressional pension and will return to denying claims for big bonuses as an insurance company executive. [Note: most insurance companies in the US are either headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska or Hartford, Connecticut.] It is probably too much to hope that Nebraska will elect a real Nebraska farmer to the Senate, rather than another whacko, like Bob Kerrey.

Among many others, Mustang Bobby points out a reason Congress doesn’t ‘feel our pain’: Between 1984 and 2009 the median net worth, excluding home equity, in constant 2009 dollars for a member of the House rose from $280,000 to $725,000. During the same period the median net worth of a family went down from $20,600 to $20,500. Needless to say, Congress hasn’t been experiencing the same problems as the rest of us. [Note that these number exclude home equity, so things are even worse when that is included because so many people are ‘under water’ on their mortgages.]