'Ground Zero' mosque halted

Feisal Abdul Rauf and Daisy Khan

by Chad Groening

A New York City construction worker who witnessed the terrorist attacks on 9/11 is very pleased the proposed "Ground Zero Victory Mosque" project has been stopped dead in its tracks.

Recently The Associated Press reported that Daisy Khan, wife of Imam Feisel Abdul Rauf, said that they were "pursuing a new vision for the future." Khan and Rauf had a major role in founding the mosque that was to be built near "Ground Zero" in New York City, but were effectively fired from the organization in January by fellow founder Sharif El-Gamal.

Andy Sullivan is a lifelong New York City construction worker and founder of the 9/11 Hard Hat Pledge -- one of the groups working to prevent the construction of the mosque near where the World Trade Center once stood. He says despite El-Gamal's reported commitment to move forward with the project, it is going to be tough to do without Rauf.

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Mississippi judge demands homeschool student IDs

by Bob Unruh

A Mississippi state judge has issued an order to public school attendance officers in his judicial district to provide the names of all homeschoolers there, prompting alarm at the Home School Legal Defense Association, which fights for the rights of homeschooling worldwide.

The order apparently is because the judge himself wants the information, as there appeared to be no case, motion or dispute prompting the request.

The HSLDA, which was alerted by its members in the 13th Chancery Court district in Mississippi, where Judge Joe Dale Walker issued the order, immediately sought and obtained a stay of the order from the state Supreme Court.

The judge's order noted that the "cause" for the order "came on for hearing on the court's own motion," but the HSLDA said apparently no hearing ever was held – and the order is the only document in the court file.

It also has no case number, the organization said.

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