We Support Peaceful Protests in Wisconsin

Peaceful protests are a way of life and should be. Wisconsin public employee union members and their friends should be congratulated for their peaceful protests against actions they feel are unjust.

Calls to violence against protesters should stop. As reported yesterday, a lawyer employed by the state of Indiana lost his job for advocating violence against protesters. The state did the right thing. Here is what was reported:

A deputy attorney general in Indiana recently tweeted some advice for police facing pro-labor protesters in Wisconsin: “Use live ammunition.”

The comment and others, made in response to a Feb. 19 tweet by a Mother Jones writer, have ended badly for the government lawyer, Jeffrey Cox. He is now out of a job, according to CNN, the Associated Press and Mother Jones.

The Indiana Attorney General’s office explained its decision in a statement. “We respect individuals' First Amendment right to express their personal views on private online forums, but as public servants we are held by the public to a higher standard, and we should strive for civility," the AG's office said.

According to Mother Jones, Cox said the protesters were "political enemies" and "thugs" who were physically threatening lawmakers, and he called the publication’s reporter a “typical leftist.”

"You're damned right I advocate deadly force,” Cox reportedly wrote.

Choose the Best Possible Hospital and Nursing Home

There are many sources available to help people choose health care facilities that are well rated by governmental or private agencies. It is important to use all possible sources when your own care or the care of family and friends is at stake. We can recommend you seek out the recommendations of Blue Cross Blue Shield for hospitals, published as the Blue Star Hospital Report. The reports summarizes the results of quality and safety performance measures for 91 Illinois hospitals.

You should also compare hospitals and nursing homes in your area on www.medicare.gov.