did I hit a wrong button somewhere?

I am unable to view any hidden post - like I previously could. Also, I am frequently unable to send alerts? Has there been some change in the system or did I click on the wrong thing at some point without knowing it?

Be peacemakers in Middle East, pope tells Christians in Lebanon

Source: Reuters

http://s1.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20120916&t=2&i=653433558&w=460&fh=&fw=&ll=&pl=&r=CBRE88F0NMS00

By Erika Solomon and Tom Heneghan

BEIRUT | Sun Sep 16, 2012 6:04am EDT

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Pope Benedict urged Middle Eastern Christians on Sunday to work for peace and against "the grim trail of death and destruction" in the world, in a sermon delivered in Lebanon as civil war raged in neighboring Syria.

Benedict was speaking at an open-air Mass on Beirut's Mediterranean seafront attended by 350,000 worshippers, according to the organizers' estimate, and leaders of Lebanon's Christian and Muslim communities including from militant Shi'ite group Hezbollah.

Peace between warring factions and among the many religious groups in the Middle East has been a central theme of his visit to Lebanon, along with his call to Christians not to leave the region despite war and growing pressure from radical Islamists.

Lebanon, torn apart by a 1975-1990 sectarian civil war, is a religious mosaic of more than four million people whose Muslim majority includes Sunnis, Shi'ites, Alawites and Druze. About a third of the population is Christian, divided into more than a dozen churches.

"In a world where violence constantly leaves behind its grim trail of death and destruction, to serve justice and peace is urgently necessary," Benedict said at the Mass, praying for "Middle East servants of peace and reconciliation".



Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/16/us-pope-lebanon-idUSBRE88F02U20120916

Have you been as depressed as I am about some of the reactions here on DU to the recent unrest in

the Middle East? Every bigot and racist seems to feel free to simply let lose. I have alerted on some post, I wrote Skinner and I posted a thread in Meta - but so far there doesn't seem to be any willingness to address the issue of anti-Muslim bigotry. Of course that is how it was here for a long, long time. But things seemed to have improved for awhile. It even seemed that those who clearly harbored bigoted attitudes were at least restraining themselves. Unfortunately, that self-restraint now appears to have expired.

Does anyone have any ideas on how to address this issue?

Are rules against bigoted and/or racist post now suspended? Can admin clarify please?

Romney denounces film aimed at Muslims

Source: Los Angeles Time reprinted in Philadelphia Enquire

NEW YORK - Mitt Romney on Friday denounced an anti-Muslim film that is stirring unrest in the Middle East, even as he stood by his condemnation of the U.S. Embassy in Cairo for its implied denunciation of the film.

Speaking to George Stephanopoulos of ABC's Good Morning America, Romney said he still believed it was "inappropriate" for the embassy to put out the statement, issued as anger rose in Egypt on Tuesday over a film that ridiculed the Muslim prophet Muhammad. He said the embassy should have taken the statement down after protesters breached the embassy grounds. The same day, attackers in Libya stormed a U.S. consulate and killed four foreign service officers, including the ambassador, J. Christopher Stevens.

The Cairo embassy's news release said the United States "condemns the continuing efforts by misguided individuals to hurt the religious feelings of Muslims - as we condemn efforts to offend believers of all religions. " It added: "We firmly reject the actions by those who abuse the universal right of free speech to hurt the religious beliefs of others


Read more: http://www.philly.com/philly/news/nation_world/20120915_Romney_denounces_film_aimed_at_Muslims.html

Intrade now trading at 72.7 % in favor of Obama winning/Romney down to 27.9%

I realize that prediction markets like Intrade are not always right and the election is still a long way from being in the bag - but this is nonetheless a very positive sign.




http://www.intrade.com/index.jsp?request_operation=trade&request_type=action&selConID=743475

Another campaign ad from the past - the likes of which you will not see these days.

One of the greatest moments in Presidential history - When the President declared war on poverty

Intrade now scoring 61.2% for Obama

I realize these numbers go up and down and Intrade values are only good for the moment - I would not want to encourage complacency - It is still entirely possible that Romney could win -- but this is another favorable indicator

http://www.intrade.com/jsp/intrade/contractSearch/

Can anyone imagine a presidential campaign ad like this running in any swing state today?