June 7, 2002

Cheers for Sen. George Voinovich of Ohio, who's taking a stand against celebrities testifying before Congress. The Washington Post's Lloyd Grove reports "he's boycotting today's Senate Environment and Public Works Clean Air Subcomittee hearing because Backstreet Boy Kevin Richardson is on the witness list." (The Backstreet Boys are apparently some sort of pop-music ensemble.) Says Voinovich: "It's just a joke to think that this witness can provide members of the United States Senate with information on important geological and water quality issues." Richardson's response: "I am personally insulted. I hope I see him tomorrow. I would like to have a discussion with him, man to man. It's insulting for someone to assume ignorance of the issue because of my occupation. I'm an educated human being. I am a man of 30 years. I probably know more about the issue than he does. I have every right to be at tomorrow's hearing." [ Washington Post ] [ OpinionJournal.com ] 10:46:19 AM

The Massacre That Wasn't--XVII UPI reports that according to an Israeli reservist who fought in the battle of Jenin, the first Israeli killed there "was a major who refused the offer of covering fire because it might cause civilian casualties": The first to die was Maj. Moshe Gerstner, 29. "He was just married eight months--just finished school as an engineer," Alster said. "He was up on the hill with us right before he went with his group down into the camp. We asked him, when it was time to go down: Do you want us to soften up the area, to make them keep their heads down? He said, 'No. We don't know what's waiting for us. We don't know if women and children are in there. We'll go down on our own.' "And before he reached the first house . . . he was killed by a sniper." UPI also offers a weepy counterpoint from Jennifer Lowenstein, a "human rights activist," who is shocked to find scenes of chaos and disorder in a place where a battle has just been fought: Walking was unsafe in Jenin, whether you were outside picking your way through blasted blocks of cement and wire, or inside trying to step over destroyed furniture, scattered and torn clothing, or broken household items. A television set had been shot. The speakers of a stereo had bullets in them. Were these appliances also considered terrorists, I wondered. Lowenstein is breaking new ground here. To our knowledge, she is the first activist ever to stand up for the rights of home entertainment devices. [ OpinionJournal.com ] 9:58:38 AM

Dee Dee Ramone (50) has died. Best known songs: I Wanna Be Sedated, Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue, Teenage Lobotomy, and Sheena Is A Punk Rocker.  "Possible accidental overdose," coroner's office operations chief Craig Harvey says.   [FARK] 6:53:56 AM