Freedom has its limits:

The timing was perfect. For days, neo-Nazis in the western German state of North Rhine-Westphalia have been mobilizing supporters for marches on Sept. 1, the anniversary of the Nazi invasion of Poland in 1939. Right-wing extremists in the state traditionally meet on that day in the city of Dortmund for a large-scale demonstration. Neo-Nazis have been busy distributing flyers, organizing information stands and holding rallies.

But now the authorities in the state have put the brakes on their plans. On Thursday, the state's interior minister, Ralf Jäger, banned three right-wing extremist groups following a series of massive raids. All three groups are considered to be very active and extremely violent. In recent years, they have reportedly seen a rapid increase in their membership numbers.

"The members and supporters of the banned organizations reject our democracy and the established legal order," said Jäger, justifying the decision to outlaw the groups. The organizations openly pledge allegiance to the Nazis and their leaders, Jäger said, describing the groups as "xenophobic, racist and anti-Semitic."

Meanwhile in the US...

Michele Obama spent nearly 90 minutes visiting with the Khattras and other families of Sikh worshippers who were killed or injured in the shooting at the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin. She expressed her sympathies, offered support and listened to many stories about victims.

"She gave us a hug and said, 'I'm sorry for what happened,'" said Khattra, 26, whose grandfather, Suveg Singh Khattra, was one of six people killed Aug. 5. "She asked what kind of person he was, and my dad told her he was always good-natured, always at the temple."

Relatives of the victims said afterward that Obama asked informed questions that showed she had read up on the plight of those killed and injured.

She especially seemed to know the story of Satwant Singh Kaleka, the temple president who tried to stab the gunman with a butter knife in an effort to stall him so women and children in the temple would have time to hide.
"The thing she kept repeating was, 'Your father was a true hero,'" said Amardeep Kaleka.