I am now blogging exclusively at Constitution Club
For the last five years I have been part of a group blog titled Constitution Club as well as blogging here at the Infidel Sage Blog. Due to time constraints and the need to spend more time with my family, I have been blogging exclusively at Constitution Club. We have switched over to wordpress.com and I hope you will take the time to follow the link and check out our old blog at our new home. I will be leaving the archives up here and may return to the Infidel Sage when the cold winter weather returns to Colorado. There is nothing like cold, dark nights to drive me to the keyboard for extended periods of time.
Constitution Club
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
No exaggeration here...
“In case you missed it, this week, there was a tragedy in Kansas. Ten thousand people died — an entire town destroyed,” - Sen. Obama said in a speech to 500 people in Richmond, VA.
Actual death toll: 12
I understand, it’s easy to get carried away when you are attempting to manufacture the ’scandal of the week’ and score political points at the expense of the president.
Actual death toll: 12
I understand, it’s easy to get carried away when you are attempting to manufacture the ’scandal of the week’ and score political points at the expense of the president.
Blackwater Down
Private Troops: The SA? Freikorps? Or back up for the 'good guys'?
The Left is in a tizzy over the use of private security companies in New Orleans following the destruction of Hurrican Katrina. And it has less to do with the fact they have been used on US soil than the fact that they exist at all. I have absolutely no problems using such companies overseas (I wish we could just hand over the entirecountry of Iraq to such a company), but as a free ‘non-serf’ citizen I am always on guard against strong arm tactics by government on any level that may endanger the rights of the citizenry. But all I see here is a bunch of well armed men protecting refugees and property from predators, looters, and armed street gangs in a disaster situation. Hardly worthy of hand-wringing and chest beating by the opposition.
The OH MY GOD squad at Pandagon.net is shrieking fascism and totalitarianism, rape and thuggery, but that’s probably to be expected from those who wouldn’t know a merc from a security consultant.
If the Blackwater types are becoming the American equivalent of the French Foreign Legion fighting ‘unpopular wars’ for national interest, then they have my blessing. The wars that the US will be fighting around the globe need to be fought utilizing special forces, overwhelming air power, proxy armies, native militias, warlords, tribal clans, good intelligence, massive power, and, if need be, private US ‘armies’ of ex-military types willing to risk it all for a good paycheck. Anything to avoid bogging the military down as we have succeeded in doing in Iraq, reduce US military casualties, and ensure victory against Islamo fascists and this countries enemies throughout the world.
In an hourlong conversation I had with four Blackwater men, they
characterized their work in New Orleans as “securing neighborhoods” and
“confronting criminals.” They all carried automatic assault weapons and had guns
strapped to their legs. Their flak jackets were covered with pouches for extra
ammunition….
…”This vigilantism demonstrates the utter breakdown of the
government,” says Michael Ratner, president of the Center for Constitutional
Rights. “These private security forces have behaved brutally, with impunity, in
Iraq. To have them now on the streets of New Orleans is frightening and possibly
illegal.”…
…Montgomery told me they came under fire from “black
gangbangers” on an overpass near the poor Ninth Ward neighborhood. “At the time,
I was on the phone with my business partner,” he recalls. “I dropped the phone
and returned fire.”
Montgomery says he and his men were armed with AR-15s and
Glocks and that they unleashed a barrage of bullets in the general direction of
the alleged shooters on the overpass. “After that, all I heard was moaning and
screaming, and the shooting stopped. That was it. Enough said.”
Sarkozy Sets a New Course for Relations With U.S.
For years I have listened to the endless mantra about how Bush had caused us to lose our allies throughout the world. There was hand-wringing, wailing and gnashing of teeth from the Left that our dear and beloved allies (read the French and Germans) did not approve of our Middle East policy and the tough line that the US had taken against Islamic terrorism the world over. This was a staple talking point parroted by both those in the blogosphere and the inhabitants of the political world. It was endlessly trotted out as proof positive that our foreign policy was a failure because the French and the Germans were now ‘anti-American’.
The recent elections in both Germany and France have now left those nations with elected officials that might not be necessarily branded as ‘pro-American’ but certainly cannot branded as ‘anti-American’ like their predecessors. Sarkozy especially has shown himself to be both ‘anti-socialist’ and intolerant of the Islamists who have managed to launch what has become a campaign of civil insurrection against French authorities.
So will the hand-wringing now stop? Will the tired carping about how we have to change so the French will once again ‘be our friends’ come to an end? We can only hope.
An interesting side note to all this is that even as the Germans and the French are beginning to reject socialism and their appeasement of Islamists while becoming more pro-US, the Democratic party in the US is moving decidedly in the other direction. What strange times we live in.
“Certainly, Mr. Sarkozy has promised never to behave in the “arrogant” way he
said that the current French government did in making threats against the United
States in the prelude to the Iraq war. ‘You must have loathed us then,’ he said
in a speech in Washington last September.”
Publius Pundit has a good rundown and some pics on the Sarkozy victory, including what I take to be his specialty, happy French babes.
Tolerance and tyranny
I want to issue a call to everyone in the world who believes in the values of tolerance, freedom, democracy, humanism, to all those who are persecuted by tyranny, by dictatorships. I want to tell all of the children throughout the world, all of the ill-treated women throughout the world - I want to tell them that it will be France’s pride and its duty to be at their side.
France will be at the side of the Libyan nurses [Bulgarian nurses imprisoned in Libya], imprisoned for eight years. France will not abandon Ingrid Betancourt [held by Farc rebels in Colombia]. France will not abandon the women condemned to wear the burqa. France will not abandon the women who do not have freedom. France will be on the side of the oppressed of the world. This is France’s message, it is France’s identity, it is France’s history. - From Sarkozy’s victory speech
“More Than Enough Evidence”
What George Tenet really says about Saddam's Iraq and al Qaeda.
For what it’s worth, Conclub has always strove to unearth the truth behind the headlines and hype. This is well worth the read.
And for my own take on the connections between Saddam’s Iraq and Al Qaeda visit An Alliance of Evil: Saddam and bin Laden.
For what it’s worth, Conclub has always strove to unearth the truth behind the headlines and hype. This is well worth the read.
And for my own take on the connections between Saddam’s Iraq and Al Qaeda visit An Alliance of Evil: Saddam and bin Laden.
Zarqawi, AI, chemical weapons projects, high-level contacts, Egyptian al Qaeda
members plotting from Baghdad: it adds up to a very alarming picture.
And
after reading all of Tenet’s chapter on Iraq and al Qaeda, it seems clear that
neoconservatives weren’t the only ones connecting the dots between these two
enemies of the United States.
Monday, April 30, 2007
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Taliban uses child to behead 'spy'
The video then shows the boy holding the head aloft by the hair while spectators chant "Allahu akbar", which translates to "God is great".Why we must win. The Religion of Peace isn't really known for its mercy.
ACLU Sues Over License Plates
What a surprise. Perhaps they would be happier if they did charge the fee and donated it to a church? These people really have nothing better than to play the Grinch in American society.
Another Lie from the Left
I tend to not endorse vandalism of any sort, but this sign is now more accurate than it was before. Is the radical Left and those pushing the legitimization of homosexuality really this dishonet? Shame on them.
Matthew Chapter 8
5
When he entered Capernaum, a centurion approached him and appealed to him,
6
saying, "Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, suffering dreadfully."
7
He said to him, "I will come and cure him."
8
The centurion said in reply, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed.
9
For I too am a person subject to authority, with soldiers subject to me. And I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another, 'Come here,' and he comes; and to my slave, 'Do this,' and he does it."
10
When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, "Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith.
11
I say to you, many will come from the east and the west, and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the banquet in the kingdom of heaven,
12
but the children of the kingdom will be driven out into the outer darkness, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth."
13
And Jesus said to the centurion, "You may go; as you have believed, let it be done for you." And at that very hour (his) servant was healed.
5
When he entered Capernaum, a centurion approached him and appealed to him,
6
saying, "Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, suffering dreadfully."
7
He said to him, "I will come and cure him."
8
The centurion said in reply, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed.
9
For I too am a person subject to authority, with soldiers subject to me. And I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another, 'Come here,' and he comes; and to my slave, 'Do this,' and he does it."
10
When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, "Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith.
11
I say to you, many will come from the east and the west, and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the banquet in the kingdom of heaven,
12
but the children of the kingdom will be driven out into the outer darkness, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth."
13
And Jesus said to the centurion, "You may go; as you have believed, let it be done for you." And at that very hour (his) servant was healed.
A pair of quotes from Oriana Fallaci
Author Fallaci’s final volume, The Force of Reason, recites a litany of radical Islam’s recent crimes—beheadings, explosions, murders, mutilations, anti-Semitic and anti-Christian screeds—and reinforces her critique with the sharpest weapon of all: sarcasm.
“Always clever, the Muslims. Always at the top. Always ingenious. In philosophy, in mathematics, in gastronomy, in literature, in architecture, in medicine, in music, in law, in hydraulics, in cooking. Always stupid, we Westerners. Always inadequate, always inferior. Therefore obliged to thank some son of Allah who preceded us.”
And another:
“If you are a Westerner, and you say your civilization is superior, the most developed that this planet has ever seen, you go to the stake. But if you are a son of Allah or one of their collaborationists and you say that Islam has always been a superior civilization, a ray of light . . . nobody touches you. Nobody sues you. Nobody condemns you.”
These were taken from the excellent column Warrior Princess by Stefan Kanfer
“Always clever, the Muslims. Always at the top. Always ingenious. In philosophy, in mathematics, in gastronomy, in literature, in architecture, in medicine, in music, in law, in hydraulics, in cooking. Always stupid, we Westerners. Always inadequate, always inferior. Therefore obliged to thank some son of Allah who preceded us.”
And another:
“If you are a Westerner, and you say your civilization is superior, the most developed that this planet has ever seen, you go to the stake. But if you are a son of Allah or one of their collaborationists and you say that Islam has always been a superior civilization, a ray of light . . . nobody touches you. Nobody sues you. Nobody condemns you.”
These were taken from the excellent column Warrior Princess by Stefan Kanfer
The Left attempt to define Political Correctness
Kai Chang from the blog Zuky wrote a piece titled The Greatest Cliché: The Unexamined Propaganda of “Political Correctness” which sought to ‘reclaim’ the phrase Political Correctness and to wave a finger at all those who have dared to strike back at the PC advocates. It has been hailed as the “definitive analysis of Political Correctness” by a variety of Left wing bloggers while at the same time completely sidestepping its true nature. Kai manages to both deny and misguide when it comes to this issue. His obvious hesitancy in dealing with the PC movement is both striking and revealing.
The phrase “politically correct” can be used in two distinct ways: either with its original literal meaning, or with the mocking sarcasm that’s common these days. I’ll get to the former in a moment, but I’ll begin with the latter. As it’s commonly used, “PC” is a deliberately imprecise expression (just try finding or writing a terse, precise definition) because its objective isn’t to communicate a substantive idea, but simply to sneer and snivel about the linguistic and cultural burdens of treating all people with the respect and sensitivity with which they wish to be treated. Thus, the Herculean effort required to call me “Asian American” rather than “chink” is seen as a concession to “the PC police”, an unsettling infringement on the free-wheeling conversation of, I suppose, “non-chinks”. Having to refer to black folks as “African Americans” rather than various historically-prevalent epithets surely strikes some red-blooded blue-balled white-men as a form of cultural oppression. Having to refer to “women” rather than “bitches” lays a violent buzzkill on the bar-room banter of men preoccupied with beating on their chests and off other body parts.
Ah yes, the Left waxes indignant about being painted with the Politically Correct brush.
There is, of course, no mention of the thousands of examples of official persecution carried out due to Political Correctness. No listing of the campus speech codes, the corporate hypersensitivity, the frightened political figures and the cowed populace at large that cannot be denied. Yet not a day goes by where the news does not report yet another poor individual who has run afoul of the PC crowd.
What the Left fails to admit is that the ideologies that pursue PC policies are clearly advocating the silencing and censoring of the thoughts and actions of others. The little totalitarian reservations we refer to as college campuses reek of speech codes and censorship as the fascists of the Left seek to mold us into their Orwellian servants in preparation for the coming utopia.
They are all about free speech and tolerance and diversity and sensitivity and multiculturalism until one dares to openly admit to being pro-life, or a born-again Christian, or a believer in traditional morality, or that marriage should be between a man and a woman, or that Israel has the right to exist, or supporting gun ownership, or that maybe we should not allow in millions of illegal aliens every year. Once such an admission is made, suddenly all that great liberal love and tenderness is thrown out the window and all that is left is the naked viciousness and unmerciful intolerance of Political Correctness.
Freedom of speech to enforcers of the PC doctrine means hand-wringing over polar bear populations, condemning the detention of terrorists at Guantanamo, sounding the cry of climate change, tossing and turning at night over Abu Ghraib photos and bemoaning the oppression of all others by white males in modern society. Its logical conclusion is the broad brushing of nearly all of Western Civilization with the smears of patriarchy, misogyny and unforgivable perpetual oppression. Any other thoughts or speech that might challenge the official line is simply unacceptable in their eyes.
In practice, despite the protestations of Kai and his ilk, Political Correctness is unapologetic Orwellian Newspeak - an attempt to change the way people think by forcibly changing the way they speak. New speak, new think. But instead of just being used to perhaps benignly bring a bit of civility to the English language, it has become the bludgeon to silence the critics of the rainbow of ‘isms’ that exist on the Left and a powerful weapon to ensure the ideological conformity demanded by the disciples of the great secular religion of “Multiculturalism, Diversity and Tolerance”.
In practice it is stifling to debate, a purposeful minefield that makes any discussion of society, culture, morality or current events a frightening experience that, for many, is better left undone. And, unfortunately, its breeding grounds are the college campuses that once espoused the idea of intellectual freedom and debate, but have increasingly become mere mental boot camps to create the ‘progressives’ of tomorrow.
Christianity teaches and promotes the Golden Rule concepts of respect, decency, humility, love, acceptance, and civility, but in stark contrast to the PC ideologies it also teaches the concept of right and wrong, good and evil, morality and immorality. Political Correctness is the weapon used by the secularists as they attempt to impose their own version of a moral code on the populace with any hint of God removed. It cloaks itself in the intellectual concepts of tolerance, understanding, cultural sensitivity, human rights, and dignity, while suspending all judgments concerning morality. To our secular humanist/progressive friends there is no right and wrong, only ‘different’. ‘Compassion’ trumps common sense, and the right to not be offended has become the greatest human right of all.
I’ve seen it, I’ve experienced it, and I spent my college years fighting and exposing it. It’s not about calling Asian Americans ‘Chinks’ or women ‘bitches’ (red herring arguments at best), but about having the right to debate the issues of the day with full intellectual honesty. When debate is stifled and speech curtailed because of everyone being petrified of being labeled “insensitive” (or far worse) due to an innocent comment that may have offended someone, then we have lost a valuable part of what made us a great nation and successful civilization. Those who would perform a collective intellectual lobotomy, and their perpetually outraged cadres shouting bumper sticker slogans, are the enemy and we’ve labeled their speech codes ‘Political Correctness’.
Kai complains that the term Political Correctness has become the subject of ‘sneers’. It deserves every mockery and word of derision it has ever received. It is indeed true that the whiff of fascism can be detected in the air. It does not arise from the Right, but is the practiced ideology of the ‘New Left’ and their disciples. In our modern society, authoritarianism from the Right is disconcerting. When it comes from the Left, it is downright frightening. Political Correctness has no real root in America’s founding principles, law or jurisprudence. Instead, it is the intellectual equivalent of state sponsored mob rule. We have many rights in the United States. The right to not be offended is not one of them.
Perhaps novelist Dorris Lessing stated it best.
“Political Correctness is the natural continuum from the party line. What we are seeing once again is a self-appointed group of vigilantes imposing their views on others. It is a heritage of communism, but they don’t seem to see this.”
The phrase “politically correct” can be used in two distinct ways: either with its original literal meaning, or with the mocking sarcasm that’s common these days. I’ll get to the former in a moment, but I’ll begin with the latter. As it’s commonly used, “PC” is a deliberately imprecise expression (just try finding or writing a terse, precise definition) because its objective isn’t to communicate a substantive idea, but simply to sneer and snivel about the linguistic and cultural burdens of treating all people with the respect and sensitivity with which they wish to be treated. Thus, the Herculean effort required to call me “Asian American” rather than “chink” is seen as a concession to “the PC police”, an unsettling infringement on the free-wheeling conversation of, I suppose, “non-chinks”. Having to refer to black folks as “African Americans” rather than various historically-prevalent epithets surely strikes some red-blooded blue-balled white-men as a form of cultural oppression. Having to refer to “women” rather than “bitches” lays a violent buzzkill on the bar-room banter of men preoccupied with beating on their chests and off other body parts.
Ah yes, the Left waxes indignant about being painted with the Politically Correct brush.
There is, of course, no mention of the thousands of examples of official persecution carried out due to Political Correctness. No listing of the campus speech codes, the corporate hypersensitivity, the frightened political figures and the cowed populace at large that cannot be denied. Yet not a day goes by where the news does not report yet another poor individual who has run afoul of the PC crowd.
What the Left fails to admit is that the ideologies that pursue PC policies are clearly advocating the silencing and censoring of the thoughts and actions of others. The little totalitarian reservations we refer to as college campuses reek of speech codes and censorship as the fascists of the Left seek to mold us into their Orwellian servants in preparation for the coming utopia.
They are all about free speech and tolerance and diversity and sensitivity and multiculturalism until one dares to openly admit to being pro-life, or a born-again Christian, or a believer in traditional morality, or that marriage should be between a man and a woman, or that Israel has the right to exist, or supporting gun ownership, or that maybe we should not allow in millions of illegal aliens every year. Once such an admission is made, suddenly all that great liberal love and tenderness is thrown out the window and all that is left is the naked viciousness and unmerciful intolerance of Political Correctness.
Freedom of speech to enforcers of the PC doctrine means hand-wringing over polar bear populations, condemning the detention of terrorists at Guantanamo, sounding the cry of climate change, tossing and turning at night over Abu Ghraib photos and bemoaning the oppression of all others by white males in modern society. Its logical conclusion is the broad brushing of nearly all of Western Civilization with the smears of patriarchy, misogyny and unforgivable perpetual oppression. Any other thoughts or speech that might challenge the official line is simply unacceptable in their eyes.
In practice, despite the protestations of Kai and his ilk, Political Correctness is unapologetic Orwellian Newspeak - an attempt to change the way people think by forcibly changing the way they speak. New speak, new think. But instead of just being used to perhaps benignly bring a bit of civility to the English language, it has become the bludgeon to silence the critics of the rainbow of ‘isms’ that exist on the Left and a powerful weapon to ensure the ideological conformity demanded by the disciples of the great secular religion of “Multiculturalism, Diversity and Tolerance”.
In practice it is stifling to debate, a purposeful minefield that makes any discussion of society, culture, morality or current events a frightening experience that, for many, is better left undone. And, unfortunately, its breeding grounds are the college campuses that once espoused the idea of intellectual freedom and debate, but have increasingly become mere mental boot camps to create the ‘progressives’ of tomorrow.
Christianity teaches and promotes the Golden Rule concepts of respect, decency, humility, love, acceptance, and civility, but in stark contrast to the PC ideologies it also teaches the concept of right and wrong, good and evil, morality and immorality. Political Correctness is the weapon used by the secularists as they attempt to impose their own version of a moral code on the populace with any hint of God removed. It cloaks itself in the intellectual concepts of tolerance, understanding, cultural sensitivity, human rights, and dignity, while suspending all judgments concerning morality. To our secular humanist/progressive friends there is no right and wrong, only ‘different’. ‘Compassion’ trumps common sense, and the right to not be offended has become the greatest human right of all.
I’ve seen it, I’ve experienced it, and I spent my college years fighting and exposing it. It’s not about calling Asian Americans ‘Chinks’ or women ‘bitches’ (red herring arguments at best), but about having the right to debate the issues of the day with full intellectual honesty. When debate is stifled and speech curtailed because of everyone being petrified of being labeled “insensitive” (or far worse) due to an innocent comment that may have offended someone, then we have lost a valuable part of what made us a great nation and successful civilization. Those who would perform a collective intellectual lobotomy, and their perpetually outraged cadres shouting bumper sticker slogans, are the enemy and we’ve labeled their speech codes ‘Political Correctness’.
Kai complains that the term Political Correctness has become the subject of ‘sneers’. It deserves every mockery and word of derision it has ever received. It is indeed true that the whiff of fascism can be detected in the air. It does not arise from the Right, but is the practiced ideology of the ‘New Left’ and their disciples. In our modern society, authoritarianism from the Right is disconcerting. When it comes from the Left, it is downright frightening. Political Correctness has no real root in America’s founding principles, law or jurisprudence. Instead, it is the intellectual equivalent of state sponsored mob rule. We have many rights in the United States. The right to not be offended is not one of them.
Perhaps novelist Dorris Lessing stated it best.
“Political Correctness is the natural continuum from the party line. What we are seeing once again is a self-appointed group of vigilantes imposing their views on others. It is a heritage of communism, but they don’t seem to see this.”
The Big White Lie
The theme today is the lunacy of the Left. Here is a good piece by Andrew Klavan. Being a conservative means you don't have to walk around bent over under the terrible burden of guilt for being white, or a Christian, or an American, or a member of Western Civilization, or that you own two cars and have electricity in your home, or that you use more than one square of toilet paper when you go to the restroom....
'The thing I like best about being a conservative is that I don’t have to lie. I don’t have to pretend that men and women are the same. I don’t have to declare that failed or oppressive cultures are as good as mine. I don’t have to say that everyone’s special or that the rich cause poverty or that all religions are a path to God.... I don’t have to pretend that Islam means peace."
'The thing I like best about being a conservative is that I don’t have to lie. I don’t have to pretend that men and women are the same. I don’t have to declare that failed or oppressive cultures are as good as mine. I don’t have to say that everyone’s special or that the rich cause poverty or that all religions are a path to God.... I don’t have to pretend that Islam means peace."
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Suburb's Hispanics feeling unwelcome after election
Oh please, if they are here legally they have nothing to fear and nothing to fret about. If they are here illegally they should feel uncomfortable. And in an effort to help ease their plight, I humbly suggest that they return 'home' as soon as possible. It's about time that Americans stand up for their culture, their language, their country and their honor and move swiftly and decisively to 'solve' the illegal immigration crisis that is poisoning the land.
What should we do? Whatever it takes.
How much should we spend? As much as it takes.
What should we do? Whatever it takes.
How much should we spend? As much as it takes.
Some Latinos said they were afraid of being deported. Others wondered about
being treated fairly in Carpentersville, a suburban community where they found
jobs, bought homes and sent their kids to school.These concerns -- always
lingering in the back of their minds -- have been heightened for many Hispanics,
who say they feel threatened following the election of three village trustees
who campaigned to crack down on illegal immigration in a suburb that is 40
percent Latino.
Saturday, April 21, 2007
How To Blog Like A Moonbat, Module One.
You too can write like a loony conspiracy theorist!
A good post by THB over at The Hairy Beast Blog, and, unfortunately, it is all too true.
A good post by THB over at The Hairy Beast Blog, and, unfortunately, it is all too true.
The Saga of Cho and the Virginia Tech Shooting
Advocating that law abiding citizens have the right to protect themselves from massacre, rape, assault and robbery is hardly being partisan, in fact, it is because conservatives care about their fellow citizens that we hate to see the failed, hand-wringing policies of the Left provide ‘criminal safe’ zones where such people can act with impunity.
Recently the Virginia legislature had the opportunity to pass a bill to prohibit public universities from making “rules or regulations limiting or abridging the ability of a student who possesses a valid concealed handgun permit … from lawfully carrying a concealed handgun.”
Rather ironically Virginia Tech spokesman Larry Hincker was happy to hear the bill was defeated. “I’m sure the university community is appreciative of the General Assembly’s actions because this will help parents, students, faculty and visitors feel safe on our campus.”
Well, Mr. Virginia Tech spokesman, how safe do you think they felt today? Those of us with concealed carry permits, and those who advocate such policies, shake our head at such tragedies and wish to empower individuals to defend themselves. These types of events are not necessarily entirely preventable, but the extent of such tragedies can, and should be, prevented. Forcing people into the role of defenseless victim is repugnant and does not work or prevent crimes of any sort.
The safest place you will ever be is within the proximity of a concealed handgun permit holder. In an incident like this, the police are good for body counts, press conferences and stringing yellow tape.
Virginia law § 18.2-308 D. Any person twenty-one years of age or older may apply in writing to the clerk of the circuit court of the county or city in which he resides for a five-year permit to carry a concealed handgun. Notwithstanding §15.1-29.15, a county or city may enact an ordinance which requires any applicant for a concealed handgun permit to submit to fingerprinting for the purpose of obtaining the applicant’s state or national criminal history record. The application shall be made under oath before a notary or other person qualified to take oaths and shall be made only on a form prescribed by the Department of State Police, in consultation with the Supreme Court, requiring only that information necessary to determine eligibility for the permit.
Although Virginia law § 18.2-308 D does allow for concealed weapon permits for persons 21 or older, the Campus Regulations of Virginia Tech circumvents and usurps this right. Students right to self protection end at the campus gate.
A 45 second clip of gunfire from the shooting is now available on YouTube.
Those who advocate the complete disarming of American society so that crazy foreign students can’t shoot up campuses and will, somehow, be forced to instead utilize baseball bats are sadly misled. Utopian ideals, and unworkable solutions, will not solve or prevent such incidents at schools, churches and malls. Frankly, it is incredible that in a post 9-11 world that the citizenry of this nation are forced to be helpless and vulnerable by both the law and institutional ‘policies’ by people who cannot provide even the most elementary security to those it has disarmed. Virginia Tech has some 30,000 plus students and apparently no viable security measures at all. Yet one armed, law abiding citizen could have relatively easily halted this tragedy as it began.
The only school shootings that have ever been stopped were by armed citizens/teachers who had relatively quick access to a firearm (in several instances they had one stashed in a vehicle in the parking lot) and were able to take the necessary measures to save lives.
The only school shootings that have ever been stopped were by armed citizens/teachers who had relatively quick access to a firearm (in several instances they had one stashed in a vehicle in the parking lot) and were able to take the necessary measures to save lives.
Yet this is what the all knowing nanny state has deemed to be unacceptable. One has to wonder why. Why would you disarm law abiding citizens in an attempt to stop criminals who neither respect the law nor abide by it? Logic and common should dictate our solutions and guide our hands, not misguided policies dictated solely by ideological nuances instead of the simple facts.
I (along with several thousand others) am a concealed handgun permit holder in the state of Colorado. I can (and often do) carry a firearm in McDonalds, Wal-Mart, the mall and most everywhere else the average citizen goes. A small bubble of public safety if you will, not just for me and my family, but for those fellow citizens that cross my path throughout the day. Yet I, or any other law abiding citizen, cannot carry on school campuses (though, oddly enough, it can be in the trunk if I am picking up my children from school).
I had initially applied for my concealed handgun permit a month or so before 9-11. The fee was $100 payable to the county and a $35 CBI background fee. As soon as 9-11 occurred the local sheriff waved the $100 county fee and proceeded to hand out concealed carry permits as expeditiously as possible. Mine is permit number 1768 and within just a couple months the sheriff issued about 5,000 more. In the five years since then, not a single one of permit holders has been involved in any firearm related infraction or crime. Those who argue against concealed carry permit laws or forbid them in certain areas are, at best, incredibly ignorant, and at worst purposelessly exposing their fellow countrymen to violent crime, assaults and even death for the sake of ideology and feel good policies. Shame on them and those who are taking this opportunity to pimp their gun control politics on the rest of us.
College campuses are the model of what the Left seek to turn the rest of the nation into. Bastions of political correctness, ideological conformity, white guilt, speech codes, thought police and public mockery of morals, values and Christianity. And all apparently at the mercy of the crazed, evil and dangerous among us.
One last thing, ever wonder why there seems to be so many school shootings, and yet so few attacks on police stations? The answer is very clear. Crazed gunmen and terrorists prey on the defenseless, not on the armed and protected.
There were several heroes yesterday that should be remembered for their bravery and heroism. Slain Israeli Professor Saved Others in Va. Tech Massacre
A couple other views:
State quashed bill allowing handguns on campuses
“The one thing that this tragic event does illustrate is that there is not a single gun law, rule or regulation that will stop someone with this kind of evil intent from going about their business and taking life at will, if they are committed to doing that,” Gilbert (bill sponsor) said….In the spring of 2005, a Virginia Tech student who had a concealed handgun permit was disciplined for bringing a handgun to class, the Roanoke paper reported. Second Amendment groups questioned the university’s authority, but the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police argued against guns on campus.
From Jews For The Preservation of Firearms Ownership: Proven solutions to ending school shootings (hint, follow the Israeli model)
After this a controversial debate erupted in Israel in regards to guns, self defense etc. We heard of course the same dumb arguments by some good people, you always hear on these occasions like ” We do not live in the Wild West here!” Or: “Guns don’t solve problems!” or similar silly things….Teachers and kindergarten nurses now started to carry guns, schools were protected by parents (and often grandpas) guarding them in voluntary shifts. No school group went on a hike or trip without armed guards…. When the message got around to the PLO groups and a couple infiltration attempts failed, the attacks against schools ceased. Too much of a risk here: Terrorists and other evildoers don’t like risks.
Hot Air is an excellent resource for breaking news on this tragedy. The Smoking Gun has the play written by the killer, which was disturbing enough to get him recommended for counseling.
From Powerlineblog.com:
The Virginia Tech murderer has been identified as Cho Seung-Hui. The AOL Newsbloggers site has a note from a former classmate of the alleged murderer:
When I first heard about the multiple shootings at Virginia Tech yesterday, my first thought was about my friends, and my second thought was “I bet it was Seung Cho.” ***Before Cho got to class that day, we students were talking to each other with serious worry about whether he could be a school shooter. I was even thinking of scenarios of what I would do in case he did come in with a gun…
Cho sent photos and rambling letter to NBC.
This is an exhausting link that is the most complete and comprehensive I have seen. Definitely worth the visit. Cho was a very disturbed and evil person. The pics and video are downright chilling. See also Only One Option. And here is another possible source for the Ishmael Ax (earlier reports seem to have had the name misspelled, this is how it appeared on the package sent to NBC). The axe is apparently both literal and symbolic, and references are made about the character’s having moved from the east to the west, creating change through the destruction (using the axe), and the like.
This is an exhausting link that is the most complete and comprehensive I have seen. Definitely worth the visit. Cho was a very disturbed and evil person. The pics and video are downright chilling. See also Only One Option. And here is another possible source for the Ishmael Ax (earlier reports seem to have had the name misspelled, this is how it appeared on the package sent to NBC). The axe is apparently both literal and symbolic, and references are made about the character’s having moved from the east to the west, creating change through the destruction (using the axe), and the like.
A killer speaks.
The extensive material sent to NBC News this week by Cho Seung-Hui includes an angry diatribe against the rich and numerous unspecified enemies. Among the statements:
• You have vandalized my heart, raped my soul and torched my conscience. You thought it was one pathetic boy’s life you were extinguishing. Thanks to you, I die like Jesus Christ, to inspire generations of the weak and the defenseless people.
• Do you know what it feels to be spit on your face and to have trash shoved down your throat? Do you know what it feels like to dig your own grave?Do you know what it feels like to have throat slashed from ear to ear? Do you know what it feels like to be torched alive?Do you know what it feels like to be humiliated and be impaled upon on a cross? And left to bleed to death for your amusement? You have never felt a single ounce of pain your whole life. Did you want to inject as much misery in our lives as you can just because you can?
• You had everything you wanted. Your Mercedes wasn’t enough, you brats. Your golden necklaces weren’t enough, you snobs. Your trust fund wasn’t enough. Your vodka and Cognac weren’t enough. All your debaucheries weren’t enough. Those weren’t enough to fulfill your hedonistic needs. You had everything.
• You have vandalized my heart, raped my soul and torched my conscience. You thought it was one pathetic boy’s life you were extinguishing. Thanks to you, I die like Jesus Christ, to inspire generations of the weak and the defenseless people.
• Do you know what it feels to be spit on your face and to have trash shoved down your throat? Do you know what it feels like to dig your own grave?Do you know what it feels like to have throat slashed from ear to ear? Do you know what it feels like to be torched alive?Do you know what it feels like to be humiliated and be impaled upon on a cross? And left to bleed to death for your amusement? You have never felt a single ounce of pain your whole life. Did you want to inject as much misery in our lives as you can just because you can?
• You had everything you wanted. Your Mercedes wasn’t enough, you brats. Your golden necklaces weren’t enough, you snobs. Your trust fund wasn’t enough. Your vodka and Cognac weren’t enough. All your debaucheries weren’t enough. Those weren’t enough to fulfill your hedonistic needs. You had everything.
Source: NBC News
Fact: Despite the declaration of ‘gun free’ zones, nearly 30 percent of all school shootings ever attempted have been thwarted by a law abiding citizen with a firearm. The Mainstream Media is extremely reluctant to report such stories as it goes against their agenda that ‘all guns are bad’. There were two instances last month alone in Memphis, Tennessee where concealed carry permit holders successfully stopped ‘puclic shootings’ in progress. Yet did you hear that on the evening news? The story of the Pearl, Mississippi principal who stopped a shooting is also a good example of bravery and courage when confronting a psychotic killer on a rampage.
Every political faction is scrambling to blame the other, but I do hope that we remember to respect those who died so senselessly. No amount of explanation or analysis will ever take away the pain of the families, and no law or policy may have necessarily made a difference in this, or any other case. All we can do is strive to empower people so that they can be protected and exercise their right to self defense, while at the same time doing all that we can as a society to locate and prevent the ‘walking time bombs’ among us from going off.
And here is interesting take, and well worth the read.
Was Cho taught to hate?
Still, I wonder — was Cho taught to hate? Whatever he learned in his classes — did it enable him to rage at his host country, to hate the students he envied so murderously? Was he subtly encouraged to aggrandize himself by destroying others? Was his pathology enabled by the PC university? Or to ask the question differently — was Cho ever taught to respect others, to admire the good things about his host country, and to discipline himself to build a positive life?
And that answer is readily available on the websites of Cho’s English Department at Virginia Tech. This is a wonder world of PC weirdness. English studies at VT are a post-modern Disney World in which nihilism, moral and sexual boundary breaking, and fantasies of Marxist revolutionary violence are celebrated. They show up in a lot of faculty writing.
And be sure to look at was put up on the Virginia Tech Department of English website.
In conclusion:
‘‘Laws that forbid the carrying of arms… disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes… Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man.’’
— Jefferson’s “Commonplace Book,” 1774-1776, quoting from On Crimes and Punishment, by criminologist Cesare Beccaria, 1764
— Jefferson’s “Commonplace Book,” 1774-1776, quoting from On Crimes and Punishment, by criminologist Cesare Beccaria, 1764
‘‘The right of self-defense is the first law of nature; in most governments it has been the study of rulers to confine this right within the narrowest possible limits. … and [when] the right of the people to keep and bear arms is, under any color or pretext whatsoever, prohibited, liberty, if not already annihilated, is on the brink of destruction.’’
— St. George Tucker, Judge of the Virginia Supreme Court 1803
Bedtime stories
I am usually the one who puts our daughters to bed, and in doing so I am often commanded to “tell me a story”. My seven year old especially enjoys stories and isn’t a bad storyteller herself. Last night I told a three part story about Olton the Brave, a person who managed in a series of adventures to trick and slay a dragon at the young age of eleven, was rewarded with the dragon’s treasure and the hand of the king’s daughter in marriage (Belinda the Beautiful) and grew into a fine and handsome prince (and later king).
As an adult he was called upon to once again outwit a deadly creature and slayed a giant spider that had taken refuge in the old dragon lair. Later as an old man he went forth to challenge a giant that was terrorizing the land and after some additional trickery was able to subdue the giant and instead of killing him banished him to live in the old dragon lair. The giant gave the old king a birthright ring as a sign of his promise to never again terrorize the kingdom. This ring joined the severed dragon’s head as well as the head of the giant spider which were already displayed on the wall in the palace by Olton. After he died, he was fondly remembered by his people as a wise champion of his people who had protected them from three grave threats to their well being.
I thought these series of short stories held a great wealth of attributes. It taught that mere strength and brute force alone doesn’t always triumph. That intelligence and wit is important as well. That mercy has its place. That championing the weak and protecting the innocent has merit. Self-Sacrifice, courage, bravery, wisdom, responsibility, character and gallantry were all included in an interesting and spur of the moment yarn.
My wife, on the other hand, chided me with a scowl and told me to quit telling the kids stories with scary imagery and gratuitous violence. Especially right before bedtime.
As an adult he was called upon to once again outwit a deadly creature and slayed a giant spider that had taken refuge in the old dragon lair. Later as an old man he went forth to challenge a giant that was terrorizing the land and after some additional trickery was able to subdue the giant and instead of killing him banished him to live in the old dragon lair. The giant gave the old king a birthright ring as a sign of his promise to never again terrorize the kingdom. This ring joined the severed dragon’s head as well as the head of the giant spider which were already displayed on the wall in the palace by Olton. After he died, he was fondly remembered by his people as a wise champion of his people who had protected them from three grave threats to their well being.
I thought these series of short stories held a great wealth of attributes. It taught that mere strength and brute force alone doesn’t always triumph. That intelligence and wit is important as well. That mercy has its place. That championing the weak and protecting the innocent has merit. Self-Sacrifice, courage, bravery, wisdom, responsibility, character and gallantry were all included in an interesting and spur of the moment yarn.
My wife, on the other hand, chided me with a scowl and told me to quit telling the kids stories with scary imagery and gratuitous violence. Especially right before bedtime.
Signs of Intelligence?
I am increasingly attracted to the idea of Fred Thompson as a candidate for the GOP presidential nomination.
Common sense seems to just ooze from the man at times. And it's not overly politically correct. How refreshing.
One of the things that's got to be going through a lot of peoples' minds now is how one man with two handguns, that he had to reload time and time again, could go from classroom to classroom on the Virginia Tech campus without being stopped. Much of the answer can be found in policies put in place by the university itself.
Virginia, like 39 other states, allows citizens with training and legal permits to carry concealed weapons. That means that Virginians regularly sit in movie theaters and eat in restaurants among armed citizens. They walk, joke and rub shoulders everyday with people who responsibly carry firearms -- and are far safer than they would be in San Francisco, Oakland, Detroit, Chicago, New York City, or Washington, D.C., where such permits are difficult or impossible to obtain.
The statistics are clear. Communities that recognize and grant Second Amendment rights to responsible adults have a significantly lower incidence of violent crime than those that do not. More to the point, incarcerated criminals tell criminologists that they consider local gun laws when they decide what sort of crime they will commit, and where they will do so.
Still, there are a lot of people who are just offended by the notion that people can carry guns around. They view everybody, or at least many of us, as potential murderers prevented only by the lack of a convenient weapon. Virginia Tech administrators overrode Virginia state law and threatened to expel or fire anybody who brings a weapon onto campus.
In recent years, however, armed Americans -- not on-duty police officers -- have successfully prevented a number of attempted mass murders. Evidence from Israel, where many teachers have weapons and have stopped serious terror attacks, has been documented. Supporting, though contrary, evidence from Great Britain, where strict gun controls have led to violent crime rates far higher than ours, is also common knowledge.
So Virginians asked their legislators to change the university's "concealed carry" policy to exempt people 21 years of age or older who have passed background checks and taken training classes. The university, however, lobbied against that bill, and a top administrator subsequently praised the legislature for blocking the measure.
The logic behind this attitude baffles me, but I suspect it has to do with a basic difference in worldviews. Some people think that power should exist only at the top, and everybody else should rely on "the authorities" for protection.
Despite such attitudes, average Americans have always made up the front line against crime. Through programs like Neighborhood Watch and Amber Alert, we are stopping and catching criminals daily. Normal people tackled "shoe bomber" Richard Reid as he was trying to blow up an airliner. It was a truck driver who found the D.C. snipers. Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that civilians use firearms to prevent at least a half million crimes annually.
When people capable of performing acts of heroism are discouraged or denied the opportunity, our society is all the poorer. And from the selfless examples of the passengers on Flight 93 on 9/11 to Virginia Tech professor Liviu Librescu, a Holocaust survivor who sacrificed himself to save his students earlier this week, we know what extraordinary acts of heroism ordinary citizens are capable of.
Many other universities have been swayed by an anti-gun, anti-self defense ideology. I respect their right to hold those views, but I challenge their decision to deny Americans the right to protect themselves on their campuses -- and then proudly advertise that fact to any and all.
Whenever I've seen one of those "Gun-free Zone" signs, especially outside of a school filled with our youngest and most vulnerable citizens, I've always wondered exactly who these signs are directed at. Obviously, they don't mean much to the sort of man who murdered 32 people just a few days ago. - Fred Thompson
Common sense seems to just ooze from the man at times. And it's not overly politically correct. How refreshing.
One of the things that's got to be going through a lot of peoples' minds now is how one man with two handguns, that he had to reload time and time again, could go from classroom to classroom on the Virginia Tech campus without being stopped. Much of the answer can be found in policies put in place by the university itself.
Virginia, like 39 other states, allows citizens with training and legal permits to carry concealed weapons. That means that Virginians regularly sit in movie theaters and eat in restaurants among armed citizens. They walk, joke and rub shoulders everyday with people who responsibly carry firearms -- and are far safer than they would be in San Francisco, Oakland, Detroit, Chicago, New York City, or Washington, D.C., where such permits are difficult or impossible to obtain.
The statistics are clear. Communities that recognize and grant Second Amendment rights to responsible adults have a significantly lower incidence of violent crime than those that do not. More to the point, incarcerated criminals tell criminologists that they consider local gun laws when they decide what sort of crime they will commit, and where they will do so.
Still, there are a lot of people who are just offended by the notion that people can carry guns around. They view everybody, or at least many of us, as potential murderers prevented only by the lack of a convenient weapon. Virginia Tech administrators overrode Virginia state law and threatened to expel or fire anybody who brings a weapon onto campus.
In recent years, however, armed Americans -- not on-duty police officers -- have successfully prevented a number of attempted mass murders. Evidence from Israel, where many teachers have weapons and have stopped serious terror attacks, has been documented. Supporting, though contrary, evidence from Great Britain, where strict gun controls have led to violent crime rates far higher than ours, is also common knowledge.
So Virginians asked their legislators to change the university's "concealed carry" policy to exempt people 21 years of age or older who have passed background checks and taken training classes. The university, however, lobbied against that bill, and a top administrator subsequently praised the legislature for blocking the measure.
The logic behind this attitude baffles me, but I suspect it has to do with a basic difference in worldviews. Some people think that power should exist only at the top, and everybody else should rely on "the authorities" for protection.
Despite such attitudes, average Americans have always made up the front line against crime. Through programs like Neighborhood Watch and Amber Alert, we are stopping and catching criminals daily. Normal people tackled "shoe bomber" Richard Reid as he was trying to blow up an airliner. It was a truck driver who found the D.C. snipers. Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that civilians use firearms to prevent at least a half million crimes annually.
When people capable of performing acts of heroism are discouraged or denied the opportunity, our society is all the poorer. And from the selfless examples of the passengers on Flight 93 on 9/11 to Virginia Tech professor Liviu Librescu, a Holocaust survivor who sacrificed himself to save his students earlier this week, we know what extraordinary acts of heroism ordinary citizens are capable of.
Many other universities have been swayed by an anti-gun, anti-self defense ideology. I respect their right to hold those views, but I challenge their decision to deny Americans the right to protect themselves on their campuses -- and then proudly advertise that fact to any and all.
Whenever I've seen one of those "Gun-free Zone" signs, especially outside of a school filled with our youngest and most vulnerable citizens, I've always wondered exactly who these signs are directed at. Obviously, they don't mean much to the sort of man who murdered 32 people just a few days ago. - Fred Thompson
Lieberman and Reid
"This week witnessed horrific terrorist attacks by Islamist extremists in Iraq, killing hundreds of innocent civilians and leading Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to declare that the war is 'lost.'
With all due respect, I strongly disagree. Senator Reid's statement is not based on military facts on the ground in Iraq and does not advance our cause there.
Al Qaeda's strategy for victory in Iraq is clear. They are trying to murder as many innocent civilians as possible in an effort to reignite sectarian fighting and drive us to retreat from Iraq.
The question now before us is whether we respond to these terrorist attacks by running away as Al Qaeda hopes - abandoning the future of Iraq, the Middle East, and ultimately our own security to the very same people responsible for this week's atrocities - or whether we stand united to fight them.
This is exactly the wrong time to conclude that we have lost the war in Iraq, or that our new strategy has failed. Instead, we should provide General Petraeus and his troops with the time and the resources to succeed. We should not surrender in the face of barbarism." - Senator Joe Lieberman
The Response:
"In an effort to shift attention from this Administration's failed polities – and I say that in the plural – the President and his allies have repeatedly questioned whether I and my fellow Democrats support our troops," the majority leader told fellow senators. "No one wants us to succeed in Iraq more than the Democrats. We've proven that time and time again since this war started more than four years ago. We take a back seat to no one in supporting our troops, and we will never abandon our troops in a time of war." -Senator Harry Reid.
What great lines. And if Harry Reid thinks I'm buying his, he's sadly mistaken.
With all due respect, I strongly disagree. Senator Reid's statement is not based on military facts on the ground in Iraq and does not advance our cause there.
Al Qaeda's strategy for victory in Iraq is clear. They are trying to murder as many innocent civilians as possible in an effort to reignite sectarian fighting and drive us to retreat from Iraq.
The question now before us is whether we respond to these terrorist attacks by running away as Al Qaeda hopes - abandoning the future of Iraq, the Middle East, and ultimately our own security to the very same people responsible for this week's atrocities - or whether we stand united to fight them.
This is exactly the wrong time to conclude that we have lost the war in Iraq, or that our new strategy has failed. Instead, we should provide General Petraeus and his troops with the time and the resources to succeed. We should not surrender in the face of barbarism." - Senator Joe Lieberman
The Response:
"In an effort to shift attention from this Administration's failed polities – and I say that in the plural – the President and his allies have repeatedly questioned whether I and my fellow Democrats support our troops," the majority leader told fellow senators. "No one wants us to succeed in Iraq more than the Democrats. We've proven that time and time again since this war started more than four years ago. We take a back seat to no one in supporting our troops, and we will never abandon our troops in a time of war." -Senator Harry Reid.
What great lines. And if Harry Reid thinks I'm buying his, he's sadly mistaken.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
School Tells Kids to Hide Pro-‘Gay’ Propaganda From Parents
In a shocking and brazen act of governmental abuse of parental rights, Deerfield High School (DHS) in Deerfield, Illinois, has required fourteen-year-old freshmen to attend a “Straight Gay Alliance Network” (GSA) panel discussion led by “gay” and “lesbian” upperclassmen during a “freshman advisory” class which secretively featured inappropriate discussions of a sexual nature in promotion of high-risk homosexual behaviors.
Not only has DHS required that its young and impressionable freshmen be exposed to radical homosexual propaganda, the school has further required that students sign a “confidentiality agreement” promising not to tell anyone – including their own parents – about the discussion.
And yet I am reassured over and over again that there is no homosexual 'agenda' being advocated in the public schools. Hmmm......
Not only has DHS required that its young and impressionable freshmen be exposed to radical homosexual propaganda, the school has further required that students sign a “confidentiality agreement” promising not to tell anyone – including their own parents – about the discussion.
And yet I am reassured over and over again that there is no homosexual 'agenda' being advocated in the public schools. Hmmm......
Colo. Couple Find Faceless Dollar Coin
This should help get the new presidential dollar series off to a great start. Makes me feel like swinging by the old bank tomorrow. I live just a few miles from this 'find'.
Saturday, March 10, 2007
Nepal's 'Buddha Boy' does second vanishing act
My guess is either a tiger ate him, or he got really bored and headed over to the closest McD's. Either way, the reincarnated Buddha he is not....
A Nepalese teenager hailed as a reincarnation of the Buddha has vanished for a second time in southern Nepal, a member of his support committee said Saturday.
Ram Bahadur Bomjam, 17, who shot to fame in 2005 when his supporters said he had begun a meditation session that would go on uninterrupted for years, went missing on Thursday night, the committee member said.
Ram Bahadur Bomjam, 17, who shot to fame in 2005 when his supporters said he had begun a meditation session that would go on uninterrupted for years, went missing on Thursday night, the committee member said.
Three Predictable Problems at the Commission on the Status of Women
I have often been asked why I am a committed advocate of the conservative ideology. The answer is that it is the last refuge for common sense, decency, a semblance of morality, respect for tradition, and understanding of the role history has to play in the current events.
When you don't have that, you end up with things like this. This is an excellent article on what the globalists would like to impose upon the rest of us. When they are so wrong, then I must be right.
Friday, March 09, 2007
Man Burns Genitals in 'Jackass' Stunt
And I guess this is why they always have to say "don't try this at home". How drunk do you have to be to try something like this?
Anderson pulled down his pants and let Peterson spray him with lighter fluid. When the fire didn't catch, Peterson sprayed more lighter fluid on Anderson, splashing some on his clothing. He tried again to light the fire, catching Anderson's genitals, hands and clothes.
Anderson pulled down his pants and let Peterson spray him with lighter fluid. When the fire didn't catch, Peterson sprayed more lighter fluid on Anderson, splashing some on his clothing. He tried again to light the fire, catching Anderson's genitals, hands and clothes.
Blues Traveler Frontman John Popper Arrested After Cops Find Weapons Cache, Drugs in His SUV
Nice arsenal. But if you actually have a car full of weapons, and a bit of pot, I would strongly suggest you keep it under 100 m.p.h. Just a thought.
"Popper indicated to troopers that he had installed these items in his vehicle because (in the event of a natural disaster) he didn't want to be left behind," the Patrol said in a news release. He also told officers he collected weapons, the Patrol said.
"Popper indicated to troopers that he had installed these items in his vehicle because (in the event of a natural disaster) he didn't want to be left behind," the Patrol said in a news release. He also told officers he collected weapons, the Patrol said.
Thursday, March 08, 2007
Takoma Park's Green Young Artists
The next generations 'brownshirts' will be cloaked in green. What a brainwashed little nut.
Sasha Schneer, 6, is an environmentalist. At a Takoma Park event on Saturday, he painted a poster that said "No Cars." Above the phrase, he painted a purple car with a slash through it. "I'm trying to convince people to stop using the products that are polluting," he said.
Like what?
"Cars, lawnmowers, factories," he shot back.
Al Gore would be proud.
The best response I have seen to this was from Lucianne.com:
Reply 6 - Posted by: raphaela, 3/8/2007 4:55:42 PM
Great, give him a push-mower and let him mow the lawn. Make him walk a couple of miles to and from school each day. Serve him warm drinks and turn off the a/c in the summer. Let him live like a 3rd worlder for a few years and then go back and talk 'politics' with the squirt. I'm certain that his parents (who no doubt drive a minivan) are oh-so-proud of the little socialist in the making.
Sasha Schneer, 6, is an environmentalist. At a Takoma Park event on Saturday, he painted a poster that said "No Cars." Above the phrase, he painted a purple car with a slash through it. "I'm trying to convince people to stop using the products that are polluting," he said.
Like what?
"Cars, lawnmowers, factories," he shot back.
Al Gore would be proud.
The best response I have seen to this was from Lucianne.com:
Reply 6 - Posted by: raphaela, 3/8/2007 4:55:42 PM
Great, give him a push-mower and let him mow the lawn. Make him walk a couple of miles to and from school each day. Serve him warm drinks and turn off the a/c in the summer. Let him live like a 3rd worlder for a few years and then go back and talk 'politics' with the squirt. I'm certain that his parents (who no doubt drive a minivan) are oh-so-proud of the little socialist in the making.
Elite Iranian general defects with Hezbollah’s arms secrets
For those on the Left who are forever confused and not sure who to 'root' for when it comes to the War on Terror.
This is a good thing.
Just thought I'd clear that up.
This is a good thing.
Just thought I'd clear that up.
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
Response to Michael D. D'Auria 9-11 tribute
Last September I participated in the 2996: tribute to the victims of 9-11. It was the largest blogger collaboration to date. My tribute was to Michael D. D'Auria, a firefighter who died in the collapse of the twin towers. 
Today I received a rather e-mail from his mother which I don't believe she would mind me sharing with my readers. It read:
DEAR DAVID,
IT WAS 2 AM THIS MORNING AND MY DAUGHTER CHRISTINA CAME ACROSS YOUR SITE WITH MICHAEL'S STORY. I AM MICHAEL'S MOTHER NANCY. IT'S BEEN ALMOST SIX YEARS SINCE MY SON WAS TAKEN FROM US AND I STILL NEED REASSURANCE THAT PEOPLE WILL NOT FORGET ABOUT MICHAEL AND ALL THOSE INNOCENT PEOPLE WHO DIED THAT DAY.
I MUST SAY THANK YOU FOR REMINDING ME THAT THEY WON'T FORGET. MY WAY OF MAKING SURE IS TO VOLUNTEER DOWN AT GROUND ZERO ALONG WITH THE SEPTEMBER 11 FAMILIES ASSOCIATION AND THE TRIBUTE CENTER GIVING TOURS. I MYSELF HAVE FOUND HOW VERY REWARDING IT IS. I REALIZE A BIT MORE EACH TIME I DO A TOUR HOW TOURISTS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD WANT TO KNOW AND HOW THEY APPRECIATE HEARING FROM THE FAMILIES THEMSELVES.
I HAVE TO TELL YOU SOMETHING WHICH MY DAUGHTER AND I THINK VERY IRONIC. SEVERAL MONTHS BEFORE 9/11 MICHAEL'S FRIENDS HAD DECIDED TO OPEN A RESTAURANT. THE RESTAURANT WAS TO OPEN IN MID SEPTEMBER 2001. SINCE MICHAEL WAS HELPING THEM HE WAS ASKED TO CHOOSE A NAME. THE RESTAURANT WAS TO BE CALLED "SAGE".
I HAVE ATTACHED AN ARTICLE WRITTEN IN OUR LOCAL NEWSPAPER IN JULY OF 2002 I THOUGHT YOU MIGHT LIKE TO READ.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR HONORING MY SON BY TELLING HIS STORY.
NANCY CIMEI
.
Thank you Nancy, and may God continue to bless (and heal) you and your family.
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Jurors convict Libby on four of five charges
Some good reaction to the decision from fellow blogger 'E' over at Constitutionclub.
Despite a sizable lack of evidence that normally would prevent such a conviction, this jury poured over very small amounts of testimony and evidence for literally hours and hours. They thought that they were really embroiled in some enormous case with huge ramifications. One can almost picture certain members of this elite D.C. jury, white board pens in hand, drawing arrows and quotes and time lines from Libby to Russert.
"The results are actually sad," Fitzgerald said. "It's sad that we had a situation where a high-level official person who worked in the office of the vice president obstructed justice and lied under oath. We wish that it had not happened, but it did."
No Patrick, what is sad is that you couldn't find evidence for your original investigation so you manufactured bogus charges based on what people may or may not remember about conversations they off-handedly had over the phone. Never forget that not one person has been convicted of illegally identifying Plame as a covert CIA operative. Its all about putting defendants in rooms with bright lights and firing questions at them. If they don't satisfactorily answer them, you can always get a conviction. What a sham!
One juror who spoke to reporters outside court said the jury had 34 poster-size pages filled with information they distilled from the trial testimony. They discerned that Libby was told about Plame at least nine times, and they did not buy the argument that he had forgotten all about it.
I stand corrected. They didn't use white boards. These jokers needed 34 poster pages for just a few conversations. Good thing we had them to save Western Civilization!
I'm waiting for the left to declare the Libby case a mockery and a complete miscarriage of justice. And those who agree with the outcome must also demand that Bill Clinton be put in jail as well.
I suspect I will be waiting for some time.
A couple other quick facts from 'E':
Despite a sizable lack of evidence that normally would prevent such a conviction, this jury poured over very small amounts of testimony and evidence for literally hours and hours. They thought that they were really embroiled in some enormous case with huge ramifications. One can almost picture certain members of this elite D.C. jury, white board pens in hand, drawing arrows and quotes and time lines from Libby to Russert.
"The results are actually sad," Fitzgerald said. "It's sad that we had a situation where a high-level official person who worked in the office of the vice president obstructed justice and lied under oath. We wish that it had not happened, but it did."
No Patrick, what is sad is that you couldn't find evidence for your original investigation so you manufactured bogus charges based on what people may or may not remember about conversations they off-handedly had over the phone. Never forget that not one person has been convicted of illegally identifying Plame as a covert CIA operative. Its all about putting defendants in rooms with bright lights and firing questions at them. If they don't satisfactorily answer them, you can always get a conviction. What a sham!
One juror who spoke to reporters outside court said the jury had 34 poster-size pages filled with information they distilled from the trial testimony. They discerned that Libby was told about Plame at least nine times, and they did not buy the argument that he had forgotten all about it.
I stand corrected. They didn't use white boards. These jokers needed 34 poster pages for just a few conversations. Good thing we had them to save Western Civilization!
I'm waiting for the left to declare the Libby case a mockery and a complete miscarriage of justice. And those who agree with the outcome must also demand that Bill Clinton be put in jail as well.
I suspect I will be waiting for some time.
A couple other quick facts from 'E':
- On his trip to Niger, Wilson found no evidence that contradicted the famous "16 words" in President Bush's 2003 State of the Union Address, contrary to his New York Times op-ed claim.
- Plame, his wife, who worked for the CIA, did recommend him for the Niger trip, contrary to Wilson's denials.
- Plame was not a covert agent under the definition of the Intelligence Identities Protection Act, contrary to Wilson's insinuations, which many of his backers, including in the press, presented as fact.
- No one from the White House "leaked" Plame's identity as a CIA functionary to Robert Novak, who received the information from Richard Armitage at the State Department.
Well done and well said.
The Greatest Cliché: The Unexamined Propaganda of "Political Correctness"
Ah yes, the Left waxes indignant about being painted with the Politically Correct brush.
What they fail to admit is that the ideologies that pursue 'PC' policies are merely advocating the silencing and censoring of the thoughts and actions of others. The little totalitarian reservations we refer to as college campuses reek of speech codes and censorship as the fascists of the Left seek to mold us into their Orwellian servants in preparation for the coming utopia. They are all about free speech and tolerance and diversity and sensitivity and multiculturalism until one dares to openly admit to being pro-life, or a believer in traditional morality, or that a family should consist of a man and a woman and any offspring they may have, or to being a born again Christian, or that Israel has the right to exist, or that private gun ownership is commendable, or that maybe we should not allow in millions of illegal aliens every year..... Suddenly all that great liberal love and tenderness is thrown out the window and all that is left is the naked viciousness and intolerance of Political Correctness.
I've seen it, I've experienced it, and I spent my college years fighting and exposing it. It's not about calling Asian Americans 'Chinks' or women 'bitches' (red herring arguments at best), but about having the right to debate the issues of the day with full intellectual honesty. When debate is stifled and speech curtailed because everyone is petrified of causing 'perpetual outrage' due to an innocent comment or label that wasn't quite phrased right or may have 'offended' someone, then we have lost a valuable part of what made us a great nation. Those who would perform a collective intellectual lobotomy, and their goose stepping cadres shouting bumper sticker slogans, are the enemy and we've labeled their speech codes 'Political Correctness'.
It deserves every mockery and word of derision it has ever received. It is indeed true that the whiff of fascism can be detected in the air. It does not arise from the Right, but is the secret ideology of the Left.
What they fail to admit is that the ideologies that pursue 'PC' policies are merely advocating the silencing and censoring of the thoughts and actions of others. The little totalitarian reservations we refer to as college campuses reek of speech codes and censorship as the fascists of the Left seek to mold us into their Orwellian servants in preparation for the coming utopia. They are all about free speech and tolerance and diversity and sensitivity and multiculturalism until one dares to openly admit to being pro-life, or a believer in traditional morality, or that a family should consist of a man and a woman and any offspring they may have, or to being a born again Christian, or that Israel has the right to exist, or that private gun ownership is commendable, or that maybe we should not allow in millions of illegal aliens every year..... Suddenly all that great liberal love and tenderness is thrown out the window and all that is left is the naked viciousness and intolerance of Political Correctness.
I've seen it, I've experienced it, and I spent my college years fighting and exposing it. It's not about calling Asian Americans 'Chinks' or women 'bitches' (red herring arguments at best), but about having the right to debate the issues of the day with full intellectual honesty. When debate is stifled and speech curtailed because everyone is petrified of causing 'perpetual outrage' due to an innocent comment or label that wasn't quite phrased right or may have 'offended' someone, then we have lost a valuable part of what made us a great nation. Those who would perform a collective intellectual lobotomy, and their goose stepping cadres shouting bumper sticker slogans, are the enemy and we've labeled their speech codes 'Political Correctness'.
It deserves every mockery and word of derision it has ever received. It is indeed true that the whiff of fascism can be detected in the air. It does not arise from the Right, but is the secret ideology of the Left.
Monday, March 05, 2007
Giuliani Estranged From His Children
Some Say Personal Problems May Hurt Prospects
Rudi has a lifelong pattern of being a bad husband to several wives which is bound to raise a few eyebrows around the primaries and have a bad effect on his children as well. Will the average American really care about this? I am beginning to doubt it.
"I have problems with my father," Andrew told ABC. "But it doesn't mean he won't make a great President."
Sunday, March 04, 2007
Christian belief a 'hate crime' under plan
Backup proposal would mandate jail time for dissing a 'gay'If fascism ever makes its appearance on the American scene, it will not have arisen from the rumblings on the Right, but from the various isms that infest the Left. Always be wary of anything that seeks to silence the pulpit, for your free speech and freedom to share your religious views will not be far behind.
"Truth is not allowed as evidence in hate crimes trials. … A homosexual can claim emotional damage from hearing Scripture that describes his lifestyle as an abomination. He can press charges against the pastor or broadcaster who merely reads the Bible in public. The 'hater' can be fined thousands of dollars and even imprisoned!" Marcavage said...As WND has reported, such laws already have been used around the world, where in Canada pastors are fearful of reading biblical injunctions against homosexuality, and in Australia where two pastors were convicted of "vilifying" Islam...Peter LaBarbera, of Americans for Truth, noted that in Canada and France both, legislators have been fined for publicly criticizing homosexuality. Three years ago, a Swedish hate crimes law was used to put Pastor Ake Green, who preached that homosexuality is a sin, in jail for a month.
"And recently, a British couple told how they were denied the chance to adopt because it was determined that their Christian faith might 'prejudice' them against a homosexual child put in their care," LaBarbera added.
Imagine There’s No Al Gore.
My fellow blogger THB had this nice little nugget of wit and wisdom about Al Gore, John Lennon, and the future. Be sure to read the whole thing.
Excerpt:
...Woo-HOO, hoo-hoo-hoo! Imagine a future in which our descendants won’t become ecological pot roasts, in which the poor computer-generated polar bears of Al Gore fame might not have to perch like seagulls on the roofs of our drowned coastal cities. Imagine a future where European politicians will no longer have to waste time bickering over quaint fantasies like how many degrees they think they can allow the world temperature to rise and get back to the urgent business of surrendering to the swiftly rising tide of global Jihad. A future where festering malarial hellholes in Africa will get their DDT and maybe even some electricity from cheap coal-fired generating plants instead of such inadequate “Green” alternatives as solar power and windmills - the equivalent of giant hamster wheels. Once freed from the debilitating effects of constant disease perhaps they will be healthy enough to return to their favorite continental pastime: unending ethnic, religious and tribal slaughter. Some might even have the strength to (as Sam Kinnison once said) move out of their sandy desert wastelands and over to some place where actual food grows. Blighted eastern European villages will be allowed to open their mines and put people to work making actual money, with which they may buy such luxuries as toothbrushes, roofs for their homes and indoor toilets. They might even see their life expectancy soar to an all time high of forty five years and will no longer be the butt of Borat jokes. What a Brave New World indeed!....
Excerpt:
...Woo-HOO, hoo-hoo-hoo! Imagine a future in which our descendants won’t become ecological pot roasts, in which the poor computer-generated polar bears of Al Gore fame might not have to perch like seagulls on the roofs of our drowned coastal cities. Imagine a future where European politicians will no longer have to waste time bickering over quaint fantasies like how many degrees they think they can allow the world temperature to rise and get back to the urgent business of surrendering to the swiftly rising tide of global Jihad. A future where festering malarial hellholes in Africa will get their DDT and maybe even some electricity from cheap coal-fired generating plants instead of such inadequate “Green” alternatives as solar power and windmills - the equivalent of giant hamster wheels. Once freed from the debilitating effects of constant disease perhaps they will be healthy enough to return to their favorite continental pastime: unending ethnic, religious and tribal slaughter. Some might even have the strength to (as Sam Kinnison once said) move out of their sandy desert wastelands and over to some place where actual food grows. Blighted eastern European villages will be allowed to open their mines and put people to work making actual money, with which they may buy such luxuries as toothbrushes, roofs for their homes and indoor toilets. They might even see their life expectancy soar to an all time high of forty five years and will no longer be the butt of Borat jokes. What a Brave New World indeed!....
How Gore's massive energy consumption saves the world
Sarcasm at its best. More thoughts on the high priest of Climate Change.
Two hundred twenty-one thousand kilowatt-hours? What's he doing in there? Clamping Tipper to the electrodes and zapping her across the rec room every night? No, no, don't worry. Al's massive energy consumption is due entirely to his concern about the way we're depleting the Earth's resources. When I say "we," I don't mean Al, of course. I mean you -- yes, you, Earl Schlub, in the basement apartment at 29 Elm St. You're irresponsibly depleting the Earth's resources by using that electric washer when you could be down by the river with the native women beating your loin cloth dry on the rock while singing traditional village work chants all morning long. But up at the Gore mansion -- the Nashville Electric Service's own personal gold mine, the shining Cathedral of St. Al, Tennessee's very own Palace of Versal -- the Reverend Al is being far more environmentally responsible. As his spokesperson attempted to argue, his high energy usage derives from his brave calls for low energy usage. He's burning up all that electricity by sending out faxes every couple of minutes urging you to use less electricity....
....So Al can buy his carbon offsets from himself. Better yet, he can buy them with the money he gets from his long-time relationship with Occidental Petroleum. See how easy it is to be carbon-neutral? All you have do is own a gazillion stocks in Big Oil, start an eco-stockbroking firm to make eco-friendly investments, use a small portion of your oil company's profits to buy some tax-deductible carbon offsets from your own investment firm, and you too can save the planet while making money and leaving a carbon footprint roughly the size of Godzilla's at the start of the movie when they're all standing around in the little toe wondering what the strange depression in the landscape is.
Two hundred twenty-one thousand kilowatt-hours? What's he doing in there? Clamping Tipper to the electrodes and zapping her across the rec room every night? No, no, don't worry. Al's massive energy consumption is due entirely to his concern about the way we're depleting the Earth's resources. When I say "we," I don't mean Al, of course. I mean you -- yes, you, Earl Schlub, in the basement apartment at 29 Elm St. You're irresponsibly depleting the Earth's resources by using that electric washer when you could be down by the river with the native women beating your loin cloth dry on the rock while singing traditional village work chants all morning long. But up at the Gore mansion -- the Nashville Electric Service's own personal gold mine, the shining Cathedral of St. Al, Tennessee's very own Palace of Versal -- the Reverend Al is being far more environmentally responsible. As his spokesperson attempted to argue, his high energy usage derives from his brave calls for low energy usage. He's burning up all that electricity by sending out faxes every couple of minutes urging you to use less electricity....
....So Al can buy his carbon offsets from himself. Better yet, he can buy them with the money he gets from his long-time relationship with Occidental Petroleum. See how easy it is to be carbon-neutral? All you have do is own a gazillion stocks in Big Oil, start an eco-stockbroking firm to make eco-friendly investments, use a small portion of your oil company's profits to buy some tax-deductible carbon offsets from your own investment firm, and you too can save the planet while making money and leaving a carbon footprint roughly the size of Godzilla's at the start of the movie when they're all standing around in the little toe wondering what the strange depression in the landscape is.
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