No Man's Land

No more free speech.

It looks like Jesse Jackson, head of "Rain-PLO/PUSH," has resurfaced from his secret underground lair to wreak havoc on the international scene, a la Jimmy Carter.  The Civil Rights Uncivil Discord leader has made an appearance just in time to turn breathe life into the second largest (next to Al Sharpton Meets the Sheehan Woman) non-story of the summer.

It turns out that Venezuela's Fidel Castro clone, Hugo Chavez, will seek "justice" against Pat Robertson for the latter's suggestion that someone kill Chavez.  (Incidentally, I agree with Robertson, feeling slightly ashamed that I didn't propose the solution first.)  Jesse Jackson, like so many other communist useful idiots before him, rides to the PR rescue of a menace and tyrant who espouses the tenets of Communism against the "Real Enemy,"  a private citizen on minor religious news show speaking his mind sarcastically.  Heaven forbid!  This outrage is, of course, accompanied by demands that the president meet with Cindy Sheehan destroy Robertson, Condi must condemn Robertson, and he must be shipped to Venezuela to face punishment for "terrorist remarks."

This whole circus brings to light a few relevant points:

• While this may have been a laughing matter a mere 5 years ago, this is the post-Elian Gonzalez world, and it wouldn't be too hard to envisage some punishment being inflicted on Pat Robertson.
• As long as we refuse to admit that this isn't a war on terrorism, but, rather, a war on the cancer that is Islam, we are open to such specious charges of "terrorism" when we do covert things, or even when private citizens (on the right) dip their collective oar into international politics.
• With the rise of the World Court, the move to build the FTAA, and the "reform"/strengthening of the UN, we can expect that such incidents in the future will have much dire consequences for individuals who speak up.
• Finally, we are observing the end of the freedom of speech.  If a comment like this draws condescension and censure, with possible criminal proceedings, we have lost our essential first amendment rights to speak freely.

This is an issue that effects bloggers and normal citizens alike, and this should be an alarm that shatters the stillness of our little worlds. 

On another subject, I'd like to add Jesse Jackson to my list.

A modest proposal.

SIC SEMPER TYRANUS.

I woke up today to hear Pat Robertson saying something that, after all these years of vaguely disliking him, made me enjoy hearing something he had to say.  That's the amazing thing about patriotism:  no matter how much the patriots dislike each other, their ingrained response to anti-Americanism will solidify them across social, party, and religious lines instantly.  This spirit of love of country reacts violently to the enemies of our nation, and separates the men from the "compassionate conservatives."  The "spirit of '76" is unconcerned with the niceties of UN resolutions when a couple thousand armed men would serve the purpose.  The minuteman of today wonders why his "leaders" flee the battle with evil at the first sign of conflict.

In analysis of Mr. Robertson's remarks, let me make this single note: his remarks were tame, albeit correct, but his list of targets was too short.  I agree with his Rottiness, but I propose taking it further.  I would add Vicente Fox, Iran's new president, the Palestinian president, China's chairman, Kim "addled child" Jong-Il, and Kofi Annan to the list.  One could make the argument that for $175 million (@ $25 mil per head), all of our foreign policy crises could be solved or at least postponed for a few years, saving the taxpayers (here and around the world) big bucks.  Wouldn't you like to see these jokers deposed or put to sleep?  Heck, it might breathe new life into the second amendment as a generation of video-game raised kids discover that assassinating real-world enemies of the US pays better than the XBox does. Recruitment problem...solved.

In all honesty, the real reason that the president is unable to support the assassination is because his next foreign policy debacle "Legacy Enhancer" after CAFTA is the Free Trade Agreement of the Americas, for whose passage he will need the support of every tinpot dictator, communist, fascist, and crackpot in the hemisphere (and in the Senate...).  It is moments like these when one's true colors shine bright, and judging by the fact that the president is backpeddling furiously and, more to the point, needlessly, sees that the administration has a vested interest in supporting Venezuela's anti-American regime. Anyone else smell the rat in Washington?

Is supporting and protecting Communists, socialists, and other assorted anti-Americans a good enough reason to demand that you pay for a president and a state department, or should you demand more from your leaders?

Round up on the weekend.

Click above to see large NY Times Propaganda Image! (Source.)

1. Frank Rich does a general "hate the haters" NY Times fatwah on anyone doubting the sanctity of Cindy Sheehan, of al-Crawford Martyrs' Brigade fame.  Those awful right-wing bloggers and eeevil Karl Rove earned special mention.
2. A twit writes into the NY Times:
   

   To the Editor: The writer of an Aug. 19 letter thinks "the Social Security system seems fairly quaint" in an age of I.R.A.'s, Roth I.R.A.'s, pension plans and 401(k)'s. Only when every single American can afford his own I.R.A., pension plan or 401(k) would I ever think it's quaint. How easy it is these days for those who have theirs to forget those left behind. Ed White Knoxville, Tenn., Aug. 19, 2005

   
   Thank God we have such compassionate Robbin' Hoods out there who are willing to rob the middle class and small businesses to give retirements away to those who assumed that, because FDR said so, their country owed them a generous retirement for breathing.  Sacrificing the work class for those who don't plan for their life needs is not an American virtue, smart one, it's a communist "value."
3. Joan Baez arrived in Crawford.  Rolling Stones and Joan Baez...who's gonna  reappear next with a hip political statement? Elvis, the Doors, or Jimi?
4. Ozone hole on the eastern seaboard.  Ha, made you look.  I guess this is a good ozone depletion...

  No big news, just a bunch of goofballs, retreads, and loonies.  Better luck this week.

Good reading material.

Culture of Narcissism: American Life in an Age of Diminishing Expectations is one of the most compelling analysis works on western culture that I have ever read.

Picking it up by accident for 50 cents at a book rack in a thrift store, I wasn't sure quite what to expect.  Quite simply, it's a national-scale self-help book saying, "Shut up, sit down, stop demanding bread and circuses, and stop being so self-absorbed."

From sports to politics, Christopher Lasch leads us on an inspection tour of our collapsing society, and he makes a compelling case that the disease is simple to understand; it is our demand that we be entertained and "understood" that is making us weak and crippling us. 

Huh.  Go figure.

Live by the sword, die by the sword.

This is pure, unadulterated BS:

The Iraqi government should back away from executing three prisoners under the newly-reintroduced death penalty, says the UN representative in Iraq.

The three men are due to be executed in the central city of Kut in the next few days for murder, kidnap and rape.

They would be the first prisoners to be executed since the overthrow of Saddam Hussein two years ago.

The UN's Ashraf Qazi said he deeply regretted the reintroduction of the death penalty.

No word yet on the UN's opinion on whether the 300,000+ genocide victims of Saddam in the 1990's should have their sentences commuted...

 

Corpses on parade.

It looks like the Chinese have succeeded in turning corpses of political prisoners into a globetrotting freak show, debutting in Tampa. 

As if China's human rights abuses weren't enough, should they be able to sell the bodies of their victims to a psychotic doctor who will take them all over the world like so many hunting trophies.

With all due respect, is there no government agency that will step in to protect the human dignity in death of the victims of our enemies?

"Victory" by any other name...

Am I crazy, or did the last three years not happen?  Reading this story and this story, one is left the impression that after all the BS, we are finally accepting halfway measures instead of "democracy," whatever that is supposed to mean.

Like it or not, the original rationale for the war was WMD, then it shifted to human rights, then to democracy.  Now that we've thrown that to the dogs, may I ask the obvious question, "Why?"  If we can't fight to win, we shouldn't be engaged.  If you can't set a goal, you can't win, for the simple reason that the goal posts keep moving so that one either achieves meaningless victory after a series of compromises or one never wins as the scope of the war expands.

I think that Iraq is turning into the former, as does any UN-inspired nation-building operation.  As with all things UN, one sees a clear track of compromises that create a nominal "win" out of a series of disappointing failures caused not by soldiers in the field, but by bureaucrats selling those soldiers out through hamstringing them and cheapening their victories.

From WMD to human rights to democracy to what?  What reason will prove good enough to declare victory over having turned a Stalinist dictatorship into a Sharia-based Iran clone, where women and Kurds get short shrift?  We all eagerly await Condi(in '08)'s next disappointing downgrade of our definition of victory.

Note:  We hope we will be proven wrong, being that both articles are from the WaPo.

Country Clubbers Need Not Panhandle Here...

I got this email today:

Subject: Help Rick Santorum Fight Liberal Media Bias!

Dear Kenneth, We have an unexpected challenge to overcome in ensuring Senator Rick Santorum is re-elected next year. It appears that not only will we need to put our best effort forward to campaign against Bob Casey, Jr. for Santorum's seat, but some in the media as well. And with your help, we must begin now.  Help Re-elect Rick Santorum In what clearly appears to be express advocacy for Democrat candidate Bob Casey Jr., the Scranton Times-Tribune, one of only two major papers covering the Scranton area has been running an advertising campaign that promotes Casey.  The ads, appearing on TV, pamphlets, billboards and buses in Northeast PA, show an 'old' paper with the headline 'Casey to Run for Senate'...only one problem. The headline never actually appeared in the paper. In fact, the managing editor of the new Scranton Times-Tribune has even admitted to making up the headline. The result: Bobby Casey gets free publicity for an article that never was. It's clear that Casey can count on the Scranton Times to campaign for him. And we really shouldn't be surprised given the newspaper's publishers and their families have given more than $100,000 to the campaigns of Bobby Casey, his late father, and other relatives. But, it's not enough to get mad, you must get even  by offering your support to counter their effort.  Will you support Santorum the old-fashioned way? Sign up to volunteer and donate $500, $100, $50, or whatever you can give at this time. A Casey campaign spokesperson said the idea that the Scranton Times ad will influence voters is "really laughable." We hope so, but we're not counting on it. Re-electing Rick Santorum to the U.S. Senate is just too important  for the people of Pennsylvania and the Party.  Re-elect Rick Santorum. Volunteer and contribute today. Your commitment has helped the Committee break through the liberal media filter in the past. With your help, we will do it again. Thank you. Sincerely, Eileen Melvin, Chairman Republican State Committee of Pennsylvania 301 Market Street, Suite 900 | Harrisburg, PA 17101 | Phone (717) 234-4901 | FAX (717) 231-3828 info@pagop.org | Privacy & Security Policy | Unsubscribe Click here to donate to PAGOP Paid for by the Republican Federal Committee of Pennsylvania | Copyright 2005

 

This was my response:

Rick Santorum will never get my support again.  I worked on his first campaign, remember back when he was a conservative?

He supported Arlen Specter over Pat Toomey and he's been supporting Bush's out-of-control spending.  The party left me last year, so I'm a Libertarian for the time being, and I will be working to undercut turncoats like Arlen Specter, Rick Santorum, and Prez Bush these next few years.  After the WTO votes, voting to strengthen the UN, and the Medicaire "Reform," I've had it with you country club Republicans.

Go find some other suckers to give you money, 'cause I sure won't.

Tootles.

--Josh K
Bitter Ex-Republican.

Palestinian Sinn Fein Speaks.

Cruising CSPAN, as per the usual, I came across this clip starring Dr. Ziad Asali, the President & Founder of the "American Task Force on Palestine," which, judging from this character's statements, is a front group for extremism of the Palestinian variety.

The theme was that this is a global problem, that the "controlled elements" of Israel were obeying the UN resolution and doing the right thing in giving Gaza to the Terrorist "Palestinians" for a state, while the "radical elements" were rebelling against the world and justice by not giving up their land.

My take is this: a bunch of wimps are sacrificing their fellow Israelis because YET ANOTHER US PRESIDENT is coercing them politically and monetarilly to give him the "golden chalice of a legacy" that is the elusive, nebulous "mid-east peace."  Meanwhile, a bunch of harassed Jewish settlers are suffering the ultimate betrayal, butchered by their enemies, their government is getting in on the act by stealing their land.  (Thanks Bush/UN.)

To the leftie caller who complained, "Every bullet that kills a Palestinian says 'made in the US'," I say, "May every terrorist who gets killed in the world be killed by such a bullet, that we will know we are doing all we can to eliminate jihad worldwide."

This blogger will support the Israeli people and and feels that Ariel Sharon/Bush/the UN are perpetrating a peacetime warcrime on the West Bank settlers, similar in nature to those crimes being committed in Darfur.

Who is your daddy, and what does he do?

My old blog was short-lived.  This is my first *guffaw* professional-grade blog.  Welcome aboard.