Saturday, December 5, 2009

A Conservative View (Misc. Musings VI)

1. The Swiss vote on minarets. The people of Switzerland recently voted to ban any new minarets (not mosques) in their country. It was felt that the minarets were tied to radical islam and/or reflected islamic tolerance. Of course, there was much hand-wringing throughout the liberal EU, condemning the Swiss action. But the most "interesting" quote was from one Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, the Secretary General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference. He referred to the ban as an "example of growing anti-Islamic incitement in Europe by the extremist, anti-immigrant, xenophobic, racist, scare-mongering ultra-right politicians, who reign over common sense, wisdom and universal values." (From the Verizon News online, 11/30/09.)

This is a beautiful piece of propaganda. Look at how much they cover in one sentence. Are there any more demonizing terms they left out about this politically incorrect ban of minarets? And never mind that the measure passed with 58% approval. And look at how they appeal to "universal values." It is truly a work of art as far as propaganda goes (a topic I have commented on extensively). So here are a few questions I would ask Mr. Ihsanoglu:
1. Hundreds of mosques have been built throughout the Western world in
maybe the last 10 to 20 years. How many churches have the muslim
countries of the world allowed to be built in the same time frame? How
many synagogues?
2. Any Christian missionaries allowed in muslim countries? In how many
muslim countries is it illegal to try to convert a muslim? In how many
muslim countries is it illegal to even enter with a copy of the Old or New
Testament? In how many muslim countries is the punishment death for
a muslim converting to another religion?
3. Why do Muslim countries seem to lose large numbers of their Christian
populations after Islamists take over? Think Iraq, Lebanon, the
"Palestinian" territories.
4. So what about those "universal values?" Not only does this all work one
way, in favor of the muslims, but (as I said many times before) the
liberal, guilt-ridden, politically-correct West falls for it every time!

So just when I despair of no liberals getting any of this, along comes Thomas Friedman, liberal author and columnist for the NYTimes. In his 11/29/09 column, he discusses what he calls "The Narrative." He defines The Narrative as a "cocktail of half-truths, propaganda and outright lies about America that have taken hold in the Arab-Muslim world since 9/11...that America has declared war on Islam, as part of a grand "American-Crusader-Zionist conspiracy" to keep Muslims down." Pretty good coming from a liberal - even though this "Narrative" actually started well before 9/11 and applies to the entire Western world, not just the U.S.

He points out, as if it will matter to the muslim world, that America has helped free muslims in Bosnia, Darfur, Kuwait, Somalia, Lebanon, Kurdistan, Pakistan, Indonesia, Iraq and Afghanistan. He points out that most muslims being killed in Pakistan, Iraq, Afghanistan and Indonesia are killed by OTHER MUSLIMS! He points out that "for every Abu Ghraib, (not such a scandal to this writer) our soldiers and diplomats perpetrated a million acts of kindness aimed at giving Arabs and Muslims a better chance to succeed with modernity and to elect their own leaders." (And although he does not say so, George Bush would actually get some of the credit for that - OMG!)

And then Mr. Friedman puts them to the test. If major Hasan is not an example of true Islam, then "you need to tell us what ... is and show us how its positive interpretations are being promoted in your schools and mosques." And why will millions of muslims protest cartoons but not suicide (homicide) bombers blowing up real people? WHY INDEED?

2. Climategate - Scandal at the Climate Research Unit (CRU) at the University of East Anglia. (Or how Liberals learned to hate the truth and love their ideologies.) Some hackers (not to be condoned, but who are not the real criminals here; and why wasn't this data made public in the first place) obtained thousands of emails to and from scientists at East Anglia, a clearinghouse for climate data. Phil Jones, director of CRU was rather reluctant to release data based on FOI (freedom of information) requests. From Mr. Jones: "When the FOI requests began here, the FOI person said we had to abide by the requests. It took a couple of half-hour sessions - one at a screen, to convince them otherwise." (Quote from Investors Business Daily, 12/01/09.) Mr. Jones to a professor Mann at Penn State: "If they ever hear there's a Freedom of Information Act in the U.K., I think I'll delete the file rather than send to anyone." (Quote from the same IBD article.)

You see, it would be totally unacceptable to let people know about the global COOLING of the last decade. But, as noted here on a frequent basis, liberals do not let FACTS determine their REALITY. So one Andrew Revkin of the NYTimes reported on 11/21/09 that "the evidence pointing to a growing human contribution to global warming is so widely accepted that the hacked material is unlikely to erode the overall argument." (Quote from the 12/02/09 IBD.) The IBD article goes on to quote The Washington Post of 11/25/09: "None of it seriously undercuts the scientific consensus on climate change." Really? Fraudulently reporting higher temperatures when they were declining has no effect on anyone's opinion? So I guess we just reach the conclusion first, then conduct the "studies." "Off with her head" said the Queen, of Alice. Alice: "What about the trial?" The Queen: "We'll have the trial afterwards!" So welcome to the Alice in Wonderland of the liberal mentality!

But a Eugene Robinson of the Washington Post, in an article on 11/27/09, explains what "global warming/climate change" really means to the liberal/statist: "Most Americans are convinced that climate change is real - a necessary prerequisite for the kinds of huge economic and behavioral adjustments we would have to make." (Quote from the 12/02/09 IBD.) That one sentence pretty much says it all; the liberal mentality is all about CONTROL! So the world economy can lay out trillions of dollars (coming from YOU - the TAXPAYER) to further their agenda of having the government dictate every aspect of our lives. This is truly no different than Obamacare, allowing the government to raise our taxes and "redistribute" the wealth and otherwise control our behavior. Nor is it different from the left's desire to bring back the "fairness doctrine" or bring "net neutrality" to the internet. This is all about government control over you! And while liberals were all in a tizzy over "W" authorizing wiretapping of foreign terrorists who communicated with Americans, they are more than willing to give up so much more at the altar of Big Government.

Monday, November 30, 2009

A Conservative View (Misc. Musings V)

1. From the 11/26/09 LA Times. Their lead editorial expresses what they are thankful for on Thanksgiving. Not surprisingly, they are grateful for Barack Obama. Why? Because he has "greatly improved the United States' relations with the rest of the world" among other things. Really? I'm wondering where that might be. With Israel? No; only 4% of Israelis feel Obama supports them. With the "palestinians?" No; since he opined on the "settlements" the "palestinians" have refused to return to the bargaining table. With Iran? No; as previously reported here, the Ayatollah Khamenei had this to say about Obama reaching out to them: talks with the U.S. would be "naive and perverted." In fact, the Iranians are thinking about developing 10 new uranium enrichment facilities. With the EU? Maybe, since a weakened dollar bodes well for their euro. But greater respect for the U.S.? As previously reported here, even the French think Obama is in over his head. Russia and China? Well, they did just vote to express their disappointment with Iran over their nuclear program. And to "urge" Iran to reconsider; but no sanctions. Japan? According to the 11/27/09 Jewish Press (and notwithstanding Obama's bow to the Emperor) Japan is "backing off" its deal with the U.S. to allow refueling of warhips in the Indian Ocean. Hugo Chavez? At yet another meeting with Ahmadinejad, he accused Israel of engaging in "genocide" against the "palestinians" with the support of the U.S. Brazil? Their leader also just met with Ahmadidnejad; which, of course, only enhances his credibility as a world leader. But the Times says Obama has not only improved our relations with the world, but GREATLY improved those relations. Could this be yet another example of liberals letting their beliefs (in Obama in this case) dictating their reality (a world with much improved global relations)?

2. In their same editorial, the Times first expresses their thanks to our troops. Anybody really buy this? They did not support the Iraq war. They do not support winning in Afghanistan. But they know it is the right thing to say because the American people DO support their troops. But after displaying picture after picture from Abu Graib, one might think that the Times believed our troops engaged in horrible "atrocities;" worse, even than 9/11 and certainly worse than the beheadings engaged in by the radical muslims. And in the same editorial, they refer to the detention facility at Guananamo Bay as being "disgraceful." Gitmo, where prisoners who killed our troops are given three meals a day, copies of the Koran, and time for prayers. So, the only question really is: does the Times believe their own b.s.?

3. While we are on the subject, and in the interest of fairness, former Judge Andrew Napolitano, and current Fox News commentator, had an opinion in the 11/29/09 LA Times. He indicated that Pres. Bush never got a declaration of war from Congress. Rather, Congress authorized the use of military force to hunt down terrorists wherever they may be. He states that without a declaration of war, the Constitution does not allow the government to use the "tools of war," such as military tribunals. He indicates that Federal Court is in fact the proper venue for trying the bastards (the last word is mine, not his).

4. Again, another example of the editorial writers at the LA Times letting their beliefs dictate their reality. In their 11/29/09 editorial, after blaming the problems with Iran on Bush, they conclude that any "solution must be negotiated by political leaders." Are they paying any attention at all? Do they read the news? Has there been any indication anywhere of a sincere effort by Iran to negotiate on their nuclear production? Or, as previously written here, do they continue to play the West for fools while moving full speed ahead on their nuclear development!

5. "Free" health care. Obama says he will not sign health care legislation if people will have their taxes raised. So the obvious questions are : 1. how much will it cost? 2. just who is going to pay for it? According to the 11/27/09 Investor's Business Daily, most real spending under the proposed legislation does not begin until 2014. The cost over the next ten years after that is an astounding 1.5 trillion dollars! But the next five years after that comes in at a truly amazing 1.7 trillion. So we are well over 3 trillion dollars for the first fifteen years. And whereas the Dems project spending 848 billion dollars for the ten years beginning 2010, IBD says the Cato Institute estimates 2.5 trillion dollars for that decade. And again, per the IBD, most of the real expense begins in 2014. And when has a government estimate come in under budget? But no new taxes! Well, they won't call the requirement to buy health insurance a "tax." They won't call the slashing of Medicare benefits a "tax." I wonder just how many new taxes the Dems will pass to pay for all of this - but just not call it a "tax." And the future of the dollar? Look out below!

6. Recently, our President gave an interview on Fox News. He described the building within existing Israeli "settlements" as "embittering" the "palestinians" and that such building could end up "being very dangerous." (From the 11/27/09 Jewish Press.) Does that mean the "palestinians" will engage in further violence? Does it mean that Obama is excusing any such violence in advance as being justified? Would such violence somehow be unlike their past behavior, regardless of what Israel does? Is Obama familiar with the Hamas Charter: "I indeed wish to go to war for the sake of Allah. I will assault and kill, assault and kill, assault and kill." (From an article by Prof. Louis Rene Beres, in the 11/27/09 Jewish Press.) Does this help Obama understand the "palestinians" bloodlust; in which they not only torture and kill civilians, but then celebrate those deaths. Does this help Obama get the fact that the "palestinians" do not want a state side by side with Israel, but, as Prof. Beres says, "upon the corpse of Israel"? Is it possible that we have another case of a liberal (Obama) letting his belief in the peace process dictate his reality (that the "palestinians" were a peace-loving, non-violent people before Israel built the "settlements")?