Pakistan Update

A lot has happened since I last blogged on Pakistan. Here's a brief recap for you.

Former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto was assassinated by a suicide bomber. Bhutto was an ally of the U.S. and one of the main proponents of real democracy. Her death leaves a power vacuum that is causing a lot of unrest in Pakistan - some of the other candidates are boycotting the upcoming election, some are still planning to go ahead, even though the election is assumed to be rigged.

The U.S. is concerned about the unrest in Pakistan, especially since it is driven by Islamic militants, the same type of people driving the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Some results of the unrest could include higher fuel and food prices, which in turn could continue the increase of Taliban ranks as the terrorist group buys off hungry Pakistanis. Al Qaeda and other Islamic militants appear to have turned their attention from their losing effort in Iraq to building support and unleashing chaos in Pakistan.

But this is not just a Pakistani problem - this is the global War on Terror, and the conflict in Pakistan is tied to the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. While 9/11 brought the conflict to our shores, it certainly wasn't the beginning of the war, nor will Iraq be the end of it. We need to understand what's at stake, and recognize that these Middle Eastern conflicts are simply multiple fronts in the same war.

Al Qaeda seems to be relying on their supporters in the Taliban to find a new home base now that Iraq is a lost cause for them, and Pakistan fits the bill. There are some rumors that Al Qaeda was responsible for the Bhutto murder, but whether or not that is true, they certainly plan to benefit from the chaos that has resulted.

So why should you care about this?
On the basis of the statement that what's happening in Pakistan is part of the larger War on Terror, any success by Al Qaeda or other Islamic militants to take over the nuclear arsenal of Pakistan is a grave threat to the U.S. and other Western nations. Think it's something that can't happen? There's a report that U.S. special forces are being held on standby for precisely that scenario.

This is something that you should keep an eye on. We may not have to wait for Iran to nuke up before having to confront a nuclear-armed terrorist nation.

God help us.

There's my two cents.

Monday Headlines

Well, it's been a great Christmas vacation, but now it's time to get back to the grind. So, off we go, heading toward the new year...!

Illegal Immigrant named the 2007 "Texan of the year"

In an attempt to spark debate, the Dallas Morning News has named a generic "Illegal Immigrant" the 2007 Texan of the Year. Michelle Malkin has some great thoughts on this:

I respect the Dallas Morning News editorial board's desire to foster debate and break new ground. But it always amuses me when newspaper editors think they're doing something fresh and new in putting a "human face" to illegal immigration. Most immigration news coverage amounts to little else besides peddling illegal immigrant sob stories and whitewashing the negative consequences of open-borders chaos on the law-abiding population. This is the rule, not the exception.

Question: Why is it that the human face they want us to see belongs only to the law-breaker…and not the human face of those who have to enforce the law or bear the costs of lax enforcement?

Question: Why is the "illegal immigrant" the "Texan of the Year"–and not, say, the "Border Patrol agent?"

Question: Why is the "illegal immigrant" the "Texan of the Year"–and not, say, the victims of catch-and-release and failed deportation policies…like 15-year-old Dani Countryman of Kaufman, Texas–who was murdered in August by two illegal aliens with prior records who had entered the U.S. from Mexico illegally.

We're also always lectured by many newsroom types about the "complexity" of the issue. But who's guilty of oversimplification here?

There are non-violent, hard-working illegal aliens. There are violent, dangerous illegal aliens. There are moochers. There are militants. There are border-crossers. There are visa overstayers. There are earnest dishwashers. There are drug smugglers. There are jihadists. There are gangbangers. There are con artists. There are legitimate victims of bureaucratic screw-ups. To lump them all together under the "hard-working illegal immigrant" archetype and award them a "Texan of the Year" award strikes me as an unhelpfully reductionist and hackneyed approach.

This is obviously a hot-button political issue, but it's something that needs to be addressed. Hopefully, voters will address it at the polls next year by putting into office people who will actually fight against illegal immigration.

McCain's double speak
John McCain has made a bold statement that could require a very Clintonesque spin: "The fact is that I've never supported amnesty." Oh really? What about these previous statements:

Sen. McCain, 2003: "Amnesty Has To Be An Important Part." " 'Amnesty has to be an important part because there are people who have lived in this country for 20, 30 or 40 years, who have raised children here and pay taxes here and are not citizens. That has to be a component of it,' he said. 'How can we have a temporary worker program if we're not allowing people who have been here for 30 years to hold jobs here?'" (C. T. Revere, "McCain Pushes Amnesty, Guest-Worker Program," Tucson Citizen, 5/29/03)

In 2003, Sen. McCain Also Said, "I Think We Can Set Up A Program Where Amnesty Is Extended To A Certain Number Of People Who Are Eligible…" "'I believe we can pursue the security programs and at the same time set up a system where people can come here and work on a temporary basis. I think we can set up a program where amnesty is extended to a certain number of people who are eligible and at the same time make sure that we have some control over people who come in and out of this country,' he said." (C. T. Revere, "McCain Pushes Amnesty, Guest-Worker Program," Tucson Citizen, 5/29/03)

McCain seems to be making something of a comeback in the polls, and definitely has some good points - national security and foreign affairs experience. But, no one believes he would be strong on illegal immigration, and the fact that he is outright lying about his previous positions is perhaps a sign of a lot less integrity than we should have in a President. I'm liking McCain a whole lot less now.

More hate crimes you haven't heard about
An investigation in Los Angeles has revealed that at least one Latino gang has conducted hate crimes ( i.e. murder based purely on the victim's race). Why aren't the Racial Reverends Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton all over this one? Is it only a crime when a white does it? According to their actions, yes.

Hillary's new tactic
Apparently, Hillary Clinton got enough heat for planting questions in several debates earlier in the year that she's decided to take a different tactic: no questions at all. If a tree falls in the forest and there's no one around to hear it, does it make any noise? If Clinton doesn't make any statements, can she claim she hasn't made any false statements?

Coverage stats
The Center for Media and Public Affairs (CMPA) at George Mason University has conducted a study of media treatment of the presidential candidates over the past few months. The results:

Fox News Channel's coverage was more balanced toward both parties than the broadcast networks were. On FOX, evaluations of all Democratic candidates combined were split almost evenly – 51% positive vs. 49% negative, as were all evaluations of GOP candidates – 49% positive vs. 51% negative, producing a perfectly balanced 50-50 split for all candidates of both parties.

On the three broadcast networks, opinion on Democratic candidates split 47% positive vs. 53% negative, while evaluations of Republicans were more negative – 40% positive vs. 60% negative. For both parties combined, network evaluations were almost 3 to 2 negative in tone, i.e. 41% positive vs. 59% negative.

I'm not one bit surprised by the figures on Fox, but I am actually very surprised that they found the MSM was only slanted 41% to 59% against Republicans. A silver lining, I guess.

There's my two cents.

Merry Christmas!

I'm signing off for a few days to celebrate Christmas with family, but I'll be back before 2008. May you have a safe and joyful Christmas, and may you never forget the reason we celebrate.


Just for fun, here's the Lego version of Jesus' birth.

Luke 2

The Birth of Jesus

¹In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. ²(This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) ³And everyone went to his own town to register.

⁴So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. ⁵He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. ⁶While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, ⁷and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

The Shepherds and the Angels

⁸And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. ⁹An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. ¹¹Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ^[a] the Lord. ¹²This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

¹³Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
¹⁴"Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

¹⁵When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."

¹⁶So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. ¹⁷When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, ¹⁸and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. ¹⁹But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Merry Christmas!!!

Headlines, Headlines, And More Headlines

Once again, there's a lot going on. Check it out:

Magic Hillary
Hillary Clinton has the solution for rising gas prices (even though they've fallen again in the past few weeks): simply elect her President. That's right, just the act of becoming President will magically cause prices to drop. Is she stuck on herself, or what?

The usual ACLU madness
Adam Habib, an academic from South Africa, has been denied a visa to enter the U.S. to speak due to past terrorist activities. Naturally, the ACLU is defending the anti-American terrorist-loving guy, calling the visa denial a violation of his freedom of speech. This is completely wrong on many levels: he's not a U.S. citizen, so he doesn't get our rights; he's a known terrorist associate, so he's a national security risk. The ACLU is one of the biggest dangers to America.

Defend Mark Steyn
The Muslim group attacking Mark Steyn, the CIC (Canadian Islamic Congress), is upset about two things Steyn said:

The fifty million Muslims of Europe will turn it into a Muslim continent within a few decades.

Just look at the development within Europe, where the number of Muslims is expanding like mosquitoes. Every Western woman in the EU is producing an average of 1.4 children. Every Muslim woman in the same countries is producing 3.5 children.

Here's the problem: The “Muslim continent” statement is not only factual, it’s stated in words no one can characterize as inflammatory. (Also, it’s been said by Libya’s strongman Muammar Qaddafi). Second, “The number of Muslims is expanding like mosquitoes” was not Steyn’s phrase. He was quoting Mullah Krekar, a jihadist who currently resides in Norway, although officials have been trying for years to get him out of the country.

This is my point in reporting this madness to you: Muslims go crazy at things that aren't even factually true, and the favored method of attack is to silence all opposition. That is precisely what Stalin and the Nazis did. If we don't fight it now, we could lose too much ground to recover.

Potential disaster for Huckabee
Caucus Cooler blows open a story revealing some very large donations from one of the world's largest embryonic stem cell researchers. If that rumor proves to be true, it would spell disaster for Huckabee's conservative Christian position. Combined with his recent tangle with Rush Limbaugh, Huckabee's currency seems to be dropping.

Real man of the year
Investors Business Daily has published their own 'man of the year' award to counter Time magazine's selection of Russian President Putin. The winner is General David Petraeus. IBD says: "Our preference is not for tyrants, but for those who defeat them." Changing the world? Check! Bringing about peace? Check! Leadership and integrity? Check, and check! There's no better choice than Petraeus.

Year of global cooling
Heavy-Handed Politics posts a great piece on recent planetary temperatures. Just a few examples:

- In Buenos Aires, snow fell for the first time since the year 1918.
- Johannesburg, South Africa, had the first significant snowfall in 26 years. Australia experienced the coldest June ever.
- Last January, $1.42 billion worth of California produce was lost to a devastating five-day freeze.
- In April, a killing freeze destroyed 95 percent of South Carolina's peach crop, and 90 percent of North Carolina's apple harvest.
- On Dec. 7, St. Cloud, Minn., set a new record low of minus 15 degrees Fahrenheit. On the same date, record low temperatures were also recorded in Pennsylvania and Ohio.
- On Dec. 4, in Seoul, Korea, the temperature was a record minus 5 degrees Celsius.

Of course, fact after fact after fact won't stop global warming crazies: "In 2005, a Canadian Greenpeace representative explained 'global warming can mean colder, it can mean drier, it can mean wetter.' In other words, all weather variations are evidence for global warming. Global warming has long since passed from scientific hypothesis to the realm of pseudo-scientific mumbo-jumbo." This is an excellent article with a ton more detail, so go check it out!

More pork than on a hog farm
Two recent spending bills Congress passed contained literally thousands of earmarks (despite Democrats' pledge to end the practice of earmarking) for billions of dollars. Read it and be angry.

Cancer and stem cells
Some scientists are now looking into experiments to determine the relationship between stem cells and cancer. A very interesting theory, and one to watch.

A country within America??
The Lakota Indians, who inhabit the upper Midwest, have abruptly withdrawn from treaties signed with the U.S. dozens or hundreds of years ago. They plan to set up their own independent country, which would include tax-free living and official documents like driver's licenses and passports, provided one was willing to renounce American citizenship. Is this a golden opportunity for illegal aliens and terrorists, or what?

Illegal Immigration Report Cards

NumbersUSA, one of the leading anti-illegal immigration groups, runs a periodic report card on all of the presidential candidates, and I thought it would be good to pass along the current one.

The short version summary:
- the best Republican: Duncan Hunter (followed by Fred Thompson)
- the best Democrat: none (they're all abysmal)

Check out the screenshots below for all the details.



As you can see, any of the Reps would be better than any of the Dems, and the main Democrat candidates would all be disastrous for America! Elections have consequences, and 2008 will have big ones - taxes, terrorism, and immigration.

There's my two cents.

Quotes: 2nd Amendment, Global Warming

Here are a couple quotes that seem appropriate, given the happenings of the day:

"The Constitution shall never be construed...to prevent the people of the United States who are peaceable citizens from keeping their own arms."

-- Samuel Adams --



"Climate change is a non problem. The right answer to a non problem is to have the courage to do nothing. The UN conference is a complete waste of our time and your money and we should no longer pay the slightest attention to the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change)."

-- UK climate researcher Lord Christopher Monckton --



Originally posted at Heavy-Handed Politics.

What You Need To Know About Mormons

Right Truth posts about some of the key differences between Christianity and Mormonism. I always think it's interesting to explore other faiths to gain at least a passing familiarity with them, and given Mitt Romney's prominent status as a Mormon, this seems like a great thing to look at now. Check it out:

There are many differences between Christians and Mormons. I do not plan to get into all of those here and I understand that I will stir a hornet's nest with this post. What I DO intend, is to point out the one difference you need to know about. First a disclaimer:

I believe there ARE Christians in the Mormon church. I believe that many Mormons who have not gotten into the hierarchy and original teachings of the church, probably believe the same way I and most Christians believe. Having said that, I do NOT believe that the Mormon doctrine is truly Christian. Mitt Romney told the world that he believes in Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. I have no reason to doubt his statement or his faith. That's between him and God and I would be the last person to judge another's faith or relationship with God. This is not about politics.

My way of determining whether a group is Christian or not is this: Do they believe the way to salvation is based on faith in Jesus Christ, and nothing else. Only faith is required.

... the Mormon Church teaches that the purpose of the atonement was to bring resurrection and immortality to all people, regardless of whether they receive Christ by faith. Christ’s atonement is only a partial basis for worthiness and eternal life, which also requires obedience to all the commands of the Mormon church, including exclusive Mormon temple rituals (Gospel Principles, pp. 74-75; Mormon Doctrine, p. 669).

... the Mormon Church teaches that eternal life in the presence of God (which it terms "exaltation in the celestial kingdom") must be earned through obedience to all the commands of the Mormon Church, including exclusive Mormon temple rituals. Works are a requirement for salvation (entrance into the "celestial kingdom") — Gospel Principles, p. 303-304; Pearl of Great Price — Third Article of Faith; Mormon Doctrine, pp. 339, 671; Book of Mormon — 2 Nephi 25:23). (source)

Mormons believe in many gods and they believe that they can BECOME gods. They believe that God was once a human man.

Leaders of the Mormon church (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) say:

... the very name of the Savior is in the name of the church. . . . The New Testament is a fundamental scripture for us. We have in addition to that the Book of Mormon, which becomes another witness for Jesus Christ." (here)

First, there IS NO OTHER testament of Jesus Christ than the Bible. Not the Book of Mormon and not the Pearl of Great Price, or any other book. Mormons use all three books as their Scripture.

Second, Just like attaching a Roll Royce logo to a Volkswagen does not make the latter a Rolls Royce, using the name of Jesus Christ does not make Mormonism "Christian."

Third, and most important, Mormons believe Jesus was created, not Divine.

The Mormon Jesus Christ

A created being: the elder brother
of Lucifer

Common (one of many gods) and,
in some ways, of minor important in
the larger Mormon cosmology

Conceived by a physical sex act
between God the Father (Adam or
Elohim) and Mary, thus not through
a true virgin birth

Once sinful and imperfect

Earned his own salvation
(exaltation, godhood)

A married polygamist?

VS:

The Biblical Jesus Christ

Uncreated God

Unique (the Second Person of the one and only Godhead)
and of supreme importance through time, eternity and all
creation

Conceived by the Holy Spirit, who supermaturally
"overshadowed" Mary, thus a true virgin birth

Eternally sinless and perfect

As God, never required salvation

An unmarried monogamist

Quite a comparison.

In the 2nd letter to the Corinthians Paul warns about the very real possibility of another Jesus, a Jesus different from the Jesus Paul had presented to the Corinthians.

For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted-you may well put up with it!
2 Corinthians 11:4 (here)

The Pearl of Great Price infers that Jesus and Satan were brothers, equals, before Satan refused to carry out God's will:

Wherefore, because that Satan rebelled against me, and sought to destroy the agency of man, which I, the Lord God, had given him, and also, that I should give unto him mine own power; by the power of mine Only Begotten, I caused that he should be cast down;

And he became Satan, yea, even the devil, the father of all lies, to deceive and to blind men, and to lead them captive at his will, even as many as would not hearken unto my voice. (The Pearl of Great Price, Moses 4:1-4)

So it can be said that Jesus and Lucifer were brothers, in the sense of both being spiritually begotten by the Father, but it is a misrepresentation to say so without giving the contextual background. Whatever similarities in background exist between Jesus and Satan pale compared to the differences. Jesus is the Beloved and Chosen, who is the Only Begotten Son of God in the flesh. (here)

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, believe some strange things like:

Jesus visited the United States.

There are many heavens, celestial, and terrestrial, and telestial; believers go to one of these if they have earned it in their earthly life.

... the Mormon Church teaches that Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are three separate Gods (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 370; Mormon Doctrine, pp. 576-577), and that the Son and Holy Ghost are the literal offspring of Heavenly Father and a celestial wife (Joseph Fielding McConkie, Encyclopedia of Mormonism, vol. 2, p. 649).

Mormons "continue to have children after the resurrection". Also the more children you have here on earth, the higher heaven, or kingdom, you will reside in after death.

...the Mormon Church teaches that there are many Gods (Book of Abraham 4:3ff), and that we can become gods and goddesses in the celestial kingdom (Doctrine and Covenants 132:19-20; Gospel Principles, p. 245; Achieving a Celestial Marriage, p. 130). It also teaches that those who achieve godhood will have spirit children who will worship and pray to them, just as we worship and pray to God the Father (Gospel Principles, p. 302).

... the Mormon Church teaches that God the Father was once a man like us who progressed to become a God and has a body of flesh and bone (Doctrine and Covenants 130:22; "God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens!" from Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pp. 345-347; Gospel Principles, p. 9; Articles of Faith, p. 430; Mormon Doctrine, p. 321). Indeed, the Mormon Church teaches that God himself has a father, and a grandfather, ad infinitummore) (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 373; Mormon Doctrine, p. 577). (

Mormons also believe a living person can be baptized for someone who has already died, thus saving that person and getting them into a heaven/kingdom.

I leave you with the above information and suggest you do some searches and reading on your own.

I didn't know much about Mormonism before reading this, and although it's impossible to capture an entire faith in this amount of space, it's at least an illuminating glimpse. I hope it helps inform you, too!

There's my two cents.

Fun & Frivolity: Top 10 Real Life Star Trek Inventions

This kind of stuff always fascinates me.  I once heard someone say that if you want to know where technology is going in the future, look to the current sci-fi movies.  It appears that statement was true!  The top 10 real life Star Trek inventions includes a tricorder, a tractor beam, invisible armor ( i.e. shields), and hyperdrive.

Great reading for a Friday!  Enjoy!

More Headlines You've Got To Check Out

November sees huge consumer spending
Another problem for those predicting economic crisis is the recent report of consumer spending in November - it increased by 1.1%, the largest amount in almost four years!  The 'experts' were surprised.  Just like usual, when the news is good.  Don't buy the hype...

Teaching how to break the law
Michelle Malkin posts about one of the worst abuses I've seen in the already-shabby education system (keep in mind that by slamming education, I'm referring to the NEA and administrations, not the teachers...).  Apparently, a Spanish high school teacher in Ohio assigned his students a 3-week project where they took a Hispanic identity, planned how to illegally enter the United States, how to illegally obtain work and documentation, and how to illegally gain citizenship.  The Internet and blogosphere broke open the story, but the school administration has closed ranks in support of the teacher.  Unbelievable.  Simply unbelievable.

McCain scandal erupts
The New York Times is apparently getting ready to break a story that McCain has violated campaign rules, giving favors to a female lobbyist in return for favored legislation.  He's fighting back, and both he and the lobbyist strongly denying any wrongdoing.  Rick Moran suggests that the New York Times is simply trying to slam McCain, who is now polling most favorably of all the Republicans in general election polls against either Clinton or Obama.  I'm sure we'll learn the truth eventually, but this does sound fishy.  Something to keep an eye on.

What is torture?
Ethel Fenig writes about the difference between 'torture' and real, actual torture.  She quotes a liberal Illinois state Senator (a former associate of Obama's) describing his attendence of a Hannah Montana concert with his daughter as being 'torture'.  Then she goes on to describe the discovery of a torture center and mass grave in a village that was recently uncovered by U.S. troops.  There was blood everywhere, weapons strewn all over, electric cables attached to metal bed frames, and chains all over the place.  The villagers knew about it but were too afraid of the Al Qaeda butchers running the place to come forward until now.  This is the perfect example of how liberals view the world: torture is a kids' concert, not a real danger where our troops are fighting for our freedoms.

It's all about control
The liberal philosophy seeks to control people above all else.  Two examples illustrate this:
1. A Utah mom was threatened with jail time if she did not enroll her three home-schooled kids in public school.
2. Dallas, Georgia is being sued for putting up a nativity scene for Christmas.
Liberals run the educational system, so they naturally want every child to be sucked into their brainwashing system.  And, of course, liberals don't want any mention of Christianity anywhere in government (never mind that the 'separation of church and state' was intended to keep the state from implementing a state-sponsored religion, not keeping all religion out of government).  Our basic foundations are being attacked in this country, and the root cause is...liberalism.

The effects of Kyoto
How successful has the Kyoto treaty been since it was signed in 1997?  Well, let's compare it to the U.S., which refused to sign it:

Between 1997 and 2004, based on US Department of Energy data cited earlier, the US CO2 output rose by about 6.6%, less than one percent annually and about one fourth the rate of US economic growth in that period.

In contrast the "core" EU countries, those that were members before the fall of Communism showed an increase in CO2 output of 11.3%, about 1.5% per year, and almost three quarters of their rates of economic growth.

There is no reason to join Kyoto, or any other 'green' treaty with rest of the world - it is innovation and technology that provide the best results when it comes to keeping our environment clean.

There's my two cents.

Hollywood Ultra-Liberal Wackoism

Actress Vanessa Redgrave put up half of the 50,000-pound bail for the release of a man accused of distributing terrorist propaganda for Osama bin Laden, recruiting for jihadists, and helping run a terrorist cell.  He and another man were released from Guantanamo Bay, and warrants for their arrest were issued from Spain within hours of their arrival in London, where they live.  Redgrave said:

"It is a profound honour and I am glad to be alive to be able to do this.  Guantanamo Bay is a concentration camp. It is a disgrace that these men have been kept there all these years."

These guys were picked up in Afghanistan by American troops -- in a war zone, remember -- and yet they say they are innocent.  One man says he simply found it hard to be a Muslim in Britain, so he went home.  Riiiiight...without his family?  The twisted supporters of these guys say that they're innocent men who were kidnapped and tortured by American troops.

I suppose it's better for them to be released overseas in their home countries than here in the U.S., but I'd rather not see them released at all!  By the way, you might want to check out my post earlier today for a couple different definitions of 'torture'.  To me, torture is having to put up with these Hollywood wackos that hate America so much that they willingly assist known terrorists.

There's my two cents.

Religion In Congress, Taxes, Marriage, And The War

Congress approves of Islam, Hinduism, but not Christmas
The House has voted on resolutions recognizing Islam, Hinduism, and Christianity in recent weeks, but one thing sticks out in a big way: only Christianity failed to get unanimous approval.  That's right, nine Democrats voted 'no' on the resolution to recognize the importance of Christianity, with another nine voting 'present'.  This is extremely disturbing considering that America's foundation is Christian, and about 75% of the country identifies itself as Christian.  Just another example of how Congress is completely out of step with the American people, to a very disturbing extent.

History shows Democrats and tax hikes are linked
Grover Norquist points out how very few Democrats signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge (vowing not to raise taxes), and all of those who did have violated that pledge.  In contrast, almost 200 Republicans in Congress (and Pres. Bush) have signed it, and almost all of them have stayed true.  It's a party thing - Democrats in charge means more taxes on the American people.  Don't give them the chance to do it again!

Marriage amendment battle in Sunshine state
Florida voters will have their say on marriage being defined as between one man and one woman next November.  I predict it will pass easily, then be set aside by a single liberal, activist judge.  The thing to remember here is that elected officials (President or Governor) appoint these judges, so it absolutely matters who wins these elections.

Harry Reid and Al Qaeda
Gateway Pundit posts on the disaster that is Harry Reid.  He references a New York Times article talking about how Reid has called President Bush a loser and a liar, and has said he hates Bush.  Reid also continues to state that America has lost the war in Iraq despite all the evidence to the contrary.  In particular, check out these two articles ( here and here) that say top leaders of Al Qaeda have more or less admitted defeat and are calling for their troops to put down their arms.  Harry Reid is the true loser, completely out of touch with reality and the American people, and has brought utter disgrace to the Democrat party through his actions and words.

There's my two cents.

The Media’s Top 10 Economic Myths of 2007

I thought this article was great.  Here's the short version; check out the whole article for lots and lots of supporting details:

10. Airlines are solely to blame for the unfriendly skies.
Media myth: Blame the airlines for all those flight delays; never mind the obsolete government-run agency creating the gridlock.
Truth: The Boyd Group, an aviation consulting company that has been quoted by The Wall Street Journal, BusinessWeek and other media, faults the government-run FAA and ATC system for flight delays in particular.


9. Consumer spending is the be-all, end-all of the economy.
Media myth: Without excessive consumer spending – especially at Christmastime – the U.S. economy will collapse.
Truth: Holiday spending wasn't as ho-hum as journalists had worried. Despite predictions of a "gray Friday," Black Friday and Saturday sales combined saw a 7.2-percent sales increase, rising to $16.4 billion.


8. The stock market is trouble, whether it goes up or down.
Media myth: One day the stock market can't sustain growth; the next, we're just one drop away from another crash.
Truth: According to the October 15 Wall Street Journal, a stock market crash is unlikely and investors "see stocks continuing their rebound."


7. Anyone who 'denies' global warming shouldn't be taken seriously.
Media myth: Global warming could cause a 'century of fires,' just as it has created allergies and ended winter fashion. If we don't do something now ( i.e. spend hundreds of billions of dollars), it's only going to get worse.
Truth: Dissent against the "consensus" on global warming gets the cold shoulder from the media, but there is disagreement.


6. You'd better not eat/drink that!
Media myth: Forget the right to eat as you please; the nanny-state knows better.
Truth: Moderation is the answer and personal choice is better than government intervention. A pro-regulation slant came as no surprise from the same media that constantly repeat claims from the left-wing Center for Science in the Public Interest.
 

5. Most Americans are losing their homes.
Media myth: Americans everywhere are losing their homes to foreclosure, and the housing bust is going to ruin the economy.
Truth: The foreclosure figures most stories used came from RealtyTrac, a source that counts each filing in the foreclosure process. One house has to go through several steps in the process, so counting each one as a separate foreclosure is inaccurate. Rick Sharga, the organization's president, said it is misleading to call the number total foreclosures – which is what the media kept doing. 


4. "Going Green" is good for America and business.
Media myth: Businesses are much better off if they go green, and that's what people really want anyway.
Truth: BusinessWeek deserves credit for revealing the "Little Green Lies" corporate sustainability advocates have been telling. Its profile of environmentalist Auden Schendler showed the futility of his quest to "green" his company. Contrary to what Schendler once thought, and what the media say, "many major initiatives simply aren't money-savers. They come with daunting price tags that undercut the conviction that environmental salvation can be had on the cheap," wrote BusinessWeek. 


3. Lenders are responsible for everyone's debts.
Media myth: Drowning in red ink isn't your fault; blame the guy who loaned you the money.
Truth: While some lenders may have been "unscrupulous," no one holds a gun to someone's head and forces him or her to take out a mortgage with a variable rate or without a down payment.


2. Free health care would be great!
Media myth: To save our children and the 47 million uninsured Americans, and to keep up with the rest of the world, we must have government-run health care.
Truth: Politicians and journalists alike have touted health care plans based on the assumption of "47 million uninsured Americans." That number is off by 10 million at a minimum. There are millions who should be excluded from an accurate total, including: those who aren't American citizens; people who can afford their own insurance but don't purchase it; and people who already qualify for government coverage but haven't signed up.


1. The U.S. Economy is in recession.
Media myth: The U.S. economy is nearly in, or is in, a recession.
Truth: The U.S. economy is NOT in a recession and has experienced strong growth.

All the details are in the article, so go check it out.  Regardless, don't be sucked in to the latest crisis headlines - there's usually another whole side to the story that you're not being told.

There's my two cents.

Tax Myths Debunked By Harvard Professor

Harvard Economics professor Greg Mankiw posts a comparison of taxes paid in 2005 with taxes paid in 1979:

The first number below is for 2005, the most recent year available. For comparison, I computed, and present in parentheses below, the average effective tax rate from 1979 to 2005, the time span covered in the report.

All households: 20.5 (21.6)

Lowest quintile: 4.3 (7.2)
Second quintile: 9.9 (13.2)
Middle quintile: 14.2 (17.1)
Fourth quintile: 17.4 (20.1)
Highest quintile: 25.5 (26.1)

Top 10 percent: 27.4 ( 27.6)
Top 5 percent: 28.9 (29.0)
Top 1 percent: 31.2 (31.7)

Notice that all groups are paying lower tax rates than the historical average. But in contrast to some popular perceptions, the change is not concentrated among the upper income groups. In fact, the opposite is true.

So, the statement that 'the rich don't pay taxes' is total myth, as is the statement that 'tax cuts only benefit the rich'.

There's my two cents.

MO Gov. Blunt Stands Firm For Missourians

Bucking tremendous pressure, Missouri Governor Matt Blunt stands firm in resisting the Midwest Governor's Association energy pact - the only one in the region to do so.

After reviewing the pact, Blunt said he would sign only a handful of the minor points, refusing to join up with all of the major components. Some, he said, would have to be addressed on the national level; some others would hurt Missouri consumers.

The Sierra Club and other environmentalist wackos are, naturally, very unhappy with Blunt's decision, but as a Missouri resident I applaud him and plan to call his office (573-751-3222) to thank him for actually looking out for my best interests. After all, isn't that what Governors are supposed to do?

There's my two cents.

Still Fixing The Wrong Problems!

Check out this insanity in our education system:

A 10-year-old 5th grader brought a piece of steak to school for lunch, and brought a steak knife along to cut it up.  Despite the fact that she only used it to cut her steak, the knife was taken away and the police were called.  The girl was sent to a juvenile detention facility, and faces a felony count on her permanent record.

WHAT?!

A zero tolerance policy is one thing, but this is something else - insanity!  This is just another example of those in charge fixing the wrong problem.  Instead of arresting this girl and charging her with a felony weapons charge, they should have just gotten rid of the knife.  Where is the common sense?  What is wrong with those people?

If you want to weigh in, below is some contact information:

Sunrise Elementary School
375 Marion Oaks Course
Ocala, FL 34473
Phone: (352) 671-6200
Fax: (352) 671-6206
(800) 955-8770 (FRS)Isaac.BurgessIV@marion.k12.fl.us

Marion County School board contacts
Voice 352-671-7703

School Chairperson Judi Zanetti 352-671-7995 Judith.Zanetti@marion.k12.fl.us
Steve Hering (352)245-4146 Steven.Hering@marion.k12.fl.us
Vice Chair Bobby L. James (352) 427-3781 Bobby.James@marion.k12.fl.us
Sue Mosley (352)624-1875 Sue.Mosley@marion.k12.fl.us
Ron Crawford 352)591-0356 Ron.Crawford@marion.k12.fl.us

There's my two cents.

Stupid Energy Bill

This really irritates me. Congress just passed -- and Bush signed into law -- a new energy bill. Among its provisions is the mandate that incandescent light bulbs will be phased out in the next few years in favor of the newest fad, those spirally 'green' light bulbs.

Here's the problem - while global warming fanatics will tell you that this will reduce energy costs, it also poses some other problems:
- the light provided by these bulbs is uncomfortable for some people
- mercury is found in these bulbs

That's right, if the bulb breaks on you, you could actually get poisoned. Oh, and the light sucks. Oh, and you have to jump through hoops to dispose of them. Other than that, they're great - they'll save you five bucks per month. By the way, those same global warming supporters said that getting rid of incandescent bulbs would be 'voluntary'. Uh-huh. Funny how that volunteer thing mysteriously becomes a mandate once the legislation actually goes through.

Another provision in this bill requires better fuel standards for vehicles that will screw you, the American consumer (which I've already addressed). In response, Jerome J. Schmitt also poses a great question: "Now that the environmental lobby has coerced congress into mandating a six-fold increase in use of ethanol as motor-fuel, will they now decry the increase in acreage devoted to the corn-crop as well as the use of fertilizer and pesticides?"

There's my two cents.

Daily Updates

Senate report debunks 'consensus'
"Over 400 prominent scientists from more than two dozen countries recently voiced significant objections to major aspects of the so-called "consensus" on man-made global warming. These scientists, many of whom are current and former participants in the UN IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change), criticized the climate claims made by the UN IPCC and former Vice President Al Gore. "  If there is no consensus (if man-made global warming cannot be proven by science), then should we really be considering legislation and national policy to pander to it?  No.

Economy growing despite problems
The Commerce Department released a report showing that the GDP (gross domestic product) grew 4.9% in the third quarter of 2007.  I've said it before, and I'll say it again...sure, there are problems, but the American economy is still very strong overall!  The only thing that'll slow it down is if Democrats get what they want: higher taxes, and more of 'em.

Heading South
Michelle Malkin reports on a 'shocker': many illegal aliens are leaving Arizona because amnesty has been defeated repeatedly this year.  See?  If you remove the magnets -- by enforcing the law, removing benefits for illegals, and cracking down on businesses who hire them -- they will leave on their own.  It simply becomes a matter of not being worth the risk.  You don't have to deport 12-20 million people; under the right conditions they'll do it themselves.

Phone cards for the military
If you want to donate phone cards to our soldiers overseas, go here .

Tancredo drops out
It looks like Tom Tancredo is dropping out of the Republican presidential race.  It's just as well - he was a one-issue guy with no realistic shot, anyway.

Why the Dems have tanked in 2007
Don Surber poses a theory on why the Democrats have seen such abysmal approval ratings in their first year of running Congress again: Iraq.  The public has moved on, but the Dems keep voting to lose the war and search for scandals that don't exist.  Thus, their own demise.  A brilliant point, and one that should be noted loudly and often!

U.S. fertility rate rises
In relation to my recent review of Mark Steyn's book America Alone, demographics and birth rates have suddenly become important to me.  So, I was glad to see the USA Today report showing fertility rates in the U.S. have risen in every age group from 2005 to 2006.  You'd think this would be an easy problem to solve...  ;)

There's my two cents.

The Untold Bali Story

Speaking of the Bali conference, here are some things you probably didn't hear reported:

- The U.N. shutting down news conferences by contrarian scientists.

- More than 100 scientists, including prominent names like Dyson, Lindzen and Bryson, signing a letter to the U.N. Secretary General arguing that Bali "is taking the world in entirely the wrong direction."

- That global average temperature statistics used by the IPCC show that no ground-based warming has occurred since 1998.

- That (as Chris Horner points out below) U.S. CO2 emissions have been increasing at a slower rate than the very European countries that were booing and hissing the U.S in Bali.

It was a total farce, designed specifically to take money from Americans and give it to 3rd world dictators!

There's my two cents.

Bali Wrap-up

The Editors of National Review Online write about the Bali climate doom-and-gloom conference:

Winston Churchill's famous description of disarmament negotiations — "a solemn and prolonged farce" — now applies equally well to the U.N.'s endless climate-change talks. The not-so-hidden agenda of the U.N. climate conference in Bali was clear for months — beat the United States into submission — and the long run-up to Bali was carefully choreographed, with no fewer than four major reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). All of them said the same thing: Doom awaits unless we take drastic action now. The climate campaigners' goal is a 25 to 40 percent reduction in greenhouse-gas emissions by 2020. Having failed to come anywhere near the more modest Kyoto targets, they apparently feel that now is the time for an even less realistic goal.

They go on to talk about how the whole thing was staged to pit the U.S. against the rest of the world, with the U.S. giving in right at the end.  It happened, but -- fortunately for us -- the U.S. delegation didn't cave in on everything.  Specifically, we committed to help reduce emissions, but refused to commit to certain percentages of reductions.  Naturally, that made the green crowd angry, but the whole thing will come up again in a couple years, after Bush leaves office.

This is why you need to keep your eye on this one - if a Democrat gets elected President, there is very little standing in the way of the U.S. agreeing to fleece you, the American citizen, with incredible new taxes in the name of global warming.

Oh, by the way, the U.S. is the only major country that had a reduction in emissions in 2006 so far (not all countries have calculated their results).  In fact, the U.S. has had the best emissions record for most of the last decade, a tribute to our superior technology and development.  And we didn't even need a stupid treaty like Kyoto or the Bali conference.  They're after your money, people - pay attention!

There's my two cents.

Democrat Legislative Losses

David Freddoso illuminates five major losses that Congressional Democrats have taken in the last round of bill-passing:

1. The first and biggest Republican victory comes in the form of the omnibus spending bill, which funds nearly every government agency. Not only does the bill, which was handed down yesterday morning, match President Bush's funding levels, but it also contains none of the so-called "policy-riders" that Republicans had most feared..."It's probably better than anything we would have passed, if we were still the majority," one conservative Republican Senate staffer remarked sardonically on Monday. He was not the only Republican I could find to make this admission.

2. The omnibus itself represents a major Republican victory, but that's not all. The bill currently includes only funding for the Afghanistan war, but by the time it passes it will include full and unconditional Iraq supplemental funding, ending yet another legislative crisis in the Republicans' favor. The Iraq money will be added by amendment in the Senate. This portion of the amended bill will then pass the House largely on Republican votes.

In essence, Democrats are capitulating on the Iraq question for a second time this year, after being elected with a clear mandate to hasten the unpopular war's end — a bitter double-defeat that comes after dozens of symbolic votes on the war. And Democratic House members will be voting (probably today) to start a process that they know will continue the war funding — voting for it before voting against it.

3. On the Alternative Minimum Tax, Democrats have already lost this one through inaction. They are damned if they do and damned if they don't. Senate Democrats, who already agreed to fixing this broken portion of the tax code on Republicans' terms (without raising taxes to compensate), are watching impatiently as their House colleagues refuse to acknowledge that they lost this issue weeks ago. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D., Nev.) will adjourn the Senate, leaving Pelosi alone with the undesirable "take-it-or-leave-it" choice of fixing the AMT on Republicans' terms — with no tax hike — or else passing nothing and causing 25 million American households to overpay on their taxes next spring by an average $2,000.

4. The Energy bill currently before Congress represents an utterly valueless hodgepodge of regular corporate welfare (ethanol mandates) combined with "green" corporate welfare and penalties to consumers (increased fuel-economy standards). For that reason, it has broad bi-partisan support, each party having different priorities. Earlier this month, Pelosi broke a pre-existing deal with Senate Republicans and put a bill on the House floor that appeared to maximize her negotiating potential. To the consternation of several powerful House Democrats and Sen. Pete Domenici (R., N.M.), it included two environmentalist provisions — the Renewable Portfolio Standard, which forces utilities to generate or purchase a certain percentage of their electricity from "renewable" sources (not including hydroelectric or nuclear), and tax hikes on domestic oil production. The revenues were expected to pay for promotion of "green" power (more corporate welfare).

The thought was that the Senate might reject the RPS, but would keep the provisions closing "tax loopholes." Then last Thursday, the Senate unexpectedly rejected both provisions and passed an energy bill consisting mostly of "non-green" corporate welfare. The bill is expected to pass today containing neither provision. Pelosi played her best cards and lost again.

5.  One of the Democrats most promising issues this year has been the State Childrens' Health Insurance Program (S-CHIP). They have sought to turn the Clinton-era program, a subsidy for poor children, into a free lunch for the middle class. Republicans, who hoped merely to extend the current program beyond the next election, were pummeled rhetorically for their resistance to the change. Yet after last night's negotiations, sources on the Hill say that they are about to get exactly what they wanted — another extension of the program, as it exists, through March 2009. The Democrats are getting certain minor provisions in return, but nothing that makes up for the loss of their moral trump card, and an election-year vote on children's insurance.

His conclusion:

House Democrats' inflexibility and subordination of policy to politics led them to Waterloo this week. They are a majority that has used the tactics of a minority, and it hasn't worked very well.  Meanwhile, the minority party — a party that is likely to stay in the minority through the next election — is routing Pelosi on five bills in a single week.

Yep, the worst Congress ever, led by the worst Congressional leaders ever: Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi.

There's my two cents.

More News To Note

Your daily dose of headlines:

Another Clinton question mark
Hillary Clinton says she's 'uniquely qualified' to be President because of her experiences as the First Lady.  What a joke - would the wife of an NFL quarterback be able to lead the team to a Super Bowl victory because she's watched him play every Sunday?   Anyway, she is running on her record, but she refuses to let that record see the light of day.  Most recently, former President Bill Clinton has instructed the National Archives to withhold 2,600 pages of documentation from being released to the public.  Of course, that's not stopping the Clintons from saying they 'haven't blocked a single document' from being released.  Classic Clinton...do you really want another one of them in the Oval Office?

Disappearing border fence
I blogged about this yesterday, but here's some more information on it from Michelle Malkin.  She calls what happened to the $3 billion for border security 'an object lesson in gesture politics'.  Illegal immigration is proving to be very, very important to Republicans in this election cycle, so answering the question of how to address illegal immigration is key.  From what I've read, the only candidate who has actually backed up a real plan for illegal immigration enforcement is Duncan Hunter...

Iranian diplomat tries to purchase nuclear material
Well, this is interesting!  Right Truth reports that Germany expelled an Iranian diplomat months ago for trying to purchase material that could be used to enrich uranium.  But don't worry, Iran keeps telling us they're not trying to develop nuclear weapons...!

Definition of political correctness
Okay, this is hilarious!  Right Truth posts the winner of a 2007 Texas A&M contest to most correctly define political correctness:

"Political Correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical, liberal minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end."

I love it!  :)

Double whammy: Islam and U.N.
UNICEF has selected this picture as its 'photo of the year'.  Two conclusions should be drawn from this photo.  First, Islam is wholly inappropriate in how it treats women - this is an 11-year-old girl being required to marry a 40-year-old man!  Second, the U.N. is worse than worthless - it is an enabler organization that supports Islam and terrorism.

There's my two cents.

Recommendation: America Alone

I just finished reading Mark Steyn's America Alone, and it's a whopper!

Steyn's background is a writer and demographer, and that shines through in this book. The topic is all about how the world is in the process of a monumental shift whether we want to acknowledge it or not - the question is what we (in America) are going to do about it. So what's the shift?

The Islamization of the world.

We all know there's an ideological battle between Islam and the West (America, Europe, and other democracies like Japan and Australia), but there's a key element that gets overlooked by almost everyone: demographics and birth rates.

For a nation to sustain its population (not growing, not shrinking), the birth rate has to be at least 2.1 children per woman. Steyn finds that most Western nations are far below that:

United States - 2.11
Australia - 1.7
Canada - 1.5
Germany - 1.3
Austria - 1.3
Italy - 1.2
Russia - 1.2
Spain - 1.1

Japan is already declining - why do you think they're investing so much in companion robots? It's for their aging population with no children. By contrast, take a look at some of the countries with the highest birth rates:

Niger - 7.46
Mali - 7.42
Somalia - 6.76
Afghanistan - 6.69
Yemen - 6.58

What's the difference? Islam.

So, just looking down the road a generation or two, it's a safe bet that Islam will be the dominant religion in much of the West (it's already the fastest growing religion in both North America and Europe), gaining political control of many nations simply through sheer numbers.

America is the only powerful, industrialized nation with a birth rate capable of sustaining non-Islamic growth.

From this statistical foundation, Steyn also examines in-depth the perils of Islam, the reasons socialist Europe tanked and what America needs to do to avoid a similar decline, and how political correctness is the cancer that eats away a society's ability and willingness to resist the incoming tide of Islamization.

This is probably one of the most illuminating and utterly terrifying books I've ever read. That is precisely why I believe every American needs to read and understand it - Mark Steyn hits so many nails dead on their heads that I found I had to put the book down frequently to think about how reality precisely matched what he said. His writing style is so delightfully snarky that I often found myself laughing out loud. At the same time, his conclusions are as sobering as they are undeniable.

If you want to understand Islam and why it matters that America stand up to it, you absolutely MUST read America Alone.

Congress Gives American People The Finger

In a clear act of political cowardice and deliberate disobedience to the overwhelming wishes of American citizens, Congress has removed the $3 billion in funding for border security (and the fence) in the most recent version of an omnibus funding bill.

We've been through this over and over and over, and Congress still does not appear to have figured out that the American people are serious about wanting our southern border secured and fenced! Earlier this year, they voted to allocate $3 billion purely for the fence and other border security enhancements, but the recent funding bill did not follow through on that funding.

No money = no fence = no border security.

This is a big deal, people! Call your Representatives and your Senators and express yourself on what you think of their actions. The number for the Capitol Switchboard is at the top right of my blog - call it and ask for your people, and they'll transfer you. Call them, e-mail them, call them again, e-mail them again...until they figure it out and GET IT DONE!!!

This is an issue of upholding the law, protecting the American economy, protecting Americans from criminals flooding in from Mexico, and protecting Americans from terrorist slipping through.

There is no rational reason this funding should have been yanked. Congress apparently needs to get its chain jerked again, so gear up and let 'em have it! Let's crash the switchboard with angry calls again!

I sure plan to do my part!

There's my two cents.

Wiretapping, Turkey, And Nukes

Dems delay wiretap bill
In a continuation of their steadfast opposition to winning the war on terror, Democrats have delayed a decision to give immunity to telecommunications companies for helping the government track down terrorist communications. Unbelievable. Just unbelievable.


U.S. helps Turkey
U.S. forces are aiding Turkish attacks on Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq. Hopefully, this means the tensions between us and our strongest ally in the region are better (after the Democrats tried to condemn Turkey for a 100-year-old atrocity that has already been condemned twice).


New nuclear technology squashed
In yet another attempt by the Democrat-led Congress to hamper America's defensive effectiveness, they have cut funding for the development of a new nuclear warhead. Can it be any plainer that they are NOT in favor of Americans' safety???


More posts tonight...

There's my two cents.

Are We Too Careful?

Below is the beginning of another great article by Roger W. Gardner regarding political correctness, its effects in the past, and its potential dangers in the future.  It's pretty long, but it is a truly outstanding explanation of one of my biggest pet peeves (also one of the core principles of liberalism).  Below is a teaser, but you really should go read the whole thing.

This, my friends, in case you haven't noticed, is a very careful generation. In fact, I've lived in this wonderful country of ours for a little over seven decades now, and this is without a doubt the most "careful" generation that I have ever had the misfortune to live amongst. Somehow we have managed to become the most careful people in the world, maybe the most careful people in history. We live in constant fear that we might inadvertently say something truthful that might offend someone, somewhere. We've learned to call this pervasive state of denial Political Correctness. But is it really Political Correctness, or is it something else?

I ask myself, is this present pacifistic crop of Chamberlainesque appeasers really being "careful" of other people's feelings, or merely being cowardly? Are all of our so-called PCisms truly demonstrations of our consideration for others, or are they rather an expression of our fear of others? Are we avoiding confrontation with those who threaten our lives and our culture out of kindness and tolerance, or are we just desperately trying to avoid that confrontation? Are we perhaps concerned that we might just antagonize our antagonists even more by naming them? Are we hoping to avoid the inevitable nastiness of these confrontations by hiding behind this intricately-wrought screen of euphemisms called Political Correctness?

When you think about it, isn't this really that same old weasely logic that in the 1950s induced us to call a Jew "someone of the Jewish persuasion"? As though they had somehow been persuaded to become a Jew. Isn't this just the latest manifestation of that same old hypocritical crap? Did we also talk about "someone of the Christian persuasion" in the 1950s? I don't think so.

In short, this is nothing all that new, it's that old familiar circuitous obfuscation that wouldn't allow us to call a Jew a Jew. Why? Would a Jew be offended to be called a Jew? Hardly. Every Jew I've ever known was proud to be a Jew. Could it be perhaps that we found that word so offensive that we could hardly bring ourselves to say it? Were these semantic acrobatics really evidence of our consideration for others or evidence of that intransigent American brand of anti-Semitism? Was this an example of some early form of Political Correctness in action? Or are we really talking about something else here. Something a little bit easier to understand, but something too awful to actually put it into words. Something called the truth.

Read the entire article here - it's worth your time.

There's my two cents.