The Moonbats Have Come Out

The conspiracy theorist losers have come out in droves. Their mantra is that the "Code Red" issued by Homeland Security as a result of the thwarted terrorist plot is actually a politically motivated ploy by the Bush Administration. Look here and here and here for a representative sampling.

Here's a great counter-comment posted by "Paul" at Americablog. He obviously has a functioning brain:

I've decided that since reasoning with moonbats is functionally impossible, I will offer my earnest help by offering up more conspiracy theories you guys haven't had the imagination to think up yet.

Ever wonder how Bush could be a mastermind of 9/11 yet so stupid that he's confused by children's books? Aside from the overly simplistic and not-sufficiently-convoluted reason that Cheney is pulling all the string, it should be obvious by now that the reason Bush is Supreme World Leader has to do with Roswell.

Yep, that UFO that crashed in Roswell in the 1940s is the explanation behind Bush's seemingly UNEARTHLY grip on world power. Ever since the crash, scientists have trying to crack the secrets, but by sheer dumb luck, the U.S. military-industrial complex finally managed to decode the secrets right before Bush became President. The military, being angry with Clinton-Gore, then used the new-found advanced technology to manipulate the Florida race so that Bush would win by a few hundred votes. This advanced alien technology is the reason why the New York Times, Miami Herald, and a dozen other big newspapers who were allowed to examine and count the votes themselves years after the election, all concluded that Bush did in fact win.

The same alien technology also handily explains how Bush-Cheney could have masterminded 9/11 without the plot being uncovered, even allowing the U.S. military-industrial complex to clone artificial human being who only looked like Muslim men from Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

But that was nothing compared to REAL application of the Roswell technology, i.e. Afghanistant. I mean, think about it, a country that has successfully beat off thousands of years of attempted invasion by outside powers from Alexander the Great to the Soviet Union, gets pounded into dust in a matter of weeks by air power alone. It only makes sense if you accept the idea that the U.S. was testing weapons derived from Roswell.

Iraq is pretty much explained similarly. One of the largest militaries in the Middle East, funded by billions of dollars of Food-for-Oil money via UN diplomatic funnels, is felled in a matter of weeks by a force that is just a fraction of its size. Roswell. It only makes sense if you accept Bush wields Roswell's secrets.But Roswell isn't just about weapons of minor and mass destruction, oh no! It also explains the incompetent spineless idiocy of Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid. That's right - you can already guess what I'm about to say.

Mind-control.

Bush now wields mind-control technology from the Roswell flying saucer and has been using it to keep the Democratic leadership in total disarray since 9/11. It makes absolute sense if you think about it, because mind-control devices enhance the qualities of wielder's mind. Bush is a monkey, so when he puts on that mind-ray cap, some of that simian-level intelligence is transmitted into Pelosi and Reid's minds.

That video of Bush and Blair joking at the G8 summit? What that they were laughing about was they were making coded jokes about fooling around with the mind-control device. The "sweater" that Tony jokes he knitted for Bush is a old-boy joke about the Brit improvements to the mind control hat.

Which all comes down to today's terror bust. No, it's not because terrorists exist in the world. It's not because terrorists are called terrorists because they think of different ways to kill innocent people spectacularly. The most recent "Code Red" terror plot is just Bush field-testing a new Roswell technology. Obvious, isn't it?

The new devices is a new WMD, one designed to induce fear into mass populations. The terror alert is just to allow the scientists to fine tune the device. But as it turns out, luckily, the kind of electrochemical patterns generated in the human brain by thinking thoughts like "Bush is Hitler", "Bush planned 9/11" and "Bush Bush Bush" creates a kind of neurological interference that blocks the effects of the device. Only people who think these thoughts ALL THE TIME will remain immune to the mind-manipulating effects of the Roswell Weapon of Mind Destruction.

So what does it all mean? Just wait and see! You ain't seen nothing yet!

Roswell, I tell you...Roswell explains everything.

Craziness In The Middle East And At Home

Check out this video at MsUnderestimated and then tell me that we can "dialogue" with these mad-as-hatters. Like I was saying this morning during Radio RTH! we need to come to grips with the fact that, for whatever reason, these people do not see things (e.g. life, death, family, society) as we do and never will. Why they don't is irrelevant. It has been the same for literally thousands of years and it doesn't factor into the equation.

It is the same as the proper response to the argument that "most" Muslims are "good" or not fanatics or radical Islamists. That's probably true, although I suspect that a very large percentage, although perhaps not willing to strap a bomb belt on and meet Allah, are in tacit approval with those who do.

Nevertheless, the point is that even if most Muslims are "good" it makes absolutely no difference. It is completely irrelevant...irrelevant...irrelevant. Doesn't change a thing about what needs to be done and how. I'm sure there were many "good" Germans in the 1930s, but that quite obviously didn't stop Hitler and the Nazi party from taking control. Either the good ones couldn't or wouldn't speak out then as perhaps is the case now. But it didn't matter then, and doesn't matter now.

As for the nutjobs on our left, check out this little bit of tinfoil-hat-wearing which is beginning to ripple thru the lefty blogosphere. Incredible!

Today (8/9/06) on Radio RTH!

We covered a wide variety of items today starting with the controversy over Reuters' use of doctored photos, which apparently has spread to the AP.

We discussed a study linking listening to raunchy and sexual song lyrics to earlier sexual activity...and provided an example of these popular lyrics during our "Hip-Hop Minute".

A bit of time was spent on the eleven missing Egyptian students now being sought by the FBI, and why we even issue student visas to persons from countries that aid and abet terrorism.

I mentioned the piece by John Stossel regarding the effective of lawsuits on our overall safety, and finally discussed why Mel Gibson may not actually be a bigot.

I analyzed the harm the left-left-left wing of the Democratic party is doing to its own as evidenced by the campaign against Joe Lieberman.

Oh, yeah...we also managed to mention The Art of War, by Sun Tzu.

Next Wednesday (8/16/06) I'll be interviewing Michael Hayutin, the author of Character Immunization: How to Raise Children Strong Enough To Resist Popular Culture during the eight o'clock hour.

The Ninth Circuit Begins To Feed On Itself

Check out this post at My Newz'n Ideas regarding the in-fighting at the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and the long awaited speaking out against the most liberal justices that infect that court.

Today On Radio RTH!

On today's show we talked about the book I'm in the middle of entitled The Truth About Tolerance by Brad Stetson and Joseph Conti.

We're following the story of the alleged rape and killing of an Iraqi girl and her family by members of U.S. military.

We talked about the pieces by The New Republic editor Martin Peretz and by Lanny Davis, both liberals but both actually making a whole lot of sense when discussing Joe Lieberman's fight for his political life.

We also discussed L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's kowtowing to his Arab constituency and apologizing for attending a pro-Israel rally. What's a cowardly pol supposed to do these days!?

I also gave out the number if you wanted to call the White House and thank the President for his support of Israel: 202-456-1111

Tomorrow, among other things, I'll explain why Mel Gibson is not a bigot.


***UPDATE***
As expected, the piece by Lanny Davis has brought out from under various rocks the left wingnut frag machine. Check out what is happening on this front at The Real Ugly American.

New Sponsor of Release The Hounds!

The radio version of Release The Hounds! (which is broadcast on the Wide Awakes Radio network) has a new sponsor...Zager Guitars.

I personally own two of these beautiful instruments and actually solicited Dennis Zager, Jr. to be a sponsor. His dad, and the driving force behind the company, was one-half of the famous duo, Zager and Evans (remember the song "In The Year 2525"?)

I own the acoustic/electric version in the photo above, and a lovely jet black fully acoustic model. These are modified Martin guitars and are a joy to play no matter what your experience level.

The Saga Of Floyd Landis

The "B" sample of Tour de France winner Floyd Landis has come back positive for elevated levels of testosterone. The testosterone found was a synthetic variety not supposedly produced by the human body. This would undermine Landis' assertion that the elevated levels were naturally produced.

Landis seems rather dead in the water on this one. However, there are a few questions that come to my mind and, before you conclude anything, I'm not a Floyd Landis fan (never even heard of him before this year's Tour) nor am I an American apologist or conspiracy theory freak.

I'd like to know what the significance is of the fact that Landis was tested eight other times during the Tour and all these tests came back negative. That would seem to mean that he certainly wasn't injecting (?) synthetic testosterone earlier during the Tour. I'd also like to know if the injection of synthetic testosterone a day or two before a race will produce any positive effect for the rider, or does the testosterone need to build up in your metabolism for a period of time before it can help you any.

These would appear to be the crucial questions in this story and, to date, I haven't been able to find an answer.

Next...A Guest Column By Raul Castro

When I first saw a link to this piece published today by the LA Times I presumed it to be just another anti-Bush, anti-American screed by one of its bloviating leftist columnists. I therefore paid it no nevermind.

Thanks to Hugh Hewitt, I've learned that the piece was written by Syria's ambassador. The ambassador from the country that is supporting Hizbollah both financially and militarily.

I think I'm going to re-subscribe to the LA Times so I can cancel again.

I Guess We'll Be Spared "The Passion Of The Deuce"

Rob Schneider refuses to work with Mel Gibson.

The Palestinian-Arab Idea of Effective and Mature Political Discourse

Read about it here. More about it later.

The Liberal Idea Of Effective and Mature Political Discourse

Read about it here. More about it later.

Many Thanks To Robert Spencer

Many thanks to Robert Spencer (author of The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam, et al) for being my guest this morning on the radio version of Release The Hounds!

If you missed the interview, it will be re-broadcast during the 8-9 am (Pacific) hour of my show this Friday, August 4, 2006. Just click the "Listen Live" button on the right sidebar, or go to Wide Awakes Radio.

The response to the interview has been great so, if you missed it, give a listen this Friday.

Cowardice And Moral Equivalence

Recently, I attended a personnel meeting at my firm to deal with a dispute that had developed between two employees. I have come to not look forward to these systematized efforts at "resolution" because rarely do they do resolve anything. Instead, they leave both sides feeling vindicated and empowered in some way or another. As I left the meeting, I thought to myself that, sadly, this process is much like what passes for diplomacy in the Middle East generally, and as between Israel and Hizbollah specifically.

As the EU calls for an immediate end to hostilities followed by a "sustainable" cease fire, and an American congressman goes on record as saying that he is not one to "choose sides" between Israel and Hizbollah, I began to think about the lack of moral clarity that pervades much of post-modern thought, as well as the almost pathologic fear of deciding which side is right and which side is wrong.

Just like the manner in which much of corporate America deals with personnel issues, the same namby-pamby approach, masquerading as some form of judiciousness, pervades global politics. Many, many times and in many, many different circumstances, one side is in fact in the right and, conversely and necessarily, the other is in the wrong. This is not to say that the party with logic and justice on its side has acted pristinely or perfectly. However, perfection in words or actions is rarely the sole province of any party to a conflict, and such a lack of perfection on one side does not necessarily define that party as the moral equivalent of the other.

Returning to my personnel issue, I was convinced based upon my evaluation of the facts that one party clearly had the upper hand when it came to the justification of his actions. Those actions were a completely appropriate response to the provocations from the other. The fact that some lesser criticisms could rightfully be levied did not, in my mind, create anything resembling an equivalence between to two actors in this office drama.

Unfortunately we live in a world of cowardice and moral equivalence (I consider the latter to be a subset of the former) where the desired result is one where a totally unfullfilling "middle ground" is reached, and where no one is deemed officially to be completely right or completely wrong. Thus, neither party was clearly criticized or remonstrated and the truth, as usual, was found to be "somewhere in between."

This may be a tolerable approach in the world of personnel management, but it is absolutely dangerous in the world nations inhabit. The need to take sides is of paramount importance because it sends various salutary messages. It tells all involved, and just as importantly all interested observers, that we have evaluated your respective conduct and, in so doing, we have reached a determination of who is deserving of support versus opprobrium, that we are not frightened to reach these conclusions, and that appropriate action will be taken thereon.

Israel is the aggrieved party here who was prompted into action by the completely reprehensible and unjustifiable conduct of Hizbollah. To treat it's response to this aggression as in some manner morally equivalent to that of its attacker because, in the minds of some, legitimate criticisms of Israel's conduct may be raised, is to turn the entire process on its head.

That may not come back to haunt in a personnel dispute, but it most certainly will in the Middle East.

Warren Christopher, Democrats and a More Inclusive Foreign Policy

Warren Christopher, former secretary of State under Bill Clinton, remains without a clue as evidenced by his recent Washington Post op-ed piece. Whenever you begin to think that liberal foolishness has its limits, someone like Mr. Christopher comes along to remind you that it knows no bounds.

I can't help but think of a joke that made the rounds while Warren Christopher was Secretary of State. A conflict had arisen somewhere in the world...I cannot remember precisely where and when...but it was of the sort that, in the mind of many, called for some sort of decisive action by America.

The punchline to the joke was: "If Warren Christopher were alive, this wouldn't be happening."

How true that remains. But what an excellent reminder it is of what we would be witnessing if there was a Democratic administration struggling to deal with this incarnation of the Israel-Hizbollah conflict.

Like most of the anti-war, effete intellectual left, Christopher's first objective (which, of course, serves as a criticism of the Bush Administration's approach) would have been to negotiate an immediate cease-fire. As support , he points to his 1993 and 1996 efforts to reach such a negotiated cessation of hostilities when Hizbollah began lobbing rockets into Israel on his watch.

What is left out of his trip down memory lane is the obvious. The 1993 cease-fire obviously did not have much of a salutary effect inasmuch as three years later another had to be negotiated. And we're at it again, only with more powerful weapons being fired at Israel by Hizbollah.

However, the inevitable repetition of this deadly song and dance should have been obvious, and likely was obvious, since Christopher now writes: "Achieving a cease-fire will be difficult enough without overloading the initial negotiations with a search for permanent solutions." Forbid the thought that any considerations of a "permanent solution" to this terrorist aggression against a sovereign state unduly burden the initial negotiations. Or apparently any and all subsequent negotiations, at least based upon the past success achieved in bringing these unilateral attacks to a halt.

But that should come as no surprise since Mr. Christopher and most of the left draw little distinction between Israel, who has been living up to its obligations in the region, and a terrorist organization who has steadily stockpiled weaponry and now taken up kidnapping as a tool of warfare.

And that is the crux of the matter. Warren Christopher is the archetype for the sensitive and inclusive leftist foreign policy wonk to whom there are no legitimate distinctions between sovereign states and terrorist organizations, and for whom "peace" however ill-obtained and transient is a more than appropriate substitute for a permanent resolution. Warren
Christopher may not be alive, but his fatuous thinking thrives.


[Vote for this post at RealClearPolitics]

A Short Course In Lebanese Politics

Read this post from Big Pharaoh for a bit of background on the fractious Lebanese political landscape.

Check Out This Canadian Blogger

It's good to know that there are sane folks to the north.

shlemazl: Major-General Lewis MacKenzie, pro-Israeli rally in Toronto#links

Bunker Blogger On A Much Needed Break

Eugene, the young Israeli man whose blog, Live From An Israeli Bunker, has become such a sensation, will be out of commission for a few weeks while he leaves Haifa for a pre-hostilities planned trip to Canada.

I had the opportunity to interview him a little over a week ago, and he was kind enough to mention me and Wide Awakes Radio in his most recent post.

Andersen v. King County

I spent some time this morning on Wide Awakes Radio discussing the Washington Supreme Court case that held the state's ban on gay marriage was constitutional. It was reviewing the challenge to Washington state's Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) by a number of same sex couples who sought to be married under that state's laws and claimed that the DOMA was discriminatory against gays and lesbians.

I have taken the time to read the entire 62 page majority opinion. Let me point out its most significant aspects, for I expect that its detractors will mischaracterize what this court has done.

First of all, the court held that homosexuality/homosexuals are not a "suspect class" such as those based upon race, religion or national origin. Therefore, the heightened standard of review applied to laws arguably affecting members of a suspect class are not to be applied here. Instead, the court is to simply determine if the legislature had a "rational basis" for the law being challenged. The court found that the legislature did.

The Washington state Supreme Court also very clearly stated that it was not it's role or function to pass on the wisdom of the law (i.e. substitute the judgment of the justices for that of the legislature) but merely to determine if there was a rational basis for the law.

Finally, the court discussed the legislature's basis for passage of the DOMA and recognized that the policy of encouraging same sex marriage and the formation and maintenance of traditional "nuclear families" was a legitimate goal advanced by the DOMA. It referenced studies showing that children raised by a mother and a father in an intact family generally out-perform both academically and socially those from single-parent families or from families where there is not both a male and female role model.

This is very important stuff. But remember that the court was not endorsing heterosexual unions over same sex unions. It was simply, but effectively, doing its job by showing the proper deference to the legislative branch of the government rather than legislating from the bench.

Haloscan commenting and trackback have been added to this blog.

One-Wing F-15 Landing

You have GOT to watch this video of an F-15 being landed with only one wing remaining!!

Talk about American technology and know-how. Apparently, the builders of the F-15, McDonnell Douglas, said that it was impossible for their plane to fly with only one wing.

[HT: Wild Bill]

Guess Who Flies The Yellow Flag?

The photo above is of a U.N. "observation" post in Lebanon. I'm sure you all recognize the powder blue flag of the United Nations, but do you recognize the yellow banner flying higher?

That would be the flag of Hizbollah.

Yeah...I'm sure Israel deliberately targeted those U.N. peacekeepers.

Gay Marriage Ruling To Be Discussed

Tomorrow during my Wide Awakes Radio show (7-9 am Pacific), I will be discussing and analyzing the Washington State Supreme Court's opinion in Andersen v. King County which upheld that state's ban on gay marriage. Don't miss it!

CentCom

Visit U.S. Central Command to find out what our military is really doing in the Middle East.

You can also click on the logo appearing in the right sidebar.

A Pearl From The Nuge

Don't know if the following is true...but it oughta be:

Rocker Ted Nugent was being interviewed by a French journalist.

The journalist asked, "What do you think is the last thought in the head of a deer before you shoot him? Is it, "Are you my friend?" or is it, "Are you the one who killed my brother?"

Nugent replied, "Deer aren't capable of that kind of thinking. All they care about is, "What am I going to eat next, who am I going to screw next, and can I run fast enough to get away.

They are very much like the French."

This Is Who We Should Be Paying Attention To

Read about the letter reproduced below from one of our Marines:

"To The Editor:

In response to Lee B.'s letter on Haditha:

I guess you were there at Haditha to witness these acts of desperation. I am a Marine combat veteran who served at Haditha in Iraq's Al Anbar province.

Maybe I missed you there when my fellow Marines would get ambushed on a daily basis in Haditha, or when my patrol was shelled by mortars and two juveniles were spotting for the insurgent mortar team.

I guess you were there when two Marines from my company were killed when their patrol was ambushed in the city, hit by an IED (improvised explosive device) under the watchful eyes of Iraqi civilians in the area who did nothing to warn them it was there. An IED is usually an artillery round, sometimes several artillery rounds tied together and set off by a remote control device. It is intended to cause massive trauma and death. The insurgents use this indiscriminately and they don't care if civilians are near our patrols.

Were you there when we found 10 Iraqi civilians beheaded, left on the side of the road by insurgents? Or when our sniper team caught two individuals planting two IEDs along our patrol route. One of them was a police officer, the other was a teenager. They were eliminated under our ROEs (rules of engagement), which define what they were doing as a hostile act and hostile intent.

I'm sure you remember going house to hourse, clearing each building in Haditha, or getting shelled every day while you set up and guarded a voting site for the citizens of Haditha. We were willing to provide escort for them because of the insurgency in Haditha, but I read there were no insurgents there, just women and children.

Haditha is a very active insurgent region. I can's answer for my fellow marines with Kilo 3/1 because I was not there with them. But I have experienced their struggle and fought in the same area. You say the firs casualty of war is truth. Well then, with all due respect, go to Iraq and see the truth for yourself. It will open your eyes. Semper fi.

Rene A.Alamo, Texas."

Maybe if more of us would listen to what our fighting men and women had to say, we would be a little less misinformed.

[HT: GM's Corner]

Robert Spencer to be interviewed on Wide Awakes Radio

I will be interviewing Robert Spencer, the author of The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam, and founder of the websites Jihad Watch and Dhimmi Watch on Tuesday, 8/1/06, at 8:00 am (Pacific). Here's the link to my post at Wide Awakes Radio for further information.

"Live From An Israeli Bunker"

I just had the privilege to interview on WideAwakesRadio a young man who has been blogging from just outside of Haifa, Israel. His site is called Live From An Israeli Bunker and he has been posting in realtime while Hezbollah rockets are dropping. It was an amazing 30 minute discussion and, with any luck, we will be rebroadcasting the interview tomorrow evening between 8-9 pm (Pacific).

Coming to a Computer Near You

The radio version of "Release The Hounds! will be airing Tuesday thru Friday from 7-9 am (Pacific) on Wide Awakes Radio.

Cartoon of the Day

Bush and Blair Unplugged

President Bush and Prime Minister Tony Blair we're caught on an open microphone. It's good to know they get it.

You Need To Know Who We Are Fighting

I try to avoid gratuitously gruesome images, but sometimes a picture is indeed worth (in this case) hundreds of thousands of words. Below are three photos of the bodies of the two American soldiers, Kristian Menchaca and Thomas Tucker, abducted and beheaded by al Qaeda. You can see and read more at The Jawa Report.

Tomorrow's Show

Tomorrow we'll be discussing, among other things, the building conflagration in the Middle East; Michael Moore's new movie; the Mount Soledad cross; and L.A.'s "urban farm".

If you haven't heard of Magen David Adom, you should educate yourself. It is the Israeli of the Red Cross and provides pre-hospital medical emergency needs throughout that country. It is Israel's first responder in the event of a terrorist bombing. As you can imagine, its personnel are very busy right now. A worthy cause is the American Friends of Magen David Adom so please go to the website and make a donation.

Wide Awakes Radio Is Back And Streaming

It seems as though the bugs have been mostly worked out and Wide Awakes Radio is up and running again. I'll be on from 7-9 am (Pacific) tomorrow and every Tuesday thru Friday (and Sunday evening from 8-9 pm).

Let me take a minute and explain what we've done here. This is one of the very few internet streaming audio "stations" out there right now. More uniquely, it's the only one I know of that is hosted by plain old conservative bloggers working from their "home studios" (i.e. computers) throughout these United States. That means that you will be listening to something very different in many respects to what you may have become accustomed. There are no radio professionals hosting our programs so, and I speak only for myself, there will be some rough spots as we climb the learning curve. But we will get better and better quite quickly as time goes on.

What will be extraordinarily helpful for all the hosts is if you call in to whatever show happens to be on air at the time, and get involved in the discussion. The number is 1-888-407-1776.

Note: It may take 30 seconds or so for the audio stream to start up when you click the "Listen Live" button, so please be patient.

It's Just About Time

I should be doing the last half-hour of my show tomorrow (8:30-9:00 am Pacific) and then starting with my regular schedule on Friday, so please don't hesitate to click the "listen live" button at the right sidebar or go to Wide Awakes Radio (WAR) and access our stream from there. In fact, I'd recommend you save the WAR site to your desktop for easy, and daily, access.

We're still working on regaining our ability to take call-ins and that should be squared away very soon so give us a listen and tell me what you think. Just remember...we're bloggers learning the radio business, not the other way around, so be kind!

Elvis Is In The Building

Wide Awakes Radio is now streaming again. Our server issues seem resolved, but we're still working on getting our phone-in capabilities back up and able to withstand the much higher than expected phone traffic. Nevertheless, we are broadcasting so take some time, visit the website or click the logo on my right column and give a listen.

Wide Awakes Radio

If you haven't heard, the July 4 kick off was such a rousing success that we had to get a more powerful server to handle the traffic! That's why we won't be streaming again until probably this Sunday.

I missed the premier having been stuck in a hospital ER with some irregularities in my heartbeat, but will be around for the re-streaming and then to start my regular Tuesday thru Friday spot (7-9 am, Pacific).

Lest you think I'm exaggerating about the buzz and interest in our first day of programming, MSNBC and Michelle Malkin, among others, had links to the Wide Awakes Radio site.

Less Than Two Days To Go!

Take a minute and go to my post at Wide Awakes Radio for some more info on the Independence Day launch of one of the most innovative things to hit talk radio in a long time. Also, note the button in the right sidebar to connect to the audio stream. If you click it now, you might be able to listen in on some beta testing!!

Countdown: 5 Days To Go!

Make sure to visit WideAwakesRadio.com and start listening to a new world of conservative internet talk radio beginning on July 4, 2006.

Joke Of The Day

Abu al-Zarqawi died.

George Washington met him at the Pearly Gates. He slapped him across the face and yelled, "How dare you try to destroy the nation I helped conceive and fought so hard for!"

Patrick Henry approached, punched him in the nose and shouted, "You wanted to end our liberties but you failed!"

James Madison followed, kicked him in the groin and said, "This is why I allowed our government to provide for the common defense!"

Thomas Jefferson was next, beat al-Zarqawi with a long cane and snarled, "It was Evil men like you who inspired me to write the Declaration of Independence."

The beatings and thrashings continued as George Mason, James Monroe, and 66 other early Americans unleashed their anger on the terrorist leader.

As al-Zarqawi lay bleeding and in pain, an Angel appeared.

Al-Zarqawi wept and said, "This is not what you promised me."

The Angel replied, "I told you there would be 72 Virginians waiting for you in Heaven. What did you think I said?"

Press "3" If You're Infuriated

Soccer and Nudity...the connection revealed

A Saudi cleric explains...

Homegrown Terrorists

Five of the seven arrested in a plot to blow up the Sears tower in Chicago are American citizens. One was here illegally. They were all part of a Black Muslim group.

Let me be the first to point out the obvious inter-relationship between the constant drumbeat of supposed alienation from, and oppression by, the dominant "culture" that I'm quite certain was taken up by these guys and the desire to see the symbols of that culture destroyed. Being taught that you are different, undervalued and inevitably to be victimized by the majority can only lead to distrust, hate and violence against those who you consider to be the cause of your failure.

That's why black parents who teach their kids that "whitey" is out to get them are doing not only their offspring a disservice, but the society at large. I also blame the multi-culturalists who bend over backwards to teach "acceptance" of anything no matter how wrong or self-destructive under the auspices of cultural difference.

We need to wake up very, very soon to the Balkanization of our culture from bi-lingual education and ballots, to the hyphenization of our identities, to the celebration in our schools of every culture but that of America. This constant focus on differences rather than similarities does not encourage tolerance, but instead breeds hatred.

We must wake up and realize we are at war...not just militarily, but culturally as well...and we cannot afford to lose either battle.

Rugby...The World's Game

Iranian women enjoy a liberating game of rugby.

[HT: LGF]

Where Box Office Losers Go To Die

Billy Zane and Gary Busey star in an anti-American, anti-Jewish film produced in Turkey.

Well, cars were always deemed phallic symbols...

(click to enlarge)

Ford seeks the gay dollar with specially directed adverts.

Random Thoughts and Observations

With so little time these days, here's a two minute drill:

1. Five hundred artillery shells loaded with mustard and sarin gas have been found in Iraq. The Bloomberg News report on this is buried at page 17 of my local rag. Simultaneously, any number of Democrats are repeating in one form or fashion the "Bush Lied" mantra during the cut and run debate, which is to be found on the front page. Is this irony lost on everyone?

2. Almost simultaneously with the arrest of persons plotting to blow up the Sears tower, the NY Times runs a story helpful to our enemies disclosing another tool being used to identify and apprehend terrorists.

3. A Clark County (Las Vegas) valedictorian has her microphone turned off because she intended to mention "Jesus Christ" in her graduation address. I will bet dollars to doughnuts that if a Muslim student wanted to thank Allah (peanut butter be upon him) for helping him through his four years of high school, not a peep would be heard form the ACLU.

4. What does it say about the Democratic party when it turns on a guy like Joe Lieberman? What does it say about Al Gore that he won't endorse his former running mate?

5. KFC is being sued for surreptitiously placing fat and cholesterol in its fried chicken. I, for one, had no idea that un-skinned chicken deep fried in oil was unhealthy.

6. Intellectual dishonesty alert. The folks who advocate for gun restrictions (e.g. San Francisco city council) argue that, by banning firearms, gun-related violence will decrease dramatically and perhaps even end. However, I'll bet dollars to doughnuts (again) that most of these same folks also take the position that, despite any restrictions or outright bans on abortion, abortions will still take place. Therefore it's unrealistic to even consider such bans.

That's it for now...but don't forget that Wideawakes radio goes on line on Independence Day, 2006 at a computer near you! Check out the promo!

Brief Point

Was al-Zarqawi still alive after the bomb blasts and then shot by American soldiers? Why did three prisoners at Guantanamo commit suicide or did they?

May I say in all seriousness and with all due respect. Who gives a flying f##k. Four more dead terrorists.

COUNTDOWN: ONLY 18 DAYS UNTIL THE LAUNCH OF WIDEAWAKES RADIO.

Harpies versus Bitches

Ann Coulter refers to four 9/11 widows using their grief for political gain as "harpies." The MSM and the leftwingnuts (redundant, I know) go apoplectic with their charges of insensitivity, inappropriateness and just plain meanness. Op-ed pages are filled with analysis, commentary and criticism.

Secretary of State Condi Rice is referred to as a "ghetto homegirl bitch" at a "Laughing Liberally" comedy tour stop in L.A. Try to find any commentary on that in the MSM.

Which Is It?

The NY Times, among others, has labeled the President's surprise trip to Baghdad as a "publicity stunt". The trip was obviously designed to allow the President to honor the newly formed Iraqi government in person and, coincidentally, show our terrorist enemies that the leader of the war against them can fly in and out of the maw with impunity. This is all good stuff, both substantively and psychologically.

Which brings me to my point. Our press expresses disdain for our President (and theirs as well whether they like it or not) when he properly responds both politically and tactically to a situation, calling it cheap politically rhetoric. On the other hand, whenever Osama bin Laden furtively produces a videotape from his mountain cave production studio ranting on about the inexorability of his cause, and slips it to an al Jazeera accomplice, that same media will go on and on about the psychological impact this will have on our troops and how this is evidence that no progress is being made in the war on terror.

By the way, since Zarqawi was killed, Iraqi and American forces have carried out 452 raids and killed 104 terrorists.

Countdown: 19 Days To Launch

Darryl Hannah "remains behind bars..." as a result of her arrest yesterday at the "urban garden." I would adore hearing just one supposed reporter ask her the simple question: "Ms. Hannah, doesn't the owner of the property who paid $5 million to buy it back from the City of L.A. and has been paying $25,000 per month since then have the right to do with it want he pleases?"

I won't hold my breath.


The debate on Iraq policy is a contentious and polarizing one. Some want U.S. troops withdrawn from Iraq by the end of this year. Some argue equally vociferously that it would be foolhardy to set any sort of timetable. A third group triangulates and calls for withdrawals to start this year but with no fixed timetable.

And this is all within the Democratic party.


COUNTDOWN: ONLY 19 DAYS BEFORE WIDEAWAKES RADIO GOES ON LINE.

USS New York

Being built out of scrap from the wreckage of the Twin Towers.

NOTE: Interestingly, I've only found this story displayed with any prominence in the Times of London and the Australian.

Rick Monday and the flag burners

If you're a baseball fan and/or a patriot, click here for a blast from April 25, 1976.

The Countdown Begins...and other stuff

Check out mermaid Darryl Hannah being arrested yesterday at the "Urban Garden" protest in South L.A.

Great story, ripe for Hollywood treatment. Poor group of underprivileged inner city residents convert an abandoned parcel of land into a cooperative farm that has been providing fresh fruits and vegetables, not to mention personal solace, for ten years. However, this urban oasis becomes threatened by evil developers who try to wrest control of the land from its peace-loving respecters of the Earth. To the rescue comes a phalanx of the powerful with a conscience realizing that the world can become a better place one acre at a time if only the greedy profit-merchants can be stopped.

Not. The real story is that the land was privately owned but taken through eminent domain in the 1980's by the City of L.A. for a trash incinerator project that never panned out. The owner, through a series of court challenges over the years, was able to get the land back...after paying the City $5 million for it in 2003. By that time a bunch of squatters had been allowed by the City to set up their own garden there for over 10 years so the owner had to fight a new legal battle to get them "evicted" (strange choice of words), all the while paying $25,000 to $30,000 a month in carrying costs.

But that didn't stop the likes of Darryl Hannah, Martin Sheen, Danny Glover and many of the rest of the brainless Hollywood left crowd from turning this into some sort of human rights issue. Worst of all is the fact that L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa sided with the squatters against the legal owner of the property as if, after more than a decade of free use of a piece of real estate they didn't own, the latter has some sort of moral imperative on their side.

Idiots, all.

COUNTDOWN: ONLY 20 DAYS BEFORE WIDEAWAKES RADIO GOES ON LINE WITH YOURS TRULY AS ONE OF THE LESS TALENTED HOSTS. LAUNCH SET FOR JULY 4, 2006

Why The Courts Are So Important

Read this story and then tell me I'm wrong.

Arriverdeci!

I'm off to Rome with the lovely Mrs RTH! Be back on June 11!

If A Democrat Takes A Bribe But The MSM Doesn't Report It, Did It Make A Sound?

Rep. William Jefferson (D-La) caught on tape accepting a $100,000 bribe.




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In ### We Trust (Just Don't Mention His Name)

An elementary school principal chose to omit the words "In God We Trust" from an oversize coin depicted on the school's yearbook cover for fear of offending anyone.

I've got a great idea. Stop paying all the ACLU lawyers with American money so as not to risk offending them. In light of their stance on illegal immigration, I'd suggest pesos.

Ya Think?

It's good to hear that at least the Germans are reading the writing on the wall. Of course, is there any sensible reason to NOT reach these conclusions?

It Intersects Charles Manson Boulevard

A Paris suburb has named a street after cop killer Mumia Abu-Jamal. Oh, yeah. I forgot. He's a "political prisoner".

This Way They Won't Have To Hijack Ours

The EU has suggested that the U.S. sell airliners to Iran as part of a package of incentives to abandon its nuclear weapons related activities.

Just Wondering...

Why is it (please excuse the Andy Rooney-ness) that the left in America and elsewhere has no trouble concluding that President Bush wanted a war with Iraq so did and said whatever was necessary to get one, but will not entertain the notion that Iran's Ahmadinejad may want a war with the West?

Are They Fat Because They Wear The Robes Or Do They Wear The Robes Because They Are Fat?

All kidding aside, I'd like to hear from our cultural relativists (not to mention feminists) for an explanation why this is just another, equally valid and to be respected aspect of a different culture no better or worse than how things are done here, or anywhere else.

[HT: Dhimmi Watch]

A Fish Called Allah

First it was an ice cream cone, now it's a fish. Koranic verses pop up in the most unlikely of places.

Shades Of Hitler

According to Ahmadinejad, the new Islamic uniforms will establish "visual equality" for Iranians as they prepare for the return of the Hidden Imam.

Religious minorities would have their own colour schemes. They will also have to wear special insignia, known as zonnar, to indicate their non-Islamic faiths. Jews would be marked out with a yellow strip of cloth sewn in front of their clothes while Christians will be assigned the colour red. Zoroastrians end up with Persian blue as the colour of their zonnar.

And we're not supposed to worry if this guy gets his hands on a nuke?

Allow me a moment to editorialize and say: What a screwed up culture and society, and that is not morally equivalent to that of the West.

Senate Refuses To Prohibit Social Security Benefits To Illegal Aliens

Follow me closely here. To qualify for Social Security benefits, a worker must have registered 10 years of work. Most likely unknown to many of us, the law of the land is that an illegal immigrant who obtains legal status can use his/her previous illegal work status to qualify for Social Security benefits.

Sen. John Ensign (R-NV) introduced an amendment to the pending immigration bill that would reverse this law and prevent law-breakers from being rewarded.

The amendment was defeated 50-49. Eleven Republicans voted to defeat the amendment including McCain and Specter.

What is going on here? Social Security is poised to go bankrupt. We are (well, some of us anyway) are trying to get control over illegal immigration. So what is the response of our elected representatives? They fail to eliminate another dangling carrot to illegal immigration.

Pass me the bourbon...I need a shot.

We Whine While China And Cuba Drill For Oil Off The Florida Keys

We have become a nation of whiners. Of children. A definition of emotional immaturity (a condition formerly associated with just those still developing) is wanting without paying. As a child you crave certain things but have no conception or desire to pay the price or do the work. Its reward without risk. Success without effort. Gratification without deferral.

We will go on and on about the exorbitant price of gasoline and that someone, somewhere had better do something about it. But when confronted with an opportunity to help ourselves what do we do? The House of Representatives votes overwhelmingly to extend the 25 year ban on offshore drilling. At the same time, China's state-owned petroleum company is entering into an agreement with Cuba to drill for oil off the Cuban coast (i.e. in the waters between Havana and the Florida Keys!)

We don't want to recover oil off our own shores. We don't want to bespoil a tiny section of the ANWR with drill rigs. We don't want to build any new refineries. We don't want to commission any new nuclear power plants. Yet we complain about the high cost of gasoline, heating oil and natural gas. This reflects the mind of a child.

If we don't want to take the action necessary to actually do something tangible to solve our self-defined problem, we should just shut the heck up and get ready to pay $8.00/gallon for gasoline. You can't have it both ways.

Cognitive Dissonance

Have we come so "far" as a civilization that abortion may soon be considered an international human right?

I Part Ways

A number of religious leaders have called the movie "The DaVinci Code" a "real danger" to the Catholic faith.

This is where I move off the plantation. If one of the world's great religions (and I was raised a Roman Catholic) can be endangered by a Hollywood movie then it has major problems. Those that have little or no historical or ecclesiastical knowledge of the faith, and who might be prone to buy into the fictions in the movie, were no friends of the Church to begin with. Those that know better will not be swayed.

Just like the Mohammed cartoons posed no danger to Islam (but the reaction by Muslims spoke volumes), the same principle applies here. It's not the "blasphemy" that matters but the reaction of the faithful to it.

Wrong...As Usual

Time magazine's Massimo Calabrese asks whether racism is fueling the immigration debate. As evidence he points to various statements of concern over America becoming some alarmingly large percentage Hispanic, or simply largely ethnic.

While undoubtedly some of the debate is fueled by nativist sentiment, it is a very small part. The main reason for the concern over unchecked immigration is multiculturalism. There was a time when it was fully expected by all sides that newcomers to this country would ultimately assimilate into the larger culture. My grandparents emigrated here from Italy, and likely remained "Italian" to their dying day. Nothing wrong or particularly shocking about that. However, I'm an American even though there's only one generation between me and southern Italy.

The fear many have is that the premise underlying the deal is no longer in play. Rather than encouraging "Americanization" and discouraging Balkanization, the opposite takes place with multiculturalists urging immigrants to maintain their culture, traditions and language in lieu of adopting those of their chosen new home.

That's why we see thousands of American born Hispanics waving Mexican flags and demanding rights they could never expect to see in their "home country."

Posse Comitatus Act

If anyone is interested in truly understanding what the Posse Comitatus Act (passed in 1878) is really about, rather than the ACLU-distorted explanation being used to argue against National Guard troops at the border, read here.

Another Disgusting Display By A Democrat

Congressman John Murtha has already tried and convicted Marines of killing Iraqi civilians in cold blood during an action on 11/19/05 in Haditha, Iraq.

An investigation is ongoing but that doesn't stop this excreble former Marine (if you're in the military, you'll know what I mean) suffering from advanced stages of BDS from going on national news programs to tear down our military for political gain.

Note his parsing of words. He mentions the "tremendous pressure" our Marines are under every day in Iraq. This is code for President Bush's war is crushing the psyche and humanity of our fighting men and women, and must be stopped.

Another sad and pathetic display by the opposition party.

UPDATE: Great bloggers think alike.

Stay Tuned...

On July 4th, 2006 Wide Awakes Radio goes online with its inaugural broadcast. Listen to many of your favorite conservative bloggers take to the "airwaves" including the intrepid host of Release The Hounds! [Note: that would be me]

Gitmo

Read this piece by Navy Rear Adm. Harry B. Harris Jr., commander of the Joint Task Force at Guantanamo Bay, describing the conditions there.

Compare that to the anguished, hand-wringing by the ACLU. The truth, if you care, is often quite enlightening.

Talking Points

Just a couple of observations re the debate over the NSA's "data-mining" of phone records:

1. First and foremost, it does NOT violate the Fourth Amendment's prohibition against unreasonable search and seizure. The Supreme Court, in 1979, made clear in a case called Smith v Maryland that phone records are not protected.

2. Your identity and address is not part of the information provided to the NSA, therefore you remain anonymous. All that is being provided is the phone number, duration and the date of already made calls. Conversations are not being monitored.

The "Very Small Minority" Is At It Again

An attorney in Ankara, Turkey opens fire on Turkish judges at a daily meeting. What drove this presumably educated, urbane man to such an extreme? Why of course it was the ban on employees and teachers wearing headscarves while at work.

Remind me again how it is only a "very small minority" of Muslims who act out this way.

Unintended Consequences

The EU is planning on offering Iran a light-water reactor in exchange for stopping its enrichment program. My understanding is that a light-water reactor cannot be used to create the precursors to the weapons grade plutonium necessary for a bomb.

The obvious conclusions to be drawn is that this is another appeasement first, second and forever effort by the spineless Euroweenies, and what guarantee is there that the mullahs would honor any such agreement anyway.

However, there is a bright side. If Iran does not accept the offer (which it won't) the stated desire for simply a peaceful nuclear program designed to provide much needed energy (to a country floating upon some of the world's largest crude oil reserves) should be seen as a flat out lie at least to those that are not blinded by their agendas.

At that point will anyone do anything?

Q: What's Wrong With California Schools?

All you need know can be found in two recent developments. The first is the ruling by a northern California Superior Court judge striking down the high school exit exam because...not everyone can pass it. For those not following this story, the exam is pegged at 10th grade level math and English, requires 55% and 60% correct answers respectively to pass, and can be taken up to seven times.

The second is that, while any effort at insuring that we graduate even semi-literates is stymied by the forces of liberal, feel-goodism, the California Legislature has passed a bill (now waiting for the Governor's signature) mandating that textbooks used in California schools include discussion of the the "historical contributions of gays, lesbians, bi-sexuals and transgendered people."

In A Nutshell...

I did not have the opportunity to listen to or watch in real-time the President's speech on immigration, but have read excepts and commentary. Let me say this. There are two essential elements to any real immigration policy and without which any proposal is simply seasonal window dressing.

There must be actual, tangible and permanent border barriers in place and not temporary, but politically expedient, fixes like National Guard deployment.

There must be a tamper-proof system of identification that prospective employers can be required to rely upon to confirm the legal status of employees coupled with more than "slap-on-the-wrist" penalties for hiring illegal aliens.

Connect The Dots?

The letter sent by the president of Iran to President Bush was allegedly inspired by Allah. The president of Venezuela expresses solidarity with Iran.

Anyone who has read RTH! for any length of time (both of you!) knows I have said on more than one occasion that people get the governments/leaders they deserve. In other words, there is a significant degree of responsibility that the governed bear for the nature of its governors, and therefore accountability. Diana West at the Washington Times makes the same point.

What If You Won A War But Nobody Cared?

Look here for more evidence that we are actually winning the GWOT.

[Hat tip: Hugh Hewitt]

Egyptian Blogger Arrested

Alla Abdel Fatah, a prominent Egyptian blogger, has been arrested while demonstrating in support of an independent Egyptian judiciary. The reports are that the government has handpicked those it wants to silence. Please go to the link to learn more and what you can do to help.

I'm Man Enough To Admit When I'm Wrong

I had posted a few days ago about the Moussaoui sentencing and opined that the life sentence was in some ways justifiable. I stand corrected. Moussaoui and his attorneys have already started working the system and challenging the verdict.

He should be dead.

California's At It Again

Lest anyone forget about the California legislature's (read: liberal Democrat) ability to stir up any of its heretofore moribund opponents in an election year, look no further. Far left state Senator Sheila Keuhl (D-Santa Monica) has introduced a bill which would require the public school social science curricula to recognize the contributions of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.

I guess my daughter's freshman American literature text may, next year, read something like: "Walt Whitman, one of this country's greatest poets and, coincidentally, practitioner of manly love..."

Quick Question Or Two...

...on energy and the gasoline "crisis":

If the price of baking flour reached an all time high, would anyone be surprised if the price of bread did the same? So why is it that when the price of crude oil skyrockets from about $25/barrel in 2002 to over $70/barrel today, there is shock, outrage and calls for government investigation when a gallon of gas reaches it's all time high?

What energy sources do Democrats actually get behind? We know they are against any further oil exploration in Alaska as well as against any further offshore drilling. They are against construction of any more nuclear power plants. They are against the burning of coal. They would certainly be against cutting down trees for firewood. So realistically what else is there?

This is just another example of the Democrats having no solutions, just criticisms.

Getting Back On The Blogosphere Nag

A very sober and thoughtful view of the Moussaoui verdict from across the Atlantic.

I have mixed emotions about the sentence. On a visceral level, I wanted (and still want) him dead. I'm also concerned that one day we will be confronted with a video showing a group of innocent Americans threatened with beheading if Moussaoui is not released. A scenario that would obviously be out of play if the jury had sentenced him to death.

On the other hand, the period of time from a death sentence through its actual implementation (i.e. the time spent on appeals) would have been a jihadi circus played out nightly on al-Jazeera. Not something that would be in our best interests and which would truly make this bastard the martyr he aches to be.

I do also agree with the sentiment that because he was "only" a co-conspirator and not actually one who carried out any murderous acts, life in essentially solitary confinement is an appropriate sentence. So I say let him rot and lets move on the the next one.

[Note: My self-imposed hiatus is just about over]

New MasterCard Commercial

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American Flag: $25
Gasoline: $2
Cigarette Lighter: $2.50

Catching yourself on fire because you are a terrorist asshole: PRICELESS!

Essential Reading...

...about good news coming out of Iraq.

A Lesson

The French strike over a law that will increase youth employment but would allow...(the horror)...employers to fire without cause workers under the age of 26 during their first two years of employment. Our "pro- (illegal) immigration" activists parade and protest over a law which...(the horror)...would require persons to enter this country legally before obtaining its myriad benefits.

All the result of the liberal/socialist mindset.

Quick Question

I'm caught up in a jury trial, don't have much free time, so need to keep it short and sweet.

700 Muslims protested the impending release of Abdul Rahman, quite apparently A-OK with the concept of death sentences for converts from Islam. Where were all the Muslim protests against the implementation of this medieval and barbaric "law"?

Another Episode of "What's Wrong With These People?"

...This time starring the "peace activists" from the Christian Peacemaker Teams whose kidnapped members were recently rescued by coalition forces. They now refuse to cooperate and provide information during de-briefings.

One of these nutters is quoted as follows:

"We make clear that if we are kidnapped we do not want there to be force or any form of violence used to release us."

What idiots.

Speaking of idiots...here's the latest from Charlie Sheen. The apple has definitely not fallen very far from the tree. I wonder if Emilio was perhaps adopted.

An Island of Sense In A Sea Of Political Correctness

The city of Costa Mesa, California (coincidentally, the city in which Tony Soprano has found himself during his coma induced hallucinations) has instituted a policy which would allow police to check the immigration status of suspected violent felons. The response of those opposed is typically moderated:

"What we need is a national immigration policy," said attorney Chris Blank. "We don't need a cowboy sitting in the mayor's seat in Costa Mesa saying, `I'm going to round them all up and send them away.'"

Why should anyone be concerned about being "rounded up" unless you are a violent felon or here illegally anyway? What am I missing here?

The debate over illegal immigration is so confoundedly untruthful. The issues are rather simple and can be summarized by a few questions:

1. Do citizens of a foreign country have the right to enter this country at the time and place of their choosing and without any restrictions or do we have the right to exercise control over our borders?

2. Do we have the right to return to their countries of origin those who have entered this country without having gone thought the proper channels?

The question of whether illegal immigrants are, on balance, good people only looking for a better life for themselves and their families (which I believe to be the case) is not particularly relevant to the threshold issues. We wouldn't (or at least shouldn't) be having this debate unless this were in fact the case.

Casting in a xenophobic light anyone who advocates against illegal immigration is simply the (typical) liberal debate technique of using ad hominem attacks in place of facts. Just like the "If you are against affirmative action, you must be a bigot" line of attack. Most Americans do not have a problem with immigration per se and recognize that the welcoming of immigrants from throughout the world is what we're about and is what made this country the beacon that it has always been.

On the other hand, most of us are resentful of the notion that we are obligated to accept anyone and everyone who wishes to come here irrespective of who and what they are. That's why the idea of a coherent policy coupled with insuring our ability to keep out those who will not follow the rules makes sense to most clear thinking Americans.

The Falling Man...Redux

I now have the photo I wanted to post earlier with my link to Michelle Malkin's post.

Photos From Iraq (That You Will Never See In The MSM)

[Hat tip: Mrs RTH!]

Easter Bunny Taken Hostage

In a pre-emptive move to avert rioting and hostage-taking (OK...I added that last part) a cloth Easter bunny, pastel-colored eggs and a sign with the words "Happy Easter" were removed from St. Paul city hall for fear of offending non-Christians.

If George Washington Had To Deal With The MSM...

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From the Common Sense Files

(A) Scientists are saying that, if current trends continue, sea levels could rise up to 20 feet by the end of this century. The culprit is, of course, global warming which will raise the average temperature of the earth by four degrees in that same time frame. The report goes on to say that this temperature increase will render the earth as warm as it was nearly 130,000 years ago when a significant portion of the Greenland ice sheet melted causing the same effect.

So my common sense question is this: If the earth's temperature rose enough to melt northern hemisphere ice sheets and cause sea level rises 130,000 years ago--when there were no human generated greenhouse gases produced--why are some so certain that this eon's temperature rise is not also a natural, cyclical event?

(B) A "moderate" Afghan cleric has called for the death of Abdul Rahman, the man who converted from Islam to Christianity in violation of sharia law, even if the governmental authorities succumb to worldwide pressure and spare him. He and other clerics have said they will incite people to "pull him into pieces."

So my common sense question is this: If the only Muslim clerics saying anything about this situation are calling for the death of Rahman for his conversion to Christianity, and that it is likely true that they will be able to incite other Muslims to murder this poor man, why do many continue to say that this barbarity is only reflective of the sensibilities of a small minority of Muslims. Does anyone really think that if you polled Muslims in Afghanistan (or Pakistan, or Iran, or Algeria, or in any other Muslim controlled country) most would express outrage at this man's fate at the hands of religious authorities? Or would you think that the majority would have little problem with his sentence?

"There Is No Compulsion In Religion"

An Afghan man faces the death penalty for converting to Christianity from Islam. How is it again that this sort of medieval behavior is practiced only by a "small minority" of Muslims, even though the government of an Muslim dominated country applies these principles.

Oh yeah, I forgot the "Let there be no compulsion in religion" quote [Qur'an 2:256] that Muslim apologists like to trot out. True only if you are Muslim apparently.

UPDATE: Algeria has passed a law calling for imprisonment of "anyone urging or forcing or tempting, to convert a Muslim to another religion." Remember, kids, there's no compulsion in Islam. [Hat tip: Dhimmi Watch]

Saddam's Terrorism Connection

"A new and highly illuminating article in Foreign Affairs draws on hundreds of Iraqi documents to provide a look at the Iraq war from the Iraqi perspective. The picture that emerges is that of an Iraqi regime built on a foundation of paranoia and lies and eager to attack its perceived enemies, internal and external. This paragraph is notable:

The Saddam Fedayeen also took part in the regime's domestic terrorism operations and planned for attacks throughout Europe and the Middle East. In a document dated May 1999, Saddam's older son, Uday, ordered preparations for "special operations, assassinations, and bombings, for the centers and traitor symbols in London, Iran and the self-ruled areas [Kurdistan]." Preparations for "Blessed July," a regime-directed wave of "martyrdom" operations against targets in the West, were well under way at the time of the coalition invasion."

Read all of Stephen Hayes' piece.

The Falling Man

Read Michelle Malkin's post.

Iraq Terrorism Link

Saddam Hussein supported an al-Qaeda linked terrorist group in the Phillipines. Will the MSM care?