The Rant

Time to retire the Congress?   "Pathetic.  Craven. Irresponsible. Unprincipled." The Farm Bill . 

President Bush gave a speech at the World Economic Forum today in which he said:  Too often in the Middle East, politics has consisted of one leader in power and the opposition in jail.  In our democracy, we would never punish a person for owning a Koran. We would never issue a death sentence to someone for converting to Islam.  Democracy does not threaten Islam or any religion.  Democracy is the only system of government that guarantees their protection.  Well said. 

I have been reading "Liberal Fascism" by Jonah Goldberg.  The point of the book is not so much that liberals are Nazis, but that after World War 1, Fascism was in the air. If you look at the language of many of the political leaders of the time, including both Roosevelts and Wilson, they are hard to distinguish from statements made by Mussolinni, Hitler, not to mention Stalin and Lenin.  The same was true of George Bernard Shaw, Dewey, and most popular journalists.    It was "common sense" at the time that some kind of war government, if it put its mind to it, could solve all the problems of the day and bring us some kind of utopia.   Any one who disagreed was something akin to a "traitor."  It is only the grim history of totalitarianism in the 20th century that makes these early 20th century popular dreams so embarassing.  As for limited government liberalism of the 19th century, it was near brain death during this period.   There was virtually no conserv...

If we take as our goal an ultimate ideal of some world government, that will enforce the peace, and prevent future wars of aggression, how do we work towards that noble ideal?  The problem with the current United Nations to my mind is that many member states have no respect for the ideals I wish to install in a future world government.  Many are dictatorships with no respect for individual rights.  How can we rely upon such governments to work towards justice and democracy world wide?  I think that it is this disrespect for the United Nations more than any preconceived hatred for the notion of a world government, that hold back essential political progress towards a just world government.  Here are the nations of the world rated on an index of freedom.  In recent years, the commission on Human Rights has included such nations as China, Cuba, Saudi Arabia, Sudan Venequela and Zimbabwe.   We can expect great progress with leadership like that.  Perhaps a competing organization of member...

One thing that bothers me about news is that is often given without context.  There is no history, let alone any political philosophy or over arching purpose or goal.  Often the underlying assumptions are rather retarded.  All war is bad.  All corporations are bad.  All Republicans are bad.  Etc.  For example, in Iraq, the News is what happened yesterday, or maybe last week.  Some battle happened. A bomb exploded.   A certain number of Americans were killed or wounded.  But big questions are left untouched.  What would Iraq be like today, if the America had not invaded.   Would the Iraqis be better off, or worse?  In what senses?  Is it ever proper to invade a country to depose a dictator? What would happen to Iraq if we withdrew immediately?   These are hard questions to answer. It is much easier to count bodies of dead soldiers.  One, two, three . . .   What are Americas current goals in Iraq?  Free elections and democracy? The Rule Of Law in Iraq?  The prevention of civil war and d...

Bob: This book is an important read to see how our cold war strategery blinded us to Pakistans entrance into the nuclear club. It also provides some back ground as to our consistent belief that IAEA was a bunch of idiots. Thus Saddam must have had nuclear weapons programs running in the run up to the war.

This is a great interview. http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=168543&title=douglas-feith-uncut-pt.-1

     Conan the Zen dog prays with his master, the Buddhist priest.   Conan goes through his prayer routine at the temple in Naha, the capital of Japan's southern prefecture, without prompting by the Priest Joei.         The priest thinks it may be more difficult to teach the dog to sit cross legged during Dog-Zen meditation.  

    The real war of significance in the world today is a war of ideas, not a war between armies.   Who speaks the truth?       Scientists say that truth must have evidence and logic to prove it. It must be demonstrable and have predictive power.   Supernaturalists claim that they have a secret pipeline to an invisible, omnipotent God, who gives them instructions.   Bin Laden and Pope Benedict both claim to be special spokespersons for different versions of this same God.       Why does God need spokespersons. Why does an omnipotent God not speak to all persons?  Why do the different prophets of God speak in conflicting messages?        Scientists say: judge the evidence for yourself. Use your brain and make a reasoned decision.       Bin Laden says, "If you criticize our philosophy, if you criticize our prophet, we will not listen to you, we will hunt you down and exterminate you.  You do not have the right to choose for yourself what you believe. You must submit to Islam or die....

   Bin Laden is really mad about that cartoon about Muhammad.    Retaliation is threatened.  In other words, the punishment for publishing a cartoon suggesting that Muhammad might be linked to violence (he has a bomb on his head) is more violence from the followers of Muhammad, thus proving that the cartoon was accurate.    Is this cartoon really the most pressing business facing the Islamic world?  Don't Moslems have a sense of humor?? 

Speaking as a member of the "other party."  I listened to Barack Obama give his speech today with growing admiration.   Obama seems to me to be a man of rare intelligence and subtlety, especially for a politician.  I don't think I could agree with all his policies, but I admire his intelligence, his calm, his idealism and his desire to bring people together.  I find myself wishing that I could find good reason to support this man. 

     A retired Kuwaiti superstar recently left the Gulf emirate for Afghanistan to join ranks with al-Qaeda and Taliban forces fighting there.   H e decided to leave the sinful world of singing and join the Holy Jihad against the west.    His job prior to deciding to head for Afghanistan was to warn people of the dangers of art and its sinful atmosphere.   Apparently, he now believes that killing foreigners is more holy than singing pop music, thanks to the influence of his religion, Islam.  I thought it was poverty that caused terrorism.  

    While chatting with people in America, the President of Iran advised that Iran does not have homosexuals in its country, like America does.  The sophisticated audience at Columbia University responded to this remark by laughing.  Iran would like to have no homosexuals. I t has executed 4000 persons for the crime of being a homosexual since 1980.      Why is that the left seems to be turning a deaf hear to the requests of homosexuals and converts from Islam for asylum in the West?   Perhaps it is because it is difficult for a diversity worshipper to accept the idea that all religions are not equal; that Islam is anti liberal; anti-west; and dangerous by virtue of its orthodox teachings, not by virtue of the fact that it has been "highjacked" by extreme elements. 

   Minnesota has an Islamic Charter School K 1-8 with campuses at Inver Grove Heights and Blaine. Tarek ibn Ziyad Academy pocketed $65,260 in state money in 2006-2007.  It was founded by the Minnesota chapter of the MAS (Moslem American Society) which  is the name by which the Muslim Brotherhood Operates in America . Tarek ibn Ziyad is the name of the eighth century Muslim conqueror of Spain.  The Muslim Brotherhood is embarked on a "grand jihad" aimed at "eliminating and destroying the Western civilization from within."    Welcome to America!  What a country!   

I personally do not think that prostitution should be prosecuted as a crime. It is a waste of taxpayer money to pursue such relatively victimless crimes.   Furthermore, it appears to me to be the sort of crime that is selectively prosecuted, since there seem to be ads for hookers in many common local "throw away" magazines, with the names changed to Masseurs to protect the not so innocent.   This is what totalitarian regimes do:  they create a web of laws that is impossible to obey and which no one is expected to obey completely, and then selectively prosecute those who are not in political favor.  If this was what was being done to Spitzer, then I do not approve of such a scheme.  However, Spitzer made a career out of prosecuting similar crimes ,  ( see this too )  so he has been hoist on his own petard, and I have little sympathy with him.   

Bob: Scott Horton is one of my favorite commentators. Here he raises questions reminiscent of the Nixon era enemies list. While the American public willingly like lemmings will through privacy and the 4 th amendment out the window to gain their security, our govenment continues its march to gain access to any and all information about anyone. Always couched as a necessary power to stop drug lords, terrorist and other bad guys, the rest of us give up our privacy. No doubt it is ironic that Spitzer got hoisted on his on petard, but as you read this article ask yourself, how is a SAR (Suspicious Activity Report) intiated and once filed, even if the originally claimed activity is found benign, does the statute allow the IRS or Federal Government to root around in all the financial affairs of the target without a warrant? Scott Horton, The New Republic Published: Wednesday, March 12, 2008 On Monday a friend gave me a copy of a memorandum ( pdf ) that Attorney General Michael Muka...

Islam continued to lead the world by example as the religion of peace.   A kidnapped Iraqi Archbishop was found dead.       There was no comment by Islamic religious authorities   There are 70,000 Christians remaining in Iraq.  Many have been targeted by Islamic  "extremists.      Bombs exploded earlier outside of three Christian churches.  Several Christian priests have been kidnapped.  Meanwhile, the Organization of the Islamic Conference called on Europe and A merica to take stronger steps against Islamaphobia .  Leaders warned that the perception in the west linking Muslims to terrorism, especially since the 9-11 attack, would make Muslims more radical.  In other words, America's false belief that some moslems are terrorists will cause more moslems to actually become terrorists. 

     Issue: An Iranian Man was arrested and sentenced to 4 months in jail and 30 lashes for walking his dog, since dogs are considered "unclean" in Islam (along with unbelievers).  So if you went for a walk with an unbeliever, would you risk the same fate?        Muhammad did not like dogs.  "Angels do not enter a house wherein there is a dog." Bukhari 4.54.448 " Prayer is annulled by a dog, a donkey and a woman (if they pass in front of praying people)" Bukhari 1.4.173  Apparently women and donkeys are also unclean.   "Were dogs not a species of creatures I should command that they all be killed; but kill every pure black one."  Sunan Abu dawud 16.2839

Mahatma Gandhi's fight with his ego is an example of true Jihad, sa id eminent spiritual leader from Turkey, Sheika Cemainur Sargut .      "It is unfortunate that the west is trying to project Muslims as using violence, there are lots of so called Jihadi groups in Christianity ready to kill Muslims."  I did a search in Google for Jihadi Christian but could find no hits.  I do not recall any stories of suicidal Christians blowing themselves up to kill Islamic women and children.   Assuming that there are any such groups, can they justify such conduct from the words of their founder, Jesus, who said, "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in Heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the j...

Well, I must concede that J.D. is more knowledgeable about political history than I am, in the sense of being able to quote various scholars.  However, after reading his entry, I am, if anything, yet more confused as to a clear definition of Fascism.  I still seem to sense that it is totalitarianism: a faith in the state to set things right, and also a choice to use force to eliminate the opposition.   Hopefully, such ideas represent a minority in the United States in both major political parties.  The libertarian response to arguments about the left and the right is to throw out these categories as vague and unhelpful and instead look at the basic political division as between statists and individualists.   By this way of thinking, leftists and rightists (fascists) are both statists and on the opposite scale to lovers of freedom.   I also prefer arguments based upon reason, evidence and science, and so hope to find some agreement with J.D. on this subject.  In addition, I prefer poli...