A Garden Party

I went to a garden party to reminisce with my old friends
A chance to share old memories and play our songs again.
When I got to the garden party, they all knew my name
No one recognized me, I didn't look the same.

But it's all right now, I learned my lesson well.
You see, you can't please everyone, so you got to please yourself.

Rick Nelson’s Garden Party

I went to another Hollywood garden party on Sunday. It was very enjoyable and I saw several of my old friends, a screenwriter on the outs, an up and coming screenwriter, a creative arts director for a film company, and my screenplay writing partners. Plus, just a bunch of nice people. They were all fun, interesting, intelligent, caring people. I had a great time.

Of course, I was the only conservative at the whole party. And, of course, the topic soon turned to politics. And, of course, the nonsense started to flow.

It amazes me that intelligent people like this can be so bamboozled. They are obviously well read. Yet, the things they read are so biased that I am stunned they don’t see it. I still believe, and I think this could be tested, that liberals and conservatives use different parts of their brains for processing.

I’ve partially said this before, but I’ll state it more completely now in this post, that I notice, as a social scientist, a certain cluster of traits I believe are related to being liberal. I want to caveat this by saying at this time in history. Classic liberals are probably not this way.

Cluster of Liberal Traits

I’m going to spell out my observations on this now. I invite one of you intelligent liberals to do the same thing about conservatives. I can think of a few traits that seem to go with conservatives too. Anyway, it appears to me that hardcore liberals of today:

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1. Are well read. They read voraciously—anything that is progressive, liberal, anti-Bush, anti-American, anti-capitalism, anti-war, pro-environmentalism, pro-animal … you get the picture. They read these things and take them for gospel truth. They never question anything that is on the printed page, as long as it is written by a raging liberal.

George Bush murdered his grandmother, did you know that? Laura Bush has secret tea parties with witch covens. Dick Cheney belongs to a cabal of oil interests. There are twelve people who control the world.

2. They are extremely gullible, as you can tell from the above. Again, if a liberal tells a liberal something, then it must be true.

3. They believe exclusively in holistic medicine. I can understand them on this issue, since I don’t have much respect for the medical profession the way it is set up nowadays. I know there are many good doctors out there, and I apologize to you, but I believe that medicine today is set up just to write prescriptions for pills. Many doctors know and care little about health, prevention, vitamins, healthy living, and so on.

Still, the liberals tend to go overboard. One of my friends has literally stopped taking treatment for cancer and instead takes an expensive pill that “oxygenates” his blood. All these liberal friends of his applaud him for this. They, of course, believe in Echinacea, for example, which has been proven to have little effect on anything. In short, liberals don’t believe in medicine or science, but they do believe in witch doctors and snake-oil salesmen.

I too try to keep one eye on the holistic medicine kinds of things, because there is some research on some of it, which once in awhile reveals a true benefit. Yet the field is unregulated, and full of charlatans who play on people’s hopes and dreams, and fears. Which leads me to my next point.

4. Liberals are woefully uneducated (as are some conservatives, like Dennis Prager and Rush Limbaugh, but we’ll get into that another day) on science and the scientific method. They might have good liberal arts credentials and be well versed in Shakespeare, which I consider a plus, but their knowledge of science is Stone Age.

Liberals believe in science, but the science they believe in is pseudo-science. They don’t realize that just because a study was done, doesn’t mean that the results were valid. They fall prey to the crackpot leftist pseudo-scientists who do studies to promote their snake-oil products. This is where they get the idea to ingest little pills that “oxygenate” their blood. Don’t take me wrong. If it were shown, in a legitimate scientific study, by reputable scientists, with proper controls and statistics, that these little pills worked, then I’d be the first in line to buy them. But then, so would medical doctors. This kind of pill would make them a lot of money. The pill, though, is not sold by medical doctors, because they know they would be sued, for fraud at the very least, if not for murder. You can only get these pills from the quacks.

Are there legitimate holistic “doctors”? Yes, probably, but it’s probably as rare as finding a liberal who can think. Ouch!

5. Hardcore liberals believe in all the occult stuff. Who am I to talk? Yes, I am guilty to a certain extent, and I don’t want to be a hypocrite. I believe in the Course in Miracles, Deepak Chopra, Wayne Dyer, Marianne Williamson, karma, and all that good stuff. But I don’t take it to the extreme. As I’ve said in one of my posts, most of these philosophies represent only the yin, which makes them automatically incomplete. What is lacking is the yang, the hard parts of life, the tough decisions, the realization that war is sometimes necessary, the need for disciplining children and so on.

Liberals believe only in yin, the feminine, pacifist, fluid-like force that must also be a part of life, but which if unbalanced by yang, will lead to bad things. It is not these liberals’ belief in let’s say witches, for example, that bothers me. It’s their exclusive belief in witches that bothers me. They hate Christianity but love witchcraft. I love both, and I reject the bad parts of both. Jesus and Christianity, in my opinion, have much to teach us. Yet, the Inquisition and raping little altar boys were despicable. Wicca can teach us about mysterious spiritual forces and rituals. I’m a big believe in rituals. Yet, Wicca has been used by some people as a tool of hatred and even murder.

I think that liberals are easy victims of any cult. I understand the appeal of a cult. You get instant friendship, loyalty, family, love and appreciation. What you give up literally is your soul. Liberals are, in my opinion, like all of us, hungering for human connections, only more than most. Liberals give up their intellectual honesty in order to belong.

If you are a snake-oil salesman, a cult leader, or an occult proselytizer, pitch your wares to a liberal. It’s almost a sure thing.

6. Liberals believe in conspiracy theories. Nothing that George Bush says or does means anything. What matters is “Did you know that Bush gets talking points from Cheney every day at 7 am over ham and eggs?” or “Cheney and Bush meet with oil producers every Tuesday for brunch,” or “Condoleeza Rice is having an affair with Hillary, you didn’t know that?”

Of course, Oswald did not kill Kennedy, O.J. was innocent because the police planted evidence, and Bush waged the Iraq war to make money for his oil buddies. These liberals know these things. They don’t just believe them, they know them. Plus, they can show you where it is written in a book.

No amount of evidence to the contrary will make a difference to them.

7. This one is a no-brainer. Liberals are biased. What they believe becomes their religion. They don’t believe in organized religion, yet they need something to believe in, so they worship liberalism and all its tenets. This is not based on logic. You can argue with them all day long and they won’t change their minds on a single thing if it disagrees with their religion.

That’s why they have difficulty with the talk-radio format. Any logical discussion will ultimately lead to conclusions that begin sounding conservative. So, since they can’t deal in logic and remain liberal, they resort to name-calling. Name-calling is fun for a while, but it gets old fast.

8. Hardcore liberals are racists. Don’t get me wrong, they are not racists in general, but only in particular. What I mean by this is, they are virulently racist against any African-American who happens to be Republican. At this party I literally heard that “Condoleeza Rice is retarded.” I immediately rejoined, “Why is it that every African-American who happens to be Republican is considered stupid by you guys?” They were taken aback, and seemed to realize how they must have sounded, and defended themselves with, “Colin Powell is smart.” I agreed, but I pointed out that they think he’s smart only because he disagrees with Bush on the war in Iraq. Anyway, even African-Americans behave like this. They call African-American Republicans and conservatives Oreos. How insulting. How racist.

I could go on and on, but I think I’ll stop while I still have my sanity.

Conclusions

Present-day, hardcore liberals are a superstitious lot. They are partially educated but think they are completely educated. They want a religion and they want to belong, so they vacate their logical selves and give their lives over to liberalism. This gives them buddies with whom they can chant mantras at their parties and in their lives. These mantras are their rituals.

These include:

Bush is evil.
Capitalism is evil.
Business is evil.
America is bad.
Israel is bad.
Socialism is bad.
Peace is good.
War is bad.

On and on. They pat themselves on the back and hug and kiss each other for saying these things. They share humor based on attacking their universally common enemies. They can shout in unison and carry signs that say the same thing.

They march lockstep like automatons. They are a communist’s wet dream.

Live and Let Live?

Shouldn’t I just let it be? Yes, in many ways I do. I don’t go to these parties to try and change anyone. I just love the people and accept them. They are, after all, good people with good hearts, and God’s children.

My liberal friends have a right to believe what they do without me attempting to “fix” them. They are adults.

They even have the right to be automatons, if they want.

Yet, I do have some obligations in the matter. I don’t want to validate their thinking, and I don’t want to validate their thinking processes. Kids are dying because of their “religious” beliefs. Wars are more vicious because of their incessant propaganda for the enemy. I am obliged to at least challenge them, and let them know where I stand on these matters.

So, I speak up. I’ve managed to get to the point where I can recover socially once I see the dropped jaws after I say something pro-Bush, pro-Iraq war and so on. I don’t like hurting people, and I don’t like being ostracized. I used to hurt people and get ostracized to boot. I’ve become a bit more skilled now, though, and can say these things without causing heart attacks. Or, at least when the heart attack occurs I can soothe the victim and let him know I still love him. I still have much to learn in this area, yet I feel better now. Practice makes perfect.

I don’t speak up to necessarily change minds, although that would be nice. But I do want folks to hear the other side. I want them to know that the other side exists. I feel hardcore liberals can get all the things they seek by being in the cult of liberalism in other more productive ways. They can join a club; read books, of every persuasion, not just liberal claptrap; become a Wiccan, I don’t care. Just so they don’t make decisions that kill people because they want to belong.

Rock


(*Wikipedia is always my source unless indicated.)

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Guest Blogger: The Achievement Gap

This will be my third guest blogger to present his/her opinion on this blog as a post. I chose two bloggers previously who disagreed with me on several issues to post their opinions for the world. Paz y amor, from the blog the path contributed Why George Bush is an Idiot. The other guest blogger was Lynn, but for some reason I can’t seem to find her post. I know I transferred several posts to my archives and some got accidentally deleted. I hope hers wasn’t one of them. I’ll keep looking.

Criteria and Purpose of the Guest Blogger

My criteria for choosing a guest blogger is that they touch upon an issue that is vital to our society. I’m not going to censor what they say. They don’t have to agree with my point of view. What they say, though, will represent at least a sizeable number of others in their way of seeing things. I will always add my own comments to what is said. Then, I’ll gladly accept opposing points of view as a separate post, if that is offered by someone with a reasonable approach.

The purpose is to open a dialogue and present true feelings and opinions from people grappling with the important issues of our day. This site does not support political correctness. I believe we need to be honest with each other, in a respectful way of course. I honor you more with my honesty, I believe, than with just regurgitating what you want to hear.

Today’s Guest Blogger and Related Posts

Today’s guest blogger is Tom, a school board chairman in Conyers, Georgia, from Tomsbloggerspot. He feels strongly on the issues and leans to the conservative side. The topic refers back to my recent posts,

Democratic Fear Mongering About Voter Fraud Bites Them in the Butt and

Blacks Face Their Biggest Enemy

See also my previous posts:

Black Conservatism

Racism versus Culturalism

Racial Discrimination Against Whites is Impossible and

Closing the Black-White Economic Gap

Tom’s Post: The Minority “Achievement Gap”

As I mentioned before, I am the School Board Chairman of a suburbia school system that is primarily black and Hispanic. The “achievement gap” is a well-used term that implies bigotry but is well received by white school officials racked with guilt. Most school systems offer the same education to all that show up. In fact, they even try harder with those that can’t speak English or come from areas of poverty. So where does this “gap” come from? Why isn’t there an Asian gap? I was intrigued when I first heard the term because I was convinced I could make a few policy changes and close this darn gap and be a political hero to the downtrodden. So I studied our policy and found nothing that separated the races. I went to the schools and found the classrooms were of mixed races. We didn’t separate the blacks into the “dumb” classes. So I dug deeper. What I found was that blacks didn’t value education as much as other races. Why?

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Historical Causes

I can understand that not too many decades ago blacks were given little or no education. It wasn’t right but we had an agrarian culture and they could always find work. (The same thing happened to the Irish when they migrated). So finally, a few decades ago, school systems were required to offer equal education to all. One might expect a “gap” for a number of years. Maybe even a generation might go by until there was an educational model established in the family. Someone to look up to and follow into a better education. So now years later we haven’t seemed to make much progress.

NAACP Involvement

I was intrigued and thought I would go ask the fountainhead of all black knowledge, the NAACP. I met with the local chapter head and was told that we need more black, male mentors. Simple enough. We decided to go recruit successful black businessmen, church leaders, NAACP, etc. and have a meeting to discuss how to influence the black males in our school system. We invited the NAACP and about 40 men to attend a breakfast at our office. 12 showed up and the NAACP stayed home. I was fascinated. I could see 38 busy guys not making it; they have careers. But where was the NAACP? AWOL. I started to assume they would rather have the issue than the answer.

Minorities and the Democratic Party

Well, five years later I have come to a few conclusions. First, when a race is that embedded into one political party they listen exclusively to one voice. That voice tells them that life is unfair and white people WILL keep you back. Don’t even try. Flashback to the voting story about blacks not showing up since it’s all rigged anyway. This is the headline for most blacks. These ideas about life being rigged against you ae propagated by the Democrats exclusively.

Liberalism in the School System

I deal with the typical educational culture of liberalism and welfare. Schools have a tendency to “do good” and make sure that the community is taken care of. Free lunch. Free breakfast. Outreach for clothes, glasses, medical care, English classes for the parents, etc. The school is the first place to go when you need help. I recently (last week) had a call from a parent complaining that we wouldn’t provide her son with glasses. I was intrigued because we have good partners in the business community that do help kids like this. The whole story was that we did get the child glasses. He broke them. We got a second pair. He broke them. Mom wanted a third pair. Found out he was breaking them on purpose because he didn’t like wearing them. So mom calls the Board Chairman to complain. She said, her words exactly, “You have violated my Federal Homeless Rights………”. She is 25 years old and has six kids. My fault I am sure.

Why the Gap Continues

There are countless stories like this and it seems pervasive in our culture. The gap will continue for many reasons but mainly because black leadership and the liberals in government want it to continue. It sustains the Doctrine of Unfairness and Racism that allows them their only purpose in life. I argued this point with a mom who said I didn’t understand because I was white. She said whites would always keep the blacks down and poor and we wouldn’t allow them to succeed. I pointed to my black neighbors, all of whom are black, and asked her if the whites got together and decided to let “a few of ya’ll in” or did they work hard and make it regardless of the system put against them. I told her to go ask them and see what they said. I have become jaded I suppose because it’s difficult to see an end to this supposed racism that infests education and life. For many blacks it’s an expected result to be nothing but poor. They have become resigned to this fate because of their skin color.

They vote Democrat almost exclusively. They get the same results from their leadership. I remember the Seinfeld episode where George does the opposite of everything he has ever done. The results were a change in outcome. I challenge the black people of America to do the same.

Rock’s Comments

Thank you, Tom. I know that your concern is heartfelt.

Unfortunately, I’d like to say that I disagree with Tom on this issue, but I can’t. I was a social worker for several years and so I was invited into the homes of Hispanics, African-Americans, and Caucasians.

They were all good people, volunteering to house the unfortunate children among us who have no homes or who come from broken homes. I’d have to say, honestly, that most of these folks were intelligent, hard-working, dedicated and loving.

I loved my foster parents and what they did for the kids.

Different Expectations

On the other hand, attitudes about education were quite stark. It was crystal clear that some differences existed among the families. Since I am a former research scientist I have to caveat my statements with the fact that what I report on this issue is anecdotal, and not a true scientific sampling, but it is at least representative of a large number of experiences.

Hispanic Homes

Most of my Hispanic families (again, I don’t want to generalize to all Hispanics from my relatively small sample, but again, the differences seemed consistent. Now they might be tested.) were very interested in the children attaining a good education. They set high standards for the children in their care on this issue. They made sure they did their homework and tried to get good grades. On the other hand, many of them were not interested in the children learning English. In fact, several of them wanted only Spanish spoken in the home. The other problem was gangs. These parents seemed relatively blasé about their kids getting involved in gangs. They let the kids dress in gang attire, hang out with gangs, and were not strict about enforcing things like curfews.

African-American Homes

Most of my African-American homes were run by women. These women were tough, lovely human beings, mostly church-goers, with lofty ideals and strong bonds with their children. They were bright and responsive. They were friendly to me and did not seem racist. On the other hand, their expectations for their children were low. They were thrilled when the kids got C’s for grades. They expected the minimum with regard to homework. They let the children mostly play for most of the day. The TV’s were always on, and the music. They were tolerant of their kids misbehaving outside the home. Inside the home, the children were among the most disciplined children I’ve ever seen. These girls and boys showed great respect for these women. Outside the home, though, many of them were acting out, fighting, stealing, and hanging out with gangs. Also, the women in these homes openly stated, and even preached to the children, that the world was against them because they were black.

Caucasian Homes

My Caucasian homes, like the Hispanic and African-American homes, were run by good people, with good hearts and a sense of wanting to contribute to the world and help these children. They seemed, though, to have higher expectations for the children with regard to grades, and with behavior outside the home. They were feeling overwhelmed a lot by the sheer numbers of kids in their schools involved in gangs. They felt there was reverse racism against their kids because their children were white. Several of my white kids who had very high G.P.A.’s could not get into the major universities because they were white.

The Point

I don’t want to blame anyone, or any race or culture for these phenomena. Each race has its foibles. Each culture contributes enormously to society, but also has faults.

My point, and Tom’s, I think, is that hard work; learning English; reading, writing and arithmetic; parental involvement; and an optimistic outlook are the only sure keys to success, for Hispanics, African-Americans, and Caucasians. For parents, of any color, love your children; expect them to work hard; and keep them on the straight and narrow, away from gangs and into positive things. Stop blaming racism for everything. Get involved in your child’s school. Succeed and help them succeed by ignoring every obstacle in your path and working long and hard; being active in your community; loving your neighbors; and worshipping God or taking part in some kind of spirituality as a family. Have fun, yes, but after homework. Turn those TV’s off during the school week. Shut that rap off when it’s time for study.

Raising kids is a struggle, a fulltime occupation. I admire you for it. God loves you for it. Do it right. I don’t want to hear excuses.

Rock


(*Wikipedia is always my source unless indicated.)

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Liberalism and Conservatism, and Why We Need Both

Liberalism and conservatism are two different political philosophies, each with its own contributions to society. In my opinion, we need both in order to run a democracy. Plus, there is a time for liberalism and a time for conservatism.






















There are several kinds of liberalism, and several kinds of conservativism. The classic American liberals might be Franklin Delano Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, and Lyndon Baines Johnson. The classic American conservatives might be Barry Goldwater and Ronald Reagan.

Classical Liberalism

In my opinion, Roosevelt, Kennedy, and Johnson made great contributions to American society, some of which were tied to classical liberalism. Hardcore conservatives do not like FDR nor Johnson. They connect them with all our present-day “evils,” like big government and wasteful spending. These conservatives do like JFK better, though, because of his pro-business policies. Some of the tenets of classical liberalism are:

1. A belief in big government. The government can provide services to society that individuals alone could never or would never provide, such as the regulation of business.

2. Redistribution of wealth. Government can put a halt to monopolies and protect the individual from corporate greed. The government can redistribute money from the rich to the poor. Capitalism needs to be regulated. Socialism is the ideal. Some liberals veer off into communism.

3. Paternalism. For example, the government can be set up to protect the people from the greed of corporations or the ravages of the economy. The government can guard the individual even from his own greed, for example by forcing him to set aside money for his own retirement.

4. Social welfare. The government can provide services that individuals can’t in areas like healthcare, unemployment, disability insurance and so on.

5. A concern for the poor, the disenfranchised, and the victims of life. Government can be kind to the lower strata of society and help them when they are down and out.

6. Social engineering. The government can promote behaviors that are productive and discourage behaviors that hurt the individual. For example, the government can ban or regulate gambling.

7. Social justice. The government can penalize things like discrimination.

8. The protection of civil liberties. This can include such things as voting rights and even “freedom of choice” with abortion.

9. Protecting the environment through government regulations.

Classical Conservatism

Barry Goldwater and Ronald Reagan perhaps embody best some of what classical conservatism represents.

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To hardcore liberals, Reagan was the devil. To hardcore conservatives, Reagan is its patron saint. Goldwater, while branded the devil when he was running for president, is actually looked back upon with kindness by liberals because of his stances on environmentalism and abortion. Some tenets of classical conservatism might be:

1. A belief that big government is bad. The enemy here are Roosevelt and Johnson. Roosevelt and Johnson enacted what hardcore conservatives would call the “welfare state,” with their New Deal and Great Society. These consisted of a range of government-funded programs designed to help the economy, the homeless, the jobless and the poor. Conservatives believe that these programs did not work, and in fact institutionalized poverty in American society.

2. Government should stay out of people’s lives. For example, smoking should be allowed and unregulated. Cigarette companies should be permitted to sell their goods without hassle.

3. A belief in capitalism. Enlightened self-interest will lead naturally to the good of society. People work hard to make money, and the result of their labor benefits not just themselves, but all of society. Contrast this with worker motivation in socialistic or communistic societies, where profits are limited. Capitalism just works better. Economies grow faster, and the “pie” gets bigger. The larger pie and greater profits benefit everyone, from the rich to the poor. Rich people are good. What they did to get rich benefited society in some way. Adam Smith’s “invisible hand” protects everyone in a capitalistic society better than any government program. (The invisible hand is a metaphor invented by Adam Smith to illustrate how those who seek wealth by following their individual self-interest, inadvertently stimulate the economy and assist the poor.)

4. Business is good and needs to be protected. Businesses that operate unfettered produce more goods and services, thereby benefiting all of society.

5. A belief in the individual. The individual knows better what to do with his money, and how to protect herself when she is sick, jobless or homeless. For example, Social Security taxes could have been put into the stock market, in any year, and made more money for the individual than any present Social Security returns.

6. Private organizations are more effective than any government programs. A classic example of this would be to compare the Post Office, government run, with FedEx, a private company. FedEx does better.

7. Protecting the environment through incentive programs, preserves, and private development.

There are other tenets of classical liberalism and conservatism, but these are a good start.

Commonalities

Both classical liberals and conservatives are capable of being strong on defense. FDR and Truman were ruthless in their pursuit of the enemy in WWII, and John F. Kennedy was tough as nails during the Cuban missile crisis. We don’t need to mention how tough Barry Goldwater was on defense, as his hawkishness probably scared half the nation away from voting for him. ("I would remind you that extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice," from the Goldwater acceptance speech for the nomination for Republican candidacy for president in 1964. See ONLINE Newshour.)

Both liberals and conservatives care for the poor and homeless. Liberals believe in unemployment insurance and other programs, whereas conservatives believe in private charities and church aid.

Liberals and conservatives both want a strong economy. Liberals, though, believe you get this by helping “the little guy” participate in the wealth generated by corporations. Conservatives believe the little guy benefits best when corporations are free to engage in enlightened self-interest.

Negative Associations of Liberalism and Conservatism

Unfortunately, both liberalism and conservatism have had their excesses and abuses that tend to give each a bad name in the eyes of the other.

Liberalism has become associated, in the eyes of present-day conservatives, with socialism, communism; the love of tyrants like Castro; “immorality” and sexual permissiveness; being weak on defense; anti-Americanism; big government programs that waste money and create individuals addicted to handouts; the creation of a Third-World America by enabling reliance on big government; reverse racism; with just plain looniness; and the destruction of American institutions like marriage, the family, and religion.

Conservatism has become associated, in the eyes of present-day liberals, with heartlessness with regard to the poor, the ill, the jobless, and the homeless; with racism and sexism; with unconcern with the individual in favor of a bias towards business; with greed; with imperialism and flag-waving jingoism; with hawkishness on defense matters and even war-mongering; and with a mindless adherence to tradition and a belief in a religiosity that discriminates against gays, atheists and others.

Who is Right?

Both are right. Neither is right. There are good things and bad things about both liberals and conservatives. Classical liberalism is just a philosophy. It is neither good nor bad. Ditto with classical conservatism. You believe that a big government program will help the poor, or that individual hard work is a better solution.

History gives mixed reviews also. Unions, a liberal and even socialistic contribution, came and protected the worker. Because of unions, workers got better pay and better treatment. Then, however, unions abused the system too. They asked for and got so much money that they eventually priced themselves out of the market. Because of unions, airlines folded and steel production went overseas. Because of unions, the whole globalization thing started.

Capitalism, it seems, has been proven to be superior over communism in every way, creating much more wealth even for its poorest citizens. Capitalism, though, unregulated, has also led to heartless abuses. The spoiling of the environment was one. The abusiveness of monopolies and the mistreatment of workers are parts of the dark side of capitalism.

None of this is easy stuff. Unions help and hurt the poor. Liberalism is both good and bad. Conservatism is both good and bad. It all depends on timing and context.

There is a Time

We need both liberals and conservatives. I don’t mean we need the negatives associated with each philosophy. Rather, I mean we need the good things about each.

FDR, in my opinion, made great contributions to a better life for Americans. So did Johnson. However, the programs they initiated have been abused also, and led to wasteful government spending and the welfare state.

Reagan’s economic policies revitalized American business and made us leaders in the world again. However, his policies also led to the corporate greed that resulted in scandals like Enron. Plus, a failure to cut spending by both parties led to huge deficits and trade imbalances.

Still, overall, we need liberalism and conservatism. They are opposite philosophies that balance each other. Liberals ensure that the poor are always in our hearts, and conservatives guard against government waste. Liberals keep an eye on the government, and conservatives stop the loony regulations like basketball courts for the spotted owl (I’m just kidding!). Liberals help the poor with such things as raising the minimum wage, and conservatives help the poor with such things as enabling businesses to grow so they can hire more workers.

It’s all good. It just depends on when and why, how much and for how long.

The State of Liberalism and Conservatism

Here’s where the nice nice stops. The truth, and this is what this blog is all about, lies on the side of conservatism at this time. There is a time, and our time seems to demand conservative solutions.

Unfortunately, liberalism is in a sorry state right now. It has been co-opted by all the excesses of the philosophy. Present-day liberals are far from the classic liberalism of FDR, Kennedy and Johnson. They represent everything bad about liberalism. They are demagogues of the worst kind. They are weak on defense; love socialism and even communism; hate America; are extreme on the environment; are anti-marriage and anti-traditionalist; and their anti-business mentality will hurt the poor.

Conservatism is in better shape. True conservatism has helped us react strongly to 9/11; reduce taxes to keep the economy strong; shrink the welfare state; re-emphasize family values; and re-focus on the good things about America.

Conservatives, though, have had their own sins recently. Though in charge of the presidency and both houses of congress, they’ve abandoned fiscal responsibility, have been guilty of corruption, and allowed our border to become a sieve, which is changing us into a Third World country.

Whom should we elect? Conservatism is the better philosophy for our times, but this crop of conservatives has fallen short of conservative ideals, and handled the war in Iraq poorly. On the other hand, the liberals are so demagogic, so dishonest, and so far from good classic liberalism that electing them would hurt our country.

I’d go for the imperfect conservatives over the America-hating liberals of our day.

Still, if you, America, decide to switch horses midstream, I will understand where you’re coming from. Conservatives do need a good slap upside the head these days.

Rock


(*Wikipedia is always my source unless indicated.)

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Blacks Face Their Biggest Enemy

So, What Country Is this? “Disparity Between Rich & Poor Spurs Violence” Suzanne Goldenberg, Washington, The Guardian

In a city that is 60% black, African-American students have the lowest performance levels in the country; overall 37% of Washingtonians cannot read well enough to fill out a job application. Four percent carry the HIV virus - a higher rate of infection than any other American city. Mr. Chambliss argues that such divisions find an outlet in violent crime. “It creates an anger and a callousness towards those people who benefit from society,” he says. “There is a parallel with terrorism where the upper class white people become the enemy just as the western infidels become the enemy of Islam. I see this as a pattern that could be the beginning of a very serious change in crime, and where it is committed, and how it is committed."

Truth from a Few Prominent Black Leaders

Several Blacks have expressed the truth lately on this kind of issue, including Bill Cosby and Larry Elder. Read their recent years’ remarks and works and you’ll find much wisdom on the subject of black underachievement. This is relevant to me, a white man, because black leaders in recent years have blamed the government, racism, and the white man for their plight.



The DC situation repeats itself all over the country, in pockets, from Watts to Detroit to Chicago. The truth is, though, that while the black middle class has grown steadily, it doesn’t get the press of the black poor. More blacks own homes now, for instance, than at any time in history. More blacks are middle class, period, than at any time in history. Yet, there remain those troubling pockets.

I also am reminded of a distinct difference between the success of foreign-born blacks who come to America, like those from Nigeria. Why do they succeed, while homegrown blacks in D.C. fail?

Cosby and Elder have the answers. I have my answer too.

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How Did Cosby and Elder Make It in America?

Cosby and Elder are two blacks who made it big in America. Why? They worked hard, ignored racism, got educated, and accepted no excuses for themselves. This is the universal formula for success. Anyone who follows these precepts will make it in America, with one level of success or another. Larry Elder, for example, grew up in a poor neighborhood in Watts. His father was a janitor and his mother a maid. He just worked hard, learned proper English, got educated, and became a lawyer, then a national radio talk show host.

Who Should We Blame for Black Underachievement?

Who is keeping blacks back at this time in history? Mostly, it’s the Democratic Party. The Democrats preach victimhood and the blacks buy it. I blame the blacks too for accepting the role of victims, but the Democrats do their best to keep pounding the idea into national consciousness.

This is the message Democrats preach, loud and clear:

You, my ignorant, helpless, unfortunate black men and women, are the victims of racism. You are not capable of earning a living, so we’ll help you. You aren’t smart enough to get into college, so we’ll enact a quota. You aren’t good enough at business to compete, so we’ll force people to do business with you. Your vote isn’t even counted because of voter fraud.

You deserve to feel enraged at the white man, so we, the Democratic Party, will partner with you in denouncing whites. You can join with us because we’re the party that hates whites. In fact, we hate racist, homophobic, capitalistic, big-business, lying, cheating America as much as you do.

We’ll raise your taxes, but in return we’ll let you stand in line for our handouts. You won’t ever become rich, because corporate America will never allow that, but you can at least have our free health clinic. I know you’ll have to stand in line awhile there too, and the care you get won’t be great, but that’s because the rich people won’t give even more money to help these clinics.

Life is against you. Whites and the corporations will never let you rise. With us, though, you will have a voice. You can come to our political rallies and complain. You can carry signs and denounce America right along with us, and that will make you feel better.

I could go on, but you get the idea. You think I’m exaggerating? Not a bit. That is exactly the Democratic message to minorities.

The Democratic Message to Whites

Its message to whites is similar, but veers more towards the guilt angle.

You, my white, rich constituent, have made your money through corruption and greed. You ought to give back most of it in the form of taxes, so we can help the minorities. The more money you give us, the better person you are. America is a bad country. We are war-mongering, imperialistic, racist bigots. We must do penance. Our penance is to denounce ourselves and give all our money to the government and the Democratic Party.

And on and on.

Enemy of the People

Of course, when the Democrats do get those taxes, they create bigger bureaucracies, which never do get the money into the hands of the minorities. They make sure the little money that does reach the street is in the form of handouts, too, and not anything that will actually help minorities become truly successful. They dole out fish instead of teaching men and women to fish. They penalize, with higher taxes and regulations, the very companies that could provide the avenue to wealth for minorities.

Again, this is not an exaggeration. In America today, from taxes to war, and on this issue of minority underachievement, the Democratic Party is the enemy of blacks, the enemy of all minorities, the enemy of the people.

As I’ve said, liberalism is a legitimate political philosophy, but not in the hands of the demagogues of the present-day Democratic Party.

Rock


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Democratic Fear Mongering about Voter Fraud Bites Them in the Butt

Jim Webb, the Democratic candidate for Senate in Virginia, courting black voters in Norfolk last week as he tried to unseat George Allen.

What Goes Around Comes Around

Liberals Sabotage Themselves

Democrats Fear Disillusionment in Black Voters - New York Times: By IAN URBINA, October 27, 2006.

Last weekend, Jim Webb, the Virginia Democrat who hopes to oust Senator George Allen, crammed in visits to 12 black churches, and for several weeks he has been pumping money into advertisements on black radio stations and in black newspapers.

In Missouri, Claire McCaskill, the Democrat trying to unseat Senator Jim Talent, has been running advertisements about sickle cell anemia, a genetic illness that mostly afflicts black people, and the importance of stem cell research in helping to find a cure. For Democrats like these in tight races, black voter turnout will be crucial on Election Day. But despite a generally buoyant Democratic Party nationally, there are worries among Democratic strategists in some states that blacks may not turn up at the polls in big enough numbers because of disillusionment over past shenanigans.

“This notion that elections are stolen and that elections are rigged is so common in the public sphere that we’re having to go out of our way to counter them this year,” said Donna Brazile, a Democratic strategist. This will be the first midterm election in which the Democratic Party is mobilizing teams of lawyers and poll watchers, to check for irregularities including suppression of the black vote, in at least a dozen of the closest districts, Ms. Brazile said. Democrats’ worries are backed up by a Pew Research Center report that found that blacks were twice as likely now than they were in 2004 to say they had little or no confidence in the voting system, rising to 29 percent from 15 percent. And more than three times as many blacks as whites, 29 percent versus 8 percent, say they do not believe that their vote will be accurately tallied.

Voting experts say the disillusionment is the cumulative effect of election problems in 2000 and 2004, and a reaction to new identification and voter registration laws. Long lines and shortages of poll workers in lower-income neighborhoods in the 2004 election and widespread reports of fliers with misinformation appearing in minority areas have also had a corrosive effect on confidence, experts say. The harder question is whether this jaded outlook will diminish turnout. Recent polls have found record levels of outrage from Democrats about the current political leadership, which may offset the effect of black disillusion.

The Value of This Blog

Here’s where the value of this blog will really come through. I am willing to say the truth about issues like this whereas most Americans, justifiably, will revert to being politically correct. Most of us are afraid of being called racist. Since I am obviously not racist, and love all Americans, of every ethnicity, color and creed, I can rest assured that my brothers of all races will tolerate me saying the truth, pulling no punches.

Democratic Demagoguery and Racism

This idea of voter fraud has come back to bite the Democrats. I find it to be quite funny.

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Why? Because many Democrats, more than Republicans, spend much of their day creating conspiracy theories, as I’ve said many times. They believe that everyone is out to get them. Oswald was not the lone gunman. The police planted evidence in the OJ trial. Republicans steal elections. This gives liberals the excuse always that they never lose elections. All elections are stolen from them. Phony authors create conspiracy theory books that Democrats read avidly. Phony websites inflame these fears. Phony broadcasters, like Keith Olberman, incite fear and mistrust.

Plus, Democrat and liberal leaders are the biggest racists around. They pump minorities full of these lies to inflame them against Republicans.

One of the biggest liars on the subject is Robert F. Kennedy Jr. himself, Election Stolen. Then, there is another lie-packed liberal movie (ala Michael Moore type thinking) about voter fraud, Votergate Project.

The Web is full of these phony stories by pseudo-intellectuals and faux scientists, snake-oil salesmen of the lowest morality.

Congratulations!

Well, congratulations Democrats. You’ve succeeded. You’ve proven (not to me, nor to any other social scientist around) that (1) voter fraud exists, (2) that only Republicans commit voter fraud, (3) that this exclusively Republican voter fraud is rampant and widespread, (4) that millions of votes are lost by Democrats due to this, (5) that Kerry actually won the last election, and, moreover, (6) that all elections are stolen, Republican elections that is.

What do you Democratic leaders get for your demagogic effort? This is the funny part. Now, everyone believes you. Any election won by a Republican is stolen. Campaigns don’t matter. Polls don’t matter. The actual vote count doesn’t matter. Voting doesn’t matter at all; it’s rigged anyway. So? It’s useless for anyone to vote.

You’ve managed to convince Blacks of your lies, and the result is? Blacks, one of your biggest constituancies, might not vote, because they feel disenfranchised.

This is hilarious. You Democratic leaders have hung yourselves by your own petards.

Voter Fraud Fear Mongering

I blame both Democratic Party leaders and Blacks for this situation. I blame Democratic Party leaders for being the low-life demagogues that they are. I blame Blacks for being naïve.

Why do you, my beloved brothers, believe the Democratic Party? The Democrats just use you. Democratic leaders inflame your passions and remind you of racism at every turn. They don’t want you to think; they want you to hate. They want your thoughts clouded with doubt and paranoia. They don’t care for you. They just want your vote. Yet, you believe the Democrats are being honest with you. Why?

Get Educated

You, my noble fellow citizens, are intelligent. Figure things out for yourselves. Why are Democrats so concerned with voter turnout? Because, contrary to what is mistakenly believed, and to what you are lied to about, Black votes do matter. Every Black vote counts, and is counted. Yet, many of you buy the Democratic lies and might stay home.

Everyone needs to get educated on the matter. Everyone needs to do their own research. Scholars have studied the issue of voter fraud extensively.

For a start, go to the Internet to legitimate articles and real research, not the Kennedy phony stuff. Read articles like: USATODAY.com: "Report skeptical of fraud at polls. Little evidence found despite pending bills," By Richard Wolf

WASHINGTON — At a time when many states are instituting new requirements for voter registration and identification, a preliminary report to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission has found little evidence of the type of polling-place fraud those measures seek to stop. USA TODAY obtained the report from the commission four months after it was delivered by two consultants hired to write it. The commission has not distributed it publicly.

At least 11 states have approved new rules for independent voter-registration drives or requirements that voters produce specific forms of photo ID at polling places. Several of those laws have been blocked in court, most recently in Arizona last week. The House of Representatives last month approved a photo-ID law, now pending in the Senate.

The bipartisan report by two consultants to the election commission casts doubt on the problem those laws are intended to address. “There is widespread but not unanimous agreement that there is little polling-place fraud, or at least much less than is claimed, including voter impersonation, ‘dead' voters, non-citizen voting and felon voters,” the report says.

You can always find incidences of voter fraud, on both sides. Yet, overall, American elections are honest. Yes, John F. Kennedy stole Chicago in 1960. Yes, there aren’t enough voting stations in poor neighborhoods and the lines are longer. The key though, is logic. The voting station issue is a matter of money and political will. Poor neighborhoods have less of everything, from school supplies to voter stations. It has nothing to do with race or skin color. It has to do with money, period. If you live in one of these neighborhoods, go, stand in line, wait, persist, and vote. Your vote will be counted, even though it takes longer.

The Truth about Voter Fraud

What is the truth? There is voter fraud, but no more than in any year in our history. We in America have the most honest and legitimate elections in the world.

Every vote counts. Black votes are counted just as much as White votes.

Make My Day

You know what, though? Go ahead, make my day, Brother. Stay home. Don’t vote. Better for me. Not because you are Black, but because you, on average, are a likely Democratic voter, and I don’t want the Democrats to win.

A Better Alternative

A nobler alternative, though, my Friend, is to open your eyes and heart. The Republicans love you more. They respect you more. They don’t use you. They treat you with respect by telling you the truth. Democrats rely on their demeaning belief that you are too ignorant to figure out reality.

The better alternative is stop worrying about elections being stolen. Start thinking that your vote counts. Then, go out and vote. And, when you do, pull the lever or push the button for Republicans, any Republican. Throw the liars and race baiters out.

Republicans believe you can handle the truth. Come on over to the right side.

Rock


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Where I Stand on the Issues

Dennis Prager, one of my all time heroes on several issues, says he prefers clarity to agreement. I agree with him. It’s hard sometimes to tell where people stand on the important issues of our day. Democrats especially, but some Republicans too, cloud their views by pandering or speaking politicalese, spewing general statements that are supposed to tell the voters that they are great guys or gals. I understand this tendency, since it works a lot of the time. On the other hand, it lacks courage. A good politician is supposed to lead sometimes, and not just follow. He or she can’t lead too much, or they really do get out of touch with their base or with the populace. But they should resist the urge to pander.

One of my major goals with this blog is to resist the urge to pander, to the left or the right. In that interest, here is how I stand on some of today’s relevant issues. I invite you to state how you stand on these also:

The War in Iraq

We were right to go there. The world is a better place without Saddam in control. This war gave the people of Iraq the chance to form a democracy and enter the 21st century.

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Mistakes have been made. I think we’ve made tactical, strategic, and cultural errors in fighting this war. Rumsfeld, Cheney and Bush are to blame for this. I believe they are trying to correct course now, but I think there is a need, as I’ve said, for some really creative war making. Plus, we ought to take the gloves off or, again, become the insurgents ourselves.

The War on Terror

I believe we need the Patriot Act and more. We ought to be ruthless and stop being politically correct. We should go after any country, like Iran, that fosters terrorism. We ought to be unapologetic about our intention to destroy the terrorists and their networks, and behave like we did in WWII with Hiroshima and Nagasaki. We should win.

The Patriot Act

Nobody’s civil rights have been violated, I believe, except for that unfortunate Canadian who was falsely imprisoned, and he wasn’t American was he? We need this act. Lincoln suspended habeas corpus during the Civil War, and we need to prevent another 9/11. Go ahead, search me, tap my phones. Thank you for doing this and keeping me safe.

Islam

Islam at this time, in many places, is a religion of death and hate. As we’ve seen, there are good Muslims, like the one who wrote in the Jerusalem Post last week, but too many mosques and madrasahs preach hatred, jihad, suicide bombing and death.

Israel and the Palestinians

Israel is a good nation that just wants peace. Palestine is a nation that wants vengeance, blood, and the annihilation of the Jewish state of Israel. There will never be peace there until the Palestinians learn to love their children more than they hate the Israelis.

George Bush

President Bush, in my opinion, is a great president, for a couple of major reasons. He invaded Iraq, which was the right thing to do. Of course, he eliminated the stronghold for al-Queda in Afghanistan. He has made America safe since 9/11. He kept taxes low and created a good economy despite many obstacles, like war and hurricanes.

I grade him very low, however, on immigration policies. Because of him we are closer to a Third-World country now and heading that way fast. I also grade him low on his ability to communicate. On the other hand, he tries to communicate tirelessly, which I consider brave and admirable. He continues to plug his views day after day, despite his speaking difficulties, and when he gets passionate, his message does get through.

The Economy

The economy is going great, with the stock market at an all-time high, unemployment low, the deficit cut in half, taxes low, and so on. The one negative here is that globalization and illegal immigration have kept wages low, so that millions of Americans cannot benefit from the booming economy. I can’t blame Bush for globalization. This is a phenomena that we all must face, and solve creatively. I do blame Bush, and many Republicans, as well as all Democrats, for illegal immigration though. On this issue we lack courage. We pander. We fear the Hispanic vote. Instead of doing the right thing, politicians are just trying to get elected. And we, the American public, instead of telling the truth, fear being called racist, so we allow our country to be invaded and changed forever—to bilingual, bicultural, and Third-World.

Illegal Immigration

We need to build the fence, arm the borders, penalize employers for hiring illegals, and declare English the American official language.

Education

We need to stand up against the liberal bias in our educational system, which is turning out liberal automatons who only later get wise enough to reject the mantras they were taught. Students are allowed to behave like fascists by throwing pies and chairs at conservatives, jeering pro-Israeli speakers, and keeping the military off campus. We need a conservative invasion on campus, not to shut down liberal free speech, but to counter it and ensure true free speech in these bastions of hatred and America-hating.

The Liberal Media

I think we are having some effect in this arena. We need to continue the fight. The major networks are still liberal, plus others like CNN, MSNBC, and PBS, but talk radio has been a major counterbalance, and bloggers, and FOX. Plus, even the majors are taking notice of conservative feelings at last. Witness Katie Couric’s free speech segments. Thank God. Hollywood nitwits are being a bit more careful now too, as they see they can’t just spout nonsense without a conservative reaction. The Dixie Chicks, for example, have had to cancel concerts and now cater to a different crowd. They’ve lost the good old boys forever. They might think this is fine, but in losing this crowd they’ve lost a natural audience for them.

The Religious Right

I believe religious Christians at this time in history are basically some of the best people on earth, with values that help America. On the other hand, I don’t want religion inserted into politics. I am a true conservative, which means I want the government out of our lives. I want them out of the abortion debate, for example.

MoveOn.org

This organization of course should be allowed to flourish in a democracy. But they, like the ACLU and other organizations, at this time in history, are one of the most harmful groups of people on the planet. I’d say that al-Queda might be the worst, then Hamas, and further down the line, somewhere not too far south, are these insidious America-hating, racist, socialist, fascist, demonizing groups. They will say, of course, that I am demonizing them. I guess I am. Can you demonize a demon? The people they demonize, though, are good people, like George Bush, and Republicans. I think there is a difference.

Gay Marriage

I am for legal rights for gay partners, including civil unions, but I am against gay marriage. Marriage is for a man and a woman. Discrimination, however, against gays is wrong. They need to be able to inherit, visit their partners in hospitals, and declare together as partners for tax purposes. Plus, hate crimes against them are abominable, and, I might add, un-Christian.

There, have I missed anything? Let me know where you stand.

Rock


(*Wikipedia is always my source unless indicated.)

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I'm Looking for a Few Good Men and Women

Every once in awhile I’m going to do this. Traffic has grown quite a bit on this blog, and I am appreciative of people like Paz, the path on the left and Articman, Arcticman Speaks!, on the right who make the blog a true search for truth. Paz is so very passionate, and bright, and expresses what other liberals cannot.

Most liberals, forgive me Paz, just call names. They have no plans, no ideas, just Bush- and Republican-bashing. Paz, you are different. Thanks for your input. Articman has his own firm outlook that I respect. I sometimes agree with Paz, and sometimes with Articman, mostly with Articman. But Paz will make points that are worth considering and deserve to be in the national debate. His points must be considered and dealt with. Otherwise, we are fooling ourselves.

Other recent contributors I appreciate are: Tom, Tomsbloggerspot, the wonderful Mary, Mary’s World, Empress Bee (of the high sea),
muffin53, Lexa Roséan, a leftist writer and occult practitioner, the witch doctor is in, plus others listed below.

One thing that I really like lately is that I’ve had some Muslim readers, like Tarek El Khatib, rambling and blabbering, and some Vietnam vets like Charlie, and a soldier stationed in Afghanistan, Sgt Dub. I’d like more Muslim readers to contribute. Plus, I value any active soldier’s input. We owe you a debt of gratitude, and you can contribute greatly to the political dialogue from your unique perspective. And, of course, I pay tribute to my high-schooler, LAEvanesce, who it seems will have some kind of a bright future in the arts or literature, or something political perhaps. Anyway, a welcome, rational, “mostly liberal,” point of view.

As I said at the top of the article, I’m looking for a few good men and women.

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A Partner and Guest Bloggers

I really am aiming for two things, a partner, and guest bloggers. I want someone on the left who has the time, dedication, intelligence, and drive to post from time to time, or even daily, explaining the left’s position on issues we discuss. I’ll be patient. One day I’ll find this person, perhaps as traffic grows even more. Ultimately, I want a left-right exploration of the key issues.

In the meantime, I want guest bloggers. People on the left and on the right. Just write a post, well thought out, on something political you’re passionate about—or expand a comment into a post. I’ll review it, correct the grammar and spelling if need be, leave it uncensored and post it. I’ll comment on it, but I won’t change it. You have a right to your opinion.

My Approach versus O'Reilly and FOX

I want to explain the difference between my approach and that of Bill O’Reilly, or even of FOX News. He and FOX say they are fair and balanced. I’m not out to be fair and balanced. I seek the truth. I want to hear from the left, not to be fair and balanced, but to arrive with them at the truth.

The truth at this time in history, I believe, lies mostly with the right. The left is rampant now with demagoguery. They are taking advantage of minorities and slogans and ignorance and just plain bashing everything good and decent in the world. They glorify demons and vilify saints. Yet, we all cannot arrive at the truth unless we engage and challenge.

We can’t force the left to be rational or reasonable. We can’t force them to see things as they really are. They must arrive at truth in their own way. Liberal philosophy is a legitimate option to believe in. The problem is that liberalism can easily slip into socialism, communism, or a love of tyrants. This is where their adherents are now. Bush is the tyrant, and Castro is the model to emulate.

So, I don’t want to be fair and balanced. I’m not out to promote liberal propaganda. There is no moral equivalence between the left and the right at this time, nor between Israeli’s and the Palestinians, nor between America and the terrorists. There is a right and a wrong, and we, the Americans are right. The Israelis are right. The Right is right. The Left is wrong.

So, I want to engage, not to be fair and balanced, but to have a legitimate debate, a vigorous confrontation. Despite the left being wrong on just about everything, they do make good points, and these points have to be considered. Plus, one day it will be the time for liberalism to take over. Then, they will be right, and we will be wrong. It’s all about being honest, not sticking with a point of view because it supports our side—but sticking to it if it is real and right and good.

There is a Time

There is a time. A time for war and a time for peace. A time for everything under the heavens. This is the time for war and, coincidentally, a time for conservatives. We are the ones that can save the world, literally. We must convince the majority of the world to see this. Yet we must remain humble. When the liberals make points that reflect reality, we must listen. And then, when it is the time for liberals to take over, we must see that too. Then it will be our time to make points that they should listen to.

I'm Looking for a Few Good Men and Women

I’m looking for a few good men and women who can see and tell the truth. I’m looking for Muslims, soldiers, vets, high school and college kids, Baby Boomers, Europeans, Asians, Hispanics, you name it. Speak out respectfully and you’ll be heard.

Rock


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Why Don't We Become the Insurgents? (Major Article!)

Fighting Like Gentlemen

Think of the dumb ways that wars used to be fought. In both the Revolutionary and even the Civil War, soldiers would simply form lines opposite each other, stand there and fire point blank into each other’s ranks. They stood like idiots (of course they weren’t, it was just the way things were done) opposite each other in the open, not even crouching, not even hiding. Soldiers would fall, and the last ones standing were the winners. They fought like gentlemen. How stupid! We finally did learn the lessons of war from the Native Americans, who did the ungentlemanly thing of hiding behind trees.

Insurgencies

Insurgents are causing problems all over the world, from the Philippines to Spain to Iraq. They blend in with the population, attack, then disappear back into anonymity. Guerilla warfare succeeded in the past in many places, as in Cuba and Vietnam.

Insurgencies, if they are large enough, and supported by enough of the populace, usually eventually win. There is no way you can beat them, short of extermination.

The Iraqi Insurgency and Vietnam

Presently, the U.S. is facing a powerful insurgency in Iraq. It is a useless endeavor for us unless the Iraqis begin to fight for their country. Too many Iraqis, evidently, are supporting the insurgency. It is a recipe for our failure. Unfortunately, and I’ve hesitated to say this, the situation is becoming similar to Vietnam.

First, because of the stubborn insurgency, and second, because of America’s unwillingness to fight to win, due to political correctness and/or fear of political ramifications.

How We Can Win in Iraq

For us to win in Iraq, I believe, we have only two choices. We fight to win, or we become the insurgents.

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The option I favor is to fight to win. This would mean being ruthless, as we were in WWII —ala Dresden, Berlin, Tokyo, Hiroshima and Nagasaki. We accepted that war is hell and innocents die, and got it over with. Then, we won, relatively fast, ultimately saving lives. Fighting to win in Iraq would mean taking the gloves off. This means annihilating Iraqi villages that harbor insurgents, and so on. Bush and company don’t seem to have the cajones, nor the leadership skills to wage such a war. They are afraid of world and voter opinion, American newspapers and leftists. Where is Harry Truman when we need him?

The second alternative is my idea. I’ve not heard it expressed anywhere. It’s out of the box thinking:

We Become the Insurgents

Now, the terrorists, sometimes called insurgents by the anti-American left, which includes CNN and the New York Times, have taken the concept of “ungentlemanly warfare” to its ultimate conclusion. They don’t just blend in with the population; they don’t just hide behind trees anymore; they hide behind women and children.

I think the only way to beat them is at their own game. Not by becoming terrorists, not by hiding behind women and children—but by becoming guerillas.

Again, I don’t mean terrorists. What I mean is, we retreat to safety, somewhere in the region. We watch. When we see a terrorist training camp being built, we hit it with overwhelming force, then retreat back to our safety. When we see nuclear weapons being built, we attack, destroy them, and then retreat. The same goes for warplanes, tanks, you name it. In and out. We attack their shipping, their airports, and their infrastructure. We develop a network of spies and blend in with the population.

Attack and retreat. Attack and retreat. We do not become targets. We let them be the targets.

We stop all this guerilla activity when they rid themselves of their extremists.

The Most Powerful Insurgency in History

I think it’s a brilliant idea. We keep our boys out of harm’s way, but ready to inflict maximum damage at a moment’s notice. We don’t have our boys hanging around like sitting ducks for snipers and IEDs. We don’t continue in our modern day equivalent of standing opposite the enemy and firing point blank.

Think of it. We could create the most powerful insurgency in the history of mankind. I believe that we would eventually be a popular insurgency too. We’d finally be perceived as winners in the region, and we’d be still be fighting for a noble cause as we are now. We’d become the model for insurgencies instead of the whipping boy of them.

Fight to Win, or Become the Insurgents

I’m serious. I think Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, and the American generals ought to take my advice on this one. Bush and generals, are you listening? Step up and become the victors. Either fight to win, or become the insurgents!

Rock


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A Good Muslim

I have criticized the Muslim community for not speaking out against their bloody brothers. I have started to see just such Muslims beginning to make their feelings heard. I wonder if these good Muslims get the kind of attention their ruthless co-religionists do? I think any Muslim who does speak out is brave and saintly. I hope this kind of thing happens with more and more regularity. I found this weekend just such a Muslim, a good man committed to the truth. This kind of Muslim can be one of the leaders in the much-needed Islamic Reformation. Here follows the letter I found in the Jerusalem Post of Friday, 10/20/06. Bravo.

The leader of al-Qaida in Iraq, Abu Hamza al-Muhajer, recently issued a decree to its supporters: Kill at least one American in the next two weeks "using a sniper rifle, explosive or whatever the battle may require."

Well, Abu Hamza al-Muhajer, I am an American too. Count me as the one of those you have asked your supporters to kill.

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I am not alone. There are thousands of Muslims with me in Las Vegas, and many more millions in America, who are proud Americans and who are ready to face your challenge. You hide in your caves and behind the faces of civilians in Afghanistan and Iraq. You don't show your faces and you have no guts to face Muslims. You thrive on the misery of thousands of Muslim youth and children who are victims of despotism, poverty and ignorance.

During the past two decades, you have brought nothing but shame and disaster to your religion and your world.

You said "not to drop your weapons," not to let "your enemies rest until each one of you kills at least one American within a period that does not exceed 15 days."

But I invite you to surrender, to seek forgiveness from God almighty for the senseless killing you and your supporters are involved in and repent for everything you have done.

You say that the word of God is the highest. Yes, it is. But you are not worthy of it. You have abandoned God and you have started worshipping your own satanic egos that rejoice at the killing of innocent people. You don't represent Muslims or, for that matter, any decent human being who believes in the sanctity of life.

Many among us American Muslims have differences with our administration on domestic and foreign issues, just like many other Americans do. But the plurality of opinions does not mean that we deprive ourselves of the civility that God demands from us. America is our home and will always be our home. Its interests are ours, and its people are ours. When you talk of killing Americans, you first have to kill 6 million or so Muslims who will stand for every American's right to live and enjoy the life as commanded by God.

BY GROWING a beard, shouting some religious slogans and misquoting and misusing some verses of the divine scriptures, you cannot incite Muslims to do things that are contrary to our religion. Yes, you even fail to understand the basic Islamic principles of life and living. Islam demands peace in all aspects of life. Islam demands respect for life. Islam demands justice.

What you are doing in Iraq, Afghanistan, India or other parts of the world is anti-human and anti-divine. You are an enemy of Islam as much as you are an enemy of America. You must understand that God who entrusted you with life is the same God who spelled His spirit in every human being regardless of his or her religion or ethnicity or nationality or status. You are violating Him.

We feel totally disgusted with your action and we condemn you without any reservation. Don't come to our mosques to preach this hatred. Don't visit our Islamic centers to spill the blood of innocents. Don't think that just because we share the same religion, we would show some sympathy to you. You are not of us. You don't belong to the religion whose followers are trying to live a peaceful life for themselves and others serving the divine according to their understanding. In our understanding of faith. You appear as anti-divine and anti-human. We reject you now as we rejected you yesterday.
There is nothing common between you and us.

We stand for life, you want to destroy it.

One part of the letter I really like is I am not alone. If so, then this is good news. I apologize that I seem to have lost this fine person's name, and I have no access to past issues of the Jerusalem Post at the moment. If someone comes across the name I'd be happy to append it to the article.

In any event, thank you my friend, our friend, and our Muslim brother; and you, those Muslims who think like this. Salam Aleichem.

Rock


(*Wikipedia is always my source unless indicated.)

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Today's Election Math

The House

According to the New York Times as of today, October 22, 2006, (NY Times election analysis) here are the election expectations. The current, Republican-controlled House has 202 Democrats, 230 Republicans, 1 Independent, and 2 Vacant Seats. According to polls and other criteria, here is how we are leaning as a nation:

Safe Dem 190
Leaning Dem 24
Toss up 15
Safe Rep 183
Leaning Rep 23

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Theoretically, then, either party can still win the House. For the Republicans to do so, though, given that the races leaning towards each party remain the same, they would have to sweep the toss up races. So, for Republicans to win the House at this time, they’d have to reverse trends in some races leaning Democratic, or win all the toss up races, 15 of them.

On the other hand, Republicans are conceded to have better organization at this time in history, including a better get-out-the-vote. Some Democrats, too, are afraid of voter fraud, a manufactured issue in my opinion. Plus, something could happen in these next few weeks that will bring the Republicans back, an October surprise like a terrorist attack. And, the Republicans might just campaign better.

Still, overall, it looks like the Democrats will win the House. Republican scandals and corruption seem to have fostered a tipping point. Plus, hardcore Republicans are deeply disappointed with Republican overspending and failure on such issues as immigration. The Iraq war looks like a mess. Some Republicans, therefore, are going to stay home and not vote, which is how elections are lost these days. It appears that even Karl Rove can’t fix all this.

The Senate

The current Senate has 44 Democrats and 56 Republicans. According to the New York Times here are today’s election expectations. According to polls and other criteria, here is how we are leaning as a nation:

Safe Dem 40
Leaning Dem 8
Toss up 4
Safe Rep 47
Leaning Rep 1

Theoretically, then, either party can still win the Senate. If things stay as they are now, the Senate might end up in a tie, 50 Democrats and 50 Republicans. This assumes an even split of the toss up races. Then, Vice President Cheney’s extra vote would still theoretically leave the Republicans in control. This control, though, would be flimsy. It would likely be a contentious, unproductive body.

The Likely Outcome

The Democrats will win control of the House. The Republicans will keep flimsy control of the Senate.

If this happens, Bush and the Republicans have brought this all on themselves. If this happens, the Democrats will strengthen their positioning for the 2008 election.

Of course, there could be an October surprise, favoring one or the other party. And, the Democrats could snatch defeat from the jaws of victory by harping on voter fraud or other bogus issues while presenting no clear agenda on Iraq and the economy, for example.

Likely? No. Unless the Democrats shoot themselves in the foot, or go hunting with Cheney, they will at least win the House.

Rock


(*Wikipedia is always my source unless indicated.)

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The Right Brain and Politics

Yesterday’s post was a Rorschach-type test. I’m a shrink, among other things, and I thought it would be interesting to see how readers would respond, putting their own spin on a blank canvas. There were many readers but only one brave enough to comment. Congratulations to Paz. Your response was quite insightful, as usual.

I could have been a wisenheimer and said the post was the list of positive ideas for helping the country proposed by the Democrats, but I didn’t go there. Aren’t you proud of me?

Anyway, most political debate is decidedly left-brain. See: Right and Left Brain Thinking

Left Brain:

logical
sequential
rational
analytical
objective
looks at parts

Right Brain:

random
intuitive
holistic
synthesizing
subjective
looks at wholes

I figure that politics needs to be looked at also with the right brain. Therefore, the cartoons I love to post. Therefore, yesterday’s post. Therefore, today’s post.

Today, I started with a random poetry generator, and applied it to Bush. I took the first line of the generated poem, and just let my imagination fly, for four lines. Give it a try. Let your right brain take you where it will. Don’t worry about being good. Don’t worry about being clever. Just do it. LAEvanesce, I’m expecting you to contribute, and Paz.

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The first line I came up with is:

In the blanket of desertion the visions perform,

Here is my poem on Bush:

In the blanket of desertion the visions perform,
George Bush tries to speak but nothing comes out.
He looks at Iraq and sees only roses
The Dems want power so they effect poses.

Preferably, use the same first line, but you're free to generate your own first line if you want. Your poem doesn’t have to rhyme of course, and it can be on politics, or Bush, or liberals, or anything political. Have fun, and benefit the world with some right-brain thinking on the subject.

If you really get passionate, go ahead and write more than four lines. Whatever. Start with four and be disciplined about it. Then, if you want, make it bigger.

Rock


(*Wikipedia is always my source unless indicated.)

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