Slap Fight

I've been following a sort-of story for the past few days. It's another good example of the unbalanced lunacy of the poles. You kind of have to shake your head ruefully as the usual suspects go thru their usual motions . . .

This one started with an incident at the University of California at Santa Cruz. Some recruiters for the military were forced off campus by a protest group (demonstrating again, btw, that the Left's "tolerance" and "inclusiveness" only extends to ideas they agree with). The group is called, in a fairly straightforward assertion of position, Students Against War, or SAW.

As an aside, one must point out the curious habit of protesting against the people and organizations that literally bleed to defend the right to protest, but that's a discussion for another time.

At any rate, SAW engaged in some tactics of a questionable nature - slashing tires, throwing rocks, that sort of thing.

In commenting on this story in her blog, Michelle Malkin posted the group's contact information. The information was taken from a press release (which, last I checked, made it public knowledge) and found herself under attack from the more extreme members of the Left for doing so.

One would think that those on the Left would be gratified that someone as far to the Right as Malkin was helping to spread such information and thereby assisting their cause, but of course applying logic to the actions of the reality-impaired is a futile exercise.

Another aside, if you will indulge me, gentle reader - protests are often successful only in drawing greater attention to the thing being protested against, which makes the protest largely self-defeating. One must suppose, however, that the act of protest itself fulfills the human need to do something. And some protests do in fact succeed in doing what they set out to do, so it's not always a wasted effort. Just mostly a wasted effort. Hence the ancient advice to "choose your battles carefully."

Back on topic, as noted at PajamasMedia, Malkin found herself under sudden and savage attack for >gasp!< reporting publically-available information. The attackers went so far as to publish her home address, email, phone number, and even photos of her house and members of her family. Malkin details this here.

The upshot of all of this is easily predictable: more venom, more hatred, more childish name-calling and invective coming from both sides. I personally am waiting for someone to come out with "I'm rubber, you're glue" at any moment.

In the long run, this bodes poorly for our country. One cannot conduct public discourse at this level. This is behaviour that you would expect to find in a kindergarten schoolyard. It's getting worse and worse, as bloggers engage in slanderous personal attacks that would make previous generations of political commentators hide their faces in shame. Right-wing bloggers are rushing to attack the left-wing bloggers, who attack the right-wing bloggers right back, in a never-ending cycle of tit-for-tat.

Maybe someone should turn a hose on the lot of 'em.

Crumbling Edifice

"Scooter" Libby has apparently stated that the authorization to reveal classified information to reporters came from George Bush. Story

If true, this paints a very damning picture of the President and his administration. The "national security" President violating security for political purposes? Going against his own stated distaste for "leakers"?

This administration has to be the most bipolar in the nation's history. One moment they're doing stuff like quietly working behind the scenes to free a kidnapped reporter, the next moment they're leaking classified information for a transient political advantage.

Shades of Bill Clinton and his rudderless government-by-opinion-poll. Is the true nature of the Bush administration nothing more than grasping, opportunistic indulgence?

As so many times in the past, tho, I reserve judgement until more information surfaces. It's entirely possible that Libby is trying to save his own bacon at the expense of everyone else.

Credit Due

The Christian Science Monitor has published a brief thank-you note to the US government for its efforts on behalf of reporter Jill Carroll. Basically, despite what people like Jurassic Pork would have you believe, the Evil and Incompetent (or Corrupt) Bush administration was quietly working behind the scenes to free the kidnapped journalist.

So while the children were throwing hissy fits, the grown-ups were getting things done. As per usual.

Democracy or Faith?

I ran across this recently and wanted to make some observations. Have a read -

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Have you ever thought—Can a devout Muslim be an American patriot and a loyal citizen? Is Muslim-American really an oxymoron? Consider this:

Theologically, no. Because his allegiance is to Allah, the moon god of Arabia.

Religiously, no. Because no other religion is accepted by his Allah except Islam (Quran, 2:256)

Scripturally, no. Because his allegiance is to the five pillars of Islam and the Quran (Koran).

Geographically, no. Because his allegiance is to Mecca, to which he turns in prayer five times a day.

Socially, no. Because his allegiance to Islam forbids him to make friends with Christians or Jews.

Politically, no. Because he must submit to the mullah (spiritual leaders), who teach annihilation of Israel and destruction of America, the great Satan.

Domestically, no, because he is instructed to marry four women and beat and scourge his wife when she disobeys him (Quran 4:34).

Intellectually, no, because he cannot accept the American Constitution since it is based on Biblical principles and he believes the Bible to be corrupt.

Philosophically, no, because Islam, Muhammad, and the Quran do not allow freedom of religion and expression. Democracy and Islam cannot co-exist. Every Muslim government is either dictatorial or autocratic.

Spiritually, no, because when we declare “one nation under God,” the Christian’s God is loving and kind, while Allah is NEVER referred to as “Heavenly Father,” nor is He ever called “Love” in the Quran’s 99 excellent names.

Therefore, after much study and deliberation, perhaps we should be very suspicious of MUSLIMS in this country.

They obviously cannot be both “good” Muslims and good Americans. Call it what you wish...it’s still the truth.

If you find yourself intellectually in agreement with the above statements, perhaps you will share this with your friends. The more who understand this, the better it will be for our country and our future.

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First off, the author obviously has an axe to grind with Muslims. Perhaps not surprising in the climate since 9/11, but still not overly tolerant.

His main point - that slavish devotion to Islam is incompatible with democracy - is valid. But then, slavish devotion to any religion is incompatible with democracy. As soon as you decide you're God's chosen and only you have the Revealed Truth, then automatically anything your religion tells you to do is correct. No matter how it affects anyone else. Christian sects that blow up abortion clinics, for example, are demonstrating that they are placing their religious beliefs above their responsibilities as citizens. Scientology, altho more a scam than a religion, exerts draconian and non-democratic control over its adherents. Almost any religion pushed to its extreme will wind up in opposition to democratic principles.

As an example of the kind of shallow thinking coming from the poles of American politics these days, this piece is all too representative. It's populist drivel, but I can promise that there are already many right-wing drones out there nodding their heads sagely as they read the thing. There's just enough truth in it to lure in the rubes.

But, sadly, this is how debate occurs in our time.