Opaque Lucidity

The Chesshire Cat Speaketh

Iranian President Ahmandinejad has sent an open letter to the American people. This, ladies and gentlemen, could be a plot twist from the desk of Aaron Sorkin. You know the drill: sensitive, middle Eastern anti-Semitic thug who helped hold Americans hostage 25 years ago reaches out to The Great Satan in an effort to bring peace to his part of the world. Hand me a tissue.

One of the many problems with President Ahmandinejad is that he believes the opinions he sees on American television actually represent the thoughts of the majority of the American people. What he fails to realize is that even if the majority of Americans dislike President Bush, that does not mean they are going to embrace a nutcase from Iran. I may be going out on a limb, but I believe I can safely say that most Americans have no use for people who deny the Holocaust and want to see Israelis driven into the sea. Even Americans who disagree with every shred of Israeli foreign policy do not support genocide, something that Ahmandinejad and other whackos of his ilk embrace. Furthermore, it's obvious that his support for "Palestinians" is just another platform from which to spew his anti-Semitic propaganda.

In the end, Ahmandinejad's gesture is a non-starter. The only letter I want to see from him is one of resignation, or one announcing his overthrow by more moderate forces.

Higher, Higher Education

Kelli is set to begin working on her Master's Degree in January. I could not be more proud of her. She received her undergrad a little over two years ago; even then, we knew that would not be the end of the road. Unlike me, she enjoys time spent in the classroom and I can see a definite change in her when she is in school. The next two years will bring challenges, but they will also bring pride and joy.

Words Mean Things, Even Now

NBC has decided that Iraq is in the middle of a civil war and that it will be henceforth referred to as such. This would be funny if it were not such a tragic sign of the continuing demise of major American media.

civil war
n.
1. A war between factions or regions of the same country.
2. A state of hostility or conflict between elements within an organization: “The broadcaster is in the midst of a civil war that has brought it to the brink of a complete management overhaul” (Bill Powell).
3. Civil War The war in the United States between the Union and the Confederacy from 1861 to 1865. Also called War Between the States.
4. Civil War The war in England between the Parliamentarians and the Royalists from 1642 to 1648.

Using the above definition (from the American Heritage Dictionary), then Iraq is, indeed, in the midst of a Civil War. However, that tells only half the story. Sunnis are killing Shiites, Shiites are killing Sunnis and everyone is trying to kill Americans. What goes unspoken and unwritten too often are the really tough questions, the kind that take true situational awareness. Questions like: how are the terrorists in Iraq funded? Where do their weapons come from? How many terrorists are really Iraqis?

If you answer those questions, you find that the situation in Iraq is not a civil war at all, but an invasion by forces from all over the Middle East. Unfortunately, it seems as if the White House doesn't like this fact anymore and would rather plug the holes as they appear while the President meets with thugs from every terror-sponsoring nation in the region. But that's another topic for another day.

The arrogant leftists at NBC mean to shape public opinion with their use of the term "civil war". And why not? They and their fellow travelers are experts at creating reality by cheapening the language. It nearly worked before, in 2000, in a state called Florida. Do you remember that?

All Systems Go

The comment system is back up and running like a top. It's a new week, so stand by for opinions.

Thankful

Today is Thanksgiving in the United States. Regardless of your circumstances, if you can read this you have reason to be thankful.

Thanks to those of you who have e-mailed to tell me about the comment posting system. I'll get on it as soon as the weekend is over.

Bastards

The rate for out-of-wedlock births in the United States has reached an all-time high-----37%. That's nearly 4-in-10. What's more, the increase is not due to teenagers, but people in their 20's and older who are, according to the article, "are putting off marriage."

Are you surprised? You shouldn't be. The past thirty years has seen an unprecedented assault on the traditional family from all sides. If you tell a generation of children over and over again that any group of people raising a child is just as good as a mom and dad, then the concept of traditional parenthood will soon fly out the window. If you tell young girls that single parenthood is just another "choice" (just like abortion), then the incidence of it will increase. When couples living together before (or instead of) marriage becomes just another thing to do and is held in the same regard as marriage, why would people bother getting married to have children?

We have lost something very important in our society: shame. When all else failed, shame was what kept kids from shooting each other over a pair of shoes. When parental warnings weren't enough, shame was what kept so many kids from doing drugs. Public shame was what kept people from taking intimate relationships so lightly. In that way, the concept of shame is healthy---it's the last guardrail before you drive over the cliff.

To The Commentarians

It looks as if the comment portion of the Movable Type software that powers this blog is not working. If you have tried to leave a comment in the past three days and have been unsuccessful, please let me know.

Bobby

If you are a Baby Boomer, you may want to stop reading now. I'm going to talk about your generation in terms that are less than flattering. No generation is homogeneous, so what I say here may not apply to you. If the shoe fits, wear it.

I am tired of every step the Baby Boomer generation takes being the first, best and unique. Take retirement, for example. People have been retiring for quite some time in this country, but somehow, your generation is going to re-write the book---at least that's what Dennis Hopper keeps telling me. And, of course, we will undoubtedly be treated to the AARP version of "ThirtySomething" very soon: people in their late 50's whining about retirement, aging parents, end-of-life issues, etc. These issues didn't exist until you ran into them.

I realize part of this is marketing. Boomers represent a goldmine of revenue for advertisers, so they are the focus of much we see on TV and hear on the radio. Fair enough. But the over-glamorization of the Boomers' time in the sun (the 60's) makes me sick. You had your war. Those of you who protested on college campuses and in the streets helped to lose that war here at home. You emboldened this nation's enemies, for they understood American media better than you did. You were duped; you were suckers for the Man in Hanoi. And the better part of your generation who actually went to Vietnam were dumped on by you. And they still feel that today. Congratulations---you accomplished nothing but millions of deaths in Southeast Asia at the hands of communists in Vietnam and Cambodia.

And so we come to 'Bobby', a movie opening next weekend about the assassination of Robert Kennedy. I want to state, for the record, some truths about the Kennedys for those of you who are still in love with those heady days of Camelot. First, Joe Kennedy was nothing more than a common criminal and a serial womanizer. John Kennedy followed his father's predatory nature, but he didn't have to resort to white collar crime because the family fortune had already been made.

Second, Joe Kennedy bought his son's 1960 Presidential election. Had Richard Nixon not been so beat down by his experience, the Chicago vote could've been contested by the Republicans, most likely with success. Without Chicago, Kennedy would've lost the election in Illinois and, thus, the national contest.

And so every liberal whiner in Hollywood has lined up to be part of the 'Bobby' fiction. Robert Kennedy, like his brother Ted, would've been nothing without his family name. He was not particularly bright and was impossible to get along with. Had he won the Presidency in 1968, his time in office would've been a liberal, free-spending disaster. At least his brother John had the good sense to surround himself with very smart people; Bobby didn't even have that much going for him. And yet, he will emerge from this movie as a saint for a new generation of Americans too young to remember and too disinterested to learn on their own.

Article Of Faith

This post was going to be lengthy, but as I get older I find that short and simple is often better than trying to cover every possibility. In short, I have a very serious question about God.

In Western society, most people who consider themselves Christians refer to God as a father. The implication is, of course, that He is male (at least our concept of him is male, although for us to be made in His image there would have to be a female side there, too, wouldn't there?). More than that, the image of God as Father implies, to me at least, protection, love, understanding and all the other qualities of a good human father. It is a comforting concept---the strong, gentle Father who guides and protects us.

And yet, we have no direct knowledge of Him. This is the core of faith, at least to my way of thinking. We are presented with the idea of a Creator with whom we are supposed to have a relationship, but we will never experience Him in the direct sense. We've all seen things that could be considered miraculous, but this is an indirect experience, like tire marks left in the snow. If what Christians believe is correct, we will not stand in His presence until we are gone from this life.

So why would a loving father require blind faith of his children? Is there some component of that faith that is essential for our salvation? We can not know the mind of God, but wouldn't humanity be in better shape if we had direct contact, in some limited form, to Him?

Some of you will answer these questions by saying that He is, indeed, all around us: in the beauty of nature, the kindness of strangers, etc. I'm not poking fun at that concept, but I could also say that these heart-warming signs are proof that we are being looked over by 15-foot tall Martians.

I have just as much direct proof as you do. Talk amongst yourselves.

The Truth Of Inhumanity

Cardinal Renato Martino, during a news conference in the Vatican yesterday, called the proposed 700-mile border fence between the US and Mexico "an inhuman program, which is what the construction of that wall and all others is." He said this in response to a reporter's question: is the U.S.-Mexican fence the wrong thing to do? (Which is sort of like the old bias stereotype, "Is it true you beat your wife, Mr. Smith?")

There are many cardinals in the Catholic Church and quite a few of them live in Rome. Whenever someone quotes a Church official in the Vatican, I always look at his title. Many times, the priest, bishop or cardinal is speaking for no one but himself. However, the media reports all statements from the Vatican as being from the Pope himself, in the same way that everything Tony Snow mutters is White House policy. While this may not be fair, it is the way of the world. What makes this statement all the more maddening is the fact that the Cardinal was making a statement in Pope Benedict's name before the question and answer period---if he was just stating his personal opinion, it was hardly the time or place to do so.

As an American and someone who has been Catholic his entire life, it is sometimes easy to forget that the Church strives to represent the entire planet, not just American Catholics. That's why the Church is against the death penalty---we may have a system that ensures only the guilty are executed, but not every nation does. So when a cardinal speaks of walls as keeping humans divided, I can understand what he's saying. However, why is a wall along the US border with Mexico at the top of the offensive list? What about the virtual wall built around Chinese dissidents? How about the walls around North Korean political prisoners? More to the point, how about addressing the situation in Mexico which has created the need for a wall in the first place? His Excellency would do well to notice the lack of walls between the US and Canada.

Non-Catholics look at a statement such as this and become dismissive of the Church. I can hardly blame them. The gap between reality and the socialist fantasies perpetuated by the liberation theologists in Rome is becoming wider and wider, and more and more of us are becoming lost in it.

Stalking, Waiting

If this doesn't make you feel a little uneasy, then you're not paying attention. This is Cold War-type stuff.

Gaps

I apologize for the lack of posts over the past few days. Our Tejas family was in town and time just didn't allow much time for posting. Those of you who listen to the podcast will notice a gap in coverage as well. I shall endeavor to remedy that today.

Also, I needed some time away from the blog after the election last Tuesday. While I was not surprised by the results, I am disappointed by the number of otherwise intelligent conservatives I have heard say that a solid defeat was needed in order to refocus the Republican Party. If that's the case, I don't know how many of these "corrections" I or the party can stand.

A Democracy, If You Can Keep It

Jim Webb has won the Virginia Senate race. That means Democrats control both the House and the Senate; it's only by thin margins, but they do an amazing job of voting as a block. I wish I could say the same for Republicans. Dems talk about diversity, but the proof is in the pudding.

Rummy Out

And so Donald Rumsfeld rides off into the sunset. I sincerely hope that those of you who saw him as the Focus of Evil in the Modern World are happy; after all, this is what you've wanted since about January 25, 2001. He was not the polished politician you are used to seeing at Pentagon briefings. In fact, he sort of gave the impression that he thought he was better than the lilliputian pseudo-intellectual media types he was forced to talk to every day.

I liked that about him.

So who's next on the beat-down list? Cheney? Just curious.

Change

The Democrats now have control of the House of Representatives; the fate of the Senate has yet to be determined as of this writing. The Dems did an excellent job of making this election a referendum on President Bush and the war in Iraq. There is no ignoring the skill present in the spin.

One thing I wish to point out this morning is that throwing rocks at those in charge and actually being the person in charge are two entirely different things. I have yet to hear a coherent plan from leading Dems on anything. On Iraq, it seems that they are of the opinion that we should leave. The details, I presume, are forthcoming. Other than that, there doesn't seem to be a plan and it's a little late to formulate potential policy after the start of the year. Remember, we'll be doing this again in two years.

Those of you who consider yourselves moderate Democrats (I believe this is the majority of the party) need to remember that your party is now beholden to the fever swamp radicals who dominate the liberal half of the blogosphere. These are the people who attacked Joe Lieberman for agreeing with President Bush on Iraq, despite the fact he is a staunch liberal on every other issue. The vultures must be fed.

The Midday Follies

It's 1:30 EST and, just like you, I still don't know a damn thing. Try to imagine the days when it would take weeks to know who had won the elections....oh, wait, that was in 2000. Forget it.

Oh, there is this. I'm so proud that I was born and work in such a fine city. After reading that, I'm sure you think I don't own shoes and that I'm married to one of my sisters. Congratulations, asshats; you're still Kansucky.

The fur is already flying over poll hours, electronic voting machines, etc. There is no way all the election results will be known this evening, or even this week. And keep in mind that if the Dems do not win at the ballot box, they will try to do so in court. They have done the same thing with gay marriage, the Second Amendment, and they tried like hell to steal an election not so long ago. There is nothing more dangerous than a liberal in power---except a liberal out of power.

Election Eve

I thought it might be interesting to see what you, the loyal reading audience of this blog, think about what might happen tomorrow. No matter what your political beliefs are, please, please, please vote. Many thousands of Americans have died all over the world to ensure that your freedoms and rights continue to exist. DON'T BLOW IT OFF.

The Republicans will lose the House and keep the Senate.

Damned If You Do...

Here's a prediction for Tuesday, based on what I'm hearing and reading. If the Dems do not make the gains they are planning for, they will bring legal action in all relevant districts using the new electronic voting machines. Because, of course, we all know that the Dems couldn't possibly be handed a defeat, could they?

The mainstream media has been talking about these machines for weeks, so you know the setup is in. Watch closely.

Thus To Tyrants

Saddam is going to hang. The appeals process in Iraq is very different from the process here in the US. If Hussein were put on death row here, he would die in his cell before he exhausted his appeals process. Over there, it takes about two months.

I wonder if a man like Saddam Hussein is capable of remorse or regret. Could he still possibly believe that his actions were justifiable? Could he be that delusional?

Poll Dancing

Living in south-central Indiana, I have the chance to observe two very tight Congressional races: Ninth district Indiana between Mike Sodrel (R) and Baron Hill (D) and Anne Northup (R) and John Yarmuth (D) in the Third Kentucky district, which is basically Louisville. Every day we hear over and over again about this or that poll, which is then over-analyzed to the point of absurdity.

Polling as we know it today is almost meaningless. Most polls are conducted over land-based phone lines, which is the first problem as more and more people use only a cell phone as their primary means of communication. Second, the sample size on some of these polls is ridiculously small. When the sample size becomes that small, you get crazy crap like this. 1010 people in four countries? That's ...biased journalism.

Exit polling is also non-indicative of how an election is proceeding. Many people will not speak to a pollster about their vote, and a study done at the University of Michigan (IIRC) shows that conservatives are less likely to discuss their voting practices than liberals; it's a privacy thing. Even if the situation were reversed, it still points to lopsided polling.

ABC has announced that they will do no exit polling this year, which is a good start. In 2004, it looked like John Kerry was going to win by 2PM, which undoubtedly kept some people home. On election day, accuracy is essential---unless, of course, one is driven by agenda.

Apology Forthcoming

Senator Kerry has apologized:

"I sincerely regret that my words were misinterpreted to wrongly imply anything negative about those in uniform and I personally apologize to any service member, family member or American who was offended,"

He actually apologized for the "misinterpretation" of his words, but it is an apology nonetheless. Glad you finally woke up, Senator.

Now let's move on. I realize that he went on, once again, to attack the President's foreign policy, but it doesn't matter---we saw John Kerry's true colors and that's all we need to know. This is the kind of person the Democrats run for President now; vote accordingly.

Before It's Too Late

Day two of Senator Kerry not apologizing.