Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Some Brief Observations
A Baby-Boomer or post Baby-Boomer expressing an conviction for peace, cooperation, and "sharing" is like a one week old baby starting a Co-op for breast milk.
Spending more of other people's money isn't "change."
Creating a larger ineffective bureaucracy isn't "change."
Intruding further on the daily lives of citizens and calling for more allegiance to collective ideals certainly isn't "change."
...It's all more of the same.
Someone should clue in both Obama and Hillary (and most of the Democrat party for that matter) as to the meaning of the word "change."
We can clearly discern that Bush planned a secret "inside job" in the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center...
...because his 1993 attack on the same building failed (???).
Anytime someone says they're "going to give you free...[i.e. health care]," it means they're not going to give you free [ie. health care] and they're probably going to take something from you as well.
Friday, April 25, 2008
Still Waiting....
Where's all that oil that America was supposed to seize in Iraq? Remember?, that's why Bush "rushed" to war – "for oil."
Saddam's regime was defeated quickly. It should have been a simple matter to secure the oil, arrange direct transport to the U.S. and forget all the time, effort, money, and lives wasted simply repairing neglected infrastructure and attempting to plant the seeds of a somewhat democratic society in Iraq. Then again – I know, this is far-fetched – maybe the war wasn't really for oil. And maybe, just maybe, the job continues (minus the much craved oil spoils) because someone doesn't want to see a ruthless undemocratic theocratic regime imposed there again.
"Blood for oil"...yeah, whatever...
Friday, April 18, 2008
The New Nationalism In China -- From Tibet to Taiwan...While Playing Games
It's easy for protests and world-wide whines to emerge when America's freely elected government makes choices – for good or ill – that others don't like. (The entire American congress voted to remove an Iraqi mafioso from power – though some now wish their votes were not part of historical record). Certainly many Americans hated seeing Abu Ghraib photos repeatedly displayed over months by news media and "artists" world-wide (a bit disproportional in pressing a point)
Many Americans disdain actions in Iraq (both unofficial actions and official ones) and openly proclaim their sense of embarrassment or shame over what they see as blasphemy to their anti-war convictions...or posings.
In quite an opposite style of response, It appears that many citizens of China are currently incapable of seeing any flaws in the policies of their unelected dictatorship. To the contrary, a cocky arrogance has become widespread among common citizens in China, in essence telling much of the world to go to hell regarding the heavy hand the communist party has once more brought upon "internal affairs [in Tibet]."*
These are the folks who many in the world would like to see over-take the U.S. in world prestige, influence, and power – a dictatorship who's greatest friends and allies are the world's other ruthless authoritarian enterprises.
There's currently a powerful nationalism emerging in China that sees "China," its citizens, and the Chinese Communist Party as one voice – all lockstep with no dissent even tolerated. At this point, the rest of the world's leaders and citizens still have it within their power to shut down the grandstanding dragon before it reaches the crown it seeks. Unfortunately, we're currently getting the UN approach to the matter, slaps on the wrist – lukewarm statements of "concern" or some threats to merely boycott opening ceremonies at the Olympic games in Beijing.
A dictatorship shouldn't even have been given the prestige and status of being chosen to host the Olympic games in the first place.
The stupid fools among China's population who think the current lot of autocrats that rule China speak for them need to be "slapped on the wrist" a bit harder perhaps – then across the face...hard! I hope the day comes when the victims of China's gulag socialist state can hang the bastards that have ruled far beyond their expiration date.
For many years, the U.S. and its allies sought to remedy the Saddam problem in Iraq, finally acting with the full approval of America's elected congress (how's that for an "illegal" war?). Protest has been pervasive and many American citizens have voiced the variety of opinions that one expects in an open society. (An extreme example of this has been at least ten (!) very biased "anti-war" movies regarding Iraq that embolden the terrorist authoritarian-fascist enemy as the conflict is still occurring). Yet, some would tell us that China's actions in their handling of events in Tibet are no different than those of the U.S. throughout its history.
In China today, an authoritarian clique' has once more roughed up a segment of its own citizens but, unlike the varied responses of citizens in free countries, many in China follow the party-line and further demand a respect unearned and growing influence to a group of thugs that control, coerce, and kill their own citizens.
While symbolic protests over events in Tibet -- this time in favor of freedom vs. dictatorship -- have occurred around the world, the games go on and China now has been given a clear signal as to what they may do in Taiwan. Again, thousands may die because some fools wanted – short term – "peace."
Giving dictatorships a pass is always a bad idea and one that others come to eventually regret.
Too bad.
*I fully realize that the left accuses the U.S. of this very style of arrogance but it just isn't so. The U.S. and several of its allies pleaded and "talked" for years regarding the Hussein problem in Iraq with no results. When the time came to choose action or more useless talk (how many "resolutions" does one need before acting?), the U.S. gave the Iraqi dictator choices in how to cooperate or face war – Iraq chose war, and got it. There isn't a single country in the world that can't emphatically say "no!" to the U.S and they often do just that. France and Germany can hardly say they were coerced into war in Iraq by an arrogant America. They simply sided with the dictator – as they so often do – and held their ground while seeking to sway others to their view (some oil for food program money certainly helped to seal the deal).
Saturday, April 12, 2008
A Belated Acknowledgment of Greatness
Greatness is something seen in small doses nowadays. If it dares show itself it is often held in scorn by some or rationalized out of existence ("everyone's special").
Charlton Heston was an excellent actor. Unlike many of today's actors -- good or otherwise – he also held a value system seldom seen in post – WWII generations.
I'm not a big "second amendment" guy (though I realize the value of the issue and probably should be more passionate about it) but there was certainly more to Charlton Heston's cultural stance than his role in the National Rifle Association. It's often forgotten that he was active in the civil rights issues of the 60's long before they become issues among the pampered class of Hollywood. Of course one would never know this from mere doctored footage of him by Michael Moore in "Bowling for Columbine." The worthless grossly dishonest socialist slob Moore was despicable in his treatment of Heston in his (Moore's) anti gun-ownership film polemic.
Anyway, though this post homage is rather belated, I have been reminded in several sites this week of just what an inspiring and dignified individual Heston was. If god looks human he indeed probably bears a resemblance to Heston (I say only half jokingly).
I remember a commenter at the Libertas web site linking to the following funny but revealing example of Heston, the beyond-great actor. The link captures it all.
Wednesday, April 09, 2008
The Benefits of Doubting – And Not
We all tend to give "the benefit of a doubt" to some side in the issues of the day, and we all are occasionally wrong in our often misplaced sympathies.
Conservatives (classical liberals) in open systems tend to reserve their benefit of a doubt to the decisions and actions of their own free societies and associated systems.
Driven by an obsessive hatred of business enterprise and the success of others, leftists more often than not, direct their doubt benefits to dictators and utopian/authoritarian political schemes. They do this knowing that if such stances were to triumph it would ultimately deprive the benefit of freedom and individual expression to millions, or at minimum control their economic lives and reduce their standard of living. And for this they fancy themselves heroes, "rebels," and scholars of great insight.
Though a specific judgment may occasionally be incorrect, affording the benefit of a doubt to democratic society is an easy exercise in common sense. Cutting some slack to dictators and their intellectual support system is merely an easy exercise in moral corruption and stupidity.
Saturday, April 05, 2008
The Horrors of the Status Quo and the Spread of Prosperity and Freedom
If China attacks Taiwan, who will defend Taiwan's freely elected people? If North Korea attacks South Korea or Japan, who will defend their free peoples? If Iran launches a nuclear tipped missile toward Israel, who will stand in the way of such actions? ("Talks" and conferences are not standing in the way).
If totalitarianism and its spread continues its reemergence, who will stand and rally the forces of free and open society?
...France? Middle-class Canadian snowboarders wearing Che Guevara T-shirts? The corrupt U.N. and its squad of anti-U.S. socialists?
Don't make me laugh.
A strong and influential America may mean the continuation of McDonald's franchises around the world. It may mean Starbucks logos and flavorful coffee beverages in places far and wide. It may mean the loss of another dictator in the world's club of authoritarian despots. It will surely mean a continuation of market driven prosperity and the spread of open democratic government.
A strong America means dictators who are cautious and restrained, whether in North Korea or Iran etc.
A weakened America, so longed for by spoiled brats the world over, means -- in all likelihood -- the continued and fortified ascent of a non-democratic China, the possible (a weakened America would most certainly mean a probable) invasion of Taiwan and a nuclear Iran, not to mention the successful worldwide spread of Jihad inc.
A strong America means, essentially, the status quo. If one sees our times as terrible, this would be a bad thing (and would reflect an observer's inability to discern historical reality and the relative progress of contemporary civilization).
A weak America, or one dominated by the same failed philosophies as the passive and idealistic European socialist mindset, would mean chaos, war (real war on a mass scale), historically unprecedented violence, and the ascendancy of authoritarian governments with nothing to stand in their way.
So, cringe all you want, those of you from the pampered socialist bourgeoisie snob-parade. We Americans are the good guys and you and your minions represent nothing more than the same horrors of the past that we have seen when sympathy is given to tyranny and a powerful free society is held in contempt.