Geert Wilders

I am a huge believer in common sense, which is the reason why I become completely unglued when I read something that doesn’t make sense. Sadly, my “huh?” moments seem to be occurring much more frequently. Today’s moment came when I read a post by RS McCain titled, ADL Denounces Geert Wilders?

Geert Wilders is a Dutch politician and the leader of The Freedom Party. As such, he has been vocal in his opposition to radical Islam. He has been compared to Theo van Gogh who in collaboration with Ayaan Hirsi Ali produced and released the film Submission, which resulted Ali being forced from the Netherlands and van Gogh being stabbed to death. So far, Wilders has managed to avoid van Gogh’s fate, but not prosecution.

I would remind the ADL that the enemy of your enemy is your friend. Wilders has risked both his life and his freedom to oppose radical Islam. Radical Islam has called for the destruction of Israel and Jews throughout the world. By taking a stand against a sworn and determined enemy of the Jews, Wilders has shown himself to be a true friend. The ADL should be ashamed.
h/t The Other McCain

There Seems to Be A Miscommunication

If there as been gnashing of teeth or rending of cloth over Arlen Specter leaving the Republican party it hasn’t been from the hundreds of thousands of conservatives who attended Tea Parties. To last man, everyone I spoke with echoed Michelle Malkin's words, “Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.”

Despite the overwhelming consensus by grass roots conservatives that Specter is as RS McCain described him, a venomous crapweasel, the Republican leadership doesn’t seem to be getting the message. We learned today that the National Republican Senatorial Committee may not back Pat Toomey in Pennsylvania. Hello, is there anybody home? Do they realize that there is a reason that Toomey was leading Specter in the polls?

It appears that some among the party “elite” have lost their footing. I would suggest that they read up on the subject. First, a quote from Ronald Reagan that I found at REDSTATE:

“A political party cannot be all things to all people. It cannot compromise its fundamental beliefs for political expediency, or simply to swell its numbers. It is not a social club or fraternity engaged in intramural contests to accumulate trophies on the mantel over the fireplace…No one can quarrel with the idea that a political party hopes it can attract a wide following, but does it do this by forsaking its basic beliefs? By blurring its own image so as to be indistinguishable from the opposition party?”

Second, read the conservative blogs, both posts and comments. There is a lot of anger out there, and it isn’t all aimed at the left.

h/t Michelle Malkin, The Other McCain, REDSTATE

I Wrote A Number Down A Piece Of Paper

Given the choice between watching the President tonight and sitting out on the patio drinking beer, I made the hard choice and chose the latter over the former. However, I have an important bet riding on this. Who can tell me how many times Obama used the word "inherited"?

Defining Success

Hi, my name is Carol(yn), and I am a Pollyanna. My Mom and Dad raised me to believe that I was born in the greatest country on Earth, and if I was willing to take the opportunities available to me that I could achieve anything and everything. I was brought up to believe that hard work, coupled with hope, and making good choices in the face of expediency, would take me anywhere I was willing to go. These beliefs were re-enforced by my friend’s parents and by my neighbors and in my school and in my church. Growing up, I was taught that success, as well as failure, fell squarely on my shoulders. What the hell happened?

I read this earlier from Mark Steyn:
“On Holocaust Memorial Day 2008, a group of just under 100 people—Londoners and a few visitors —took a guided tour of the old Jewish East End. They visited, among other sites of interest, the birthplace of my old chum Lionel Bart, the author of Oliver! Three generations of schoolchildren have grown up singing Bart’s lyric: Consider yourself At ’ome! Consider yourself One of the family! Those few dozen London Jews considered themselves at ’ome. But they weren’t. Not any more. The tour was abruptly terminated when the group was pelted with stones, thrown by “youths”—or to be slightly less evasive, in the current euphemism of Fleet Street, “Asian” youths. “If you go any further, you’ll die,” they shouted, in between the flying rubble.”

Mr. Steyn doesn’t tell us what consequences were faced by the rock throwers. Most likely because there were none. Rather than punishing hate, the progressives among us use hate to punish and belittle those groups of people who insult the left’s “accepted ideology” of success and failure.

At some point, being wealthy became shameful, and thus a failure. The same applies to Jews, Christians, women who are pro-life and blacks who are conservative. Hate, and ugly hate at that, has become progressive. People are no longer judged by the content of their character but how closely they mirror the agenda of the left.

My name is Carol(yn). I am a Pollyanna and I believe good people will stand up and will win not only the day, but ultimately, the war.

h/t SteynOnline

That Ain't My Momma's Hokey Pokey

RS McCain posited earlier that all great rock music was recorded by the time John Bonham died. I would argue that there have been a few great songs since 1980 but I would also argue that “dismal” is a much better description of recent music than “great.” Case in point, I am currently out on the patio enjoying the warm temps and the breeze coming off the bay, EXCEPT, my new neighbor’s teenage son and his friends are enjoying some music in their driveway. Not just any music. The current “song” is the Hokey Pokey. If you are thinking, “put your left foot in, take your left foot out” ha, ha, ha, are you STUPID! This is the rap version, and it isn’t the left foot that is going in and out.

I’ve heard bad music before. My kids took violin lessons for ten years. Listening to them practice that first year was like having wisdom teeth cut out without Novocain while the dental assistant scratched a blackboard. Pain I can handle-lyrical idiocy, not so much.

h/t The Other McCain

Past, Present, Future

I have said that I am grateful to President Bush for keeping my country safe and pissed at him for being such a doofus on domestic policy. His legacy, being a hind sight thing, will more likely be judged by my children or grandchildren than by I. But on this “historic” 100th day of President Obama’s reign, let’s first look back, courtesy of Don Surber:

Just for laughs and a possible post, I decided to see how CNN covered the 100th day milestone of President George Walker Bush.
Keating Howard of CNN did a pretty fair job, citing a CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll: “Most say he is a strong leader, inspires confidence, keeps his promises, and can get things done. He even gets high marks on the “vision thing” that plagued his father. Some 55 percent say his policies would move the country in the right direction, and 62 percent say they approve of how he is handling his job as president. Vice President Cheney, for the record, gets an almost identical approval rating."

Based on his current performance I’d be willing to bet that Obama’s ratings are significantly lower than Bush’s at the one year mark.

Winners and Losers

Well folks, our President has a new Health and Human Services secretary and the winner is, as expected, Kathleen Sebelius by a vote of 65-31. She earned this honor by meeting the administration's "tax cheat" requirement and more importantly by supporting abortion all the time, any time.

If you believe that supporting abortion is a vital characteristic for a HHS secretary than Kathleen is definitely your gal. As governor of Kansas, Kat vetoed anti-abortion legislation in 2003, 2005, 2006, and again in 2008. Good thing because one of her major contributors was George Tiller.

In case your not familiar with Dr. Tiller, he is an abortion doctor who according to his website, performs abortions even after the child is considered viable. Viability is the point that the child is capable is living outside of the womb. Or more plainly put, a living, breathing, feeling human being. Dr. Tiller's can only be described as evil.

I don't have the stomach to describe how Tiller plies his trade but suffice to say his methods don't fall under "do no harm". However, the good doctor isn't completely insensitive to the "mother's needs. He even provides funeral services for the children he aborts. Heck of a guy, and now he's got a friend in Washington.

So, Kat won. Future generations lost.

If you are interested in how your senator voted, Michelle Malkin has the breakdown.

Should We Throw Him A Coming Out Party?

Arlen Specter's announcement that he has decided to come out of the closet has caught few by surprise. There were tale tell signs. He never seemed comfortable in his own skin, sure of who he was. It was as if he were playing a roll but he couldn't identify with the character.

Its better this way. The constant rumors and speculation concerning Arlen's "preferences" must have been a burden. Always having to make excuses, always looking wistfully, longingly at "the other side."

It's okay, Arlen. We're ready to let you go.

h/t Drudge

Update The reaction is coming in so here are some selected quotes:

RS McCain "Exit lying. One less member of the Senate Republican "Jellyfish Caucus." Specter reminds me of the high-school slut trying to sleep her way to popularity -- a weak reed, blown by the shifting winds. The fact that the national GOP apparatus lined up behind this venomous crapweasel in 2004 is all you need to know about what a worthless waste of time the national GOP apparatus was during the Bush/Mehlman era."

Don Surber, “Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania changes parties. He will remain a Democrat. It is just that from now on, he will admit it.”

Ed Driscoll, "An ever-stalwart conservative icon remains loyal to Specter, despite his move (further) to the left: Andrew Sullivan dubs the Democrat “my kind of Republican in many ways.”

Vodkapundit Stephen Green suggests that, “ Either Harry Reid offered him something juicy, or Specter developed a conscience. You make the call!”

Well, it doesn't appear that Arlen will be missed. But then, how can you miss something you never really had?

h/t The Other McCain, Don Surber, Vodkapundit and Ed Driscoll

The Difference Between Me And Mom

I say "WTF"? Mom says, "WTSH? For the young people who have tripped on by, that's "What the Sam Hill"? No clue who Sam Hill is, or what she meant when my Mom said it, it was never a good thing. Plus, she always followed it up with "Am I wrong?". It is a braver person than I who would answer, "well, yeah."

Apparently, whoever decided to do a flyby in NYC never met my Mom. Hint: Common sense is a good thing.

h/t Paco, Don Surber, and Mom

Random Thoughts On Being A Feminist

I learned everything I needed to know about being a feminist from my Mom, with no small measure of help from my Dad. But Mom is the focus today.


I thought about the lessons I learned from my Mom after reading RS McCain's post Whorism. It seems to me that women these days believe that the path to power, and equality, is the path to masculinity. In other words, the only way for a woman to achieve success is to be more like a man. That belief is a head shaker for my Mom.


Mom has always believed that successful women distinguish themselves from men. Don't get me wrong, Mom likes men, and one man in particular-my Dad. She simply thinks that rather than imitating men, women should capitalize on their own strengths and those characteristics that set them aside from men. Therefore, my Mom would be the first to say that men are whores and women cut their own throats by trying to be something they aren't.


Mom doesn't need a researcher to tell her that men view sex as a physical act or that women see it through the prism of their emotions. Mom knows that in even now, the glory days of "sexting" and Skank Doll Barbie, good girls finish first.


Mom would say that men want women, and they want them more when women respect themselves, and expect, demand, that men respect them too.


My Mom is a real feminist. And after fifty-eight years of marriage, my Dad still looks at her like she's the hottest woman on Earth.


h/t The Other McCain

Live Free or Die

Anyone who has spent any time on this site, and I am acutely aware that there are very few of you, will note that I am a big fan of Mark Steyn. To clear the air, I am not a driving cross country in a diaper fan. I would consider it, except a) I am a truly crappy driver (see: Totaled, as in every car I've ever owned), b) New Hampshire is north of the Mason-Dixon line and c) diapers make my butt look big. All that aside, Mr. Steyn has married the art of telling it how it is with telling how it is in an entertaining manner.

An inescapable truth is that we all want to be entertained. Serious minded folk may object, but on closer inspection, the only thing that serious minded folk are serious minded about is being taken serious. When someone like Mr. Steyn comes along and presents serious, and well thought out, observations on serious matters, that, serious people should pay attention to, serious people stop being serious and become furious. That he is able to come to the table with an inordinate amount of (factual) statistics and present them (facts) in a clever and entertaining manner, is no small accomplishment.

Lights Out, Mr. Steyn's follow up to America Alone, lives up to Steyn's tradition of laying out the facts in an unvarnished manner that manages to hold the reader's attention with a unique sense of humour, while it entertains and informs. The good news for smart asses, like myself, is that Steyn effectively mocks "niceness", the real bane of conservatism.

I assume that recommending a book is passe' these days. We, Americans, are known for our short attention spans and for limiting our reading to the current vogue websites. However, the days of sunshine are upon us and I can't think of a better book than Lights Out to read as your basking in the sun. Unless you are one of those people who spray tans.

Power Corrupts, So What?

Is it true that absolute power corrupts absolutely? Do you care?

Exhibit A filed under "Your tax dollars at work"

Exhibit B filed under "Your tax dollars at work"

Exhibit C filed under "Dude, wheres my tax dollars?

Exhibit D filed under "MY taxes pay your salary"

We have always been a country that moans about our elected officials but election after election we put them right back in to office (see drunk killer Ted Kennedy). The question is, are we prepared to remain a country of of loud talking hypocrites who enjoy talking the talk and then go back home to live business as usual?



Are you willing to play nice while your elected government confiscates the money you work so hard for is converted in to tax dollars and is wasted? While the people who are supposed to be looking out for you and your family are disparaging the vets returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan and then refusing to close the borders to real radicals? We are smack dab in the middle of the biggest power grab known to this country. What are you going to do about it? Yeah, I said you. Individual rights. Individual responsibility. It isn't Lights Out yet, but it is up to YOU whether or not the switch is flipped.

h/t Instapundit, Don Surber, The Oher McCain, Mark Steyn and Imprimis

Don't You Know our Place?

Mark Steyn nails it, as always, in explaining the left's sneer at the rubes who participated in the
Tea Parties:

My old editor, Charles Moore, has a piece in the London Telegraph on the 30th anniversary of Mrs Thatcher's arrival in Downing Street. Very pertinent, as Britain regresses to the basket-case Seventies. But this passage, I think, has relevance to the American elite's view of the current Tea Parties. Charles quotes the leftie writer Hanif Kureishi's condescending dismissal - "Thatcher, like the Queen, is basically vulgar" - and adds:
Without having Hanif Kureishi's exalted, exquisite, Nancy-Mitford-style sensitivity for class distinctions, I do see that the combination of Mrs Thatcher's beliefs and her social origins (and perhaps also her sex) is toxic for people like him.
People like Mrs Thatcher – state-educated, lower-middle-class, provincial, female – were not supposed to question the 1945 state-socialist settlement. To its architects, such people were of no account. They were neither poor enough to attract romantic sympathy, nor grand enough to be entitled to power. They were expected to know their place.
There's a lot of that in that CNN reporter's coverage of the Tea Parties: You'll be getting your $400 Obama "tax credit". So what's your beef? Why don't you know your place?
These people also are "neither poor enough to attract romantic sympathy, nor grand enough to be entitled to power". Which is why the media feel free to sneer. In the long run, a society can function without Susan Roesgen, but not without a small-business sector and a middle-class that's able to retain the fruits of its labors.
************************************************************************************

I have an undergraduate degree from a state school. I earn enough to pay the mortgage and keep the car on the road but not enough to take a vacation anywhere I'd actually like to go. I firmly believe there's nothing better than a good cold beer (domestic) and any clothes I own bearing a designer label were bought for me by my mother during one of her weekly scavenger hunts at the local second hand stores. I am, like my fellow tea partyers, as common as dirt.

There is a long standing tradition of working stiffs like me wearying of our "betters" dismissive attitudes and history doesn't favor the elites. After all, they need me, and my kind, a lot more than we need them. Fair warning, the common folk are feeling uppity.

Some People Just Never Grow Up

One day, a while back I was staying with my grandchildren after school while my daughter ran some errands. My grandson was at the table doing his homework and my granddaughter and I were sitting on the couch talking. Out of the blue Olivia announced, “I have a boyfriend.” From the table Jeremy said, calmly and quietly, “No, you don’t.” This set off an exchange between the two of them that grew more and more implausible on Olivia’s part, being met by quiet logic from her brother. At no time did Jeremy raise his voice or resort to name calling. In fact, he continued doing his homework the entire time as he logically countered each of Olivia’s ridiculous statements. I didn’t interfere because a) in the absence of bloodshed children should handle their own battles and b) I was enjoying the show. The grandkids, now five and eight years old, have since moved to Arizona. I thought about their argument after reading RS McCain's thoughts on Bill Maher.

Bill Maher is a small minded, childish boor whose ability to reason is as stunted as his growth. He is disdainful of facts, ignorant of grace and devoid of curiosity. He surrounds himself with parrots and hides from competing thoughts. He revels in confronting others but recoils from being confronted. His show is a one way street. He throws the occasional conservative into the fray not to provoke an exchange of ideas but to belittle his guest for the amusement of his audience. Maher is one of those self-truncated snobs who believes that the loudest person wins.

I haven’t watched Maher in quite some time. I never found him informative, thoughtful or even funny. He reacts to disagreement in much the same way my young granddaughter would. And while she’ll grow up, sadly, Bill is at the peak his maturity.



h/t The Other McCain

My Friday Favorites

A brief roundup of the posts I've enjoyed today:

The Other McCain on individual morality versus social justice

Don Surber provides a reality check on universal heathcare

Paco's thoughts on torture

Ed Driscoll gives us a look at banking

And a post from Tim Blair that I loved so much I had to cut and paste it for your reading pleasure:

DITCH CARP OF DEMOCRACY
Tim Blair – Saturday, April 25, 09 (04:50 am)
A highlight from P.J. O’Rourke’s Sydney speech:
America has wound up with a charming leftist as a president. And this scares me. This scares me not because I hate leftists. I don’t. I have many charming leftist friends. They’re lovely people - as long as they keep their nose out of things they don’t understand. Such as making a living.
When charming leftists stick their nose into things they don’t understand they become ratchet-jawed purveyors of monkey-doodle and baked wind. They are piddlers upon merit, beggars at the door of accomplishment, thieves of livelihood, envy coddling tax lice applauding themselves for giving away other people’s money. They are the lap dogs of the poly sci-class, returning to the vomit of collectivism. They are pig herders tending that sow-who-eats-her-young, the welfare state. They are muck-dwelling bottom-feeders growing fat on the worries and disappointments of the electorate. They are the ditch carp of democracy.
And that’s what one of their friends says.

Happy friday to all of you.

Banks: Fees, Fees and Damned Fees

Is your bank sucking the life out of you? Using the money you entrust to them to pay outrageous bonuses to fat cat execs and then feeing you to death every time you turn around? And if you can't pay your fees do they charge you a fee for not paying your fees and turn you in to the credit bureau? Never fear, your government is coming to a banking center near you.

Matthew Vadum at The American Spectator writes that President Obama called various bankers in and told them that they could either voluntarily play nice or the government would take matters in to their own hands. I doubt anyone will shed a tear for the banks. After all, banks have long used fees to plump up the bottom to the detriment of their customers.


This is simply the government's way of increasing its sway over a private industry under the pretense of aiding the little guy. As the government exerts more control on the nation's banking system individuals will find that their financial options are decreased. However, this doesn't mean that customers should sit back and allow their banks to continue to abuse them.

Banks have gotten away with charging high interest rates on loans while paying low interest rates on deposits and feeing their customers right and left because they have convinced the public that they represent the only game in town. This simply isn't true. Customers do not need the government to ride in a white horse and save them from the big bad banks. Customers need to put the free market system and competition to work for them.

I began working in the banking industry in 1986. I have been employed by a credit union for ten years. As someone who knows both sides of the story, let me tell you a secret. Banks will take your business for granted. Credit unions will compete for your business. Shop for a financial institution, study, compare. You don't need the government for that.



h/t The Other McCain

History Repeats?

Do you ever feel like environmentalists want to control every facet of your life from what you drive to what you eat to what you smoke to how many children you should be allowed to have? Would it surprise you that there is a connection between Earth Day and Lenin? If it does I would strongly urge you to read Liberal Fascism by Jonah Goldberg. History really does repeat itself. If you let it.

Thanks to Paco

Just Because I Am A Conservative Don't Think I Have To Be A Republican

My daughter and I now communicate through quick online chats. Its a time zone thing coupled with a life stage thing. We are on many levels just not at the same place. However, as happens when parents and children age, we've grown closer than we were ten years ago. Anyway, I was chatting with her about the Tea Party here in Tampa and I told her that I didn't feel comfortable in the Republican Party anymore. I became a Republican two years before my daughter was born and my conservatism has defined my life and is central to how I raised my children. I wanted so much to explain to my daughter, and myself, why my loyalties had changed while I am still the same. I didn't have the words. Until tonight.


Then I came across an email that Tom Wright sent to Glenn Reynolds at Instapundit:

"While some Republican office holders may move towards embracing Libertarian values what is really happening is simple.
The Republican Party is going through the same death throes as Chrysler, GM, Bear Stearns, Lehman Brothers, etc.; and for the same reason. The “management” of the Republican party abandoned its “customer base” and began producing a “product” that was a pale imitation of its competitor. Bad decisions at the top have basically placed the Republican Party into ideological receivership.
I would love to see a meaningful libertarian oriented party spring up to fill the void. Then the nation could have a true debate on market-based versus government-based approaches to the challenges we face."

Exactly. For years, decades, I bought the Republican Party product. Management came to believe that my loyalty would continue even when they began producing a product that was no longer meeting my needs. I can't afford to waste the money I work so hard for but when my party had control of the presidency and congress, they took my money and spent it without restraint.

I take the security of my family very seriously. The management of my party decided border security wasn't a priority. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate that my party stood strong on terrorism, overseas, and stayed the course, overseas, despite the near-sighted folks on the left. But, if they expect me to allow them through my vote to represent me, they had better represent me day in and day out. If they don't want to do that I will look for somebody who will. Loyalty is a two way street.

Huh?

Just when you think you've heard it all along comes another WTF moment.

In the words of Don Surber, Evil.

h/t Tim Blair

Great News!

I just got some great news over at Don Surber's place. Mayor Bloomberg has declared that government should get out of individuals private lives. I for one, am so grateful that the mayor has had this epiphany and that he finally recognises that as adults and free citizens we.....what? Excuse me a moment.
.
.
.
Sorry. I'm back. I've just learned that Mayor Bloomberg was only speaking to gay marriage. My diet and smoking habits are still on the table. Well. My. Okay, but before you come after my beer I think you should know that I have pliers and I know to use them.

Is Everything Political Now?

Here we have Miss USA judge extraordinaire, Perez Hilton, who asked Miss California, Carrie Prejean, for her opinion on gay marriage. The last thing I want to do is get in to Mr. Perez's head, but if I had to guess why he would ask that particular question of a Miss USA contestant I would say that he had a political motive. I believe he mistakenly thought that Ms. PreJean would answer favoring gay marriage. Had she stated that she supported gay marriage it would have shown, in Mr. Perez's thinking, just how Mom and apple pie the issue has become. But she didn't. She stated that she believes that marriage is between a man and a woman.

In the world according to NOW, women fall in to two categories: those who adhere to their liberal master's agenda or bitches who must be vilified by any means (see Sarah Palin). Hilton Perez wasted no time before he posited that Prejean is a "dumb bitch." Also weighing in were a string of Hollywood A-listers such as Shannon Oakler and Heidi Montag (yeah, I'm not sure who they are either). But the most interesting was a comment quoted from Michelle Malkin's site:

Instead of apologizing for pageant judge Perez Hilton's vile behavior, the pageant director of the Miss California contest, Keith Lewis, sent a note to Hilton throwing Prejean under the bus: "I am personally saddened and hurt that Miss CA USA 2009 believes marriage rights belong only to a man and a woman. . . . Religious beliefs have no place in politics in the Miss CA family."

"Religious beliefs have no place in politics in the Miss CA family." I haven't watched the pageant in years so help me out. When did politics earn a place in Miss USA?

h/t The Other McCain

Update: I'm told that Ms. Oakler's name is Moakler. I still don't know who she is but apparently she either is or isn't married to Travis Barker, who I also am not familiar with.

I Feel Better

Feinstein, Visclosky, Dodd, Rattner, Murtha, Rangel, Frank, Geithner-I don't know about you but I am plum tuckered. Thank God we've got Nancy Pelosi working for us to clean up the swamp.

h/t The Other McCain and Instapundit

Bring on the Waterboarding, Screw the Weasels

Beslan school hostage crisis
From Wikipedia

The Beslan school hostage crisis (also referred to as the Beslan school siege or Beslan massacre) began when a group of armed terrorists, demanding an end to the Second Chechen War, took more than 1,100 people (including some 777 children) hostage on September 1, 2004, at School Number One (SNO) in the town of Beslan, North Ossetia-Alania, an autonomous republic in the North Caucasus region of the Russian Federation. On the third day of the standoff, Russian security forces stormed the building using tanks, thermobaric rockets and other heavy weapons. A series of explosions shook the school, followed by a fire which engulfed the building and a chaotic gunbattle between the hostage-takers and Russian security forces. Ultimately, at least 334 hostages were killed, including 186 children. Hundreds more were wounded or reported missing.

Whats got me so fired up? Phillip's comments from this post at The Other McCain. Read his comments and wrap you head around the fact that given the choice between another Breslin School massacre or a 9-11 or waterboarding a terrorist Phillips thinks it is more civil and Christian to let the planes fly and the kids die.

Well Phillip, if you believe it makes me unChristian to support torture, so flipping be it. I believe my government's job isn't to pay my mortgage or put gas in my tank. I believe it is their duty to defend me. By whatever means.

Not That I would Know

Is it just happen chance that on 4-20 President Jimmy Carter had his encounter with the "Killer Rabbit?" I"m not being judgemental. Stranger things have happenned. I'm told.

h/t Instapundit

Just Another Way of Saying, "Shut Up!"

My copy of Mark Steyn's Lights Out arrived today. Mr. Steyn came under attack by the Human Rights Commission in Canada after an excerpt of his book America Alone was printed in Maclean's, a Canadian news magazine. Steyn was accused of being a racist and diseminating hate speech. His book was neither racist nor hateful but why let facts get in the way when there's free speech to be pummelled?

The word "racist" is now interchangeable with "shut up!" It is thrown out there when ever someone wants to end a conversation that for whatever reason, the name caller is uncomfortable with. Unfortunately, too often the tactic works.

Not always. When someone like Jeanne Garofalo says that people who participated in Tea Parties are racists "pure and simple", the accusation is mainly laughable (particularly when she follows up with a dissertaion on brain functions). But, the accusation becomes much more dangerous when used by nice people.

Nice people use the word "racist" to stop conversation because they genuinly believe that it is mean to offend anyone. The result is that we can not have an honest conversation about Islam because an open exchange of ideas might hurt someone's feelings.

What nice people seem to be incapible of answering is how they decide who does and doesn't have the right to have their feelings protected. Currently, hurting the feelings of Christians or Jews is good/Muslims bad. Gays are protected but woe to the Miss America contestant who believes that marriage is between a man and a woman.

Rather than picking and choosing shouldn't we in the United States use the First Amendment as our guideline? It could result in the KKK holding a rally in your town square, but honestly, when was the last time you witnessed a Klan rally and what was the reaction from your fellow citizens? It was free speech that tamped out the Klan and Neo Nazis and other fringe groups. Shutting down debate cheapens society. Using the word "racist" indescriminately simply dilutes it's meaning.

Sunday On The Porch

Like a lot of Americans I appreciate the occasional sporting event. I lucked out over at Blair's this afternoon where he and his commenters managed to combine a rousing game of Bash the Basher with a WWF worthy round of Spank the Weasel. Please, enjoy!

Do We Have the Will?

The ever thoughtful Mark Steyn writes:

"The proper response of free men to the trivial but degrading impositions of the state is to answer as Pierre Lemieux did. But it requires a kind of 24/7 tenacity few can muster - and the machinery of bureaucracy barely pauses to scoff: In an age of mass communication and computer records, the screen blips for the merest nano-second, and your gun rights disappear. The remorseless, incremental annexation of "individual existence" by technologically all-pervasive micro-regulation is a profound threat to free peoples. But do we have the will to resist it?"

I believe that here in the United States we do still have the will to halt the government's encroachment in to our lives. The much maligned Tea Party movement is a prime example of not only our desire, but will, to resist. However, I do understand why Mr. Steyn might be skeptical. We have after all, sat meekly by as government has incrementally shuttered our freedom. It wasn't until the current administration and Congress attempted a massive power grab via the bailouts, stimulus, etc., that the mouse decided to wake up and let out a roar.

The test is whether we sustain the roar or return to our slumber. I am betting on the former.

Read Steyn's fine piece here.

Happy Birthday, Trig!

Isn't it odd how a memory can sit on a shelf in the back of the closet for the longest time and then it reappears and surrounds you? I just read Smitty's post Happy Birthday, Trig! and suddenly a long buried memory surfaced.

One day, during my junior year in high school, my sociology teacher asked the class to vote by a show of hands whether the baby of a single mother would be better off aborted or adopted. I sat there as my friends all raised their hands in agreement that it was better for the child to be aborted. I excused myself from class and cried myself sick in a stall in the girl's restroom.

Had the teacher asked whether a baby with downs syndrome would be better off aborted I am sure the vote would have been the same. I am equally sure that my life, like Trig's, means something.

Society has long decided whose life is worthy based on the arbitrary notions of the day. Society has often been wrong.

For a bit of inspiration, please read Heroine.

Wow

Just, WOW. Take in the whole thing including the comments. Talk about spanking the weasel!

The Good News Just Keeps Coming

When is it good news that a politician with a 98% conservative rating gets booed? When he is an elected official who sold his country down the river on the Stimulus Bill. Payback is a bitch. Read the details.

Free Speech Protected in Florida

Free speech received a shout out here in Florida. For the details read the post at Atlas Shrugged. I've been walking around a bit red faced since my governor Charlie Crist decided that fawning all over The Might O was good for Florida (himself?).

One particularly cringe-worthy day in Florida's history resulted in my state's shame being YouTubed for all to see here.

Perhaps this new law means that there is (some) light at the end of the tunnel.

Spank the Weasel

Much has been said lately about those smarmy little trolls who post comments on conservative websites. They typically have little to add to the debate and often believe that name calling and potty talk qualifies as "rational discourse." When called out on their ignorance they repost their previous comment and add a couple of more "F**k yous." Insight is definitely not their forte.

As I told in an earlier post, I got fired up over cave dwellers after a back and forth I had over at The Other McCain. The next day, there was an excellent post by McCain titled A Quick Guide to Blog Trolls. Can anyone guess who showed up in the comments?

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Ignorant comment : Philip said...
Robert Stacy McCain grows more narrow minded and paranoid by the day. Here he is spouting a short but chagrining rant about the horrors of . . . wait for it . . . PEOPLE WHO DON’T AGREE WITH HIM

Once again, McCain manages to sum up in one post everything that's wrong with today's conservative movement: Knee-jerk suspicion of debate, reflexive hatred of difference, zero tolerance for those who stray from the party line.Up in the Good Place, conservative icons—gracious conversationalists like WFB and Russell Kirk—must be pulling their hair out.

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It seems obvious that our friend Philip came in to the discussion without anything to add. Then, as if to cement his conservative credentials, he throws in a WFB reference. If I had to guess, I would say that Mr. Buckley does a lot more chuckling in heaven than pulling his hair out. After all, WFB was himself quite adept at spanking weasels.

I enjoy sites that manage to inform me and give me a giggle at the same time. One of my favorites is Tim Blair. Weasels come and weasels go on Mr. Blair's site, but there is always someone who is looking to be spanked.

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Ignorant comment:
Those ‘Tea Party’ Americans are thick as two bricks. They don’t even know their own history: The Boston Tea Party was about taxation without representation. I don’t see any taxation without representation going on in the US—They just had an election!!!
Janine I (Reply)

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Poor Janine I was way over her head on this one. My favorite reply, and there were so many good ones:

JeffS replied to Janine I Sun 19 Apr 09 (12:43am)
Janine, “Taxation without Representation” was indeed a slogan in 1776, but there were other issues as well. You might check out the history behind the 3rd Amendment in the US Constitution.
My point being, America broke away from the British empire expressly because of unfair and arbitrary governance. The events leading up to the Boston Tea Party was but one small part. The situation facing America today is similar, except that the unfair and arbitrary governance, is coming from inside the United States. A point that idiot elitists like Wolcott ignore.
If you’re going to use American history against Americans, you’d best learn American history first.

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Having lived in the south for the better part of my life I get a particular kick out of weasels who mistakenly believe that using southern terminology in a derisive way is somehow proof of their superiority. That tactic doesn't always workout so well.

Perfect example at this post:


Ignorant comment: Steve SnyderApril 17 at 7:44 pm #18 Link
Call back when Ziegler **successfully** practices journalism.
And, the Couric interview was biased how? Examples, please?
And, nice to see the wingnuts out in force. Since the likes of Bill Buckley died, it’s clear that, claims to the otherwise, there’s no genteelness or manners in “conservatism.”
I guess y’all learned that language at the church you attend every Sunday, right?

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It didn't take long for more logical minds to prevail:


mistercalmApril 17 at 10:08 pm #20 Link
Steve Snyder: “I guess y’all learned that language at the church you attend every Sunday, right?”
You liberals are soooooo clever. Conservatism is not glued to religion… but apparently hate and intolerance IS inseparable from modern liberalism. The nice disdain you throw in with the “y’all”... yep, to liberals Southerners are equated to ignorance.
You read most of the comments from liberals and they all have an unearned air of superiority… they’re somehow better than conservatives because they believe things that only a fool could believe. Liberalism is just the religion of the godless in the same sense that superstition is the religion of the ignorant.

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I say we are surrounded by weasels so let's use them for sport. If you've spanked any weasels lately shoot me an email at Weasel.tackett89@gmail.com. Help me make this a regular Saturday feature.

One Man's Poison is My Beer

We'll get back to the title in a moment, but first, an important question: Have you ever thought about what happens when you exhale? Me neither. Well, not to get too technical, because I'm simply not capable, we pollute. It's been a tough few days. First I found out that I am a radical and now this.


According to the EPA, those of us who suck in oxygen and expel carbon dioxide, are releasing a dangerous pollutant into the environment. Back in the dark ages of my youth, propagandist taught that carbon dioxide was necessary for healthy plant life. As we all know now, plants are good, humans, not so much. The obvious solution is for enough humans to quit breathing. If that isn't successful, on to Plan B. Cap and Trade.


Cap and Trade, the highly touted scheme, um plan, is supported by not only the current administration and several members in Congress, but also by my own governor, the Hon. Charlie Crist. What could go wrong? Well there's the cost, estimated to be between $3,100 and $3,800 per household in increased home heating and cooling costs and higher gas prices when we fill up. I realize that $258 to $310 per month per household sounds like a lot but surely the average family can find something in their budget to make up for it. I mean, what do families waste each year celebrating things like Christmas, Easter and Thanksgiving? Unnecessary. Does your family have a dog? What does that cute little CO2 spewing mutt cost on a monthly basis? Useless.


Here's the thing, I may or may not be a radical, but don't call me a tree raper. I care. However, while researching this issue I came across an eye opening post. The post is good but read the comments. According to alanstorm and larwyn BEER is a part of the problem? Back off Bucko! Beer is always the solution. Beer is where I draw a line in the sand. I love the Earth as much as the next gal but I didn't give up my beer for the Ivy League, drop dead gorgeous hunk who believed that "ladies don't drink beer" and I'm sue as hell not giving it up for blimpo Al Gore. Stand with me. Because U deserve what everyone individual should enjoy regularly.

Tampa Tea Party

The big day finally came and I over slept. I had to scramble around to make up for the hours lost snoring but still made it to the tea party about forty-five minutes before the scheduled start. The organizers here in Tampa did a great job. There was a good turnout, although I would have preferred an Atlanta size showing.


For all the talk about right wing radicals, I didn't see any. I did see a lot of people like myself, who had come out to on behalf of their grandchildren, expressing a deep concern that out of control spending is mortgaging their future and robbing them of the opportunities that we have long enjoyed. I saw parents with their children. I saw quite a few college students. I saw men and women in suits, goths, preps and what is usually described as "good ol' boys and girls." I saw white, black, brown and shades in between. I saw citizens who love their country. I saw people who want their country to succeed.


The bad news for the left is that this wasn't a one day event. This was the beginning. We know we have a lot of work to do and now we know we aren't alone. Now we will go forward together. We will network, email and call. We will gather, get informed and inform others. Now that we have stood up we won't sit back down.


I've long been proud of America. For years I've teared up whenever I hear the national anthem and Lee Greenwood's God Bless the USA. I pray that what I do now will ensure that my grandchildren will feel that same pride.


Here's a roundup of the best of the best on yesterday's Tea Parties:


First stop RS McCain at The Other McCain followed by:

Michelle Malkin, Red State, Little Miss Attila and Jim Treacher.


Okay, Treacher didn't strictly post about the Tea Parties. Its just that something about him makes me all "schoolgirl."

Two Days and Counting-No worries

During Easter dinner yesterday the conversation naturally turned to Wednesday's Tea Party. It was a nice easy conversation and then my Mom said, "be careful." I noticed that my Dad was carefully studying his shoes. It was a brief moment and we went on but I was left with an odd feeling.

Today at work a couple of co-workers asked if "I was sure" I wanted to attend the Tea Party. Later my boss said he'd heard that Acorn was planning to disrupt the party. Again, "be careful." Again, an odd feeling.

As the movement has grown the left has taken notice. Whether it is the ridiculous claims of astro-turfing as reported by RS McCain or outright racist spewing by Fox News Geraldo Rivera, there has been plenty of smack talk to go around. But actual threats is a whole other thing.

It wasn't that long ago that we were told that protest was the highest form of patriotism. Does that only apply when it is the left protesting against a conservative president? Is patriotism defined by the left as "do what we do, do what we say or just shut up"?

Well, here's the deal, no worries. I feel strongly that I have a duty to not only my country and my family, but also to myself to stand up if I believe that my country is headed in the wrong direction. I also feel strongly that I have just as much right to stand up as the anti-war protester or the abortion supporter. If I sit around concerned about what is politically correct I am abdicating my responsibility as a citizen. And if I think twice about attending a Tea Party because Acorn, or any other left wing group, might pull some shenanigans then I allowing the left to define me. So let the infiltration begin. Game on.

Spank the Weasel

During my foray into the world wide web today I posted a comment at RS McCain that elicited a response that, what's a polite way of putting this, ticked me off.

My comment regarding Capt. Phillip being set free by our Navy Seals was:

I am so stoked right now my head feels like it is going to explode! Go Navy! Now comes the important job of making sure everyone understands that if you mess with the USA we will mess back in spades. Sadly, I don't have a lot of faith that this administration is up to it.
Sun Apr 12, 04:55:00 PM

My bit of excitement was met with this:

"Now comes the important job of making sure everyone understands that if you mess with the USA we will mess back in spades. Sadly, I don't have a lot of faith that this administration is up to it."Real brilliant, Carol.The Navy Seal rescue mission sends a clear message about how we deal with these situations, but it isn't good enough for you, is it?Reminds me that all the bullshit about how GW protected us for the last 8 years is so warped as to not merit any real serious response.I give the credit to the military and intelligence agencies. Kind of the same way you credit the Navy Seals for their bravery in this rescue mission while trying to shit on BHO.GOP= no credibility.
Sun Apr 12, 05:20:00 PM

At which point, I decided that the little boy posting as "Young 4eyes" needed a spanking, thus my response:

Sheesh, 4 Eyes, who pissed in your Wheaties? Do you have a problem with people stating an opinion in general or only when the opinion doesn't conform to your particular mindset? My number 1 interest is that those people who would bring harm to my country are given a BIG reason to think twice. I believe that the current administration and I may share that goal but I have no reason to believe that we have the same means for achieving that goal.Simple enough or should I write it again in crayon?

Obviously, we have all experienced whiny little trolls posting on conservative websites. I intend to make a weekly sport of it. Saturday will be my day for posting the rounds of Spank the Weasel posts. Please join the fun and email me your Spank the Weasel examples at Weasel.tackett89@gmail.com. And remember, weasels, like trolls and vampires, can't stand the light of day.
Sun Apr 12, 06:22:00 PM

A Day Full of Good News

I had cruised over to Paco's and was just looking at the picture of Christ and thinking about the promise of Easter. Then I scrolled down and saw the update that Captain Phillips has been freed. This, the day when we celebrate our Lord's resurrection, is a day of hope.

Thank you to the brave Navy Seals who brought Captain Phillips to safety.

Happy Easter

Still cruising, so of course I ended up at RS McCain. Read it all and don't skip the comments. That's where I take a pre-adolescent boy to the woodshed. Anyone want to join me in a rousing game of Spank the Weasel?

Where Have I Heard of This Before?

Not content (or is it not confident) to spread their message through their own sites, liberal toadies are showing up at conservative sites and pretending to be fans of the sites while posting hateful comments that they in turn use to point out that the site is hateful. Never let it be said that the left is interested in fair play or the open exchange of ideas.

Obviously, the left lacks confidence that their ideas have the ability to stand up on their own. Why else would they slant the playing field? This isn't just poor sportsmanship. It is unAmerican.

How unAmerican? Well, it is the favorite tactic of none other than Richard Warman. Mr. Warman is the Canadian cousin of the scumbags down here who when unable to persuade public opinion through thoughtful discussion turn to smear and innuendo.

This type of manipulation smacks of desperation. Could it be that the left has figured out that their audience is as empty as their ideas?

Tea Party Countdown-3 Days Left!

Wednesday is the big day! I've taken the day off work and plan to be at the Tea Party in Tampa early. I am excited about meeting with so many like minded people and joining with them to raise our voices together to let the political class know that we are going to put an end to "business as usual."

In case you are one of those people that gets their "news" from the MSM, you have probably never heard of us. The Tea Party movement is a nationwide phenomenon fueled by citizens who are fed up with our government's disregard for the founding principals that led this country to greatness. Participation in this movement is open to every citizen who believes in smaller government, less spending and less taxation. This is NOT a Republican movement or a Libertarian movement or tied to any political party. This is a peoples' movement. If you believe in the Constitution of the United States, join us. If you believe that the roll of the federal government is defense and infrastructure, join us. If you believe, as Pres Gerald Ford said, that we are a people who has a government and not a government who has a country, join us. We stand for less spending, less taxes and increased personal liberty and responsibility. We are WE THE PEOPLE.

As this movement has grown, some of the more unsavory elements of our society as started to take notice. Counter protests are expected as well some low brow tactics such as infiltration by wingnuts who will try to discredit the movement. Not to worry. So far their antics have been fairly lame.

So I look forward to seeing all of you wednesday. Bring your children and show them democracy at its finest. Also bring your signs and your voices. Let's make ourselves heard!

For information on a party near you go to this site or contact me.

Shout out to The Other McCain, to whom I vow to link to shamelessly

Speaking of The Other McCain, don't miss this post by RS McCain

When Does The Constitution Not Apply?

I'm no scholar, constitutional or otherwise, so I wonder if there is someone out there who could explain this to me.

In my simple world view the First Amendments guarantee of free speech means that I can say what I want, where I want, when I want. Ta Da! It is a basic concept that has worked beautifully since my country's founding.

So why would anyone want to fix what ain't broken? In a time when parents have to mortgage their homes to pay for their children's education why are they sending their young people to colleges and universities that stifle free speech? We hear so much about having a "well rounded" education, but isn't the free exchange of ideas central to that?

Society has the means to deal with true hatemongers. If someone on campus is spewing hateful or demeaning speech they will be either be engaged or ignored. Again, ta da!

Speech codes are counterproductive. Parents and students should oppose them.

h/t kae

Jumping In To The Fray, Part 2

After watching Robert Gibbs acting like a total jerk at a press conference I decided to revisit the subject of President Obama bowing before the Saudi king. When Gibbs was asked about the bow, he positively oozed smart ass. Americans have the right to ask the question and have it answered without finding themselves in the middle of a White House smarmfest.

Americans are notorious for their short attention spans. Yesterday's big news is today's "eh". So you would think that this had met it's expiration date. You would be right had the White House not lied. Not only did the White House deny that the President bowed, they made up a ridiculous story that was completely contradicted by the video of the event. Their excuse is that the king is shorter than President Obama. Well, so is the Queen of England, the Prime Minister of Japan, France's President Sarkozy. There is no evidence that any of these world leaders earned a bow by virtue of their short stature. So what is really going on here and why did the White House feel that it was necessary to lie to the American people?


In the absence of anything even mildly approaching honesty on the part of the president, Americans are left to themselves to decide why Obama felt the need to debase himself to the Saudi king. The lying? Well, isn't that standard for President Obama? Didn't he lie about Rezko, Ayers and Wright?

Think about the image that President Obama projects publicly versus his actual policy. Throughout the campaign, candidate Obama was able to play himself off as darn near middle of the road. He managed this by lying. If his relationship with Tony Rezko was pointed out to illustrate that Obama was just another old school Chicago thug the reply was an incredulous "there is no relationship". When his ties to Bill Ayers and Bernadine Dorn hinted that he might be a bit more of a left wing radical socialist than his handlers wanted to let on, Ayers was suddenly just "some guy he'd sat on a board with". Obama sat in church with his wife and children week after week as the Rev. Wright spewed racist hate speech and called on God to damn America. No sir, Obama never heard any of that. He looked straight in the camera and told lie after lie and he was able to pull it off because the girls at the MSM were too busy giggling about how their legs were tingling to point out the difference between Obama's record and the way he, and they, were portraying that record.

So here we are. The government is spending our grandchildren's tax money before they've had a chance to finish grade school. The government is in a power grab of our financial institutions, car manufacturers and our health systems. The candidate that abhorred President Bush's wiretaps is now expanding that power and soon private citizen's email and web surfing will be fair game.

What does all really have to do with the bow? I don't know, but if the White House is lying about it, it must mean something.

Jumping Into The Fray

Arriving fashionably late may be all the um, well, fashion, but it really does seem that at this point I'm left sucking the hind teat. So, here is my insightful , if untimely, take on President Obama's bow to King Abnormal. IT WAS NOT A BOW! Sheesh, he didn't even bow to the Queen of England so why does everybody think he lowered himself before some Saudi despot?

The King had just expressed his envy of President Obama's bowling prowess and our leader was in turn, showing off his amazing bowling form. Nothing to see here folks. Do move along.

For a totally different take go here.

And In Baseball News...

USA 1, SOMALIA 0

The USA Mariners handed the Somalia Pirates a crushing defeat today by ending the Pirates' unanswered winning streak. When asked about the win team captain Richard Phillips said, "we left 'em dead in the water".

For in depth coverage go here.

Update: I jumped the gun on this one. It is my understanding now that several of the pirates were able to escape in a lifeboat and that Capt. Richard Phillips is being held hostage on the lifeboat. I apologize for being prematurely flippant. My thoughts and prayers are with Capt. Phillips.

Cuba (Or Freedom Is Just Another Word For Nothing Left To Lose)

Laura Richardson, representative from California's thirty-seventh district has just returned from the beautiful island paradise of Cuba. She and members of the Congressional Black Caucus visited the Home of the Free for five days. On Fox News today, the congresswoman pronounced Fidel Castro, "witty, intelligent and charming". When asked to comment on Cuba's human rights record the extolled the amazing freedom on the island.

I, for one, am cheered by Rep. Richardson's assessment of Castro. After all, Rep. Richardson is herself, the pinnacle of character as illustrated here and here.

The President Lays An Egg In Turkey

Anybody else not feeling the love?

President Obama Responds to North Korea

President Obama held a press conference today to address North Korea's threat to launch a ballistic missile.

"The President said that he was prepared to "um, er, you know, um, work, ah tirelessly to um, insure that, you know, um, you know, we make it, ah, clear to, ah, er, them, um, North Koreans, that we are, um, you know, peeved."

Ten minutes into the press conference, the President's teleprompter resigned. It was the fourth teleprompter resignation in as many days.

Today Tobacco, Tomorrow Prime Rib!

In light of the federal government's enormously popular increase today on the tax of tobacco products, it has been announced that taxes will also be going up on non-vegan products, polyester and playground equipment.

When questioned about the move, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said that it is the goal of this administration to remove all risk from Americans lives no later than President Obama's fourth term. When pressed, Gibbs said "do you have any idea how many children are harmed, not just physically, but also mentally and emotionally each year while playing? Studies show that playing is the greatest danger our children face." Children's advocates such as NOW and Planned Parenthood lauded the move but asked that "for the children" it would be better if the government used its power to tax to modify unacceptable behavior and eliminate children all together. The government responded that it welcomes the suggestion.

On a further note, the women of The View expressed relief that the government is finally taking steps to regulate polyester.