US Reaction to 9/11 Just a ‘Massive Overreaction’?

January 31, 2007 | Filed Under History, Islam, Islamofascism, Media Bias, Military, Publius Contributor, Security/Safety, Society/Culture, Uncategorized, War on Terror, Warner Todd Huston | No Comments

-By Warner Todd Huston

Nearly 3,000 Americans killed in a series of attacks on one single day — the most American civilians ever killed in a single day with coordinated attacks — was no big deal as far as David Bell writing for the L.A. Times is concerned.

The attacks were a horrible act of mass murder, but history says we’re overreacting.

See, they know this because Russia had a bad time of it during WWII.

…imagine that the attacks had continued, every six hours, for another four years, until nearly 20 million Americans were dead. This is roughly what the Soviet Union suffered during World War II, and contemplating these numbers may help put in perspective what the United States has so far experienced during the war against terrorism.

Such a ridiculous comparison. WWII, a standard, symmetrical war, bears little resemblance to this threat we face today. The Russians were under arms facing Hitler. It wasn’t a “nice” war, surely, but it was a standard war none-the-less. Hitler invaded and the Russians resisted.

Standard war stuff, really.
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Boson Bozos

January 31, 2007 | Filed Under Family, History, Publius Contributor, Religion, Science, Society/Culture, Thomas Brewton, Uncategorized | No Comments

-By Thomas E. Brewton

Scientists seeking ultimate answers to the origin, nature, and future of the cosmos have pursued a long series of mutually exclusive, speculative theories. Liberals embrace these speculations as scientific truth, even though they have less basis in verifiable fact than 5,000 years of faith in God recorded in the Bible.

Every attempt to date to unify cosmological and nuclear particle theories has foundered on newly observed, unreconcilable, opposing sets of facts. Seeking to bridge these gaps, cosmologists, nuclear particle physicists, and mathematicians have drifted far into the realm of abstract speculation.

Science at the outer limits of knowledge, both at the cosmological and sub-atomic levels, has come increasingly to resemble the speculations of medieval scholastic philosophers dealing in doctrinal abstractions.
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NYTimes Reveals Distrust of ‘Law Abiding’ Citizens

January 31, 2007 | Filed Under 2nd Amendment, Constitution, Founders, History, Media Bias, Patriotism, Publius Contributor, Security/Safety, Society/Culture, The Law, Uncategorized, Warner Todd Huston | 1 Comment

-By Warner Todd Huston

The New York Times thinks you are a criminal if you own a gun. The editorial writers at the Times simply don’t believe that you could possibly be a law abiding citizen if you are interested in self defense, their most recent anti-gun piece reveals.

Their January 30th piece, incongruously titled “A Day Without Guns …” — incongruous because the piece itself does not address any such subject as a day without guns — cannot be interpreted too many other ways than contempt for both the citizenry as well as the Constitution.

Twenty years ago, the Florida Legislature cravenly decided to allow “law abiding” citizens to carry concealed weapons merely by declaring their preference for self-defense. Then last July, at the prodding of the gun lobby, the current crop of state lawmakers proved they could be even more corrupt and cowardly than their predecessors by deciding to make the list of gun-toting Floridians a secret.

The quotes around “law abiding” says it all. In such a case, the usage of quotes marks obviously denotes sarcasm as opposed to a mere quote and their position that no gun owner could be a law abiding citizen rings through loud and clear.
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English Need Not Board

January 31, 2007 | Filed Under Constitution, Family, Frederick Meekins, Patriotism, Publius Contributor, Security/Safety, Society/Culture, The Law, Uncategorized | No Comments

-By Frederick Meekins

Rosa Parks earned her place in American iconography for refusing to go to the back of the bus. But at least she would have been permitted to remain on the bus, which would have been more than is being allowed for three Saint Paul school children who were kicked off a bus, they were initially told, because they were no longer good enough to ride the bus because they spoke English.

According to a KSTP.com titled ‘Kids kicked off a bus for speaking English”, bus service along the route in question was now reserved for students other than those speaking English because of the importance of keeping the non-English speaking pupils together.

Illegals are often of the mind now that since they supposedly pay into the tax system, that should somehow earn them a slot at the government trough. But what about boring, run of the mill citizens born here and who don’t get special holidays and entire months set aside celebrating what they happened to be upon emerging from their mother’s birth canal, aren’t they just as deserving of the services they are having increasingly high taxes taken from and assessments levied against them to pay for?
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CBS Report Uses al Qaeda Propaganda Film, Claims it’s ‘CBS Obtained’

January 29, 2007 | Filed Under Entertainment, Foreign Policy, Islam, Islamofascism, Media Bias, Publius Contributor, Security/Safety, Society/Culture, Uncategorized, War on Terror, Warner Todd Huston | 2 Comments

-By Warner Todd Huston

So, here is a question: Why is CBS using propaganda film originally posted on an al Qaeda website and claiming it is merely “CBS obtained” with no mention of the actual source for Lara Logan’s report on The “Battle of Haifa Street”?

The anti-Iraq website called Iraqslogger posted a story about how CBS reporter Lara Logan is crying that CBS seems to have spiked her “Haifa Street” story . Logan has sent out a mass email to all her friends and colleagues in the world of journalism in hopes that they will pressure CBS to show her report that has not yet made it to TV. It has, though, appeared on the internet.

In her email, Logan claims that this story is “largely being ignored” and she asks for her pals to email CBS to get them to air it. But she urged supporters not to mention her “request” to pressure the network to air the piece if they did so. I guess she feels like begging is unseemly…. even though she is doing it anyway.

But, Iraq watcher, Nibras Kazimi a Visiting Scholar at the Hudson Institute in Washington DC., noticed something strange about Logan’s piece.
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Let’s Talk About the Butterflies and the Bees

January 29, 2007 | Filed Under Entertainment, Media Bias, Publius Contributor, Selwyn Duke, Society/Culture, Uncategorized | No Comments

By Selwyn Duke

Last week many were commemorating Muhammad Ali’s sixty-fifth birthday with a zeal reminiscent of Roman pagans cheering a triumphant Caesar. And as I ponder this, I’m reminded of how people are as quick to forget as they are to condemn.

Don’t get me wrong, I like Ali. Although he knocked the veneer of invincibility off Sonny Liston before I was even a twinkle in my father’s eye, I’m a great fan of history and have watched more boxing retrospectives than I care to mention. I’ve probably seen all of Ali’s notable bouts and, although I’m no Burt Sugar (you know, the guy with the hat and cigar), I’m sure I know as much about the sport as anyone else who was a pugilist for only one day in camp when he was seven years old.

Now, apropos to the topic, it’s time for a rhyme, so enough about me and back to Ali. I do think he was the greatest boxer of all time, and I also believe he was intelligent (not well educated, of course), warm-hearted and, obviously, witty. It’s also true that Ali is deeply devoted to his religion at this point in his life, as evidenced by his words, deeds and frequent prayer. And this is to be expected. Someone with such a cross to bear (Parkinson’s) could find solace only in the more ethereal pursuits.
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CBS News Radio: ‘Nation Says No to War’, Protests Exaggerated

January 28, 2007 | Filed Under Elections, Foreign Policy, Islam, Islamofascism, Media Bias, President, Publius Contributor, Society/Culture, Uncategorized, War on Terror, Warner Todd Huston | No Comments

-By Warner Todd Huston

On a long drive home from a Indianapolis this weekend, I had the dubious pleasure of listening to a CBS news break at the top of the hour on a talk station and in one of their reports on Saturday’s anti-War protests the verbiage used to report the gatherings was so slanted that it was startling and was so obviously intended to make it seem much greater than it really was that it wasn’t even funny.

Reporter Jim Taylor started his report saying “A nation says no to war …” as an introduction to the story of the goings on in Washington.

A “nation” says no? A few protests equates the the whole nation, CBS?
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Public Opinion: Experts vs Vox Populi

January 28, 2007 | Filed Under Congress, Constitution, Elections, Founders, History, Publius Contributor, Security/Safety, Society/Culture, The Law, Thomas Brewton, Uncategorized | No Comments

-By Thomas E. Brewton

Tension between government by experts (intellectuals, bureaucrats, and independent legislators) and the voice of the people (expressed in elections and opinion polls) complicates politics in our Federal republic.

Relying too heavily on opinion polls or elections is a short road to disaster when the government must determine critical policies that involve intricate financial knowledge, broad knowledge of history, economics, and foreign affairs. The general populace can be too easily misled by propaganda and ignorance of the subject.

But looking exclusively to an expert elite opens the path to tyranny, as the history of socialist collectivism demonstrates. Intellectual cadres, working through an impersonal bureaucracy, display, as a comedian once observed, all the sensitivity of the IRS and the efficiency of the Post Office.
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Carter, Clinton Building Religious Coalition

January 27, 2007 | Filed Under Elections, Family, President, Publius Contributor, Religion, Society/Culture, Uncategorized, Warner Todd Huston | 2 Comments

-By Warner Todd Huston

In a move that is designed to cause the “separation of Church and State” worry warts to yawn — because such people don’t mind it when leftists mix Church and State — Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter have joined together to promote what is amusingly being called a “moderate” Baptist organization to rival the Southern Baptist Council. (Carter, Clinton Build Coalition To Attract Moderate Baptists)

It is also being called “non-partisan”… yet they take pains to say that the SBC is getting too “conservative”. And with super partisans Clinton and Carter involved in the kick off, how can it be anything other than “partisan”?

Naturally it is Jimmy Carter’s idea with Clinton signing on for the photo op. Here is how the Tampa Tribune describes Carter’s “moderate” idea:


The new coalition, which is Carter’s brainchild, would give moderate Baptists a stronger collective voice and could provide Democrats greater entree into the Baptist community. But Carter and other organizers are trying to walk a fine line, insisting that the alliance is not directly political while touting its potential to recast the role of religion in the public square.

It’s quite hard to believe that it isn’t political, isn’t it?
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New Congress is a mirthful majority

January 27, 2007 | Filed Under Congress, Elections, Media Bias, Patriotism, President, Publius Contributor, Society/Culture, Uncategorized | No Comments

-By Michael M. Bates

Not only is the new and improved Democratic majority delivering the change, change, change we’ve all been pining for, it apparently will also provide us with some big league grins.

Take Wisconsin Congressman Steve Kagen. Please. Talking to a group of peace activists a few weeks ago, the freshman gloated over some terrific one-liners he purportedly launched when invited to a White House reception for new lawmakers.

It was a “very playful experience,” Kagen later told the press. Exactly how playful is difficult to determine.
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Opinion Masquerading as Reason

January 27, 2007 | Filed Under Budget, Congress, Economy/Finances, Elections, Media Bias, Publius Contributor, Society/Culture, Thomas Brewton, Uncategorized | No Comments

-By Thomas E. Brewton

Nobody is an expert in all areas of knowledge. Yet, from foreign policy to economics, we give undue weight to opinion polls.

This problem was addressed in Can Voters Make the Decision to Pull Out of Iraq?.

No matter what politicians and the media make of them, opinion polls, for example, evidencing very low approvals for President Bush and his Iraq policies are not of themselves a rational basis for pulling out of Iraq. One highly important reason is that the public hears mostly one side of the argument. Politicians, media, and pressure groups urging a troop pull-out have never addressed the follow-on costs to national security, our economy, and our future diplomatic relations with the rest of the world.

As the issue has been presented, it is the equivalent of asking the public if they would like to live a life of ease at the beach, without informing them of the cost to do so.
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Congress Pushes Anti-Gun Brady Law Expansion Bill

January 26, 2007 | Filed Under 2nd Amendment, Congress, Constitution, Patriotism, Security/Safety, The Law, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

-Larry Pratt - Gun Owners of America

The first major anti-gun bill of the new Pelosi-led Congress has already been introduced, and it could prove to be the most serious threat yet to Second Amendment Rights.

On the first full day of the new Congress, Rep. Carolyn McCarthy introduced H.R. 297, the most massive expansion of the Brady law since it passed in 1993. This is a bill that was quashed last year but under the new Pelosi House leadership, the Bill has a higher likelihood of getting passed this time.
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Associated Press To Carry Bloggers’ Coverage of Libby Trial

January 26, 2007 | Filed Under Uncategorized | No Comments

As a member of Media Bloggers Association, I’d like to alert readers that the Libby trial is being covered by MBA and they have announced that they are teaming up with the Associated Press who will carry the coverage.

WASHINGTON DC, January 23, 2007 - The Associated Press has partnered with the Media Bloggers Association to distribute its members’ coverage of the trial of Lewis “Scooter” Libby, former chief of staff for Vice President Dick Cheney, to the news organization’s member websites, the bloggers group announced today.

It is somewhat groundbreaking news that the AP is teaming with a Blogger’s association and reveals the ever more progressive legitimacy that Bloggers are attaining. In any case, if you want to follow the Libby trial, here is the aggregated Blog link at MBA:
http://www.mediabloggers.org/scooter-libby-trial

Unconditional Love

January 25, 2007 | Filed Under Publius Contributor, Religion, Society/Culture, Thomas Brewton, Uncategorized | No Comments

-By Thomas E. Brewton

Do we love God, or do we love Him for what we want from Him?

Sunday’s sermon at the Long Ridge Congregational Church (non-UCC), in North Stamford, Connecticut, was delivered by Rev. David Newberry. His text was from 1 Corinthians 13.

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. (1 Corinthians 13:1-2)

….And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:13)
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Jesse Jackson A Racial Profiler Extraordinaire

January 25, 2007 | Filed Under Crime, Economy/Finances, History, Publius Contributor, Society/Culture, Uncategorized, Warner Todd Huston | No Comments

-By Warner Todd Huston

For the purportedly quintessential civil rights activist, Jesse Jackson sure says an awful lot of racist comments. In a racist attack on Jews, he once called New York City “Hymie Town”, and now he is at it again in remarks made at Boise State University.

Long time activist Jesse Jackson was invited to speak about Martin Luther King, Jr. at the University on the 19th and during the address he claimed that black football players were not welcome on the University’s teams in the 1950s and 60s. He claimed that one of King’s legacies was such that black players were welcomed after King’s civil rights campaigns.

Referring to the two teams that played in the January 1st Fiesta Bowl — Boise State and the University of Oklahoma — Jackson claimed that past teams looked very “different” previous to King’s efforts.

Unfortunately for Jackson, his remarks were ill informed at least where it concerns Boise State. Alan Virta the university archivist, reports that Boise State has had black athletes since as far back as the 1940s. Further he says that the University had no policy that might prevent minority players.
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Senate Hypocrisy on Anti-Iraq Resolution

January 25, 2007 | Filed Under Congress, Foreign Policy, Islam, Islamofascism, Military, Patriotism, President, Publius Contributor, Security/Safety, Uncategorized, War on Terror, Warner Todd Huston | No Comments

-By Warner Todd Huston


Even as the Senate is falling all over itself to seem like they are being stern with president Bush, even as they are puffing themselves up as populists and hearing “the people’s ” dislike of the war, the Armed Services committee voted unanimously to approve the nomination of Army Lieutenant General David Petraeus to command U-S forces in Iraq.

So, while members of the Senate want to pretend they are against the war, they quietly approve the a general who has vocally and forcefully advocated Bush’s troop surge plans!

Just one more example of the smoke screen the Senate has thrown up on this issue. Cynically acting as if they are heeding the anti-war call while approving the warrior that will put what amounts to a sort of escalation.

The Senate trying to have it both ways with the sole goal to undercut Bush.
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Stopping the Republican Senators Who Support Anti-Iraq Resolution

January 25, 2007 | Filed Under Congress, Constitution, Elections, Foreign Policy, GOP, Islam, Islamofascism, Military, Patriotism, President, Publius Contributor, Security/Safety, The Law, Uncategorized, War on Terror, Warner Todd Huston | No Comments

-By Warner Todd Huston

As I post this, it is apparent that several Republican Senators are supporting a non-binding resolution that will express no support of president Bush’s new direction in Iraq and will directly denounce the raising of troop levels in Baghdad.

The non-binding resolution sponsored by Senators Chuck Hagel (R, Neb), Joe Biden (D, Del.) and Carl Levin (D, Mich) passed the Senate Foreign Relations committee 12-9. The whole of the Senate will now get a chance to weigh in.

Worse news is the trio of Republican Senators who offered their own anti-Iraq resolution in the committee.

Republican Senators John Warner of Virginia, Susan Collins of Maine and Norm Coleman of Minnesota as well as Democratic Senator Ben Nelson of Nebraska offered a resolution of their own concurrently with the initial attempt to attack Bush’s policy offered by Hagel.
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Media: Bush’s ‘Flawed’ Portrayal of ‘The Enemy’ in State of the Union Address

January 24, 2007 | Filed Under Congress, Constitution, Foreign Policy, GOP, History, Islam, Islamofascism, Media Bias, Military, Patriotism, President, Publius Contributor, Security/Safety, Society/Culture, Uncategorized, War on Terror, Warner Todd Huston | 1 Comment

-By Warner Todd Huston

In response to president Bush’s State of the Union Address, the Washington Post’s main criticism seems to be that Bush doesn’t understand who “the enemy” is in the Global War on Terror. Yet as the Post proceeds to knock what they perceive as Bush’s simple minded rhetoric with today’s news article they only reveal it is they, rather, that has no idea who our enemies are.

In his State of the Union address last night, President Bush presented an arguably misleading and often flawed description of “the enemy” that the United States faces overseas, lumping together disparate groups with opposing ideologies to suggest that they have a single-minded focus in attacking the United States.

The Post’s conception of “flawed” is just as ill considered as they imagine the president’s to be and their analysis adds up merely to mirror the conception held by many Europeans.

Once again, a National U.S. paper “arguably” chooses sides with Europe’s interests over that of America.
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Soft People, Hard People

January 24, 2007 | Filed Under Constitution, Elections, Foreign Policy, History, Islam, Islamofascism, Military, Patriotism, Publius Contributor, Religion, Security/Safety, Selwyn Duke, Society/Culture, The Law, Uncategorized, War on Terror | No Comments

By Selwyn Duke

If the 1976 western The Last Hard Men has it right, we Occidentals metamorphosed into jellyfish sometime around the early twentieth century. Although this title is more movie marketing than historical statement, there may be something to it. After all, Robert Baden-Powell, a lieutenant general in the British Army, was motivated by the belief that western boys were becoming too soft when he originated the Boy Scouts in 1907.

Regardless of the origin and rapidity of our transition from he-men to she-men, one thing is for certain: We have become a very soft people.

When pondering this, I think about how it is now common to see men cry publicly. Just recently George Bush Sr. broke down while rendering a speech, something unthinkable a generation ago. Why, presidential aspirant Edmund Muskie saw his campaign scuttled by a few inopportune tears in 1972. And before you score me for not embracing the metrosexual model, remember the impression this gives the rest of the world. Feminization may be fashionable, but it doesn’t engender respect among the more patriarchal peoples.
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Jimmy Carter: Our Worst Ex-President

January 23, 2007 | Filed Under Elections, Patriotism, President, Publius Contributor, Religion, Security/Safety, Society/Culture, Thomas Brewton, Uncategorized | No Comments

-By Thomas E. Brewton

To give him the benefit of the doubt, former President Carter may have Christian intentions, but he supports a major swath of the atheistic materialism of liberal-socialist-progressivism.

While Franklin Roosevelt remains, without contest, our worst-ever President, Mr. Carter is our worst living ex-President.

For a scholarly exposition of Jimmy Carter’s place in history, read the article by Joshua Muravchik from the February issue of Commentary Magazine.
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