Political Philosophy Positions

The problem with debating online is that it is so easy for others to misinterpret your views - partially this is intentional on their behalf but I believe it could have something to do with poorly developed comprehensive skills. The following is a list of positions that I sent out to a recent forum to clarify my position on several issues. It is by no means inclusive of all political topics but it is a start.

These are my positions.

1. I am a Classical Liberal in that I believe in free enterprise, private ownership of property, electoral democracy, human rights and civil liberties.

2. I support a strong and often interventionist Foreign Policy by the western nations that does not shy away from confronting and dealing with totalitarian challenges such as Fascism, Communism (in its various incarnations), Islamist Militancy etc. If this makes me a Neo-Con then so be it. I will not apologize for that.

3. I believe that Western Civilization has for the most part been a success – progress in science, medicine, art, human freedoms, the law, quality of life, economic well being emphasize this point – however I do concede that there is still much room for improvement in most of these aspects.
Political writers/journalists that I generally like include: Charles Krauthammer, Jeff Jacoby, John Stossel, Melanie Philips, Mark Steyn, Victor Hanson, Thomas Sowell, Shelby Steele, Paul Johnson, Richard Brookhiser, George Will, David Horowitz, Phylis Chesler and La Shawn Barber.

4.I am opposed to the Death Penalty as it is applied in the US and various other nations but do believe that it has some merits in the case of convicted Serial Killers, Mass Murderers and War Criminals. Nevertheless I argue that those facing a death penalty charge – should have available to them via government funding the access to the best legal defense – some lawyers such as Alan Dershowitz often represent such clients Pro Bona.

5. I support a women’s right to choose but believe that various methodologies used in Partial Birth Abortions are immoral and should be banned. I have strong reservations about abortion after the 16 week limit but argue that these should be addressed on a case-by-case basis.

6. I oppose Affirmative Action as I believe it to be discriminatory, ineffective and condescending to the groups that it is intended to help. The fact that all Democrats and many Republicans cannot see through this façade and continue to support such policies is very disappointing to me.
I believe in policies that champion self sufficiency and avoid the victim-victimizer dichotomy that has become too common in the social democracy.

7. I am not an American so I cannot vote in the US elections. If I could I would consider myself neither a Republican nor a Democrat. I vote based on the Overall merit of the Candidate. Looking back (trying to avoid the benefit of hindsight) I would probably have supported: Roosevelt 32-44, Truman in 48, Eisenhower in 52, Stephenson in 56, Kennedy in 60, Johnson in 64, Humphreys in 68, Nixon in 72, Ford in 76, Reagan in 80 and 84, Bush Sr in 88, Clinton in 92 and 96, Gore in 00 and Bush Jr. in 04.

8. In this current election (2008) I am backing Rudy Giuliani but would not be averse to an Al Gore presidency (although his Global Warming Angle has taken on a seemingly hysterical role as of late). This could change between now and 2008 based on new information available.

9. In Canadian politics I have voted PC, Conservative and Liberal at various times. I have never voted NDP – as I see its economic policies as shortsighted - although I have respect for some of their political figures namely Ed Broadbent, and most recently Joe Comartin.

11. I support a Compassionate Conservatism that argues for the maintenance of the Traditions and Foundations of Western Civilization whilst working to improve the overall human condition.

12. I am strongly opposed to Leftism. This is not to be confused with liberalism. Leftism is a term that describes the various philosophies that seek to radically alter the structures of Civilization to create a proposed utopia. History has shown that movements toward Utopia often have the inverse effect of creating a Dystopia devoid of toleration. Typical leftist philosophies include (but are not inclusive of): Anarchism, Collectivization, Fascism, Forced Atheism, International Socialism, Islamism, Maoism, Marxism, National Socialism, Nihilism, Pacifism, Primitivism, Radical Feminism, Religious Fundamentalism (of any kind), Rigid Environmentalism, Scientism, Stalinism, Strict Socialism, Trotskyism. All of these are anathema to the spirit of human reasoning and are deleterious to the overall progress of our species.

13. I am not a Libertarian (nor an Anarcho-Capitalist) as I believe that taxes are necessary and that there is a need for welfare programs within society. I do not accept the ‘survival of the fittest’ maxim as a guideline for our civilization. In my opinion this encourages a philosophy of self-centeredness that is ultimately damaging.

14. I see the necessity of corporations for large projects that require economies of scale but I believe that it is the duty of government to prevent the rise of oligarchies that restrict the openness of an economic system based on true competition. In short I tend to favour small business Free Enterprise over large organization Capitalism.

15. Government should minimize its interference in people’s personal lives as much as possible but not to the level where such pertinent issues as child and elder abuse, domestic violence are ignored.

16. Liberal Democracy (LD) while not a perfect system is still the best form of practical government that exists. I support LD as it provides a fair balance between the right of the individual and that of the State. All the Leftisms outlined in 12, fail in the long run as they are extremely biased to one side of the individual/state duality.

17. Liberal Democracies have the right and must defend themselves against internal and external threats. If not they risk extinction.

18. I am a supporter of soft multi-culturalism- encouraging various groups to appreciate their own cultures within the context of the LD. I oppose hard multi-culturalism that favours state supported cultural institutions. It is for this reason that I oppose hiring based on ethnicity and funding of cultural and religious schools. The latter should be driven by the community concerned although I do support government funding of the secular aspect of the cultural and religious schools curriculum.

19. I believe that Global Warming is a reality for in the current context but I am not convinced that it is largely driven by humanity. Nevertheless I do support the realistic efforts to reduce our carbon foot print. I am however opposed to the Kyoto Plan – which punishes Western Industry while ignoring the environmental harm caused by the growing Chinese industrial complex. I see Kyoto as more of a Western Liberal ‘feel good plan’ that is inconsistent with the global reality of pollution.

20. I support the use of Nuclear Power but would like to see more government initiatives – through tax incentives – that encourage wind and solar power facilities. I am also encouraged by the progress made by properly using clean coal and hydrogen fuel cell technology.

21. I am heartened to see government support for national Parks and ecological havens (I would like to see even more) and I believe that these should remain off limits to corporate or any other type of exploitation.

23. I do not agree with the radicalism of various environmental groups that spike trees and engage in various forms of eco-terrorism.

24. I am opposed to the Paleo-Conservative (Old Right) movement. It is too geared toward isolationism, social conservatism and the politics of division.

25. I support Gay Marriage as I see it as a logical extension of a vital institution that will grow stronger through inclusiveness.

26. I favour a monetarist approach to economic regulation over Keynesian fiscal initiatives however I believe that there is still room for the latter (up to a reasonable point) in a well run economy.

York University Bookstore - Center of Dogma

York University is located in Toronto, Canada. For more read: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/York_University

I was recently at the York University bookstore with the intention of spending a $50 gift voucher that I had just received from the Faculty of Education. While the gift in itself is very welcome I was disappointed to see once again how inferior the York Bookstore selection is with respect to world issues. In the politics section I estimated that there must have been over 200 books. I counted exactly 5 with a conservative focus, 30-35 with a liberal bend and a whopping 170+ that can best be described as Leftist. In fact there were twice as many books by Noam Chomsky alone (regurgitating the same old themes) than by all the conservative authors put together.

Regardless of what your position is in politics this reflects a very distinct bias. Conservative writers are every bit as prolific as their leftist counterparts – a scan of political books on the internet will show this truism but somehow within this enclave of academia there was no reflection of this reality. Now one could argue that books by Chomsky are better sellers and that the bookstore is just acting to maximize profits (profits off Chomsky the irony kills me) but if profit was the real motive then surely the bestsellers of Mark Steyn, David Horowitz, Thomas Sowell, Bat Ye’or, John Stossel. John O’Sullivan, Andrew Sullivan would be on sale as well. This of course is not the case. Where is the balance?

As an educator I have always believed in the principle of objective thinking (as much as it is indeed possible) and a criticality of reasoning. If the same University bookstore had been biased in favour of conservative authors I would be equally concerned. Not that I believe that one should dictate to a store what they should carry on a book by book level but University bookstores should have a responsibility to represent a broader spectrum of thought than what was evident on the shelves here at York. If this were an ‘alternative’ bookstore on Queen Street it wouldn’t bother me in the least but I find it sickening that in the university milieu of York where diversity of thought is supposed to be encouraged such an apparent lack of it is so openly on display in such an intellectual setting

In the News XXXI

Peruvian President Alan Garcia promises to rebuild Pisco
http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20070023204
It is believed as of the time of this article that 540 people were killed and 1500 injured.
148 bodies have been removed from San Clemente Church alone. 85% of the houses have been destroyed in the city. The Earthquake had a magnitude of 8 that was followed by a 5.6 magnitude aftershock.

French Foreign Minister vistits Iraq
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1654291,00.html
The French are first-class meddlers (and normally mess things up) but I will play the wait and see game on this one.

Libya releases five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19935708/site/newsweek/
The charges against the Medics were trumped up but once again the party in the wrong (Libya) comes up looking reasonable and approachable. Iran played the same game with the captive British sailors earlier this year, as did Hamas in the Alan Johnston saga....A definite pattern.
I wonder how much nuclear assistance the French have promised the Libyans? This is the frightening part? For me the jury is still out on Sarkozy......I do not believe that he is the darling that the conservative media makes him out to be.

Suspiciously absent: Palestinian Authority anger for the charges against the doctor? Now if Israel had did this...which they wouldn't...one would never hear the end of the complaints.

PresidentialCampaign 2008
taken from: http://www.pollingreport.com/wh08rep.htm

Republicans

R. Giuliani - 33% (Value is holding firm)
F. Thompson - 19% (down from 21% - last month - although officially not an entry)
M. Romney - 14% (up from 8% - Straw Poll in Iowa helped him out)
J. McCain - 11% (down from 16% - I can't see McCain survibing the race)
M. Huckabee - 4%
R. Paul - 3%
D. Hunter - 2%
The rest - 4%
Undecided - 11%

Democrats

H. Clinton - 36% (holding strong)
B. Obama - 21% (consistent over last several weeks)
A. Gore - 15% (not even standing)
J. Edwards - 9%
B. Richardson - 3% (my choice)
J. Biden - 2%
D. Kucinich - 1%
The rest - 1%
Undecided - 10%

Footer on Sunday

A poor refereeing descision robbed Liverpool of a win over Chelsea at Anfield. Stevie G. set up Fernando Torres who scored to put the Reds up 1-0 at the half but then an alleged penalty by Steve Finnan on Florent Malouda gave Chelsea the equalizer.
For more on the game read:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?view=DETAILS&grid=&xml=/sport/2007/08/20/sfnliv120.xml

On the positive note Man City defeated Man U at the Eastlands 1-0 and Blackburn held the Gunners to 1 -1 tie at Ewood.

Past Times that I enjoy (not in any order)

Reading - especially History, Politics, Futurology, Science and Philosophy
Watching English Footer - especially Liverpool FC
Debating and Discussing Ideas with others (Live in person or on the Internet)
Spending time with my Wife
Playing with my son
Watching Movies
Blogging/Writing
Brainstorming
Travelling
Using my imagination
Solving Physics/Math Problems
Following International Tennis, Footer and Rugby
Reading Quality Comics

Populisms

There are many popular past times/Fads/Products that for one reason or another I have never taken to. Here is a list of some of them:

Boy/Girl Groups
Reality TV - except for Dog the Bounty Hunter - He seems more real than the rest
American Football
Game Shows other then Jeopardy
Drinking on Restaurant Patios
Sitcoms since Seinfeld
WWF
Ipods
Electronic Personal Organizers
Text Messages
Watching You Tube
Rap/Hip Hop/Grunge
Country Music
Sandwich Wraps
Salads for Lunch
Shopping - unless it involves Books and Toys for the Little Guy
Ordering Pasta at Restaurants
Pilates/Yoga
Nascar
Reading Modern Novels
Hockey in Canada
Reading Douglas Copeland
Harry Potter
Dan Brown Novels
Manga Comics
Electronic/Computer Games
SUVs
Daily Stock Trading

Response to Lefty #2 - Hamas Radio Closings

He tries to compare Chavez's shutdown of RCTV with Israel's closeure of pro-Hamas stations that have been aiding terrorism. This is not so.

His responses in Blue
My Responses in Red.

How do you know the Palestinian station in question was as you describe it?Read: http://www.newswatch.in/lead-story/7612.html. Israeli military and foreign ministry officials told RSF during a fact finding visit to Israel in December that the Israel Defence Forces targeted media on the basis of their use for military purposes and not because of their programming. Seems reasonable because if Israel wanted to target stations based on programming only there would be many more stations (with larger listnership) that they could close down – lots more.


Have you ever seen the vile hatred projected by several Arab station towards Jews in general or does that not really concern you? I posted some video clips. This is common information. Many of these stations still continue to broadcast despite the fact that Israel has the means to shut them down. Aside from an educated guess, it seems quite presumptuous of you. More like logical…Sorry the Vulcan in me

And if indeed the station was practicing #3 and #4, surely there were other means at the disposal of the Israeli government (5th most powerful military on the planet) to prevent that particular hate from being broadcast. Such as what? Give an example? Blowing up the stations – methinks not.

The west bank is certainly not as lawless as Rwanda was before the genocide there. Understatement of the Year The perpetrators were known and they could be found (perhaps they were even imprisoned) but then you would have complained about that as well – Damned if you do! Damned if you don’t !! Israel's court system is used all the time to prevent westerners from even entering the west bank, Yes on a case by case basis but the fact that there is so much on site reporting on the Israeli/Palestinian segment of the Israeli/Arab conflict indicates that this is much less than in other conflict areas. . Lets not forget as well that the Israeli Court System often contradicts the IDF on various issues -

m not convinced by your explanation. **, I am not sure anything would convince you. It seems as though you made up your mind some time ago on this issue and are sticking to it.Also, the catch-all "associated to one degree or another with the Islamist Militancy" is a recipe for abuse and especially human rights violations. "Oh well, they must have been militants. Shut it down!"

Except that many other sources of Hamas propaganda are allowed to continue their programming unabated from within the West Bank, Gaza and Israel proper in some cases. You are resorting to the good ole flood gates argument.

----------------------

My earlier post



Gavin writes:

The Stations in the article you referenced are all associated to one degree or another with the Islamist Militancy. . (Hamas and co. etc – Hamas is an organization who in its very charter calls for the destruction of Israel and the murder of Jews). The stations in question are associated with:
#1 Promoting biased coverage
#2 Doctoring footage to misrepresent the actions of the Israeli military and government
#3 Calling for the Death of Jews – (using programming that is often targeted to children see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5S995NCeaUg).
#4Encouraging violent action and suicide bombing against civilians#
#5 Using their broadcasts to compromise Israeli military position in the war against proven Islamist Terror threats.

I am willing to excuse #1 and #2 in the interests of freedom of speech (as much at the Hamas portrayal sickens me – Leftist Israeli stations are constantly guilty of this as well). Cases #1 and #2 appear to be similar to the RCTV incident…

#3,#4 and #5 are not. In fact #5 alone is justification for Israel to shutdown the stations.

The Venezuelan Economy

Taken from a discussion with a fan of Hugo 'dictator-in-motion' Chavez

(All are my words)

The Unemployment rate in Venezuela sits around 8.9% - which is not bad relatively speaking It is slightly better than Brazil and Argentina but not as good as Chile and Peru.However it has dropped considerably over the decade so far – although this seems to be a phenomena across most of South America – which makes me wonder if it may not be associated with the long term impact of fiscal conservatism that has become a mainstay of South American economic thinking since the hyperinflation years of the 80’s and 90’s.

Nevertheless I will give Chavez some credit for the lower rate. In late 2004 I visited Venezuela, a beautiful country, with a very warm and friendly populace (based of course on my limited experience there – no I didn’t stay in a resort for a full week if that’s what you are thinking – but actually toured the countryside), but I couldn’t help noticing how much job duplication there was. For example in Canadian restaurants we normally have one ‘busboy’ per table in most Venezuelan restaurants there were 2 or 3. It reminded me of my sister’s account of visiting Hungry in 1989 (in the dying days of the cold war) – she said that in many of the washrooms for example there were several individuals employed to dispense soap and hand out towels – not exactly efficient but I suppose from a human issue standpoint it does provide work and of course makes the unemployment numbers look good.

Inflation in Venezuela is a problem, It sits around 20%. This does represent a sharp decline from the 1996 era however the vast drop in inflation did not occur under Chavez’s watch but under the previous government as the graph shown on http://www.latin-focus.com/latinfocus/countries/venezuela/vencpi.htm indicates. In fact around June 2003 it skyrocketed again to 50%+ levels. The raise in oil prices may have played a large factor in this. You are correct, ** that there was a steady decline in the 2004-early 2007 period but as of June 2007 inflation appears to be on the increase (It could be related to expectations of handouts following foreign oil investment nationalizations that have become more apparent of late).

The problem with the Chavez plan is that it has a ‘candy-to-the-kid-element’. It looks good right away and is appealing to the populace but the long term implications of increased nationalization are usually disastrous (case in point most of Africa and many European countries in the 50’s and 60’s, not to mention the East Bloc Nations)– it decreases foreign investment and discourages a competitive market that ultimately would favour long term/sustainable growth and overall improvement in the standard of living.The economist five year forecast discusses this issue further.

http://www.economist.com/countries/Venezuela/profile.cfm?folder=Profile-Forecast


As for Crime rate – here are some articles worth looking into
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/09/AR2006050901803.html

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/cri_mur_percap-crime-murders-per-capita

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/02/world/americas/02venezuela.html?ex=1322715600&en=3bd8d942014d5486&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

Thanks

Gavin

Debate with Silly Leftist #1 - Part Deux

My earlier comments in blue
His Replies in Green
My Secondary Replies in Red
Side comments grey - Did not appear in original dialogue

actually the US was largely isolationist between WWI and WWII and conflict free for the most part Banana Wars and other wars in Latin America…I said they were largely not completely isolationist …..please read my wording properly The Americans needed to build their military; they were not quite ready to interfere in Europe and colonies in Africa……..and of course after that they were planning to aid the Klingons against the Romulans to bring in Regime change…. This is all baseless speculation.

I believe North Korea invaded South Korea in 1950 to force a regime change The Americans with the backing of South Korean political leader Syngman Rhee called for United Nations-sponsored elections to ratify the republic of South Korea. Nothing wrong with that. Full Korean elections were unrealistic – the Soviets were not prepared to let this happen as Kim IL Sung’s supporters were outnumbered 2 to 1. Many Koreans in Cheju…? , who were involved in the Korean independent movement, were divested to hear such calls: “The prospect of a permanent division of Korea sparked renewed upheaval. When mass demonstrations failed to stop the sham election, some workers and peasants began localized guerrilla battles in early 1948”(Cummings, Bruce),,, Agreed. Most Koreans wanted a reunion -but under their own terms not those of the dictator Kim-Il Sung and his totalitarian regime.

The Americans (and the Soviets initially - My experience is that Lefties for the sake of convenience tend to ignore that there was more than one player in the Cold War - before they gave the go-ahead for invasion) wanted to create a buffer zone and did not care for the will of the Koreans.

In a way you are correct here (he had a partial point) – Cold War real politics influenced judgment significantly. The tragedy of the Korean situation is that both the US and the USSR are to blame (no analysis of Cold War Politics can should forget this dichotomy – we should also not forget China’s role later on) for the problem in the first place as both substituted power politics for the will of the Korean people. On moral grounds this cannot be defended. On practical terms it has worked out well for the South Koreans for the most part.
North Korea is a failed nation…a hermit kingdom…a monument for the transformation of utopic ideals into a dystopic hell….If the UN/America - (90% of the foreign troops were American but troops from 15 other countries including Canada took part – South Korea supplied 50% of the total troops) - had not acted in the Korean War to block the North Korean Invasion it seems likely that 40 million + extra people would have been doomed to live under an autocracy where large segments of the population have faced starvation under a brutal regime. Instead as of 2007 South Korea is an economic success, a democracy and one of the Four Asian Tigers… good for them. It has one of the highest standards of livings in Asia while North Korea has arguably the lowest. History has proven that American intervention in 1950 was the right action. I would give up the defense of North Korea if I were you **, most of the diehard leftists have abandoned that sinking ship a long time ago. Il Sung may have been a ‘progressive’ darling at one time (as Chavex is now) but the ‘nepotistic kingdom’ that he has constructed is an insult to any body who values freedom.

On comparing Gitmo to the Gulags


Lets see millions of innocents perished in the brutal Soviet Gulags…. There are a five hundred or so terrorists at Gitmo ….Seems a reasonable comparison…NOT….

You completely miss the point…You had a point? The United States cannot declare itself as a democratic and free country…it is free and democratic but it is also a nation at war with Islamist militancy………., while maintaining secret prisons. Obviously not that secretive if most us appear to know about them…, where torture and humiliation is the norm. Its not the norm…I agree that it is an issue……. but comparing this to the Soviet Gulags as the Amnesty International article indicated is ridiculous That is the Point.

On a ridiculous poll that argues that most people in the UK see Israel, US, North Korea and Iran as being negative force, I couldn't resist this spin.

Easy to Explain:Those with knowledge chose: Iran and North KoreaThe rest: Israel and the US Right…

because all those who criticize America and Israel are ignorant….No but those who take stock in silly BBC polls of this nature go some way to validating your assertion….. . Whatever you say champ. it just wasn't worth the effort to adress a seemingly lack of wit.

He still continues to avoid adressing the question below:

Why is it that non-Muslims such as myself (and many others) seem more concerned about violence by Muslims towards their fellow co-religionists than most Muslims are on the very same issues? Example – The Taliban killings, Darfur, Shi’ite-Sunni violence in Iraq etc. Right, because all Muslims you know think the same way…Note the lack of lcomprehension here..I never said this either? For the umpteenth time read my question, think, then reply. Most Muslims do not ascribe to the Taliban’s interpretation of Islam and their views on Women. Ok – Then why were there so few mass demonstrations organized by the Muslim community against the Taliban when they were in power? Why were there hardly any demonstrations against Saddam Hussein when he was in power? I believe he suppressed both the Kurds and Shi’ites – fellow Muslims?
Moreover, let us not forget who created the Taliban.
A typical leftist tactic diversion

A conglomerate of influence but the main ideological framnework driving the worst excesses of their Taliban behaviour is Wahhabism – a brand of Islam promoted by the Saudis while they mascarade as allies of the West. The tragedy here as well – and I have mentioned this several times before – is that the US has not been tough enough on the Saudis.

As for Darfur: http://www.tikkun.org/rabbi_lerner/news_item.2006-05-04.0900952813

Good – it took them long enough. Now maybe these organizations can put action to word and start pressuring Russia and China to stop supplying arms to the Islamist perpetrators. I find it interesting though how you had to go to a Jewish site to pick this up. Jewish groups – right and left (and believe me I am no fan of Rabbi Lerner but he is correct on his position with respect to Darfur) have generally been very vocal about condemning the genocide in Sudan. After all as victims of genocide ourselves (– as well as world indifference) – we have seem first hand what the outcome can be.

You have a bad habit of generalizing people. - an act of deperation - but how about this for a doozy of a reply

No just a good habit of not being Politically Correct when genocide is a factor….

For more read:

Read http://www.healingthebody.net/articles/shameful%20muslim%20silence.htm
http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/Read.aspx?GUID={CF026FD7-6530-46F4-8891-2CF66295E617}
http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2007/03/13/sudan-un.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sudan/story/0,,2032477,00.html

Cheers

Gavin

Debate with Silly Leftist #1

Gavin's original comments in blue
Lefty's comments in Green
Gavin's new comments in Red

But lets be realistic here – comparing human rights in the US to Iran or North Korea is in a way like trying to equate the tennis prowess of an ATP Tour regular with your occasional Sunday afternoon player. Its simply not worth the intellectual effort.

I will admit that the US has taken many steps to correct injustice and has been the champion of human rights for sometime now…. Finally we agree on something.. ….good However, their foreign policies has always been nothing short of malevolent…Marshall Plan? Peace Corps? Democracy in Japan? All bad in your books?………, There hasn’t been a period in US history in the last 90 or so years where they have not been in a conflict directly…actually the US was largely isolationist between WWI and WWII and conflict free for the most part or indirectly supporting regime change in a foreign country…So based on this logic they shouldn’t have entered WWII to force regime changes on Nazi Germany, Japan and Italy? Mmmmmmmm is not true for any of the countries you mentioned I believe North Korea invaded South Korea in 1950 to force a regime change. Thankfully it failed. We know this as the Korean War .
Iran acts to influence regime change through its proxy armies: Hezbollah (Lebanon) and now Hamas (Gaza Strip).
Moreover, in domestic affairs, you simply cannot ignore not ignoring anything just putting it into perspective now what is happening in Guantanamo Bay described as “the gulag of our times” by Amnesty International. Lets see millions of innocents perished in the brutal Soviet Gulags…. There are a five hundred or so terrorists at Gitmo ….Seems a reasonable comparison…NOT….

According to a recent poll, Iran, Israel, North Korea, and the US top the list as countries with the most negative influence in the world http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6421597.stm

Easy to Explain:
Those with knowledge chose: Iran and North Korea
The rest: Israel and the US

He then claimed that Us Supreme Court Justices always mimic the views of the presidents that appointed them.

“....... Presidential appointed judges do not necessarily mimic the views of their President who appointed them. In fact they often don’t. Souter, O.Connor, Kennedy tend to be more liberal than Bush Snr and Reagan.”

I suppose the Supreme court handing Bush the election was just a figment of my imagination

I didn’t like the Supreme Court Decision either. I believe that a new election should have been called. Problem is…, is that new elections are costly and a nation such as the US cannot exist in a state of quantum electoral flux for long periods of time.

… Souter flip flops, O’ Connor comes of as a liberal bc she cares about women rights, and Kennedy is a Libertarian.

Exactly. Judges on the US Supreme Court are independent thinkers. Case proven.

He then said that he likes Sweden as it is a transparent democracy.

I guess you must like paying taxes (not sure what is so transparent about that – seems rather opaque to me).
Sweden has a Standard Value Added Tax of 25% compared to Canada’s 7%.
After taxation the average income left in ones pocket is $14,770 in Sweden compared to $22,050 in Canada.
It is the only country in the world with a total tax revenue of over 50% .
On the positive side Sweden gave the world Volvo, Saab (both now US owned), Scania, TetraPak, Ikea, Bjorn Borg, Abba, Linneaus, Arrhenius, Raoul Wallenberg, Berzelius, the Paris of the North and Bergman movies.

Footer News

Liverpool more popular than United? Perhaps.....
http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,2145522,00.html

Another goalkeeper for the Reds
http://msn.foxsports.com/soccer/story/7105900

William Gallas - New Arsenal Captain - Third Frenchman in a row
http://africa.reuters.com/sport/news/usnBAN027611.html

Tevez is a United man - finally - saga has become long in the tooth
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/08/10/sports/EU-SPT-SOC-Tevez-Transfer.php

Heinze impasse Continues
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premiership/manchester_united/article2231731.ece

Some useful links on the dictator Kim Jong-il

Lest we forget.......

On Kim Jong-il - Note the Guardian is not a Conservative paper by any stretch of the imagination

http://www.guardian.co.uk/korea/article/0,2763,1136483,00.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/korea/article/0,,1077559,00.html
'http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/2821221.stm
http://usgovinfo.about.com/library/weekly/aankorea.htm

Here is some further reading from wikipedia - Kim Jong-il has been routinely criticized by world governments and international NGOs for human rights abuses carried out under his rule, as well as for North Korea's production of nuclear weapons, contrary to previous legal, international obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and his own commitment to make the Korean Peninsula free of nuclear weapons. Camp 22 is North Korea's largest concentration camp, where up to 50,000 men, women and children accused of political "crimes" are held. Reports of gross violations of human rights by the guards have been reported, such as murdering babies born to inmates. Kim's expensive taste has become a media target. In the context of United Nations sanctions restricting the trade in luxury items to North Korea following the country's October 2006 nuclear test, Reuters coverage noted that "No one enjoys luxury goods more than paramount leader Kim Jong-il, who boasts the country's finest wine cellar with space for 10,000 bottles. Kim has a penchant for fine food such as lobster, caviar and the most expensive cuts of sushi that he has flown in to him from Japan."His annual purchases of Hennessy cognac reportedly total to $700,000, while the average North Korean earns the rough estimate equivalent of $900 per year. Some defectors describe a network designed to recruit the country's most-attractive adolescent females to serve as sexual playthings for Kim and other members of the ruling elite. The girls are taken from their families and assigned to mansions and lodges used by high officials. In their early 20s, the women are married off to lower-ranking officials.

Exposing Castro and Chavez

On Fidel Castro

Still seems very popular with the Left and many Liberals. However the hypocrisy in ignoring the following is awful- none of these again are conservative sources.

http://www.free-biscet.org/
http://web.amnesty.org/report2003/cub-summary-eng
http://www.hrw.org/reports/1999/cuba/
http://web.amnesty.org/library/index/engamr250022002

You may want to check this movie on the suppression of gay rights in Cuba
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087696/
or
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Si%2C_Somos_Lesbianas
or
http://www.galha.org/glh/213/cuba.html

Castro on homosexuality:

[H]omosexuals should not be allowed in positions where they are able to exert influence upon young people. In the conditions under which we live, because of the problems which our country is facing, we must inculcate your youth with the spirit of discipline, of struggle, of work... [W]e would never come to believe that a homosexual could embody the conditions and requirements of conduct that would enable us to consider him a true Revolutionary, a true Communist militant. A deviation of that nature clashes with the concept we have of what a militant Communist must be

Source: Lockwood, Lee (1967), Castro's Cuba, Cuba's Fidel. p.124. Revised edition (October 1990) ISBN 0-8133-1086-5

On Hugo Chavez

Seems to be the new darling of the left but his Human Rights abuses should make ‘progressives’ think otherwise.

http://web.amnesty.org/library/index/engamr530052004
http://www.hrw.org/reports/2004/venezuela0604/ - Rigging the law in Venezuela
http://www.hrw.org/reports/2003/venezuela/ - more damnation of freedom of expression
http://www.vcrisis.com/index.php?content=letters/200510061453
http://www.badthinking.com/blog/index.php?title=criticism_of_chavez_forbidden_in_venzuel&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8IVBO100&show_article=1
http://www.economist.com/displayStory.cfm?story_id=6832058 - Crimes and misdemeanours
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/2038827.stm - links to militia
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/09/AR2006050901803.html - Caracas crime capital

Foreign Policy Magazine says that Chávez has "updated tyranny for today" and "is practicing a new style of authoritarianism". Foreign Policy (Jan 1st 2006)

Thankfully many grassroot organizations have started seeing through him
http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/articles.php?artno=1414

The Heritage Foundation's Index of Economic Freedom ranked Venezuela 152 out of 157 countries, among the 12 economies of the world labelled "repressed

On Nepotism:
At the end of may 2007 Asdrubal Chavez, Hugo Chavez's cousin has been chosen as public company Petroleos de Venezuela's vice president. His elder brother Adrian has been appointed education minister and his father Hugo de los Reyes Chavez is governor of the state of Barinas. Barinas' secretary of state is another brother of Hugo Chavez. Furthermore Anibal Chavez is mayor of Sabaneta de Barinas and Narciso Chavez candidate for the mayorship in Bolivar.

From Le Monde

In addition he has tied himself closely with Iran and North Korea.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2007-04-15-iran-nuclear_N.htm

http://www.nypost.com/seven/07062007/postopinion/opedcolumnists/chavez_vs__irans_working_man_opedcolumnists_amir_taheri.htm

http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200607/31/eng20060731_288280.html
- Iran expresses support for Chavez

My Political Philosophy - Part II - Guarding the Gains

8. Democracies have the right to defend themselves against militant threats such as Fascism, Communism, Islamism, Anarchism etc. During the course of this defense civil liberties may be threatened. It is the duty of the government to limit these restrictions on civil liberties but not to the extent that it places in jeopardy the well being of the populace.

9. Freedom of the Press is a vital aspect of the proper functioning of society but when the press becomes active as an agent that undermines national security (such as the NY Times revealing secrets about Federal monitoring of Islamist cash flow methodologies) reasonable limitations may be required.

10. Nobody in a democracy must be above the law. This includes the leadership who must still remain accountable for their actions.

11. A strong military is part of the infrastructure that guards the democracy. It is illogical to assume that the natural role of a democracy is that of pacifism. Perhaps this would be the case if all the nations in the world were democratic but the presence of renergade regimes with imperialist ambitions nullifies this pacifist approach. The failure of western peace movements as a viable entity resides in its inability to grasp this phenomenon.

12. Healthy patriotism is a necessity for a society to survive in the long run. The fact that it has been eroded in the West by unhealthy cynacism will prove to be one of the weak points in the fight by the democracies against the autocracies.

13. The US as it stands currently represents the best hope for the survival of the democratic model in the future. Other than Israel, Britain (to some extent) and Australia it appears to be the only nation capable of confronting the Islamist threat.

14. The EU has set off into the sun and has embarked on a pathway that if not abated will lead to its own demise. This is illustrated by the low birth rate of its member nations, the collapse of Judeo-Christian values in its general population, the rise of Islam within its borders and its dovish approach to international terrorism. The growing influence of socialism - the dominant political philosophy on the continent since World War II - has further transformed the EU into a byzantine culture driven by red tape bureaucracies. While European countries no longer fight wars amongst each other (a positive aspect of the outcome of democracy) by the same token the continent seems petrified to deal with the Islamist threat. In both Afghanistan and Iraq European acquiescience to terrorism reflect this truism.

15. Further attempts at an anti-Islamist foreign policy in France for example has been undermined by the Gallic strain of Greed Capitalism that sees nothing wrong with selling weaponary to ones enemy if a profit can be generated. Unfortunately the Greed Capitalism construct manifests itself in American politics and other Western Nations as well. This is another problem that needs to be looked at with more earnest. For this reason I have listed it as one of the most prominent threats to Western Civilization.

20 Boredom Sources

1. A Democrat Candidates debates – all Candidates support an immediate exit plan, all champion Affirmative Action, All are Pro-Choice, All are inclined to Socialized Medicine. All support big government. All have signed up to the Global Warming agenda. Which brings up the issue as to what exactly is there to debate?

2. Listening to Stephane Dion speak - his lips move but that’s about it…

3. Listening to speakers from Palestine House – Level of engagement consists of calling Israel an apartheid state (when any logical analysis will show that this is incorrect) and not budging from that position – So much for rational talk and informed debate.

4.The World Cricket Cup – Nobody was in Australia’s league. Made for a rather dull affair.

5. Women’s Tennis – A poor comparison to the Men’s game. Don’t count on many winners but you will see lots of dry rallies.

6. Friends – A sitcom that in over 10 years on TV was perhaps funny on 5-6 occasions.

7. Heavyweight Boxing – Since Lennox Lewis’ retirement the domination by Eastern European fighters of questionable ability makes for one big snore fest. Where are the Ali’s, Frazers and Foremans? Right now I would even settle for the overrated Larry Holmes.

8. CBC Canada – Hour upon Hour of Sanitized News and politically correct programming. Makes an excellent argument as to why government should not be in the business of entertainment.

9. Bush Bashers – I am no fan of Dubya – but the list of people willing to unfairly blame the American President for every ill under the sun has become so long that the meme has lost much of its significance – come on people focus!!

10. Exit Strategies – Its bantered around in the media for public consumption but what kind of intelligent ‘strategy’ is it (other than idiocracy) if the enemy knows all about it. Sun Tzu must be cursing in his grave/ashes right now.

11. Home Decorating/Fashion Design Shows on TV – Ok we get it – we dress like pigs and live in sties? Only the aesthetic one’s can save us from our own demise. To whom should I make this cheque payable?

12. The Scottish Premier Soccer League – Celtic v Rangers. Everyone else just makes up the numbers.

13. Donald Trump’s Ego – Its almost as large as Oprah’s bank balance.

14. Mike Moore – Do we really need to see another feast of selective editing and planned finger pointing in a propaganda piece that masquerades as a documentary?

15. Noam Chomsky/Howard Zinn – Rehash the same blame America rhetoric in countless books – while walking to the bank - to a doe eyed audience eager to pin everything on the Man.

16. Sid Ryan – The Foghorn on the Left who clings to a brand of socialism that fell by the wayside (even in Europe) in the 1980s. Often sees himself as a champion of the little man – a woeful inaccuracy used to cover up his general opposition to policies that would make place his position as union ‘deity’ in jeopardy.

17. The NDP – Still sticks to the mantra of High Taxes as a way of punishing the productive portion of our population.

18. The Liberal Party of Canada – Have made themselves the so-called paragon of Canadian politics by robbing from both the right and the left and repackaging those policies as their own. Truism is so apparent that it is well…..boring.

19. CAIR’s hypocrisy – Boring but tragic – A cry baby organization that is quick to invoke the First Amendment when it suits them - to stifle investigation of potential terrorist threats - but not when it doesn’t - championing criminal hate charges against a university student for simply flushing a Koran in the toilet.

20. Richard Dawkins – Has made G-d bashing a personal obsession – in fact for an atheist he probably spends more time thinking about G-d than does the average theist. Possible book title for those nauseated by this high priest of scientism – The Dawkins Delusion.

In the News XXX

UN approves sending 26,000 peacekeepers to Darfur
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20056711/
200,000 people have died in this genocide..its about time.

A different take from the usual negativity on Iraq
http://hughhewitt.townhall.com/g/6b48e744-e37a-4859-92f9-65ac0a343921

http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2007/7/31/165527.shtml?s=l

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/08/weekinreview/08burns.html?ex=1341547200&en=794a8c7902ff002b&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt

(surprisingly from the Times)

North Korea co-operating..for now
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20070731/D8QNH00G1.html

My Political Philosophy - Part I - The Basis

1. I am best described as Classical Liberal in that I champion democracy, human rights, private ownership of property, free enterprise, meritocracy, high levels of education, the rule of law and a complete openess to discussion and debate within society.

2. I believe that Western Civilization, while not a pinnacle of all that there is (nothing is - political idealism as a potential reality is a myth), represents an advanced state of the human condition. I will make no apologies for this position as to do so often generally invokes the odious philosophy of cultural relativism.

3. I appreciate religion as a system of ethics and a source of individual strength and hope but believe that it should be divorced from the functioning of the state.

4. While Western Civilization represents an advanced state in the history of our species it is still incumbent on the civilization’s institutions to learn from the other great cultures viz. Sino-Japanese, Latin American, Slavic, Hindu etc.

5. The march toward human betterment in Western Civilization has been challenged throughout its history by various force-dynamics . Some of these movements have been products of the outside world others were creations from within. The following is a list of such force-dynamics. All are problematic, some have been overcome, but others remain as an epidemic that future generations will have to deal with:

· Feudalism – Ended by the Renaissance, the Age of Exploration, early urbanization and the birth of the modern economy;
· The Domination of the Totalitarian Church – Eventually Eclipsed by the Reformation, the Enlightenment and the Rise of Reason and Science;
· Powers of the Aristocracy – Ended by both the violent and non-violent bourgeoisie revolution, liberalism and nationalism;
· Fascism – Defeated by the Western Democracies in World War II;
· Communism – Defeated by the Economic Machine of the United States;
· Islamism – A struggle that still continues;
· Rampant Statism - The Nanny State that threatens individual freedom,
· Greed Capitalism – A dangerous but age old phenomenon that still survives.

Western History is complicated in its analysis – a reason why I reject the silver bullet 'means- of-production-model' that is defined by the failed school of Marxist- Leninism (and all its cousins Trotskyism, Stalinim, Maoism, Fabianism). The fact that this model continues to survive in earnest in academia, where it nestles alongside Post-Modernism (Radical Feminism, Primitivism, Intellectual Anarchism etc) is a tragedy that serves as a blight on modern academia.

6. Several factors I believed that have contributed to the domination of western civilization are:

A Strong Emphasis on Science and Reason

Ethic Foundations of Judeo-Christian Philosophy

Free debate

A necessary and carefully maintained balance between the right of the individual and that of the community

A methodology of self-correction

A disdain for corruption

Limited tolerance toward crime

Informed legalities

An emphasis on Personal Responsibility

A willingness to defend oneself and the gains of all

7. While many of these attributes are not unique to Western Civilization. All have been necessary ingredients to ensure the meaningful progress away from the age of superstition, unreason and savagery.

Military Stats II

This thread is useful as my opponent here discusses at a level significantly higher than that seen during the Ayaan Ali Hirsi round - where I totally trounced the guy.

My original replies in Red.
His Reply in Blue.
My Secondary Reply in Green.
Debate is still ongoing...who knows we may even reach some time of meaningful consensus.

New REPLIES IN Green to distinguish from my original RED

The repetition of the errors of Vietnam where the press is permitted to exploit the war from the front lines to manipulate public opinion. War is never pleasant, adding sensationalized journalism to the mix is a dangerous recipe; [So it's journalists fault the war is based on a lie, ill-conceived and pointedly futile. I did not know that.] No its journalists fault for over reporting the negative and downplaying the positive.

I believe a far greater majority are listening and learning. The North Vietnamese chose a different course on their own , just as the Iraqis, Saudis, Palestinians, Venezuelans, Cubans, Afghanis --- and Americans and Canadians --- one day shall choose.

When is that one day? How many have to suffer before that one day is reached? I am not speaking about the US and Canada here by the way.


It is also reasonable to assume there will be many more wars before negativity towards "the" war becomes Rejection of War. Not really this didn’t happen in the fight against Fascism and Communism. The US public rejected Vietnam (which was actually a battle in a larger war) but still supported the Just War against the harbringers of Marxist dystopia.

Front-line journalism may even help turn people's stomachs.
I very much hope that it doesn’t in the grand scheme of things. Like Steyn I believe that the US is the only major power willing to stand up and defend Liberal Democracy. Europe has embarked on a journey into the sun and is in decline but unfortunately like the Romans in the 5th century AD will insist that they are on the up and up while Barbarism knocks on the door. Like frogs in increasingly warmer water they have been habituated to ignore their own demise.

Aayan Ali Hirsi II - The Saga continues

My orginal Replies in Red
His replies in Blues
My secondary replies in Green
He threw in the towel after this.

Does this make her story of brutality and forced circumcision any less valid? You are avoiding the key issue here which is the Treatment of Women in various segments of Muslim society. And what makes you think her story is true? The report clearly states she lied about her forced marriage and she admitted herself she lied about a lot of things she put in her application.

I believe though in the case of the circumcision that she has the scars to prove it. The Theo Van Gogh story has also been collaborated by several sources.

Aso tyhe report does not detract from the extreme sexism that she faced. And there is no sexism in the West lol

You are avoiding the question by using blatant sophistry again.

If you are referring to the recent 5-4 decision by the Court rejecting race as a guide for school admission then the court decision was correct.” So, you basically you don’t believe in integration? You don’t believe in diversity?

You must know that the issue is more complicated then this. Roberts opposes, like I do, a system of quotas based on race. This is a very valid stance. There are better ways to integrate than to rely on a system of forced discrimination….. And yes I do support diversity…Thank You Very Much… especially a diversity of criticism that has become so scare in this milieu of mindless US bashing. ‘The way to stop discrimination on the basis of race is to stop discriminating on the basis of race.’ You actually believe this simplistic, narrow view? Yeah, ok Chief Roberts. I suppose the only way to stop teen pregnancy is for teens to stop having sex?

Your response here is as illogical as it is condescending and is not worth the effort incurred in addressing it.

Yes but it didn’t succeed. Thankfully it failed in the Senate. A triumph for the system.. “ You are right the proposed constitutional amendment did fail. However, for him to even suggest such a thing was shocking. Nevertheless, the Republicans exploited the gay issue and put it on the ballot in the 2006 elections, with many states in the South rejecting gay marriage…. Funny, how Hirsi Ali is all for gay rights, but has no qualms about working for these people.

In a democracy many ideas are entertained – some good some bad – this happened to be a bad one.

I notice that you still haven’t mentioned the status of gay rights in Somalia

He expressed support for the UN in its criticism of American action in Iraq

My response:

The same esteemed organization that has been rendered ineffective in coordinating action to prevent the genocide in Darfur (Muslim on Muslim violence for the most part) because whenever the issue is raised it is stifled by such paragons of human rights as Saudi Arabia, Russia, China and Sudan. The UN cannot carry out missions without the financial support of donor countries. Many Westerners have been wary of any foreign involvement after seeing the disastrous US occupation liberation of Iraq.

Another simplistic generalization. The UN has largely been ineffective as a security force since the 1960’s –several factors account for this. Most prominent are: bloc voting, the presence of a disproportionate number of totalitarian states in its family of nations, internal bureaucracy and world indifference. Nevertheless I must applaud some of the Efforts of WHO.
What the world needs is an International Organization of Democracies with strong criteria for admittance.

This is the same attitude that led to the genocide in Rwanda… No nation wanted to be involved in that country after the Blackhawk incident and the US left Somalia.

Its again more complicated than that. Read Romeo Dallaire’s Shake Hands with the Devil. My personal belief though is that the World US failed Rwanda.

Moreover; the US has been very quiet about taking issue with Saudi Arabia’s treatment of women and minorities.

Finally you have a good point. I have raised this issue several times myself and this is one of my main criticisms of the Bushites as well.

I suppose you get off the hook if you are a US ally in the war on terror. Saudi Arabia is not an ally. I have said this all along. It is the source of the Wahhabi fanaticism. Many Conservatives (Mark Steyn, John Ray) and some liberals (Al Franken and Mike Moore) have taken Bush to task in this issue.

In any case, do you actually approve of the torture methods used by US officials in Guantanamo Bay? What do you define as a torture method? I’m sorry, that is not what they call it now is it? Ok, let me rephrase: Gavin, do you approve of the “enhanced interrogation techniques” used by US officials in Guantanamo Bay?

Depending on the techniques used – Yes in some cases – especially if provides critical information that can save lives. I am sorry if this upsets you but the civil liberties of terrorists is a secondary concern. I am more worried about the lives of their intended victims.

“I notice how you conveniently forgot mentioning your own use of the stereotype FOB? (he used this derogatory term to refer to Ali Hirsi's attitude). Are you being a hypocrite?

As I said, I called her by that term bc her attitude was like someone who just arrived in the US and was all mesmerized by the bright lights. I explain this to you in my first post, but I suppose you like to ignore things you don’t like to hear.

You haven’t explained it. Your remark is as insulting to newcomers now as it was when you said it originally. As a teacher this is especially disturbing.

Military Stats

The following is a reply to fellow teacher that I have been debating for some time. He presents some statistics from his favourite blogger Glen Greenwald on the percentage of the eligible population enrolled in the military. The teacher's thesis is that the low percent for the current War on Islamic Militancy reflects the fact that most Americans do not believe the war to be just or indeed apropriate. I of course beg to differ and see many factors that account for this apparent phenomenon. My replies are in Red. His initial words in Blue.


...And according to the CIA, there are roughly 108 million Americans "fit for military service" -- 54 million males and 54 million females who, as the CIA defines it, are able-bodied and between the ages of 18-49.

But the total number (.pdf) on active duty in American's armed services in 2007 only totaled roughly 1.4 million. Thus, a meager 1% of the total number of Americans fit for military service -- and less than 1/3 of 1% of the total number of Americans -- actually serve in the armed forces.

Moreover, roughly 60% (.pdf) of those in the armed forces are in the 18-29 age group, which means that 800,000 out of the 41 million Americans in this 9/11 Generation -- i.e., 2% -- have "answered the call" by volunteering to fight in the Epic War of Civilization against the Existential Islamofascism Threat. Thus, 98% of the "9/11 Generation" in America refuses to serve. It is a redundancy to say so, but nonetheless, the Weekly Standard cover story is a fraud.


The stats that you posted are informative. Indeed they are great food for thought. On reflection (forgive the use of this overly used Ed School term) though I believe that there are number of factors to consider

1. 1.4 million soldiers is still a very large number. Lets not forget that warfare has changed as of late (Era of Third Wave and Fourth Wave combat). There is less of a reliance on brute force numbers and more on technology and sophisticated weaponry (this has its cons in that it too often elevates the usage of mechanized warfare over the need for a common sense approach). In short there is a reduced demand for mass mobilization. China and Russia in the last years of the Cold War both realized that the era of the large standing army was over and began this downsizing of their respective armies as well.

2. The War against Islamist Militancy (WIM my own acronym) is still in its infancy. It takes a while for a population to appreciate the intensity of the war especially in the case where the lines of fire are not clear cut (as they were in earlier conflicts) and the complexity of the struggle is more enhanced. I believe that a vast proportion of the population is in denial of the challnge ahead as are the many who were a tuned to believe (and has been imprinted into the collective consciousness) that there would be no significant conflicts after the Cold War – See Fukuyama’s End of History. Furthermore it is important to note as well that Americans were slow in coming to terms with the threats to their democracy posed by both fascism and communism in previous epochs.

3. There has been a great deal of information downplaying WIM in both the MSM (Main Stream Media), Fringe media and the INTERNET. Lets not forget that this is the first Major Conflict of the cyber era that has direct implications for the West. While I am a big fan of the internet it is apparent that it can be used as a very effective propaganda machine to discourage the war effort.

4. Since the Vietnam War there has been a growing trend amongst educators to deride military solutions to problems. This is a consequence I believe of the 60s generation’s influence in academia and in particular - education schools. I have seen this bias first hand and it seems likely that it has filtered down to the next generation. Some would describe this as the feminization of the masculine mindset but I hesitate to go this far.

5. Americans have become cynical of their foundation institutions. Hollywood has played somewhat of a role, as has Madison Avenue but the causes runs deeper than this (another future topic for discussion).

6. The Y generation appears to be much more ‘me’ focused than their earlier counterparts – Fighting for one’s country involves an extension of the sense of self which I believe is lacking - not only on this issue but on several others. I sense that the twin cults of materialism and victim hood may have something to do with this.

7. The American economy and society has changed and is more complex now than it has ever been. This complexity shuns the ‘entrapment’ of a large section of the population in a military capacity. The US in a sense is a victim of its own progress.

8. The numbers in the statistics above ignore the fact that there is still a large segment of the population who are combatants in the WIM through their involvement in industries directed to war production. In a sense the ‘techies’ are the new troops.

9. The WIM has been poorly managed by the Bush Administration not only in word (it has not been well articulated – I blame pc self censoring for this) but also in action. Foremost amongst these errors were:

- The Invasion of Iraq which was a strategic deviation from the true intention of the war – Iraq drew away important resources from the more critical fight in Afghanistan;
- The setting up of a Homeland Security Department (a glorified show piece) that seems to lack a broad vision of how it intends to protect Americans;
- The apparent trust that the Administration still has in the Saudis, a global exporter of the Wahhabist vision. The Bushites are exposed as hypocrites in this regard, a view that has filtered through to the populace;
- The kid glove approach to military action that has failed to confront the enemy with the same vigor that they confront the West – it could be argued that the caution taken in being ‘mr-nice-guy’ may contribute to higher troop casualties;
- The repetition of the errors of Vietnam where the press is permitted to exploit the war from the front lines to manipulate public opinion. War is never pleasant, adding sensationalized journalism to the mix is a dangerous recipe;
It is reasonable that several of these factors may encourage a further negativity toward the war

Thats All for Now

Gavin

On Ayaan Ali Hirsi

This is an extract from a debate I am currently involved in regarding Ayaan Ali Hirsi and her interview with Avi Lewis on CBC.
My words are in red. His words are in Blue.


She joined the center right mainstream Dutch VVDparty after breaking with the Labour party . While VVD is a champion of Free Enterprise it also supports the secular nature of the country’s political system and its welfare state structure. VVD has members from a variety of ethnic groups. It is not racist."
The VVD has used immigrant as scapegoat many times; even so far as wanting to deport some immigrants because they are known "bring in diseases".
Can you be more specific? This is rather vague…. and I suspect not even close to the full story.

She lied on her application to the Netherlands?

To avoid a fixed marriage organized by her clan. The same clan that carried through her circumcision when she was a child.

Many Somali women and women from other ethnic groups go through arrange marriages. For many people it is a tradition. In Somali, such traditions are not enforced if the woman is not a willing participant.

This was not the case with Hirsi Ali. Read http://www.racematters.org/ayaanhirsiali.htm and http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,3604,1485350,00.html

Moreover, after the Dutch investigated further her refugee claim, it was “ Reported that Hirsi Ali had given false information about her real name, her age and the country she arrived from when originally applying for asylum. The program also presented evidence that she was untruthful about the main reason for her asylum application being forced marriage. Hirsi Ali admitted that she had lied about her full name, her date of birth and the manner in which she had come to the Netherlands.”

Does this make her story of brutality and forced circumcision any less valid? You are avoiding the key issue here which is the Treatment of Women in various segments of Muslim society.

She believes ALL Muslims should be treated as terrorists when being interviewed for any government jobs

I don’t agree with her on this point but her reaction may have come from the numerous death threats that she continually receives. I suggest you read her book titled: 'Infidel'.

So just because she gets letters from a few radicals she is justified in stereotyping all Muslims?

Read my point above and think about it again. I believe she is wrong on this particular issue. This again however does not detract from the sexism that she faced. As for your radicals argument I believe it was her good friend Theo van Gogh - who was brutally killed by one of these ‘letter writing radicals’ that you so euphemistically dismiss. A note attached to the body of Van Gogh threatened Ayaan Ali Hirsi as well. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theo_van_Gogh_(film_director)


Her clichés are naïve and her attitude seems to be that of a person who has no sense of American history and current politics. Based on your opinion. I sense the same elitism with your response as with that of Avi Lewis…This further strengthens my decision to bring Lewis’ odious arrogance on You Tube to light.

Obviously, she believes America can do no harm. She never once said that…More speculation on your behalf

She constantly touts how America is a secular society where gays, blacks and women have many rights they do compared to most of the countries worldwide and all Muslim countries are radical racist. This is the same America where the Supreme Court recent decision threatened the historic Brown v. Board of Education

You are being vague again. Lets have some specifics before resorting to hyperbole. If you are referring to the recent 5-4 decision by the Court rejecting race as a guide for school admission then the court decision was correct. As Chief Justice John Roberts wrote: The way to stop discrimination on the basis of race is to stop discriminating on the basis of race. This is very much in keeping with Brown v Board. . … Where Bush endorsed a constitutional amendment on gay marriage…Yes but it didn’t succeed. Thankfully it failed in the Senate. A triumph for the system.. By the way what is the status of gay rights in Somalia? U.N. expert faulted US officials of approving and using torture or inhumane treatment that is illegal under international law… Yes the UN – the same body that elected Libya as Chair of its Human Rights Commission……See http://hrw.org/press/2002/08/libya080902.htm . The same esteemed organization that has been rendered ineffective in coordinating action to prevent the genocide in Darfur (Muslim on Muslim violence for the most part) because whenever the issue is raised it is stifled by such paragons of human rights as Saudi Arabia, Russia, China and Sudan.…. THE UN as an honest broker when it comes to the US? I think not.

(He then said ALL Somalis are opposed to her ideas)

“Are you the official spokes person? Why do you assume all Somalis are so uniform in their thinking?” I never said I was…. However, said person constantly stereotypes all Somalis and is not active within the community…

She is still entitled to criticize what she sees as unjust. There are many in the Muslim world who agree with her. Read http://www.petitiononline.com/AyaanHir/

Question for the day: Why is it that non-Muslims such as myself (and many others) seem more concerned about violence by Muslims towards their fellow co-religionists than most Muslims are on the very same issues? I know I will be criticized for this question but I believe it to be legitimate. eg, Darfur, Shi'ite/Sunni violence - Iraq, Lebanon, Afghanistan etc.

14 Political Figures who have disappointed me

1. Jimmy Carter - Has turned into an apologist for the Hate Israel chattering Class
2. Al Gore - Has gone astray with the Green Global Warming hysteria - although I still hope that he runs for the Dems and beats out Hilary for the Presidential Nomination
3. Dubya - Not tough enough on illegal immigration and affirmative action. Handling of Iraq situation has been poor.
4. Colin Powell - Way too soft on terror. Calls to close Gitmo were irresponsible.
5. Michael Ignatieff - Took a strong line against terror when he was an acdemic but backpeddled on this when running for Liberal Leadership in Canada.
6. Ehud Olmert - Once took a hardline against Palestinian violence but after releasing 250 terrorists and before then mismanaging the fight against Hezbollah Olmert has declined remarkably in my books.
7. John McCain - Like Bush is way too easy on illegal immigration.
8. Mitt Romney - Changes positions like the wind.
9. Gordon Brown - Chooses correctly to fight terror while refusing to address its Islamist Source.
10. Barack Obama - At one time he seemed like a fresh voice in Congress now looks like the front runner for the Dem's increasingly growing Radical Left.
11. Tony Blair - An unfair critic of Israel. Refused to take the same hardline approach opposing Palestinian terrorists that he did against their Al Quaeda collegaues.
12. Ron Paul - While I agree with some of his libertarian ideas his support of an American policy of isolationism is irresponsible.
13. John Edwards - At one time appeared rational but after his 'War on Terror bumper sticker comment' appears as though he has hurdled the moon.
14. David Cameron - Seems more Neville Chaimberlain than Winston Churchill in opposition. Lets hope that this changes after he comes to power.

50 Overrated Phenomena/Entities

1. British Journalism
2. Harvard University
3. The English Football Team
4. The Presidency of JFK
5. The United Nations
6. The CIA
7. The Presidency of Bill Clinton amongst Democrats
8. The Presidency of Ronald Reagan amongst Republicans
9. The Watergate Scandal
10. Live Earth
11. Universities as a forum for knowledge acquisition
12. Dwight D. Eisenhower as a Politician
13. Jimmy Carter as a Man of Character
14. The Abu Gharib debacle as a 'symbol of US troops losing control in Iraq'
15. Al Queda - The Islamic Fundamentalist problem extends far beyond them
16. The Stephen Lewis/Naomi Klein/Avi Lewis clan
17. Richard Dawkins as a philosopher
18. IT Departments
19. Iphones
20. Paris Hilton/Britney Spears/Lindsey Lohan
21. David Beckham
22. Bono
23. The Order of Canada
24. Nobel Peace Prize
25. Class Action Law Suits for the Recipients
26. Leftist tolerance for free speech
27. Che Guevera
28. The Women's Tennis Tour
29. The Cuban Healthcare System
30. Education Degrees
31. SUVs
32. Buying a Cottage
33. Project Management groups
34. Saudi support for the US
35. Europe as a Superpower
36. Mustangs
37. American Sport
38. Self-Help Books
39. Consultants
40. France
41. Reality TV
42. Boy/Girl Bands
43. Golf
44. Italian Cuisine at most restaurants
45. Martinis
46. Sociology
47. Starbucks
48. Olives
49. Casinos
50. Living in the City

30 Disturbing Trends

The following trends are really worrisome for one who champions the strength of the West in the face of intoleration, mediocrity and downright stupidity.

1. Western Europe's Low Population growth rate - substantially less than 2.1 (replacement rate) - continuing.

2. The growing influence of the George Soros crowd in the Democratic Party.

3. Republicans such as Dubya abdicating their role as opponents of affirmative action.

4. Our growing reliance on technology over common sense.

5. Homeland Security in the US being muzzled by the PC lobby.

6. Very few politicians rising in opposition against Class Action law suits.

7. The sanitizing of school curriculum history for the sake of ethnic sensitivity (whatever that is).

8. The growing Unholy Political Alliance between the Paleo-Conservatives and the Radical Left.

9. The increasing use of the phrase neo-con as a substitute by the Anti-Israel lobby for Jew (new face of anti-semitism).

10. The strengthening of Europe's Islamic Bloc especially in England, France, Netherlands, Sweden and Belgium.

11. The Transformation of Europe into a continent of Appeasers in the face of the Islamist Threat.

12. The decline of classical studies at the universities at the expense of the ideologically driven cultural studies.

13. Secular contempt for Judeo-Christian values.

14. The lack of political initiative by the Republicans to distance themselves from the Human Rights Violating Regime in Saudi Arabia.

15. Moral Relativism gaining popularity.

16. Several leading Atheists (Hitchens, Harris, Dawkins) using the problems with the Islamists as a tool to bash all religions.

17. The hysteria around global warming trumping common sense.

18. The failure of Post-Christian Europe to appreciate its past successes and formulate a more binding philosophy than that of pure secularism.

19. The growing deference towards celebrities as conduits of knowledge and reason.

20. The politics of emotion truimphing over logic.

21. A general inability to appreciate the deleterious consequences of Post-Modernism as a replacement for the gains of the Enlightenment.

22. More Flash less substance.

23. Racial Politics being used to dismiss black on white violence.

24. Corporatations setting themselves up as opponents of tradition in order to cater to the new radicalism.

25. More blame theory and less personal responsibility.

26. The ACLU's further transformation into an organization that runs counter to the common good of the American people.

27. More Illegal Immigration into the US from Mexico - driven by Corporate enthusiasm for cheap labour.

28. Rising gas prices that appear to be elastic for demand.

29. The Decline of NATO as an effective force.

30. Anti-Americanism as a Global Past Time.

Exposing the BBC

The BBC has declined from a once well respected organization to its current position as the mouthpiece of the Left.

The following is an excerpt from BBCWatch.Com
Source: http://www.bbcwatch.co.uk/index.html

The recent Iraq War provided a unique opportunity to examine the BBC’s ability to report news in an accurate and impartial manner.
The coalition forces in Iraq were widely accused of invading Iraq in breach of international law. They faced opposition from the local defending forces who frequently fought from or hid within densely populated urban areas. As part of their defence the Iraqi army employed suicide bombers.

The Israeli army faces some similar problems. It too is widely criticised for alleged breaches of international law. It faces an enemy which fights from densely populated urban areas and employs suicide bombers.

The coalition forces, although claiming to be defending the security of their own countries, singularly failed to convince popular opinion that Iraq posed a real threat. By contrast popular opinion clearly accepts that the Israeli army is defending its civilian population from a very real threat which does constantly claim Israeli lives[1]. This difference between the two conflicts, if it affected an impartial news provider at all, would logically tend to result in Israel receiving a more sympathetic coverage than did the coalition forces. The opposite is in fact the case.

The BBC has a legal obligation to report news in an accurate and impartial way[2]. A comparison between the way in which coalition troops and Israeli troops are treated when dealing with such similar military problems provided a rare opportunity to compare like with like in a more direct way than our earlier studies have allowed.

What emerges from this study is the marked contrast between the way the BBC reports the two conflicts. Coalition troops are described in warm and glowing terms, with sympathy being evoked both for them as individuals and also for their military predicament. By contrast Israeli troops are painted as faceless ruthless and brutal killers with no or little understanding shown for their actions.

The BBC goes to considerable lengths to explain, excuse and mitigate any civilian deaths at the hands of coalition troops. Israeli troops receive totally different treatment; little sympathy is shown for their situation, and mitigating arguments are brushed aside or scorned if voiced at all. At times the reporting of events in Israel amounts to distortion and at times to what appears to be discrimination against Israel.

We are aware that, during the Iraq conflict, the BBC was heavily criticised in the UK for being too harsh in its treatment of coalition motives and tactics. This report does not seek to comment on that criticism. However the fact that the criticism was widely voiced only serves to emphasise the correctness of the argument at the centre of this report. Had the BBC responded to public pressure to report coalition actions more favourably than it did, then the contrast between its reporting of coalition and Israel’s forces would have been even more stark than it actually was.

We consider that this report shows conclusively that the BBC’s claim to provide impartial news coverage is unsustainable. Our two earlier reports[3] showed that the BBC’s coverage of the Middle East was infected by an apparent widespread antipathy towards Israel. However those reports were based almost exclusively upon a comparison of the media treatment of the Israelis and Palestinians. This current study, which compares treatment of Israelis with that of coalition forces, suggests that the partiality of the BBC’s reporting quite possibly infects its coverage of all politically sensitive issues.

The British public continues to pay for this partial and inaccurate news service through the licence fee. We wonder whether it is healthy for Britain’s democracy that such huge public funds should be provided to what is an essentially monopolistic and unaccountable body. The BBC cannot provide impartial news coverage. It has no legitimate call on public funds when they are used simply to promote the BBC’s own prejudices.


[1] Clearly there is lively debate about whether Israel’s tactics for dealing with the military threat are either wise or justifiable. No-one disagrees that the threat exists
[2] See The BBC and the Middle East An Analysis December 2002 – (“the Second Report”) – www.bbcwatch.com section 4 – Legal Duties of the BBC
[3] These can be found at www.bbcwatch.com and are referred to in this report as “The First Report” (March 2002) and “the Second Report” (December 2002

Wimbledon 2007

Well its official Roger Federer has won his fifth Wimbledon in a row, Rafa Nadel really stretched Federer and in my opinion deserved to win. However the Swiss tennis genius kept his cool in the last set to stave off four break points and clinch the match

Federer now has 11 Grand Slams to his credit - which ties him with Bjorn Borg and Rod Laver. He is still three slams behind Pete Sampras in the All-Time race but by next year this time could conceivably hold the record.

One expects more from Nadal - who definitely has the goods to win at Wimbledon - although he needs to serve more aces to persevere in the tie breaks) - Maybe Next Year?

The Women's tournament was another snooze fest as Venus Williams defeated Marion Bartoli to clinch her fourth title. Yes I know Williams was only ranked 31st but as most know the Wimbledon rankings are somewhat of a joke.

In the News XXIX

American Arabs working for positive change in the Middle East
http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=28991

Chavez Joins Axis of Evil
http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2007/7/2/110758.shtml?s=lh
Birds of feather....

Pete Domencini breaks with Bush on Iraq
http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSN0537581020070705
Looks to me though that the New Mexico Senator is trying to saving his own political skin...

An attempted coup in Zimbabwe
http://www.thefirstpost.co.uk/index.php?storyID=7200
The pressure continues to mount on the tyrant Mugabe....

Mass protest against FARC in Colombia
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2007-07-05-colombia-protest_N.htm
FARC has been waging a civil war for 44 years - The people have had enough.

Leftist Commonalities

In my dialogue with Leftists and my study of Leftist Philosophy and Political Writings I have noticed several phenomena that seem to define the mindset. Especially in North America

These are:

1. A need for a scapegoat or bogeyman – at one stage this was European Imperialism and Colonialism – now it is the US – a country that can do NO right.

2. A hatred of Judeo-Christian philosophy – Opposition to the Jews as the groundbreakers of the philosophy – in its contemporary form this has manifested itself in the hatred seen on the left toward Israel.

3. A tendency to de-emphasize history – History often negates leftist reasoning.

4.A love of conspiracy theory - A commonality shared with the Far-Right as well.

5. An overuse of Silver-bullet reasoning (fix healthcare = socialized medicine. Improve education = add more money, etc).

6.A belief that the government elites are inherently more able than the general population.

7. An opposition to tradition – hence the support for Post-Modernist Analysis in Academia.

8.Moral Relativism as a means but not an end. The End is of course (in True Hegelian Fashion) - the Philosophy of the Leftist Utopia.

9. The Culture of Victim hood – A tool for conversion to Leftist Thinking.

10.Identity Politics – Builds resentment toward the traditional system.

11. Collectivist as opposed to individual solutions.

12. A loss of an Objective Scale of Judgment – grievances in the West that are expressed by an ‘oppressed’ group are often equated to far worse Third World human rights violations. This is necessary to create a sense of animosity for the system.

13. A scale of oppression that sees everyone as Victims except the White Males (ultimate source to whivh venom is directed).

14. An overuse of specific cliché phrases.. These include the terms: Sexism, Racism, Oppression, Occupation, Colonialism, Post-Colonialism, Eurocentric etc.

15. A hatred of systems of merit coupled by a love of social engineering that de-emphasizes merit.

16. A tendency to view all other political systems in an exaggerated dystopic light - while at the same time emphasizing the Utopia of the Leftist Philosophy. Leftists ultimately oppose middle-ground solutions.

17. A hatred of the military unless the military is serving a Leftist agenda – such as the Red Army, various Arab Nationalist State Armies, Terrorist groups etc.

18. An opposition to Guns in society but not too much of an opposition as Guns may be necessary for the Revolution (the ultimate passion that beats in the bosom of most leftists).

19.An acceptance of Drug Culture as it opposes the Traditional System.

20.A System of monetary entitlement – sponsored by taxation.

21. An apparent support for Human Rights unless of course it clashes with the Left-Wing Agenda – Hence the near silence on the Russian Purges, Khymer Rouge, Cultural Revolution, Castro’s Cuba.

22. The use of mythology that creates larger than life versions of such thugs as Che Guevera, Yasser Arafat, Hugo Chavez, Chris Hani, Trotsky etc.

23. A belief that Academics/teachers should use their positions in the classroom to promote a leftist social agenda.

24. A support for a system of morality that judges the designated ‘oppressed’ far less harshly than anyone else. Leftists see this as fair. Everyone else sees this as a multi-tired morality system.

25. A support for discriminatory policies such as Affirmative Action – as they represent an apparent step towards the Utopia.