Thursday, March 02, 2006
Dhimmitude-- Catch The Fever
From Ace of Spades.
Important institutions which supposedly protect our right to free speech, and to protest, and to -- yes! -- offend the sensibilities of those of various beliefs and religions, have cravenly caved to the coercion of Muslim extremists and their supposedly "moderate" leadership and lobbying groups which, while weakly denouncing violence and extremism, nevertheless claim that the Muslim faith should be the one faith in all of the free Western world protected from any insult or offense.
In Muslim lands, all faiths apart from Islam face the official government status of "dhimmitude," or second-class status. There are restrictions on how tall churches may be, how big they may be, when they can operate and the like. Or even how many may be present in an area.
And of course in Muslim lands the Christian -- and especially the Jewish -- faith may be maligned and slandered in the crudest and most vicious of manners.
But in Muslim lands, Islam cannot be offended or insulted. The punishment is quite frequently severe.
Thus, a two-tier system exists: one special privileged position for the Musilm faith, a much lesser status for all other faiths.
In America in 2006, the same two-tier system is now firmly in place.
The government did not directly impose this dhimmitude on America. Rather, the institutions normally most zealous about defending the right to offend have imposed it on us. Instead of standing up to coercion, they gave in to it. They appeased.
They, effectively, accepted Sharia law as regards this issue, and imposed in on the rest of us, through the banning of giving offense to Islam in virtually all of our media.
There is only one permissible take on Islam-- complete respect for it, and abdication to its most zealous believers' rather prickly sensibilities.
Such is America in March, 2006. Those who would scream the loudest if a Christian organiation attempted to suppress their right to offend Christianity have become dhimmis of the transnational Islamist caliphate. There is one strict, "respect"-demanding rule for Allah's faith and very different rule for all other faiths.
Important institutions which supposedly protect our right to free speech, and to protest, and to -- yes! -- offend the sensibilities of those of various beliefs and religions, have cravenly caved to the coercion of Muslim extremists and their supposedly "moderate" leadership and lobbying groups which, while weakly denouncing violence and extremism, nevertheless claim that the Muslim faith should be the one faith in all of the free Western world protected from any insult or offense.
In Muslim lands, all faiths apart from Islam face the official government status of "dhimmitude," or second-class status. There are restrictions on how tall churches may be, how big they may be, when they can operate and the like. Or even how many may be present in an area.
And of course in Muslim lands the Christian -- and especially the Jewish -- faith may be maligned and slandered in the crudest and most vicious of manners.
But in Muslim lands, Islam cannot be offended or insulted. The punishment is quite frequently severe.
Thus, a two-tier system exists: one special privileged position for the Musilm faith, a much lesser status for all other faiths.
In America in 2006, the same two-tier system is now firmly in place.
The government did not directly impose this dhimmitude on America. Rather, the institutions normally most zealous about defending the right to offend have imposed it on us. Instead of standing up to coercion, they gave in to it. They appeased.
They, effectively, accepted Sharia law as regards this issue, and imposed in on the rest of us, through the banning of giving offense to Islam in virtually all of our media.
There is only one permissible take on Islam-- complete respect for it, and abdication to its most zealous believers' rather prickly sensibilities.
Such is America in March, 2006. Those who would scream the loudest if a Christian organiation attempted to suppress their right to offend Christianity have become dhimmis of the transnational Islamist caliphate. There is one strict, "respect"-demanding rule for Allah's faith and very different rule for all other faiths.
Thursday, February 23, 2006
A Failure of the Press
Monday, February 20, 2006
The view from Kurdistan
Michael J. Totten has a series of several posts from his time in Northern Iraq (Kurdistan), including photos of the countryside and the Dream City of the Kurds. Fascinating insights that you won't get anywhere else. Read them all.
Sunday, February 19, 2006
Just another excuse for killing infidels
Nigerian Muslims protesting caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad attacked Christians and burned churches on Saturday, killing at least 15 people in the deadliest confrontation yet in the whirlwind of Muslim anger over the drawings.
"Confrontation"? Is a one-sided massacre considered a confrontation? And isn't it about time more people wake up to what's going on in the world?
But it was in Nigeria, where mutual suspicions between Christians and Muslims have led to thousands of deaths in recent years, that tensions boiled over into sectarian violence.
Thousands of rioters burned 15 churches in Maiduguri in a three-hour rampage before troops and police reinforcements restored order, Nigerian police spokesman Haz Iwendi said. Iwendi said security forces arrested dozens of people in the city about 1,000 miles northeast of the capital, Lagos.
Chima Ezeoke, a Christian Maiduguri resident, said protesters attacked and looted shops owned by minority Christians, most of them with origins in the country's south.
Mutual suspicions? Sectarian violence? Oh how even-handed the MSM is. Sounds like Muslims massacring non-Muslims (again) to me.
At the U.S.-Islamic World Forum in Doha, Qatar, U.S. Undersecretary of State Karen Hughes said U.S. newspapers generally did not reprint the caricatures "because they recognize they are deeply offensive, even blasphemous to the precious convictions of our Muslim friends and neighbors."
I hope she said the word "precious" with the appropriate tone of voice, as if one was talking about a petulant child, which is how the Muslims are behaving (as usual). But I doubt it.
"Confrontation"? Is a one-sided massacre considered a confrontation? And isn't it about time more people wake up to what's going on in the world?
But it was in Nigeria, where mutual suspicions between Christians and Muslims have led to thousands of deaths in recent years, that tensions boiled over into sectarian violence.
Thousands of rioters burned 15 churches in Maiduguri in a three-hour rampage before troops and police reinforcements restored order, Nigerian police spokesman Haz Iwendi said. Iwendi said security forces arrested dozens of people in the city about 1,000 miles northeast of the capital, Lagos.
Chima Ezeoke, a Christian Maiduguri resident, said protesters attacked and looted shops owned by minority Christians, most of them with origins in the country's south.
Mutual suspicions? Sectarian violence? Oh how even-handed the MSM is. Sounds like Muslims massacring non-Muslims (again) to me.
At the U.S.-Islamic World Forum in Doha, Qatar, U.S. Undersecretary of State Karen Hughes said U.S. newspapers generally did not reprint the caricatures "because they recognize they are deeply offensive, even blasphemous to the precious convictions of our Muslim friends and neighbors."
I hope she said the word "precious" with the appropriate tone of voice, as if one was talking about a petulant child, which is how the Muslims are behaving (as usual). But I doubt it.
Friday, February 17, 2006
The Moose comments on ideological diversity
The Moose does not hate George W. Bush. That is a very controversial statement in almost all of the left and in much of the Democratic Party. In fact, Bush hatred is the ticket for entry into the progressive movement. Bush loathing goes beyond mere opposition to Bush policies. It requires rejecting anything the Administration supports. It is certainly the defining belief of the blogosphere and it infects much of the Democratic Party. The implicit party discipline of the left is to punish all those who do not subscribe to hatred of all things Bush. That is what is required to be on the "team."
Don't I know it, buddy.
the standard to to be a member in good standing of the liberal/left community is hatred of Bush. The Moose opposes most of the economic agenda of the Administration. However, he critically supports the President in the war on terror - including the NSA program.
I'm with ya, man, on both the economy and the war on Islamic terror.
This has won the Moose the visceral opprobrium of the left. Because in the left wing universe, one must oppose everything the President supports. The truth is that a good part of the left believes that George W. Bush is a greater threat to America than Osama bin Laden.
That has been my experience and my observation as well.
There is far too much ideological conformity in both parties. That is why the Moose belongs to neither. It would be far better if both sides of the ideological spectrum had more introspection and self-knowledge.But it is far easier to accuse the other side of rigidity than encourage diversity on your own "team." The right is slowly moving beyond Bush. The left remains obsessed with him.
I'm still a registered Democrat but find myself unable to support most Democrats because of their stand on foreign policy. I often wonder how the left will fill the void when Bush leaves office. Will be very interesting to see how they react to the next president, who for better or worse, will probably be another Republican.
Don't I know it, buddy.
the standard to to be a member in good standing of the liberal/left community is hatred of Bush. The Moose opposes most of the economic agenda of the Administration. However, he critically supports the President in the war on terror - including the NSA program.
I'm with ya, man, on both the economy and the war on Islamic terror.
This has won the Moose the visceral opprobrium of the left. Because in the left wing universe, one must oppose everything the President supports. The truth is that a good part of the left believes that George W. Bush is a greater threat to America than Osama bin Laden.
That has been my experience and my observation as well.
There is far too much ideological conformity in both parties. That is why the Moose belongs to neither. It would be far better if both sides of the ideological spectrum had more introspection and self-knowledge.But it is far easier to accuse the other side of rigidity than encourage diversity on your own "team." The right is slowly moving beyond Bush. The left remains obsessed with him.
I'm still a registered Democrat but find myself unable to support most Democrats because of their stand on foreign policy. I often wonder how the left will fill the void when Bush leaves office. Will be very interesting to see how they react to the next president, who for better or worse, will probably be another Republican.
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
Toby Dawson
Freestyle skier Toby Dawson won the bronze medal in moguls in the Olympics yesterday.
Born in South Korea, Dawson was adopted when he was 3 years old by Vail, Colo., ski instructors Mike and Deborah Dawson, who were told that Toby was abandoned either in the street or on the steps of a police station in Seoul...
Reports say he was born in Pusan, near the southeast coast of South Korea,
My son was born there as well, but he joined our family when he was only 9 months old. Started walking only 2 weeks later, and he hasn't slowed down yet. He's a 7-year old whirlwind on his bike, scooter, skateboard, rollerblades, ice skates, or skis.
Growing up in the U.S., Dawson would go to a three- or four-day camp during the summer for adopted children from South Korea and other Asian countries. He now volunteers at the heritage camp every year, trying to help kids who are going through what he experienced.
Holt International Children's Services is a wonderful organization. I highly recommend them.
It was good to hear the NBC announcers refer to Toby and his mom as "son" and "mother" without the qualifier "adopted".
Born in South Korea, Dawson was adopted when he was 3 years old by Vail, Colo., ski instructors Mike and Deborah Dawson, who were told that Toby was abandoned either in the street or on the steps of a police station in Seoul...
Reports say he was born in Pusan, near the southeast coast of South Korea,
My son was born there as well, but he joined our family when he was only 9 months old. Started walking only 2 weeks later, and he hasn't slowed down yet. He's a 7-year old whirlwind on his bike, scooter, skateboard, rollerblades, ice skates, or skis.
Growing up in the U.S., Dawson would go to a three- or four-day camp during the summer for adopted children from South Korea and other Asian countries. He now volunteers at the heritage camp every year, trying to help kids who are going through what he experienced.
Holt International Children's Services is a wonderful organization. I highly recommend them.
It was good to hear the NBC announcers refer to Toby and his mom as "son" and "mother" without the qualifier "adopted".
