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May 08, 2007
RINOs Carnival Special V-E Day Edition
While many Americans might not be aware of it, today, May 8, is still known as V-E Day. That's Victory in Europe. Yay! Yes, 62 years ago today, President Truman proclaimed victory in Europe. In Russia, it's still celebrated by parades in Red Square: The parade, to mark the 62nd anniversary of Russia's victory over Nazi Germany in World War II, will take place on Moscow's Red Square. The Frunze airfield, on the northern outskirts, was used as the dress rehearsal's venue.Here's a photo of the festivities: I don't know that the Americans would dare engage in such a provocative display. (I mean, what if the Germans took it the wrong way and brought up all the awful things the Americans did like bombing Dresden, and America's incredible ongoing guilt?) Anyway, V-E Day is still a big deal in Europe (especially in Russia) and disgruntled Russians in Estonia are grumbling about V-E Day in the context of the recent riots in Estonia. A different kind of victory in France led to recent rioting there, and Jules Crittenden has a great piece in Pajamas Media -- by way of advice as to how the victorious Nicholas Sarkozy might address France's "fearfulness about alienating the Muslim immigrant masses risk making it a third-world nation, ultimately a failed state we may need invade (again) someday": If you want to restore France to a place of greatness, Nicolas Sarkozy, I'd suggest starting with some French humility. I suggest looking at not just about what France can do for France, but what France can do for the world. Ditch the accordion.I don't know how fervently V-E Day is celebrated in France today, but back in the old days, it was a big deal, and here's an amazing picture of grateful (is "victorious" too much of a stretch?) French citizens 62 years ago: Is it my imagination, or is a French crowd actually waving the U.S. flag? (The mind can play games at times.... Maybe it's just an old OSS Photoshop!) Of course, some countries make France look like the beacon of civilization. Jane at Armies of Liberation has a post about how the Yemeni government denying newspaper licenses to tens of people who applied to open a newspaper: Female Reporters Without Chains used to be called Women Journalists Without Borders, until a government stooge NGO took over that name in an effort to diminish the impact of the authentic organization which is very active and effective in the civil rights field. And now they can't get a newspaper license after trying for a year or more.I am not surprised, considering that Yemen's interesting human rights record - said to include torture, executions for homosexuality, extra judicial executions, girls marrying as young as nine, and last but not least, flogging journalists for "defaming" the leading Islamist Party. A lovely place. And need I mention what Yemenis do to the poor Rhinos again? Sigh. If only we could celebrate Victory in the Mideast Day. But as a Typical Joe (News, views and musings from a gay New Yorker living in the rural south) reminded me in a post titled "God's destruction in Georgia," it is undeniable that there are some nutcases in this country who resemble Islamists in certain respects. In particular, Joe singles out Michael Marcavage -- a man who believes in the death penalty for homosexuality -- and who declared that Hurricane Katrina had been sent by God to punish New Orleans. Joe wonders why Marcavage has been so silent about wildfires in Georgia. FWIW, I've been writing about the Philadelphia-based Marcavage (whom I suspect him of being an agent provocateur) for years. He no more typifies Christianity than Fred Phelps, and I do wish both Marcavage and Phelps would go to Yemen where they could celebrate the execution of homosexuals and then attempt to convert the natives and see what happens. Funny that I would just mention natives, because Dan Amato (author of the one and only Digger's Realm -- and the man who is keeping the RINOs going right now) is dedicated to the struggle to enforce over the out-of-control United States border with Mexico. Natives being people who are born in a country, I think all native born United States citizens ought to be more concerned than they are. I thought I should point out another amazing coincidence. In addition to being V-E Day, today commemorates the Battle of Palo Alto: the first major battle of the Mexican-American War and was fought on May 8, 1846, on disputed ground five miles (8 km) from the modern-day city of Brownsville, TexasThat war is what established much of what is now the border. Dan submitted five entries on the general subject of the border and they're all good. As an official blogger for the Hold Their Feet To The Fire event ( at which citizen lobbyists from across the country hit Congressional offices lobbying against amnesty and illegal immigration) Dan has a 30 post category of his coverage with lots of pictures, videos and stories. It's quite interesting, and includes pitures of Dan with presidential candidates like Tancredo and Hunter, wives of Border Patrol agents Ramos and Compean, and more. Not only that, but Dan met up with fellow RINO Rachel of Tinkerty Tonk and wrote about it in a post called Meeting Tinkerty Tonk. Cool! In a post called "How Bloggers And American Citizens Are Changing America," Dan explains how he managed to get past a hostile congressional staff and actually persuaded a Congressman to sign on to HR 563 -- a bill to pardon agents Ramos and Compean: So, why did I write this entry? Because I want every single one of you out there to know that you can make a difference, but only if enough of us get together. In my 4-5 years or so of running this website I've always had in the back of my mind "Yeah right like anything will ever get done about this bill or that bill", but you know what? Things can get done.Remarkable and inspiring story. Last but not least, Digger's Realm documents that the open border group "Sin Fronteras" is openly calling for calling for revolution in the United States and allies itself with terroristic groups, while operating as a church front group in Portland. AMong other things, the group states: Sin Fronteras Portland is building a network of autonomous working groups in the Portland area with the goal of bringing the anticapitalist and antiauthoritarian struggles of Latin America to the USA. We see groups like the Zapatistas, the Magonistas in Oaxaca, and many others as examples of revolution in action.For more on this nauseating phenomenon and its link to "church" groups, read "Sin Fronteras Calls For Open Revolution In The United States - Elvira Arellano Ties." As if calls for open revolution in the United States weren't bad enough, poisonous anti-semitism is spreading in the universities. An important post on the subject is Dane at Danegerus's "Genocide rationalization as scholarship 'Postmodernizing' Archaeology at Barnard." It has long sickened me that Islamist crackpots and Arab governments attempt to deny the existence of the Israelites in Israel (despite the fact that ancient Roman coins plainly and undeniably illustrated these events.) So it's especially horrifying that this profound -- even insane -- illogic would be getting a toehold in American universities. But it is, and a denier of the existence of Israelites is poised to get tenure -- at Barnard College, which Dane notes is "a Liberal arts college for women affiliated with Columbia University" (home of course to the late Edward Said, inventor of the pernicious idea that identity politics immunizes "groups" from criticism). Dane also links an incredible video I'd never seen before that everyone should watch which has film footage of the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem with Adolf Hitler, and which explores the strong historical ties between Islamism and Nazism. Hell, it's so damned good I'll embed it here (with my thanks to Dane): Anyone interested in why we fought in World War II (and why we should still observe V-E Day) ought to watch it. (And weep.) This all leaves me wondering.... If crackpots who spout Israelite denial can get tenure, what's next? Will Barnard and Columbia start offering courses in Holocaust Denial Studies? (A department, perhaps?) Considering the toxicity of the left, I need to pause for a breath of some fresh air of freedom. Economic freedom, perhaps? In yet another amazing coincidence, it so happens that today, May 8, is also Friedrich Hayek's 108th birthday, Dan Melson of Searchlight Crusade has a submission that's a breath of fresh air! While Dan apologizes for not having a political theme (he's recovering from a separated shoulder, so he's not doing anything more than essential primary theme material right now), economic freedom is his primary theme, which is always a fine theme, especially on Hayek's birthday. In a detailed post explaining why Gravity Is Not a Major Determinant Of Housing Prices, Dan explains that economic regulation is contributing to the housing problem: Environmental regulations have taken on a whole new life of their own since 1973. Tests, reports, studies. It can take over a decade to get approvals to build new housing, and if it fails any of the tests, studies reveal any likely issues, or people use environmental issues as a cover for NIMBY or BANANA behavior and sue in court, the whole thing goes down the drain. I happen to agree that we need environmental regulations, but they need to be re-written with more consideration that all economic choices are trade-offs, because the way they are written right now, they form an excellent basis for anyone who wants to stop any development at all to do so legally. Every time we stop a new development, the people who would have lived there need to find some other housing somewhere else. Going along the chain of A prices B out, who then prices C who is lower income than B out of lesser housing, every time we have a new American without building new dwelling space for them, somebody is going to end up homeless, and the price of housing goes up incrementally.If you ask me, Dan's view even sounds a little like Hayek's view of the government role: "If we wish to preserve a free society," Friedrick Hayek once wrote, "it is essential that we recognize that the desirability of a particular object is not sufficient justification for the use of coercion." These are words worth remembering this year, on the 60th anniversary of Hayek's seminal work, The Road to Serfdom.So Happy Birthday, Friedrich Hayek! But how far we have to go.... Last but not least, Mog submits "Shiites Unite" -- a disturbing post about a report that Iraq's Prime Minister is working with Al-Sadr and the Iranians. "Not very encouraging for the prospect of the war ending anytime soon," says Mog, and I agree. Victory sometimes consists of just staying put -- even hanging by a thread. That's it for the RINOs, a group so diverse in their views that they defy my ability to define the tent, much less explain how they can all fit into it. (Hell, I'm feeling so optimistic that I'd be willing to say we can still celebrate Victory in Europe -- even if by a thread.) Happy V-E Day everyone!
UPDATE: While it's bad that historical denial can be a fast track to getting tenure, Clayton Cramer reminds us that quoting George Washington can lead to losing tenure. (Cramer is not a RINO, but I think the post belonged here anyway.) UPDATE: My thanks to Clayton Cramer for the link. UPDATE (05/15/07): Those interested in a detailed examination of the bogus scholarship behind postmodernized Archaeology at Barnard should also read this detailed analysis by Diana Muir and Avigail Appelbaum. posted by Eric on 05.08.07 at 11:27 AM
Comments
"stop obsessing on the fringe trivia and get a grip on the big picture!" The big picture is that this is a carnival -- in this case a collection of posts from an eclectic group of bloggers. I had no idea I was obsessed; it seemed more like work. Eric Scheie · May 8, 2007 01:54 PM OK, if you're just offering this as a carnival freak show, then I completely misunderstood your intent and apologize. There ARE lots of interesting weird tidbits in it. ;-) Froblyx · May 8, 2007 02:00 PM "If you want to restore France to a place of greatness, Nicolas Sarkozy, I'd suggest starting with some French humility." Isn't 'French humilty' an oxymoron? Its like English cuisine, military intelligence, and fresh frozen orange juice. Chocolatier · May 8, 2007 02:34 PM Froblyx said: Then there's the anti-immigrant diatribe. Yes, there are a lot of good reasons for cracking down on illegal immigration. But concentrating on one trial of one illegal immigrant who killed one American citizen is hyperbolic. Yes, I suppose it's hyperbole to focus on one case when you have the mother standing right in front of you. I guess I should have told her "Oh get over it, you're only one person." It's only hyperbole until it happen to you or someone you know. Perhaps you failed to realize all of the other cases on my website. Perhaps you haven't investigated and looked at research that has found 12-25 AMERICAN CITIZENS are killed in this country everyday by people who aren't supposed to be here. Perhaps you need to educate yourself before you think it's okay for foreign citizens to come into our country, set up "states within a state" and call for open revolution on our country. Perhaps we can just ignore that our border is wide open to terrorists and is the number one smuggling point of drugs into this country. Perhaps everything is hyperbole because I submitted one entry on one person affected by illegal immigration who happened to be standing in front of me. Perhaps you should go read this, this, this and this. But then again it could all be hyperbole and just some reason to hide racism and hate or to be dubbed a circus act by a circu freak. Digger · May 9, 2007 12:11 AM "It's only hyperbole until it happen to you or someone you know." No, it's always hyperbole to concentrate on individual cases instead of ALL the cases on EVERY side of the issue. "Perhaps you haven't investigated and looked at research that has found 12-25 AMERICAN CITIZENS are killed in this country everyday by people who aren't supposed to be here." More than 10,000 Americans die every day, for all manner of reasons. Some die falling off roofs -- perhaps somebody will set up a website presenting lurid cases of people who fell off roofs and died. Some die from rattlesnake bites -- perhaps we need a website showing the horrible effects of death by rattlesnake bite. "Perhaps you need to educate yourself before you think it's okay for foreign citizens to come into our country, set up "states within a state" and call for open revolution on our country." This offers a fine example of where hyperbolic thinking gets us. Objecting to irrational thinking does not justify any conclusions as to the objector's political beliefs. This is frantic, emotional knee-jerking, not reasoned discourse. "Perhaps everything is hyperbole because I submitted one entry on one person affected by illegal immigration who happened to be standing in front of me." No, many things are not hyperbolic. The concentration on a single case is hyperbolic. Froblyx · May 10, 2007 10:57 AM Your rationale is flawed because obviously you have not visited the links presented. It is not "just one story", collectively there are thousands. As for falling off a roof, that is an accident. As for a snake bite, they know no better. All you have is foolish straw man arguments and your ignorance is showing. An illegal alien coming into our country and driving drunk is no accident and could have been prevented if laws on the books had been enforced. All of your assertions are based off of an anarchist viewpoint that laws should be ignored, as well as the consequences of those laws not being enforced. "Perhaps you need to educate yourself before you think it's okay for foreign citizens to come into our country, set up "states within a state" and call for open revolution on our country." I know I'm arguing with an idiotic troll, and that you are obviously ill informed on this subject. My thinking is not irrational on the call for revolution by these groups, it is straight from their own mouths only a few days ago (see here). Of course that's only an isolated case right? Just like the isolated case of the American revolution against Britain. I mean what could one isolated case of revolution change? From your point of view all news is hyperbole since it all only focuses on one story. That is a purely ignorant point of view that does not allow for one to see the whole picture. Keep living in your world of tunnel vision by ignoring all the facts presented, since they only come one by one. Digger · May 11, 2007 04:50 PM Post a comment
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Wow! What a stream of consciousness, covering a huge range of unrelated ideas! I'll offer a critical observation: there seems to be a strong tendency to draw conclusions based on the far end of the bell curve. For example, the discussion of the French emphasizes their anti-Americanism -- yet they just yesterday elected the pro-American candidate. The French gobble up American pop culture (even as their elites deride it). The French attitude towards the Muslims is not as accommodating as either the American or the British policy. In France, the wearing of headscarves in schools as a form of religious dress is forbidden -- even America is not so hard on its Muslims. France is a big country with lots of people and many different factions. The one-dimensional representation in this post ignores that.
Then there's the anti-immigrant diatribe. Yes, there are a lot of good reasons for cracking down on illegal immigration. But concentrating on one trial of one illegal immigrant who killed one American citizen is hyperbolic. Yes, there are lots of illegal immigrants who do evil things. There are also lots of natives who kill people through drunk driving. And there are also lots of illegal immigrants who eventually become model citizens. It's a broad bell curve, and this post concentrates all its attentions on the far end of that bell curve.
Then there's the complaint about the prospect of an academic getting tenure for what are considered to be political incorrect beliefs. Yes, this academic might be wrong in those beliefs -- I'd like to see exactly what those beliefs are before I condemn him. But the colleges and universities of this country employ hundreds of thousands of academics of all stripes. There are some real weirdos out there -- weirdos of all stripes. I'm sure we can find some weirdos from the far right as well. Remember Dr. Petr Beckmann? He was very far to the right. I still remember with fondness his diatribes -- while I often disagreed with him, he was important because he presented arguments that just weren't otherwise available, and occasionally he really nailed a point.
That's what important in a university -- a UNIVERSAL collection of thinkers. Universities cherish diversity of opinion and hire people with all sorts of different points of view. It's easy to pick on the academics from the far left, but there are also plenty of academics from the far right. Look at the Hoover Institute -- there's a fine institution devoted exclusively to conservative thought, and it has some excellent people.
Lastly, there's the hand-wringing about a group with revolutionary goals. Come now, let's be serious -- surely you do not think these people have the slightest chance of pulling off their grand dreams? There have always been violent groups, most of them just hot air. Those groups come from both sides of the political spectrum. It's prudent to keep an eye on them, but concentrating on these fringe groups is a waste of time.
My overall recommendation: get ahold of yourself! Stop obsessing on the fringe trivia and get a grip on the big picture!