Right On!

I just read a post in the Washington Times about the “Reconquista” movement. One of their slogans was “Uncle Sam Stole Our Lands.”

Interesting how a lack of oppression seems to embolden even the most radical of the open immigration crowd.

It is as if they are saying ‘I want to live in this country where I am safe to protest even if I’m a criminal and illegally in this country. I want to enjoy the economic benefits of this country’s working environment. But I want it to be more like the land I left.’

If people want it to be more like the land they left, why did they leave? Was it because they believe that the prosperity and freedom that beckons to them came from somewhere outside the people living here? The only “thing” that our government provides its citizens is the freedom to succeed (or fail) and the protection of our property once we’ve acquired some. Otherwise the government has nothing of its own to give, only our money, time, and effort through taxes or service.

By the way, whose land is it? I don’t say our ancestors didn’t take it from Mexico. But anyone who speaks Spanish or any other European language has no more prior claim to this land than anyone else. We should all be very careful not to try to play that card. With world-wide migrations having taken place over several millenia practically everywhere, we are all squatters or conquistadors (Ooh! Where did that term come from?)

Be careful what you wish for…

The Gates of Vienna has a very interesting post on reproductive rights and the impact they have on male-female relationships.

I can just see some person bringing a hold harmless legal form to an evening’s pleasure - that ought to really warm things up!

Of course, women will begin to understand that even with insurance (another options suggested in the post) that they have been handed a thin gruel in place of a meal - raising a child is so much more than the simple costs of paying for the various food, clothing, activity, and other expenses. We have twin grand daughters and have taken an active part in their raising. It isn’t the double cost of food and clothing that wears you out. on the other hand, it’s more than double the fun to have these two people in our lives. Maybe at some point people will wander back to the concept that there is a third (or perhaps third and fourth!) person(s) involved in their sterile calculations.

This returns me to the title of the Gates of Vienna post - King Solomon and the Roe-men. Solomon’s wisdom in the famous case was to remind all that they were talking about another person.

I’ve been reading several posts on various blogs addressing the Dubai Ports World topic and “islamophobia.” In particular, a dialogue at “The Gates of Vienna” is interesting reading, including all the comments. It’s a lively dialogue on the differences and similarities between anti-semitism and islamophobia.

But it all brought to mind one thought - human nature. The criticism of islamophobia is that it lumps all Muslims into the “bad” category. I think that is wrong. What islamophobia does is voice the survival instincts and skills we possess as humans. A phobia is defined as

The essential feature of a specific phobia is a persistent, irrational fear of, and compelling desire to avoid, specific objects or situations

This definition seems to say that a phobia is “irrational” and therefore bad, since we must be rational beings.

The problem is that in this context “irrational” really only emphasizes that there is no ‘fact’ around which the fear is built. If Muslim “A” has not done anything against me or anyone I know, then my instinctive fear of Muslim “A” must be irrational, i.e., not based on a rational logic.

In fact, that fear is the survival instinct at work - look for patterns of activity in my world that are either high benefit (e.g., food, desirable mate candidates, shelter) or high risk (e.g., injury, or death). Our minds then report out the likelihood of benefit or risk associated with the situation and we respond either positively or negatively. This assessment ability comes with experience and teaching. What happened to me (or someone who teaches me) in similar situations in the past? How does this situation match my memory of thos past situations. As humans who want to survive, we tend to do this pattern matching and binning of situations and activities unconsciously as we go through our day. Anyone who wants us to change that reactive behavior has a lot of “proving” to do.

This “profiling” is a survival shorthand. Is something lost in the process of jumping to a conclusion about the threat or risk associated with a situation or individual? Yes, but that’s also part of the calculation that our minds go through. You can imagine that if something of potential benefit were coupled with something of potential risk that your mind will waver between wanting to go into the situation and wanting to run from it.

Okay, you say. Mr. RightOn, you’ve shown that you let your baser human nature rule your life. We non-bigots are more highly evolved and have worked our way out of the Maslovian ooze to those higher needs for self-actualization.

True, but don’t forget that Maslov didn’t say these other needs went away. I’ll bet you still get hungry. And, if you forget about that threat protection reaction, you might not have a chance to actualize any self.

So what are we to do about this situation? Well, those “moderate” Muslims who hate the violence and bigotry of the radical islamists need to become a voice in the debate. If all the non-Muslims hear about Islam is the bigotry, hatred, anti-semitism, and ‘death to liberty and America,’ then Muslims should not be surprised that that is the face the non-Muslims put on them and their religion. As one of the commenters on the above Gates of Vienna post notes:

Where are the 100,000 muslims protesting the violence of those who proclaim it is called for by their religion?

Where are the 100,000 muslims protesting the terror, inhumane treatment and oppression that is taking place in the ME?

Where are the 100,000 muslims protesting the violence against the Iraqi’s who have finally tasted freedom for the first time in 30+ years?

An article in today’s Washington Times mentions that BB&T, the second largest bank in the DC area has publicly stated that they will not fund projects by developers who plan to build on property taken from private citizens through eminent domain. This is a great first step. Whatever the underlying motives of the bank are, this sends a clear message to customers and governments in the area. Where do the other banks that fund the DC development market stand? If you bank in the DC area, perhaps you should ask your bank where they stand on the issue.

http://www.washtimes.com/business/20060126-122358-6764r.htm

Michael Crichton has an article article posted, titled “Fear, Complexity, & Environmental Management in the 21st Century.” The article has several interesting points. I’ll try to highlight a few, but I urge you to locate the article and read it in its entirety.

Chernobyl was a massive disaster, right? Well, not as much as the main-stream media would have us believe. And, maybe not as much as the MSM caused through it’s hysterical reporting:

But most troubling of all, according to the UN report in 2005, is that “the largest public health problem created by the accident” is the “damaging psychological impact [due] to a lack of accurate information…[manifesting] as negative self-assessments of health, belief in a shortened life expectancy, lack of initiative, and dependency on assistance from the state.”

Later, the author lists several dire predictions for disaster during the 60s and 70s. He notes the similarity of language and expression used in each:

“…notice the urgent language. The situation is desperate, unprecedented action is necessary, ordinary values must be pushed aside, anyone who disagrees is dangerous and reactionary. Terror, fear, and the end of civilization.”

Mr. Crichton has this to say about advocates and advocacy:

“To encourage what is happening anyway is a common procedure in many areas of advocacy.”

His article should cause us all to pause and consider what the latest ‘crisis’ in the Legacy Media (aka MSM) is about, and what the proponents advocate. It may just be that they want to see if they can still spook people. It may just be that they want to start the herd moving so they can steer it in the direction they want - it’s hard to steer a parked car.

I was reading the Right Wing Nuthouse blog about “They Really Don’t Have a Clue” - a good piece in itself - when I came across comments made by “Scrapiron” about the German archeologist, Susanne Osthoff. Scrapiron noted that some of the ransom money that was paid for her release was found on her! I took a few minutes to look for any news article about this and found a Reuter’s online post alleging just that. In addition, I found two other articles by Times Online and UPI that add to the story about this woman: 1) She apparently is a spy stringer for the BND (UPI story); and 2) she wants to go back into Iraq, AND bring her 12-year-old daughter in with her (Times)! Either this woman is extremely stupid (and lucky, therefore to still be alive), or she is smart, brazen, and likely addicted to adrenalin. I can’t for the life of me understand what her 12-year-old daughter would be doing in Iraq, other than being bait for another kidnapping/ransom (how much money does Ms. Osthoff need?).

From the Times article:

“I would have little sympathy if Frau Osthoff puts herself again in danger considering the intensive efforts made by many people to secure her release,” said Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the German Foreign Minister, who headed a team that negotiated her release.

Other foreign policy experts were less diplomatic. “A self-willed woman!” exploded Hans-Ulrich Klose, the deputy leader of the Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee.

Even the German government is starting to get worried about how this all looks. In the Times story, they indicate they are witholding any funding for her activities:

It [the German government] has now blocked all funding for her project and has told her that she should leave the region immediately. She is believed currently to be in Jordan, with her 12-year-old daughter, preparing to return.

There’s a lot about this that smells odd:

The driver appears to have been working with the kidnappers and has since disappeared. British Special Forces in Iraq offered their assistance to Germany — which has no troops on the ground — but the Germans declined.

Eventually the kidnappers made contact. One of the middle men, according to German media reports, may have actually been one of the hostage takers. He has dropped out of sight.

And I don’t believe any of this “Ransom of Red Chief” stuff:

Frau Osthoff was unharmed and, according to security sources quoted in Der Spiegel, the sharp-tongued archaeologist made full use of her Arabic fluency to reprimand the kidnappers. It appears they were relieved to see her go.

I was reading the Right Wing Nuthouse blog about “They Really Don’t Have a Clue” - a good piece in itself - when I came across comments made by “Scrapiron” about the German archeologist, Susanne Osthoff. Scrapiron noted that some of the ransom money that was paid for her release was found on her! I took a few minutes to look for any news article about this and found a Reuter’s online post alleging just that. In addition, I found two other articles by Times Online and UPI that add to the story about this woman: 1) She apparently is a spy stringer for the BND (UPI story); and 2) she wants to go back into Iraq, AND bring her 12-year-old daughter in with her (Times)! Either this woman is extremely stupid (and lucky, therefore to still be alive), or she is smart, brazen, and likely addicted to adrenalin. I can’t for the life of me understand what her 12-year-old daughter would be doing in Iraq, other than being bait for another kidnapping/ransom (how much money does Ms. Osthoff need?).

From the Times article:

“I would have little sympathy if Frau Osthoff puts herself again in danger considering the intensive efforts made by many people to secure her release,” said Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the German Foreign Minister, who headed a team that negotiated her release.

Other foreign policy experts were less diplomatic. “A self-willed woman!” exploded Hans-Ulrich Klose, the deputy leader of the Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee.

Even the German government is starting to get worried about how this all looks. In the Times story, they indicate they are witholding any funding for her activities:

It [the German government] has now blocked all funding for her project and has told her that she should leave the region immediately. She is believed currently to be in Jordan, with her 12-year-old daughter, preparing to return.

There’s a lot about this that smells odd:

The driver appears to have been working with the kidnappers and has since disappeared. British Special Forces in Iraq offered their assistance to Germany — which has no troops on the ground — but the Germans declined.

Eventually the kidnappers made contact. One of the middle men, according to German media reports, may have actually been one of the hostage takers. He has dropped out of sight.

And I don’t believe any of this “Ransom of Red Chief” stuff:

Frau Osthoff was unharmed and, according to security sources quoted in Der Spiegel, the sharp-tongued archaeologist made full use of her Arabic fluency to reprimand the kidnappers. It appears they were relieved to see her go.

Over at Right Wing Nuthouse, Rick Moran posted a great piece that has dozens of links to tie in a mock liberal story about the “Evil Empire” of George Bush.

I am amazed when I see the amount of work, research, and creative genius that goes in to some of the posts people work up. It’s a high standard that I imagine took a huge amount of effort and talent to create!

I am in awe!

Another pointer from Dr. Sanity’s blog. This one goes to a very thoughtful and thought-provoking post on The Anchoress. Her son had some intriguing thoughts about Bush’s legacy. This post is sure to wind some liberals’ tails up tight!

“I think,” he said, “they hate Bush so much, because they saw that he had greatness in him, and he wasn’t supposed to be great. He was supposed to be, at best, slightly worse than his father.”

I’m sure it will do their blood pressure some good!

Pat Santy of Dr. Sanity blog fame has a truly refreshing post. I’ve enjoyed reading her many posts that examine the psychological motives of the many on the left who have Bush Derangement Syndrome. This post presents some clear reminders of what is at stake, and how much damage these self- and other-destructive nihilists can cause.

Stop lying to yourselves that you are patriots. You don’t know the meaning of the word.

Stop pretending that you care about people. Your actions are causing hope in our enemy and death to people in our military services; and if there is an attack in the next year then I along with millions of Americans will lay the responsibility at YOUR door.

Like a clean, cold wind, it may slap you in the face, but it clears your mind and makes you think clearly.