Scattershots – 18may15 (updated 20may15)

“Islam was never the religion of peace.  Islam is the religion of fighting.”  Abu Bahr Al-Baghdadi, ISIS Leader

George Rebane

Indeed Islam has never been the religion of peace.  History and ongoing worldwide Islamist terror attest to that.  The above quote from a recent ISIS online video is just the latest testimony to a truth understood by all but the most deluded of western progressives.  We recall that for war it only takes one to tango, peace requires at least two.  Today Islam survives as the only religion whose adherents regularly commit mass murders of people embracing other faiths, and even versions of Islam that are not acceptable to their various sects.

That we in the west still deny the demonstrably bloody nature of a self-declared bloody religion is testimony that ours may no longer be a strong and vibrant culture ready to defend itself against a faith that numbers some of the most sincere, devout, and self-sacrificing followers on earth today.  Nowhere is ignorance of this existential threat to civilization displayed more than at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

The Silencing: How the Left is Killing Free Speech by liberal Democrat, media pundit, and national correspondent Kirsten Powers represents a long overdue watershed.  For years RR has cited the total asymmetry of how those of the Left and Right interpret the First Amendment.  The Left continues to prosecute and expand its attacks on Americans who seek to freely voice their beliefs and strongly held convictions.  A flood of examples are available at every level of public discourse from Krugman’s recent attack on Alan Greenspan (‘A Liberal Speech Cop Targets Alan Greenspan’) to the chorus of our local leftists (see 'TechTest2015 Survivors' Breakfast' comment stream) ever seeking to silence voices they consider disagreeable or expository.

The collectivists’ cacophony on silencing free speech has become so loud that some prominent liberals are getting worried.  Democratic strategist Donna Brazile stated on national TV, “We have to be very careful that we are not practicing a new McCarthyism.”  But McCarthy never dreamt of having the levels of speech control that are now routinely practiced by the Left; controls that range from our schools and colleges, through government bureaucracies, to our mass media outlets.

For a snoot full of very disturbing specifics, I urge RR readers to peruse this excerpt from Kirsten Powers’ new book.

[update]  On the matter of equivalence in the proscription of free speech.  The awaited comment below came from a sincere mid-roader who took up the gauntlet for the Left which has always maintained that its efforts to roll back the First Amendment are no different from and matched by those of the Right.  I suppose that it is an indelible part of the mid-roaders' litmus test to always seek balance in their ascribed sins of the Left and Right.

However, there is not a shred of evidence for maintaining the argument for such equivalency.  Anyone from the Right who stands to limit the Left's speech is immediately dunned by his colleagues, and, if unrepentant, is publicly drummed out of the conservative corps.  The facts of the matter are that more sensible Democrats (leftists) see the asymmetry to be so blatant today that they are beginning admonish the more rabid colleagues to back off from their Orwellian quest.

[20may15 update]  Demilitarization of nation’s police - don’t believe it.  Obama's recent order to not sell tracked vehicles, grenade launchers, and 50 cal BMG rifles to local constabularies makes no never mind to the military gear that they already have and can still obtain.  As long covered in these pages, military equipments that will remain in local police inventories include armored combat vehicles (e.g. MRAPs), automatic weapons, night vision gear, ... . The main point here is that the feds still want the police to have overwhelming tactical capability to quickly quash any uppity uprising by a more lightly armed public.  In the interval full military style SWAT assaults (many erroneous) on private residences continue to increase unabated.  A careful look will reveal that Leviathan has shed neither a tooth or claw.  (more here and here)

Comments

[Jeff Pelline]

More "intellectual" fodder for the parents of Tech Test participants to read from one of its esteemed board members. You can't make this stuff up!

[Todd Juvinall]

Pelline is the poster child described in Powers book. He is so afraid of dissent and is so PC he moderates off anyone not a extremist liberal such as he from his own blog. You just can't make this stuff up! ROTFLMAO!

[Bill Tozer]

Haven't watched tv for awhile, but when I did I found her to be fair and open minded and at times candid while hanging on to her core beliefs. Indeed a disturbing trend that has been eroding the iron protection of the First Amendment like rust, which never sleeps.

Favorite paragraph:

The illiberal left seeks to short-circuit this process. They don’t want to defend their views, nor do they want to allow forums for other people to present views that are at odds with the conclusions they have drawn on an array of issues. Sometimes, the mere suggestion of holding a debate is cast as an offense.

[Jeff Pelline]

Todd,
My lawyer advised me to moderate you off my blog. He reminded me that I was responsible for your tripe.

[Todd Juvinall]

Sure Pelline, just like you were not at the NID hearing. Yep, sure, ROTFLMAO!

You just can't make this Pelline stuff up!

[Bill Tozer]

Todd, pay it no mind. He is still trying to get the Bonnaza Market to take down their Gator and Kangaroo Jerky sign inside the front window. Don't think anyone else on the planet has tried to persuade a small market to remove that sign, the same sign I see displayed inside the little market window in downtown Penn Valley. That says it all. Just another example of many examples that is the gist of Dr. Rebane's excellent post: The First Amendent to our Constitution is tolerated by the Lefty Elitists only if you agree with what is said and should not be applied to opposing views.
Most alarming trend applied under the guise of equal time not afforded to "the other side". The Tea Party Patriots should not rent space for a get together unless progressives are allowed the same space at the same time. Many ways to squash dissent of views going against the current changing tides. There outta be a law! Opps, there already is a law. It's the law of the land. It's called the Constitution of The United States of America.

I read a couple weeks back that a community in WI passed a law making it the first community to enshrine the rights of atheists in black and white to protect their views. At first I thought that was unnecessary at a minimum, silly at best. But, it did occur to me that it just might protect the atheists in the future so they can reject Allah and any form of Sharia Law without repercussions. Ya never know what might come down the pike.

Always said I wish atheists would defend the rights of those who believe in God as vigorously as those of us who defend their right to not believe in any Supreme Being. I also wish the left would defend the rights of opposing views just as vigorously as they uphold their right to free speech and free association.

[RL Crabb]

Although Powers is correct in pointing out how her own party is mangling the first amendment, the right is rushing to keep pace. Why, in Florida, it is the government that has made the mere mention of global warming a firing offense.

[Todd Juvinall]

If you are correct BillT about those signs it might not have anything to do with the signs. It may be the race of the people owning the store. Could there be some liberal racism in it? Hmmm.

[George Rebane]

RLCrabb 744am - Bob, could you please give a citation for that? It would be most disturbing if true that any conservative of liberal would behave that way.

[fish]

Posted by: Jeff Pelline | 18 May 2015 at 06:48 AM

Sure he did.......

[RL Crabb]

That's easy. The story has been all over the net. Just google "global warming Florida" for more... http://www.tampabay.com/news/environment/globalwarming/climate-change-ban-boosts-floridas-image-as-the-punchline-state/2221128

[Todd Juvinall]

Jeeze, what a bunch of hooey. A few disgruntled Florida liberals in the Scott bureaucracy make a claim? And he is quizzed about it on a comedy show? The link was more telling about "climate change" advocates when you listen to the condescending John Kerry on the video.

[George Rebane]

RLCrabb 802am - Apparently such reports are easier proofs for some than for others. Nowhere in that report did it support your "Why, in Florida, it is the government that has made the mere mention of global warming a firing offense." In fact, the reports copy contains exactly the counter claims. My asymmetry contention stands.

But in the lamestream this thread of 'Florida the laughingstock' is of piece with Bush3's gaff with FN's Kelly. Bush3 clearly substituted the erroneous but logical question, which Kelly did not ask, for the illogical one that she did ask. No one would have attacked Iraq given the knowledge prevalent in 2015. The only sensible question was the one based on knowledge prevalent in 2003 - and Bush3 answered YES to that. But the press has made a field day of it, and more so since Bush3 fumbled his recovery.

[Ben Emery]

Islam is carrying the tradition on handed down by their relative religions Christianity and Judaism. Centralized power structures are inherently violent due to the natural instinct or strategy of self preservation. Doesn't matter the religion whether it is a "One God" or "Multiple God" religion it is all the same once a hierarchical centralized organizational structure is put in place. When democracy is taken out of the equation and the orders come from a man made structure with a top down system it becomes about self preservation of the organization not the spiritual message. Traditionally centralized power had held the potential of great damage and violence. In the modern world individuals with the right materials and technology possess dangerous levels of delivering massive damage and violence. The problem with religions and their institutions lays with the masses being taught a literal interpretation of the scriptures instead of reading the scriptures as metaphors of inner growth and development.

The answer is God is within every one of us but we make the mistake of making the Creator an external power, God/ Creator is found in everything.

Mitakuye Oyasin

Peace
~Ben Emery

[Ben Emery]

On the freedom of speech front anybody speaking out against the status quo has always been targeted for their freedom of speech being stifled.

NSA/ FISA Act Spying
https://www.aclu.org/issues/national-security/privacy-and-surveillance/nsa-surveillance

Whistle Blower Oppression
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2012/06/obamas-whistleblowers-stuxnet-leaks-drones

Violating freedom of speech through intimidation and violence
https://www.aclunc.org/blog/pepper-spray-protests-lead-strong-campus-free-speech-policies

The fact the Patriot Act is coming up for extension once again is a perfect example of freedom of speech being targeted by massive invasion of our privacy.

One just needs to go to the Holder(Obama administration) v. Humanitarian Law Project case. The unaccountable SCOTUS sided with the status quo on allowing massive spying on American citizens and ability to declare organizations terrorists groups based on that spying. SCOTUS is the status quo and have usurped powers that make them the strongest branch in our federal government without any accountability.

Does The Patriot Act Violate Free Speech?
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=123993822

[Gregory]

Pelline doesn't have much of a blog left to moderate, he's chased everyone off who could actually generate a discussion with varied views.

Following Crabb's link, that some get their fake news from Comedy Central continues to amaze... the guy poking the Florida governor for directing state employees not to use the words "climate change" claims the GOP invented "climate change" when they tried to ban "global warming", but it was the enviro left who morphed the message from global warming to climate change so they didn't have to rely on warming and could report scary weather as CO2 driven despite "the Pause".

The Pause by the terrestrial record is over 18 years, and over 21 years by the higher quality satellite measures of air temperatures. There is little that can keep the cooling forecast by physicists from happening, the only real question is how long before the weather convinces the unwashed masses that maybe the global warming scare is best forgotten. Democrats wanting to continue the Scare for as long as possible should pray for an El Nino

BTW, by a NOAA paper, the signature of anthropogenic global warming on California are wet winters. Lefties may get that info with confidence from last December's Mother Jones.

[Gregory]

So, Florida state employees wishing a long career under the Republican du jour need to stay away from AGW campaigning. Federal EPA (and California state employees) who want a long career already know to stay away from "natural variations".

The basic rule is "don't bite the hand that feeds you".

[fish]

It's funny to watch them eat their own........progressives.....carrion birds all.

http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2015/05/17/duke_university_professor_on_leave_after_racist_online_comments_spark_outrage.html

[George Rebane]

BenE 911am - Do you have any guidance on how Oyasin's good words should advise policy on 1) Islam's quiet colonization of the west, and 2) radical Islam's existential threat to destroy western (and any other) civilization as it stands in the way of its global caliphate objective?

[Todd Juvinall]

Does Ben Emery know anything about the Prophet? Perhaps he needs to go back and review his life and goals. If they had not been stopped at the gates of Vienna in 1529 Ben Emery would be kneeling five times a day to the east. If he refused he would be headless!

[RL Crabb]

As Paul Simon once said, "A man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest." The ability of liberals and conservatives to swallow their own bullshit never ceases to amaze me.

[Todd Juvinall]

I agree RL. Just as indies swallow the BS from both sides.

[Paul Emery]

George

You've got to give me credit for scoping this one early. McConnell is all gooey over Obama over the TPP which is a perfect example of the Republicrats marching together to serve answer the call from big business and international corporations.

""The president has done an excellent job on this," McConnell said in an interview with ABC's "This Week." "I point out to my members who are somewhat squeamish, as you can imagine, giving the president the power of any issue, given his expansive view of his powers on so many other issues. But this is a trade promotion authority not just for President Obama, but for the next president as well. "

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/05/17/mitch-mcconnell-tpp_n_7300842.html

The Mainstream Republicans have no problem compromising national sovereignty on this one by using the Investor-State Dispute Settlement process.

[George Rebane]

RLCrabb 1026am - I suppose that is your last word on the matter. And I in turn have tried to address the nature of your affliction on equivalency in the 19may15 update above.

PaulE 1042am - You may have all the credit you wish as long as we are careful not to confuse the TPA, now the issue, with the secretive TPP that has yet to reveal its innards. Both the Right and Left agree on the president having negotiation latitude given by the TPA, and both are betting that the TPP will bolster their own visions of America's future. The Right sees economic growth in supplying newly opened markets and having to import from facile, low cost suppliers. The Left sees an America more tightly integrated under international trade laws that serve as the harbingers for the brave new global order envisioned under Agenda21.

[RL Crabb]

Here's a more detailed report on the deletion of banned speech... http://fcir.org/2015/03/08/in-florida-officials-ban-term-climate-change/

[George Rebane]

RLCrabb 1106am - the cited report specifically states that there is no such ban, all references to it are hearsay which have been countered by their public denials from the governor's office.

BTW, we here are not really talking about 'free speech' as it is understood and practiced under the Constitution. Corporations and govt agencies can and do have the right to wordsmith their lawful institutional messages any way they wish. If such institutions proscribe the speech of their workers when not acting in their official capacity, that would be a different matter.

I think your R/L symmetry arguments still need considerable work.

[RL Crabb]

Your ideological dyslexia is duly noted, George.

[Paul Emery]

George

It is the TPP that the Repubs are celebrating an anticipated victory despite opposition of most Dems and Tea Party Republicans.

"Republican majority leader Mitch McConnell said on Sunday the Senate will pass “fast-track” authority to negotiate major trade deals this week, despite opposition to the measure from many of President Barack Obama’s fellow Democrats.

“Yes, we’ll pass it. We’ll pass it later this week,” McConnell said in an interview with ABC.

The trade issue has made unlikely allies of the Republican majority leader and the Democratic president. McConnell said on Sunday that Obama has “done an excellent job” on the trade issue........We will have the votes," Ryan said on CNN's "State of the Union." "We're doing very well. We're gaining a lot of steam and momentum."

[Paul Emery]

Link for above
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/05/17/mitch-mcconnell-tpp_n_7300842.html

[George Rebane]

PaulE 1131am - Not sure I understand your point apropos my 1118am.

Administriva - Please direct your kind attention to the 18may15 update to the post on last Tuesday's SoJ prezo. It includes the observations by Messrs George Boardman and Eduard Garcia of the NC SoJ steering committee.
http://rebaneruminations.typepad.com/rebanes_ruminations/2015/05/supes-hear-state-of-jefferson-prezo.html

[Paul Emery]

George

I was clarifying that McConnell and Ryan are expressing enthusiasm for the passage of the TPP which you described as "secretive TPP that has yet to reveal its innards".

[RL Crabb]

Okay, so we'll move past the climate issue... http://www.cbsnews.com/news/alabama-bill-targets-gay-authors/

[George Rebane]

Re how the media mangles the message, Fox News Sunday stuck their foot past their tonsils yesterday when Chris Wallace attempted to replicate the mileage his colleague Megan Kelly got with her Bush3 interview.

Wallace asked Sen Rubio, "Would you have invaded Iraq? Yes or No." In light of the current hoopla over who knew what when, the question could only be answered conditionally, and Rubio attempted to do that several times by injecting 'Had I known only what was then known ...'. But echoing the persistent interrogation techniques of both his father and Sen McCarthy, Wallace kept stepping on Sen Rubio's tongue, and insisted repeatedly 'Just answer my question please!' Rubio's own persistence paid off, and he was able to give the complete answer, "If I'd known only what was known then (2003), yes I would have invaded Iraq." This avoided the subsequent brouhaha that an unconditional answer would have generated.

I have no idea why Wallace tarnished his otherwise excellent journalistic credentials by trying to push such a cheap and uninformative gotcha question. I suppose that nobody is perfect.

[Todd Juvinall]

Paul Emery's position on free trade is rich. All my life I have seen the industries of America go overseas because the democrats shoved millions of laws and regulations down their throats and the businesses said adios. Now those same people, mostly democrats, oppose the trade agreements because it may impact their union payoffs. The R's have pretty much been for free trade and as the left always says, "it is one world".

Government employees in Florida have been used to passing along their philosophies over the objections of people not agreeing with them. If the Governor, the Chief Executive, has a position against "Global Warming" and the employees disregard his positions and try to undermine him, to me that is a fire-able offense. We had the same thing happen here many years ago and if someone working for the Executive wants a different approach they certainly can quit and become an advocate. I say Go Governor Scott!

[Bill Tozer]

Gotta side with the good doc on this one. Commerical speech and workplace speech is different than free speech as we know it. The City of Seattle has banned its employees from using the term "brown bag" in the workplace. What the employees say at home is none of the City's business. "Brown Bag" got banned because it harkened back to days of yore when a "colored person" could only enter certain establishments serving distilled spirits if their skin color was as light or lighter than a brown paper bag which the bouncer held up to the person's face for comparison. Doubt if anyone around today finds the term offensive, especially those watching their budgets and brown bag it for lunch.

As a side note, I am not allowed to speak to the media, be it press, radio, video, or on-line representing the Company without expressed permission from the Publiv Relations department first and the host of lawyers Back East. Off work I say what I want, how I want, when I want. On the job, I veer away from my usual offensive rude Equal Opportunity Offender ways, you ass wipes.

These are mere distractions from the heart of the matter. Colleges and their indoctrineated pupils are most sensitive to hurtful speech, offensive speech, and conservative speech (except those pursuing a business degree) to the point of banning/barring it under the umbrella of "hate speech". If folks agree with them and their professors, it makes them feel good. Herd mentality. If someone disagrees with their stances on, say, abortion or politics, then it hurts their feelings and is offensive. Feelings over substance if you attend an institution of higher learning (ironically formerly based upon the free flowing exchange of ideas and diverse opinions) or if you are a public servant, you spout the company line....or else. Don't make waves.

I cannot stomach the old Japanese expression, but it is so accurate referring to our progressive friends. Makes me cringe to even type it. "The nail that stands up gets pounded down."

I have noticed that when discussing certain topics lately and viewing the media on-line, whenever someone says what President Obama is doing is unconstitutional, the mouthpiece for the other side rolls their eyes and basically replies "don't go spouting The Constitution again, that pesky antiquated piece of paper written by rich white landowners centuries ago. This is modern times, so put that little Constitution of yours back in your hip pocket and quit bringing up matters the founders could not possible foresee and you don't understand. Get with the times."

They would prefer a No Constitution Zone in discussing current events. Roll your eyes all you want, ass wipes. But when they get a speeding ticket or are arrested for failure to disperse at a demonstration turned ugly, they are the first to scream bloodily murder that their Constitutionally guarenteed rights have be thrown asunder. Lol.

[Paul Emery]

So Todd I take it you are a supporter of the TPP

[George Rebane]

RLCrabb 1200pm - Got to hand you that one Bob. You have dug up a (putatively) conservative knuckle dragger. But please recall that the point that RR has always made is the asymmetry of such proscriptions by the Right and Left. Even though you have found one such case (and probably can find another with sufficient digging), this does not address the point made here, long acknowledged by most clearly thinking people, and now illuminated by Ms Powers that there really is no equivalence in how the two ideological poles treat the freedom to speak, especially in the public forum.

[Todd Juvinall]

I am a free trade advocate and if it fits that I would support it. But since I am unable to travel to DC and read the thing in the "secret room" I will withhold my judgement on this particular endeavor.

[Paul Emery]

Well Todd, to your credit, that distances you from McConnell and Ryan.

[Paul Emery]

Fox News reports:

"Police were ramping up security in Waco, Texas, Monday, fearing further violence in the wake of a brawl and shootout between members of rival motorcycle gangs a day earlier that left nine dead and 18 injured."

Another example of what happens when stupid and dangerous people are allowed to carry guns.
"

[Don Bessee]

PE 1252- 'allowed to carry' I would guess that none of those gang members can legally carry a gun but that does not stop scum bags from being armed.

[fish]

Posted by: Paul Emery | 18 May 2015 at 12:52 PM

Your point being........?

[George Rebane]

PaulE 1230pm+ - I don't think that McConnell and Ryan have given unqualified support to a TPP the provisions of which they have not seen - i.e. they will not buy a pig in a poke. But they, as do all of the Right, give support for free trade qualified in that supports our national interests.

1252pm - And there's the rub. Who is the arbiter of separating out the "stupid and dangerous people"?

[Bill Tozer]

Mr. Paul, alcohol-drug dealing-turf disputes-illegal activity and firearms do not mix. Duh.

Rock on.

[Todd Juvinall]

Besse is right. Those gang members are probably felons and not legally allowed to have a weapon. If they were a minority gang shooting cops they would be heroes to the media and the left.

[Bill Tozer]

Mr. Beese. I picked up on that line "allowed to carry" as well, but let it ride. That phrase jumped off the page at me like the letters were ten feet tall.

Think Mr. Paul has it backwards with his slip of the tongue "allowed to carry". We all are allowed to carry, except a clearly defined few that are "Not Allowed to Carry." We are allowed to carry and Goverment does not give us this right; rather, government has a list of mentally ill whack jobs and felons who are not allowed to carry. Allowing comes from phrase "shall not be infringed", not some power hungry control freak freakazoid public servant who orders us to play "Mother May I?"

Be that as it may AND is, thankfully not one innocent bystander nor not one single unaffiliated patron was injured. Them hell on wheels outlaws were good shots with nary a stray bullet striking the innocent. I will give them that.

[George Rebane]

Gentlemen, I feel we're growing a non sequitur thread here that really belongs in the free-for-all sandbox.

[Paul Emery]

So Besse how do you keep guns out of the hands of those not legally allowed to carry guns? Some kind of registration at point of sale?

[RL Crabb]

This may be slightly off the subject of free speech, but I find it useful in divining the different modes of totalitarian thought pushed by the left and right. Orwell's 1984 describes a fascist state of mind fed by the fear of foreigners and a reliance on militarism and police to keep the masses in line. Republicans may say they oppose the surveillance of the citizenry, but if they were to dominate the government they would find it necessary to keep the leftist revolutionaries in check. On the left side of the spectrum, the Brave New World model (sex, drugs and rock'n'roll) is already taking hold. At this point in history, the opposing parties have drifted far into these radical camps, and the only thing keeping one or the other from taking over completely is the parity that keeps our government seesawing from one to the other. http://www.openculture.com/2015/03/huxley-to-orwell-my-hellish-vision-of-the-future-is-better-than-yours.html

[Gregory]

EPA's Gina McCarthy made it clear a long time ago that EPA employees who push natural climate variability being dominant in climate won't be keeping their jobs; you don't have a constitutional right to work at cross purposes to your management.

What the FL governor is apparently doing is perfectly constitutional as far as I can see. Florida no longer wants to be in the catastrophic anthropogenic global warming alarm business. Try the EPA, that's good for at least another couple years, though with current trends, expect more Floridas, even in Dem states. California will be the last bastion.

[Gregory]

"how do you keep guns out of the hands of those not legally allowed to carry guns"

Slap their hands and make them go to bed without supper?

Paul, you question is really, "how do you keep convicted violent criminals released and out on the street from committing more crimes?".

Think about it for awhile.

[Paul Emery]

Gregory

Well Gregory you don't have Pope Francis on your side on this one.

"It looks as if he will give it a go. In 2015, the pope will issue a lengthy message on the subject to the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics, give an address to the UN general assembly and call a summit of the world’s main religions.

The reason for such frenetic activity, says Bishop Marcelo Sorondo, chancellor of the Vatican’s Pontifical Academy of Sciences, is the pope’s wish to directly influence next year’s crucial UN climate meeting in Paris, when countries will try to conclude 20 years of fraught negotiations"

with a universal commitment to reduce emissions."

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/dec/27/pope-francis-edict-climate-change-us-rightwing

[Gregory]

"Dr. Carlin, now retired, was a 37-year career environmental economist and scientist at EPA when, in June 2009, the Competitive Enterprise Institute broke the story of his negative 100-page report reviewing the agency’s draft Endangerment Finding. As a result, Dr. Carlin’s supervisor ordered him not to discuss climate change with anyone outside his group and to stop working on the issue.

EPA’s attempt to silence Dr. Carlin became a highly publicized embarrassment to the agency, especially given Administrator Lisa Jackson’s and President Barack Obama’s announced commitment to transparency and scientific integrity."
https://www.heartland.org/alan-carlin
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Carlin

Paul, that's old news and if the Pope wants to bet his farm on AGW being correct, who am I to object? It may well figure prominently in future judgements regarding papal infallibility. In science I trust, and nullius in verba.

[Todd Juvinall]

The Pope? Yep, those catholic parishioners will listen to his views on AGW and then go about driving their smoke belching Subaru anyway. Come on Paul, as a atheist you know only GOD can fix things. (I still can't believe Lois Lerner has a fifth amendment right on her job as a bureaucrat)

I appreciate RL's cynicism since I have some myself. Bit as a card carrying Republican I disagree we want to "take away" any rights of fellow citizens. In fact, we want to enhance and protect them. Sure there are always some nuts, even some in the "cartoon" business that want to do dastardly things but we must resist that. Huxley's world won't happen but Orwell's already has and we must remain vigilant. Remember, we are only one generation away from returning to the cave.

[George Rebane]

RLCrabb 213pm - We may have read different editions of '1984'. I distinctly recall Oceania being a communist state, and definitely not a fascist state in which government continues letting big corporations operate as putatively privately owned but under complete government control. And as to your distinction between R and L, any government monitors potential revolutionaries. America's R/L governments have done it for a couple of hundred years and will continue to do so regardless of the ideology in power.

Don't know what you mean by the Brave New World "already taking hold" and attributing its characteristics as "sex, drugs and rock'n'roll" which were nowhere in public evidence in Oceania.

[Paul Emery]

I an not an Atheist Todd I am a Druid Diest. Come join me sometime and we can pound on logs together on a full moon and chant to the great unknown spirit of creation.

[Ben Emery]

George, 18 May 2015 at 10:04 AM

As we populate the planet more and more while understanding the basic similarities in every culture the answer is simple. We see the Earth as it really is, a dinky planet that happens to have living organisms due to billions of years worth of adaptation and ecological diversity that has created an atmosphere in which mammals among other aerobic organisms can survive. We all need water, food/ nutrients, shelter, and health care/ medical attention to survive.

The fact that a small faction of humans have determined they are more privileged and deserving of essential resources to survive and even live a luxurious lifestyle over others is where we have a severe problem. We were lucky to be born in the situations we were, I more so than you. Eventually you ended up in the US who is at the top of the food chain when it comes to nation states for our particular era. We both could have easily been born in the Niger Delta or rural Asia with no hope of getting out.

This is where the Great Divide comes into play. It appears by your positions on world relations and domestic superiority that you are more deserving than others. Where I feel that I am no more important than any other person on the planet, we all have our roles in the world and none of them is more or less important.

This superiority idea spills over into your hyper-nationalism and military imperialistic views. If we are to have nation states with arbitrary lines than we need to live within the means of those lines. Africa, Middle East, Asia, and the America's aren't the USA's colonies to extract the resources to continue an unsustainable lifestyle on a finite planet.

We need to have fair trade with oil rich nations where their(citizens) oil is given a fair trade value. We have learned to insert dictators that will oppress the citizens while enriching themselves and giving Western Society a commodity for far less than it is worth(in importance to western society). If we paid the real cost of oil we as a nation would be fossil fuel free by now and would have zero interest in oil rich nations. If we executed fair trade instead of puppet regimes under the guise of Free Trade and Capitalism(Crony) through one world government such as the WTO, World Bank, and IMF the amount of strife and religious warfare would be brought down a minimal scale.

In simplistic terms, just cooperation.

Long answer but very broad question.

[Barry Pruett]

I will come with Paul for the simple reason of watching Todd chant to the moon.

[Ben Emery]

Todd, 18 May 2015 at 10:22 AM
What are you so afraid of? I would think a Christian such as yourself would welcome reuniting with loved ones, Jesus, and God in heaven.

Although in Love with this life on Earth I don't seem to fear death as you do. I am only afraid of not living and experiencing the most on this short journey in this beautiful world. Walking around fearful and hating others seems like a waste of energy and precious time. In fact almost everyone on these blogs I love and respect, we might disagree on political issues but that is part of life. I don't particularly like you since you seem to be a person that only brings division and bigotry but I don't hate you or wish you harm. I wish and hope one day you will awaken to find the beauty in the natural world that includes people of all walks of life.

My hatred is saved for those institutions that will exploit, manipulate, suppress, and oppress others for the purposes of wealth and power. These aren't human beings they are entities and institutions that should not have human rights. As the saying goes "A corporation has no soul to save and no body to incarcerate."
- attributed to Baron Thurlow

Just think, What are Merger and Acquisitions? If applied to human beings would they be legal in the US?

[Paul Emery]

Benn, I agree with your 8:11 about the as to the state of mankind and placing some kind of spiritual value to our good fortune and ability.

Someone show the moral and spiritual justification of profiting and consuming goods that are the result of child or virtual slave labor?

The list is here. You need to go to page 31

u.s. department of labor’s bureau of international labor affairs
office of child labor, forced labor, and human trafficking
U.S. Department of Labor’s
List of Goods Produced by
Child Labor or Forced Labor

http://www.dol.gov/ilab/reports/pdf/2012TVPRA.pdf

[Todd Juvinall]

Ben Emery 8:37

I have no idea what you are talking about. There has been no discussion by me of my religious beliefs here. You must be delusional. In fact I am very happy, I have lots of friends and many people love me. I have wonderful family and life is good. So I am sad you are having reality troubles. But I still wish you no harm.

Barry, maybe some moon chanting and a little JB on the rocks? Could be fun.

[Paul Emery]

Am I invited Todd? Tell me where and when.

[Gregory]

"If we paid the real cost of oil we as a nation would be fossil fuel free by now and would have zero interest in oil rich nations" Ben 8:37

Amazing. Ben, there's nothing in your latest fantasy alternate reality that has any bearing on real life, and if there's fear and hate here, I think you've brought it with you.

"I wish and hope one day you will awaken to find the beauty in the natural world that includes people of all walks of life" Ben to Todd

Perhaps you can actually quote something Todd said that indicates he doesn't; if not, perhaps someday Ben will awaken to find that he's been so bloody bigoted himself that the people he'd been lecturing on life were perfectly justified in ripping Ben's sermonettes to shreds.

"I have no idea what you are talking about. " Todd to Ben 9:42
Neither does Ben.

[Gregory]

Paul E, here's one answer to your prayers: "Childish labor laws" by Sowell
http://www.jewishworldreview.com/cols/sowell060399.asp

Not to approve of children being placed in danger or exploited, but if a job to do means they have enough good food to eat, there are worse injustices in this world. In general, countries tend to treat their children as best they can afford.

[Ben Emery]

Greg,
You are the other person I don't particularly like on the blogs. You're an asshole to the 10th degree.

[Todd Juvinall]

Is that what they taught you Ben Emery? Jeeze, what a neanderthal comment. Greg is quite intelligent and knows his stuff. That does frustrate dolts I guess.

[Ben Emery]

Todd,

My response about your fear has to do with your comment 18 May 2015 at 10:22 AM. I guess expecting you to be able to follow your own comments is too much to ask.

Your comment is the very reason why I am a proponent of the separation of church and state and am against capital punishment. Oddly enough you seem to be on the opposite sides of those issues. What a surprise.

[Ben Emery]

Greg,
The reality is the world is run by a small % of the population that gain wealth and power off the suffering of others. So you're right my views of how it would work doesn't reflect the present day reality.

[Ben Emery]

Sorry Todd,
I tell it the way it is and sometimes that ruffles a few feathers.

[Todd Juvinall]

Ben Emery, your comments are ridiculous and childish. My goodness, you are a neanderthal.

[Todd Juvinall]

Also, I have tried to give you a history lesson about Islam and its Prophet Ben Emery and you somehow think I am afraid of something? Jeeze, you need to reread that comment of mine and get back to us. Go road the attack on Vienna by the Muslims. Get educated.

[George Rebane]

BenE 811pm - Another one of your heartfelt renderings of a better world, and it deserves another answer. Why? because it is so beguiling to the lightly read; Rodney King's plaintive question still continues to resonate with those who think that it is an answer wrapped in a question. Thanks, I'll get back to you.

[Joe Koyote]

"a fascist state in which government continues letting big corporations operate as putatively privately owned but under complete government control."

What is it called when the opposite situation occurs; where government operates putatively as a public entity but is under complete corporate control? answer -- America

[Gregory]

Ben, don't hold your breath waiting for any state to become an anarcho-syndicalist commune, or ISIS and the House of Saud uniting for some drum circle male bonding.

[fish]

Posted by: Joe Koyote | 19 May 2015 at 10:21 AM

Good to see JoKe putting his spin on the classics.....

How does it go?

Under Capitalism Man exploits Man.......Communism changes all that....under Communism it's the other way around!

Bada Bing!

[fish]

Wow....JoKe, Ben and Todd all have the same identifying avatar graphic.

I bet Patricia needs to spark up a fatty after seeing that!

[fish]

No.....simply not possible......I don't......you guys didn't........!

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/05/19/are-you-ready-for-president-biden.html

President Biden??? That would be like Christmas, The 4th of July, and my birthday all wrapped up into one neat little package!

If Hillary is bound and determined to scuttle her election hopes.......well dare I say..... this would be even better!

[Gregory]

"Greg, You are the other person I don't particularly like on the blogs. You're an asshole to the 10th degree." -Ben

Let me translate: "Mom, that man was mean to me, all I did was tell him what a prick he was and started beating him up, and he HIT ME BACK, hard, square on the nose."

I recall how you described your youth, always getting in fights with bullies, your fight for truth, justice and the Ben Emery way. Perhaps at some point you will consider you were grappling with the wrong bully. Virtually everything you write about politics and economics is wrong, and you're practically incapable of making rational, logical arguments supporting your causes, just a series of barely decipherable declarations that are to be accepted because you think they are true.

[Bill Tozer]

My, Gregory, that is no way to treat the feeble minded, the lame, the weak, the affirmed. But since Dr. Rebane did mention "Orewllian quest" and only someone with their head so far their anal cavity that it would take one of Walt's hydraulic machines to pull it out, I will quote (paraphrase) the man, the one and only Geogre Orwell. Let's give it up for Big George O!

"The idea is so crazy that only an intellitecual would believe it." He was referring to the mantra that Islam is a religion of peace, of course. Or, maybe he was referring to that cockamamie idea that black Americans lack the intelligence, the drive, the initiative, the human spirit that burns in the breast of all mankind (except lazy dumb oppressed people of color cursed with interior intelligence) to ever ever make it on their own. Thus, we are consigned to send them monthly checks forever and ever, Amen. There is no other choice. And don't you dare say they can make it because White Priviledge says they cannot ever make it without being on the dole. Another idea that is so crazy what only an intellectual or a sap could possibly believe it.

[Account Deleted]

Oh my, can I join in?
Crabby at 5/18 noon - One guy tried to introduce a bill and no one would support it and it died. Bill wasn't passed - no one was silenced - nothing happened. And BTW "...story of Matthew Sheppard, a student beaten to death because he was gay."
Wrong-O It was all about drugs. Nothing to do with his happiness. Do try to keep up.
Crabby thinks he is middle of the road by saying everyone does it and refuses to accept any info to the contrary. You are not being even and cynical, just intellectually lazy and cowardly. Did you read the book? I thought not. The left is where the danger comes from to silence us.
Your 'examples' are so weak and pathetic I just have to shake my head.
Can't you at least try to find some actual examples to make your point?

[Account Deleted]

For Ben E at 8:11 - "It appears by your positions on world relations and domestic superiority that you are more deserving than others."
I'm going to guess that you meant that George feels that way. Or did you mean that you think that George is more deserving?
Anyway - could you just possibly back up that statement with actual facts? Or was this just more Eddie Haskell-type name calling?
Ben E at 8:09 - "Your comment is the very reason why I am a proponent of the separation of church and state and am against capital punishment."
But what about the Pope? Are you saying he shouldn't be allowed to speak to governing authorities about AGW? And what about your anti-capital punishment buddies that posit religious reasons for their views? Do you tell them they have no right to be invovled with the debate?
Ben - you need to stop waxing on about how morally superior you are to everyone due to your wishing for everything to be groovy. Try to sit down and come up with a cogent personal philosophy that doesn't contradict itself every five minutes and please - do try to not use the word 'fair'.
"My hatred is saved for those institutions that will exploit, manipulate, suppress, and oppress others for the purposes of wealth and power. These aren't human beings they are entities and institutions that should not have human rights."
Well - that pretty well sums up most govts. I take it you don't hate individuals that do the same?

[fish]

"You're an asshole to the 10th degree."

How long does one typically have to train to reach this level? I've never had the stamina get past 6th degree....and that was more due to natural talent than than hard earned skill.

(bows respectfully)

[Account Deleted]

10th degree? Ah, Little Grasshopper - one must acheive the highest level to then bestow the honor to another.

[George Rebane]

Gentlemen, gentlemen! The degree of one's assholity should be a matter best ascribed and held in confidence, and most certainly not bandied about in a public forum. Pray, let us continue this comment stream on a bit loftier level.

[Gregory]

Now you see it, now you don't.

The FUE's asshollity goes to 11.

[Todd Juvinall]

LOL!!!

[fish]

Easy you two......! Your neighbors are watching.....and judging!

....and purple.....let's never forget that!

[Account Deleted]

OK - back to the topic at hand. For those on the left (including the claimed middle of the road types) please start keeping track of actual examples of conservatives preventing the left from opining in the news media, in public, at schools, etc. I would like to know. The reverse is happening on a regular basis. The whole AGW thing is now down to the left declaring that 'the debate is over' and won't even allow a discussion, or a presentation of facts. That isn't science, that's simply proselytizing of a religion.

[MikeL]

Fish May 19 10:35.

A Biden and Loretta Sanchez ticket would be that would be fun. They both have similar lack of judgement characteristics regarding Indians.

[fish]

Posted by: MikeL | 20 May 2015 at 08:24 AM

The Pride of Scranton & Recent Insulter of Native Americans ticket

[George Rebane]

I often wonder what kind of people live in congressional districts that send the likes of Nancy Pelosi, Maxine Waters, and Hank Johnson to Washington. Today congressional districts are comprised of approx 750K people. Are their districts so gerrymandered as to select out the stupid voters?

[fish]

Posted by: George Rebane | 20 May 2015 at 09:09 AM

The Gruberized primarily democratic voter....they will be the end of this nation!

[Gregory]

Pelline just turned his assholliness knob to 12, smearing TechTest.

[Jon]

That attack dogs are out again on Ben for some reason. Hey Scottie, you are always asking for sources/facts to back up statements and opinions. I'd like to see one to support your claim that "Ben contradicts himself every 10 minutes." Amazing since I would pick him out of all the local commenters as the person who sticks to his principles most often. You obviously detest his view of the world, but he is far from contradictory.

[Todd Juvinall]

He is probably upset he can't reach it.

[fish]

I wonder what the people who live in those congressional districts, not to mention the locals, think about him.

Ben is on record as claiming want decentralization of power from a central nexus while still having a government structure that is robust enough to provide all manner of goodies for the proles. When challenged on how he might accomplish this lofty goal his response is usually along the lines of mumble....mumble....mumble......PEOPLE POWER!

I hadn't commented on Scotts specific post but he summed up Bens "philosophy" as little more than, "....wishing for everything to be groovy".

Ben is a nice guy and would be a good neighbor. I think that to a man everybody wishes him well and hopes he recovers from his illness.

That said, I don't think Ben belongs within 50 miles of an important societal decision any more than a retarded child belongs in a room full of live nuclear weapons.

[Todd Juvinall]

Ben Emery has not progressed emotionally past 14. He has no real world experience I can see and that clogs his veins especially the ones to the noggin. But, as a person he has attacked relentlessly for years and called me all kinds of names, I still forgive him.

[George Rebane]

Gentlemen, IMHO Ben Emery brings an important message to these pages that is more prevalent across the land than many of us would like to admit. It is a view of a collective, peaceful, and good-hearted America wherein equality and justice reign. I find many of his desiderata inconsistent (and perhaps even logically incoherent), but I believe we all will derive the most profit in addressing Ben's prescriptions as presented, rather than posting comments which just denigrate him (or anyone else for that matter). Substance, stick to substance!

[Jon]

False Todd. Ben has NOT attacked anyone on here relentlessly. That is a flat-out false claim and you know it.

I appreciate George's intellectual counter responses to Ben, and the fact he values his input and knows of his good natured dialogue. Thank you George for your comments above.

Most of you despise his politics and mock it endlessly, but until recently, he had held back for years in the face of that mocking. Many people reading the attacks on Ben could not believe he could sit there and take it without responding. I was heartened that Ben finally responded honestly to certain people on here.

Would love to see any one of you run for Congress and win a significant amount of support with virtually no funding. Won't happen. Ben is a good man.