Everyone is my friend until they prove otherwise.
Virginia Postrel has several posts about Barack Obama, and how he projects a classic Glamour; in other words people are somewhat bespelled by him, failing to see and listen to what he really says, but instead they project what they want to see and hear upon him.
What happens when the spell breaks and the Obamaglam fades? Nat Hentoff’s article in the Bee is instructional.
Words are powerful, and they do have meaning and purpose when they are spoken at the right moment of history and at the right place:
There are many people in the world who really don’t understand, or say they don’t, what is the great issue between the free world and the Communist world. Let them come to Berlin. There are some who say that communism is the wave of the future. Let them come to Berlin. And there are some who say in Europe and elsewhere we can work with the Communists. Let them come to Berlin. And there are even a few who say that it is true that communism is an evil system, but it permits us to make economic progress. Lass’sie nach Berlin kommen. Let them come to Berlin. — President John F. Kennedy, 1963
General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization: Come here to this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall! — President Ronald Reagan, at the Brandenburg Gates 1987
Even powerful speeches and words lose all meaning and effect when they are not backed with clear resolve and firm action. Kennedy’s words were backed up by a large increase in our strategic nuclear forces; Reagan’s words were backed by nuclear missiles stationed in Europe and a missile defense initiative. Because Reagan’s and Kennedy’s words had power, purpose and meaning, and because they backed those words with firm resolve and clear policy the history of our world was changed and freedom expanded.
So here lies the challenge Senator Barack Obama: if you go to the Brandenburg gates and speak it would be without purpose or meaning because those gates are now open and the people past the gates are already free.
Instead why not become a true leader — one who promotes the cause of freedom in this world?
With that in mind I’ve outlined a potential itinerary below: Continue reading “A Travel Agent Challenge for Barack Obama”
Mea Culpa:
Way back when I was still a wingnut, I used repost some of their operative agitprop – embarrassing as it is I took a “warmist” stance back then, and actually wrote in support of notorious climate denialist Monckton. Sure, it’s embarrassing. I have taken out all of the text in support of Monckton because it’s all debunked and false as much of Monckton’s “work” has been. It’s important not to propagate swill on the internet, else I would have left it all here instead of my confession.
Summary of Action
Petty Officer Second Class (SEAL) Michael A. Monsoor
For actions on Sept. 29, 2006
Petty Officer Michael A. Monsoor, United States Navy, distinguished himself through conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as a Combat Advisor and Automatic Weapons Gunner for Naval Special Warfare Task Group Arabian Peninsula in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom on 29 September 2006. He displayed great personal courage and exceptional bravery while conducting operations in enemy held territory at Ar Ramadi Iraq.
During Operation Kentucky Jumper, a combined Coalition battalion clearance and isolation operation in southern Ar Ramadi, he served as automatic weapons gunner in a combined SEAL and Iraqi Army (IA) sniper overwatch element positioned on a residential rooftop in a violent sector and historical stronghold for insurgents. In the morning, his team observed four enemy fighters armed with AK-47s reconnoitering from roads in the sector to conduct follow-on attacks. SEAL snipers from his roof engaged two of them which resulted in one enemy wounded in action and one enemy killed in action. A mutually supporting SEAL/IA position also killed an enemy fighter during the morning hours. After the engagements, the local populace blocked off the roads in the area with rocks to keep civilians away and to warn insurgents of the presence of his Coalition sniper element. Additionally, a nearby mosque called insurgents to arms to fight Coalition Forces.
In the early afternoon, enemy fighters attacked his position with automatic weapons fire from a moving vehicle. The SEALs fired back and stood their ground. Shortly thereafter, an enemy fighter shot a rocket-propelled grenade at his building. Though well-acquainted with enemy tactics in Ar Ramadi, and keenly aware that the enemy would continue to attack, the SEALs remained on the battlefield in order to carry out the mission of guarding the western flank of the main effort.
Due to expected enemy action, the officer in charge repositioned him with his automatic heavy machine gun in the direction of the enemy?s most likely avenue of approach. He placed him in a small, confined sniper hide-sight between two SEAL snipers on an outcropping of the roof, which allowed the three SEALs maximum coverage of the area. He was located closest to the egress route out of the sniper hide-sight watching for enemy activity through a tactical periscope over the parapet wall. While vigilantly watching for enemy activity, an enemy fighter hurled a hand grenade onto the roof from an unseen location. The grenade hit him in the chest and bounced onto the deck. He immediately leapt to his feet and yelled ?grenade? to alert his teammates of impending danger, but they could not evacuate the sniper hide-sight in time to escape harm. Without hesitation and showing no regard for his own life, he threw himself onto the grenade, smothering it to protect his teammates who were lying in close proximity. The grenade detonated as he came down on top of it, mortally wounding him.
Petty Officer Monsoor’s actions could not have been more selfless or clearly intentional. Of the three SEALs on that rooftop corner, he had the only avenue of escape away from the blast, and if he had so chosen, he could have easily escaped. Instead, Monsoor chose to protect his comrades by the sacrifice of his own life. By his courageous and selfless actions, he saved the lives of his two fellow SEALs and he is the most deserving of the special recognition afforded by awarding the Medal of Honor.
In the May 12th earthquake 7,000 classrooms collapsed in China, killing 10,000 children. Parents from some towns and villages are persistently protesting and the ruling party has offered to buy them off. The villagers view the school collapses as a major failure from the government — without the substandard construction, how many might have lived? This is probably the longest and largest perturbation in Chinese politics since the Tiannemen Square demonstrations.
The government has begged and pleaded to no avail, they’ve relaxed the draconian one child per family law for those affected, and now they offer a bribe as the Olympics approach – they government is offering $8,700.00 per child for silence. Buying the parents off prevents investigations into party culpability, and probably a few official death sentences for party members the way that China operates.
The real point is that … that there isn’t a defense for the failure. No matter the strength of a quake you would not see 7,000 classrooms collapse in the US.
Yay! I finally have the Gallery function that came with WordPress 2.5 working. It was a series of arcane problems with the host server I’m using and my version of flash.
In a report from Pakistan’s military 2007 became the worst year so far for terror within Pakistan as 1500 innocents died to terror. Further thousands of Taliban and other terror group members died fighting the military, with the total deaths at 6,550 adding the military casualties in. The report further adds that over 3000 Pakistanis have died in terror attacks since 9/11.
2008 appears on pace to top that so far.
Don’t tread on me… you might tear my hem…If you’ve read my past articles then you already know what I think of Ron Paul and the aggregate of wishful thinkers he’s acquired, but they are somewhat impervious to reality. Jonn Lilyea at “This aint Hell but you can See it From Here” covers their latest antics in pictures and film here.
You have to wonder if half of these people wouldn’t also show up if ANSWER or WCW were marching. There does seem to be quite a bit of Orange in the crowd.
