Post #332 Rush Limpaugh....

Two things I want you, gentle reader, to take from the Rush Limbaugh controversy:
1) That advertisers and radio stations are pulling away from Rush IS the free market at work. Those advertisers and radio stations have made the BUSINESS decision that supporting Rush is bad for BUSINESS -- even Rush understands this. There is no vast Left-wing conspiracy out to get him -- Rush did this to himself.
2) Rush's Constitutional right to freedom of speech is NOT being violated. Rush can stand on the steps of the town hall and spew all he wants -- there is no Constitutional right to have a radio show. A radio show is governed by the free market.

Post #331 Personal Responsibility

Isn't it time that we, as a society, hold people responsible for their own actions or inactions? Let's judge people by the content of their character, not the color of their skin.

A girl applied to the University of Texas at Austin and was rejected. Naturally, she's suing -- citing the tired ol' bogeyman of racism, saying that she was discriminated against because of her race. The United States Supreme Court will hear the case.

The University of Texas accepts the top %10 of each high school's graduating class. The plaintiff did not make it. Her application then went into a pool with the other 'losers' to be judged on what they did in high school -- the content of their character. You know, extra-circular activities: clubs, student government, sports, jobs, charity work. And she wrote an essay extolling her virtues to be a Longhorn. Again, she did not make it.

And now she's whining. She's going to court -- claiming that, because she is not a member of the 'privileged race,' she has been discriminated against. She wants government protection -- can you say "nanny-state socialism?" -- for her race.

Good Lord. Nobody from the 'privileged race' made her not work hard to improve her grades; nobody from the 'privileged race' made her not join clubs; nobody from the 'privileged race' made her write an unconvincing essay.

It's called personal responsibility, pulling yourself up by your own bootstraps, doing the best you can and accepting your shortcomings.

Hopefully, the Supreme Court will do the correct thing and laugh this case out of court.
It's time we stopped blaming racism for every slight..

Post #330 Happy Days Are Here... Again!, Pt. V

Happy Days Are Here... Again! Stocks rise, heading for best February in 14 years - http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/02/29/1893589/stocks-rise-heading-for-best-february.html

Oh, no, can't the Republicans do something to slow this? We need more stories about $5-a-gallon gas. :p

Happy Days Are Here... Again! Chrysler leads strong February auto sales http://money.msn.com/top-stocks/post.aspx?post=d407fa0a-5b74-45fe-a1eb-82352a12663d#scptit

Let's get on the OBAMATRAIN, the hippest trip in America!

Post #329 I Love Pat Buchanan; I Love Al Sharpton

Pat Buchanan reminds me of my father, slightly stooped over and always reminiscing about the good ol' days under Richard Nixon -- days which become more rosy with each passing day. Dad and Pat both resist change.

Al Sharpton reminds me of my recently-deceased great-uncle with his gravely voice and my deceased grandfather with his habit of making screwed-up comical faces -- like when Mitch McConnell says that we must protect job creators, Al will look like somebody really stunk it up!

They are both entertaining bigots. I would not expect a 'fair and balanced' opinion from either one, but I do not watch TV for 'fair and balanced' opinions -- that is what e-mail is for! ;O

The reason I am bringing them up now is that Pat was recently fired by MSNBC from his job as 'political analyst' because of his recent racist book; Al has his own show on MSNBC. A white commentator on a message board decried the unequal treatment of bigots -- the white bigot was fired; the black bigot kept his own show.

Another white who does not get it. [rolleyes] When Al walks the halls of the White House serving two Administrations -- like Pat who served Nixon and Ronald Reagan, then we can talk 'unequal.'

In case Billy Bubba Jim Bob does not get it, America is a WHITE society, most of the power and wealth are in white hands. Whites' wealth pulls far ahead of minorities - http://t.co/8PoFZfX The redistribution of wealth IS happening... in whites' favor. HAPPY TO BE WHITE! :p

I have the economic, political, social power in this society. If I use a racial slur, it is offensive -- I have the power to threaten a black's life, liberty and pursuit of happiness; a racial slur against me means nothing -- a black has no power to threaten my life, liberty and pursuit of happiness.

And that is why a white bigot gets fired; a black bigot keeps his job. Blacks do not have the power to enforce their prejudices in America.

Post #328 A Day That Will Live In Infamy, Pt. II

Amendment One to the North Carolina Constitution, to be voted on May 8, 2012, reads: "marriage between one man and one woman is the only domestic legal union that shall be valid or recognized in this State." The first part -- marriage between one man and one woman -- is pro-marriage; the second part -- the only domestic legal union that shall be valid or recognized in this State -- is anti-gay. Do not be fooled by those who
claim 'pro-marriage' only without telling the whole tale of this discriminatory policy.

Are "all men created equal" -- that is, does everybody have equal standing before the law? The answer is -- or should be, yes. How does Amendment One secure the unalienable rights of all men? The answer is, it doesn't -- securing unalienable rights only for some. That should be reason enough for any conservative to oppose this.

"But why do people muddy the water and drag the Bible into this debate?"

Proponents of Amendment One realize they can't win a Constitutional argument without amending the Constitution. So, they hijack the Bible using selective quotes to support their own bigoted views. Faith or questions of religious faith -- as referenced by the Bible -- touches the lives of everybody. Even atheists have a faith in themselves.

"But the Bible is a book of myths, fables and legends."

That may be true. But the Bible is entertaining, a fascinating mystery story of good vs. evil. The kicker is that the ending is not resolved -- you read the whole book, turn the last page, and you still do not know which side won, good or evil. The ending is written in your heart.

The best way to counter the religious argument is to tackle it head-on. There is nothing in the Bible to support voting for this Amendment. Now, the Bible says "homosexuality is a sin," but it doesn't say what YOU should about that sin -- other than "do not lie with [another] man" (Leviticus 18:22).

In fact, the Bible opposes this Amendment. There are plenty of instructions in the Bible on how YOU should treat your fellow man: "Love your neighbor as yourself" (Mark 12:31)., "Judge not lest you be judged" (Matthew 7:1)., "Let the one without sin among you cast the first stone" (John 8:7).

Aaahhh, the arrogance of man, trying to do the work of God -- His justice will be delivered by His way in His time.

Post #327 Obama Disrespects America... Again! *

That dirty stinkin' no-good Muslim from Kenya we have as President did not attend the Super Bowl. What is more American than a game in which overstuffed men beat the stuffing out of each other and the women prance on the sidelines wearing skimpy outfits!?! Yet Barack Obama spent the day in the White House, causing excessive wear and tear on one of our oldest monuments, the ungrateful son of a gun.

You know, the Secret Service flies Air Force One every day. What would have been wrong with flying the Prez to Indy and making him stay in a Holiday Inn?

* This is satire. If you do not "get it," it is probably aimed at YOU.

Post #326 The Reliability Of E-Mail?

I got another e-mail recently -- actually, it was the second tine I had gotten the same e-mail -- that showed some pictures of angry Muslims at a peace rally in London and including the text warning that they are coming and bringing their ways. Well, the pictures were actually from a protest in London that time there was a cartoon of Mohammad published in Europe -- not a peace rally, and I would expect anger at that type of protest.

What really caught my eye was a response from one of the members of the same mailing list addressed to the whole list. She said, to paraphrase, yea, they ARE coming and they ARE bringing their ways and traditions. I just had to respond:

First, I pointed out the real nature of the pictures and then went on --

"Well, who? Who are you so worried about that will bring their ways and traditions?

"Like the Swedes who would not give up Christmas trees?
"Like the Jews who have their own Sabbath and their own food?
"Like the Italians who brought us pizza?

"Who and what are they bringing that's got you so upset?"

I did not expect a reply, but I got one -- addressed to only me, by thr way.

I replied, "I appreciate your passion and Thank You for your reply." No need to be nasty. :)

She started by acknowledging the true nature of the pictures and then decrying the war on Christianity -- without offering examples of this war. I guess she just assumed everybody knew what she was talking about. I said, "The reason I am not excited about this is because there is no war on Christianity here, where I live, North Carolina." She's from Michigan. Who knows? Maybe there is a war on Christianity in Michigan.

Then she identified who is coming -- Muslims -- and what they are bringing -- Sharia law. She cited an example of 1000 Muslims in Minnesota marching and demanding Sharia law. I said, "We [in North Carolina] would not pay any attention to 1000 Muslims demanding Sharia law -- not sure why them exercising their Constitutional right to assembly upsets you so. If you think 1000 protesters can change laws -- especially after you organize 1000 anti-Sharia protesters, you really do not understand our government and the way laws are written."

I'm confused. What is Sharia law? How does it differ from what have now? And how will the Muslims get it enacted?

She closed with one local example of the Muslims being catered to: A local college in Michigan had installed a fountain to let Muslims wash their feet. "Don't you care about terrorism and 9/11?"

"Of course," I replied, "I am concerned about terrorism. But I fail to see any connection between 9/11 and foot washing. Did you know that there were two mosques inside the World Trade Center on 9/11?"

I ended with "I'd like to know more about what you see outside your window that indicates a culture war -- as opposed to crap you get in e-mail. :)"

I did not get another reply....