Message from a Leftist Neo-Con

Today, I want to point out some of the things on which I agree with the left.

I am in favor of stem-cell research. I think it’s moronic not to investigate whatever we can by using these embryos that would have been thrown away anyway. Stem-cell research will, doctors feel, lead to breakthroughs with Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, and many other afflictions that make life miserable for our fellow human beings. I believe that God approves of this research.

I support a woman’s right to choose. I think it's inhumane to force women to bring babies into a world where they will be neglected or abused. I believe that the quality of a life is just as important as the life itself. Yes, I admit that on this issue I am even radical left. I believe in euthanasia, assisted suicide, even mercy killing. A long time ago I had an interview in a state institution for a job as a psychologist (this is one of my professions). It turned out to be a warehouse for the most miserable human beings on the planet. It was like a descent into Dante’s hell. The babies and children in this facility were all abandoned to the state. They were multiple-handicapped. They were blind, deaf, dumb, retarded, crippled, paralyzed, shitting in their pants, vomiting, some in constant pain or perpetually cramping, screaming all day, every day. There was no joy in that building. There was only crying and howling. I admire the loving people who work in these places, but I feel down deep that a great inhumanity is occurring. Why is this kind of life better than the peace of death? Please, if I get into a similar condition, pull the plug.

I am a strong environmentalist. I am not anti-business, as many nature-lovers are on the left, but I do agree that we need to work harder to eliminate all kinds of pollution to our world. I’m not sure I buy the global-warming theories, but it still makes sense to stop carbon-dioxiding our atmosphere, and mercurizing our oceans, and so on.

I do believe in big government programs to help the poor, the homeless, and the mentally challenged, as long as these programs are doing what they can to get people off of assisted living and back to self-reliance. Many of the homeless, for example, are mentally ill, let’s face it. There ought to be places where these people can go to live and be happy.

There are other issues on which I agree with the left, but I’ll just mention one more. I believe that we in America need to improve our communication skills with the rest of the world. This does not mean that we try to be nice so they will like us, as the left would want. I don’t care if Hezbollah likes me. Rather, I see this as a matter of clarity and persuasion. We need to be culturally sensitive, open about our intentions, willing to listen, and accepting of opposing opinions. With Muslims, for example, I would take every opportunity to establish a dialogue with them. I would speak at their functions, invite them to ours, and be willing to just listen.

Caution. The above does not imply we give up our right and duty to defend ourselves. For example, it does not mean that we stop the war in Iraq because we are afraid it will cause others to hate us. We need to do the right things no matter how unpopular it makes us. It also does not suggest that we be tolerant of hate-speech, the brainwashing of children, acts of violence against innocents, or desires to take over the world and establish theocracies. I merely posit that by actively engaging the Muslim world, we might reach the moderates among them, the young, and those individuals who are deciding at this very moment whether to go radical or not.

You see why I call myself a neo-conservative. I am liberal on several social and other issues. I return to a recurring theme with me. I beg you in the Democratic Party and others on the left, consider your stance on some of your new dogma. You’ve strayed from your classic roots. Go back and study what made the Democratic Party great. You can’t lead this country if you’re not strong on defense. We won't let you run this nation if you are anti-business. You will not win my heart, or that of many independents, if your hearts are full of hate. You will not earn my respect by vilifying good people, like George Bush.

(*Wikipedia is always my source unless indicated.) This Post’s Technorati Tags: stem-cell research, right to choose, euthanasia, mercy killing, multiple-handicapped, environmentalist, pollution, global warming, homeless, Hezbollah, Muslims, theocracy, Democratic Party, strong on defense, independents, leftist, neo-con, vilifying George Bush, truth

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One Philosophy of the Site: "It is the duty of every citizen according to his best capacities to give validity to his convictions in political affairs." Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955), 'Treasury for the Free World,' 1946

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Moral Equivalence and the Tone of This Blog

Each of us in the blogosphere has to decide the nature and tone of their blog. In the field of politics this is important because it will determine our credibility and interactions with our audience. In recent years, the blogoshpere has soared in its importance. Politicians and others have learned to respect this underground flow of communication as significant to understanding the trends and feelings of the electorate.

I am like the rest of the new blog-reading public in that I investigated the blog world only recently, this year. I heard so much about it that I finally decided to see what it was all about. Since then, I am hooked. I’ve found so many interesting blogs that it’s astounding to me. There are myriad intelligent and creative people in this world of ours. It’s fun to know that the arts of writing and reading have made significant comebacks, not only with books, but also on the internet.

Every blogger has a message, whether it’s serious or fun or irreverent. They all want to communicate something they see as vital to the world. It ranges from a personal diary to hobbies, to political rants to serious news. It’s all fair game.

My goal is to communicate THE TRUTH in the realms of politics, news, and entertainment. Not my truth, but the truth. This might seem rather arrogant to some of you, and I’m sure that every person alive feels they have a corner on the truth. The Jews feel they have the truth, and Hezbollah reckons they are on the path of truth. The conservative perceives she has the truth, and the liberal knows he owns the truth.

The standard liberal worldview, which has been swallowed whole hog by the liberal media, is that there is always moral equivalence. There are two sides to every story. I say that this law applies in many instances, but a lot of the time it doesn’t.

There might be two sides to a story about a traffic accident, or what constitutes good music, or even which political party should be elected. There is, however, a truth, or the truth, when talking about several important issues.

For example, there either is or is not a God. If there is a God, He is of a certain nature. This is the truth. Something is true. There are not two sides of this issue. There ultimately is not your God and my God. The truth might be that your conception of God and my conception, in reality, are part of a larger truth—but whatever that truth ultimately is, that’s what it is. The truth.

So too with good and evil. There is no moral equivalence, as liberals would have you believe. The theory that all people are good is simply untrue. There are good people and bad people, and those in-between. There are good countries and bad countries, and those in-between. There are good cultures and bad cultures, and those in-between. I will agree to the everyone-is-good theory when it comes to such things as race. There is no such thing as a good race and a bad race. All races are good. God or the universe made every human being in His or Her image. I love people of every ethnicity and background.

On the other hand, there are, I believe, good religions and bad religions. Good cultures and bad cultures. Good political movements and bad political movements.

There is no moral equivalence, for example, between the state of Israel and Hezbollah. Israel is a good country, and Hezbollah is an evil political movement. I know this kind of thinking offends liberal sensitivities. I’m sorry, but you are just plain wrong on this. Black and white thinking is appropriate in some areas of life. There are two sides to the stories, to the history, to the claims on the land in this region of the Middle East, and so on, but there is only one truth about the basic mentalities and ways of life. One side is a peace-loving country that is tough enough to defend itself when they must. The other side is a death-loving movement that hates so much it will send its own children to martyrdom with glee. The adage applies here, that there will be peace in the Middle East only when the Palestinians learn to love their own children more than they hate the Israelis.

This leads me back to the tone of this blog. I’ve seen all kinds of approaches to how to present your opinion to the public, ranging from Fox News to CNN to Air America Radio. From Rush Limbaugh to Michael Savage to Tony Snow to Chris Matthews to Noam Chomsky. The hate-Bush crowd with their MoveOn.org’s to the hate-Clinton people with their Ann Coulter’s.

I am not better than any of these people. I am a part of the fabric of America, just an ordinary guy with an opinion. I do have quite an education and background. I am well traveled and exposed to many cultures. I have an intimate knowledge of several of the world’s religions. I’m well read, and a news, history, and political junkie—enough of an insider to feel a part of the people, and enough of an outsider to have some objectivity. I am brilliant about most things, and stupid about some things. When I’m wrong, I admit it.

My approach, my tone, for this blog, will be to tell the truth. Since I love people, and I love connecting with them, I want to be as respectful as I can with every individual, reader, or commenter. On the other hand, I will not be respectful to non-truth. I will be irreverent when speaking of movements, political parties and philosophies that promote untruth, and of any hypocrisy or demagoguery.

For example, I respect all of my commenters so far except one. With this one exception, everybody has been respectful and conducted a civilized discussion even about subjects on which they passionately disagreed with me. I hope to return the favor. I want to be respectful of you even though I might abhor what you believe in. So, I might ridicule your party, your philosophy, your political leanings, even your logic, or your worldview, but I know down deep that you have a right to believe whatever you believe. I respect you for getting educated on the issues, wrestling with your conscience, and taking the time to share your beliefs with me and the public. You are doing your part in a democracy of well-informed and contributing citizens. Bravo to you!

So, the final words are truth, irreverence, and respect. I seek the truth. I may be irreverent at times. I respect your right to your own opinions, even when they differ from mine. I do respect you. In some areas of life, I agree that there are two sides to every story, but in other areas, there is no such moral equivalence. Just realize that, more often than not, when speaking on areas where there is no moral equivalence, I am right, and you are wrong. Are you smiling? I hope so. Have a great day!

(*Wikipedia is always my source unless indicated.) This Post’s Technorati Tags: blogoshpere, blog, electorate, blogger, Hezbollah, liberal, moral equivalence, political party, God, good and evil, ethnicity, liberal sensitivities, Middle East, Israel, martyrdom, Palestinians, Israelis, Fox News, CNN, Air America Radio, Rush Limbaugh, Michael Savage, Tony Snow, Chris Matthews, Noam Chomsky, MoveOn.org, Ann Coulter, political junkie, demagoguery, truth

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Liquids on a Plane!

Some of my posts are informative, some are rants or musings, still others are metaphorical or literary. Today I just want to ask you to think logically about what has happened in London, and the fundamental causes of it. How did some people in the world get to be so diabolical, hate-filled, and clever with their plots to kill innocent human beings? What, for God’s sake, has lead to this kind of mindset?

There are two basic theories about the rise of terrorism. One theory says that the United States has made enemies by its one-sided support of Israel, by its propping up of Middle-East regimes that oppress their people, and by its imperialistic designs on the world’s natural resources, especially oil.

The other theory is that terrorists are bad people. They don’t need a reason to hate. They are taught from the cradle to hate Jews, Americans, and in fact all Westerners. Their religion teaches them that killing infidels is a good thing.

You know where I stand on this question, but I’d like you to consider which theory makes more sense to you.

Seriously, tell me where I’m going wrong. How much more even-handed do we need to be in the Middle East? Do we have to obliterate the state of Israel? Do you honestly believe that even if we did this, the fundamentalist Muslims would love us?

Let’s get hypothetical. Say we even agree to this ridiculous concession, “All right, the state of Israel no longer exists. You Jews can go find another land, or come to the United States, we’ll take you.” Then, would the Muslims suddenly say, “Hey, the United States is a good country. We’re not mad at them anymore.”

I doubt it. They’d still hate us. Why? Because we’re not Muslims. We’re infidels. It says right in their book (and the Muslim fundamentalists believe this literally):

“I WILL CAST TERROR INTO THE HEARTS OF THOSE WHO DISBELIEVE. THEREFORE STRIKE OFF THEIR HEADS AND STRIKE OFF EVERY FINGERTIP OF THEM. THIS IS BECAUSE THEY ACTED ADVERSELY TO ALLAH AND HIS MESSENGER; AND WHOEVER ACTS ADVERSELY TO ALLAH AND HIS MESSENGER - THEN SURELY ALLAH IS SEVERE IN REQUITING (EVIL). THIS - TASTE IT, AND (KNOW) THAT FOR THE UNBELIEVERS IS THE PUNISHMENT OF FIRE.” (8:12-17)

With regard to the U.S. propping up Middle Eastern regimes that persecute their people, yes, maybe we do, or at least we have, as in the Shah of Iran. In each of these cases, though, including, for example, the royal family in Saudi Arabia, the United States must make difficult decisions. Again, what would you have us do? I agree with you that I’d ask Bush to pressure Saudi Arabia to shut down its Wahhabi schools that teach hatred of the West. These madrassahs to me, are the problem. Similar schools teach children to hate in Palestine, Syria, Egypt and all over the Muslim world. They are brainwashing innocent minds into mindless killing engines. This is the premier issue that needs to be addressed in the world today.

But on the matter of the regimes themselves, what would you have us do? Support coups in Saudi Arabia and other countries that are run by monarchies and dictators? Talk about chaos. Tell me, what do you want us to do?

The last notion, that the United States intervenes in the world in order to enrich itself through oil and defense contracts, is an easy argument to make. Who profits from wars? Oil companies, because the price of oil goes up, and defense contractors.

Yes, it’s an easy argument to make, but it doesn’t make any sense. Why?

For one thing, if the United States were as imperialistic and evil as some people imagine, we would just go ahead and conquer the world. We could probably do it. We could surely seize all the world’s major oil supplies, starting with the punily defended countries like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and so on. We’d be swimming in oil.

Let’s take the war in Iraq. Bush is already a millionaire. Do you really think his motive for the war is to enrich himself, or his friends, who are also millionaires? They need the money? No? So, is he waging the war to enrich defense contractors? Why? What does he gain from this? More power? He’s the most powerful man in the world. More money? Again, he doesn’t need it.

The truth is, every president wants to be a good one. They care deeply about their legacy, and their place in history. Bush is no different. What Bush wants, to the bottom of his soul, is to be a great president. He knows the war in Iraq is unpopular. So for him to stay steadfast with it is an unbelievably heroic act. Think about it. The thing he desires more than anything is to be a beloved president, and he is giving this up in order to ensure our safety. That sounds like something a good father would do. A good person. A noble individual. This man on this issue, the war in Iraq, is pretty much the closest thing we have today in the world to a saint.

I am grateful that we have such a strong and insightful leader at this dangerous time in history. I am appreciative that we live in one of the best countries in the world, the only so-called imperialistic nation that resists the imperialistic impulse. We have the power to seize assets and resources, and we don’t. Can you say that about any nation in history that was the number one power of its time? Would Napoleon have stopped himself from taking the oil fields? Would Hitler have restrained himself? No, but we do. Our thanks? We are vilified, as is our commander-in-chief. No good deed ever goes unpunished I guess.

(*Wikipedia is always my source unless indicated.) This Post’s Technorati Tags: London bomb scheme, liquid bomb, support for Israel, Middle-East regimes, U.S. imperialism, hating infidels, fundamentalist Muslims, Quran, Wahhabi schools, madrassahs, war for oil, Iraq war, Napoleon, Hitler truth

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Your Feedback is Valued

This is the place to comment on this blog in general. Your feedback, negative or positive, is welcome and appreciated. You don't have to be kind. If you do have criticism, this is fine, but perhaps you can offer a solution or suggestion along with your negative comments.

I can't promise I'll follow what you say here, but I'll definitely take it into account.

Rock

One continuing issue, brought up by one of my commentors, is that my site apparently sometimes takes a long long time to load. Is this still happening? Is anyone having problems with my site and load time?

My commentor also mentioned that my site only shows partially on Internet Explorer. Is this still an issue. Are IE users not seeing all my template? You feedback is appreciated.

Girls of the IDF

(This post burned up the net, so I'm keeping the girls at the top of my blog for awhile.

The wars of Israel* are part of the Arab-Israeli conflict, which started before the State's establishment as conflict between Jews and Arabs in Palestine and developed into a conflict between Israel, the Arab states and the Palestinians.

The wars of Israel are:

1948 Arab-Israeli War (see also: 1949 Armistice Agreements)

1956 Suez War also known as "Operation Kadesh".

1967 Six-Day War.

1970 War of Attrition.

1973 Yom Kippur War.

1982 Lebanon War also known as "Operation Peace of the Galilee".

1987-1990 First Intifada.

1990/1 Gulf War.

al-Aqsa Intifada, and now the

2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict.

From 1950-66, Israel spent an average 9% of its GDP on defense. This has risen to about 21.5% today. Contrast this with the United States, which spends about 4% of its GDP on the military. This enormous burden for Israel exists because several of its neighbors want it dead, gone, annihilated, driven to the sea, from its very birth in 1947 until today.

One consequence of Israel’s military need is that it conscripts females. These are the girls of the IDF, and they’re hot. Not just because they are like any female teenagers in the world, but also because they are dangerous, yet full of hope and life, smiling in the face of horror.

Following their active service, women, like men, in combat roles, serve one month annual reserve duty. Apart from the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, when manpower shortages saw many of them active in ground battles, women have been barred from combat, serving instead in support roles. But after a landmark 1994 High Court appeal by Alice Miller, a Jewish immigrant from South Africa, the Air Force was ordered to open its pilot training to women. Miller failed the entrance exams, but since her initiative, many additional combat roles were opened. As of 2005, women are allowed to serve in 83% of all positions in the military, including Shipboard Navy Service (except submarines), and Artillery. Combat roles are voluntary for women.

As of 2002, 33% of lower rank Officers are women, 21% of Captains and Majors, but only 3% of the most senior ranks. 450 women currently serve in combat units of Israel's security forces, primarily in the Border Police. The first female fighter pilot received her wings in 2001.

I personally knew several of the girls from the IDF, and, yes, a few I knew very well, two in particular, Amalia and Iki. Amalia was from Bat Yam, and Iki came from a kibbutz. Amalia was a schoolteacher, and Iki a gym owner and fitness instructor. They both were sweet and innocent, like many of the girls from the IDF. They loved people and life, their families, and friends. They had nothing against Arabs, except they didn’t understand why the Arabs hated them. They wanted only one thing, to live their lives in peace. They spent most of their waking moments enjoying life, not thinking of war.

I was in the Middle East until 1988. The period from 1978 to 1988 was a golden age for Israel, being the time of peace with Egypt. But just as I was leaving, the Intifada was starting. Since then, despite all the good-faith efforts of the Israelis giving back legally conquered lands, their neighbors continue to attack them. It is one of the worst times for Israel right now, with missiles raining on their cities and the world hating them.

Yet life goes on. When I see the pictures of these women, there is something wonderful about them, and yet strangely odd, like, these young people shouldn’t have to be doing this. Yet, the girls from the IDF remain smiling, laughing, full of the joy of life, and yes, some of the hottest females on the planet. Protect me baby.











For more girls of the IDF, see this Flicker site.

(*Wikipedia is always my source unless indicated.) This Post’s Technorati Tags: Israel, IDF, Israeli female soldiers, Israeli wars, Arab-Israeli conflict, Palestine, Intifida, truth

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First Things First

My head is swirling and my heart is heavy over the close call in London. I am really rushed today and behind in my blogging. This will have to do until I can get my real post in.

First, one of my commentors was kind enough to let me know that my site was taking a long time to load, two minutes on IE. Is this still happening? Is anyone else having this problem? On other browsers? I'm not an expert in code yet, so all I can do is tinker to try and fix it in the meantime.

My first tinker was to remove Site Meter at 2:40 pm, Pacific Coast Time. Site Meter seemed to be holding things up. There's a few other things that I can remove if this isn't enough. Please let me know. Thanks.

Just to share with you if you got through, my head is swirling and my heart is heavy over the close call in London. I think this will bring to the front the divide we have in this country over terrorism, the war in Iraq, security measures, the Patriot Act, and so on. I think it's important, whether we are liberal or conservative, to get this thing right.

Be back with you later with my post for the day.

I'm Going to Do It

I'm going to contribute money to a Democrat!"This is my post for today.

I'm going to contribute money to a Democrat. This will be the first time I've done this in a long time. I am confident that thousands of Americans will join me in saving the political career of a man of courage. Joe Lieberman is going to win his senate race, there is no doubt about it.

(*Wikipedia is always my source unless indicated.) This Post’s Technorati Tags: Joe Lieberman, senate race, election, truth

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War is Hell

After Bomb Kills Loved Ones, Life Turns Ghostly - New York Times, TYRE, Lebanon, Aug. 7

Ghazi Samra, a fisherman, is feeling the new shape of his world. Last month, his wife, one of his daughters and a granddaughter were killed in an Israeli air strike. Since then, his life has shrunk to the size of one crooked city block. He tries to sleep in an apartment that is not his own. He wears his wife’s glasses, more out of a craving for closeness to her than as an aid to see. The shirt and shorts he is wearing are his brother’s. He has not felt able to return to his own apartment.

The story goes on. Read it to remind yourself what war does. My heart goes out to Ghazi and his family, and to all the victims of war. God bless you all.

Basically, I don’t understand war. I have no clue why human beings seem to have a proclivity for it. There are two tribes in Africa that have ritualized the whole thing. They meet once a year at a field and throw spears at each other, killing half of each side. Then, they have peace the rest of the year. Grizzly, yes. Yet they seem to acknowledge their need for war, this perverse craving, and they get on with it, and then on to other things.

As the world stands now, there would be no war if the United States, Israel, Britain, Australia, and certain other nations, would prevail. At this period of time, these countries are not warlike. They fight, but they fight in response. It’s been this way for some time. The aggressors have been Germany et al in WWI and WWII, North Korea in the Korean War, the communists in Vietnam, Iraq in the Gulf War, and Saddam Hussein in the Iraq War. People forget that Saddam had been brutalizing his own people, using chemical weapons on the Kurds, supporting terrorism against Israel, refusing to adhere to U.N. mandates, and shooting at U.S. airplanes. The aggressor in this present Lebanon War was and continues to be Hezbollah. If they’d stop firing on Israeli citizens and give up their plan to annihilate Israel, there’d be no war there.

War is hell. I’m sorry that it exists. I’m sorry that some people have so little regard for life that they will fly planes into towers full of people, strap bombs on themselves and walk into markets crowded with families, or shoot rockets into cities where people are just trying to live their lives in peace.

I’m sorry too, that the response to these kinds of attack must be violent. You just can’t sit down and talk with people who are willing to blow up human beings to make their political points. I am most sorry that these “insurgents” purposely hide among civilians, and even delight in civilian casualties, knowing that this is a PR war as much as a guns and blood battle.

I agree with all the peace advocates, I hate war. Let’s end it by backing the United States, England, Australia and Israel, the good guys who want to end war for all time.

(*Wikipedia is always my source unless indicated.) This Post’s Technorati Tags: war, WWI, WWII, Korean War, Vietnam War, Gulf War, Iraq War, peace, truth

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Walking and Chewing Gum at the Same Time

This is just a simple post. It is one of my really big pet peeves about liberals. They accuse Republicans, and especially George W. Bush, of being simplistic and even, well, yeah, stupid. Yet it is they, in my opinion, who can't walk and chew gum at the same time.

Slogans and chants, generalizations and slams, "driveby's," and similar tactics have always been the communication tools of the left, whether you're talking about communists or dictators, Al Franken, Will Farrell, Janeane Garofalo, or the May Day labor demonstrators. Bush is stupid. Republicans are racist. War is bad. Make love, not war.

Not only this, liberals can’t seem to handle the complexities of life, nor of war or geo-politics. They can’t understand why we once used Saddam as an ally, and then changed and made him an enemy. They can’t figure out how war can save lives. They fail to grasp that tax cuts can help the poor.

Life is complex. It is full of paradox. You have to be principled, yes, but nimble and Machiavellian too. You might have to join with Stalin today to defeat Hitler, then later partner with the new Germany to win the cold war against Stalin. Today you defy the whole world by standing up for Israel. Tomorrow you join the world in throwing Saddam out of Kuwait. Then you defy the world again in removing Saddam from office.

Why is everything so complicated? Again, I return to the law of unintended consequences. Every action has a reaction.

Let’s consider Saddam Hussein as our example. If you remove Saddam from power, there will be a reaction. The reaction will be from the forces of evil.

Whoh! Now I’m being simplistic, right? Yes. Just as with war and peace, there is a time for being simplistic. There is a time for war, and a time for peace. There is a time to be simplistic, and a time to be complex. In the case of good and evil, we need to be simplistic, because these really do exist. Liberals can’t understand this. Hitler, in their eyes, was just a misunderstood painter who needed more maternal love. They think you can negotiate with terrorists, and so on. They are wrong and naive. There are good people, and there are bad people (and of course, those in-between). We are the good people. The U.S., England, Israel, Australia, and so on. We’re the folks in the white hats. Terrorists are the bad people. Anyone who deliberately targets innocents is evil. They are evil. Get it?

Now, the forces of evil will oppose anything the forces of good do. This is a law of nature (another simplistic notion, and totally true). In the case of Saddam, removing him will cause a power vacuum, and a subsequent battle for the vacated power. The forces of evil will try to fill any vacuum. The Iraq war, then, will not be over until that power vacuum is conquered by someone. The left would just as well let the forces of evil fill that power vacuum. They think it hurts too much to wage war.

So, let me repeat, and say it slowly for liberals, there are two wars. One, the removal of evil. Two, conquering those who want to fill the power vacuum with a new evil.

Liberals can’t hold all these complexities in their heads. They think, we got rid of Saddam, so now there should be peace in the world, right? And if there’s not peace, then we were wrong to remove Saddam. They don’t understand that liberty is never a given. It must be won. This is not a static thing. Life is more like a Star Wars movie (you can understand this analogy, can’t you?). The enemies keep coming. You have to defeat them all the time, one after the other. If you’re good, you zap them enough and you win most of the time, and may even have moments or periods of peace. Then, you have to fight again. Why? I don’t know. I wish life weren't this way, but it is. I think God has set up our existence as a huge elaborate test of our goodness and character.

So, we all have to learn how to walk and chew gum at the same time. We have to grasp the complexities of the world we live in. The easy answers and slogans of the left just don’t cut it.

Are you walking? Have a stick of Doublemint.

(*Wikipedia is always my source unless indicated.) This Post’s Technorati Tags: liberals, Republicans, George W. Bush, Al Franken, Will Farrell, Janeane Garofalo, war, Hitler, Stalin, Saddam Hussein, terrorists, good, evil, Star Wars, God, gum, truth

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Do Us Both a Favor

If you have stumbled upon this blog, whether it be by the "Next Blog" button, or by a link on someone else's site, I propose we do each other a favor. If you place a permanent link to my site in the sidebar of your blog, I will return the favor. Once you have a link to my site, simply post a message in the comments section, or email me directly with a link to your blog. Now let me explain why you should do this...

(1) I will include your link on my sidebar for everyone to see!

(2) The more sites you have linking to your blog, the higher your search rank will be in search engines such as Google, Yahoo, MSN, etc. But it's not all about quantity of links, it's also about quality...the higher ranked the pages are that link to you, the better! Imagine if Amazon.com linked to your site...that would be a HUGE boost in your ranking. Now, my site is no Amazon.com, nor probably will it ever be...but as my rank increases (quantity), so should yours (quality!)

For more information on how to improve your search rank and generate traffic to your blog, please check out The Bestest Blog of All-Time, the great site where I got this idea, and much of the wording. Also, I recommend that anyone who exchanges links also subscribe to FEEDblitz, via email.

Please note, this link exchange should not be construed as a "link scheme." I am simply trying to get the voices of my fellow bloggers heard. All information about search ranking is for informational purposes only and in accordance with Google's Webmaster Guidelines.

This Post's Technorati Tags: blog, blogging, links, The Bestest Blog of All-Time

What's the Worst That Can Happen in Iraq?

The headlines tell it all:



Baghdad, Chaos Undercuts Tack Pursued by U.S. - New York Times





Iraqis In Mass Protest Against U.S., Israel
"Pro-Hezbollah Rally Called By Radical Cleric Attracts Thousands.”

Iraqi Medic Describes Scene of Rape and Killings, Chaos Undercuts Tack Pursued by U.S. - New York Times "Baghdad's slide into chaos undercuts the central premise that Iraqi forces can be trained to secure their own country."

Meanwhile, the political opportunists are restless, sensing the jugular: Edwards Wants Immediate Iraq Withdrawal

And some politicians are paying the ultimate price for saying what they believe: Conn. Race Could Be Democratic Watershed “Loss by Lieberman May Embolden Critics of War.”

Then, if it weren't bad enough, CIA Officers Warn of Iraq Civil War, Contradicting Bush's Optimism



Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki does not seem up to the task of unifying his country. What man would be, Lincoln?

What’s the worst that could happen? Civil War.



The American Civil War lasted from 1861 to 1865*. The Union lost 120,000 men killed in action and 240,000 who died of other causes, for a total of 360,000. The Confederates lost 95,000 men killed in action and 165,000 who died of other causes, for a total of 260,000. The total number of dead in the war was, then, 620,000, plus an unknown number of civilian deaths.

The Iraq war per se started in 2003, and continues with no end in sight. The current approximation of Iraqi civilians and police killed after the 2003 Invasion of Iraq is over 40,000, with about three times this injured.

Coalition forces have lost 2,798 combatants, with 2,570 of these from the U.S.

Iraqi soldiers who have died number 2,320, and 3.450 Iraqi policemen.

45 journalists, and 20 media support workers have lost their lives in this war.

The numbers are cold, but they show that the Iraq War is far from being the killing fields of our Civil War. On the other hand, this thing continues to escalate, and may indeed turn into all-out civil war.

Civil Wars often follow revolutions. Witness France when they overthrew their monarchy, and Russia with the rise of Communism, as two prime examples. This is the norm, rather than the exception. When monarchies and dictators are overthrown there is a vacuum of power that is sometimes filled with your Napoleon Bonaparte’s and Joseph Stalin’s. If a country does arrive at democracy, it usually takes a long, long time, and much sacrifice and pain.

We were lucky in America to have two great men at our two most critical moments, George Washington at our inception, after our war of independence, and Abraham Lincoln, who held the nation together during our Civil War.

Iraq may or may not arrive at democracy. There might be a civil war. I don’t see an Iraqi Washington or Lincoln on the scene, so the journey to wherever they are going is likely to be messy.

This all falls under the rubric of the unintended consequences of war. We should have expected the unexpected.

Were we wrong to depose Saddam? No. He was a mass murderer and war criminal, and he was dangerous to Israel, to the United States, and to the world.

Every life sacrificed in order to overthrow him is validated, in a big way. Some things really are worth dying for. I’m sorry for the deaths of these wonderful Americans, Iraqi’s and others from all over the world, but they did not die in vain.

Yes, Iraq might split into three parts, all of them at war over oil and other rights. Iran might hold sway over the Shia’s. Baghdad might turn fundamentalist Islam. Global warming might be worse than we thought. A comet might land on Manhattan. Life is tough. We’ll have to deal with all that, and we will.

Yes, and when we got rid of Capone there were other gangsters. When we nailed Hitler, there were Idi Amin’s to follow. Saddam was evil and dangerous, and he’s gone. Period. One down, a thousand to go. It’s a good thing.

We should always just do the right things, and not demand that circumstances work out the way we we’d like. Overthrowing Saddam was the right thing to do, regardless of the consequences. Life will always throw us curves. Our fallen died fighting for a good cause, and they personally met their unintended consequences. They dealt with them with honor. Unfortunately, this is a part of life. Like our fallen comrades, we can deal with our unintended consequences too, and so can the world.


(*Wikipedia is always my source unless indicated.) This Post’s Technorati Tags: Iraq, Iraqi civil war, Baghdad, chaos in Iraq, chaos in Iraq, Iraqi protest, John Edwards, Joseph Lieberman, CIA, Nouri al-Maliki, the American Civil War, Union, Confederate, invasion of Iraq, the French Revolution, the Russian Revolution, Napoleon Bonaparte, Stalin, Saddam Hussein, truth Join me in the war on error, in the fight for truth, justice, and the American way! Support this site! Wanna swap links? It’ll help us both. Truth—The No Spin Politically Incorrect Zone

The Kind of Liberal I Can Respect

I’ve said many times that I can respect the old time liberals like Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman, and John F. Kennedy. They were big on defense, pro-business, and were actually concerned with doing good in the world. Contrast that with today’s liberals like Hillary Clinton, mean-spirited, anti-defense socialists who want only to get elected.

I watched Hillary blast Donald Rumsfeld in the hearings on Capitol Hill yesterday (Sen. Clinton Says Rumsfeld Should Resign), and you know that she has moved too far to the center for her base, so now she must show she’s tough on Iraq. She doesn’t have an ounce of backbone. Sure, Roosevelt, Truman and Kennedy wanted to get elected. Yes, George Bush, another great liberal (only half-kidding), would like to be popular. Yet, these folks still managed to keep their priorities. Roosevelt led the country into a noble war with his stirring speeches. Truman dropped the bomb to save lives. Kennedy took the blame for the Bay of Pigs fiasco. George Bush knows that Iraq is necessary, so he is steadfast in fighting this unpopular war.

If Hillary were president, she’d take a poll to see whether to stay in Iraq or not—the John Kerry syndrome. If she dropped a bomb on a terrorist stronghold, she’d get back to her leftist base the next day by building those poor widdle terrorists a nursery for their children, where the youngsters could recite in peace “God is great” and “Death to America.”

I am pretty hard on liberals of today, I admit. The reason is they are a sorry bunch of demagogues, the worst kind of leaders for our delicate world. We need heroes who know where America needs to go and will take us there.

What about the rank and file Democrats? A lot of them are good people, true believers in liberal philosophy. I can respect them. All of my leftist commentators are this kind of person, well, at least when they communicate with me. Yet, some of them probably cheer MoveOn.org, and delight in Air America, two examples of the kind of vicious mean-spiritedness of today’s left.

If you are a true Democrat, a classic liberal, I can support you, and even cheer you. This means you believe in government solving the world’s problems. I can understand this philosophy. Add economic responsibility and I might even bite on some issues. I can’t go so far as you taking my money to give the homeless i-Pods, though.

Liberals of today lose me on the issues of the economy, the environment, and defense. Loony liberals bash business from the time they rise from their Sit-and-Sleep Sealy Posturepedic mattresses till the moment they click off Jon Stewart, sipping their Sheridan’s Coffee Flavored Liqueur. They never met a corporation they didn’t want to boycott, or a CEO they didn’t want to jail, unless of course she’s liberal Martha Stewart. When they say Supersize Me they mean raise taxes.

Liberals of today are hypocrites when it comes to the environment. They bad-mouth Hummers while riding in Lincoln Towncar stretch limos. They castigate America’s energy consumption as they’re turning up their Fredrich 24,000 btu air-conditioners. Like Darryl Hannah, they perch in trees to rescue them, and then go back to their wood homes.

Leftist whackos hate the military, want to negotiate with terrorists, and prefer lounging in their Birkenstocks, while sipping Extra Hot, Half-Caf, Java Chip Frappuccinos, with a cup of ice on the side, to standing up to freedom.

I don’t respect these kinds of liberals.

If you are this kind of Democrat, take some economics courses, study the real science of global warming and recycling, and get a backbone. Turn off your Sharper Image germicidal air purifier for an hour, to save energy, and tune to Fox News. It won’t kill you. Read a book by Milton Friedman. Watch the movie Patton. Try to think of reasons why this is a great country. Imagine that freedom must be defended, if this is possible for you. When you do your chanting, say “America is a force for good in the world, ohm.” Then, after about a year of this, maybe you’ll become a bit like the liberals of old, and I can respect you again. I might not agree with you, but I’ll respect you.

(*Wikipedia is always my source unless indicated.)

This Post’s Technorati Tags: Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman, John F. Kennedy, Hillary Clinton, Donald Rumsfeld, George Bush, Bay of Pigs, Iraq, Hamas, MoveOn.org, Air America Radio, Martha Stewart, Supersize Me, Darryl Hannah, Birkenstocks, Fox News, Milton Freedman, Patton, truth

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Truth—The No Spin Politically Incorrect Zone

Things That Don't Make Sense

The United Nations, which is supposed to be an organization for world peace, is a corrupt den of thieves that sides with thugs and murderers.

George Bush, who is the only world leader besides Tony Blair that sees the geopolitical chess game as it really is, especially with regard to the importance of Iraq, is judged to be stupid on international issues. Paradoxically, Bush is thought to be enlightened on the immigration question, whereas in reality he is ruining our country on that score.

Republicans, who are supposed to be conservative, are meddling in our private lives, and spending more money than the Democrats.

Israel, the most peaceful country in the world, is reputed to be a villain and aggressor, while the vicious Hamas supposedly represent the poor victims, the Palestinians. In reality, the Palestinians have always been the bad guys, the aggressors in a war of annihilation.

Hollywood stars are worshipped to the point of deification. They constantly make pronouncements on the state of the world, and some people listen to them. The truth is they are among the dumbest people on the planet. Many of them hardly have a high school education. They are good at portraying intelligent people, but they themselves have never read a history book, or studied economics, or political science. They have one goal, to be popular and loved. They think the key to that is to be liberal, and stand up for the usual suspects, like world peace, the environment, curing AIDS, and helping the homeless. Oh yes, and bashing Republicans. They cause more harm to America than communism, terrorism, war, pestilence and natural disasters combined.

This is just the start, don’t get me going. I invite you to add your own insights about the things that don’t make sense in the world to you.

This Post’s Technorati Tags: United Nations, George W. Bush, Tony Blair, Republicans, Israel, Palestinians, Hollywood stars, Hamas, truth

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Passion of the Mouth

Mel Gibson may have a brave heart, but he stuck his foot in his biiiiig mouth. Pulled over on the weekend for speeding after drinking and “hugging” female patrons until 2 am in a Malibu bar, the actor was stopped by police for going over 70 mph. People Magazine’s first Sexiest Man Alive (1985), and the leading man of Mad Max, Lethal Weapon, Hamlet, Braveheart, and Oscar-winning director of Braveheart (1995), then resisted arrest and let loose a string of cuss-words, among them some highly anti-Semitic remarks. An open bottle of Tequila was found in his car. See the actual 4-page pdf copy of the arrest report, from TMZ.com, written by a Korean police officer, whom Gibson asked, “Are you Jewish?” He also spouted that the Jews “had started every war.” Mel Gibson’s father, Hutton Gibson, is a Holocaust denier. Gibson also reportedly has been bothered by some Jewish criticism of his blockbuster 2004 hit, The Passion of the Christ, that it is anti-Semitic, which Gibson denies.

Rumored too is that Gibson is having personal problems, is generally unhappy, and battling alcoholism. He has checked himself into rehab. He has also been quick to come out and apologize, asking for forgiveness. Some Jewish leaders are granting him this, but others are saying it will take time.

Much of Hollywood and the liberal media have been quick to condemn him. His contract for an upcoming ABC miniseries on the Holocaust has been cancelled. Disney, however, is sticking by Mel with his upcoming picture, Apocalypto, due out in December.

My take on the whole thing is first that what Mel reportedly said was disgusting, and he deserves to pay a price for it. Part of it obviously stems from having grown up around the anti-Semitic ravings of his father. Plus, he has been stung by those in the Jewish community who have unjustly attacked him for Passion. Then, he obviously is a troubled man. Mix all this with alcohol, and look what you get.

It just shows you that not even famous, rich, successful people are happy all the time. In fact, some of them are downright miserable.

I also see the Hollywood left salivating at the possible downfall of Mr. Gibson. Gibson is one of the few Hollywood actors successful enough to come out as a conservative, and a religious one at that. He thumbed his nose at Hollywood with Passion and they won’t forgive him for it. They said it would never make money, and boy were they wrong. Since then, Hollywood has done it’s usually stunt when it misses the boat, of making crappy copycats of the success formula—so we’ve seen the airwaves flooded with Christ stories, none of which have done as well as Passion. Not only is Hollywood on the wrong side politically, they can’t ever get ahead of the curve when it comes to popular culture.

I side with the tolerant Jews on this issue. Mel seems sincerely sorry. He is paying a huge price for his mistakes with the canceling of the Holocaust series, and the loss of goodwill in Hollywood and in the Jewish community. Some people will never have faith in him again. I certainly can see why they won’t let him do a Holocaust series. You need to trust the maker of such a sensitive project.

Still, I think Mel is truly sorry. Does he really hate Jews? I hope not. Even if he does, this is something he can work on if he sees the error of his ways. I say let him go to rehab, speak at a synagogue or three from the heart, and donate a chunk of money to the Simon Wiesenthal Center. Then, forgive him. In all humility, I realize I can’t forgive Mel for the Jews, it’s up to them. I just can suggest how I see the issue. I am a big Mel Gibson fan. Yet I, too, was offended by what he said. Speaking only for myself, I accept your apology Mel, and I forgive you. Go and sin no more.

(*Wikipedia is always my source unless indicated.)

This Post’s Technorati Tags: Mel Gibson, Hutton Gibson, anti-Semitic, Apocalypto, Braveheart, The Passion of the Christ, Holocaust, Simon Wiesenthal Center, truth

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Who Is Welcome At This Site

As traffic continues to increase, which is fun, I want to define who I am and what I want. Like any developing friendship, I want to do this slowly. I’m going to start with the first of my Who Is Welcome At This Site posts. I’ll concentrate this time on two areas, Race Color and Creed, and Political Persuasions.

Race, Color and Creed, Who Is Welcome?

I welcome you no matter who or what you are. I love Blacks, Whites, Hispanics, Chinese, Arabs, Muslims, Jews, Catholics, it doesn’t matter. We are all children of God, and you are invited to read and comment no matter what you look like or believe, as long as you mean me, nor my country, no harm.

I’ve been to Jewish homes in Tel Aviv, and Arab estates on the West Bank. I’ve attended Jewish, Catholic, and Arab weddings. I especially liked a Bedouin wedding that took place on camels, in Afula, Israel. I’ve drunk beer with the Germans at their beer gardens in Munich, shared croissants for breakfast with the French on the Champs-Elysées, and talked politics with an Italian lady in a Rome bed-and-breakfast without understanding a word she was saying. I’ve been all over Europe, and the United States.

I’ve been in White, Black, Hispanic, Pilipino and Korean homes.

Religiously, I’ve been a Catholic, agnostic, and New Age. I know the Jewish faith well. I am learning about Islam. I respect most religions. I judge that Islam is in trouble, and needs a reformation. It has a sizeable minority who are inflicting death and intolerance on the world. Presently, I believe in God, still hold several Catholic values, have added New Age ideas, and learn from every belief system. I embrace all faiths, except for fundamentalism. I think that fundamentalists of every type, Christian, Jewish, and Islamic, are intolerant and sometimes hate-filled. It is they who fight wars based solely on religious beliefs, discriminate against non-believers, and spread virulence because they imagine they have a direct pipeline to God.

I welcome you if you are religious, as long as you intend me no harm, and don’t think your pipeline to God is any better than mine. God is talking to me, trust me, just as much, or even more, than He is talking to you. For one reason, I am listening.

In short, I love all kinds of people. Every race, culture and creed have something to contribute to the world, and I am ready to receive your message if you are a good person, open, kind, and seeking truth.

Political Persuasion

I welcome you if you are liberal, conservative, radical, or anything on the political spectrum.

I love passionate people who know why they believe what they believe. I am mainly neo-conservative now, but I’ve been all over the political landscape in my life, and I certainly understand why people might disagree with me on important issues.

I started out probably as a conservative, without knowing it, being raised a strict Catholic in Munster, Indiana. I was transformed, though, to a radical liberal in my college years as the protests of the 60’s swept university campuses. I spent my middle years in political no-man’s land, more concerned with celebrating life than with politics. It was then I was traveling and living throughout the United States. I was a witness to political evolutions while touring Europe and residing in the Middle East in the 80’s.

Back in the U.S. in the 90’s, it was then I became a conservative. I started out as a Rush Limbaugh fan, and then added Dennis Prager, Larry Elder, and Sean Hannity to my list, as well as Bill O’Reilly. I found, though, that Limbaugh was a bit too conservative for my taste, and Hannity a bit closed. Prager is just a bit too religious and self-righteous, and wrong, I feel, on issues like tobacco. O’Reilly is smart on some things, and dumb on others. He is a moron on oil issues and the economy.

Larry Elder is just about on the money for me. He is a Black Libertarian Republican. I am a bit Libertarian. I am a fan of Al Rantel, a proud gay Republican. I have really evolved, though, into a neo-con. Bill Kristol thinks a lot like I do on several issues.

Though I was a conservative as a youth, as I’ve said, I was a big John F. Kennedy fan. He was a liberal I loved, and always will. He was strong on defense, pro-business and in favor of tax cuts, willing to define evil in the world, and brilliant geo-strategically. He grew from the bumbling of the botched Bay of Pigs invasion, to the deft handling of the Cuban missile crisis. He was the greatest communicator (like Reagan), and best ambassador to the world we ever had.

Anyway, I welcome you no matter your political persuasion. I can understand if you are radical. I was on the barricades. I dig you if you are liberal. I was a Kennedy guy. I love you if you are conservative. That’s what I am.

Who Is Not Welcome

You are not welcome at this site if you are a racist, anti-Semite, homophobe, or hater of good people.

I don’t mind if you are a Bush-hater, or Republican-hater and such, as long as your hatred does not imply that you want to harm someone.

I don’t even mind if you are a United States-hater, again, as long as you don’t want to harm us.

You are not welcome at this site if you cheer when people get blown up.

Whom do I hate? I hate demagogues, many of whom at this time in history are liberals. I hate terrorists. I hate evil people who want to hurt the innocents. I hate Hamas, Hezbollah, and many Palestinians, the ones who cheered 9/11, and delight in Israeli deaths. I hate people who behave like animals.

You are not welcome at this site if you are a terrorist, if you cheer when Americans or Israelis are blown up, or if you think you will earn heaven by killing anyone.

(*Wikipedia is always my source unless indicated.)

This Post’s Technorati Tags: New Age, neo-conservative, Rush Limbaugh, Larry Elder, Sean Hannity, Bill O’Reilly, libertarian, Bill Kristol, Al Rantel, John F. Kennedy, Bay of Pigs, Cuban missile crisis, Hamas, Hezbollah, Palestinians, truth

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Truth—The No Spin Politically Incorrect Zone

The Fog of War

Israel to Halt Bombing for 48 Hours - Los Angeles Times: South Lebanon Civilians to Be Evacuated After Airstrike Kills Up to 56, By Paul Richter and Laura King, Times Staff Writers, July 31, 2006

JERUSALEM. Israel agreed to halt bombing for 48 hours and allow besieged civilians safe passage out of southern Lebanon, U.S. officials said Sunday, a concession granted under intense pressure after one of its airstrikes hit a house full of women and children, killing as many as 56 people.

What happened in Qana was as inevitable as it was tragic. These are sad days for the world.

One factor is that Hezbollah has turned out to be better prepared for war than anyone expected. This has caught the Israeli army and public off guard, and led to a split in planning counterattacks against Hezbollah. Hezbollah is claiming victory, and rightly so.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, it appears, is not up to the task of defending Israeli at this crucial moment in their history. He is no Ariel Sharon, the former Prime Minister, founder of their Kadima Party, who now lies in hospital in a coma.

Sharon would have done what American military commanders feel is the best Israeli option, which is to send in a massive ground force to Lebanon and wipe Hezbollah out. Since the Israeli army met stiffer resistance than expected, including huge underground complexes, sophisticated mine placement, and advanced weaponry, supplied by Iran, the Israeli soldiers and commanders were actually stunned. This led to half the planners opting for mostly an Israeli air offensive, which will not wipe out Hezbollah.

Add this fact to the Hezbollah tactic of using civilians as human shields, and you have the recipe for Qana, and disaster. The Israelis tape every mission. They have video of Hezbollah firing missiles and then retreating back to civilian populations. The dilemma for Israel is that the Hezbollah are launching thousands of rockets into Israel, but then retreating to places where families are forced to stay. Hezbollah won't allow relief supplies to arrive, nor medical help.

So, Israel is left with a Hobson’s choice. Let their own civilians be murdered, strike Hezbollah by air and leave Hezbollah intact, or force a bloody ground invasion.

Striking only by air will lead to more Qana's. Without troops on the ground to verify what is and what isn't a military target, Israel will make mistakes. Plus, Hezbollah will ensure that as many Lebonese civilians die as possible, and they'll be there with their video cameras, along with mobile phones to alert the media.

The Islamo-facists love what happened in Qana, calling it with glee the Qana holocaust. It seems they miss the subtleties of the word “holocaust,” which implies deliberate, massive genocide. Hezbollah deliberately sends 4,000 plus missiles into Israel, aimed squarely at civilians, and the world is silent. Israel makes a tragic mistake in Qana and the world is aghast.

The only rational choice for Israel is to send in ground troops. The world will condemn them, as usual. This way, though, they can really hurt Hezbollah, deny them their victory, and prevent more Qana's. Israel understandably is afraid of this option. They know they will pay a heavy price, with the dead bodies of their young soldiers.

Israel can’t be blamed for demurring at this time, but it is a mistake.

The world continues to show its callousness for the death of innocent civilians. It keeps worshipping brutality. Israelis are scorned. The Hezbollah are pitied, or even honored.

What is likely to happen is a ceasefire sometime soon. The masses don’t like seeing pictures of dead children. Unfortunately, there will be many more pictures like this unless Hezbollah is dismantled.

(*Wikipedia is always my source unless indicated.)

This Post’s Technorati Tags: Qana, World, Ehud Olmert, Ariel Sharon, terrorism, Islamo-facism, Al-Queda, Israel, Hobson’s choice, truth

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The Problem with Wayne Dyer

I grew up strictly Catholic in Munster, Indiana.

I became politically aware in the 60’s, which was the most thrilling decade in American political and cultural growth. First at Catholic Creighton University, and then at Indiana University, I transformed into an agnostic liberal, and even a longhaired hippie, minus the drug abuse. I protested against the Vietnam War. I chanted against Richard Nixon.

Fast forward to my time in the Middle East, where I was a psychologist, actor and singer (some combination, huh?). There, I became New Age.

Many of the ideas of the New Age movement are elements of older spiritual and religious traditions, from both east and west, melded with modern ideas from science especially psychology and ecology. Out of the movement have come a wide-ranging literature on spirituality, new musical styles and even crafts - most visible in specialty shops and New Age fairs. The name "New Age" also refers to part of the LOHAS market segment in which its goods and services are sold to people in the movement.*

Now, I believe in God, but I’m not thrilled so much with organized religions. I still keep in my heart many Catholic teachings, some Jewish wisdom, and several New Age principles.















Three prominent teachers of New-Age popular philosophies have been Wayne Dyer, Deepak Chopra, and Marianne Williamson.

Wayne Dyer is one of the most widely known and respected people in the field of self-empowerment, affectionately called the "father of motivation" by some of his fans. He first attained popularity with his book Your Erroneous Zones.*

Deepak Chopra, M.D., is a medical doctor and popular contemporary writer in the United States on spirituality, synchronicity, integrative medicine and Ayurveda. He writes about holistically treating the body and promotes Ayurveda, the traditional Indian system of medicine. He claims Hinduism as his main influence, specifically the teachings of Vedanta and the Bhagavad Gita. In 1989 he became famous for his work Quantum Healing: Exploring the Frontiers of Mind/Body Medicine.*

Marianne Williamson’s earliest renown was for her talks on A Course in Miracles, a step-by-step method for choosing love over fear.

I love all three of these gurus.

I also think they are missing something in their outlook. There is something wrong with Wayne Dyer and his philosophy. Ditto with Deepak and Marianne. This is the same thing, I believe, that is wrong with liberals, feminists, the Democratic party, other New-Agers, and with much of America today, as a matter of fact.

The answer lies in the concepts of yin and yang, the polar opposites which must be in balance to lead a healthy life.

Yin, the darker element, is passive, dark, feminine, downward-seeking, and corresponds to the night; yang, the brighter element, is active, light, masculine, upward-seeking and corresponds to the day; yin is often symbolized by water, while yang is symbolized by fire.*

The trouble with Wayne Dyer, Deepak, and Marianne, is that they devote all their philosophy only to yin. They not only neglect yang, they devalue and omit it entirely.

The opposite of Wayne Dyer, Deepak Chopra, and Marianne Williamson are the characters Nicolo Machiavelli and Sun Tzu.

Niccolò di dei Machiavelli (May 3, 1469 – June 21, 1527) was a Florentine political philosopher, musician, poet, and romantic comedic playwright. Machiavelli was also a key figure in realist political theory, crucial to European statecraft Renaissance and early Protestant Reformation, which shaped the contemporary diplomatic behavior of nations. Machiavelli was one of the first people to objectively study the practice and implementation of politics and government.*

Sun Tzu wrote The Art of War, a Chinese military treatise created during the 6th century BC. Composed of 13 chapters, each of which is devoted to one aspect of warfare. It has long been praised as the definitive work on military strategies and tactics of its time.*

These folks represent the darker side of human coping, the ultimate yang proponents. While Jesus, Gandhi, and Martin Luther King could be said to be effective preachers of yin, Mohammed, Machiavelli, Tzu, and Malcolm X were the gurus of yang.

A healthy, effective life must include both—yin and yang.

The answer is provided by King Solomon in Eccles. 3:1,8,11,

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven... a time for war and a time for peace... He has made everything beautiful in its time.

I paraphrase a certain rabbi:

Peace is surely a magnificent thing, but only when its time comes. As with any other trait, G-d "made everything beautiful - IN ITS TIME." To apply a trait in an inappropriate time or place is a foul deed. It is just so with war and peace. Each has a time, and that time is learned from the laws of war and peace scattered throughout the Torah.

The problem with Wayne Dyer, Deepak, Marianne, other New Agers, liberals, the Democratic Party, and 50% of America at this time, is that they devalue and omit all yang. Ultimately, this leads to a weakened country, unruly children, criminal activity, and worldwide bloodshed. Wayne Dyer is promoting an unbalanced life.

The terrorists have the opposite, but still similar problem. They embrace only yang. They are just as unbalanced as we are. It’s the imbalance that leads to horror.

We have become a feminized culture. We devalue the masculine. Some of us would shirk our responsibility to wage war when it is necessary. Anti-war advocates of today are unhealthy proponents of only yin. These “peace advocates” seek peace at any cost, and this inevitably leads to more war than is necessary. “Peace advocates” bring bloodshed and misery to the world.

To win the war on terror, and climb back to a healthy culture, we need more balance between yin and yang. There will be a time for peace again in America, and in the world. At this moment, however, we are in a season of war. When the season for peace comes again, I’ll join Cindy Sheehan in calling for it. At this time, though, I shun her as a perfect example of an unbalanced loon.

Wayne Dyer remains Wayne Dyer, an unbalanced guy whose total answer to life’s problems are flowers, peace, love, joy, acceptance and goodwill, and singing kumbayah. Sounds nice, but it’s only half complete. He also needs to stand up to bullies, fight for his children, battle evil, and wage war on terrorists. Then, if he also keeps his yin intact, he’ll be a complete, effective man. A real man of peace.

(*Wikipedia is always my source unless indicated.)

This Post’s Technorati Tags: war, peace, yin, yang, Wayne Dyer, Deepak Chopra, Marianne Williamson, New Age, Mohammed, Sun Tzu, Malcolm X, Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Ecclesastes, truth

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