It is never too late to be
what you might have been.
George Eliot
My Thoughts and Prayers for Casualties and Families of the Asiana Airlines Crash Landing at SFO.
CBS is reporting at least 2 dead and 49 critically injured, among 181 of 307 occupants of the South Korean airline flight.
Afterthought of the Day
My favorite cartoonist Michael Ramirez has this comment about the gay appreciation day rulings at SCOTUS (I featured his cartoon a few posts back)::
Justice Kennedy's ruling: The Supreme Court does not have the guts to rule on the constitutionality of gay marriage, rather it will rule that the federal government and its elected representatives do not have the authority to uphold traditional marriage, only citizens of the states have the right to decide.... except, uh, California.An Egyptian Muslim Moderate Channels Martin Niemöller
“Today, the Christians. Tomorrow, us.” Andrew Doran penned a very good National Review piece, The Sisters of Maadi. Doran takes on Harry Reid's (D-NV) self-serving quote "the American government is the greatest force for good in the history of mankind." (There are a lot of great things about America--its people, economy, natural wonders and resources, medical and technological innovations, Constitution and founding ideals, etc.--but it's good-for-nothing, spendthrift, overextended elected "leadership" is not one of them. My view, not Doran's.) He points out the work of a German-based congregation of Roman Catholic sisters, the Sisters of Mercy of St. Borromeo whom have established multiple charitable institutions, especially a medical clinic and schools: most of the patrons are local Muslims.
Doran astutely notes that perceptions of Western democracies are affected by more than convoluted foreign policies and military interventionist policies yielding collateral damage: for one thing there's a sexually-obsessed culture promoted by Hollywood. We have a President whom has been on an African tour, among other things lecturing regional leaders on a gay-friendly agenda. You have to admit that Obama has managed to bring both sides in Egypt's civil unrest together: both sides are unhappy with Obama. I've even seen one account that said the pro-Morsi side arguing Obama's embrace of Morsi was like the kiss of death: it was all a manipulative, reverse psychological trick to strengthen the opposition. The "good face" of Western democracies and Christianity is established by the loving service of these good sisters.
As for the civil strife in Egypt, I saw red flags all over the place by deposed President Morsi's increasingly authoritarian rule; fundamental rights (freedom of the press, of protesters and non-Muslim believers) and an assault on an independent judiciary. A democracy without protection of political minority rights is not virtuous. Mark Steyn in National Review suggests that the overthrow of Morsi, however worthy, may be a case of being really careful of what you wish for. In my quote collection I have this Arabic proverb: "He left us and we rejoiced; then an even more unbearable person came."
Entertainment Potpourri: Politically Correct "Lone Ranger" Bombs at Box Office: Thumbs UP!
As a kid, one of my all-time favorite TV serials was of the Lone Ranger; if I hear the William Tell Overture, it takes me back. John Reid, 'The Lone Ranger", got his name from being the only survivor of an outlaw ambush on a group of Texas Rangers including his brother; Tonto, who was saved by Reid as a boy, stumbles across and recognizes his hero, nursing him back to health. Together they bring a measure of justice to the lawless Wild West. What sound-money libertarian doesn't appreciate the significance of silver bullets?
How could Disney, one of the best hit-making studios around, possibly screw up a movie version of one of the most beloved TV characters ever created? Let's start with its anti-capitalist standpoint and a politically correct version of Tonto, wearing a dead bird on his head. I think the fact that the Lone Ranger's partner was a Native American did more to bust stereotypes of cowboys and Indians than all the condescending politically correct claptrap put together. I have no desire to put down my good money to listen to anti-capitalist garbage or a morally self-superior lecture on "diversity"... I also think when you stray from what made the series an American icon, you turn off your target audience. It's a shame they didn't pick up on the example of the Indiana Jones series which was a brilliant take off these popular pre-movie serials.
No, I don't think I'll watch this movie if and when it comes to free TV. There is nothing Americana about criticizing economic success. There's a reason that Horatio Alger novels sold beyond the top 1%. We need movies that inspire us, not preach at us.
Freedom of Religious Speech in the People's Republic of California
A case of political correctness run amok.
Going to Jail Over Buying Bottled Water?
Some University of Virginia coeds had just gone grocery shopping for cookie dough, ice cream and bottled water when this happened:
A half-dozen men and a woman approached her car, flashing some kind of badges. One jumped on the hood. Another drew a gun. Others started trying to break the windows. [The girls drove off in panic and called 911. They were soon pulled over.] The people who had swarmed Daly’s vehicle were plainclothes agents of the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. The agents had thought the sparkling water was a 12-pack of beer.Is there anyone with a modicum of common sense whom doesn't understand that you don't jump on car roofs or break car windows, even if you mistakingly think a young adult has bought beer? Think that the state officers did their best Emily Litella and said, "Never mind"? Are you kidding? Ms. Daly spent the night in jail and was originally charged with 3 offenses related to her attempt to flee the attack, since dropped.
You should read the whole Hinkle piece--there is an increasing utilization of what I call "shock-and-awe" tactics against innocent civilians. Criminalized jokes, killings of people and pets in mistaken raids. A Maryland family-owned dairy got busted over trying to work around Federal red tape related with $10K-plus deposits (think multiple deposits); the Feds ended up stealing half of the deposits--and you thought Cyrus depositors took a haircut.
Hinkle also has a very good discussion that reflects on Stalin's head of secret police: Lavrentiy Pavlovich Beria: “Show me the man and I’ll find you the crime.” Stossel has a related piece on this for Reason, quoting Winston Churchill: "If you have 10,000 regulations, you destroy all respect for law.” John notes that the Feds do that alone every year; states and local government probably double that. It's almost impossible to go through the day without unintentionally violating some ludicrous law you never realized even exists. Just to give a simple example: did you know you could face up to 5 years of jail time for throwing out junk mail to another person your postal carrier by mistake put in your mailbox? I routinely toss junk mail without looking at the addressee.
I think part of the problem is that media and quite often voters evaluate legislators or Presidents on whether they pass ineffectual, costly, incomprehensible regulations. How else do you account for idiotic quotes from The (Incompetent) One, like "We can't afford to do nothing"? All those progressive whiners cry about being hobbled from adding more to their economic-sapping burden on businesses; I'm quite content if the Congress won't do something constructive about fiscal discipline and entitlement and regulatory reform, at least they put a check on a spendthrift, regulation-drunk Senate and President....
But isn't time we declare an end to police state tactics we saw in the ludicrous overreaction in Boston to a lone terrorist fugitive, shutting down an entire city, armed personnel carriers, warrantless searches of homes, etc.?
Marine On a Secret Mission and More
Political Cartoon
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| Courtesy of Nate Beeler and Townhall |
The Beatles, "Slow Down"
