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Archive for January, 2008

BBC: Palestinian “Radical Founder” Dies

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tieki rae

at January 26, 2008 in Israel and palestinians. 2 Comments

In their “reporting” of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the BBC is not exactly known for exhibiting the least biased journalism. That said, I am still shocked and disgusted every time they refer to a barbaric Palestinian terrorist as a “radical founder” instead of a cold-blooded murderer.

Palestinian radical founder dies

George Habash supported violence against Israel

The founder of the radical Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), George Habash, has died in Jordan, associates say. Habash died of a heart attack, one of his former colleagues said. He was around 80 years old.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has called three days of national mourning.

George Habash was the founder of the notorious Palestinian terrorist group Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. You might ask, what is the PFLP’s biggest achievement in the movement to liberate those innocent Palestinians from the evil Jews? Hijacking planes.

Habash is essentially the inventor of the terrorist method that killed thousands of Americans on September 11, 2001.

Great job, BBC.

Among the accolades of the late Palestinian leader:

Throughout his life Habash supported the use of violence against Israel.

One of the most deadly PFLP attacks was the gunning down of 27 people at Israel’s Lod airport in May 1972.

Forty-seven people were killed when a Swissair jet was bombed in 1970.

Question: What does it say about the so-called “moderate” Palestinian President Abbas when he calls for three days of mourning for such an evil man?

I believe Israel has always had the right answer. There is no partner for peace.

Sowell: McCain’s Age

Published by

tieki rae

at January 25, 2008 in Uncategorized. 3 Comments

Old-time common sense over at the National Review Online.

It is not just in physical tasks that age takes its toll. Even when our minds remain sharp, our energy levels are seldom the same, and that affects how long we can concentrate on a given day without taking a rest.

It is easy enough for me to take an afternoon nap and wake up refreshed, especially since my younger research assistants are working while I am dozing, and have plenty of material ready for me when I am ready to resume work.

But a president of the United States has to be ready to take on any crisis that arises anywhere in the world, at any hour of the day or night.

And if he has to deal with it around the clock, then he just stays awake around the clock to deal with it.

Ageism — defined as discrimination based on age, especially prejudice against the elderly — is wrong when it is vicious, unfounded, and generalized (i.e. “All old people are bad drivers and should be kept off the road.”). However, I have always been a proponent of drivers’ tests for adults of a certain age (65+) and other precautionary measures to ensure we best protect all of society — the elderly and the young. Perhaps this is because a close friend of mine was killed in a car accident and the other driver was an elderly man with Alzheimer’s.

In that way, I think Sowell makes an excellent point regarding the office of the President. I can’t think of a public figure who looks and acts as old and worn out as John McCain. It’s nothing personal, but if he can’t do the job, then he can’t do the job. Is it really worth endangering the lives of 300+ million Americans to find out?

Obviously, it doesn’t matter how old he is if he is the nominee and the Democrats are pushing Hillary or Obama. I’d rather have a crazy, napping-throughout-the-day old guy in office any day that a creeptastic younger man or woman.

Christianity Today: Arming in the Aftermath

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tieki rae

at January 23, 2008 in Christianity, crime and gun control. 5 Comments

This is a rather interesting article I saw on CT the other day about how churches are responding to the Colorado YWAM and New Life Church shootings.

While many congregations and ministries are choosing to re-evaluate their security in light of the recent shootings, some are stuck on stupid:

In 1999, a man shot and killed seven people at a Wednesday night teen prayer rally at Wedgwood Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas. The church’s pastor, the Rev. Al Meredith, has chosen not to post security guards.

“Do you make a church a fortress in order to give you some semblance of safety?” Meredith asked CT. “Thank God the security guard was at New Life. But to use the resources of the kingdom for armed guards for every door and say, ‘Welcome one and all’? It gives a mixed message.”

What is mixed about that message? If church-goers are confused by armed guards, I say we make a sign to put by the guards which reads: “Welcome one and all, unless you plan to harm this congregation. In that case, go to hell.”

Obligatory “Fred’s Out” Announcement

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tieki rae

at January 22, 2008 in 2008 and Republican. 1 Comment

It just keeps getting better and better, doesn’t it? /sarcasm

By now, I’m sure everyone knows Fred Thompson ended his presidential campaign this afternoon.

Kathryn Jean Lopez has a campaign eulogy of sorts up at the National Review Online, far more flattering than I would have been.

What his campaign may have lacked in organizational luster and ambition it made up for in authenticity and charm. You knew his greatest dream in life wasn’t to be president. You knew he’d be happy living life with his family, advising those who wanted his opinion and expertise, talking federalism with Beltway friends on weekends. When he was on Meet the Press a while back, Claremont’s Seth Leibsohn said, admiringly, “Fred came off like his hour there was not the most important thing he had to do that day.” There’s something attractive about that. And that it won’t get you elected president is today’s reality, it’s a reality to reflect on.

What is unattractive is being dishonest with solid conservatives and socially conservative organizations. Many people put their trust (and endorsements) in Fred Thompson expecting him to step up to the plate on the campaign trail. He failed miserably to take advantage of his early popularity. And that, in my opinion, is a betrayal of the worst kind.

What, do I sound bitter? I’m endorsing Mitt Romney / John McCain / Mike Huckabee / whoever is left standing not named Ron Paul or Rudy Guiliani now, of course I’m bitter.

Roe v. Wade: 35 Years

Published by

tieki rae

at January 22, 2008 in Abortion and Pro-Life. 0 Comments

Pro-Life Advocates: Roe v. Wade Support Weak as Abortion Case Reaches 35

by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
January 21, 2008

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — As the United States marks 35 years of legalized abortions on Tuesday, leading pro-life advocates say support for the infamous Supreme Court case is weak. They say they see the day coming that the high court reverses the decision and allows states to, once again, provide legal protection for unborn children.

Wendy Wright, the president of Concerned Women for America, says those Americans who say they support Roe normally do so because of a lack of knowledge about the details of the abortion decision and its companion case Doe v. Bolton.

“The assumption that most people support Roe is not only flawed but flat out wrong. When people learn the details of Roe, their support declines,” she told LifeNews.com on Monday.

Her group, along with Focus on the Family, The Alliance Defense Fund and the Family Research Council, has created a new web site called Roe IQ that helps people learn more about the decision and correct their wrong assumptions about it.

Nationally syndicated columnist Cal Thomas notes that the tide in favor of abortion has turned and that pro-life groups now have the upper hand.

“In recent years there have been signs that things may be — if not turning around — then moderating,” he says.

“According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, abortion numbers have declined steadily since 1990, from a high of 1.2 million annually to fewer than 900,000,” Thomas explains.

“This is due, I believe, to the unrelenting commitment of the pro-life movement through pregnancy help centers, information by Internet, marches and what appears to be a growing pro-life consensus among many women,” Thomas adds.

Patrick Mahoney, the head of the Christian Defense Coalition, agrees and says “the pro-life movement is alive and well.”

“Support for abortion, and abortions themselves, are at their lowest levels in over 30 years,” he told LifeNews.com. “On Tuesday, over 100,000 will join the annual ‘March for Life,’ in Washington. On the pro-choice side, we see virtually no major events happening on the national stage.”

According to the Center for Bio-Ethical Reform, there are approximately 46 million abortions world wide every year. 1.37 million of those are Americans.

Over 45 million American children have been senselessly murdered since Roe v. Wade.

And some people call abortion a simple operation.

Duncan Hunter, “Today We End This Campaign”

Published by

tieki rae

at January 20, 2008 in 2008, Fred Thompson, John McCain, Mike Huckabee, Pro-Life, Republican and duncan hunter. 2 Comments

It’s like being broken up with via e-mail:

We started this campaign a year ago right here, in San Diego Harbor, against the backdrop of American Naval power. We launched a campaign emphasizing a strong national defense, enforceable borders and restoring the industrial base of America.

Today we end this campaign. The Nevada caucuses reflecting only 2% of the vote for me. I ran the campaign exactly the way I wanted to, and at this point not being able to gain traction in conservative states of Nevada and South Carolina, it’s time to allow our volunteers and supporters to focus on the campaigns that remain viable.

It’s time for me to gear up for 2008’s defense bill that will be put together over the coming weeks. There is work to be done in the areas of troop protection and new capabilities to be deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan. And over the horizon, the emergence of Communist China as a military super power will require a new emphasis on U.S. capabilities in undersea warfare, space, and long range air-power.

The best way to maintain a new era of peace is for the U.S. to remain strong. Over the coming year I will endeavor to help craft a defense bill that meets the new security challenges.

Since our campaign began over 200,000 additional manufacturing jobs have been lost. 1.8 million jobs have left the U.S. for China. This fracturing of the U.S. industrial base is a long term threat to America. I hope that the remaining candidates will recognize it and address it. As the senior Republican on the House Armed Services Committee, I will seek to address it.

Only hours ago a border patrolman was killed in the California Desert. This tragedy emphasizes more than ever the compelling case for the completion of the border fence. Since I wrote the bill that mandates 854 miles of double border fence only a few miles have been constructed. Over the next year in Congress I will do everything in my power to get that fence built.

Finally, for Lynn and me, the campaign over the last year has shown us this: America is a wonderful country. Our people have great character and goodness, and the meeting of new friends has enriched our lives.

The failure of our campaign to gain traction is mine and mine alone. But we have driven the issues of national security, the border fence, the emergence of China and the need to reverse bad trade policy. Because of that, this campaign has been very worthwhile, and for the Hunter family, a lot of fun.

To our friends and supporters and volunteers: many thanks. And now it’s time for me to focus on developing a 2008 defense bill that serves our troops and our nation.

Thanks, and God Bless America.

Duncan Hunter

I do believe the time has come for the Hunter campaign to end, but it is still painful to see him leave. I’m holding out hope that the GOP nominee will choose him as VP and that he will accept.

So, who is it now? Obviously Fred, if he can pull it out. I’ve been extraordinarily disappointed in his campaigning — or lack thereof. I think Fred could have easily won Wyoming with a little more effort as well as some of the other early states. It was as if he was so popular before he declared, he felt it unnecessary to work hard to maintain that popularity. Well, look where that’s gotten us: Romney, Huckabee, and McCain are now the leaders.

If Fred doesn’t make it, I’ll settle for Romney. If not Romney, then Huckabee. If not Huckabee, McCain. And if not McCain, no one. Seriously, I will not vote for Ron Paul or Rudy Guiliani. Ugh, pray that it doesn’t come to that.