February 11, 2006

ACLU Attacks Boy Scouts Again

Stop the ACLU reports that the ACLU is leading another assault on the Boy Scouts, sponsoring a lawsuit by a lesbian couple to have the Scouts thrown out of a San Diego park:

One can readily assume how this will be ruled; we are talking about the 9th Circuit here. The ACLU want to force the BSA to welcome professing homosexuals and even to recruit gay Scout leaders. They’d also like to erase the mention of “duty to God”. The ACLU is waging more than just a battle; it is waging a campaign. Since 1981, it has participated in at least 14 cases against the Boy Scouts.
Indeed, the Ninth Circus Court of Fools is notorious for softheaded rulings that bear little resemblance to mainstream jurisprudence. This is the court that wanted to strike the words, "under God" from the Pledge of Allegiance.

The ACLU's past championing of the child molestation advocacy group, the North American Man-Boy Love Association (NAMBLA), makes their continued fascination with the BSA, and inserting homosexuals into its leadership, appear all the more sinister.

Also posted at The Dread Pundit Bluto and Vince Aut Morire.

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Iraq and Bad Intelligence

Many people are arrogent engough to believe that they 'know' 'objective reality' as it 'really is'. Conversely, many people are paralyzed into inaction because they never have enough information to make an educated guess about the right decision. These people act as if they 'do not know' even an approximation of 'reality'.

In reality, major decisions are often made based upon incomplete information. When such a situation arises, one must think of the consequences of being wrong and the probabilities involved in worst case scenarios.

For instance, pick a single car about to enter the U.S. from Canada. The probability that this particular car is carrying a suitcase nuclear bomb is very, very low. Further, one cannot know what is in the trunk of this particular car.

You have two options: wave the car through without checking the trunk or stop the car and check to see what is inside. What is the proper course of action?

The proper course of action depends entirely on the consequences of being wrong. If you stop the car, and find that there is nothing in the trunk, you have inconvenienced the driver. Further, since you must repeat this action several thousand times a day, there is also the cost of hiring additional border agents. If you never find a bomb then you have wasted precious resources that could have been used in other places.

Imagine, though, that you don't stop the car and it does have a nuclear bomb in it. Oops.

The nature of estimating threats is that it is always based on incomplete information. We didn't know just how poor the Soviet military arsenal was during the Cold War. We didn't know that nuclear weapons were already on the island of Cuba during the missile crisis. Today, we don't know if Iran really intends to build a nuclear weapon. We don't know the extent to which al Qaeda has been destroyed. Yet, we did, and must continue to base policy decisions on incomplete information anyway.

Professor Chaos (also posted at OTB) has an excellent post that is a must read on ex-CIA official Paul R. Pillar's argument that the Adminstration was aware of uncertainties in the pre-Iraq war intelligence. First, he notes that the CIA is a bureaucracy, so that the President only sees what is presented to him by the top eschelon--namely the Clinton appointee George Tenet. Then:

Pillar suggests, as have countless others, is that there was ample evidence refuting the WMD intel but the Bush administration "cherry picked" that which pointed in the direction to war. There seems to be some truth to the notion that the administration listened more closely to intel that suggested a threat, but we can't ignore that this occurred in the aftermath of September 11 -- when the intelligence community (Pillar included) had ample information but failed to "connect the dots."

In this light, the "rush" to go to war in Iraq was less a case of selectively using unreliable intel as it was the result of erring on the side of national security. Pillar may see that differently because he was a CIA insider, but his analysis here fails to recognize this broader national security lens through which the administration would have based its decisions.

Also, it begs the question of action. Even if the Administration knew the intelligence was incomplete, so what? A decision, one way or another, had to be made. One cannot wait until a perfectly clear picture becomes available--because one never does. Waiting for perfect intelligence is a recipe for disaster because perfect intelligence is never available. To believe that it can be is naive.

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Hafez al-Bukari and Rahma Hujira

The Yemeni regime has a new label to target its reformers, opposition and civil leaders: “pro-Dutch.” (The regime employs a variety of stereotypes to label its opponents in an effort to turn public opinion against them: Zionist, Separatist, Houthi, Terrorist, Mason, American-leaning and Treasonous, to name a few.)

This is the story of Hafez al-Bokari and Rahma Hujira, two leaders of Yemeni civil society who have struggled for years for journalists rights. In May of 2005, one of the regime stooge attack papers, Al-Belad, published a horrible article about them, which the Yemen Times at the time described as insulting to RehmaÂ’s honor. From all reports it was a very derogatory and crude article, but the Yemeni regime specializes in sleeze as well as brutality. Of course, the public prosecutor to date has not responded to their law suit against al-Belad filed in May.

In December, the following appeared on the internet site of al-Shawa newspaper: The manager of the office of the Saudi Okaz newspaper in Sana'a Hafez al-Bukari was dismissed from his job, reasons are vague. While al-Bukari refused to comment on the dismiss, some media reports though it based upon pressures on and calls to the Okaz headquarters in Saudi by Yemeni informants who do not agree with al-Bukari activities and defending stances for the sake of press freedom after he had been elected a secretary-general of the Yemeni Journalists Syndicate in 2004.

Now the paper of the Yemeni military, the 26 September, at the height of public emotion over the cartoons, published a front page article that Hafez and Rahma are agents of the Dutch government. (Hafez as the head of the syndicate was coordinating some journalistsÂ’ training program that set up by the Dutch and Yemeni governments. )

Yemen Times The board also condemned the accusation that was brought on the 26 September newspaper website. Here, Al-Bokari and his wife, journalist Rahma Hujaira, are said to have connections with Denmark. The syndicate considered this as a way to blackmail the two journalists, especially after the recent crises regarding the illustrations of the prophet Mohammad in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten.

They attempted to bring a legal suit against the militaryÂ’s newspaper for publishing false and inflammatory information. From their letter to the Public Prosecutor in Yemen:

This article was published on the first news page on February 1st 2006. It included direct and clear instigation and offense against me Hafez Al-Bukari , President of Yemen Polling Center and General Secretary of Yemen Journalists Syndicate, and against my wife Rahma Hujira, Chairwoman of the Yemen Female Media Forum. You will also notice that this article includes false information that was made up intentionally for the purpose of being used unfairly against usÂ….

Therefore, we would like to bring a legal suit against those responsible for the website and to draw you attention to the risks that may endanger not only our lives but also our children, families, the institutions we work for and the employees working in them. The reason for this is that this instigation published by this official military institution which is supposed to protect us as citizens of this country.

Such fake information proves that this article is an attempt to use the anger spread in the Muslim world to attack us individually and to attack our institutions; Yemen Polling Center and Yemen Female Media Forum for that these institutions are concerned with democratic, social, and media reformation and development and they tackle general issues related to the society.

No response from the Prosecutor yet. This incident is a clear example of the Yemeni government is using the cartoon controversy to target reformers. And it shows the true anti-democratic, anti-reform face of the Yemeni government.

More importantly, I hope it shows what IÂ’ve been saying for the last year(s): there are some real heroes in Yemen, fighting against enormous challenges, to bring about a more just society. Its not just al-Khaiwani, not just Rahma and Hafez, thereÂ’s many. The government targets them over and over in a variety of ways. They donÂ’t give up. ThereÂ’s some corrupt people, hungry people, and frightened people who bend to the will of the regime. The ones who put their country before themselves deserve our full support.

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Dancing Mohammed and Rave Mullahs

You are so fatwa'd for this! What's great is that they have a link to the 'Jesus Dance' page, too. I wonder if 'the American Taliban' we keep hearing about from the Left will show out in mass protest and call for state censorship against Christian blasphemy? Hat tip: Stephen Green

And via Headmistress SondraK this link to what seems to be the Islamic equivalent of Pentacostalism--only set to techno music so it's funny.

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Salma Hayek and Penelope Cruz Lesbian Love Affair and 'Good' Gay Cowgirls Eating Pudding

Are Salma Hayek and Penelope Cruz having a lesbian affair? That's what rumors in Mexican tabloids say. Of course, it doesn't hurt the spread of such rumors when 99% of men polled by the Jawa Report say they secretly hope the rumors are true.

Apparently, the rumors started during the filming of the movie Bandidas. Unlike Brokeback Mountain, the film is the kind of gay cowboy film men will be flocking to see. No word on the amount of pudding consumed in the film. more...

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I'm Sure It Happened Exactly That Way, George

George Clooney expounds on his simple-minded political views in a softball interview for the Guardian, and really gets into the role:

"I was at a party the other night and it was all these hardcore Republicans and these guys are like, 'Why do you hate your country?' I said, 'I love my country.' They said, 'Why, at a time of war, would you criticise it then?' And I said, 'My country right or wrong means women don't vote, black people sit in the back of buses and we're still in Vietnam. My country right or wrong means we don't have the New Deal.' I mean, what, are you crazy? My country, right or wrong? It's not your right, it's your duty. And then I said, 'Where was I wrong, schmuck?' In 2003 I was saying, where are the ties [between Iraq] and al-Qaida? Where are the ties to 9/11? I knew it; where the fuck were these Democrats who said, 'We were misled'? That's the kind of thing that drives me crazy: 'We were misled.' Fuck you, you weren't misled. You were afraid of being called unpatriotic."
Like, really? Like, you didn't kind of imagine this conversation in your head, did you, George? Like maybe you could name the "hardcore Republicans" so we could hear their side of the story?

But, like anyway, George, it reminds of something that happened to me the other day. Like, this hardcore liberal was, like, talking shit about America, you know, and he said, "George Bush is the biggest terrorist in the world!" And I was like, "Sir, your hypothesis is absurd. The basis of modern terrorism is the use of vicious, wanton attacks on innocent people in order to elicit fear on the populace for the purpose of coercing them into putting pressure on their leaders to make concessions that the terrorist deems desirable." And, shit, man, the hardore liberal is like, "Uh...", and then I'm like, "And obvously, George Bush, as the twice-elected President of the United States of America has not only the right, but the Constitutional duty, sir, to take whatever action he deems necessary to effect the safety and well-being of the country and her citizens, including appropriate military actions." And the lib dude is like, "But, but...", and then he had a stroke and died right on the spot! It was like karma, man, karma.

Now, none of this is to say that George Clooney is a lying sack of shit, and don't you ever question his patriotism.

Also posted at The Dread Pundit Bluto and Vince Aut Morire.

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February 10, 2006

A Moderate In America Responds

To the moderate Muslims in Rusty's post: more...

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Murder Deadline for Jill Carroll Set for Feb. 26

Jill Carroll's terrorist captors are warning that they will murder the American hostage if their demand that all female Iraqi prisoners be released. The terrorists gave the Iraqi governmet until Feb. 26th. Also, an informer told a private Kuwaiti TV station that he knew where Jill Carroll is. I pray that this Arab TV station cooperates with the Iraqi and American forces so that Jill Carroll can be liberated from her barbaric captors before it is too late.

A note accompanied the video released of Jill Carroll yesterday. I guess we now know what was on the note. Apparently, there is also a ransom demand.

AP: more...

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Moderate Muslim Speak Out Against Intolerance Across Globe

The following is a gallery of news photos taken at hundreds of protests, all of them held TODAY, in dozens of countries around the world. Trust me, you'll want to scroll through the whole thing. Might take a bit to load.

Moderates in Africa are disgusted over the intolerance of extremists Muslims calling for press censorship.

south_african_muslim_with_bin_laden_shirt.jpg

South African Muslims protest bin Ladenism in all its forms.


jordanian_muslims_protest_cartoons.jpg

Muslims in Jordan stand up for Democracy and the underlying preconditions for it of freedom of expression, speech, and religion. Jordan is often cited as an example of a 'moderate' country.

There's more. more...

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Send Cindy Sheehan to Iraq

Finally, a cause I can get behind.

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Mohammed Cartoon T-Shirt

A new t-shirt featuring the image below, which seems to be regarded as the most inflammatory of the notorious Danish cartoons, is available for sale.

moja11.jpg

From PRWeb:

(PRWEB) February 8, 2006 -- To see the latest creation from conservative t-shirt maker MetroSpy some would think the Muslim world had every right to be upset. MetroSpy's new t-shirts depict an unflattering caricature of the prophet Mohammed with a bomb on his head.

“We can't let the terrorists win. We can not encourage this uncivilized behavior by caving in to their wishes,” said Nate Thomas, product manager for MetroSpy.

Good luck trying to get Metrospy's webpage to load. The apparent popularity of this product suggests some spin-offs might generate income.

Muslims are, of course, outraged.

They should be happy no one has come with truly offensive products, like these: more...

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Bush Declares Fatwa on Blasphemous Art

It's all rather blasphemous. Why aren't the Christian Right and Bushitlerites out en masse? I thought they were the equivalent of the Taliban?

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Charles Krauthammer Endorses Jawa View of 'Moderate' Muslims

It's great to receive the endorsement of Charles Krauthammer on the Jawa view that the only distinction between the 'moderate' Muslim and the 'radical' Muslim is one of means and severity and not of ends themselves. Especially given that Dean decides to wuss out and not respond to any more of criticisms of his conflation of 'liberal' and 'moderate' Muslims (which, by the way, also conflates the endorsement of 'democracy' by many moderate Muslims, but who simultaneously reject the underlying elements of democracy such as freedom of press, speech, and religion--eg, Grand Ayatollah Sistani who universally regarded as a 'moderate' who supports 'democracy' and 'secularism', but who wishes for the secular government to impose the death penalty on those who blaspheme the prophet). Most people wish to believe that they are 'moderate', even when they are the extremes of the Right and Left. Thus, many Muslims who are in fact 'liberal' in comparison to the mainstream, believe they are moderates.

WAPO via Jihad Watch: more...

Posted by: Rusty at 10:26 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Sweden Caves to Islamic Threats, Forces Cartoon Publisher Offline (UPDATE)

Wow, this is the first time that a Western government has forced an online publisher of blasphemy offline. What's really interesting is that the Swedish government cites national security as the cause.

There is a general call for solidarity for all Swedish internet sites by the Stockholm Specatator to republish the cartoon in defiance of the government's capitulation.

And if you think Sweden doesn't have its share of Islamic terrorists, then you haven't been reading The Jawa Report long enough. See Army of Ansar al-Sunnah--In SWEDEN!?!?!; Ansar al-Sunna finds 'Safe Haven' in Sweden, Issues Death Fatwa Against Christian Minister; Sweden Reduces Terrorism Sentences; Muslim Ruled Sweden?

Via Emperor Darth Misha this from the Stockholm Spectator:

According to Dagens Nyheter, the Swedish security services (Säpo), in collusion with Foreign Minister Leila Freivalds, have forced the website SD-Kuriren offline for publishing the Jyllands-Posten cartoons (SD-Kuriren is the house organ of the hard-right Swedish Democrats).

“We think that this was the best decision after we were contacted by the Foreign Ministry and Säpo,” Anna Larsson, vice president of hosting compant Levonline, told DN. Freivalds told DN that “it is terrible that a small group of extremists are exposing Swedes to danger [by reprinting the cartoons].”

This is what happens when your country lets any one claiming to be a 'political refugee' in. Do you really think its safe to let those who are persecuted in their home countries for being too radically Islamist?

UPDATE: Via Michelle Malkin, here is an English translation of some the original article mentioned.

A Swedish Internet provider has shut down the website of an extreme right fringe party after authorities voiced concerns over a Prophet Mohammed drawing contest posted on the site.

Internet provider Levonline shut down the Sweden DemocratsÂ’ website late Thursday following discussions with both the foreign ministry and the National security police.

The foreign minister, Laila Freivalds however denies that the ministry ordered the internet provider to shut down the website. Speaking to reporters she said the foreign ministry and the security police simply informed the company of possible ramifications for Swedes abroad....

In a press release on the partyÂ’s website the party says it pulled the drawings after considering the consequences for Swedes living in the the muslim world.

And don't miss Michelle's piece on the dhimmitude of the world here.

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Danish Editor Put on Leave for Iranian Holocaust Cartoon Controversy

This is certainly interesting. Notice that he was 'sent' on leave.

BBC:

The Danish editor who commissioned the Prophet Muhammad cartoons at the centre of a global row has been sent on leave.

Flemming Rose, culture editor of the Jyllands-Posten newspaper, got the order after saying he might print Iranian cartoons of the Holocaust.

The Danish cartoons, seen by many Muslims as insulting to their faith, have sparked worldwide protests.

Earlier this week, an Iranian newspaper said it was holding a contest inviting cartoonists to depict the Holocaust.

Hamshahri said it wanted to test the boundaries of free speech, echoing the reasons Jyllands-Posten and other European papers have given for publishing the caricatures.

Posted by: Rusty at 08:12 AM | Comments (7) | Add Comment
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The Olympic Good Old Days

Can't say I miss the Cold War, but it certainly did make for better Olympic Games. Decision '08:

No, the real problem is that the BIG storyline is missing. We have no good Olympic enemies anymore. The one totally tangible memory that most people have (even people who didn't watch it, in the curious way these things work) of a real athletic moment of glory is Al Michaels asking "Do you believe in miracles?' as the United States defeated the Soviet Union at long last on the hockey rink at Lake Placid. That's the Soviet Union, not Russia, and we're talking Cold War here.

Posted by: Rusty at 08:08 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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Jesus Pancake Could Be Mohammed

Jesus Pancake(Beachwood, Ohio) While preparing breakfast, Mike Thompson found that one of his pancakes displayed a facial image. Thompson and his wife concluded that the face looked like Jesus Christ. As a result, the Thompsons decided to sell the pancake on eBay.

There has been controversy concerning whether the likeness is of Jesus Christ or another individual. One observer believes it somewhat resembles the prophet Mohammed or, maybe, that hairy guy at the cycle shop. Obviously, a pancake image authentication expert (Mrs. Butterworth?) needs to weigh in on the issue.

In the meantime, it's reported that bidding on the pancake has been light.

From Interested-Participant.

Posted by: Mike Pechar at 07:02 AM | Comments (18) | Add Comment
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Lighten Up, Will Ya?

Michelle Malkin says that the Cartoon Jihadists are winning the battle of the Free Press.

The first two examples come from Malaysia and Yemen, hardly bastions of press freedom to begin with.

The rest are either socialist countries, or former Communist countries. And the U.N. And the E.U.

I am to going finally place the last brick into the wall that keeps me in the bowels of the blogosphere dungeon by disagreeing with Michelle Malkin.

I will believe that the Cartoon Jihadists are winning when they finally prevent me from posting offending images of Mohammed.

Why we are choosing to die upon the hill of whether or not what MSM outlets publish these pictures makes me want to pull out the duct tape for head wrappage again.

If the blogosphere truly wants to be the new media, then we have got to stop worrying about what the MSM does or doesn't do.

Who gives a flying blank at a rolling donut if the L.A. Times didn't publish the photos? I've posted them numerous times, and so have others. So many that the google searches for these caricatures far outstrip the daily readership of any newspaper in the world.

That is what free press is. And that's why I disagree that the Cartoon Jihadists are winning.

And this is why I should resign myself to being a bottom-feeding blogger. Forever and ever.

Posted by: Vinnie at 02:11 AM | Comments (5) | Add Comment
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Caricatures Of The Prophet Mohammed

Just because I'm going through personal issues doesn't mean I haven't given up my quest for a fatwa.

Below the fold you will find several caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed.

WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES BELOW!!!!! more...

Posted by: Vinnie at 01:40 AM | Comments (14) | Add Comment
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ACLU Attacks Boy Scouts, Again

Having never forgiven the Boy Scouts of America for successfully resisting ACLU attempts to foist overtly homosexual Scout leaders on them (the Supreme Court ruled in 2000 that the Scouts could select their own leaders), the ACLU is now threatening Boy Scout charters with local governments. The ACLU feels that there is excessive mention of "God" and "reverence" among the Scouts, and that this violates the doctrine of separation of church and state. more...

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