I'm In Favor of the Payment of Reparations

Because of the evils of slavery, Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton and other African-American leaders have come out in favor of reparations payments. I agree with them.

Yes, I agree that African-Americans should pay reparations to the rest of us. The only questions are: how much should be paid and how to apportion the money to descendents of the men and women who freed the slaves. In my case it is going to be a little difficult, because only my grandfather on my father’s side is descended from citizens who were here during the Civil War. The ancestors of my two grandmothers and my other grandfather were not here, but they were living in other countries which, at some time, practiced slavery.

In fact, every civilization throughout history has practiced slavery at some time or other, and only the slave-owners of Western and American culture became abolitionists and set their slaves free. Some of the tribal chiefs who captured and sold their brothers into slavery actually tried to convince Western leaders not to stop the slave trade. Be that as it may, although the slaves themselves suffered terribly under slavery, and every thoughtful American regrets that it ever occurred here, their descendents owe the rest of us a lot for rescuing them from the horrors of present day Africa and for providing them with the freedoms, the security and the prosperity of modern America. It did, after all, cost us more than 600,000 lives.

As Muhammed Ali, not only a great heavyweight champion but also a perceptive and eloquent person, said, upon his return from a prize fight in Africa, when asked how he liked it there, “Thank God my granddaddy got on that boat”.

I Can't Imagine Anything Worse Than This Iraq War

As Tony Blankley observed recently, September 29 is the anniversary of the Munich agreement signed in Czechoslovakia in 1938, which pacified Hitler and brought “peace in our time”.

Those calling for an early end and pullout of American troops from Iraq probably can’t imagine anything worse than the way things are now. They ought to listen to what Dr. Henry Kissinger said recently, "The war in Iraq is less about geopolitics than about the clash of ideologies, culture and religious beliefs. Because of the long reach of the Islamist challenge, the outcome in Iraq will have an even deeper significance than that in Vietnam. If a Taliban-type government or a fundamentalist radical state were to emerge in Baghdad or any part of Iraq, shock waves would ripple through the Islamic world. Radical forces in Islamic countries or Islamic minorities in non-Islamic countries would be emboldened in their attacks on existing governments. The safety and internal stability of all societies within reach of militant Islam would be imperiled."

And from Christopher Hitchens, “ How can so many people watch this as if they were spectators, handicapping and rating the successes and failures from some imagined position of neutrality? Do they suppose that a defeat in Iraq would be a defeat only for the Bush administration? The United States is awash in human rights groups, feminist organizations, ecological foundations, and committees for the rights of minorities. How come there is not a huge voluntary effort to help and to publicize the efforts to find the hundreds of thousands of "missing" Iraqis, to support Iraqi women's battle against fundamentalists, to assist in the recuperation of the marsh Arab wetlands, and to underwrite the struggle of the Kurds, the largest stateless people in the Middle East? Is Abu Ghraib really the only subject that interests our humanitarians?”

Maybe the reason some people can have such a warped view of what is going on and what is at stake is an age old problem described by David Horowitz,” How can they support the Palestinian Nazis who are responsible for the Jew-hatred in the Middle East? The answer is: They hate the Jews more…. The leftist world outlook is conspiratorial in its essence. According to the left, the world is controlled by THEM – capitalists, corporations, Halliburton. THEY are responsible for evil throughout the world.

Are there Islamic fanatics who blow up tall buildings? That's only because THEY made them desperate. And of course the Jews knew in advance.
Is Saddam Hussein a monster who needed to be removed? Only the Jews thought so, but THEY have control of the White House. Neocon Jews are behind it all. Just ask Cindy Sheehan. Since the Jews and Halliburton are responsible for global evil, eliminating THEM is the only way to create a world in which there will be "social justice."

And as Tony Blankley continued, “But a week after the Munich agreement -- Oct. 5, 1938 -- Chamberlain, on the floor of the House of Commons, had been much more up beat -- even exuberant: "The path which leads to appeasement is long and bristles with obstacles. The question of Czechoslovakia is the latest and perhaps the most dangerous. Now that we have got past it, I feel that it may be possible to make further progress along the road to sanity."

If one substitutes the name Iraq for Czechoslovakia, above, the resultant language probably would closely approximate what President Bush's Iraq war opponents would be saying the week after a "successful" Iraq exit strategy had been completed -- especially the phrase "further progress along the road to sanity." Can't you just hear Sen. Boxer making such a statement?

But "stopping the killing" doesn't always stop the killing, while surrendering to violence rarely leads to "sanity." Sept. 29, 1938's "progress along the road to sanity" ultimately cost the world the death of 60 million souls before it reached VJ Day on Aug. 15, 1945.”

Only a short while ago, a terrific series of battles was going on in Fallujah. Today the main news out of Fallujah is about complaints of the shortage of voting booths for the upcoming elections. Of course, you will not read that in the NY Times or the Washington Post or hear about it on CBS, NBC, ABC or CNN.

USA Leads on Effective Global Warming Measures

The United States has signed an agreement with China. India, Japan, Australia and South Korea that will go well beyond the limited steps of the Kyoto Protocol, but Europeans and liberals, in general, are more put out than happy over the arrangement. The countries named above account for half the greenhouse emissions in the world.

Kyoto, which could easily cause a depression here and in some other developed nations, gives to developing nations great opportunities for rent-seeking. That is the case, for example, of the former Soviet Republics, which are going to make a lot of money in the next few years by selling hot air -- that is, emissions credits that they would not use otherwise -- to European countries unable to meet their Kyoto targets. Yet, that is just a trade in hot air: the process will result in little or no actual reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

The US plan focuses on energy innovation and research and development of cleaner technologies, as well as technological transfer to the developing world in order to address global warming. As such, the plan follows closely that which the G8 leaders endorsed in Scotland last month.

I’ve never bought into the idea that man-made activities have had a significant effect on global warming, but to the extent they have, this partnership plan will do much more to reduce emissions than Kyoto ever could. Once again, President Bush has trumped the weary Europeans.

I Wish I could Have Said This As Well As Rush Did

Occasionally Rush Limbaugh is so eloquent in celebrating American values that I am quite moved. I missed this broadcast, but I heard about it and went to Rush’s site to read the transcript. Below I am reproducing from it a small segment of a very long answer he gave to a leftist caller. Understand that he gave this answer extemporaneously. To read the entire exchange, and it is long, go to this site.

“To sit here, to actually have the gall to call this program and advance something you think as an intellectual argument that Cindy Sheehan's cause is noble, because the president's daughters aren't in Iraq, or congressmen's sons and daughters aren't in Iraq, have you no shame? Do you realize whose sons and daughters are? Do you understand it's voluntary? Do you understand these are people who are offering their lives in sacrifice for things they believe in? And what do you do? You come along and you try to disabuse them of their belief by telling them that they're wrong and that their country sucks. Well, to the extent that they think their country sucks it's because of you and your efforts to constantly undermine this country's best interests and our desires and efforts to protect the people of this country and to bring freedom to as many others in this world as possible. You people on the left used to be the ones that were all for civil rights around the world. You were all for human rights. Now all of a sudden you couldn't care less about the status of Iraqis. You couldn't care less. It's gotten so absurd, now that Howard Dean said on TV that if this new constitution is enacted as written, that the women of Iraq are going to be worse off than they were under Saddam Hussein.

Do you realize how patently absurd and bordering on insane that comment is? No, you don't. Because you think so little of your own country, you think so little of this president, you have such little faith in the ideals that have combined to make this a great country, that you assume it's worse here than anywhere else, and the places that it is bad is because of us, either through environmental pollution, or whatever cockamamie, asinine, stupid, ignoramus idea you can come up with. It's gotten to the point now where it is common to go on Democrat websites and read about the pleasure it would bring if the president were assassinated. It is now common to read letters to the editors in newspapers which say it would be fun if bin Laden actually came over here and slit Bush's throat, which is what a supporter of Sheehan wrote to a letter of the editor in one of the newspapers in this country. Yes, it would have been better if bin Laden would have just come here and slit Bush's throat. Do you have any idea how you people are perceived? Do you have the slightest idea how the decent people who make this country work perceive you? It is not with any respect. It is with contempt and it's with sorrow. But it's also with this realization: This country, if it is to survive, cannot be turned over to you people to lead and to run, because we will cease to exist as the United States the day that happens, and mark my word. It ain't going to happen.”

I Love Ben Stein

For those of you who have somehow missed the writings of Ben Stein, an American enthusiast, I’d like to share him with you by directing you to his writings website: click here.

Ben Stein is an actor, an author and a commentator on political, social and financial issues. He has a quiz show, “Win Ben Stein’s Money”, and has appeared in several TV commercials and in movies including the hilarious, “ Ferris Bueller's Day Off”. He is also a frequent contributor to the magazine, “The American Spectator”,
where he maintains Ben Stein’s Diary, a running commentary on various aspects of the passing scene. I love him because of the joy and gratitude he expresses for Americans who make positive contributions to the progress and glory of America. I have his passion, but I do not have his talent. I’m not a big fan of “The American Spectator” because I feel it is too right-wing for my taste, but I check it out every weekend, hoping to catch an article or another entry in Ben Stein’s Diary.

If you want to read something uplifting and joyful about America for a change, tune in to Ben Stein.

Sandy Berger's Pants and 9/11

Now we’re starting to get a better idea of why in the world Sandy Berger, President Clinton’s National Security Advisor, would have tried to sneak classified material out in his pants. We already know from the 9/11 Commission hearings that Clinton’s Deputy Attorney General, Jamie Gorelick, made the key decision that prevented the FBI and the CIA from sharing information about terrorists in our midst.

Now we have learned that in 1999 a classified military intelligence unit, known as Able Danger, had identified the cell to which Mohammed Atta belonged and was prevented from sharing that information because it concerned persons who were in this country legally. Able Danger wanted the FBI to round up these people before they could act. A group of 9/11 widows issued a statement Wednesday saying, “The revelation of this information demands answers that are forthcoming, clear and concise. The 9/11 attacks could have and should have been prevented.”

It appears more and more that President Clinton’s legacy is not going to be limited to perjury and to introducing the subject of oral sex to junior high school students. The responsibility for not preventing 9/11 is being laid right in his lap and in the laps of his liberal advisors and appointees and their foolish policies.

Every August the Ghouls Come Out

I have always despised authors who write books outing dead people who can’t defend themselves. I feel the same way about the books that come out every August castigating President Truman for the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Once again, let’s review some facts. Truman was facing intelligence estimates that an invasion of Japan would cost a million American and many more than a million Japanese casualties. These estimates were based on known plans of Japanese defenders and the bloody results of the invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa.

Okinawa, a home island of Japan, resulted in more than 38,000 Americans wounded and 12,000 killed or missing, more than 107,000 Japanese and Okinawan soldiers killed, and perhaps 100,000 Okinawan civilians who perished in the battle. At Iwo Jima, just before Okinawa, 70,000 Americans went ashore and suffered 26,000 casualties and 6800 deaths. Virtually every one of the 22,000 Japanese defenders was killed. Far more casualties were recorded in these two battles than occurred at both Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Contrast these figures to what is going on in Iraq today.

The final piece to this decision was provided by Japan in the form of Kamikazes, who, in just three months, from October 25, 1944, to January 25, 1945, managed to sink two escort carriers and three destroyers. They also damaged 23 carriers, five battleships, nine cruisers, 23 destroyers and 27 other ships. American casualties amounted to 738 killed and another 1,300 wounded as the result of those attacks. Several thousand Kamikaze planes had been set aside for an invasion of the Japanese mainland that never happened.

President Truman, a Democrat and one of our greatest presidents, should be remembered and honored for the wisdom of this decision. He should also be remembered for the Marshall Plan, which saved Europe, the Truman Doctrine, which saved Greece and possibly Turkey, and the Berlin Airlift, which countered Russian moves to throw the West out. If anyone wants to learn more about this, visit the Truman Library.

After we, who were alive during World War II, are gone, who will tell our grandchildren the truth of this story, and what will they say?

Thoughts on Stealing Your Land by Eminent Domain

This 5 to 4 decision by the Supreme Court (Kelo vs. New London) has stirred up a firestorm in both directions. Many municipalities across the country are rushing to take private property to turn over to developers as schemes in waiting are put into practice. On the other hand, legislation at both the state and the federal level has been introduced that would head off this decision, either by outlawing this perversion of eminent domain at the state level or by defunding projects at the federal level. This week, the Alabama governor signed a law prohibiting cities and counties from using eminent domain for private development.

The spin by liberals is also consistent. After observing the groundswell of protest against this decision, many Democrats and their mainstream media accomplices are calling this decision “one made by conservative judges”. Don’t be fooled by this. The justices who voted in favor were: Stevens, Breyer, Ginsburg, Kennedy and Souter – all liberal judges. Those voting against were O’Connor, a swing judge, and justices Rehnquist, Scalia and Thomas – all conservative judges. This horrendous decision offers ample evidence for the need to appoint and confirm conservative judges.

On the other hand, some conservatives have led drives to take Justice Kennedy’s and Justice Souter’s homes by eminent domain to make an example and pay them back. This is good for a laugh, but should not be taken seriously or supported. Anyone participating in these schemes by punishing judges who make decisions in good faith is stooping to the level of those we oppose who obstruct, defame, lie and distort. We should stick with constitutional processes and stay within our system, no matter how long it takes or how hard it seems.

President Bush and Intelligent Design

Today President Bush, during an interview, expressed an opinion that the existence of the body of thought known as “intelligent design” should be made known to students who are being taught the theory of evolution known as Darwinism. As you know, I am intrigued by intelligent design and have come to believe that Darwinism has failed as an explanation for the complexities of life; and therefore I am quite happy and excited about this.
I have two posts on my weblog on Darwinism you may wish to review.

Notice that President Bush did not say that intelligent design should be taught as a competing scientific theory. Since intelligent design involves the existence of a Supreme Being or natural law, when questions of the origin of life and of new species are involved, it can never be a provable, competing theory to evolution. Notice also that intelligent design is not creationism, although this will be widely stated when the left tries to ridicule the President’s statement.

Already he is being widely misquoted in the mainstream press, partly because they love to play “gotcha”, and partly because any mention of intelligent design is considered politically incorrect in some circles. I have considerable personal experience with this form of fascism.