Conservative Musings: Sowell

Well, I wanted to write the third part to "On Choosing Life" today (well, yesterday), but after the somewhat hectic and nerve-grating news week, I just couldn't bring myself to write on anything heavy.  So instead I'll rely on other conservatives (well, conservative) to cap off the week.  Well, I guess it's more starting off the new one.

You know what, let's just get to it.

This week, I read a rather incredible series of columns by my favorite conservative writer, Thomas Sowell.  I could spend ages gushing over his writing, how it constantly brings up truths that few seem to know or are willing to bring up.  I could rant about his brilliance and his ability to get to the core of the topics he talks about.  I could even talk about how he sometimes just writes about baseball.  In the end, they would all reach the same conclusion: if there is any one conservative columnist you should read, it is Thomas Sowell.

This week, he wrote a series of articles titled "Obama Versus Obama."  It's a fascinating look at the rhetoric of Senator Obama back when he ran in 2008 (which is important, because he did not have a particularly substantial record then) and the actions of President Obama (who does have a record).  He also points out that anyone who was willing to see Obama's past and his writings could have forseen what we have witnessed in his presidency.

However, I'm prattling when you should be reading the observations of a great mind.

You can read Obama Versus Obama here.

Obama Versus Obama, Pt. II

Obama Versus Obama, Pt. III

Obama Versus Obama, Pt. IV

That's it for the week...no, wait, it's Sun...

Forget it, just read!

On That Anti-Islam Trailer

I was listening to "Hannity" on Fox News Channel not too long ago and he had a debate going about the situation in Benghazi and the Middle East.  I have so much to say on the issue frankly, with all that has been revealed in the past week.  But since recounting it all may cause me to pull my hair out (and it's finally long enough to pull), I'll just mention this.

You see, Tucker Carlson was in this debate and he made an observation that just floored me.

He pointed out that the man who made that anti-Islam trailer is a Coptic Christian from Egypt.  He came to America to be able to live and express himself freely and now he sits in prison, allegedly for a probation violation. 

A little context, as most people are unaware of this.  The Coptic Christians are a minority group in Egypt who are regularly persecuted and murdered for their faith.  So imagine coming from that environment and journeying to the United States.  The United States guarantees the ability to express yourself freely without legal repercussion.  So this man does just that.  You can find the trailer reprehensible or whatever, however, it does not change the fact that he has every right to produce a film as demeaning or insulting as he wants.

And what happens?

He is criticized by top governmental officials.  Not in Egypt or Pakistan.  No.  By American officials, who should be, rather than kowtowing to violent mobs, defending this man's right to make a film, no matter how offensive it is.  Instead, he is used as a scapegoat, blamed for causing mobs that claim to be the second coming of Bin Laden.

Then he is perp-walked when he is taken in for questioning and now arrested for an apparent "probation violation."  Only the dullest among us will fail to see that he was arrested, not for probation, but because he made this film.  It is disgraceful.  And not only is it disgraceful, it is scary, because it suggests that anyone who criticizes Islam, as long as there is a threat of violence, can be silenced.

Just as this man, who came to America to be free and now is not, merely for exercising his rights.

An Update

You may have noticed I've been a bit quiet the past few days.  There is a reason for that.  In order to increase the notoriety of this blog, I've been busy making social media sites.  It actually didn't take as long as the last post I've made, I just get nervous whenever I do new things.

Anyway, there are two sites.  You can now keep track of the blog on:

Twitter
https://twitter.com/OnConservatism

Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/OnConservatism

I know, those are the most original URLs you've ever seen.  No need to compliment me on my creativity.

I've also done some work on Google+...though I can't figure out for the life of me how it works.  Yes, I'm fully aware that makes me sound like a man 20 years my senior.  Searching for this blog's name should bring it up, though.

Look forward to the third part of my "On Choosing Life" series tomorrow.  Until then.

On the President and His Job

Earlier today, the president spoke at the United Nations before the general assembly of the world's leaders.

That's about all he did at the United Nations' headquarters.

No staying to hear other speeches and meet with other leaders, particularly newly elected ones since the previous assembly.

No face-to-face meetings with the leaders of allied nations and trading partners.

Not even twenty-four hours spent in New York City and part of that was spent taping for "The View" last night.

"Thank God I don't have anything to do right now except pal around with these fine ladies...."

Keep in mind that Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel, specifically requested a meeting with the president in New York this week.  He was even flexible enough to offer to fly down to Washington in lieu of that.  He was refused, however, because the president's itinerary was too crowded to make time for him.  I'm sure he's not the only leader who requested to meet with the president either, though his rejection received the most play.

When the president's schedule includes a fundraiser with Beyoncé and Jay-Z, an appearance with David Letterman and a hour with the ladies of "The View," well who can blame him for not having enough time to meet with the leaders of the world?  There are campaign events to go to, after all!

I think it's pretty clear that what we have here isn't a case of a packed schedule, but a badly-prioritized schedule.

Now, let me be clear, I'm not criticizing the president's fundraising.  As he's running for a second term, he should take time to raise funds (even if he hasn't really stopped since being elected).  However, he is also the leader of the free world, a role which comes with responsibilities.  He is neglecting those duties when he prioritizes fundraisers over rare, face-to-face meetings with other leaders.

That reality is only compounded when one considers that the leader who was shown being snubbed was Prime Minister Netanyahu, who clearly has reason to speak with the president.  As the leader of the only truly pro-Western democracy in the Middle East, who could very well be facing a nuclear neighbor in a short time and, thus, possibly a second Holocaust, it's obvious he has a clear reason to meet with the leader of the most capable military force in the world.

"Yes, Mr. President, nothing to do at all...."

Also, keep in mind I haven't said a word about the president's incessant campaigning and apologizing while the Middle East burned.  Nor have I said a thing about the fact that the Benghazi consulate was not secured immediately after the attack, allowing CNN journalists to discover Ambassador Stevens' journal.  There is still little indication it has been secured.

Fret not, however!  The president has everything under control.  After all, he knows how to deal with the hard truths of international crises.  His campaign volunteers have taught him that hard lesson, sacrificing daily for his cause, just like the soldiers and diplomats overseas sacrifice for America!  These problems in the Middle East, including four dead Americans, are just "bumps in the road!"  Netanyahu's concerns?  Just "noise" in some far off, irrelevant corner, clouding his vision and judgement!

Or perhaps the president, instead of being sure he's ready to deal with the world's problems, is instead preferring the company of celebrities.  All of which he does in lieu of being at his desk, ensuring that terrorist attacks are investigated and no more sensitive intelligence is lost in our consulate.

He has a job to do.  He should be doing that first and, in so doing, prove to us that he deserves to be re-elected.

On Christian Radicals

Yesterday, while perusing the front page of my local newspaper, my eye was drawn by a rather large story about the opinions of local people on the presidential election.  I noticed that a lot of those opinions were liberal, which, by itself, is not really a problem.  Despite being local (and regardless of what the chief editor once told me), the paper is a fairly liberal publication, so it is just something I've come to expect.

However, there was one quote that caught my eye.  It said, "We have Christian evangelicals in office in Congress, who are in very influential positions, who are just as radically religious as those in the Middle East.  The only difference is, they happen to be Christian."

I read those words and I thought, "You know, this man is well-informed and completely right."

An angry, white Christian runs from a car he lit on fire.

After all, I remember the terrible Sunday after the first display of the image "Piss Christ," when an artist took a crucifix and submerged it in a jar of his own urine.  I can still smell the burning of leather and gasoline as enraged Methodists and Lutherans took to the streets and set cars ablaze.  The artist had to flee to Saudi Arabia for safety, taking his precious work with him.  He lingers there to this day, but has recently taken the big risk of allowing "Piss Christ" to make the rounds in art circles again.

(As an aside, I am not very privy to modern art, but how does urinating on a cross qualify as art?)

 Who remembers the violent hordes of baptists after the death of Jerry Falwell?  I can see so vividly these...Christians as they burned effigies of the many cartoonists who, instead of memorializing a public figure, mocked his beliefs post-mortem.  These brilliant theologian artists, who know so much about the Bible, showed Falwell encountering a heaven where sinners of all stripes were present.  These artists also were forced to hide themselves, or risk being beheaded by the senseless savages who filled the streets.

And we can't forget how every Easter, legions of Evangelicals will march on Washington, demanding the enshrinement of the Bible as the only law of the land, the raising of the Southern Baptist Convention as our congress and Pastor John Hagee as our president.  They demand that all rape victims and homosexuals be stoned and blasphemy against Jesus and God punished by beheading.

It is a dangerous world we live in...

...when people walk around comparing Islamic radicals with Evangelical Christians.  Now, don't get me wrong, the Rosie O'Donnell's of the world have every right to speak, but never without a firm counterargument waiting on the lips of those who are slandered and libeled by those words.

In no way are people like me anything like Islamic radicals.  Remember, they wish to see criticism of their faith banished and critics imprisoned or killed.  These are people who wish to see Islam codified worldwide in law and forced upon people of all stripes and traditions.  No mainstream Evangelical Christian believes anything of the sort.

Now, we most certainly believe that our values should be reflected in society, particularly if society agrees with those values.  The same goes for secularists and anyone else with differing beliefs.  However, in no way does this reflect a desire to have a theocracy or to force our faith down others throats. 

Comparing Christians participating in the political sphere with radicals hell bent on destroying all which is not Islamic is laughable at best.  It is dangerous at worst, as it causes people to see a villain where there is not and ignore the one at their very doorstep.