Islamophobia: A Personal Struggle

The phenomena of "Islamophobia" is with us and perhaps for good reason. There has really been no huge outcry from the nation's Mohammedan population damning the actions of terrorist organizations. Possibly there is fear involved. It is undeniable that some who have bravely spoken out have received threats that may be credible. That is a shame. This is America after all and people should have no fear of reprisal when making their voices heard. I guess that is not realistic. Still the question remains; What are the thoughts of most Muslims in this country concerning 911, Sharia Law, the Ground Zero mosque, country before faith, etc? Americans need to know now. We have a right to know.
I firmly believe that most people, no matter their origin, religion, etc., have a desire to be left alone to live their lives in peace and yes this includes those that are Muslims. Do they not strive to protect their children? Do they not work to better their circumstance? Human beings are basically the same no matter where they live or what religion they practice. With that being said, it is undeniable that there are enemies of Western Civilization and Islam appears to be at the forefront. Islam may be as dangerous as Soviet style Communism. Perhaps more so. Europe has a very large population of Muslims that may become a danger of supplanting culture that is, for lack of a better word, ancient. That will likely not be tolerated in the long run and the results may well be disastrous. Phobia, distrust, or disdain of a certain group can well lead humans down a path that is unthinkable. Are there some cultures that can not "mix" well with others. Is that a possibility? I don't know for certain but I suspect that this is the case. In America we have a tradition of tolerating all comers with the result being eventual acceptance and immigrant assimilation. Europe does not.  Has America's acceptance of foreigners finally come to an end? This is not the 1850's when Know Nothing(ism) was a powerful force. We can look back on that era now with somewhat of a smile. A different time. Now there appears to be immigration without any thought of assimilation. This includes a great number of those from south of the border and quite possibly many Mohammedans.  What does all of this have to do with my own struggle with Islamophobia? Probably not a lot, but I will relay my thoughts on the subject anyway.

I must admit that I am Islamophobic. I do not trust the followers of the Prophet. Is that wrong? Could be, but I am certainly not alone. That still may not make it right, but at the same time, I must look at things how they are and not how I would like them to be. For instance, the aforementioned silence (for the most part) from the American Muslim community on terrorist action is quite disturbing. Perhaps the fear I mentioned also is to blame. Perhaps not. Just perhaps there is some tacit approval. We don't know because of the again aforementioned silence. If you recall, after the attack on Sept 11, a great many in the Muslim world rejoiced. There is image after image of Muslims celebrating the attack. That should give pause to any Westerner. The same thing happened after the attacks in Spain and the UK. Muslims celebrating. Is this not reason to be suspicious? I think it may well be. Yet at the same time when I see a Muslim family at the grocery or out on the town I do not feel threatened or even overly suspicious. It is a dilemma to some extent. A few years ago I was a bartender at a large July 4 celebration in Houston. There were literally thousands of people and I was some kind of busy, but I did notice, not far from my station, a family of Muslims sitting in the grass watching the fireworks with everybody else. A man, his wife and two beautiful small daughters enjoying a night out. Were these people my enemy? Have they harmed me or our nation in any way? I somehow doubted it. I also noticed a uniformed police officer loitering in the vicinity and I would imagine it was for their protection. There is a lot of beer drinking yearly at that event and some people tend to get out of hand. I really doubt the officer was there to keep an eye on the family in case they perpetrated a terrorist act.
I very rarely drive a cab anymore, I lease one and try my luck on rare occasions. When I was driving full time I had a couple of work friends that were Muslims. One was from Pakistan and the other from Senegal and of course one of them was named Mohammad.  We had each others cell numbers and used to communicate quite frequently about business matters. You know, where the traffic is running, if the airport (which I never worked) or the hotel business was moving. That type of thing. We also occasionally would meet for coffee at one of the umpteen Starbucks that litter the city and take a break. We never discussed politics, war, religion, or any other subject that may have been contentious. I was content to leave it at that. I must admit that I did wonder though what their thoughts might have been on various issues. I will say this; those men were some of the hardest working people I have ever known. I am lucky that my significant other has a good job- a luxury that neither of them had. They did what it took to support their families in a business that is hard.Very hard. I respected them.  I sensed in both of these men a firmness of character and may I say "goodness" that I don't often sense in others. Perhaps that is why I liked and respected them. Were these men my enemy? I would hate to think so.  On the flip side, if you will, one has to keep in mind the attacks by Muslims on everyday Americans. The "Beltway snipers" may have been motivated by radicalized Islam. Certainly the Army Major that killed his fellow soldiers and other citizens at Ft. Hood was radicalized.There have been other attacks also.  How many Muslims living in this nation are a danger to our fellow citizens? More than a few I would wager. I also think that the Ground Zero mosque/community center is a bad idea and a slap in the face. The legal right to build I do not dispute, but unlike our great president, I will comment on the wisdom of the issue. It is wrong and rather stupid of them to consider the site in the face of such opposition. Pure and simple. Do I believe that in war we should show no quarter to non uniformed Muslim terrorists? Yes of course. Anything less is ridiculous. Do I think that Western civilization is at war with Islam or more accurately, is Islam at war with Western society? Of course. To not recognize this is blindness. Yes I must admit that I am Islamophic. I hate that this is the case but one must be realistic. Islam is a danger to, and likely not compatible with, Western society.

Should Houston Have Accepted Katrina Refugees?

There was another one of those unscientific polls on one of the major amplitude modulation stations here in Houston that asked the question; Should Houston have accepted Hurricane Katrina evacuees? Of course the no vote outnumbered the yea vote by a wide margin. I did not participate in the poll but had I, my answer would have been a resounding yes. The people of New Orleans and surrounding areas are Americans and we as a people owe it to our countrymen to assist in a time of disaster. Yes, even if that means at great monetary cost and inconvenience. Now any one who is familiar with New Orleans prior to the storm must have realized that, outside of the areas that tourists are likely to go, it was little better than a large third world city. All those that took in refugees should have known that there was a very large criminal and poverty stricken underclass that inhabited the city. It is certainly understandable that people would not want an influx of those folk in their local environment. All areas that took in evacuees in significant number probably noticed there was an increase in the crime rate. That does not mean however that our backs should have been turned on those in that fair city. It would have been wrong.  Now I have a special place in my heart for New Orleans and the state (and region) in general. I am after all a Southeastern Conference man. That being said, I could point out that I have lost nothing in New York City, but if those folks ever need another helping hand then you can count me in. Might not be able to get up there and help but would find some way to contribute to a relief effort. The same goes for L.A., San Francisco, Miami, Florida, Miami Oklahoma, Portland, Maine, Portland, OR. or anywhere else in this great land. We are a compassionate people and our compassion should be directed toward our fellow countrymen first and foremost. Anything less would be Un-American.

More Things That are Not - The Second Fifty

1. Keith Olbermann is not always wrong. Just usually.
2. Chris Mathews is not ever right.
3. Ed Schultz is not John Banner.
4. Tom DeLay is not the same person as gay porn star Little Tommy D. Allegedly.
5. Bin Laden is not dead. That is what they say.
6. France is not militarily incompetent.
7. Europe will not tolerate much more Mohammedan immigration.
8. The border is not secure.
9. President Obama is not always on vacation. It just seems so.
10. Great white sharks are not in the Gulf of Mexico.
11. Nancy Pelosi is not right in the head.
12. Maxine Waters is not very good looking.
13. The New Black Panther Party is not a terrorist organization. At least not yet.
14. The last name of Quanell X is not really "X"
15. All illegal aliens are not just "looking for work."
16. Harry Reid is not ethical.
17. John Holmes' penis was not fake.
18. Houston is not a sanctuary city. Just ask Bill White.
19. My ex-wife really did not have an affair with a muscle bound faggot. So I have been told.
20. Cameron Diaz is not so hot up close.
21. Michael Berry is not always right. He usually is though.
22. Hamas are not freedom fighters.
23. Not all Mohammedans are savages.
24. Not all Christians are good people.
25. The NFL is not better than college football.
26. Unions are not always a bad thing.
27. Wal Mart is not an ethical organization.
28. Some cultures are not equal to others.
29. This Rauf guy is not to be trusted.
30. Sarah Palin is not nationally electable.
31. Patrick Buchanan is not a Nazi.
33. Imperialism is not always bad.
34. Bill Clinton was not that bad of a president. He was not that good either.
35. Richard Nixon was not as evil as is commonly believed.
36. JFK was not as good as is commonly believed.
37. The Kennedy political family is not royalty.
38. The Ivy League schools are not what they used to be.
39. The military is not a breeding ground for "right wing extremists."
40. Case Keenum will not win the Heisman award, although he probably should.
41. Boise State will not be in the BCS Championship Game. Niether will Alabama.
42. Arena football is not for pansies.
43. Coffee is not bad for you.
44. Mexican police officers are not all corrupt. They may live longer if they are.
45. Ray Nagin was not to blame for Katrina. Neither was Dubya,
46. Not all BP employees are evil.
47. School teachers are not overpaid. On the contrary.
48. Truck drivers are usually not dumb.
49. Firemen do not walk on water.
50. Police officers are not all scumbags.

Addendum: Upon further  investigation I have found that Great Whites do show up on the Gulf coast of Florida during the winter. In limited numbers of course.

Fifty Things That Are Not

1. Ebonics is not a language.
2. Latino or Hispanic is not a race.
3. Not all Mohammedans are terrorists or terrorist supporters.
4. Not all leftists have treasonous tendencies. Many do however.
5. Obama is not a Mohammedan. Well at least I don't think so. Could be wrong.
6. The BCS system does not create a true national champion.
7. Brett Favre is not worth all the hassle.
8. Palestine is not a country.
9. Israel is not the source of all evil in the world.
10. Green energy does not create enough jobs to replace the oil industry. The whole idea is ridiculous.
11. The oil industry is not killing the planet.
12. Mexico is not a friendly country.
13. Turkey is not a European nation.
14. Islam is not compatible with Western Democracy.
15. China is not a friend.
16. Illegal aliens are not "undocumented workers." They are illegal aliens.
17. Notre Dame will not have a winning season.
18. Alabama will not repeat as the "national champion."
19. The carnage in Mexico is not the fault of the United States.
20. Pakistan is not an ally.
21. The English Defence League is not a hate group.
22. Fox News is not "fair and balanced."
23. Rush Limbaugh is not always right (or wrong).
24. Sheila Jackson Lee is not intelligent.
25. Soccer is not a real sport.
26. Henry Waxman is not a fine figure of a man.
27. John McCain is not really conservative.
29. Michael Savage is not completely insane.
30. Rachel Maddow is not a man.
31. Keith Olbermann is not a rational human being.
32. Ron Paul is not a real Republican.
33. President Obama is not presidential.
34. George W. Bush is not as stupid as people think.
35. Ronald Reagan was not a saint.
36. Roger Clemens is not a good guy.
37. True Blood is not pornography. Damn close though.
38. The war in Iraq is not over.
39. The Republic of China is not part of the PRC.
40. Edward Kennedy was not the "Liberal Lion." He was a man slaughterer.
41. PFC Manning is not a "hero." He may well prove to be a treasonous individual.
42. Most massage therapists do not offer a "happy ending." That is a shame.
43. MSNBC is not a real news organization.
44. Building the "Ground Zero Mosque" is not a good idea.
45. Eden Aberjil is not a war criminal.
46. Michelle Obama is not well liked.
47. Smoking is not a crime.
48. Things in Texas are not always bigger. Just ask my wife.
49. The Dallas Cowboys are not "America's Team."
50. Al Gore is not a groper or so he says.

Further investigation confirms that Rachel Maddow is not a man. Just looks like one. Still I just don't like that guy.

Islamophobia

Are Americans Islamophobic? It appears so. I don't know why.

Addendum: This is sarcasm. Somebody asked.

Social Security?

I have been listening a bit to Walter Williams talk about how bad a deal Social Security is for the American people. He is of the opinion that it should be phased out and offers some very compelling arguments as to why. I agree with his logic but here is the problem. I want my money!! Don't you?

True Blood Cast on the Cover of the Rolling Stone

Eric (Alexander Skarsgard), Bill (Stephen Moyer) and Sookie (Anna Paquin), the main characters on the HBO series True Blood, are to be featured on the cover of Rolling Stone  magazine in the upcoming issue. They are all naked as a jaybird and Stephen has his hands around Anna's, shall we say, top. They did get married in real life after all. This show is trashy, mesmerizing, addictive, and just plain good. It has almost devolved into pornography. I like that vato. I like that!

Casino Gambling In Texas?

There really needs to be no, or at least very little, casino gambling in the State of Texas. There are those that are proponents of same and of course there are those that oppose any kind of gaming whatsoever. I think that casino type gambling is quite good for the economy in certain instances. I would be for allowing our dog and horse tracks to have some sort of on site gaming. Perhaps video poker and/or slots. It would be a boon to local tax revenues and would help revive an industry that is struggling in the state. Various Indian Tribes have opened casinos on tribal land and have been challenged, for the most part successfully, by the state. There is also I believe at least one "casino cruise" ship that sails from a port in South Texas. No problem there as far as I can see. While I fully approve of casino gambling, I just do not approve of an expansion of the industry in Texas with the exception of the aforementioned race track variety. Why? I am a Southeastern Conference man and like the fact that Texans drive to Louisiana and to a lessor extent Arkansas, (which has racetrack style casino gambling at Oaklawn and I believe the West Memphis dog track), to spend their money. I live in Texas but my heart is in the Southeastern Conference. Now Oklahoma and New Mexico also have casino gambling and if Louisiana and Arkansas did not, then I would be all for fully legalization of gaming in Texas. I would want to keep all that gambling money in state. As of now I am happy to see that money going east into the deep south- SEC territory. Besides I like to take the road trips now and again.

Shopping at the Evil Empire

I do a good deal of shopping at the Evil Empire. I am not proud of it, but damn it, you can get things cheaper there.That is important, vastly important right now. I do have some major problems with the Empire, and I guess if I were a "true believer" I would discontinue doing all business with them. I already often shop the competition and usually pay a bit more, but with things so tight I do find myself at the Empire more than I feel comfortable with. Today I went grocery shopping at a national grocery chain because it is tax free weekend here in Texas and I did not want to be stuck in the Empire with hundreds of people buying last minute school clothes and supplies. I did pay a bit more, but with a shoppers "card" came out ok I guess.
There are numerous reason why I have such distaste for the Evil Empire and I would like to share a few with you if you have the time. Here goes.

Number one the Empire is predatory to the extreme. They often will stake out property to corner the market to not just compete with local business, but destroy them entirely.
Most of the jobs at the Empire are of the minimum wage variety and part time to boot. There are of course some management jobs and people can move up but in reality very few get the opportunity.
The Empire was caught red handed not so very long ago utilizing illegal alien contractors for clean up duties.
I saw some employees singing some kind of little Empire motivational song once. It was chilling. Hitler Youth had little motivational songs also. I was told you have to participate. Don't know if this is still policy.
The Empire is virulently anti union! I have mixed feelings on unions but do believe that there are some industries and organizations that need and deserve labor trouble. The Empire is one of them.
The Empire will often build their "super centers" in an area that upsets the locals and may in fact damage homeowner property value.
The Empire will import goods from enemy nations when there are perfectly good alternatives to buy American or at least friendly nation goods. A case in point - a good deal of their produce comes from Mexico when the same product is grown and distributed right here in the United States. You can notice the same with their frozen seafood also. I have seen crawfish from the Far East when there is a large crawfish industry in the southern United States. I do draw a line though and will not knowingly buy Mexican produce or foreign seafood, the oil spill notwithstanding.
 I have never seen an American flag made in China but I am sure they are out there somewhere. If they are, look for the Empire to stock them.

The place just bothers me and I would bet the founder is rolling over in his grave. I am sadly sure that I will continue to spend more money than I want to in the place. At this time economics trumps ideology. Just the way it is.

Strippers vs Mohammedans

I read an opinion piece by a blogger the other day (I forgot which site) who pointed out that the area around Ground Zero is not really "sacred" because there are some strip clubs in the vicinity. Apparently it was his reasoning that if there are such establishments in the area, then a house of worship would be an improvement. Typical nonsense from the extreme left. I would like to point out, and correct me if I am wrong, that there have been no known cases of titty dancers flying airplanes into national landmarks and military installations. Maybe I just missed it. I have not been keeping up with the news of late. 

I Ain't Agonna Burn No Johnny Flag Anytime Nohow

I have been informed by one the readers of this blog that Sept. 12 is "Burn A Confederate Flag Day." I had never heard of such a thing and it struck me as rather unbecoming to hold such an event the day after the anniversary of the horrific events on Sept 11, 2001. Be that as it may, I saw no reason to doubt the reader on the flag issue but I did check it out. Kind of a trust but verify type of thing, if you will. True enough, Sept 12 is "Burn A Confederate Flag Day." Apparently this is some sort of event sponsored in opposition to the so called "Tea Party movement." I am not sure what to think. Is this to become some sort of demi-holiday like Valentines Day? Should I buy someone a card? If so, do I need to put a few bucks or a gift certificate of some sort inside? Will a bouquet of roses be in order or should I wear some sort of costume? This new holiday is quite confusing, We already have the aforementioned Valentines Day, Secretary Day, Grandparents Day, etc. etc. Those holidays seem to be nothing more than ploys to enrich the greeting card industry. Is this new "Burn A Confederate Flag Day" something that the flag and banner industry has come up with and tied it in with the the anti Tea Party movement? That would be brilliant marketing. What better way to unload a surplus of Confederate flags than scam a bunch of loons into buying a huge number to bother another group of loons. Yes sir brilliant marketing indeed!

Now I don't own a Confederate flag and I don't plan on buying one anytime soon -to burn or display. Not sure really where to buy one. I have never seen one at the Evil Empire. Have you? I have noticed that those who display the Rebel flag on their vehicles or out in their yard are generally people who are somewhat low on the food chain as it were. A lot of them sort of remind me of Early, the character played by Brad Pitt, in the movie Kalifornia. People you just generally do not want to hang out with or at least I don't. Now using a Confederate flag as a "curtain" or drape in your front window is another thing entirely. Nothing enhances the beauty of a home like a big Reb flag covering the front window. Call Better Homes and Gardens for a photo shoot. You will be the envy of the neighborhood. Better than the "major award" in the Christmas Story. 

Now I certainly understand that the flag is odious to a large number of Americans. How could it not be? With that being said however, it is irritating to me to see the symbol burned. Now it is not in the same league of course as someone burning the flag of the United States, but this flag is part of the history of this great nation. While the flag that is considered the "Confederate Flag" is in reality not the actual national flag of the CSA--(Oh screw it. No sense bothering with the facts). What is important is that this flag is (again) a part of our history. Like it or not! It is bothersome that there are those that demand the flag be removed from this or that site, burn it, desecrate it, etc. There is no denying national history. Even if some of that history is offensive to many.

Nope. I ain't agonna burn no Johnny flag anytime nohow.  

Speak of the Devil(s)

Yesterday I mentioned that I was getting a bit tired of Brett Favre and his ongoing on again off again retirement(s). It appears that now he has decided to get with the program and will be practicing with the Vikings. I believe I also mentioned that Favre reminded me a bit of Roger Clemens. Both are prima donnas and both have had some (alleged) problems with drugs apparently. Remember quite a number of years back when there was talk about Favre having some sort of issue. Have not heard anything about that in a long long time. Clemens, on the other hand, has been indicted for perjury resulting from his testimony before Congress. That is a shame, not so much for Clemens, who might after all be a scumbag, but for the sport of professional baseball. A one time highly thought of star of the game has been reduced to facing perjury charges. His image is tarnished forever whether he is innocent or no.
While this whole Clemens thing is a shame, I can't help but wondering if Congress really does not have something better to do than waste a lot of time worrying about steroids in baseball. There are quite a few prima donnas in that hallowed body that also need to be up on charges. Some for treason.
A bit more serious than doing steroids don't you think?

Eden Aberjil? Hot Diggity Dog

I guess by now everyone has seen the photos of ex IDF soldier Eden Aberjil and the Hamas prisoners. As usual the ultra left are stamping their feet, wailing, and gnashing their teeth. I don't see the big deal. She is just kinda hanging out. She does not appear to be laughing at any one's dick (remember that photo?) or mistreating them. What is the big deal? When I was in the Coast Guard we used to capture drug smugglers on the high seas and tie them up on the fantail. No one thought anything of it. Besides, and this is the real "meat" of matter, she is damn good looking. She can tie me up anytime.

What Will Happen When Israel Strikes?

What will happen when Israel strikes Iran? The most probable scenario is this; Israel will damage Iran's nuclear facility(ies), The Muslim and particularly the Muslim Arab nations will condemn the action publicly but privately be relieved, the Soviet Union err Russia will rattle her sabre a bit, Hamas and or Hezbollah will fire a few rockets, the "professional left" in this country (and elsewhere) will jump around and whine in their usual cuntish way, and the region will be somewhat safer.
That is about it.

Brett Favre is Bothersome

I am getting a little tired of Brett Favre's act but probably not as tired of it as those that are Vikings fans. He either needs to get with the program or stay at home. For some reason he kind of reminds me of one Roger Clemens.

He Is Right but It Is Wrong

President Obama's comments on the Mohammedan complex near Ground Zero is unfortunately right on the money. . We do allow freedom of religion and expression in this country and thankfully so. But Damn! I would imagine that Obama wishes he never would have gotten caught up in this controversy. Now having the legal right to build does not mean that this monstrosity should be constructed in the vicinity. It is certainly a slap in the face to those who died on this day, not to mention  the brave men and women who have paid a price in the conflict since. It is being done as an "in your face" type of thing. It is despicable  and disgusting! It is amoral if not downright immoral and it sickens me! I have been to the memorial service of a young man that was killed in Iraq and this dishonors him and all others who have died in service to our nation. If I lived in another nation I am sure I would be scratching my head wondering "What is up with those Americans allowing something like this?" I don't live in another country, and thank goodness for that, but I am sure this is hard to understand for foreign nationals. How could it not be? Would Syria allow a shrine to the Crusader States being built in their backyard? I doubt it.
Here is a thought. In most cities there are ordinances that prohibit certain types of business to be built in the vicinity of schools and churches. Nuisance business such as porno shops, head shops, topless clubs, rub down joints, etc. etc. are prohibited within a certain distance of aforementioned sites. Is this Mohammedan center not a nuisance? It could certainly be argued so. I am sure that would not fly but what the hell - I'm just typing here.
There are also some very legitimate questions that need to be answered concerning this facility. Where is the funding coming from? The American people have a right to know. More importantly - Who is going to provide security and who will pay for it? Will the NYPD be required to have a platoon of officers on scene 24/7? If so, will the city be reimbursed or will the taxpayers foot the bill? Will the Mohammedans provide private security? If so, will they be qualified to protect a high risk facility? These are legitimate questions that need to be answered for the safety of the community. Unfortunately the reasons are obvious.

The Fruitloop Far Left are Stomping Their Little Feet

Apparently Robert Gibbs made some comments that has infuriated the lunatic far far left. Gibbs was correct in calling out the "professional left" but it has sure caused a bunch of controversy. Now I assume Mr. Gibbs is talking about the extremely vocal pantywaist extreme. For the most part, the "left of center" and most (real) Liberals are fairly sensible decent folk, but the borderline Marxist hardcore left is out to lunch. What they do not realize is that no one really takes them very seriously and in fact finds them a bit cuntish. Even a leftist administration knows better than to pander to their insanity.  Let them write on their little blogs and pout and cry on the television. All that does is confirm most people's belief that those of the hardcore left are nothing but fools.

An Iraqi General Wants Us to Stay and Probably For Good Reason

Gen Zabari, the commander of the Iraq military has apparently said that he would like the United States to maintain a military presence in his country until 2020. Is it possible that this man knows damn good and well what will happen once Western combat troops leave? I have said before that when we leave Iraq that the butchery will begin in earnest. Iran will most likely attempt to step in to "stabilize" the region with the resulting consequence of her becoming more dangerous and powerful than she already is. Whether our decision to move into Iraq was correct or not, I will not go into here. Suffice to say that in order to maintain a regional balance of power, prevent genocidal butchery, and to safeguard our "allies" (really our energy supply) in the region it is hard not to see his point and perhaps take his words seriously. Nation building, particularly in that region, is a long term commitment. To prevent genocide, perhaps we ought to consider this man's words. While I certainly do not want to keep troops in harms way any longer than necessary, our country, like it or not has become the "balancer" (if you will) of power in the region. Perhaps our leadership should have considered the consequences of our actions a bit more carefully. While I am certainly no fan of nation building - it is apparent that we will need to remain in the region for some time to safeguard our interests.

Quanell X, Michael Berry and Cold Medicine

Have you ever noticed what a pain in the ass it is to buy some brands of cold medicine now? I felt the need to make a purchase this afternoon and ended up standing in line, showing my identification and feeling like some kind of criminal because I happen to have a cold (still) and felt the need to buy some cold medicine. Of course this is because a very very tiny minority use some of the ingredients in the manufacture of meth. The rest of us have to pay to guard against the purchase for illegal purposes by a small group of people. This comes from the same government that does not make it a requirement to show identification when one goes to the polls. That is racist you see. Yet there you have it. Our government at all levels is out of control.
On the way back from this annoying little adventure I turned on the Michael Berry show. He is usually pretty entertaining especially when he gets out of hand. Well this evening he was talking for the most part about some gathering in Georgia that almost got out of control. Apparently there was a line to apply for government subsidized housing and some tempers flared. Now Berry pointed out that he did not see any white people at this gathering and of course he went into his "Black" accent, which he does probably too often. I generally find Berry amusing and agree with him about ninety percent of the time, but I must admit that when he goes into his "ethnic" dialect it does kind of disturb me a bit. It comes across as racist and no mistake. Now Berry has an adopted child of African descent and he appears to believe that this gives him somewhat a pass on such matters. Perhaps it does to some extent but not totally. Besides, and this is really the crux of the matter, his imitation of the ethnic dialect is not really very good. When I got out of the service, I worked as a 911 operator police/fire dispatcher in Louisiana and became quite adept at the dialect. I considered myself bilingual as it were. We in the "business" always conversed in this dialect to the point that it became pretty much the standard mode of conversation. I eventually accepted a position in Houston in the same field for a good bit more money and became more fluent. I have been out of that business for many years but still have to be on guard against lapsing into my adopted tongue. Not long ago my child asked me to help her find an "urange" crayon. I really should be careful. Sometimes I find myself referring to an "ambulance" as an "amalance" and once in a while, while watching a television program where there is some kind of automatic weapon brandished, I want to yell "He's got an Uzi." You see any semi automatic weapon used to be called an "Uzi." One of the most interesting calls I ever had was a woman screaming "He's got an Uzi, he's got an Uzi" over and over into the phone and I did indeed hear some semi automatic (but not automatic) gunfire in the background. I'm sure I sent both the POlice and an amalance to the scene. Those were the days. I could probably write a book on some of the things that I have heard over the years, both funny and unfortunately, quite tragic. But that is neither here nor there I guess. Getting back to Berry, today he referred to himself as "Michael X." I suppose that was in reference to there being no white people at the affair in Georgia. I guess Berry was going to advocate for them. That is of course is a play on the local loudmouth "black activist" Quanell X who seems to get himself in front of the television cameras every time there is some real or imagined "racial" issue. Now of course Mr. X's birth name was not Quanell X and I will not go into that here. The details on Mr. X are easily found with a very little effort but let it suffice to say that this man really has no business representing the "black" or any other community. He is a member of the "New Black Panther Party" and that really says it all. Apparently he was a member of the odius "Nation of Islam" at one time also. Yes a real pillar of the community, a community I might add that he does not chose to live among. Yes he is one of those suburban activists with the nice house and honky neighbors and everything. If he wants to be taken seriously he should at least walk the walk. You know, like an African American version of Horst Wessel. After all Horst belonged to a hate group also if you recall. Apparently he walked the walk as they say and lived in the poorer neighborhoods while advocating for the NAZI cause. Am I comparing Horst Wessel to Quanell X?  Not sure, just typing here and seeing where this leads. Probably not, but there are disturbing similaritites between some militant black advocacy groups and Nazi's, both real and the stupid "neo" kind. Both were/ are racists, both are virulently anti Semitic, and both tend to run around in ridiculous para military garb. Wow. See where all that took us.
Probably if the black community is in need of a spokesmen to represent them, Quannel X and those of his stripe are not the best choice. It is kind of like having David Duke be the semi official spokesman for the white community.

A Bit More on Sheila Jackson Lee

I have been thinking a bit today of the esteemed Congresswoman from the Houston area - one Sheila Jackson Lee. I have pointed out before that this woman is a stupid individual and there is really no dispute. To borrow a phrase from "Groper (allegedly)Gore; "the debate is over."  Lee is one dumb ass. Now as I have stated before calling another person stupid - in open forum - is tasteless and disrespectful. In some cases an exception can be made and this is one of them.
Today a friend of mine told me that a caller on the Michael Berry show said that over the weekend Lee barged her way up uninvited to speak at some event. This is something that she is known to do on a fairly regular basis. I have seen this behavior myself.

I was bartending a party just prior to the Super Bowl in Houston a few short years ago and Lee was in attendance. The event was held at some venue that is known as "The Parador" at the corner of Almeda and Binz. At one point during the festivities Lee decides to hop up on the stage and begin speaking. This went on for ten or fifteen minutes and it was obvious that the party goers were becoming antsy. She embarrassed herself and did not even realize it. Now at the time I really was not all that familiar with the woman, but have since learned a great deal about her. She is an embarrassment to her district, the city, and the state in general. The poor woman is just dumb.
Incidentally at this same party, I met the Very "Reverend" Jesse Jackson. Shook hands with him and everything. At one point he sort of disappeared; the Parador is a big venue after all. It was rumored that he found himself a little strange and was doing the do somewhere. Glad I shook his hand before he vanished and not after he reappeared. No telling where his hand may have been.

Upcoming From the Cab

I have not done this yet but in the next day or two I do believe I will create another blog for college football predictions and analysis. Have not come up with a good name for it quite yet but will shortly. Of course Notes From the Cab will still be the main blog I work on but I feel the need to keep the college football separate this year. I have not done very much research on the upcoming season at this point but hell, why let that stop me. Last year I had a fair won/loss record on predictions and hopefully will improve it this season. If you are so inclined, keep an eye out for my cutting edge, and so often wrong, analysis of the college game.
BC

An Analysis of the Modern Whig Party

In the endeavor to explore viable third parties (if there is such a thing) I have been been checking out the Modern Whig Party. They recently have merged with the American Centrist Party of which I was at one time a member. I was never active frankly because there was just no point. I did subscribe to a great deal of the ACP platform and principles and that led me to join on a whim. Now as this country has indeed made a dramatic shift to the left, to the detriment of our national security and perhaps indeed our sovereignty, my personal political outlook has moved to the right. I have always been a hawk on security and usually stood on the middle ground of most domestic/social issues but now find myself moving rightward. That being said let us explore the stance of the Modern Whig Party on various issues. Before we get started here though I must say that the name "Modern Whig Party" is well, sort of silly. I do not understand why third political parties often are apt to call themselves the "new" something or other party. Just does not make sense to me. One thing I definitely do like is that this party was founded by U.S. military veterans. That itself lends itself to being considered credible, at least to some extent. Onward!

The MWP has outlined their "Philosophy" that I suppose is the platform of the party. Let us take a look and see where they stand.
I. Principles
 Fiscal Responsibility -Good
   Energy Independence- Good
   Social Acceptance- To be more exact, all people are to have the acceptance and respect of the citizenry. Ok a little hard to follow but so far so good.
   Education and Scientific Advancement- This point is to emphasize our leadership in these endeavors and to concentrate on the hard sciences and mathematics in the educational setting. Good and smart policy.
  Veterans Affairs- Basically to ensure the proper treatment of service  veterans. - Very good.

II Structural
   Both of these tenants expressed here are a bit hard to follow and seem to be somewhat of  a statement of "touchy feeliness." Check out the Modern Whig website for a complete outline.

III Perceptual
     Focus on Long Term Problem Solving- This should go without saying. A bit vague on substance.

IV Detailed Vision - This is where we come to the meat of the MWP Platform,
    Fiscal Responsibility (again) - The meat here is that the states will get money from the federal government to decide to use for local needs.  This appears to make sense.
    National Defense- The gist here is that we should leave those in Iraq to their own affairs with the exception of the Kurdish areas which appear to be more receptive to democracy and are not anti American. There is energy production in the Kirkuk area that could be utilized to the benefit of the Kurds and their allies and protectors. Of course this would infuriate Turkey and  Iran as both look at the Kurds as separatist minded. While Turkey is for now at least, an ally this may still be a good idea as Turkey may be headed toward a more radical policy. It would in addition be good policy to further encircle Iran. The platform also calls for a push in Afghanistan and assist Pakistan with the "safe havens" for terrorists in that country. This is interesting and could work if the United States government approved and instigated a policy in Afghanistan which would include killing any members of the Taliban that are in contact with our forces. Sound policy. The platform also calls for Pakistan to take care of the safe haven areas or our forces will do the job for them. This is very interesting but leaves out a vast array of national security issues. Pretty narrow vision on defense policy.
   Environmental Protection and National Security- The gist is to become energy independent, break up the oil companies to some extent, to keep oil companies from being in control of numerous energy sources ie coal and oil), promote clean coal energy and support the so called "Pickens Plan." This is very ambitious and some of it  make sense. Clean coal of course, the "Pickens Plan? - not so much.
    Immigration Policy. This calls for border protection, allowing non citizens the chance to become citizens if they serve honorably in the military services of this nation and expansion of the courts to accommodate the illegal alien issue. Most of this makes a good deal of sense.
    China, Foreign Aid and the WTO - This plank would give incentives for American corporations to move their manufacturing out of China and back into the United States, the West Bank, Iraq, Gaza, and Latin America. This is interesting and is both right and wrong. Corporations should be offered incentives to move out of Red China, if not outright forced to, but these jobs should be directed only back into the United States or at the very least closely militarily allied nations ie UK, Canada, NZ, Germany, Holland, etc.
    Religious/State separation - This basically is to ensure that there is no government sanction of religion and also to keep the government out of religion ie not continuing to be proactive in removing religious symbols from local government facilities, etc. This sounds reasonable to me.
   Same Sex Relationships- The MWP supports a hands off approach for the most part. This is to be more of a local issue as it were. The MWP does support "hate crime" legislation for any abuse of those that are, or are perceived to be,  out of the mainstream concerning sexual orientation. This makes sense, after all, is it any body's business if the guy down the street is a root smoker? Who cares? There are certainly more important things to worry about.
    Health Care- The MWP does not really say anything of substance here. Why not?
    2nd Amendment- The MWP promotes the validity of the 2nd amendment while at the same time giving localities some control on the issue. This sounds wrong to me. The right to bear arms is the right to bear arms no matter, on this issue at least, what the thoughts of local governmental entities.
    Abortion- The MWP avoids this issue to some extent probably so there is no "litmus test" This is a bit wishy washy but probably makes a good deal of sense. They do agree that there should be some incentives to not have a child aborted which is a good moral stance.
  Affirmative Action- The MWP believes that it should be ended. Bravo, it appears to have outlived its usefulness.
    Science and Technology- Basically the MWP stands for advancement to keep the nation at the forefront. This is important for a variety of reasons including national defense and business prowess among others.

All in all the Modern Whig Party appears to be a slightly right of center political party which would be be able to accommodate those that stand left of center. It is somewhat weak on some issues and fairly strong on others. It appears that this party wants to avoid extremism which can be smart when most issues are considered. They are hawkish on defense which is of course of paramount importance. They appear to be middle of the road so to speak on this issue of abortion, which also makes a good deal of sense. The plank regarding business in Red China has good points and some very misguided stated beliefs. This may be a party for a true centrist to consider. Whether this party can gain any true traction on a national scale remains to be seen.

   

Thinking of a Fallen Soldier

A couple of years ago a soldier from this small community was killed in Iraq by the Mohammedans. I did not know the young man but am acquainted with his Grandmother. It was a horrible tragedy. Horrible. On the day of this young man's funeral the entire route to his resting place was lined with American flags. All people in attendance were given small American flags to hold if they so chose. I was not able to make it to the church in time to get inside and instead took my place by the roadside holding my flag. There was a huge crowd in attendance - people from all over the small communities in the surrounding area and even from as far away as Houston and San Antonio. Patriotic Americans showing respect for a defender of our great nation who paid the ultimate price. Something odd happened while standing waiting for the procession to pass by that I found disturbing. Two television reporters were in attendance with their camera men doing what they are paid to do. I happened to be standing near them and overheard one them say something to his colleague to the effect of  " I don't feel like working this job, I don't care anything about the soldier." I am ashamed to say I said nothing. I have thought of this often. A county deputy that I was having a conversation with at the time heard it, glanced over and spit on the ground. He said nothing either. I guess that it was better to just leave things unsaid at risk of causing a disruption on the day we honored this young man. I could not help but think the reporter was little more than offal. I suspect many (but by no means all) in the media to have this type of attitude and was not really surprised.
Now this young man's day was not disturbed by those foolish, silly, disrespectful jism that were disrupting funerals of service people around the country during this period. That would not have happened in our community I assure you - Not with the Brazoria County Cavalry, Bandidos, Amigos, San Jacinto High Rollers, and many veterans in attendance. I am sure those folks knew better than to come here. With that being said, I was thinking of this young man today and it makes me sick to my stomach that there will be some sort of Islamic "holy" site in the vicinity of Ground Zero. This dishonors not only the memory of this young man but all of those who died on Sept 11 not to mention the American and Allied troops that are still fighting and dying. I fear there is something wrong with our country. Something bad wrong!

Mosque Near Ground Zero? You Are Kidding. Aren't You?

Well I guess we now are going to have the odious spectre of some sort of community(cultural) center/mosque being constructed in the vicinity of Ground Zero. Have we in this country finally lost our collective minds? This is wrong on so many levels. I, admittedly, have not paid as much attention to this issue as I probably should have. It would just seem like, in a sane country, that this would be a no brainer. Someone says they want to build a mosque, or some such shit, near Ground Zero the response would be "You must truly be high, don't bother us again with this nonsense." I guess that is not how things work in our oh so tolerant and apologetic nation. For you see somehow the attack on our soil is apparently "our fault" or so many people seem to believe. Our Fault?!! Screw You!! It looks to me that the Islamic complex is truly being built as a kind of "in your face" type of thing. It appears that the thinking is "We can build it, and you be damned." I guess they are right. It will be built no matter what the opinion of most in this country is on the issue. This is not a "local issue" as the White House seems to want to portray it. A Super Wal Mart being built across the street from your nice neighborhood is a local issue. The Mohammedan center near Ground Zero is not!
Bill Maher, who I mostly totally disagree with, often vehemently, does occasionally come up with a gem of wisdom that hits the nail on the head. In one of  his programs a good while back he said something to the effect of "Do not become so tolerant that the intolerable becomes tolerable." This may not be a direct quote but you get the gist. He was speaking of Islam at the time. The Islamic center near Ground Zero falls under the category of intolerable and is akin to a memorial to Totenkopf SS being built in the vicinity of Auschwitz.
Now here is something that perhaps the "community leaders" in NYC have not thought of. Building something like this near Ground Zero can literally put the citizens of the city at risk. Why? Because there are nuts of every stripe in this world, some quite bloody minded. Bloomberg and company probably have not considered that horrific scenario. What a bunch of  fools.
Do I sound angry and perhaps just not quite enough inclusive minded for you? We have troops in the field in harms way because of the followers of the Prophet, by God! Am I just a bit intolerant? Fuckin A!

B.O. Might Be More Damaging Than BP

There appears to be no consensus on the amount of oil that is washing up on beaches and marshes on the Gulf Coast. Some believe that much of the oil has dispersed and others believe that it has not. Of course with the good possibility that a great deal has indeed dispersed, the radical environmental groups now are grasping at straws by insinuating that the dispersant is indeed worse than the actual oil spill itself. If the oil is indeed dispersing, then that blows a good deal of the radical left's arguments out of the water. You see, they desperately need and want this oil spill to be an environmental disaster of unprecedented magnitude. It is very akin to the very strange phenomena of the ultra left needing, and some fruitloops indeed hoping, for some sort of attack on our sacred soil by some right wing Neo Nazi types. They want these things and need these things to validate themselves as relevant. Sad, sad people are many of them. One only needs to read the virulent and self loathing writings of some on the ultra left to gain some insight into their thought process. There is no way really to understand such hatred of self and country. I may call out some of these folks and their writings at some point in the near future, but that is not really the issue I want to discuss here. I will point out  however that some folks believe themselves to be Liberal but in reality they are not. I know some Liberals and read some Liberal writings, written by very decent folk, and there is a huge difference between Liberalism and those that call themselves "Progressive" I do not believe even the term "Progressive" describes some of the thought that is out there. Some of it is astonishing. My apologies from rambling- back to the issue at hand.
As noted, the worst (hopefully) is behind us with the BP oil spill. The oil spill does not appear to have caused the environmental disaster that many thought that it would. At least not at this point. There are those in disagreement however, Billy Nungesser, the President of Plaquemines Parish, says there is still oil out there that is washing up on coastal Louisiana's shores and indeed is visible from the air in the marshes, bays and inlets. There certainly is no reason to doubt this man who has been selfless and gutsy in his demand for more action by the U.S. Government and of course BP. He said today on the Michael Berry show that BP is actually standing down on some of their efforts to clean up the marshes etc.. If correct, then this is criminal. Not surprising however - it is well known among those who work in the oil and petrochemical industry that BP is a rogue player and safety is not their main concern. Well known! Now with that being said, just how bad is this oil spill in reality? It goes without saying that there has been some adverse environmental impact and there likely will continue to be problems, but has most of the oil that gushed out of the pipe dispersed and if so how? These are questions that do not seem to be answerable at this point. The waters are apparently clear enough to open up more areas to the commercial fishing industry. Would you eat the sea life that is taken from these waters? That is a question that each seafood lover must answer on their own I suppose. Hopefully the catch is indeed safe to eat and I suspect it to be so, but I certainly am not sure. Not sure I trust the opinions of various "scientists" on this issue. Those in the scientific community are so often wrong. It is a conundrum by cracky.
Today Michael Berry,  Houston (and soon national I'll wager) talk show host was broadcasting from the very popular  Drago's restaurant in the NOLA area. He interviewed Nungesser and a gentleman by the name of Smith of the commercial fishing interests. Nungesser reiterated that the waters are still fouled along the coast and Smith was cautiously optimistic that the commercial fishing industry would soon begin to get back on track. Very interesting discourse to say the least. In addition the main gist of the show was the damage that the so called moratorium is having and will have on the economy of the entire region. That is a fact and no mistake. The oil and petrochemical industries are one of the major players in the region and damaging it with an arbitrary moratorium will not only damage, but destroy many communities in the region and beyond. The fact that the ban on drilling has been overruled by the court system does not seem to have any effect on the federal government's push to enforce this moratorium. I personally know people who have been affected and sure more people I am acquainted with will soon be out of work. Michael Berry said that at some point the offshore drilling industry should just do as they please anyway as the Obama administration is proving to be irrelevant. Berry can tend to get out of hand at times, but I'm not sure I totally disagree. An action such as disregarding the federal government is a slippery slope indeed and careful thought should be taken on the matter. It is similar to the call for those in Arizona to ignore the legal rulings and proceed as planned. Another action that I am not sure I totally disagree with.
All in all it was one of the most interesting talk shows I have ever had the pleasure to listen to. This country is in a hell of a mess and the U.S. Government is a huge part of the problem. Incidentally one of the most sane things that I have heard in a while came from Billy Nungesser. He said that each rig should have a "Rig Marshall" aboard that had the final say in shutting down a rig no matter what the drilling company or the oil company wanted. The "Marshall's say would not be disputable in the least and the drilling and oil companies would have no recourse. That makes a great deal of sense to me and would alleviate the tendency to place profit and drilling schedule above safety and environmental impact. A good idea indeed.

Stupid Television

I recently watched Keeping up with the Kardashians and followed that up with a little bit of Jersey Shore. Stupid trash is all these shows are. Some of these women belong in Chatsworth and undoubtedly at least one will make her debut in that genre of film at some point (come to think of it I believe one already has). No wonder the Mohammedans are pissed.