Jury Duty

Today I had Jury Duty. Oh Boy! I was not looking forward to it but of course it is an important part of living in a civil society. The Chief Deputy who welcomed us mentioned that he was aware that it is not fun for most people and disrupts routines, etc. but that there are troops in the field defending our way of life and that of course includes the right to a "jury of peers." There is no such thing in very very many countries. I had not really thought of it that way but he was right on the money! As it so happened they had called way too many potential jurors. Enough to fill up two courtrooms. As luck would have it, everybody in the courtroom that I was in was excused. We were done by 0830. The troops defending our freedom are not excused at 0830 and for that we owe them our gratitude.

Palin Again

Today I was flipping stations and came across Hannity just as he was introducing Sarah Palin. He started off by calling her Governor Palin. Does he not mean Resigned Governor Palin? Did she not resign from office.? I do believe that if Palin were a man Sean would practice fellatio.  Don't get me wrong, I agree with most of the things that she puts forth. National defense, energy independence, the reassurance of our allies, and general right of center policy are things I think any American that has a lick of sense can sign on to. As far as Palin is concerned though there is something wrong there I think. Something missing. Something false.  I don't like her. I just don't like her. Sue me. One thing she did say that I found interesting was her calling some journalists "impotent," and "limp." She was referring to journalists that do not do their homework and rely on anonymous sources, usually with the intent to defame. I must admit that she is right on the mark there. I wonder what they are teaching in Journalism "School" now. Obviously not ethics. There is really no need for college courses in Journalism anymore anyway. Most of us learned to write, at least to some extent, before we finished grammar school. Television "talking heads" for the most part are not real journalists anymore. Seems like a waste of time and money to study journalism in college. You would probably be better off learning to frame houses. Oh well, I did think it was funny that she called these so called journalists "impotent" and "limp." I like that vato! I like that. Doesn't change my thoughts on her in general though.

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.