Archive for May, 2006
Sharon Hughes
The Center for Changing Worldviews
Every time Memorial Day and Veterans Day comes around my minds goes to the many times I've attended parades and special observances put on by the cities in our area and the various veterans organizations. Several of those times my husband, Duane, participated in the events as a candidate for State Assembly and U.S. Congress. As a decorated Vietnam Vet he always received a warm welcome. Well, except for a couple of the very left-coast towns.
When our sons were growing up we would get out the picture albums of Duane's time in the Army, read together about why we observed these holidays in America out of the encyclopedia, and after dinner, which was usually a bar-be-que, we'd sit down and watch a movie or documentary on one of the wars our Armed Forces have fought in.
Some will think what we did was to indoctrinate our sons in a pro-war mindset. But, actually we were educating them in the realities of war. We wanted to instill in them an appreciation for those who laid their lives on the line to protect the rest of us, and the freedoms we enjoy, during times of war. We also wanted to make sure they had no romantic ideas about war as boys can have. If the time ever came for them to go to war it would be with their eyes wide open and the cost counted.
There is no glamour in war. War is hell. But, even the Bible states there is a time for peace and a time for war. This is, unfortunately, part of life on planet earth. While we debate and work and pray for peace, wars still rage. And while I understand the reasons some chose a passivist position, passivity never brings peace, only the rule of aggressive, totalitarian governments and leaders.
Last winter in France, the Muslim youth erupted in riots that lasted over 2 weeks before control was reestablished. Nathan Muller is co-founder of For the Cause, believes that similar riots could happen here in the U.S. I concur 100%, it is only a matter of time.
After two weeks of rioting throughout France among that nation's immigrant population, Americans are asking, "Could it happen here?"
American's are right to ask the question because the circumstances in the two countries are strikingly similar…
- Both countries have allowed immigration policies to deteriorate to the point that virtually anyone who wants to enter can do so with little difficulty.
- Both countries have large immigrant populations that will not assimilate into the host culture or accept its values.
- Most of the immigrants pouring into both countries cannot find jobs, which means they sap social welfare benefits beyond sustainable levels.
Politicians' favorite ploy
What the governments of France and the U.S. need to understand is that uncontrolled immigration naturally produces social inequalities that are difficult, if not impossible, to overcome. These social inequalities are not the result of the prejudices or fears of citizens, but of the misguided policies of government. Attributing social inequalities to "prejudice" or "fear" is a disingenuous ploy politicians use to mask their own policy failures.
With violence waning, President Jacques Chirac has called on France to confront the social inequalities and prejudices that fueled the violence. This is doomed to failure because it is based on a false premise. It's not the French people who are the problem, it's the French government.
The cause of the unrest in France is due mainly to the high rate of unemployment among a vast and growing immigrant population, which hovers around 40%. With an overall unemployment rate of 11%, it will be difficult for France to open the doors to employment, especially with all the bureaucracy and costs associated with job creation. Here the French government is clearly at fault.
The morning and evening news shows on ABC, CBS, and NBC haven’t been just reporting consumer discontent about higher gas prices but also actively stoking public outrage. A new study by the Media Research Center, released today, shows that the three networks combined broadcast 183 stories about rising gas prices from April 12 through May 2 yet most of these stories were geared to fueling public fears with hyperbole, no evidence and hysterical claims. Among the findings:
-
The networks’ used loaded language in their promotional teases, e.g., “pain at the pump”; “skyrocketing” prices; “soaring” prices; and “sky high” prices.
-
Ignoring supply and demand, many of the networks’ stories blamed “Big Oil” for higher prices and discussed “gouging” by gas companies without evidence.
-
ABC showcased a woman who claimed she pawned her wedding gifts for gas money.
-
CBS, relying on an outdated AARP poll, reported that the elderly were skipping food and medicine to pay for gas.
Research conducted by the MRC’s Free Market Project only amplifies the networks’ anti-Big Oil mindset. For instance, the Free Market Project has previously found:
-
NBC and CBS repeatedly reported that gas prices are at a “record high,” but gas prices have not topped inflation-adjusted highs. Gas prices are actually lower than in 1981.
-
During the Hurricane Katrina gas scare, the networks repeatedly broadcast gas prices on screen that were 75 cents per gallon higher than average.
-
After the Hurricane Rita peak, gas prices fell 45 cents but CBS, NBC, and ABC continued to report on high gas prices four times as often as falling prices.
Source: Media Research Center
To schedule an interview with MRC President Bozell or an MRC spokesperson, please contact Tim Scheiderer (x. 126) or Colleen O’Boyle (x. 122) at 703.683.5004.
The result of the Palestinian elections caught U.S. intelligence agencies once again napping,
eliciting shock and awe within the Bush Administration, which steadfastly refuses to negotiate with terrorist organizations like Hamas. Israel says it will refuse to negotiate with the new Hamas led government, and is counting on the U.S. to do the same.
But is this really the smart thing to do?
A vote for change
Even President Bush admits that the Palestinian people voted the way they did because they wanted change. The people grew weary of the ineffectiveness and rampant corruption of the ruling Fatah party. They were tired of living in squalor, while their leaders pocketed bribes at every turn. They were tired of being pulled apart in a tug of war between the region's Arab states and Israel. They were frustrated that opportunities for peace were being squandered.
When it comes to having leadership that talks a good game, but doesn't deliver, surely every American can appreciate the plight of the Palestinian people, who did exactly the right thing by throwing the bums out. Only secondary concern was given to what might replace the ruling party, but this was a measure of how desperate the Palestinians were for change.
Lost in all the outrage being leveled against the Hamas victory is the fact that the Palestinian people had enough faith that change could be brought about through the democratic election process, rather than through the pursuit of violence that would surely have set them back further from their quest for the peace and prosperity they deserve.
WASHINGTON, May 19 — Rev. Rob Schenck (pronounced SHANK) is president of the National Clergy Council in Washington, DC, and is coordinator of an ongoing dialogue between American Evangelicals and Moroccan Muslims. He is a board member of the Evangelical Church Alliance and an advisor to the Institute on Religion and Public Policy. Mr. Schenck released this statement today regarding Iran's passage of a law requiring Jews, Christians and other religious minorities to wear markings on their clothing identifying them as non-Muslims:
"This only proves that the worst in human history does repeat itself. The Bible says the heart of man is 'desperately wicked: who can know it?' The Iranian leadership proves the point. Christians must speak out loudly and immediately to denounce this atrocious action. We were silent too long during the 1930's and millions were murdered as a result.
"Speaking for thousands of church leaders from all Christian traditions, I urge President Bush, Secretary Rice and Congress to take swift and severe action against Iran and enforce the most dire of consequences should the country enact this supremely inhuman decree.
"Furthermore, I urge all people of conscience in Iran and outside to resist this egregious violation of human rights and take whatever action necessary to rescue those in danger. We must open our hearts, homes and wallets to prepare now to save those who will suffer. May God have mercy and spare us the horror of 60 and 70 years ago."
Mr. Schenck is speaking tonight, May 19, 7:00 PM at the large Gloucester County Community Church, 359 Chapel Heights Road, in Washington Township, New Jersey, 08080
Background: Iran may force badges on Jews, Christians UPI TEHRAN, May 19, 2006
Contact: Dane Rose , 202-546-8329 ext. 106; Rev. Rob Schenck, 703-447-7686 cell, both of the National Clergy Council
Ahmadinejad & Co. starring in Armageddon
By: Slater Bakhtavar
“The Iranian nation will wipe the strain of regret on the foreheads of those who want to bring about injustice”, President Ahmadinejad scorned at a recent rally in the of Zanjan Iran “will cut off the hands of any aggressor”, any attack would be met with a response that is double-fold including suicide attacks across Europe and the United States, he warned. Israel should be wiped off the map”, the predominately Jewish nation “cannot survive” and is headed “towards extinction” quipped the fanatical President.
If one were to listen to his rhetoric alone, even the most astute political intellectuals would think Iran is a nation equipped with the most dangerous military arsenal capable of challenging any nation. But Iran’s rhetoric has little to do with their outdated and dismal military, their fledging economy or their detested government. The root of the government’s fiery tone may be traced to their Shi’te ideology messianic belief in a mysterious, mystical twelfth imam who ventured into hiding over a thousand years ago.
Test your Patriotic Knowlege of the American Flag
by Nan
Question: Is it ok to fly the American Flag upside down?
Answer: The flag should never be displayed with the union down, except as a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property.
Question: My flag was accidentally dropped and got dirty. Does it have to be destroyed?
Answer: The flag should never be allowed touch the ground, the floor or water. If it does accidentally touch the ground, it does not have to be destroyed. It should merely be cleaned.
Question: I’m thinking of making a quilt out of old flags. Is this ok?
Answer: The flag should never be used as clothing, bedding, or curtains.
Question: Is it alright to print a picture of the American Flag on my parent’s 50th Anniversary party napkins?
Answer: The flag should never be embroidered on fabric or printed on paper napkins or boxes or anything that is designed to be used once and then thrown away.
Dr. Babu Suseelan
Throughout its recorded history, fundamentalist Islam tried to establish an ontological form of 
Islam through Jihadi terrorism.
For centuries, Jihadis (religious warriors) have resorted to mass murder, oppression, intimidation, torture, terrorism, assassination and forced religious conversion all in the name of fundamentalist belief system. And so it is today. Only the threat, the methods, and the goals differ.
Now, Jihadi terrorism is one of the greatest single threats to the existing world order. Modern day jihadi terrorist groups as Hamas, Hizbullah, Lasker-E-Tobia, Al Bader, Taliban, Al Qaeda, Tehreek-E-Jihad, Hizbul Mujahidden virtually ensures that Jihadi terrorism will be with us for many years to come. Recent Jihadi terrorist attacks in the U.S, Israel, India, Turkey, Kenya, and Indonesia have proven jihadi's proclivity for terrorist destruction. Jihadi terrorism in Israel and India is unabated and continues to claim thousands of innocent lives each year. All over the world, Jihadi terrorism is a serious threat to peace, security, liberty and democracy. No country in the world is immune from the deleterious effects of this heinous crime. Jihadi ideology in its most extreme form is fraught with dangerous consequences for the entire world. Its committed, hard-core adherents, as distinct from a larger body of the more traditional Muslims are thought to account for some 20 to 25 of the population. Recently, they have acquired an influence, disproportionate to their numbers. It is fundamentalism of a very special ethnocentric and dangerous form, with beliefs and practices that are more extremist. It is the most deadly totalitarian system ever invented.
Jihadi terrorists are irrational, extreme xenophobic, hostile, and blinded by their dogmatic, fundamentalist faith. The basic premise of Jihadi terrorist is that their violent acts stem from feelings of rage and hatred reinforced by their belief system. Jihadis think and behave differently. They are selfish, impulsive, calculating and act out of their own selfish interest with no regard to the responsible members of society. Whatever their ideology, religious sanction, Jihadis are cunning, intelligent, self-seeking, aware of their criminal acts and incapable of guilt and empathy. Several patterns of thinking drive the Jihadis terrorists, including:
-
Rationalization
-
Indifference
-
A sense of entitlement
-
Super optimism
-
Lack of Guilt
-
Shallow emotions
-
Lack of remorse
-
Egocentricity
-
Grandiosity
Ideas expressed in the Koran provide all the justification necessary for Jihadis to carry out deadly terrorist activities. Jihadi terrorists are primarily afraid of freethinking, liberty, pluralism, secularism, and co-existence. They are defensive, capricious, and conditioned by their outdated irrational fanatic religious dogma.
They reject civil laws; have no fear, anxiety or shame about their dangerous behavior. Commitment to their rigid reductionist paradigm is non-negotiable for the jihadis. Jihadi terrorists espouse many beliefs supporting terrorist activities. For Jihadis, future is the past, and ensuring the brutal past is vital for their existence. Their future and brutal past curve into each other and direct their present anti-social behavior. A spiritual and holistic worldview, systemic thinking, and tolerance are not part of their tradition. Their worldview is myopic and dangerous.
How do we, then, combat Jihadi fanaticism and terrorism? What efforts should be made to address the root cause of Jihadi terrorism? How do we force Jihadis to freedom and systemic, rational thoughts? How do we address and eliminate predatory offenses by the Jihadi criminals?
There is, in fact, a great ignorance of or indifference to, this whole subject in democratic societies. This is due at least in part that general reluctance of the mainstream media to subject to Jihadis to a searching scrutiny it deserves. The ignorance or indifference is all the more remiss in that Jihadi terrorism is not, and cannot be, just a regional issue. Jihadis has always had a built-in propensity to gravitate towards its most extreme violent expression.
Source: www.faithfreedom.org
Regardless of which political party is in control of Congress, problems seem to be nurtured rather than solved. The reason is that the problems themselves are used by each party as weapons with which they hope to bludgeon each other at election time. If this results in a crisis of one kind or another, politicians can deftly point the finger at colleagues across the aisle. The worst thing isn't that we have numerous crises to deal with that have come to a head all at once, making them more difficult and expensive to deal with, but that they are now jumping across "crisis" boundaries like some kind of virulent bird flu, in the process becoming resistent to any kind of solution.
"We don't need a Democratic congress or a Republican congress; we need an American congress." — Patrick J. Buchanan
Regardless of which political party is in control of Congress, problems seem to be nurtured rather than solved. The reason is that the problems themselves are used by each party as weapons with which they hope to bludgeon each other in the next election.
The parties today have come to see their success as dependant on stopping the other from implementing any solution, regardless of its merits. If this results in a crisis of one kind or another, politicians can deftly point the finger at colleagues across the aisle.
The folks back home, none the wiser, can be counted upon to pick up the cudgel and participate in the melee of accusations and blame. The result is that everyone's attention gets misdirected until the country is divided on every issue and the people gather in the streets to spew hate at one other. Problems that began as mere scabs are allowed to fester into bulbous pustules ready to pop.
For decades, our elected officials have watched these problems grow and fester, and even nurtured them as they blossomed into genuine crises. With the nation now buckling under extreme stress, there is still no urgency to develop and implement solutions.
In addition to the education and immigration crises, there is a border security crisis, healthcare crisis, economic crisis, social security crisis, energy crisis, the trade deficit crisis, and the long term debt crisis, just to name a few.
The worst thing isn't that all these crises have come to a head all at once, making them more difficult and expensive to deal with, but that they are now jumping across boundaries like some kind of virulent bird flu, in the process building up immunity to any kind of solution.
Some things are definitely meant not to be, like the Prophet Mohammed teaching capitalism to the West.
by Luigi Frascati
One great confusion in the otherwise already greatly confused societies of Islam is the combination and interaction of spiritual and temporal powers. Unlike the West where Church and State are separate, independent and each sovereign, Islam unites State and Religion together with less than auspicious results. Because State and Religion are one and only, for centuries Muslims have developed ways to integrate religious beliefs with the external economic realities of the nations they lived in. This has had varying degrees of compatibility with the empires and customs they encountered. For example, commerce has adapted to “al-urf”, the custom. But to adapt merchantism is one thing, to build a national financial structure with which to supervise and monitor all economic aspects of a country is quite another. The West has done it, sure … after two-thousand years of history, trial and errors. How can Islam even remotely hope to do it in twenty years.
Since the mid 80’s Muslim bankers and religious leaders have tried to develop ways to integrate Islamic Law on usage of money with modern concepts of ethical investing. By carbon-copying western financial systems and adapting them to the religious tenets of the Qu’ran, the idea was to reinvent the wheel. But the result is a hybrid of Capitalism mixed with Socialism and sprinkled with a heavy dose of politicism so characteristic of Islamic leaders – a kind of Frankenstein with a wicked soul, so to speak. Unfortunately this notion of Islamic economics and finance bound by religious tenets is a dysfunction of economic realities and an inhibition on the development of the regions of the world where Islam is most influential, and where traditional Islamic Law remains a factor in the Middle East ongoing economic disappointments. The weakness of the region’s private economic sectors and its human capital deficiency stand among the lasting consequences of the application of traditional Islamic Law to commerce and finance.
The pivotal point upon which this entire Islamic financial system is based, is that it operates on the basis of ‘zero interest’ in accordance with Qu’ran teachings. Because the Qur’an spoke against usury in the context of early Muslim society, it generally entails trying to remove or redefine interest rates from financial institutions. In doing so, Islamic economists hope to produce a more ‘Islamic society’. The new Islamic economic theory postulates that in Islam, much like the West, central banks would be the sole issuer of credit and money and this for very telling reasons: Islamic central banks should be moved by public interest and their very existence should be considered a social prerogative, so that the power to create money should be vested in them exclusively. In a ‘zero interest’ society, of course, manipulation of interest rates cannot exist. Therefore the tool of Islamic monetary policy is to be found in the expansion and shrinkage of base money supply, which would be allotted by central banks to individual banks to be administered. It is further postulated as obvious, that the larger the money supply, the more productivity it generates and the more spending it spurs. This idea, for now, does not seem to have worked well.