Eugene Robinson
Akbar Ahmed
"We were often asked by non-Muslims whether Muslims could be “good” Americans..." So, how paranoid do you want to get? It's obvious that Rep Peter King, the new Chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, is trying to pull a McCarthy-type smear job on Muslim-Americans, and the hearings that begin tomorrow should be pretty contentious, with a lot of shouting back and forth. Oh, wait, I was thinking of the British Parliament... If the meeting is broadcast on CSPAN, I will watch it and get to play a drinking game. But I'll use my fresh-ground Balinese coffee instead of alcohol, take a swig every time King or one of his minions says something mean and lowdown nasty to the people he interviews...
Peter King like to banty about the phrase that over 85% of mosques in America hold extremist beliefs and preach jihad. It's a phrase he picked up 11 years ago, he cannot tell you where he got it from or back it up with anything real, so he is beginning his hearings on a piece of fiction, the kind of statements that the planners of the GOP agenda like to throw out in public and see if it resonates, along with Obama is socialism and that he was born in Kenya or raised in Kenya, or has Kenya on his mind...
And if you want to go one more step into the darkness, and believe that these hearings are planned by those who want to plant fear in our society, along with the attack on public employees and all collective bargaining rights and the destruction of our public school systems - all designed to created fear and chaos - here are the problems, we react in fear and agression, so that later they can come in and propose their solutions, many which have been sitting on the shelf for over 60 years... Mr King is a pawn, just like Scott Walker is, and his message is really going to be sent to the Muslims watching all over the world. So many Muslims already believe that the US hates Muslims, and that is why we went into and invaded two Muslim countries already, with Libya sitting there as a third. The ill will that Peter King generates won't affect attitudes inside the US very much, after all, he is a right wing wacko and therefore he is insane, but he will help solidify those beliefs already held, that the US does not like them and harbors no good will towards them...
I can't believe how the forces opposing Qaddafi in Libya are staying together. They are basically, a bunch of bankers and clerks roaming around in some SUV's with guns and a few shoulder-firing missiles, going up against a well-paid mercenary army with planes, bombs, tanks, and heavy artillery, and so far holding their own.
But time is against them. Unless they get more ammunition, and humanitarian aid like food for the areas they do hold, their coalition will break apart with feuding and being ground down by Qaddafi's forces. Britiain, France, Germany, and the US all have the same trepidation, the reaction of everyone in the area if they do step in and help, with the possibiliy of being dragged into something that could last longer than a couple more weeks.
The rebel leaders are up against the wall - as reported in the NY Times: “Instead of worrying about establishing a transitional government, all we worry about are the needs — security, what people require, where the uprising is going. Things are moving too fast.”
“This is all that’s left,” he said, lifting his cellphone, “and we can only receive calls.”
The question of the opposition’s capabilities is likely to prove decisive to the fate of the rebellion, which appears outmatched by government forces and troubled by tribal divisions that the government, reverting to form, has sought to exploit. Rebel forces are fired more by enthusiasm than experience. The political leadership has virtually begged the international community to recognize it, but it has yet to marshal opposition forces abroad or impose its authority in regions it nominally controls."
Depending on the way things turn out in Libya, I can see the next breed of car commercials by Land Rover and Toyota, the next time you are thinking of over-throwing an oppressive government, think Toyota ... or Land Rover, battle tested in the deserts of Libya, the choice of freedom lovers everywhere... I want to be paid for these ideas, you guys, I'm not flipping them out there just for the fun of it...
Yesterday was International Women's Day, and many women in Cairo got together to protest the lack of women in the Egyptian transitional government. It would be unfair if everyone else got some freedom and they remained oppressed. Unfortunately, someone forgot to send the memo to the young men and teens, who have been wandering the streets creating trouble for the last couple of weeks.
Several groups of women were accosted by roving groups of men, who ended up beating them, groping them, and shouting at them "You wander around by yourselves, you must be whores and we can do what we want with you." The women replied: "You didn't call us that when we were protesting at your side in Tahrir Square!" Because there have been no police around, they had to be broken up by soldiers. This violence towards, and lack of respect for women, will be the most difficult part for the men to change, it may take another generation or two... But, maybe this kind of behavior has to be outed in public, where the men cannot deny it happened, in order to bring it front and center for discussion and debate. Make the streets of Cairo safe for everyone at all times...
"They say that patriotism is the last refuge to which a scoundrel clings."
Here's a link to TPM and their story and video of Newt Gingrich lieing his face off on the Christian Broadcasting Network, saying that the reason he strayed and had affairs and did evil things, was because he loves this country too much!
"And as Gingrich told it, he sought God's forgiveness -- and as for the events themselves, they were driven by how hard he was working and his great passion for America.
"There's no question at times of my life, partially driven by how passionately I felt about this country, that I worked far too hard and things happened in my life that were not appropriate," said Gingrich. "And what I can tell you is that when I did things that were wrong, I wasn't trapped in situation ethics, I was doing things that were wrong, and yet, I was doing them.
"I found that I felt compelled to seek God's forgiveness. Not God's understanding, but God's forgiveness. I do believe in a forgiving God. And I think most people, deep down in their hearts hope there's a forgiving God. Somebody once said that when we're young, we seek justice, but as we get older, we seek mercy. There's something to that, I think."
There's not much else you can say about Newt, other than he is a total hypocrite, trying to sell you items that are past their due date, and are beginning to stink. another reader of TPM researched and found this other quote of Samuel Johnson, which is not only appropriate here, but applies to the slimy Peter King, as well:
Akbar Ahmed
"Gov. Scott Walker's dispute with Wisconsin's labor unions is making him unpopular with his constituents, who feel like he's attacking his own people. That's not good, because the only other guy doing that right now is Moammar Gadhafi." – Jay Leno
"Charlie Sheen said that he's now more popular than President Obama, at which point Mike Huckabee accused him of growing up in Kenya." – Jay Leno
"Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid now wants to outlaw prostitution. Let's make politicians illegal and keep the hookers. At least they're upfront about screwing you." – Jay Leno
"Jessica Simpson’s various product lines are expected to gross over a billion dollars this year. How embarrassing is this for President Obama, that Jessica Simpson has a better business plan than he does?" – Jay Leno
Peter King like to banty about the phrase that over 85% of mosques in America hold extremist beliefs and preach jihad. It's a phrase he picked up 11 years ago, he cannot tell you where he got it from or back it up with anything real, so he is beginning his hearings on a piece of fiction, the kind of statements that the planners of the GOP agenda like to throw out in public and see if it resonates, along with Obama is socialism and that he was born in Kenya or raised in Kenya, or has Kenya on his mind...
But time is against them. Unless they get more ammunition, and humanitarian aid like food for the areas they do hold, their coalition will break apart with feuding and being ground down by Qaddafi's forces. Britiain, France, Germany, and the US all have the same trepidation, the reaction of everyone in the area if they do step in and help, with the possibiliy of being dragged into something that could last longer than a couple more weeks.
The rebel leaders are up against the wall - as reported in the NY Times: “Instead of worrying about establishing a transitional government, all we worry about are the needs — security, what people require, where the uprising is going. Things are moving too fast.”
“This is all that’s left,” he said, lifting his cellphone, “and we can only receive calls.”
Depending on the way things turn out in Libya, I can see the next breed of car commercials by Land Rover and Toyota, the next time you are thinking of over-throwing an oppressive government, think Toyota ... or Land Rover, battle tested in the deserts of Libya, the choice of freedom lovers everywhere... I want to be paid for these ideas, you guys, I'm not flipping them out there just for the fun of it...
"They say that patriotism is the last refuge to which a scoundrel clings."
"And as Gingrich told it, he sought God's forgiveness -- and as for the events themselves, they were driven by how hard he was working and his great passion for America.
"There's no question at times of my life, partially driven by how passionately I felt about this country, that I worked far too hard and things happened in my life that were not appropriate," said Gingrich. "And what I can tell you is that when I did things that were wrong, I wasn't trapped in situation ethics, I was doing things that were wrong, and yet, I was doing them.
"I found that I felt compelled to seek God's forgiveness. Not God's understanding, but God's forgiveness. I do believe in a forgiving God. And I think most people, deep down in their hearts hope there's a forgiving God. Somebody once said that when we're young, we seek justice, but as we get older, we seek mercy. There's something to that, I think."
There's not much else you can say about Newt, other than he is a total hypocrite, trying to sell you items that are past their due date, and are beginning to stink. another reader of TPM researched and found this other quote of Samuel Johnson, which is not only appropriate here, but applies to the slimy Peter King, as well:
"A man sometimes starts up a patriot, only by disseminating discontent, and propagating reports of secret influence, of dangerous counsels, of violated rights, and encroaching usurpation. This practice is no certain note of patriotism. To instigate the populace with rage beyond the provocation, is to suspend publick happiness, if not to destroy it. He is no lover of his country, that unnecessarily disturbs its peace."
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