Documenting the experiences of a typical Midwesterner struggling to read the Qur'an, understand Islamic extremism and its effects on American politics.
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Saturday, July 31, 2004
What's that smell?
A John Kerry supporting friend of mine sent me This article (use borelando/snorelando thanks BugMeNot!) as a jab at my support for President Bush.

Do I smell a fisking?

The email seems to have just the "choice bits" cut out... all the more is the pity...
I have included the entire text that was sent to me in this post.


Subject: Charley Reese, conservative columnist

[Charley Reese is a conservative columnist who has just left his job as a regular contributor at the Orlando Sentinel. He's quite aware of his conservative reputation, as evidenced by this quote from his good-bye column in yesterday's paper


I never heard of this guy, but the arguments he uses are classic Kerry campaign...


["I thought I might answer a few questions. People often have asked how a columnist as conservative as I am could be published. I have you to thank for that. My readership numbers have always been very high. And that's the answer to your question."

[Now for the interesting part. Here's what Reese had to say on May 21, 2004. --A]
*****
Vote For A Man, Not A Puppet
by Charley Reese
May 21, 2004
http://reese.king-online.com/Reese_20040521/index.php

Americans should realize that if they vote for President Bush's re-election, they are really voting for the architects of war - Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Paul Wolfowitz and the rest of that cabal of neoconservative ideologues and their corporate backers.

I have sadly come to the conclusion that President Bush is merely a frontman, an empty suit, who is manipulated by the people in his administration. Bush has the most dangerously simplistic view of the world of any president in my memory.

Bush is an idiot and the evil overlord (Dick Cheney) is really running the country. If only that we really true, fiscal and social conservatives would be supporting the ticket without "holding their nose".

If you vote for Bush you are stupid.


It's no wonder the president avoids press conferences like the plague. Take away his cue cards and he can barely talk. Americans should be embarrassed that an Arab king (Abdullah of Jordan) spoke more fluently and articulately in English than our own president at their joint press conference recently.

John Kerry is at least an educated man, well-read, who knows how to think and who knows that the world is a great deal more complex than Bush's comic-book world of American heroes and foreign evildoers. It's unfortunate that in our poorly educated country, Kerry's very intelligence and refusal to adopt simplistic slogans might doom his presidential election efforts.

But Thomas Jefferson said it well, as he did so often, when he observed that people who expect to be ignorant and free expect what never was and never will be.

Bush is stupid and talks funny. Kerry is very smart. BTW: He served in Veitnam.

The world is much to complex and has too much nuance for Bush to understand. Americans are so dumb that they will vote for Bush because Kerry is to smart for their liking.


People who think of themselves as conservatives will really display their stupidity, as I did in the last election, by voting for Bush. Bush is as far from being a conservative as you can get. Well, he fooled me once, but he won't fool me twice.

It is not at all conservative to balloon government spending, to vastly increase the power of government, to show contempt for the Constitution and the rule of law, or to tell people that foreign outsourcing of American jobs is good for them, that giant fiscal and trade deficits don't matter,

If you are a conservative, firstly you are stupid, secondly you should vote for Kerry because Bush is not acting "conservative enough". This is like saying "I want a guy from New Hampshire, so I am voting for the guy from Texas because Boston isn't close enough".

and that people should not know what their government is doing. Bush is the most prone-to-classify, the most secretive president in the 20th century. His administration leans dangerously toward the authoritarian.


See! Even a "Conservative Columnist" says Bush = Hitler!


It's no wonder that the Justice Department has convicted a few Arab-Americans of supporting terrorism. What would you do if you found yourself arrested and a federal prosecutor whispers in your ear that either you can plea-bargain this or the president will designate you an enemy combatant and you'll be held incommunicado for the duration?


Has this ever happened? Really? Come on now... Really?

I would like, just once, for someone accusing this administration of Arab baiting or how awful the Patriot Act is to show one example. It is the height of racism to make these kinds of accusations without proof of any kind.


This election really is important, not only for domestic reasons, but because Bush's foreign policy has been a dangerous disaster. He's almost restarted the Cold War with Russia and the nuclear arms race. America is not only hated in the Middle East, but it has few friends anywhere in the world thanks to the arrogance and ineptness of the Bush administration. Don't forget, a scientific poll of Europeans found us, Israel, North Korea and Iran as the greatest threats to world peace.

Restarted the cold war? the arms race? huh? What is this guy smoking? The cold war is over; we won (thank to Ronny). You have to be able to compete in order to have a race; the Russians are a 3rd rate power. They might rise to the status of Saudi Arabia once they get their oil industry running, until then they are 3rd world.

Let's see...

1967: America is hated in the Middle East
1976: America is hated in the Middle East
1980: America is hated in the Middle East
1992: America is hated in the Middle East
2000: America is hated in the Middle East
2004: America is hated in the Middle East, except for in most of Iraq

Looks like progress to me.

Here is a question for the Anti-War/ANSWER crowd:

You like to say that North Korea/Iran are bigger threats than Iraq and that is the reason we should have gone to war in Iraq. Honestly, I mean really think about it, would you have supported a war in Iran or North Korea? I suspect you would be saying the same things now if the target would have been different. It is disingenuous to make that statement. Now for the meat... Is it possible that we could "influence" Iran by taking out a neighbor in a ridiculously short time? Hmmmmm....


I will swallow a lot of petty policy differences with Kerry to get a man in the White House with brains enough not to blow up the world and us with it. Go to Kerry's Web site (www.johnkerry.com) and read some of the magazine profiles on him. You'll find that there is a great deal more to Kerry than the GOP attack dogs would have you believe.

Petty policy differences? If this guy really is a conservative he has a whole lot of policy differences.



Besides, it would be fun to have a president who plays hockey, windsurfs, ride motorcycles, plays the guitar, writes poetry and speaks French. It would be good to have a man in the White House who has killed people face to face. Killing people has a sobering effect on a man and dispels all illusions about war.


Wouldn't it be more fun for a guy like this to have a President that falls off bikes, jogging paths and Segways. BTW: John Kerry served in Vietnam, killed people and got 3 purple hearts. Did you know that? Have a look here to see what the men who were led by Senator Kerry think of him.

"I have never killed a man, but I have read many obituaries with great pleasure."
-Clarence Darrow



*****

© 2004 by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

They can have him...


So, to sum up...

Bush is dumb, Kerry is smart.
Bush tramples on your civil rights.
Kerry served in Vietnam.
Bush = Hitler.
By going to war in Iraq, Bush ruined our wonderful reputation in the Middle East.
Kerry is a war hero.
Bush is stupid.
Bush almost restarted the cold war.
Kerry does cool stuff and speaks French.

I don't know about you, but I am convinced!


UPDATE: In case you don't belive the line "Except in most of Iraq", see this post from Iraq Blogger Mohammed at Iraq:The Model
(Hat Tip:Dean)
Thursday, July 29, 2004
A new point of view
Marco Rivera of the NFL's Green Bay Packers has just returned from a trip to the Middle East (A USO morale building trip). He reports that this trip has changed him. The money quote:

"You're never going to hear another complaint out of me. Basically, you want to complain, just take a trip to the Middle East and see how those people live. See how they treat their women. You'll come back here and you'll say, 'Hey, it's not so bad here.' "


Maybe we should send some of out Moveon.org and ANSWER friends on a trip like Mr. Rivera...

Maybe they would develop some respect for the rights we enjoy here in the US and stop badmouthing the good people of the USA.
This just in from the "Religion of Peace"
This just in from the "Religion of Peace"

"If infidels take Muslims as protectors and Muslims do not fight them, it is allowed to kill the Muslims," said the speaker, identified as Sheik Abu Anas al-Shami, spiritual leader of Tawhid and Jihad, a group led by al-Qaida-linked Jordanian militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.

The speaker also said that if Muslims who "mingled" among infidels were killed in an attack, that would be justified because killing infidels is paramount.


Kill whomever you want, as long as "infidels" (that's you and me buddy) are also killed. Can anyone out there find another "mainstream" Religion that has leaders that express this kind of bloodlust and disregard for all human life, including the lives of their followers?

"Religion of Peace", indeed.

Here is the whole story.
Tuesday, July 27, 2004
lgf: Zuniga Hides the Evidence
Remember Kos? The guy that famously said "Screw them" in reference to the American contractors killed, burned and dragged through the streets of Fallujah? That comment on his site met with cheers and backslaps from his LLL readers. You know THAT guy...

Anyways, now that he is a "rising star" in the donkey party he has decided that those comments are best left in the past and has taken steps to erase them from his site and blocked access to the Internet Archive sites...

Thank goodness that LGF is on the case. Never Forget!

lgf: Zuniga Hides the Evidence
Monday, July 26, 2004
You know you getting to them when...
One of my favorite, must read multiple times a day, blogs is LGF (not an obsession! really!). It is a place where lots of stories are exposed that I would never have found. The comments section is also a favorite of mine and a quick search will bring up many postings by this author. I even got a hat tip 2 different times (though no link on the main page...).

Anyway, you know that you have something going when your site spawns a "watch" site. You are really cooking when you have multiple "watch" sites.

Just how hot are you when one of your "watch" sites spawns a "watch" site of its own?

Welcome to the blogsphere Leftwatch and Rightwatch! You have a great leg up with an early link on LGF and from what I have seen you have the writing talent to go far! I will put you guys on my blogroll, but I don't get enough traffic to make that matter much.
Saturday, July 24, 2004
Philippines
I have a question to ask the leaders of the Philippines.

How do you sleep at night?


Even the biased Associated Press admits that the cause of the wave of kidnappings in Iraq is the craven withdrawl of Filipino troops.

I don't have anything against the Philippines or the Filipino truck driver that was released because of the Filipino pullout, but was the life of that one person worth all the misery and death that 'saving' him caused?

Speaking of that truck driver, I wonder how he is taking the news of events in Iraq. We last saw being reunited with his family and very happy, what will his mental state be when he sees what his release cost the rest of the world or at least the families of the current kidnap victims. If I were in his place, I would be wondering what makes my life so valuable that (depending on how you see it) dozens or millions of people have to suffer so that I can continue exchanging oxygen for carbon dioxide. I really feel sorry for him. His government put this burden on his shoulders and now he has no choice but to live with it.

UPDATE: From LGF poster K.:
Scott Santis has a cartoon out on this that is online at Birmingham News.

Wednesday, July 21, 2004
Presbyterians
I am a former Presbyterian, I grew up in a Presbyterian home, it broke my Mother's heart when I left the church. If I were still a Presbyterian, I would leave now. Dennis Prager reports on the Presbyterian leadership taking the church down the anti-Israel garden path.

We used to joke that being Presbyterian was the easiest choice in religion because all you needed to know to get into heaven was how to properly rotate your tires. This is only funny because the Presbyterians really don't have any strong beliefs (or backbone for that matter). The terms "Presbyterian rain" and "Baptist Downpour" aptly describe the situation.

While I an suprised that they have come out with a position on something other than the need for regular oil changes, it figures that they would come down on the wrong side of the issue on which they decide to take a stand.

I agree strongly with Mr. Prager here:
"It is now time for good people, Presbyterians specifically, Christians generally, to distance themselves vigorously and publicly from this morally sick church."


and here:

"Many serious Christians ask, 'What Would Jesus Do?' If Jesus were here, he would probably be at Israeli hospitals comforting fellow Jews who were deliberately blinded, paralyzed and brain-damaged by Jew- and Christian-hating Palestinian terrorists. He would surely not be with the Jews' enemies, among whom are now the leaders of the Presbyterian Church, USA."


(Hat tip to Dean's World)


UPDATE: Glenn Reynolds has a post with a link to a story about the declining membership in protestant churches and an email from a PCUSA church.

Tuesday, July 20, 2004
Google search fun
Found some number one hits on Google for this site!

Google Search 1

Google Search 2
INDC Journal: INDC Cartoon Fun
INDC has a first class post on one of the many reasons I will not be voting for John Kerry.

INDC Journal: INDC Cartoon Fun: Did You Know That John Kerry Served in Vietnam?
Monday, July 19, 2004
lgf: Ronstadt Booted from Vegas
Had to make a pointer to this from LGF:

lgf: Ronstadt Booted from Vegas

I love it when the public shows such common sense. It renews my faith in the American People!
Sunday, July 18, 2004
Moore Moore
I swore off posting about Michael Moore, really I did, but when I saw this post by Joe Gandelman (on Dean's World). I wanted to make sure my loyal reader saw the following...

* Moore dedicated his book, "Dude Where's My Country?" to Rachel Corrie, an International Solidarity Movement volunteer who was killed March 16 when she climbed in front of a Caterpillar bulldozer that was destroying tunnels used by Palestinian terrorists to illegally smuggle weapons from Egypt into Gaza


That's right, the vary same Rachael Corrie that is the "martyr" of the ISM and spawned this madness in the peaceful city of Peroia last April.

It is amazing to me that someone smart enough to con major corporations to pay for crappy/self-serving movies and to get Soviet fandom on television could be taken in by such transparently false propaganda is a wonderment, but maybe not considering that he is making a strong bid for the heart/minds/dollars of massivley stupid moonbats.
Friday, July 16, 2004
Welcome
Welcome to all the visitors from the Ace of Spades HQ! I hope you find this blog interesting. Please feel free to send me an email telling me how you think I can make the Qur'an Project experience more enjoyable.

I know I am not as funny as "Ace", but I am working on it and have a slightly different "wheelhouse".

Any suggestions on the "Qur'an Project cowbell" would be very welcome!






Thursday, July 15, 2004
Armed Liberal
As a fan of Winds of Change, I am very happy to see "Armed Liberal" return to the blog. Why? Just look at the wonderful common sense displayed in this post.

Welcome back "A.L.", don't be a stranger!

Tuesday, July 13, 2004
Depressed...
I am depressed. The fate of the world is in the hands of Americans, for better or worse. Normally, I would be very happy that this is the case because (again normally) I believe in the virtue and intelligence of the American People. Today I am not so sure about their intelligence (and not the CIA kind, which is clearly lacking, but that is another story).

I am distressed that a very bright person, someone I respect and have had interesting discussions with, someone who is well versed on politics, and had just seen Michael Moore's propaganda piece, is raving about how wonderful it was. This person "learned so much about the Bush administration's tactics and schemes" that it became clear that Mr. Bush MUST be defeated in November. The points this person found so interesting are mostly the ones that have been exposed as complete lies and distortions by many different sources. It doesn't take much effort at all to find all kinds of sites that debunk everything in the "movie", from "Al Gore wins every recount scenario" to "The Bush family is in bed with the bin Ladens via The Carlye Group" to "Bush escorted the bin Laden family out of the country on 9/11" to "You can usually tell by the color of their skin".

Here is just one place for debunking the torrent of lies.

The people I have always placed my faith in (the Americans) would completely reject this propaganda stunt without needing to resort to higher brain functions. The accusations made are so outrageous at face value that they do not pass the "laugh out loud" test. The more skeptical among us would post the fact checking results on blogs and other Internet sites. The people would read these fact checking accounts and say "yeah, so what, tell us something we didn't know." They would be smart enough to recognize this as an attack and utterly false. We might have to convince the fringe, aluminum chapeau types, but that would be easy with the wealth of facts available. In order to believe this smear piece would require the viewer to believe in a world where a single family could get anyone they desired elected President of the United States and then proceed to use the power of the office to satisfy their evil natures. You have to believe that the Bush family is all-powerful as well as completely corrupt and evil.

I have seen this waste of celluloid (long live the internet) and my reaction is that I want my 2 hours and overnight bandwidth back. There is nothing there that we haven't seen from the ANSWER/BusHitler lunatics. The problem I have with it is that it moves the arguments and "facts" of the fringe lunatics into the mainstream.

If you can believe that someone getting about one-half of the popular vote in a national election could keep their evil and corrupt nature a complete secret until, by the grace of God, Mr. Moore exposes them, this movie is for you. As is the label "barking moonbat".

What is most distressing to me is that these lies are completely believed and repeated as fact simply because "it's in the movie, it MUST be true". The average American's reliance on major media and the (misplaced) unconditional trust in media has now reached a point where our republic is threatened. In days past, the major parties would distance themselves from their fringe elements, at least mainstream members of the party with aspirations of higher office. Recently Trent Lott was forced to give up his leadership post because he obliquely praised the 50+-year-old beliefs of a sitting member of the US Senate.

Today, many mainstream Democrats are directly praising this "film" (Tom Daschle, Hillary Clinton etc.). What is wrong with these people? Better yet, what is wrong with the people who VOTE for these people?





Thursday, July 01, 2004
Creator of Worlds
"O you who believe! do not enter the houses of the Prophet unless permission is given to you for a meal, not waiting for its cooking being finished-- but when you are invited, enter, and when you have taken the food, then disperse-- not seeking to listen to talk; surely this gives the Prophet trouble, but he forbears from you, and Allah does not forbear from the truth And when you ask of them any goods, ask of them from behind a curtain; this is purer for your hearts and (for) their hearts; and it does not behove you that you should give trouble to the Messenger of Allah, nor that you should marry his wives after him ever; surely this is grievous in the sight of Allah. " [Qur'an 33:53]

This verse screams to my theory that the Prophet was making this up as he needed to keep his people in line. It seems unlikely that Allah, the Creator of Worlds, to Whom belong all things in the heavens and on earth, He who is full of Wisdom and is acquainted with all things, could really care about the conduct of visitors to the Prophet's home and about the purity of his wives.


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