Sunday, December 26, 2004

And Another New Holiday Classic

It's a Wonderful Life in 30 Seconds, Re-enacted by Bunnies

Friday, December 24, 2004

Better Late Than Never

From the Jerusalem Post:
US may strike at Ba'athists in Syria

The US is contemplating incursions into Syrian territory in an attempt to kill or capture Iraqi Ba'athists who, it believes, are directing at least part of the attacks against US targets in Iraq, a senior administration official told The Jerusalem Post.

The official said that fresh sanctions are likely to be implemented, but added that the US needs to be more "aggressive" after Tuesday's deadly attack on a US base in Mosul. The comment suggested that the US believes the attack on the mess tent, in which 22 people were killed, may have been coordinated from inside Syrian territory.

"I think the sanctions are one thing. But I think the other thing [the Syrians] have got to start worrying about is whether we would take cross-border military action in hot pursuit or something like that. In other words, nothing like full-scale military hostilities. But when you're being attacked from safe havens across the border – we've been through this a lot of times before – we're just not going to sit there.

"You get a tragedy [like the attack in Mosul] and it reminds people that it is still a very serious problem. If I were Syria, I'd be worried," the senior administration official said.
Like it or not, it's a world war, folks.

Thursday, December 16, 2004

Criticize Islam, Go to Jail

Abraham at World Magazine Blog makes a fine point about the state of free speech in Britain:
Nick Griffin, leader of the fringe right-wing British Nationalist Party, was arrested yesterday for badmouthing Islam during a meeting. A BBC undercover reporter secretly filmed him making the comments, which aired July in a documentary: "This wicked, vicious faith has expanded through a handful of cranky lunatics about 1,300 years ago until it is now sweeping country after country." Police arrested him on suspicion of incitement to racial hatred, but released him on bail. It's probably not wise to expend too much sympathy on the BNP, whose main aim is to preserve Britain for "indigenous" (that is, white) Britons. Griffin has also questioned the Holocaust in the past. Still, how long before police bundle off ordinary Christian leaders or others who disagree with aspects of Islam?
Update: The answer to that question (in Australia) is, Not long:
Christian pair guilty of racial hatred
By Kate Jones
December 18, 2004

AN evangelical Christian group incited hatred and severe ridicule of Muslims when it called them demons, liars and terrorists, a tribunal ruled yesterday.

In the landmark ruling, Catch the Fire Ministries pastors Daniel Nalliah and Daniel Scot were found guilty of religious vilification, making them the first under Victoria's new race and religion hate laws.

Pastor Scot told a congregation in a 2002 seminar that Muslims were training to take over Australia and encouraged domestic violence, and that Islam was an inherently violent religion.

Shortly after, the Islamic Council of Victoria filed legal action against Catch the Fire Ministries and the two pastors.

Yesterday in the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal, Judge Michael Higgins found that throughout the seminar Pastor Scot had made fun of Muslim beliefs and conduct.

"It was done, not in the context of a serious discussion of Muslims' religious beliefs," the judge said.

"It was presented in a way which is essentially hostile, demeaning and derogatory of all Muslim people, their god, Allah, the prophet Mohammed and in general Muslim religious beliefs and practices."

An article published on the Catch the Fire Ministries website and a newsletter distributed by the group were also found to breach the religious vilification legislation.

Islamic Council president Yasser Soliman said the ruling was an important victory for the Muslim community.

"We are not their enemies, we are fellow Australians," Mr Soliman said.

"We don't want to be positioned as an enemy or painted as one.

"Vilification hurts - it's meant to hurt. It's a tool that is sometimes used by extremists."

Pastors Nalliah and Scot described the tribunal's decision as a blow to freedom of speech and said they were considering an appeal.

"Freedom of speech is one of our fundamental values in Australia and this case is not over," Pastor Scot said.

"We cannot let freedom of speech be taken away from us; religion cannot be legislated.

"Gagging people's mouths is the worst thing you can ever do."

Pastor Scot said the seminar, which was organised after the September 11 terrorist attacks in the US, was held to increase understanding of Muslim culture.

Pastor Nalliah said: "There was no hate speech at all.

"It was teaching and understanding of what we knew of what the holy book of Islamic faith says.

"And I believe we, in a free and democratic society, should have the freedom to speak up."

Christmas Gifts for Troops

From the Freedom Alliance:
'Tis the Holiday Season and Wounded Service Members Need Your Help

by Oliver North


November 30, 1999
Freedom Alliance Donation Campaign Needs Your Help

During the holiday season we have reason to reflect on the bravery of our soldiers and their families. Two years ago, Freedom Alliance, which honors and encourages military service, launched an injured service members campaign and asked Americans to remember our Vets – and particularly the active duty injured service members – by sending donations (full list below, please send money or listed items only) to the Freedom Alliance headquarters in Dulles, Virginia. At Christmastime, our service members need the donations and prayers of Americans more than ever.

“We have had the opportunity to visit wounded heroes at both Walter Reed Army Hospital and Bethesda Naval Medical Center, and while these service members are receiving fantastic treatment, they still need our help,” said Tom Kilgannon, Freedom Alliance President. “While America has pledged to ‘Never Forget’ what our heroic service members, firefighters and police did on 9/11, many are unaware of the injuries sustained in Afghanistan and Iraq since then – and now. Service members across the country at the military hospitals can really use donations.”

Kilgannon continued, “The Freedom Alliance Support the Troops Campaign has been going strong and Americans have truly rallied to deliver supplies to these brave souls and their families. But the needs of these service members have changed and we are asking people to send monetary donations to the Freedom Alliance headquarters in Virginia (full address and phone number listed at conclusion of release) so that we can purchase the following items listed below:

• Airfare – For family members who cannot afford to fly to see their injured sons and daughters.
• Hotel Accommodations – For family members who cannot afford accommodations otherwise.
• Portable/Individual Digital Video Disk (DVD) Players and Compact Disk (CD) Players – Many service members are hospitalized for several months and these entertainment items will help them pass the time.
• DVDs – Movies for the service members to watch while hospitalized – action, comedy and suspense-thrillers are most appropriate.
• CDs – Music tracks of classic rock, country, pop, and other types of music are most helpful.
• Phone Cards
• Cards and Notes – Many service members requested cards and notes – especially from children. They are hundreds of miles from family and friends, and holiday cards and notes, especially from school-aged children would be appreciated.

Please send donations to:
Freedom Alliance - Support the Troops
22570 Markey Court, Suite 240
Dulles, Virginia 20166
800-475-6620

Donations will go into the Freedom Alliance Support the Troops Fund to buy the listed items or assist in other situations, which may arise. Thank you for your support. Please send money or the above listed items only.
More opportunities to give here.

Tuesday, December 14, 2004

Prepare to Be Outraged

They love him in Dearborn, and in North Texas.

Monday, December 13, 2004

Michelle's Dream Pick

Michelle Malkin offers her choice to head the Department of Homeland Security: Peter Nunez, former United States Attorney, Southern District of California (1982-1988), former Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Enforcement (1990-1993). She also offers this excerpt from his congressional testimony in February 2004 on preventing the entry of terrorists into the United States:
This country must remember that it is based upon the concept of the rule of law. We are a nation of laws - we must abide by the laws we have adopted to deal with the problems of immigration, drugs, and terrorism. It is not enough to pass laws in Congress or in the state legislatures and then ignore them because we are afraid of offending special interests or because of notions of political correctness. And there is no way a country can fight a war against terrorism when it ignores its borders, refuses to enforce its laws away from the borders, and provides sanctuary or informal immunity to those who have broken our laws by coming here illegally or staying beyond their welcome.
This guy is saying all the right things, so he of course has no chance. But we can lobby the White House here, and hope for a Christmas miracle.

Wednesday, December 08, 2004

Look Who's Got Clarity

"To criticise a person for their race is manifestly irrational and ridiculous but to criticise their religion, that is a right. That is a freedom. The freedom to criticise ideas, any ideas - even if they are sincerely held beliefs - is one of the fundamental freedoms of society. A law which attempts to say you can criticise and ridicule ideas as long as they are not religious ideas is a very peculiar law indeed."
Now, who do you suppose is responsible for this eloquent and insightful quote? George Will? William F. Buckley?

Actually, it's Mr. Bean.

And a little comedian shall lead them. . .

(Via: Little Green Footballs)

Sunday, December 05, 2004

Intelligent Immigration Enforcement

In today's Washington Times, Congressman Elton Gallegly argues for an intelligence reform bill which includes immigration enforcement provisions:
As the September 11 commission realized, searching for a small group of terrorists among the millions of other illegal immigrants in our country is akin to searching for a needle in a haystack. The smaller we make the haystack, the easier it will be to find the needle — or a dirty bomb al Qaeda may try to sneak across our border.

The intelligence reform bill has numerous valuable provisions, including many I wrote dealing with preventing terrorist travel. However, passage of the "compromise" would still leave gaping and unacceptable holes in our security net.

Pulling the bill from consideration should serve as a wake-up call to those who wish to weaken our immigration laws while we are under the threat of terrorist attack. The overwhelming majority of House Republicans sent a clear message: The GOP is still the party of law and order. Failure to crack down on lawlessness has never made us safer.

That is the message we will continue sending this week.
Michelle Malkin has more on this issue, and action you can take.