A Blow to Political Correctness

Artwork © Glenn McCoy

The much heralded hearings begin today by the U.S. Congress on the radicalization of American Muslims, much to the chagrin of Liberal apologists and inflammation of, well, radical Muslims. The irony lies in the pawns - ostensibly the concern of the Left - on the board being forced into the brutal path of the knights and bishops by the very people who pretend to care.

Chess has never been such a graphically violent contact sport.

Yet the Democrats, the media, and the Imams have all insinuated that ordinary Muslims will be so insulted by these hearings that - wait for it! - they may become radicalized. One of the reasons for the hearings is Chairman Peter King's disappointment in the lack of protests by "ordinary" American Muslims in the face of attacks waged in their name, and still we're being cautioned that to try to figure out why may cause more attacks. Forgive me for being confused by such an absurd message.

The World Trade Center attacks were carried out by radical Muslims. The Madrid subway bombings were perpetrated by Muslims. The London attacks, Muslims. The failed shoe-bomber aboard a flight, Richard Reid, a Muslim. The New York bound Christmas Day attempted underwear bomber was a Muslim, as was the foiled Times Square bomber. Yet the only Muslim member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Keith Ellison of Minnesota, states that radicalization is not contained within "one group".

Ellison et al try to equate radical Islam with a rogue Liberal maniac who flies a small plane into the IRS building or a lone psychopath who shoots up a school. Someone even went so far in the equivocation as to claim that Jared Loughner shot Gabrielle Giffords in the name of atheism. One must wonder if anyone heard Loughner shout "God is nonexistent" moments before the shootings.

And then we have the gold standard for comparisons and the claims that "all groups have radicals", Timothy McVeigh, who blew up the Oklahoma federal building because he was angry at the government's handling of Waco and Ruby Ridge, among other reasons. Oh, and he happened to be a Christian, although no one ever suggested he acted because he had seen any of the myriad Jesus cartoons or alleged "art". (Irony footnote: William Ayers is a "respected" College professor).

The real irony comes in the form of threats King has received leading up to the hearings, titled "The Extent of Radicalization in the American Muslim Community and that Community's Response." The NAACP has weighed in attempting to halt the hearings, and 56 Democratic lawmakers have joined the chorus, claiming that "it would jeopardize trust between U.S. Muslims and law enforcement officials." And Imam Faisal Abdul Rauf says that the hearings will cause more radicalization.

So the opponents are crying foul over the hearings, which are designed to figure out why American Muslims become radicalized or why they don't come forward to condemn the radicals or help law enforcement, by claiming that the attempts at discovery will only cause more.

Got it.

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When the Pack Smells Weakness

For the narcissist, it is particularly vexing to have others not share the same love he has for himself. This will usually create in him an obsequiousness designed to draw his detractors to view him as he does himself, but which invariably alienates them even further, causing them to become more antagonistic.

For a student in a small town school, this is not a big deal. For the President of the United States, it is critical.

When newly-elected President Barack Hussein Obama launched his Forgive Us Our Trespasses Tour around the globe, I - among many others - sounded the alarm that his target audience was not interested in overtures of peace but rather signs of weakness which they could exploit. We warned that the bad actors around the world were not cheering his new message of peace as much as they were applauding their long-awaited opportunity to misbehave at will with no deterrent standing in their way.

Signs of their emboldenment abounded, with the ratcheting up of rhetoric from Mahmoud Ahmedinejad concerning Israel to Hugo Chavez and Daniel Ortega arrogantly chastising the United States while its new leader sat passively and listened without protest or rebuttal.

Possibly the worst moment up to that point was the "gift" from Chavez to Obama of a book that our president accepted with a smile and a handshake from the wannabe dictator. Chavez may as well have said to Obama, "Please accept this gift which details how much your country sucks, and I thank you for agreeing".

It was not to be the worst moment of all, however, as they continue to mount much as a snowball rolling downhill on a fresh, moist fall. In addition to the nauseating mea culpas delivered to foreign foes by this president have been the shocking shunnings of our traditional allies. Between his embraces of hard-line socialist and Islamic leaders, Obama has managed to sprinkle in some not-so-subtle snubs of Sarkozy and Gordon Brown, not to mention a classless encounter with the Queen of England.

Perhaps the most alarming betrayal, however, has been the nearly total abandonment of Israel, our strongest ally in the Middle East and a long time friend. Thankfully, one New York congressman has not slumbered through the current session. Rep. Peter King (R-NY), has introduced a resolution in the House that would force the U.S. government to support the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip.

Coming on the heels of the recent raid by the Israeli military on the first flotilla, sent from Turkey by alleged "peace activists", King wants the U.S. to stand firm with her ally in the face of international criticism based on misinformation and propaganda. (The first casualty of such nonsense was long time White House Press reporter, Helen Thomas, who was dispatched via self-inflicted wound).

But King's resolution could not come at a more opportune time, as Iran - perhaps seizing on the telegraphed impotency of Obama - has offered (threatened?) to have its Revolutionary Guard escort the next flotilla through the Israeli blockade. If this were to happen, it would most likely mark the beginning of the first naval war since World War II. The big question is whether Israel will fight it alone.

Perhaps the world has become spoiled by the comfort of the true leaders and commanders of military might America has historically wielded, and that may be well and good, since America has been the most powerful and benevolent country to ever inhabit the Earth. But it seems that - being in the middle of Obama's only term - it may be time for a Churchill to emerge.

If not for another true leader, we may see the power structure shift dramatically. Much like Jack London's White Fang losing his footing in the circle of excited sled dogs.

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