Know Your Enemy (Radley Balko Is Wrong)

Radley Balko of Reason tweeted that the USA Today editors have "lost their fucking minds" for giving space to a marginal and extreme British 'imam' who explained why the Charlie Hebdo victims brought their fate upon themselves by deliberately offending Muslims.

I disagree. Far too often the first reaction of the progressive elites is to bleat about the likely over-reaction to Islamist outrages by the Great Unwashed in the West. Nick Kristof provides a uesful example of the "Islam means peace" genre with a column that, with minor changes, could have been written any time in the last decade:

Is Islam to Blame for the Shooting at Charlie Hebdo in Paris?

His answer will surprise you. Kidding:

Many ask, Is there something about Islam that leads inexorably to violence, terrorism and subjugation of women?

The question arises because fanatical Muslims so often seem to murder in the name of God, from the 2004 Madrid train bombing that killed 191 people to the murder of hostages at a cafe in Sydney, Australia, last month. 

No mention of 9/11? Whatever. A quick list of outrages and then:

So, sure, there’s a strain of Islamic intolerance and extremism that is the backdrop to the attack on Charlie Hebdo. 

...

Terror incidents lead many Westerners to perceive Islam as inherently extremist, but I think that is too glib and simple-minded. Small numbers of terrorists make headlines, but they aren’t representative of a complex and diverse religion of 1.6 billion adherents. My Twitter feed Wednesday brimmed with Muslims denouncing the attack — and noting that fanatical Muslims damage the image of Muhammad far more than the most vituperative cartoonist.

The vast majority of Muslims of course have nothing to do with the insanity of such attacks — except that they are disproportionately the victims of terrorism.

Yeah, yeah. He then makes the inevitable pivot to the deplorable blood-lust of the West:

The great divide is not between faiths. Rather it is between terrorists and moderates, between those who are tolerant and those who “otherize.”

In Australia after the hostage crisis, some Muslims feared revenge attacks. Then a wave of non-Muslim Australians rose to the occasion, offering to escort Muslims and ensure their safety, using the hashtag #IllRideWithYou on Twitter. More than 250,000 such comments were posted on Twitter — a model of big-hearted compassion after terror attacks.

Bravo! That’s the spirit.

Bravo indeed! When bitter-clinging Westerners profile all Muslims as terrorists on the basis of ongoing terror attacks around ther world (which virtually no one does), color us savages. When Muslims and Westerners profile the Great Unwashed as an angry mob with plenty of rope and lamposts and lacking only some useful Muslims, well, bravo!

Maybe Mr. Kristof will read the USA Today piece by Anjem Choudary and re-think the role of Islam in all this. OK, who's kidding now?

FWIW: The notion of the inhibition of free expression takes on a different coloring after reading about the various groups that Anjem Choudary founded in Britain that were subsequently banned for instigation, agitation and extremism. And the Wikipedia entry does note this:

In 2013 the British pressure group Hope not Hate presented a report which identified Choudary as "a serious player on the international Islamist scene", saying that although there was no evidence that he was directly responsible for instigating any terrorist plots, "he helped shape the mindset of many of those behind them" and "through his networks linked them up to terror groups and supporters across the world." Choudary dismissed the claims as "fanciful", that if they were true, UK security services would have arrested him.

Or this:

The Conservative Party leader David Cameron said that Choudary "is one of those people who needs to be looked at seriously in terms of the legality of what he's saying because he strays, I think, extremely close to the line of encouraging hatred, extremism and violence."^[

I don't want to come within a million miles of condoning what the gunmen did in Paris. And of course, Choudray is operating in the UK and Charlie Hebdo is publishing under different laws in France. Still, if French authorities had disbanded Charle Hebdo for encouraging hatred and extremism, as the Brits disbanded various Choudray groups, we might be talking about the appropriate role of government censorship rather than the deaths of twelve people.

Obviously, that sort of hypothetical suggests that maybe I am the one who has lost his effign mind. If (I say IF) the response to the Charlie Hebdo cartoons mocking Islam had been (or might plausibly have been) a mini-Kristallnacht in Paris where right-wing neo-Nazis burned Muslim shops and killed Muslims, then yes, censoring Charlie Hebdo might look sensible. That is not where we are.

On the other hand, it is plausible to argue that the response to Islamist agitators is in fact violence by their followers, which may support some level of British censorship. A lot of fine lines.

MORE ASYMMETRIES: From the National Post in Canada:

The heads of two Canadian organizations promoting secularism will ask the Department of Justice to abolish a section of the criminal code that makes blasphemy illegal, following Wednesday’s attacks on Charlie Hebdo.

Section 296 of the Criminal Code makes “blasphemous libel” punishable by up to two years in jail in Canada.

No one been prosecuted under the law since 1935. As late as 1980, the law was used to charge the Canadian distributor of Monty Python’s film Life of Brian; the charges were later dropped.

...

The United Kingdom abolished its blasphemy law in 2008; the United States has never had one at the federal level. The French region of Alsace-Moselle does have one, dating back to its history as part of Germany, but it’s not easy to use. Last February, a group of French Muslims actually tried to sue Charlie Hebdo itself for blasphemy under the Alsace law, after it published a cover they’d found offensive. The suit failed because Alsace law only protects Catholicism and not Islam.

Meanwhile, Canada’s law has expanded in application beyond Christianity, to religion in general. The Canadian law was first used in 1892 and was originally intended to protect Christianity from blasphemy. Case law since then has broadened its application.

And an interesting related point:

“The conservative right gets bents out of shape about hate speech provisions because they see it as an unconstitutional restriction of their freedom of expression. But that’s exactly what people who are [irreligious] would say about the blasphemy prohibitions — that they cannot say what they want without freedom of prosecution,” Mr. From said.

A lot of US campuses have hate speech provisions - what, one wonders, is their stance on blasphemy?

Over at YouGov, we see that 51% of Democrats support "hate speech" legislation here in the US, as do 25% of Republicans; 21% of Dems and 49% of Reps are opposed. The poll question:

“Would you support or oppose a law that would make it a crime for people to make public comments that advocate genocide or hatred against an identifiable group based on such things as their race, gender, religion, ethnic origin, or sexual orientation?”

Genocide?!? But should inciting hatred that festers without leading to action be a crime? Dems say yes!

William Saletan of Slate was all over this back when the anti-Muslim video was sparking riots and getting a US filmmaker busted (on other charges). More on Europe here.

PILING ON: Nick Gillespie at Reason develops the hate speech theme.

Comments

[Iggy]

Europeans ban political speech and have a history of much more terrorism than we do.
Chicken or egg?

[Neo]

You almost get the feeling that "The Prophet, Muhammad" was a truly ugly man.
Why else forbid any images of the man ?

[Soylent Red]

So, sure, there’s a strain of Islamic intolerance and extremism that is the backdrop to the attack on Charlie Hebdo.

The man confuses "backdrop" for "playwright" and "strain" with "standard."

we might be talking about the appropriate role of government censorship rather than the deaths of twelve people.

"Hey let's abridge free speech a little. It's for your own good."

--Things Barack Hussein Obama Would Love to Say, Vol. XXI

[Comanche Voter]

Since when is it that Nick Kristof, faced with an ethical question, could find his backside with both hands?

He has no trouble bashing evangelical Baptists. but wouldn't criticize a Muslim if his life depended upon it. And, if you criticize a Muslim, your life may be forfeit--so there's that to consider. He may not be as big a moron as he seems to be. Let's call him the cowardly journalistic lion.

[Gentlejim]

Color me crazy, but I don't see widespread speech in any form degrading "The Prophet". What I do see is widespread speech inciting violence against "non-believers" or "infidels". If anybody's sensitivities are offended and should therefore be invited to violence it should be us infidels. Followers of "The Prophet" should be happy that they have the Western media and liberals on their side to keep us bible-thumping gun grabbers in check.

[narciso]

the locus of the network is here:

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/27/international/europe/27france.html?pagewanted=2&_r=0

Carlos Slim's dodges the point mightily, but
as others have pointed out, it has been a continuum of activity to the current day,

[PDinDetroit]

What is the meaning of "is" in ISlam?

[narciso]

one can substitute the late Abu Laaban in Copenhagen, or the ISB mosque for the T-Dawgs,

http://gotnews.com/breaking-charliehebdo-killers-imam-called-punishing-mohammed-cartoonists-jesuischarlie/

[NKvirusedand back]

This is about the most dissapointing TM post ever IMO. It's morally and intellectually lazy. I'll be polite and stop there.

[Neo]

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Barbara Boxer, California's junior senator since her
election in 1992 and a former Marin County supervisor, announced
Thursday that she will not run for re-election when her term expires in
2016.

[narciso]

Of course, they always have enablers, like the Levick ring:

http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2015/01/french-lawyer-the-cherif-kouachi-i-know-does-not-sound-like-mass-murdering-islamist-im-reading-about/

Chowdary rationalized and absolves like a certain analog that Stay Puft and Kristof were fond of

[Thomas Collins]

Charlie Baker will be sworn in as MassGuv at noon. Two of the scheduled guests are NJGuv Chris Christie and RIGuv Gina Raimondo.

[Soylent Red]

Nice summary from the Diplomad.

[Ben]

"When bitter-clinging Westerners profile all Muslims as terrorists on the basis of ongoing terror attacks around ther world (which virtually no one does), color us savages"

'Which virtually no one does' except in the virtual world of JOM.

[NKvirusedand back]

Ben must be Nick Kristof, they are both effin' idiots.

[Captain Hate]

You almost get the feeling that "The Prophet, Muhammad" was a truly ugly man.
Why else forbid any images of the man ?

Urinal cakes

[GUS]

it's almost as if Muzzlims are as violent as the tea party. The only solution is to have GOVT censor the internet. It is clear.

[Soylent Red]

"When bitter-clinging Westerners profile all Muslims as terrorists on the basis of ongoing terror attacks around ther world (which virtually no one does), color us savages"

Classic fallacy of division. Just because the majority of Mohametans do not commit terrorism, terrorist are not truly Mohametan.

Fail.

[narciso]

less enablers of the Ummah, like CAIR, MPAC, ISNA, and more of the likes of Jasser, and other critics like Hirsi Ali but the reverse is the obvious pattern.

the same applies in our domestic sphere,
but there are too many enablers, Beckel,
dismissed Imam Dean, but Bolling failed to point out that Yargh had been a presidential candidate, and the party chief, so a person of authority in the confederacy of dunces,

[Soylent Red]

Urinal cakes

Congratulations on your idea for making your second million CH.

The sales in military-frequented drinking establishments alone would keep you farting in silk for several lifetimes.

[James D.]

Balko isn't wrong at all.

Imam Chowderhead isn't entitled to space on the USA Today OpEd page, or anywhere else.

If the Brits had the slightest sense of self-preservation, they'd kick him out of their country, along with all his followers. But they don't, and apparently, neither do our leaders.

[Neo]

While you were sleeping ...

Nigeria's militant Islamists have carried out a second attack on the key north-eastern town of Baga, an official has told the BBC.

Boko Haram fighters burnt down almost the entire town on Wednesday, after over-running a military base on Saturday, Musa Alhaji Bukar said.

Bodies lay strewn on Baga's streets, amid fears that some 2,000 people had been killed in the raids, he added.

LUN

[NKvirusedand back]

Neo-- thanks for the link. Mass murders by Jihadis are regular events, weekly events at minimum. There is nothing extraordinary about them. Where there are Jihadis, there is mass murder, where there are muslims there are Jihadis. I'm sorry to be so impolite by pointing out those realities, but realities they are. Muslim communities have to choose between violently suppressing Jihadis, or submitting to them, Jihadis give them no choice. Free societies who bring in Muslims must make the same choice.

[Captain Hate]

The UK is toast since they'll be stuck with a jugeared dunce a lot longer than we have and will. Granted he does less than ours but is prone to making just as imbecilic statements to rile the population.

[NKvirusedand back]

BTW-- maybe the Marathon bomber POS ought to re-think his plea. Even 12 morons from Cambridge might give him the death penalty.

[narciso]

oh you're referring to Prince Charles, I thought you meant the Top Man in No. 10?

[jimmyk]

Just because the majority of Mohametans do not commit terrorism, terrorist are not truly Mohametan.

Continuing the discussion from the previous thread, I seem to be a minority of one, but I'm not really in substantial disagreement with Soylent on Islam. I just don't think Islam is necessarily, nor has it always been, Jihadi/Islamofascist/Koranic literalist. That doesn't mean I agree with the idiots who are claiming that ISIS is not Islam. I just wouldn't agree that Islam is necessarily ISIS. Just as one can also quote verses from the Old Testament about stoning Sabbath violators, etc., but even the most orthodox Jews don't take those literally and never have, I think there is a similar strand of Islam. The problem is that they are tolerating and not cracking down on the whackos, who as a result have grown to a significant number.

[Beasts of England]

Mohammed Urinal Cakes? Urine good hands with the prophet.

[narciso]

and in the next caliphate,

http://pjmedia.com/tatler/2015/01/08/nigerias-911-boko-haram-kills-2000-in-attack-on-baga-city-burnt-to-the-ground/

[Captain Hate]

Ben Affleck wasn't available for comment:

http://www.mediaite.com/tv/maher-rips-liberal-pussy-nation-thats-too-scared-to-insult-islam/

[Captain Hate]

Dammit Beasts; now I'll have to share my prophets.

[Beasts of England]

lol Not at all, Captain! Just get me one of those cushy jobs in the marketing department. With an expense account, of course! ;)

[narciso]

Yes, but he spends the other 6 days of the week, on easy targets, funding the dhimmi in chief, and going after those who have shown wisdom and foresight,

[Miss Marple]

Here is my objection to Chouderay's article.

The ONLY description of him in the USA Today column is that he a "Radical Muslim cleric and a lecturer in sharia."

A little more detail with perhaps some quotes of his in other situations might have made the picture clearer.

Otherwise, to most readers, it will just be "here's what some Muslim said," and they will read it as a semi-resonable objection, except perhaps in that paragraph about "must kill," if they got that far.

Are we in a war or not?

If we are, then this is sort of like printing an Op-Ed from Heinrich Himmler in the Chicago Tribune in 1941.

[Soylent Red]

Are we in a war or not?

If we are, then this is sort of like printing an Op-Ed from Heinrich Himmler in the Chicago Tribune in 1941.

Begging the question of who we are at war with, and who their allies are.

[RickB]

NK,

Do you think DeBlasio would have appreciated prior restraint had he known where his incitement of rabble would lead? Sisi is going to have to exercise terminal prior restraint upon quite a number of Chowderhead shrieking mullahs in the near future. Should we regret the imposition of terminal prior restraint in all instances or should we weigh the probable reaction of the rabble?

Will Sisi's abridgement of free speech by terminal prior restraint of mullahs be ethically and morally objectionable?

[narciso]

yes, founder of a proscribed Islamist group,
would be a better descriptor, but USA Today
has the discretion not to accept Chowdery in the first place, well in theory,

[Mike Giles]

How does that go? Oh yes: "A liberal is someone so open minded, their brains have fallen out".

[Iggy]

--I just don't think Islam is necessarily, nor has it always been, Jihadi/Islamofascist/Koranic literalist.--

The periods it has been quiescent have been those when it has been beaten into submission.
Its natural state is expansionary, either subversively through immigration and internal coercion and conversion or through conquest.

There is nothing "literalist" about the plain words of the Koran that the world is to be ruled by Islam and those who refuse to convert will submit and live as oppressed second or third class citizens.
Those who don't believe in sharia and the plain words and aims of the koran are not moderate muslims. They are heretics.

[Jane]

Charlie Baker will be sworn in as MassGuv at noon. Two of the scheduled guests are NJGuv Chris Christie and RIGuv Gina Raimondo.

I was invited to that little happening (over by now I guess). Since it is now officially 1,452,239 degrees below zero I will not be going.

So Deval left us $1 billion in debt so he could give all that free stuff to non-residents.

He should be jailed and I should move.

[Captain Hate]

Sorry Beasts but your expense account would be more negative to my prophets than the cakes would to Mo.

[Sandy--I Stand With Walker 2016--Daze]

Jane, moving to your Island ?

Why not come to Hillsdale ?

Great property prices here, your dollar goes very far, maybe twice or trice as far as MA.

[Soylent Red]

Sorry Beasts but your expense account would be more negative to my prophets than the cakes would to Mo.

The future must not belong to those who squander the profit.

[sbw]

From the last thread:

-18 degrees in Rome, NY, today. Schools on a 2 hour delay.

--

Stephanie, re: the reason article claiming those who say "Je suis Charlie”, aren’t Charlie.

We at the Rome Sentinel say “Je suis Charlie”, as we do in our editorial today [available at 4 p.m. Eastern]. We have more specific editorials planned. In part:

The murders attack the most fundamental principle of American governance — the liberty to tell someone some thing they may not wish to hear.

Democracy is not the principle, but only one application of the underlying humility and doubt that require us to respect the differing opinions of others — the wisdom that even the smallest among us might offer a better idea. . . .

We supported the Danish Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons in 2005. We ran the cartoons that week when Borders pulled magazines that carried them from its racks.

[Old Lurker]

"So Deval left us $1 billion in debt so he could give all that free stuff to non-residents."

That's why you call him Mini-Me. You have to add four zeros to catch up with his role model.

[Old Lurker]

Beasts has found that Opera Tickets are expensive, Cap'n.

[Danube on iPad]

"I just wouldn't agree that Islam is necessarily ISIS."

I think that's probably true, but that doesn't mean there's not a causal connection.

My hope was that every single news outlet in the entire Western world would immediately and proudly re-publish those cartoons. But alas. The message would have been, "you don't like free speech, we'll give you more free speech than you can handle." Instead, the jihadists must be thinking Mission Accomplished.

[narciso]

like I say, Easy targets:

http://hotair.com/archives/2015/01/08/the-story-of-christine-odonnell-and-the-fec-isnt-over-yet/

[Captain Hate]

Kudos sbw!

[narciso]

excellent, sbw,

[Beasts of England]

Well played, OL! ;)

[Captain Hate]

I can't believe Jizz Shaw gives any credence to what the FEC claims to have happened.

[narciso]

the throng does resonate some understanding to him,

[Captain Hate]

Tammy Bruce is slattering the interview of Senator Ma'am by her idiot grandson.

[Miss Marple]

http://weaselzippers.us/210373-muslim-man-tries-to-get-on-plane-with-fake-id-tries-to-knife-police-is-fatally-shot-in-ohio/

I was wondering if this perp was a Muslim.

Just another lone wolf, I guess.

[narciso]

Brian Williams is going to clarify yesterday's report on the suspects

[nextcube]

sbw - those wimps in Utica cancelled school, and the really hard-core people in Whitesboro didn't even delay. This created an interesting situation in which our Notre Dame-attending son didn't have school and our Wboro-attending daughter did for the second time this week. :) (I suspect it's because basically all kids are bused in Wboro, while a meaningful percentage walk in Utica.)

Back on-topic...

The ONLY description of him in the USA Today column is that he a "Radical Muslim cleric and a lecturer in sharia."

You'd think that description would be enough! But that would assume that people understand what those terms actually mean...

[Appalled]

Having seen more than enough terrorism in my middle age coming from those who embrace Islam, I can only conclude that something in Islam nourishes the terrorism. It doesn't mean, the first thing we do, we deport all the Muslims. It does mean we have to take off the pc blinders and NOTICE.

What do we do? Good question. Maybe pay attention to Egypt's president, who is thinking about the same things we should be noticing, because he is in daily combat with the Muslim Brotherhood. Maybe we need to be looking at Tunisia, which has gone from dictatorship to Democracy, and not gone Fundamentalist.

And maybe, it is time for us to study Islam in the same way we used to study the Soviet Union, and free up Islamic Studies from the folks who actually believe the religion. What seems hard these days is to treat someone seriously, while at the same time, rejecting their beliefs.

[JerryRigged]

OT, concerning the Colorado bombing. I looked at the building on Google maps and it appears there is already a black mark on the side of the building where the bomb went off. It also appears that the location of the bomb is much closer to the Barber Shop unless the NAACP offices went all the way to the back of the building (doubtful). Just something I thought was interesting...

[exdemocrat]

Actually, I think I lean towards McCain's take on the USA Today thing:http://theothermccain.com/2015/01/08/muslim-fanatic-defends-savage-murders-by-fanatical-murderous-muslim-savages/

[Danube on iPad]

How does this man remain alive?

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=b9SIcIvuKWQ

[jimmyk]

I think that's probably true, but that doesn't mean there's not a causal connection.

I think we are in agreement.

[jimmyk]

How does this man remain alive?

He hasn't published a cartoon of the Prophet?

[Stephanie De Nile is a river in Progtopia]

Excellent, Sen!

Appalled, it's of a piece with interacting with the palis who say the destruction of Israel is their primary goal and ignoring that statement to achieve the lib narrative of "peace in our time."

Wrestling with a crocodile is dangerous if you focus on their teeth and ignore their vocal cords.

It's of a piece also with libs feeling free to redefine Islam for Islamists like Howard Dean so as to conform to the precious narrative to the exclusion of reality.

[Old Lurker]

"I just wouldn't agree that Islam is necessarily ISIS."

Same thing as we wouldn't agree that Catholics are necessarily Jesuits.

[Miss Marple]

Meanwhile, Sisi isn't messing around. He is relocating the entire city of Rfah in order to stop the tuinnel industry in Gaza.

http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=752455

[Stephanie De Nile is a river in Progtopia]

Sen? Damn autocorrect. Sbw.

[narciso]

this minitrue job is tough,

http://dailycaller.com/2015/01/08/new-york-times-reports-on-muslim-proselytizing-during-charlie-hebdo-attack-then-deletes-it/

[Soylent Red]

You always hurt, (KRR-UNCH!)
the ones you loathe.

Countdown to weeping in 3...2...1...

[Thomas Collins]

Jane, re your 12:59 PM post: You have more of an "in" with the new regime than I do. My wife was invited to tomorrow's event featuring Dropkick Murphys, and I was invited to no inauguration festivities.

[Stephanie De Nile is a river in Progtopia]

Sbw, I equate it to playing whack a mole. The game works and the jihadists win as long as only one or two moles are brave enough to pop up at a time. The game fails when all the moles are up and are targets. If you don't know whack a mole points are subtracted for missing a mole so it's easy to add points with one or two up and impossible if all the moles are visible.

Btw, the same principle applies to the tea party and the IRS. If only one or two are brave enough to fight, the IRS wins. Only with massive civil disobedience can you overwhelm the system. CP can and should be used by the right as well. They can't audit us all.

[Beasts of England]

The future does does belong to those who disinvite the three-piece suit...

[Jack is Back!]

To all those hand-wringing aplogists for Islam living out there in the comfort of western society, I'd like to see them spend 2 years in Saudi Arabia. Forget the prohibition on alcohol. That is the least of your freedoms you will miss.

If you don't think Islam is not part of ISIS or AQ or Hamas or the Taliban then you don't know Wahabi. You don't even have to go to the sand box. You can walk down the mean streets of Brussels or Antwerp or Rotterdam or Paris and catch the looks you get from the radicalized youth.

It all starts in the mosque, all of it. And if that isn't Islamic enough for you then you haven't been paying attention. Radical Islam is Islam and Radical Islam is the most purist form of the teachings and beliefs of the Qu'ran.

I feel as if I lost 2.5 years of my life living in those conditions. Its an intolerable religion and more personality cult than spiritual.

I all begins in the mosques, believe me.

[narciso]

who they should have published:

http://hotair.com/headlines/archives/2015/01/08/how-to-answer-the-paris-terror-attack/

[Tonto]

More good news about Ned, and thanks --again! -- for everyone here at JoM. My friend Hannah writes:

"The doctors determined that Ned had a genetic condition that caused his heart to short circuit - like an electrical short. Only 40% of people who have this kind of cardiac arrest survive... and a smaller portion of those people survive without brain damage.

In Ned's case, thanks to Megan's quick thinking and CPR (from babysitting classes back in the late 1980s/early 1990s), Ned survived without any significant brain damage. He's still "NED" - his personality is intact, his memory is intact (just a little foggy for now), and his smartness is intact.

Yesterday, he had a small surgery to install a defibrillator and the surgery went really well -- he will be allowed to go home to his parents' house on Friday.

A couple of days ago, the paramedics came back to talk to Megan and my mom, to let Megan know that she saved Ned's life. She's the reason her daughter still has a dad. I'm so proud of her. And I'm so thankful for her calm in the midst of the terrifying experience of watching her husband stop breathing and turn blue while her little baby slept in a chair two feet away.... "

Hannah and her family send their thanks to every one of you.

[Strawman Cometh]

Boehner said. “Who’s the guy who believes in regular order?"
Says the guy who just funded all of obomantion through 2015, what a putz.

[Beasts of England]

Fantastic news, Tonto. Damned fine gesture by the paramedics...

[clarice]

What if the Brits simply cut off beasts like Choudray from their generous dole and had them work for a living? Radical thought, I know.

[NKvirusedand back]

Great news Tonto. Hope that progress continues.

[PDinDetroit]

Fantastic Tonto. Will keep up the prayers.

[Jane]

Jane, re your 12:59 PM post: You have more of an "in" with the new regime than I do

I was a delegate. I assume it was a job requirement.

[lyle]

What if the Brits simply cut off beasts

Hmm, I know at least one JOM denizen who won't like the sound of this...

[Jack is Back!]

Tonto,

That is the best news possible. I love it when prayer circles work like that.

Clarice,

I remember "Andy" [Choudray's nickname] when he was cheerleading the BBC and other mindless leftists after 911. He is evil personified. Even Red Ken Livingstone couldn't stand him.

BTW, he's a fellow lawyer, you know:)

B

[clarice]

I always love good news, tonto!

[Old Lurker]

Cut off Beast's what?

[Beasts of England]

Let's not get crazy, now!! ;)

[Iggy]

For those who don't believe ISIS is Islamic or that Islam is not ISIS [whatever that is supposed to mean] please explain what tenets of Islam it violates by its actions.
If you find some please explain why those are not overridden by later, more violent verses as Islamic scholars have indicated they should.
Please explain what actions they have taken that the prophet muhammad himself didn't also take.

[Jane]

Great news Tonto - made my day!

[Extraneus]

I'm glad USA Today was willing to give a forum to a real imam who could contradict Obama, Dean, Kerry, and dozens more of our lying "leaders" who don't have the balls to admit what the imam did about Islam.

[Neo]

Apparently, the New York Times was caught changing without notation a story from the shooting ...

Instead, she told French news media, the man said, “I’m not going to kill you because you’re a woman, we don’t kill women, but you must convert to Islam, read the Quran and cover yourself,” she recalled.

… then the Times changed it to something like this, I’m told …

Instead, she told French news media, the man said, “I’m not going to kill you because you drive a Prius, we don’t kill Global Warming believers, but you must convert to solar energy, read the New York Times and cover yourself with ObamaCare,” she recalled.

… I could have gotten that wrong though, but they did change it to leave out the Islamic parts.

[Old Lurker]

Haven't we seen this movie before?

Fox News: "The Connecticut Supreme Court upheld a prior ruling Thursday that a 17-year-old cancer patient cannot refuse chemotherapy treatment for Hodgkin lymphoma.

The state argued that the teen lacked competency extended to maturity, as well, and that they did not believe she understood the severity of her prognosis.

The teen, who is identified in court documents as “Cassandra C.,” but was identified by police as Cassandra Callender in a November missing persons report, was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma in September. At the time, doctors at the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center (CCMC) recommended she receive chemotherapy.

Cassandra ran away after two treatments in November and, with the support of her mother, refused any more when she returned. After the hospital reported Cassandra’s mother, Jackie Fortin, the Connecticut Department of Children and Families (DCF) took temporary custody of the teen, and her mother was ordered to cooperate with medical care administered under the agency’s supervision. "

[Dave (in MA)]

That's why you call him Mini-Me

[jimmyk]

For those who don't believe ISIS is Islamic or that Islam is not ISIS [whatever that is supposed to mean] please explain what tenets of Islam it violates by its actions.

What it's supposed to mean is only that in the Venn diagram of Islam, ISIS lies squarely within it but does not coincide with it. Given that is the case, it is obvious that ISIS doesn't violate tenets of Islam, but as with any religious schism, the claims of ISIS and the Salafists that it is the *only* true Islam are not true just because they say so.

I trust that my comments are not being interpreted as "apologist." I'm under no illusion as to what Islam is today, and in particular what barbarians the Wahabis and Jihadists are. And I'm as hardline as anyone on what the West's response should be to ISIS and Islamofascism. I'm just not prepared to completely dismiss as "non-Islamic" those like Sisi (and Sadat before him) who want to put down the crazies.

[sbw]

Nextcube, I suppose Utica is cityfolk and Whitesboro is countryfolk. We are tougher out in the country.

[Jack is Back!]

jimmyk,

Do you know the term "Jack Mormon"?

IMHO, people like Sisi are "Jack Muzzies". Their mosques are more spiritual if they even attend Friday prayers. The like Ataturk are more secular and understand the Jihadi side better than even the westerners do. They have seen the damage lack of progress and education over the last few centuries.

Sisi has two ways to survive: With them or against them. He has decided he can win.

[Sandy--I Stand with Walker 2016--Daze ن]

In other news, just because we pulled out of Iraq and are pulling out of Afghanistan, does not mean we must stop there:

Pentagon Announces Base Closures in Europe

16 Bases including:
United Kingdom

Divest RAF Mildenhall:
• Returns the installation and four supported sites to the United Kingdom.
• DOD intends to relocate the operational units at RAF Mildenhall within Europe — the assigned KC-135s and the 352nd Special Operations Group to Germany and the assigned RC-135s within the U.K. This paves the way for the stationing of two squadrons of F-35s at RAF Lakenheath, starting in 2020.
• Divest RAF Alconbury/RAF Molesworth: Consolidation of missions allows the permanent return of RAF Alconbury, RAF Molesworth and supporting sites to the United Kingdom. The majority of U.S. personnel, and many of the U.S.-funded host nation positions assigned to these bases will be transferred to RAF Croughton.

Germany

• Close Mainz-Kastel Station — fully returns the site to Germany.
• Close Barton Barracks — fully returns the site to Germany and relocates the Department of Defense Dependents Schools Bavaria district office to Grafenwöhr.
• Partially close Pulaski Barracks in the Kaiserslautem area — returns part of the site to Germany.
• Close Weilimdorf warehouse site — returns the site to German control.
• Close two Baumholder waterworks — returns control to Germany.
• Relocate HQs DISA-Europe from Stuttgart to Kaiserslautem.
• Close Amelia Earhart Hotel in Wiesbaden.
• Partially close Artillery Kaserne in Garmisch — returns two-thirds of the site to Germany.
• Restructure the Army Air Force Exchange Services bakery and water distribution operations at Grünstadt.
• Close Husterhöh Kaserne in Pirmasens — returns the site to Germany.
• Relocate mail sorting/distribution from German Aerial Mail Terminal in Frankfurt to Germersheim Army Depot — efficiencies and personnel moves only.
• Create a distribution center of excellence at Germersheim Army Depot.
• Consolidate various communication data centers across EUCOM.
• Close commissaries at Illesheim and Sembach, as well as the four commissaries in Stuttgart at Kelley Barracks, Patch Barracks, Panzer Barracks and Robinson Barracks, once a new replacement store on Panzer is constructed.
• Consolidate Defense Media Activity operations across Europe.
• Consolidate communications, postal services and personnel management that support the U.S. mission to NATO and the U.S. military delegation to the NATO military committee.

And other facilities in
Belgium, The Netherlands, Italy, and Portugal.

[Danube on iPad]

A very bleak prognosis for France:

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/jan/7/french-islamist-mini-states-grow-into-problem-out-/?page=all#pagebreak

[Sandy--I Stand with Walker 2016--Daze ن]

In other news, just because we pulled out of Iraq and are pulling out of Afghanistan, does not mean we must stop there:

Pentagon Announces Base Closures in Europe

16 Bases including:
United Kingdom

Divest RAF Mildenhall:
• Returns the installation and four supported sites to the United Kingdom.
• DOD intends to relocate the operational units at RAF Mildenhall within Europe — the assigned KC-135s and the 352nd Special Operations Group to Germany and the assigned RC-135s within the U.K. This paves the way for the stationing of two squadrons of F-35s at RAF Lakenheath, starting in 2020.
• Divest RAF Alconbury/RAF Molesworth: Consolidation of missions allows the permanent return of RAF Alconbury, RAF Molesworth and supporting sites to the United Kingdom. The majority of U.S. personnel, and many of the U.S.-funded host nation positions assigned to these bases will be transferred to RAF Croughton.

Germany

• Close Mainz-Kastel Station — fully returns the site to Germany.
• Close Barton Barracks — fully returns the site to Germany and relocates the Department of Defense Dependents Schools Bavaria district office to Grafenwöhr.
• Partially close Pulaski Barracks in the Kaiserslautem area — returns part of the site to Germany.
• Close Weilimdorf warehouse site — returns the site to German control.
• Close two Baumholder waterworks — returns control to Germany.
• Relocate HQs DISA-Europe from Stuttgart to Kaiserslautem.
• Close Amelia Earhart Hotel in Wiesbaden.
• Partially close Artillery Kaserne in Garmisch — returns two-thirds of the site to Germany.
• Restructure the Army Air Force Exchange Services bakery and water distribution operations at Grünstadt.
• Close Husterhöh Kaserne in Pirmasens — returns the site to Germany.
• Relocate mail sorting/distribution from German Aerial Mail Terminal in Frankfurt to Germersheim Army Depot — efficiencies and personnel moves only.
• Create a distribution center of excellence at Germersheim Army Depot.
• Consolidate various communication data centers across EUCOM.
• Close commissaries at Illesheim and Sembach, as well as the four commissaries in Stuttgart at Kelley Barracks, Patch Barracks, Panzer Barracks and Robinson Barracks, once a new replacement store on Panzer is constructed.
• Consolidate Defense Media Activity operations across Europe.
• Consolidate communications, postal services and personnel management that support the U.S. mission to NATO and the U.S. military delegation to the NATO military committee.

And other facilities in
Belgium, The Netherlands, Italy, and Portugal.

[Sandy--I Stand with Walker 2016--Daze ن]

(oopla, I did refresh...)

[Iggy]

--A couple of days ago, the paramedics came back to talk to Megan and my mom, to let Megan know that she saved Ned's life. She's the reason her daughter still has a dad.--

Imagine what a special bond that will make between them.
Her kiss saved his life. :)