#Cowards-----"Screw Your Hashtag Solidarity" :: SteynOnline

"Screw Your Hashtag Solidarity" :: SteynOnline
The fire rages on: As I write, two people have been confirmed dead in a hostage siege at a kosher grocery store in Paris.

It will take more than a hashtag to fix this - which is why I was in a bit of a cranky mood for my weekly interview with Hugh Hewitt:

MARK STEYN: These men were exceptionally brave. Most of the people expressing solidarity with them are not that brave. I'm not that brave. But when the Canadian Islamic Congress attempted to criminalize my writing, I fought back, and I pushed back, and I got a law changed in the Canadian Parliament, because that's how important I think freedom of speech is. But I wasn't asked to die for it like these guys were. And to be honest, it makes me vomit to see people holding these Princess Dianafied candlelit vigils, and using the hashtag #JeSuisCharlie - I am Charlie -and in effect appropriating these guys' sacrifice for this bogus solidarity. It makes me sick to see all these 'the pen is mightier than the sword' cartoons that have appeared in newspapers all over the United States, Canada, Britain, Germany, France, Australia, everywhere, from other cartoonists, again expressing solidarity with these very brave men - but not doing what they did...

These guys are dead because back in 2005, these Danish cartoons were published in an obscure Jutland newspaper, and a bunch of fanatics went bananas and started killing people over them. So a couple of publications on the planet, including mine in Canada, and Charlie Hebdo in Paris, published these cartoons... Le Monde didn't, and the Times of London didn't, and the New York Times didn't, and nobody else did. And as a result, these fellows in Charlie Hebdo became the focus of murderous rage. If we'd all just published them on the front page and said "If you want to kill us, you go to hell, you can't just kill a couple of obscure Danes, you're going to have to kill us all", we wouldn't have this problem. But because nobody did that, these Parisian guys are dead. They're dead. And I've been on enough, I've been on enough events in Europe with less famous cartoonists than these who live under death threats, live under armed guard, have had their family restaurant firebombed - it's happened to a Norwegian comedienne I know - have come home and found their home burned, as a Swedish artist I know happened to. And all these people doing the phony hashtag solidarity, screw your phony hashtag solidarity. Let's have some real solidarity - or if not, at least have the good taste to stay the hell out of it.

More proof that more college students support post-birth abortion

UPDATE: More proof that more college students support post-birth abortion:
"A College Fix article that went viral last fall drew attention to an emerging inclination among young people: pro-life activists who engage college students on campuses across the country are seeing support for so-called “post-birth abortion,” or the killing of infants and young children.
It was a report so shocking, many did not want to believe it.
In response to the article – shared on social media nearly 50,000 times and sparking a national dialogue – Snopes.com attempted to debunk the claim by complaining the piece spun anecdotal evidence into a “study.”
Students for Life also published a piece saying they did not think the trend was real.
However, the article explicitly stated its evidence is anecdotal, based on the many experiences of pro-life activists with Created Equal and Survivors of the Abortion Holocaust, whose members show up at college campuses weekly and engage young people in serious conversations about abortion."

O’Reilly Invites Representatives From Pro-Muslim Organizations to Discuss Jihad — Shoutfest Ensues | Video | TheBlaze.com

O’Reilly Invites Representatives From Pro-Muslim Organizations to Discuss Jihad — Shoutfest Ensues | Video | TheBlaze.com:

"Fox News host Bill O’Reilly invited a pair of individuals representing Muslim organizations onto his program Thursday night to discuss terrorism in the wake of the Paris attack against a satirical newspaper — and a shoutfest ultimately ensued.

Leading into the segment, O’Reilly delivered a monologue arguing that it’s time to stop making excuses for Muslim nations that don’t seriously fight Islamic jihad.

WATCH: O’Reilly’s ‘Talking Points Memo’: Stop Making Excuses for Muslim Nations That Don’t Fight Jihad:"

Obama Wants to Make Community College Free, Because Why the Heck Not?

Obama Wants to Make Community College Free, Because Why the Heck Not? - Hit & Run
President Obama teased the nation Thursday night with promises of a glorious "free community college for all" plan. And really, who can be against free stuff?

Obama made the announcement while aboard Air Force One en route from Detroit to Phoenix. He offered few details but did say that the first two years of community college should be free for people putting in the effort to learn those skills:

"Put simply, what I'd like to do is see the first two years of community college free for everybody who's willing to work for it. That's right, free for everybody who is willing to work for it."

Of course, "free" really means "paid for by someone else." I don't think the president is offering to reach into his own pockets to pay everybody's tuition fees, so taxpayers can probably expect the cold hands of government to reach into theirs instead.

On the other hand... free! It's a fun word to say, that's for sure.

Obama will offer a full explanation of his proposal during his forthcoming State of the Union address on Tuesday, January 20. Citizens can expect to hear about lots of other "free" things they will be required fund.

Live Updates: Operation to Capture Paris Terror Attack Suspects Now Underway | TheBlaze.com

Live Updates: Operation to Capture Paris Terror Attack Suspects Now Underway | TheBlaze.com:

"An official in the French town where two terror suspects are holed up with a hostage near a school tells The Associated Press that phone contact has been established with the men. A lawmaker inside the command post tells French television the men “want to die as martyrs.”

Here’s What Happened After ‘Black Lives Matter’ Protester Underwent Use of Force Scenarios With Cops | Video | TheBlaze.com

Here’s What Happened After ‘Black Lives Matter’ Protester Underwent Use of Force Scenarios With Cops | Video | TheBlaze.com:

“We want his badge, we want his gun, we want his job,” he was captured on video saying at one protest.

The activist agreed to undergo a standard use of force training exercise with the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Department where he was forced to decide whether to shoot or not to shoot in three different scenarios."

Dear Taxpayer: Does This “Bug” You?

Dear Taxpayer: Does This “Bug” You? [Michigan Capitol Confidential]:
"Reports from the state Capitol late last year were filled with stories of a $1.9 billion tax hike the previous Legislature wants Michigan taxpayers to impose on themselves come May 5.
But hours before that vote it appeared all the state's problems had been solved, because time had been found to introduce the following bill, as described by MichiganVotes.org:
2014 House Bill 6094: Establish official state bug.
....Still, the bill provides another opportunity to explore why career politicians so frequently introduce such puffery.
The answer of course is to curry favor with certain special interests or segments of the population they believe may be helpful for keeping their current jobs, or finding their next elected or appointed government position."

Our governments, at EVERY level, have spent us broke!-----Pension Tsunami

Pension Tsunami

Pot Quiz - Venice Boardwalk Edition

History for January 9

History for January 9 - On-This-Day.com
Simone de Beauvoir 1908, Richard Milhous Nixon (U.S.) 1913, Bart Starr (NFL) 1934 


Bob Denver 1935, Joan Baez 1941, Crystal Gayle 1951 


1793 - Jean-Pierre Blanchard made the first successful balloon flight in the U.S. 


1799 - British Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger introduced income tax, at two shillings (10p) in the pound, to raise funds for the Napoleonic Wars. 


1902 - New York State introduced a bill to outlaw flirting in public. 


1969 - The supersonic aeroplane Concorde made its first trial flight, at Bristol. 


1984 - Clara Peller was first seen by TV viewers in the "Where's the Beef?" commercial campaign for Wendy's. 


1986 - Kodak got out of the instant camera business after 10 years due to a loss in a court battle that claimed that Kodak copied Polaroid patents. 


2002 - Yasmine Bleeth was sentenced to two years of probation, regular drug tests, 100 hours of community service and pay the court costs in connection to a cocaine-possession charge. 


2002 - The U.S. Justice Department announced that it was pursuing a criminal investigation of Enron Corp. The company had filed for bankruptcy on December 2, 2001. 

Saudi Blogger to Receive First of 1,000 Lashes for Insulting Islam | TheBlaze.com

Saudi Blogger to Receive First of 1,000 Lashes for Insulting Islam | TheBlaze.com:

"London-based rights group Amnesty International has said that Badawi is to receive 50 lashes once a week for 20 weeks.

“It is horrifying to think that such a vicious and cruel punishment should be imposed on someone who is guilty of nothing more than daring to create a public forum for discussion and peacefully exercising the right to freedom of expression,” said Philip Luther, Amnesty’s Middle East and North Africa director."

Bill Maher Scolds Liberals for Shying Away From Muslim Criticism: ‘We Have to Not Avoid Who Did This’ | Video | TheBlaze.com

Bill Maher Scolds Liberals for Shying Away From Muslim Criticism: ‘We Have to Not Avoid Who Did This’ | Video | TheBlaze.com:

"Rattling off statistics about the treatment of women and gays in the Muslim world, Maher said: ”In 10 Muslim countries you can get the death penalty just for being gay. They chop heads off in the square in Mecca. Well, Mecca is their Vatican City. If they were chopping the heads off of Catholic gay people, wouldn’t there be a bigger outcry among liberals?”

Comparing the efforts of radical Islamists’ efforts to silence those who mock their prophet to North Korean attempts to shut down “The Interview,” Maher said: “We should be able to insult whatever we want, that is what free speech is like.”

The Consequences of Obama's Benghazi Video Lie - The Rush Limbaugh Show

The Consequences of Obama's Benghazi Video Lie - The Rush Limbaugh Show:

"All we're doing is trumpeting our weakness.  But when Obama shows up and says, "The future must not belong to those who slander the prophet of Islam," then you have the president of the United States rationalizing barbaric behavior and punishing some poor oaf who just made a video that nobody ever saw.  So these actions have consequences.  But our leadership uses words to cast and shape images, PR and buzz. But the real world hears those words, acts on them, believes them.

There are consequences."

Charlie Hebdo Attack: Magazine to publish next week

BBC News - Charlie Hebdo Attack: Magazine to publish next week:
"French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo will go to print next week, in defiance of Wednesday's apparent militant Islamist attack.
Ten journalists and two police were killed when masked attackers opened fire at its Paris headquarters.
Columnist Patrick Pelloux said the decision to continue to publish will show that "stupidity will not win".
It will have a print run of one million copies, compared with its usual 60,000 a week."

Why Does the Media Lie About Race to Protect Obama? | TheBlaze.com

Why Does the Media Lie About Race to Protect Obama? | TheBlaze.com:

"Why does the media allow Obama to give press conferences about the handful of black Americans killed by police officers, but never mention the police officers murdered by black criminals? It happens all the time, but Obama never says a word about it.

That’s his prerogative. But it’s the media’s job to question him…to point out the inconsistencies…to call him on the hypocrisy and what looks to both police officers and law-abiding citizens as a dangerous double standard that incites violence against police."

Price of Legal Pot Plunges 40% in Washington as Shortages Ease

Price of Legal Pot Plunges 40% in Washington as Shortages Ease - Bloomberg:
"Shortages that plagued the start of Washington state’s legal marijuana market have eased, sending prices in recreational-pot stores down as much as 40 percent.
Seattle’s first pot shop, Cannabis City, ran out of marijuana in three days when it opened in July. Since then, the state has licensed more growers, processors and retailers, increasing supply and reducing prices to an average of $15 a gram, said Randy Simmons, deputy director of the Washington State Liquor Control Board. Prices were as much as $25 a gram in July, including taxes.
Even after the decline, that’s still 50 percent more than the $10 a gram available on the black market, board officials said in an interview yesterday at Bloomberg’s offices in Seattle."

What a ‘Leader’: Boehner Reportedly Taking Revenge on Those Who Voted Against Him

What a ‘Leader’: Boehner Reportedly Taking Revenge on Those Who Voted Against Him:

"While the mark of a true congressional leader might be to try and unite factions within the government, including their own party, Speaker of the House John Boehner is reportedly looking to punish those who worked against the moderate Speaker when it came time for a vote on Tuesday for the Speaker position."

The INSANE Reason Why Paris Police Retreated From Muslim Terrorists -

The INSANE Reason Why Paris Police Retreated From Muslim Terrorists
Armed Muslim terrorists, who shouted “Allahu Akbar” and told witnesses they were affiliated iwth al-Qaida, slaughtered 10 journalists at the headquarters of Charlie Hebdo, a satirical magazine. Several police officers on the scene retreated from the gunmen because they were UNARMED.
Paris police officers have the option of carrying firearms and, for some ridiculous reason, many choose not to. 
Do they not know the only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun?
From Daily Caller:
“Three policemen had arrived on bikes but had to leave because the men were armed, obviously,” Benoit Bringer, who works on the same floor as Charlie Hebdo’s offices, told France Info radio, according to The Guardian.
“Then the attackers took off in a car”…
Though the full timeline of the shootings is unclear, it appears that the gunmen killed two police officers after their initial confrontation with the bike cops.
Video shows the gunmen hunting down one police officer on the sidewalk following the shooting inside Charlie Hebdo’s offices.
The officer is seen pleading for his life as the gunman approaches and shoots him in the head at point-blank range.

New York mayor’s secret past comes to light

New York mayor’s secret past comes to light:

"Largely unreported in the news coverage of the recent race-related demonstrations is that New York Mayor Bill de Blasio has a history of working with extremist activist groups to stir protests.

Further, de Blasio has a largely unreported history with the controversial Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, or ACORN."

The future business war-----Study Examines Effects of the ‘Sharing Economy’ Revolution

Study Examines Effects of the ‘Sharing Economy’ Revolution | Heartlander Magazine:
"A recent study by published by the Mercatus Center at George Mason University examines the recent rise of innovative peer-to-peer companies such as Airbnb, Lyft, and Uber, explaining the “sharing economy” and its relationship with consumers and regulators.
Mercatus Center scholars Christopher Koopman, Matthew Mitchell, and Adam Thierer define the sharing economy as “any marketplace that brings together distributed networks of individuals to share or exchange otherwise underutilized goods—for both monetary and non-monetary benefit.”
Examples of companies in the sharing economy include familiar examples like Airbnb, Lyft, or Uber. By “underutilized assets or ‘dead capital’ to be put to more productive use,” the authors explain, the sharing economy improves “consumer welfare by offering new innovations, more choices, more service differentiation, better prices, and higher-quality services.” "

Flood of anti-Boehner calls rattles leadership | WashingtonExaminer.com

Flood of anti-Boehner calls rattles leadership | WashingtonExaminer.com:

"Boehner was so agitated by the phone calls that he raised the issue to his rank and file in a private meeting Wednesday morning, those in the room reported.

Boehner was defensive, according to witnesses. He told GOP lawmakers he has long espoused the Tea Party principles that the callers accused him of abandoning."

Museum Opens America’s Oldest Time Capsule Buried by Paul Revere, Sam Adams — Here’s What Was Inside | TheBlaze.com

Museum Opens America’s Oldest Time Capsule Buried by Paul Revere, Sam Adams — Here’s What Was Inside | TheBlaze.com:

"Experts at a Boston museum opened up a 1795 time capsule buried by Sam Adams and Paul Revere in front of live-cameras Tuesday."

Brave men and women keep the peace. Cowards cause war------White House Criticized French Magazine For Publishing Muhammad Cartoon

White House Criticized French Magazine For Publishing Muhammad Cartoon | Pamela Geller, Atlas Shrugs:
Evil is made possible by the sanction you give it. 
Obama’s sanction and support for the brutal speech restrictions under Islamic law (blasphemy under the sharia) has emboldened and empowered these savages.
The Obama administration had previously criticized the French magazine Charlie Hebdo for publishing cartoons mocking Muhammad.
Sanction.
...WASHINGTON (CBSDC) — The White House criticized French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo in 2012 for publishing cartoons mocking the Prophet Muhammad.
Then White House Press Secretary Jay Carney questioned the magazine’s judgment after publishing images of Muhammad naked.
“We are aware that a French magazine published cartoons featuring a figure resembling the Prophet Muhammad, and obviously we have questions about the judgment of publishing something like this,” Carney told reporters in September 2012.
Carney stated that the images would be “deeply offensive to many and have the potential to be inflammatory.”
“We don’t question the right of something like this to be published, we just question the judgment behind the decision to publish it,” Carney said at the time.....

People know the consequences: Opposing view

People know the consequences: Opposing view:

Why did France allow the tabloid to provoke Muslims?

Contrary to popular misconception, Islam does not mean peace but rather means submission to the commands of Allah alone. Therefore, Muslims do not believe in the concept of freedom of expression, as their speech and actions are determined by divine revelation and not based on people's desires.

Although Muslims may not agree about the idea of freedom of expression, even non-Muslims who espouse it say it comes with responsibilities. In an increasingly unstable and insecure world, the potential consequences of insulting the Messenger Muhammad are known to Muslims and non-Muslims alike.

Muslims consider the honor of the Prophet Muhammad to be dearer to them than that of their parents or even themselves. To defend it is considered to be an obligation upon them. The strict punishment if found guilty of this crime under sharia (Islamic law) is capital punishment implementable by an Islamic State. This is because the Messenger Muhammad said, "Whoever insults a Prophet kill him."

However, because the honor of the Prophet is something which all Muslims want to defend, many will take the law into their own hands, as we often see.

Within liberal democracies, freedom of expression has curtailments, such as laws against incitement and hatred.

The truth is that Western governments are content to sacrifice liberties and freedoms when being complicit to torture and rendition — or when restricting the freedom of movement of Muslims, under the guise of protecting national security.

So why in this case did the French government allow the magazine Charlie Hebdo to continue to provoke Muslims, thereby placing the sanctity of its citizens at risk?

It is time that the sanctity of a Prophet revered by up to one-quarter of the world's population was protected.

Anjem Choudary is a radical Muslim cleric in London and a lecturer in sharia.

The Fire Rages :: SteynOnline

The Fire Rages :: SteynOnline:
"Against the argument that you cannot cry fire in a crowded theatre:
 Oh yes you can — you must, if in your considered view there is a fire. 
In that case there is a duty to cry fire."

The satirists of Charlie Hebdo thought there was a fire, and therefore considered they had a duty to cry fire. 
And they were right:
There is a fire - in the expanding no-go areas of les banlieues, in the routine Jew-hate on the streets of Paris and Toulouse and other French cities, in the ranks of "mentally ill" "lone wolves" yelling "Allahu Akbar!" while mowing down pedestrians and stabbing policemen...
So they cried fire and were killed.
And because they were rewarded for their honesty and bravery with death, more craven types in the politico-media class will find it easier to opt for cowardice and dishonesty. 
And so the fire will rage on, until it consumes us all."

65% of American children are now dependent on government welfare

65% of American children are now dependent on government welfare | The Daily Sheeple:
"Nearly two-thirds of American children now live in households receiving aid from at least one federal agency, according to a recent report from the Census Bureau.

This staggering figure is based on data compiled from interviews from the fall of 2011 that were conducted as part of the 2008 Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP).
The federal programs being accessed by these households include Medicaid, the National School Lunch Program, the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).
Of these programs, the one most commonly participated in was the National School Lunch Program, with an enrollment of 35 million children.
In second place was Medicaid (26.4 million participants), followed by SNAP (17.3 million), WIC (6.4 million) and TANF (2.3 million)."

Obama’s identity fraud and Mickey Mouse media

Obama’s identity fraud and Mickey Mouse media:
"Now we know everything?
Fat chance. For starters, there’s that unsolved mystery of why there is a piece of phony electronic artwork on the White House website purporting to be an image of a 1961 government document attesting to the details of Barack Obama’s birth. That this is evidence of what is likely the biggest case of identity fraud in history isn’t news to American media investigating more pressing matters (e.g., the presidential golf game). Nor, it seems, is other evidence of fraud or forgery from different investigations and numerous court proceedings. But it’s not just media (exception: WND.com) that turn their collective blind eye. Relevant federal, state and local authorities (exception: Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio) have consistently ignored, derided or buried all such evidence rather than carry out their legal responsibilities."

Random Thoughts - Thomas Sowell

Random Thoughts - Thomas Sowell - Page full:
Random thoughts on the passing scene:
"It tells us a lot about academia that the president of Smith College quickly apologized for saying, "All lives matter," after being criticized by those who are pushing the slogan, "Black lives matter."
If science could cross breed a jellyfish with a parrot, it could create academic administrators."