The incomprehensible terrorist mind thinks nothing of pure slaughter:

No details have emerged so far of the names or nationalities of the victims, but officials say most are thought to be Jordanian.

Many of the casualties are thought to have been among 250 guests at a wedding reception in the Radisson hotel.

So far, 57 dead and 300 injured. Innocent civilians. All for nothing.

Moral murkiness: Is CNN Student News leaving the door open to violent forms of protest? Here is a questionable “Learning Activity” posted today:

High unemployment and discrimination against the nation’s immigrant youth are cited as possible reasons for the continuing riots in France. Use this activity to help students examine historical and contemporary examples of violent and non-violent protests and evaluate the effectiveness of methods to bring about change. …

Do you think that the riots in France are an effective way for the young people there to voice their anger? …

Then, as a class, list the variety of methods that people might use to demonstrate their anger or discontent. Answers might include boycotts, civil disobedience, flag burning, picketing, marching, expressions of protest music or art, sit-ins, strikes, contacting public officials, writing letters, attending meetings, riots or other forms of protest. Discuss which of these methods, if any, might be effective in influencing public policy or bringing about a change in the status quo.

Is this responsible journalism?

Here we have the purest form of secularism: education sanitized of moral clarity.

Here’s a loaded and somewhat incomprehensible statement, from today’s Washington Post:

After 42 years of Baath Party rule, Syria is often portrayed as a country shackled by dictatorship. But in the debate over its identity is a more nuanced portrait of a country every bit as complex as neighboring Iraq and Lebanon.

What precisely is nuanced about Bashar Assad’s brutal dictatorship? The Assad family’s minority Alawite stranglehold over power? The ruling clan’s involvement in the murder of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri? Nuanced? Syria has “one of the world’s worst human rights records”. It has long sponsored terrorism, is building weapons of mass destruction, and brutally occupied Lebanon for 30 years. Nuanced?

Will placating the rioters encourage them to integrate into French society, or will it just embolden their “demands.” From AFX:

Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin unveiled a raft of social and economic measures designed to improve conditions in France’s tough, low-income neighbourhoods that have spawned unrest raging across the country. …

The initiatives are:

- the creation of an anti-discrimination agency with special officials appointed to be in charge of certain regions, and making the fight against discrimination a national priority;

- 20,000 job contracts with local government bodies or associations paid a minimum wage would be reserved for those in the suburbs struggling to find work;

- an extra 100 million euros (120 million dollars) for associations that work in the neighbourhoods;

- 5,000 more teaching assistant posts in the 1,200 schools in districts designated as troublespots;

- the creation of 15 more special economic zones that provide tax breaks to companies that set up inside them as an incentive to boost local employment.

Villepin also said ’social imbalances due to an insufficiently controlled flow of clandestine immigration’ would be tackled.

Sounds good in theory, but what message does this send to immigrants about integration through hard work and the airing of grievances peaceably? Would not the priority be to restore order first, and send a clear message that rioting is unacceptable?

France has already poured billions into entitlements — “the welfare budget, which in France is far bigger than the central government budget.” French largess has been repaid with riots.

President Bush’s nominee for Supreme Court justice, Samuel Alito, seems to be playing well to the middle of the political spectrum, a move that almost certainly ensures him Senate approval:

Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito expressed “great respect” for the precedent established by the landmark Roe v. Wade abortion decision but didn’t commit to upholding it, senators said Tuesday as Alito began a second week courting their support. Sens. Joe Lieberman, D-Conn., and Susan Collins, R-Maine, both used the word “respect” when describing the 55-year-old federal appellate judge’s discussions with them on the 1973 ruling that established abortion rights.

Senators Collins and Lieberman are not cooks, nor demagogues, nor extremists. Alito will make it through the crucible of Senate hearings.

I was impressed with an article appearing in the U.K.’s Independent today entitled, “China: the true costs of success.” While the Independent seems to concentrate on anti-U.S. rants, today it was no-holds-barred critical of China’s communist thugs. Some excerpts:

China executes about 10,000 people a year. …in any three-month period, it kills more of its people than the rest of the world does over three years. …

Disappearances and torture of supporters of the Dalai Lama are commonplace. …

Police psychiatrists systematically misdiagnose political dissidents, religious nonconformists, persistent complainers and petitioners, independent trade unionists, and whistleblowers against corruption as being “dangerously mentally ill”. They are “treated” at mental asylums.

As China’s economy expands with double-digit growth, it is becoming probably the single greatest threat to the planet. With a population of 1.3billion, it has overtaken the US as the world’s leading consumer of grain, meat, coal and steel. …

No organisation is tolerated that could challenge the Communist Party’s control over aspects of society it deems crucial.

Definitely worth reading.

by Daniel Pipes
New York Sun*
November 8, 2005
http://www.danielpipes.org/article/3113
* Cross-posted with permission

The rioting by Muslim youth that began October 27 in France to calls of “Allahu Akbar” may be a turning point in European history.

What started in Clichy-sous-Bois, on the outskirts of Paris, by its 11^th night had spread to 300 French cities and towns, as well as to Belgium and Germany. The violence, which has already been called some evocative names — intifada, jihad, guerilla war, insurrection, rebellion, and civil war — prompts several reflections.

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As if it wasn’t enough to sit through Michael Moore’s Fahrenheit 9/11 fabrications (see Christopher Hitchens; see here also). Moore is investing in the evil stocks of companies he claims to oppose and vilify:

“I don’t own a single share of stock!” filmmaker Michael Moore proudly proclaimed.

He’s right. He doesn’t own a single share. He owns tens of thousands of shares — including nearly 2,000 shares of Boeing, nearly 1,000 of Sonoco, more than 4,000 of Best Foods, more than 3,000 of Eli Lilly, more than 8,000 of Bank One and more than 2,000 of Halliburton, the company most vilified by Moore in “Fahrenheit 9/11.”

If you want to see Moore’s own signed Schedule D declaring his capital gains and losses where his stock ownership is listed, it’s emblazoned on the cover of Peter Schweizer’s new book, “Do As I Say (Not As I Do): Profiles in Liberal Hypocrisy.”

At today’s market close, Halliburton priced at $59.15/share (NYSE:HAL). So Moore owns $118,300.00. Eli Lilly priced at $51.10 (NYSE:LLY). That’s $153,300.00. Mere chump change, no? So much for practicing what you preach.

Down under, but in the Anglosphere, the Aussies have foiled a terrorist plot, reports the abc.net.au:

Police say that 15 arrests have been made during a series of counter-terrorism raids in Sydney and Melbourne early today.

New South Wales Police Commissioner Moroney says more than 400 police officers have been involved in raids on 15 homes in south-western Sydney.

He says they have arrested six men in Sydney and nine men in Victoria, who are alleged to be planning a terrorist attack in Australia.

“They’re currently being interviewed by police and my expectation is that they will appear in Sydney courts this morning,” he said.

Commissioner Moroney says a terrorist attack has been foiled.

“I am satisfied that we have disrupted what I would regard as the final stages of a terrorist attack or the launch of a terrorist attack in Australia,” he said.

While the proposed Ohio State Issue 3, on the ballot tomorrow, would impose controls on political campaign contributions, there is one notable exception:

Permit labor unions, and other nonprofit unincorporated membership organizations, to contribute funds from regular membership dues paid by the organization’s individual members to a small donor action committee. The small donor action committee is not required to report the names of individuals who contribute in this fashion.

So, transparency for all except labor unions? This is reason enough to vote “no” on this constitutional amendment.

There was a time when labor unions were essential in defending workers’ rights, but that time has passed. Corruption, cronyism, and pricing workers out of jobs ($65/hour!?!?) has become the rule rather than the exception. Ohio State Issue 3 would prop up the labor unions’ waning power, a power that is not merited.

The first murder by the poor-baby Paris rioters — not that they haven’t yet tried:

A man who was beaten by an attacker while trying to extinguish a trash can fire during riots north of Paris has died of his injuries, becoming the first fatality since urban unrest started 11 days ago, a police official said Monday. …

Word of the death came after a night of escalating violence in which mobs fired at police and hurled flaming Molotov cocktails at churches, schools, cars and a day-care center.

This is disgusting, and yet the PC crowd continues to rationalize this ugly violence because French immigrants of Arab/Muslim descent are “desperate.” Poor babies, trying to kill police:

Ten riot police were injured by youths firing fine-grain birdshot in a late night clash in the southern Paris suburb of Grigny, national police spokesman Patrick Hamon said.

Hopefully Europe’s indigenous people — Gauls, Danes, Saxons — will wake up before Europe is turned into Eurabian chaos. Times may be changing, for example, it took the murder of Theo Van Gogh in downtown Amsterdam to start shaking the Netherlands out of its anything-goes immigration policies. What more will it take to motivate the French?

SMCCDI (Information Service)
November 6, 2005

Hundreds of protesters clashed with Islamic regime’s security forces at the issue of a soccer game played, on Saturday evening, at the Tehran’s “Azadi Stadium” (formerly known as Aryamehr and re-named by the Islamic regime as ‘Freedom’).

Anti-regime slogans were followed by heavy damages made to tens of collective buses and several security patrol cars in retaliation to the brutal attacks made by the militiamen. Barricades were set on Tehran-Karaj highway and neighboring roads and tires were set ablaze in order to slow the security forces movement.

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From Japan Today entitled “Dalai Lama endorses just wars:”

Waging war for the cause of freedom can be justified but not in the case of Tibet’s dream of autonomy from China, the Dalai Lama told an audience at a U.S. university on Saturday. …

The allied victory in World War II “saved Western civilization,” and conflicts fought in Korea and Vietnam were honorable from a moral standpoint, the 14th Dalai Lama said in answer to questions.

But he ruled out armed struggle for Tibet’s grievances with the Chinese government.

“In the case of Tibet versus China, violence is almost like suicide,” the Dalai Lama said. “If violence, then bloodshed. Bloodshed means more casualties among the Chinese and, again, more hatred.” …

Asked about the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, he said it would take a few years before it becomes clear whether the U.S. military action was the right course of action.

The BBC blames French discrimination against Arab/Muslim immigrants for the Paris riots. But then the Beeb highlights immigrant success stories. First, the sob story:

Sadek recently quit his job delivering groceries near Saint-Denis, just north of Paris. He was tired of climbing stairs with heavy bags. …

“Doors are closed when you are an Arab,” says Yazid Sabeg, a businessman and writer. …

“Every rejection - even those that may not be racially motivated - undermines your self-confidence. You feel you will never make it because you are Arab.”

Then, the “failed approach:”

France has countless bodies dedicated to helping immigrants - a High Council for Integration, a Directorate for Populations and Migrations, several regional commissions for the insertion of immigrants, and so on.

Despite this, France’s integration policy has failed, the Court of Accounts, a government watchdog, concluded last year.

One solution:

Efforts are being made to encourage employers to take them [immigrants] on. Unlike the failed legislative approach, the emphasis is now on voluntary pledges by employers.

Mr Sabeg is among the sponsors of a new “diversity charter” encouraging companies to “reflect the diversity of French society” by hiring qualified non-whites.

The only solution?:

His father, an Algerian worker, came to France in 1952. Young Yazid studied hard and worked as a civil servant before setting up his own finance company.

Yes. Hard work. Discrimination is disgusting, but rioting is equally so. Will mobs of youths burning cars do anything but further alienate France’s Gauls? Throwing money at the problem has left France with a bloated welfare budget – and riots in the streets. The French government knew it had a problem long before the riots. The question is: How will they restore law and order? Another social program, anyone?

Hey. At least the BBC is not using the “scum” reference anymore.

by Patrick D. O’Brien
Clarity & Resolve*
November 03, 2005
http://clarityandresolve.com/archives/2005/11/with_friends_li.php
* Cross-posted with permission

As If the Disaster of the Oslo Accords Never Happened

Proving that prolonged exposure to the U.S. State Department can compromise the most brilliant and morally sound of individuals, it looks like Condoleezza Rice has foisted more retrogression on both Israelis and Palestinian Arabs. From Ynet: Israel changes stance on Hamas

New attitude: Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz says Israel would not interfere with Palestinian elections even if Hamas candidates run for office, backing off earlier threats made by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

In a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in Washington, Mofaz articulated Israel’s new position, but made it clear that Jerusalem still expects the Palestinian Authority to start disarming the terror group even before the elections. The defense minister added that in any case, Israel would not be talking to elected Hamas members.

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