You almost have to laugh when you read stuff like this. Massachussets is the bluest of the blue states, but now now you have politicians openly manipulating the system to favour their party. It used to be the law in the Commonwealth that the Governor would make an appointment if a sitting U.S. Senator could not finish out their term. Then, John Kerry ran for President when Mitt Romney was the governor and, well, it was simply unacceptable to the Democrats running the leglislature that a Republican might appoint another Republican to serve out the term, so they changed the law so that a special election would be held to fill the vacancy. Now, there is a Democratic governor, and there is a definite possibility that Ted Kennedy may not be able to fill out his term due to his illness. No probem there for the Massachussets State Legislature, which is considering changing the law back, so as to guarantee that the seat remains in Democratic hands: http://www.eagletribune.com/punews/local_story_142002341.html.
It's both shameless and pathetic, but that's hardly a surprise these days.
Showing posts with label Democracy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Democracy. Show all posts
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Friday, February 15, 2008
Not-so-free speech
Flemming Rose, the editor of Jyllands-Posten, which published the (in)famous Mohammed cartoons a few years back, has penned an articulate Op-Ed in the Wall Street Journal noting how Islamofascists are successfully imposing a form of censorship on the West when it comes to the subject of Islam: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120303586375870157.html.
The point he raises is an excellent one. Free speech has become a complete afterthought when it comes to the subject of Islam, and the Mohammed cartoons are the perfect example of that. How many western newspapers refused to publish them, simply out of fear or out of false sense that doing so would be "offensive"? It's funny, but so many of those same newspapers had (and have) absolutely no problem whatsoever portraying Israel as if it were a modern version of the Nazi state. They don't seem to be even remotely concerned about offending "Jewish sensibilities". Artists regularly do things which offend Christians (the inane yet still offensive "Piss Christ" comes immediately to mind), and yet I don't see Christian mobs burning down buildings or killing anyone because of them.
At what point do we say to the Islamic world, "Respect is earned. It is NOT an entitlement."? At what point will we begin to realize that in a democratic society, there is no right to be free from being offended? Lord knows, as a supporter of Israel, it's rare that a day goes by without me being offended. Should I start rioting? Calling for death sentences? Demand that others censor their speech so that I am not upset? Would that be respect?
UPDATE (2/20/08, 6:12 p.m.): Thanks to blog reader Serket, who pointed out that the original article can no longer be accessed on the Wall Street Journal's website, though it can still be found on the Pajamas Media website, http://pajamasmedia.com/xpress/flemmingrose/2008/02/18/free_speech_and_radical_islam.php.
The point he raises is an excellent one. Free speech has become a complete afterthought when it comes to the subject of Islam, and the Mohammed cartoons are the perfect example of that. How many western newspapers refused to publish them, simply out of fear or out of false sense that doing so would be "offensive"? It's funny, but so many of those same newspapers had (and have) absolutely no problem whatsoever portraying Israel as if it were a modern version of the Nazi state. They don't seem to be even remotely concerned about offending "Jewish sensibilities". Artists regularly do things which offend Christians (the inane yet still offensive "Piss Christ" comes immediately to mind), and yet I don't see Christian mobs burning down buildings or killing anyone because of them.
At what point do we say to the Islamic world, "Respect is earned. It is NOT an entitlement."? At what point will we begin to realize that in a democratic society, there is no right to be free from being offended? Lord knows, as a supporter of Israel, it's rare that a day goes by without me being offended. Should I start rioting? Calling for death sentences? Demand that others censor their speech so that I am not upset? Would that be respect?
UPDATE (2/20/08, 6:12 p.m.): Thanks to blog reader Serket, who pointed out that the original article can no longer be accessed on the Wall Street Journal's website, though it can still be found on the Pajamas Media website, http://pajamasmedia.com/xpress/flemmingrose/2008/02/18/free_speech_and_radical_islam.php.
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Freed of Freedom
There is an interesting Op-Ed in today's Wall Street Journal on how the the rest of the world, in its zeal to dicredit the "Neocons", has decided that every aspect of U.S. foreign policy must be wrong, and that this will be the case until the evil/fascist/nazi/imperialist/colonialist (you pick the adjective) George W. Bush leaves office: http://www.opinionjournal.com/columnists/dhenninger/?id=110010687.
One of the groups that will fall victim to this new "Realist" (translation: We don't give a crap what kind of people you are, or what you do to the citizens of your country; we'll still do business with you) are the thousands of monks and democracy protestors in Burma. Sorry, folks, but the rest of the world simply couldn't care less about you.
One of the groups that will fall victim to this new "Realist" (translation: We don't give a crap what kind of people you are, or what you do to the citizens of your country; we'll still do business with you) are the thousands of monks and democracy protestors in Burma. Sorry, folks, but the rest of the world simply couldn't care less about you.
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Burma
I haven't blogged about this yet, and that is a failure on my part. What is going on in Burma, with thousands of monks taking to the streets in protests for democracy, and the military junta which runs the country responding with unspeakable violence: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/worldnews.html?in_article_id=484903. A warning: Some of the photos that accompany the article are quite graphic.
One issue that never seems to get discussed is how the Burmese government has stayed in power for 40+ years, and there is a one word answer: China. Yes, that's the same Chinese government that is aiding and abetting genocide in Darfur. I guess that we shouldn't be surprised, given that the Communist Party in China has no problem killing its own people (anyone else remember Tiannanmen Square?), but why do the human rights groups and the rest of the NGO's continue to give China a free pass?
One issue that never seems to get discussed is how the Burmese government has stayed in power for 40+ years, and there is a one word answer: China. Yes, that's the same Chinese government that is aiding and abetting genocide in Darfur. I guess that we shouldn't be surprised, given that the Communist Party in China has no problem killing its own people (anyone else remember Tiannanmen Square?), but why do the human rights groups and the rest of the NGO's continue to give China a free pass?
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