What Is A Moderate Muslim?

A faithful reader/commenter never misses a chance to let me know she has a very good friend who happens to be Muslim and that she is not a violent nor hating person what-so-ever. I have no doubt. After all, being Muslim and a woman begs one to be non-violent. Complacent even. Especially among her own as is our notion of her own.

On the other hand, just who is she and what does she believe? There is Islam as religion, there is Islam as law. How do they meld? How do you pick and choose which parts you ascribe to? That being asked, this Wall Street Journal article from today's paper should be required reading for everyone asking the same question.

The commentary in the article is enlightening and for the most part forthcoming about one very definite issue. The "moderates" themselves must sort out among themselves just what the term "moderate" means then get on the world stage and explain it to the rest of us. Right now the entire western world is made up of those who doubt all of them. We cannot be blamed.

A couple of weeks before the 9/11 anniversary is of course an opportune time for these articles to be appearing, yet it is by no means enough. If we are to believe there is a moderate strain who abhors the violence as much as we do they need to become the squeaky wheel and have the courage to speak out.

As much as I found the WSJ article of interest, it gets far too little readership by the majority of skeptical westerners to make much of an impression.

You tell me you are out there. Tell me. Show me. Take action. That's all any of us ask.

9/11 Redux - Paranoid Or Prudent

There have been a lot of instances lately where I believe the Islamists who would destroy us are getting their fill of belly laughs. The reasons for such have been making the headlines far more frequently as 9/11 once again approaches.

First we have the continuing flap over building a Muslim cultural center a couple of blocks from "ground zero" coupled with less than comforting remarks by the Imam and his wife. Then there is the young man who is the financier who refuses to answer any questions. You'll note everything is carefully couched so it could mean anything.

Then there is the incident where two men of Yemeni descent, supposedly unknown to one another, got separated from their luggage which contained curious devices. They ended up in Amsterdam, their luggage in Dallas. If there is anything typical about this story it's the luggage part. Getting separated from the owners. This happened far too frequently long before the original 9/11. It's just gotten worse since.

Today there was an
incident in Tampa where nine Pakistanis were removed from a flight due to an inappropriate comment that made a flight attendant feel uneasy.

One common thread running through these "incidents" has been no clear cut evidence of wrong doing or even the idea of it has surfaced. Still. The frequency. The nationalities. The actual actions. How can one not be edgy? At times I feel they are laughing at us while doing their research, knowing full well we can only surmise.

One thing that can be said with certainty is that all the airport security, body scans, pat downs, luggage searches, etc. haven't done one thing to eliminate dangling the carrot in front of the hare! And laughing when the hare can't quite reach it.

What Manner Of Candidate Have We Chosen?

As you may know, I've become intrigued with The Modern Whig Party. Reviewing the current batch of primary results is the reason why. I don't think we have a clue as to who or what we've elected just to boot out the incumbents.

John McCain we of course know. He won. But it's $20,000,000 later! Look at some of the other's who have prevailed. Rand Paul, a Tea Party favorite in Kentucky. My assessment of him is that he's a bit odd. The same goes for the very unlikely Alvin Greene from South Carolina. Where did he come from? What do either of them stand for - or against?

There's the race in Alaska where incumbent and no friend of Palin, Lisa Murkowski, is on the ropes against a total newcomer, attorney Joe Miller. Some have had Palin and Tea Party backing, some not, but all are enigmas!

Let's look at the Tea Party types. You don't know from state to state exactly what it is they stand for. No sure bet there. Then there are the Parties themselves. In my state, Idaho, Palin endorsed and the party chose one Vaughn Ward to be their boy. He lost. Raul Labrador won and is now being denied Party help because he wasn't the one the Republicans wanted. They are literally giving the seat to incumbent Walt Minnick, who is a bit of an enigma himself, being a Blue Dog.

A similar situation has occurred in Washington for Cathie McMorris Roger's House seat. They have a "top two" primary. Rogers is Republican, the number two is Democrat yet the party is denying him help because he isn't "their boy". The whole scenario is weird.

We have a prime situation here where the Modern Whigs could make inroads. We have a member of the State House who is afoul with the law for big time tax issues. As in he doesn't pay them. He was unopposed in his primary. A shoo in. Finally a concerned citizen has thrown his hat in the ring as a write in. At least it's opposition of sorts though he hasn't a prayer of winning unless some people get behind him and get him known.

This is where the progressives have the right idea. Never let a seat go unchallenged no matter the chance of winning. If nothing more it gets a potentially good candidate exposure. It's also where the Modern Whigs could make inroads. Recruit someone to run under their banner no matter how unlikely a win. People would begin to know the name. People would begin to learn there is an alternative to just about everything that is wrong with politics as is .

'Owl' Be Darned! I'm Totally Whigged Out!

I knew if I alluded to it often enough, or called for it long enough I'd find it. As the people who founded it say, "The Party for the rest of us."

There is is a party for moderates just getting cranked up. They call themselves The Modern Whigs. I've been doing a lot of searching since I saw the article about them in this mornings Wall Street Journal. They are a real organization with an extensive web site and they have the obligatory page on facebook .

They've chosen the owl as their symbol after the original Whig party. A sign of wisdom. Let us hope!

Of note are the people who have pulled this organization together - soldiers, according to the Journal, who were tired of the bickering that filled TV screens in Iraq and Afghanistan. Have you been wondering how the soldiers feel? Well, a group of them are certainly letting it be known how they feel! They're even having some small successes running candidates.

For you who are dissatisfied with the current political situation, it may be worth checking them out. I like the idea that they are young and from the few profiles I've scanned, they've attracted some people with pretty substantial credentials. If there is substance behind the credentials there may be some promise. I'll be looking at that, having been totally hoodwinked once.

I love owls. There's something regal about them yet unobtrusive. Dignified.

I'm going to read more.

Take Your Grubby Hands Off Me!

We give up our right about being searched without cause when we agree to fly. First it was wanding and removing a belt. Inconvenient but one could live with it even in airports where such precautions were ridiculous. That was back in the days of hijacking where you might end up in Cuba.

Then came 9/11 and those with the power to regulate went mad. Absolutely mad. And we allowed it. We bought in to the "keepin' us safe" mantra. Please. Come to your senses. It has gotten more and more intrusive over the years to the point where we have whole body scanners! They've already been abused, it's seldom reported but it is reported. In one instance it was among TSA employees with one of their own, belittling a man's lack. Nice huh? These are the same people who have the right to give you a pat down.

I'm funny about who touches me and where. It does not include a total stranger at an airport from random selection. Can it get worse? You bet.

"Big Sis" is experimenting with the ultimate insult in Boston. Screeners can now do a slide down of your body with their palms down including your private areas. An "enhanced pat down" they call it.

I'm sorry. I do not believe that under any circumstance this is necessary. Whoever the Neanderthals are that made this legal in order for people to fly should have to experience it themselves. That includes everyone from "Big Sis" Napolitano to Nancy Pelosi. Can you imagine Pelosi taking it? From Harry Reid to Barack and Michelle Obama.

I don't know what can be done, but it's really time for the American people to say "Enough! We'll take our chances." No more removing shoes, no more having your luggage rummaged through and items that don't fit ridiculous specifications confiscated. No more items from your luggage stolen. No more luggage that never catches up with you. No more pat downs nor full body scans.

I want to be free again. Like it was when flying was fun and people wanted to do it. To travel and explore far away places without having to spend extra hours, hours, being manhandled by strangers who seem unable to use the tools they've been given in the first place. Instead of adding more, just stop.