One Small Step Against Political Correctness

Hooray for North Dakota!  In the ongoing non-sense over the use of Indian mascots for sports team,  sense has finally taken a stand.

I don't often praise government intervention in much of anything, but in this case both the North Dakota House and Senate deserve kudos.  They have gone against the dictates of the NCAA who  barred schools using such names from hosting championships or wearing the images during playoffs.

They were magnanimous enough to allow that with approval of the "named" tribes, in this case the Sioux, an exemption could be made.

The "Fighting Sioux".  What image does that conjure up?  Yes, they suffered mightily at the hands of the whites.  They were also fierce warriors and a proud people. That's the image I equate with the team name and logo.  There is nothing insulting about it.

There are two namesake tribes in this case and the university obtained the permission of one.  Where they stand with the second I'm not sure, but history, tradition and, yes, pride meant more to the legislature.  Many I would guess are alums and probably have logo sweatshirts tucked away or maybe even still proudly worn.  They'd not be given up willingly.

The irony is that if the "Fighting Sioux" went away there are still some 400, 000  nicknames out there.  We know on a scale somewhat larger than the NCAA, the Washington Redskins and the Cleveland Indians with their Chief Wahoo are still alive and well.

I don't know.  If I were generic Native American, which most are today, I think  if I were to be offended by one or the other it would be Chief Wahoo over the Fighting Sioux! A caricature to be sure.  But offensive?  Hardly.

In either case, Native Americans, no matter the tribe, are a part of our history and culture.  I know many, mostly artists because of our interest, and I find them not unlike us.  The main difference I think is their awareness of who they are and from whence they came.  A proud people who wanted no more than to be left to live their lives.

We certainly did nothing to help help them any more than we're helping people who want the same today, but rather than being insulted,  the use of their images to portray those characteristics could be considered a compliment.  When the teams were named I'm sure insults were the last thing on any one's mind, but rather an image of competitiveness, strength and courage.  An image we seem to be losing sight of in ourselves.

Bully!

Rafsanjani, the only moderate in Iran's power structure has been moved aside.  Saudis are firing on protesters in their country.  Gadaffi continues to slaughter his people.

What is our President doing?  Holding a conference on bullying!  I don't know whether to laugh or cry.

I can't help wonder what is wrong with the world that it can sit by, bickering, while thousands  are being slaughtered.  I've gotten tired reading about it.  I've gotten tired of writing about it.  But the conference on bullying just got me.

At least the French are still pushing for some type of intervention in Libya. We have certainly backed off our brief stand that Gaddafi must go.  We're right in there with the rest of the world waiting for a consensus opinion from NATO.  By the time they come up with one, if ever, there won't be any people left to save!  Meanwhile it gets more and more ugly.  News crews are now continually being roughed up.  What's next?  Another Danny Pearl?

As of right now it doesn't look like the turmoil is going to end any time soon.  It continues to worsen.  What has been learned from this is if your citizens rise in revolt you don't have to worry about the U.S. flexing any muscle.  Ask Iran.  Ask Egypt.  Ask Libya.  There was a time, if we really felt we needed NATO approval, we'd ask and we'd get it.  We no longer have that kind of stroke.   That the French may is astounding.

So far we aren't a country that takes to the streets to oust our government.  It's a good thing because if we citizens were driven to that point and were out gunned at every turn, there's little comfort to know the rest of the world would wring their hands wondering what to do.

We have little worry though.  To quell a rebellion would require making a decision.  It could be delegated, but like in Egypt, the military might opt for the protesters.

Bully!

Is Speech Free For Everyone?

"Kids say the darndest things" said one time television host Art Linkletter.  So do adults.  And while it drives me crazy sometimes, it's one of the rights we still have.  What I find curious is how the rule isn't applied equally.

Just this past week the Supreme Court has said the Westboro Baptist Church people have every right to spew their hate at military funerals.  Decency is not part of the issue.

Michael Moore is free to go to Wisconsin and in all his corpulent glory tells us that the money the rich has was stolen from us.  Well, he's rich and it doesn't appear the cost of food hasn't inhibited his consumption of it. Maybe he'd like to share a bit more with the unions .

We're privy to the maniacal ravings of Charlie Sheen on a daily basis.  We listen to the semi-accurate ravings of Limbaugh, Hannity, O'Reilly, Matthews, Graham, Colter, Savage, etc.  Glenn Beck is thought by many to be genuinely certifiable yet there he is day in and day out pontificating on FOX.

On the other hand we have Don Imus, Keith Olbermann and Juan Williams who lost their jobs for speaking their minds.

Yes, sometimes the passion with which utterences are delivered can be offensive, but who is to decide where the line should be drawn?

Today we can add one more to the list.  Catherine Grandy, who had a regular spot on husband  Fred's WMAL radio talk show in D.C,  was banned from his show for taking on radical Islam. He followed suit by resigning.

The Supreme Court, in it's ruling, has pretty much given a pass to whatever anyone chooses to say.  You could argue that it's where they say it but that doesn't wash either.  Radio and television are just that, for the right, the left and everything in between.

I disagree with a lot that is said and the way it is said, but if it's allowed under First Amendment rights then it should be allowed for everyone across the board.  We always have the option of the off button.

We Have Abdicated Our Moral Leadership

Once upon a time the world looked to the United States for leadership.  Especially during difficult times. It did so knowing we would do what is right and just and they would follow.

Our current administration has changed all that. It began with the President's whirlwind apology tour just after he took office. We no longer have any convictions.  We worry right along with the rest of the world whether someone else might be angered if we take action.  We want to study or talk everything to death.  That way no decisions are necessary.

Who have we abdicated to?  Therein lies the problem.  No one.  Britain comes closer than anyone else to actually taking action to help the opposition in Libya. At this point they too are just talking, but at least it's something more than advocating sanctions.

The sad thing is the world still looks to us for answers and we have none to give. The situation is not one where one size fits all.  Some governments are worse than others. Some of the opposition groups would be as bad if not worse than those they would replace.  Each needs careful analysis before we step in.  When the case becomes obvious, however, we do no more than talk.  Meanwhile hundreds of people are being slain.  With the tinder box world we have today, I find it unsettling to see we apparently have no policy for "what ifs".

So where does everyone turn?  To the United Nations.  The member nations are often at odds with one another.  It's why they are so ineffectual.  Resolution after resolution is brought forth only to be denied.  There is a built in safety valve for those who want to look like they're for action.  It's called the Security Council.  With permanent memberships, China, Russia, the U.S. and Great Britain, it's a safe bet that one will veto just about anything.  Such was the case with Iran and it's nuclear ambitions and human rights atrocities.  The same holds true now.

The Security Council will not authorize a no fly zone, with Russia and China the dissenters.  Of course they are.  No matter what spin they put on it, their human rights abuses are as dismal as those who would be attacked.

Yet our President wants to make no move without consultation with the international community.  Since they won't agree on anything, there's the out.  No decision necessary.

One day perhaps someone will step up to the plate and do what's right instead of what's politically expedient.  Unfortunately, at least for the foreseeable future, it's unlikely to be us.

Meanwhile good people die and the dictators don't.

The Wild West Lives ~ If We Don't Kill Each Other Off!

Do you know that Utah's governor is about to sign legislation making the Browning semi-automatic pistol the state gun?  Why in the name of reason, does a state need a state gun?  Arizona is looking to do the same with Colt revolver!

Guns.  I don't know whether to hate them or embrace them.  I'm no stranger to them.  Hub grew up in Montana where owning guns was akin to owning jeans.  His dad gave me his .38 police special as a gift.  His grandmother gave me her .22 rifle and his mom made him stay at the alter waiting for me under threat of her .25.  I've never fired any of them.

Other than that we own several, I usually don't give them much thought even though the news always seems to be full of stories about gun violence.  I've written a few times about contemplating taking a course in order to get a carry permit.  I've never acted on it.  My curiosity about the culture just isn't that strong.

I've written often about my objections to being allowed to carry weapons in our National Parks.  Now states are beginning to look at legislation to not require permits to carry concealed weapons.  Even more worrisome, to me, is the idea of allowing firearms on college campuses.  The argument that it could prevent tragedies such as the one at Virginia Tech is problematic.

Imagine one deranged student beginning to shoot and all those around him doing the same thing.  I see a mass slaughter far worse than anything a lone gunman could do.  Oh, I know, there are hundreds of scenarios for either side of the argument, but it makes me queasy thinking about it!

So here we are.  In the west, Alaska and Arizona do not require permits for concealed firearms.  Wyoming, Colorado and Montana are nearly there.  Idaho and Texas want them allowed on campus.

Representative Allen Jaggi, R-WY, says guns in the right hands make a safer society.  Guns in the right hands.  Like maybe law enforcement?

I'm not against the second amendment, but let's bring some good sense to the issue.  Bad guys will always be able to get guns.  We know that.  But having every Tom, Dick and Mary who wants to carry a concealed firearm is asking for unintended consequences.

There's enough of that going around as is and around here it's aggravated by gun happy law enforcement.  You'd think with all the violence in the world,  be it people fighting for their freedom in far away lands or nut cases taking pot shots at our legislators, I'd think the public, even in the west, would be sick of guns.