The Boomers and Social Security
It seems more than a little ironic to me that The Boomers are concerned about the younger generation financing their Social Security. After all, they have killed millions of their own children. What do they expect?
The Pimpernel
Thursday, July 08, 2004
Thursday, June 10, 2004
The Reagan Celebration
While the media is once again ‘examining’ itself ad nauseum throughout the Reagan events, and the pols are calculating how it might benefit themselves, the American people are quietly and reverently speaking. We needed this. For him, for Nancy, and in great measure for ourselves. It is a catharsis. It is an intermission from Iraq to remember a less stressful time, the end of the Cold War; with hope for a similar resolution to the current struggle. It is an opportunity to honor a man without guile in an age of political guile; a chance to show unity when the corrupt politicians won’t; a time to demonstrate that America is still rooted in faith, in values, in hope.
The events to celebrate the life of President Reagan have shown respect, poignancy, and impressive dignity. They have been elegant, in impeccable taste, regal in spirit. This is what we, the American people, do well. We, the people, are America; imperfect, but a beacon of light and life for the world. Our best years are still ahead.
The Pimpernel
While the media is once again ‘examining’ itself ad nauseum throughout the Reagan events, and the pols are calculating how it might benefit themselves, the American people are quietly and reverently speaking. We needed this. For him, for Nancy, and in great measure for ourselves. It is a catharsis. It is an intermission from Iraq to remember a less stressful time, the end of the Cold War; with hope for a similar resolution to the current struggle. It is an opportunity to honor a man without guile in an age of political guile; a chance to show unity when the corrupt politicians won’t; a time to demonstrate that America is still rooted in faith, in values, in hope.
The events to celebrate the life of President Reagan have shown respect, poignancy, and impressive dignity. They have been elegant, in impeccable taste, regal in spirit. This is what we, the American people, do well. We, the people, are America; imperfect, but a beacon of light and life for the world. Our best years are still ahead.
The Pimpernel
Friday, May 14, 2004
EMERGING AMERICAN VALUES (or lack thereof...)
I keep hearing that the abuse in Abu Ghraib doesn't reflect American values. Yes it does.
It's about time that we squarely meet face to face with our emerging values: sexual deviancy, debasement, debauchery. These are the values now taught to very young children in our schools. Why should anyone be surprised to find that the seeds of the 60's are now sprouting a second, and even third, generation of immorality, lack of discipline, lack of respect for life?
Happily wallowing in the muck to their own benefit are the media and the politicians, typically using every human dilemma to slake their own greedy thirst, circling any wagon which shows the slightest sign of titillation. Interesting that the "If it feels good, do it" people are now politically correctly complaining at the inevitable results of their own philosophy. And yet they are too blind to see that they are the direct cause.
We have about one generation to clean it up.
THE PIMPERNEL
I keep hearing that the abuse in Abu Ghraib doesn't reflect American values. Yes it does.
It's about time that we squarely meet face to face with our emerging values: sexual deviancy, debasement, debauchery. These are the values now taught to very young children in our schools. Why should anyone be surprised to find that the seeds of the 60's are now sprouting a second, and even third, generation of immorality, lack of discipline, lack of respect for life?
Happily wallowing in the muck to their own benefit are the media and the politicians, typically using every human dilemma to slake their own greedy thirst, circling any wagon which shows the slightest sign of titillation. Interesting that the "If it feels good, do it" people are now politically correctly complaining at the inevitable results of their own philosophy. And yet they are too blind to see that they are the direct cause.
We have about one generation to clean it up.
THE PIMPERNEL
Friday, May 07, 2004
To the Media: Have We Groveled Enough Yet?
Is anyone else nauseated by the maudlin displays we are providing the world as the aftermath of prisoner abuse in Iraq?
Yes, it was terrible. We have said so, and those guilty should and will be punished.
Enough already.
No wonder Americans hate the media so much.
The Pimpernel
Is anyone else nauseated by the maudlin displays we are providing the world as the aftermath of prisoner abuse in Iraq?
Yes, it was terrible. We have said so, and those guilty should and will be punished.
Enough already.
No wonder Americans hate the media so much.
The Pimpernel
Thursday, April 29, 2004
Muslims Are Having Babies....We Aren't.
The future of the world lies in the ideology of the babies.
Right now millions of Muslim babies are being trained in traditional Islamic ideology, which gives 'infidels' three choices: 1) convert to Islam 2) accept second-class citizenship in a Muslim society 3) be slaughtered.
Americans do not have millions of babies. We are not replacing ourselves. We have been killing our babies for the past two decades.
The War on Terrorism is only beginning.
It is about babies.
The Pimpernel
The future of the world lies in the ideology of the babies.
Right now millions of Muslim babies are being trained in traditional Islamic ideology, which gives 'infidels' three choices: 1) convert to Islam 2) accept second-class citizenship in a Muslim society 3) be slaughtered.
Americans do not have millions of babies. We are not replacing ourselves. We have been killing our babies for the past two decades.
The War on Terrorism is only beginning.
It is about babies.
The Pimpernel
Tuesday, April 13, 2004
Iraq is a Huge Kindergarten
The people of Iraq are incapable of immediate self rule. They are incapable of securing their own country. They are incapable of forming an opinion and sticking to it. They are like little children.
This is a text book example of the mindset of a people under 40 years of dictatorship. They are programmed to submit to whatever authority presents itself, as evidenced by the defection of the old Ba'ath army and the newly trained Iraqi security forces. You can't just walk into the room and say, "OK, you're all free now." It has no immediate meaning. It will require a few years to completely sink in.
Therefore, those who are accustomed to authority will lead the people. The battle for leadership among these groups is going on right now. The U.S., the CGA, the ex-Ba'athists (Sunnis), the religious clerics and, of course, the terrorists from other countries. To believe that these groups bode well for democracy seems rather far-fetched to me. I have always been convinced that Iraq would end up an Islamic state, although models such as Turkey and Lebanon present fragile and imperfect goals for the future.
Patience is required in the current situation if it is not to blow up. While U.S. citizens are crying for crushing the rebellions...and we could...they may not appreciate the nuances of the situation in Iraq, and that the only hope for a satisfactory solution from an Iraqi point of view lies in subtleties, saving face, and inclusion of representatives from all disgruntled groups, even Sadr himself. Distasteful though this may be, it is the only hope for any near-term possibility of resolution. We are playing a very tricky chess game, and one we cannot afford to lose, or the war will come to our soil.
The U.S. should not have set a date certain for transfer of power, an idea which currently seems ridiculous. However, the best path is to now announce a transfer in phases. It is difficult to even imagine what a first phase would be under current circumstances. But we should try accommodate the date now that it has been set; to do otherwise would be perceived by the terrorists as a victory.
Perhaps we should be looking at a three-state solution.
This will not end well.
The Pimpernel
The people of Iraq are incapable of immediate self rule. They are incapable of securing their own country. They are incapable of forming an opinion and sticking to it. They are like little children.
This is a text book example of the mindset of a people under 40 years of dictatorship. They are programmed to submit to whatever authority presents itself, as evidenced by the defection of the old Ba'ath army and the newly trained Iraqi security forces. You can't just walk into the room and say, "OK, you're all free now." It has no immediate meaning. It will require a few years to completely sink in.
Therefore, those who are accustomed to authority will lead the people. The battle for leadership among these groups is going on right now. The U.S., the CGA, the ex-Ba'athists (Sunnis), the religious clerics and, of course, the terrorists from other countries. To believe that these groups bode well for democracy seems rather far-fetched to me. I have always been convinced that Iraq would end up an Islamic state, although models such as Turkey and Lebanon present fragile and imperfect goals for the future.
Patience is required in the current situation if it is not to blow up. While U.S. citizens are crying for crushing the rebellions...and we could...they may not appreciate the nuances of the situation in Iraq, and that the only hope for a satisfactory solution from an Iraqi point of view lies in subtleties, saving face, and inclusion of representatives from all disgruntled groups, even Sadr himself. Distasteful though this may be, it is the only hope for any near-term possibility of resolution. We are playing a very tricky chess game, and one we cannot afford to lose, or the war will come to our soil.
The U.S. should not have set a date certain for transfer of power, an idea which currently seems ridiculous. However, the best path is to now announce a transfer in phases. It is difficult to even imagine what a first phase would be under current circumstances. But we should try accommodate the date now that it has been set; to do otherwise would be perceived by the terrorists as a victory.
Perhaps we should be looking at a three-state solution.
This will not end well.
The Pimpernel
Tuesday, April 06, 2004
The Faces of Killer Children
Looking at the pictures of the radical killers in Iraq it becomes immediately clear that the majority are but children. Killer children.
The short term solution to this problem is distasteful to all who reside in civilized society, but we are currently engaged in that task.
The long term solution lies only in changing the education of the children, replacing the evil teaching of the madrassas and replacing it with something which prepares the children to live in civilized society. Whether or not that is possible will be determined by the outcome of the short term solution.
The Middle East is not the only part of the world which has killer children. The phenomenon has begun to show its face in the United States. A society which kills its young devalues life. The sins of the fathers and mothers are visited upon the next generation. A free society cannot exist without morality.
We are in a cultural war with radical Islamists without.
We are in a cultural war with radical secularism within.
Both are religious wars.
The Pimpernel
Looking at the pictures of the radical killers in Iraq it becomes immediately clear that the majority are but children. Killer children.
The short term solution to this problem is distasteful to all who reside in civilized society, but we are currently engaged in that task.
The long term solution lies only in changing the education of the children, replacing the evil teaching of the madrassas and replacing it with something which prepares the children to live in civilized society. Whether or not that is possible will be determined by the outcome of the short term solution.
The Middle East is not the only part of the world which has killer children. The phenomenon has begun to show its face in the United States. A society which kills its young devalues life. The sins of the fathers and mothers are visited upon the next generation. A free society cannot exist without morality.
We are in a cultural war with radical Islamists without.
We are in a cultural war with radical secularism within.
Both are religious wars.
The Pimpernel
Tuesday, March 30, 2004
Much Ado About Nothing -- The 9/11 "Investigation"
One should try and stay focused on certain basic facts amid the press-driven hullabaloo.
Every single individual, including Richard Clarke, has testified that no one could possibly have predicted 9/11. The reason for this is that the millions of bits of information held by the FBI and CIA were not collected in one single database. In fact, the FBI, believe it or not, had no computer system at all until recently. The upshot, then, is that there were no glaring mistakes by anyone, so we should be moving forward to correct the aggregate weaknesses that might have revealed something helpful.
Even though neither Clinton nor Bush are held to have criminally blundered, many ask why the former did nothing in eight years, and why Bush chose to go after Saddam?
The Clinton administration was not fond of the military and had a weak DOD which presented neither enthusiasm nor good options. Nevertheless, the administration was aware of the threats, but had few specific opportunities to act on a terrorist outfit holed up in a primitive wilderness area surrounded by Muslim countries unexcited about the prospect of the US involving them in any way in such a wild goose chase. Despite the protestations of this committee, one can imagine the difficulties to be faced at home and abroad had a president went off on such a venture. Recall the 'bombing the aspirin factory' hubbub. And then of course there was Monica...
As for Bush, he was in office 7-1/2 months on 9/11. It would be difficult to fault his reaction to that event with a straight face. He went straight to Afghanistan to hunt down the perps. The problem with him, according to critics, is that he was so obsessed with Iraq before and after. It seems fairly clear why this was. Saddam had a history of killing hundreds of thousands of people with WMD, had shown aggression against other countries, had shown some nefarious contact with terrorist Al Qaeda, paid handsome sums of money to homicide bombers in Israel, had made fools out of the UN and their resolutions for years, had attempted an assassination on a US president, and the majority of US citizens thought we should have finished him off in the early '90s. And, of all the state sponsors of terrorism, it was do-able.
One final thought. I trust the people screaming about preemptive strikes are not the same souls who are now so outraged that we took no such strikes before 9/11.
And on that subject, it's an unfortunate word to have been embraced, preemptive. We live in a new world with new realities and would be derelict to sit and wait for a first strike. Any informed person understands that.
So sit back and enjoy the show. That's all it is.
The Pimpernel
One should try and stay focused on certain basic facts amid the press-driven hullabaloo.
Every single individual, including Richard Clarke, has testified that no one could possibly have predicted 9/11. The reason for this is that the millions of bits of information held by the FBI and CIA were not collected in one single database. In fact, the FBI, believe it or not, had no computer system at all until recently. The upshot, then, is that there were no glaring mistakes by anyone, so we should be moving forward to correct the aggregate weaknesses that might have revealed something helpful.
Even though neither Clinton nor Bush are held to have criminally blundered, many ask why the former did nothing in eight years, and why Bush chose to go after Saddam?
The Clinton administration was not fond of the military and had a weak DOD which presented neither enthusiasm nor good options. Nevertheless, the administration was aware of the threats, but had few specific opportunities to act on a terrorist outfit holed up in a primitive wilderness area surrounded by Muslim countries unexcited about the prospect of the US involving them in any way in such a wild goose chase. Despite the protestations of this committee, one can imagine the difficulties to be faced at home and abroad had a president went off on such a venture. Recall the 'bombing the aspirin factory' hubbub. And then of course there was Monica...
As for Bush, he was in office 7-1/2 months on 9/11. It would be difficult to fault his reaction to that event with a straight face. He went straight to Afghanistan to hunt down the perps. The problem with him, according to critics, is that he was so obsessed with Iraq before and after. It seems fairly clear why this was. Saddam had a history of killing hundreds of thousands of people with WMD, had shown aggression against other countries, had shown some nefarious contact with terrorist Al Qaeda, paid handsome sums of money to homicide bombers in Israel, had made fools out of the UN and their resolutions for years, had attempted an assassination on a US president, and the majority of US citizens thought we should have finished him off in the early '90s. And, of all the state sponsors of terrorism, it was do-able.
One final thought. I trust the people screaming about preemptive strikes are not the same souls who are now so outraged that we took no such strikes before 9/11.
And on that subject, it's an unfortunate word to have been embraced, preemptive. We live in a new world with new realities and would be derelict to sit and wait for a first strike. Any informed person understands that.
So sit back and enjoy the show. That's all it is.
The Pimpernel
Monday, March 29, 2004
A Mean Little Man
As a staff person of many years, I can recognize the symptoms of pomposity and self-importance emanating from the person of Richard Clarke.
He is right; everyone else is wrong. Clinton was wrong, Bush was wrong; Condaleeza Rice was wrong; DOD was wrong; the FBI was wrong; the CIA was wrong. Even Congress contributed to the problem. If only they had listened to him we wouldn't be in the mess we're in.
Although his testimony of two years ago is inconsistent with his testimony now, he explains the difference as that of a loyal employee vs. that of an ex-employee. I'm sure employers are lining up to hire him. Which Richard Clarke was a man of integrity who can be counted on to speak the truth?
He's an irritating little man. And I do mean little.
As a staff person of many years, I can recognize the symptoms of pomposity and self-importance emanating from the person of Richard Clarke.
He is right; everyone else is wrong. Clinton was wrong, Bush was wrong; Condaleeza Rice was wrong; DOD was wrong; the FBI was wrong; the CIA was wrong. Even Congress contributed to the problem. If only they had listened to him we wouldn't be in the mess we're in.
Although his testimony of two years ago is inconsistent with his testimony now, he explains the difference as that of a loyal employee vs. that of an ex-employee. I'm sure employers are lining up to hire him. Which Richard Clarke was a man of integrity who can be counted on to speak the truth?
He's an irritating little man. And I do mean little.
Thursday, March 25, 2004
The Martha Phenomena
My 91-year-old mother has been traumatized by Martha Stewart's situation and is continually cheerleading for her cause in an attempt to win me over. Yesterday she actually broke down in tears at Martha's plight, wondering how I could have such a hard heart.
In truth, I have no feelings one way or the other about Martha. I don't know the woman. I don't own her stock. I have no boat in this race. As an accountant, I look at it with cold, simple logic. If she's guilty, fine. If not, fine.
One thing does occur to me. It gives one pause to consider how a person can be convicted of lying...and yet not be convicted of the crime that would prove the lie. Perhaps I haven't been paying close enough attention.
My 91-year-old mother has been traumatized by Martha Stewart's situation and is continually cheerleading for her cause in an attempt to win me over. Yesterday she actually broke down in tears at Martha's plight, wondering how I could have such a hard heart.
In truth, I have no feelings one way or the other about Martha. I don't know the woman. I don't own her stock. I have no boat in this race. As an accountant, I look at it with cold, simple logic. If she's guilty, fine. If not, fine.
One thing does occur to me. It gives one pause to consider how a person can be convicted of lying...and yet not be convicted of the crime that would prove the lie. Perhaps I haven't been paying close enough attention.
Tuesday, March 09, 2004
Let me get this straight. We have a deliberate act of lawlessness (anarchy) by a government official wanting to offer 'marriage' to sodomites (as in Sodom and Gomorrah), followed by * nothing: an absolute lack of response on the part of our elected officials whose responsibility it is to uphold the law. All this, after the recent disrespect for the legal system by the actions of Michael Jackson, in court on charges of pedophilia. We are headed for the end of law and morality in this nation unless we wake up.
This is a blatant and deliberate attempt by the homosexual community to bypass the law, and the wishes of the people, in order to get this issue directly into the courts. Why? So that well-placed and sympathetic 'judges' can continue their activism of corrupt and debased causes. And why are public officials so slow in their tepid responses? Because they have no morals, no honor, no courage. They believe in nothing but appeasement and tolerance. Is their anyone left with guts?
Why do homosexuals continue to up the ante, finally to the point of demanding the oxymoron of 'marriage'? Notice that they can never stop talking about their sex lives. How many heterosexuals do you know who are obsessed with forcing their sexual lives into the faces and realms of others? The important truth here is that allowing them to do whatever it is they want to do in private will never, ever be enough for them. No one gives a fig what they do behind closed doors. But they live with guilty consciences and want to assuage them through the collusion of societal sanction. And this is something they will never achieve, regardless of how many lawless legal victories they may win.
Are they alone in their guilt? Of course not. But most people who live in debauchery and immorality have the grace to hide it. This is because they comprehend right from wrong. Adulterers live in constant fear of being caught. People hooked on porn practice a solitary vice. Young people traditionally hide their youthful errors from their friends and family. None of us is exempt. Not one. But most people still have the moral sensibility to at least recognize good from evil. To lose that is to lose any hope for the future.
We have allowed evil to have an increasing influence over our society over the past several decades, beginning with the removal of prayer from school and the societal sanction of abortion, both through judicial activism. The blessings this country has known are a direct result of our Christian heritage from the founders, of which almost all memory has almost been abolished through our 'education' system, undermined with the shrill voices of the politically correct. If we fail to wake up and reverse course, we are headed to a level of debasement of unthinkable depths.
Carole, Christian Citizen
This is a blatant and deliberate attempt by the homosexual community to bypass the law, and the wishes of the people, in order to get this issue directly into the courts. Why? So that well-placed and sympathetic 'judges' can continue their activism of corrupt and debased causes. And why are public officials so slow in their tepid responses? Because they have no morals, no honor, no courage. They believe in nothing but appeasement and tolerance. Is their anyone left with guts?
Why do homosexuals continue to up the ante, finally to the point of demanding the oxymoron of 'marriage'? Notice that they can never stop talking about their sex lives. How many heterosexuals do you know who are obsessed with forcing their sexual lives into the faces and realms of others? The important truth here is that allowing them to do whatever it is they want to do in private will never, ever be enough for them. No one gives a fig what they do behind closed doors. But they live with guilty consciences and want to assuage them through the collusion of societal sanction. And this is something they will never achieve, regardless of how many lawless legal victories they may win.
Are they alone in their guilt? Of course not. But most people who live in debauchery and immorality have the grace to hide it. This is because they comprehend right from wrong. Adulterers live in constant fear of being caught. People hooked on porn practice a solitary vice. Young people traditionally hide their youthful errors from their friends and family. None of us is exempt. Not one. But most people still have the moral sensibility to at least recognize good from evil. To lose that is to lose any hope for the future.
We have allowed evil to have an increasing influence over our society over the past several decades, beginning with the removal of prayer from school and the societal sanction of abortion, both through judicial activism. The blessings this country has known are a direct result of our Christian heritage from the founders, of which almost all memory has almost been abolished through our 'education' system, undermined with the shrill voices of the politically correct. If we fail to wake up and reverse course, we are headed to a level of debasement of unthinkable depths.
Carole, Christian Citizen
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