Issue Roundup
Virtually exhausted, I now find time to provide this update on a train from Yew Nork to Washington. A week has passed, so here is a roundup of all the latest news - and why you should disregard it.
1. OJ Simpson Arrest
Nobody knows the specifics, and all the news reporting seems to be “wow, can you believe he’s at it again?” Fair enough. The only thing I can take away from it is how there’s a paparazzi on the scene with a secret audio tape of him “robbing” the place - sounds to me like a setup. I wouldn’t be surprised to see framing celebrities become a favorite grassroots media tactic, given the undisclosed sum paid for the tape.
As for OJ himself: he beat a murder rap. Let’s move on.
2. Ahmadenijad proposal to visit ground zero
I’ll take it as a granted that the idea of Iraninan president Ahmadwhatshisface visiting ground zero may be offensive to some people. In fact, a lot of things people do in the United States is pretty offensive. Nevertheless, when Amadenijad requested a visit to ground zero, he was greeted with refusal on the basis of “security concerns.”
I’m sick of this excuse for people’s actions. Usually when you’re told not to do something for security reasons, you can bet the policy is pretty asinine. You cannot take toothpaste onto a plane, you can’t take a brown paper bag into Clemson’s memorial stadium in the wake of a series of on-campus bomb threats (a policy of concessions boosting). Take this for example: when entering a small county courthouse in South Carolina, my party was stopped and searched at the metal detectors by two security agents. A pair of tweezers and a MEASURING TAPE were confiscated for “security reasons.”
Does anybody really expect that the president of Iran would pose a security threat to an area that is otherwise open to the public? Get over yourselves. Somebody should just have the guts to tell him that the city just doesn’t want him there.
Unfortunately, some have. The front running GOP candidates, after hearing of Ahmadenijad’s request, were quick to condemn such a potential visit as reprehensible. Why? Let him go and do as he pleases - what is everyone afraid of. Worst case scenario: he sets up a stage and blasts over loudspeakers that the US deserved 9/11 or other politically incorrect drivel. I am not afraid of this. If he intended on humiliating himself by being disrespectful he should have been allowed to do it - and if this was not his intent, we may have foregone an opportunity to improve relations.
Recent updates indicate that Ahmadenijad only intended to pay his respects and lay a wreath, but that the ground zero foundations were under construction. That should have been the response to his UN entourage. “The site is under construction, but you are welcome to visit its surroundings.” Problem solved.
3. Al Qaeda declares war against Musharraf
Does this end the criticism of Pakistan’s indifference toward catching Osama Bin Laden? I doubt this has been the case. Pakistan has done little for the same reasons as the United States: inability. Here’s a note to Musharraf. In your response, don’t request that Al Qaeda “bring it on” - it doesn’t play well in left-wing circles.
4. The Eagles
They’re 0-2. Excellent. To top that, McNabb is getting in trouble for being a racist. The shoe is certainly on the other foot. Look Donovan, you get more criticism because you suck, not because you’re black. Update: they won a game.
5. Temperamental receivers are usually correct
There are a few characters out there in the NFL that you just love to hate. TO, criticized McNabb when he was with the Eagles, and everyone had an allergic reaction to it. Randy Moss was quoted as saying “if the [Raiders] don’t care about winning, why should I?” - and again the media jumped on him for it. The bottom line is that it hurts the team to make your interpersonal politics public, but I’m always glad when it happens because, for a brief moment, the truth is revealed. McNabb really isn’t any better than Jeff Garcia and the Raiders certainly don’t care about winning. Thanks guys. In the meantime, TO and Moss moved to different teams, the complaining ceased and they’re having outstanding starts to the season.
6. Greenspan nails the GOP
Greenspan, a Republican himself, had the following to say about the GOP:
“The Republicans in Congress lost their way . . . They swapped principle for power. They ended up with neither. They deserve to lose.”
Correct. However, nobody deserves to lose to a socialist democrat. They should instead lose to a libertarian: Ron Paul.
7. Romney Especially Deserves to Lose
Romney has this new television ad vaguely criticizing the Republican party and promising to head in a “new direction.” Unfortunately for him, the party doesn’t need a NEW direction, it needs an old direction - idealization of a small constitutionalist government. Throughout the campaign, we’ve learned that Romney really wants to turn the Republican party into a blue state machine, and he can take a hike.
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