I am not a sheep, I have my own mind
I have had enough of being told what and how to think
Whilst we are still allowed the remnants of free speech, I will speak out.
I also reserve the right to discuss less controversial matters should I feel the urge.
'Sweden is no longer a genuine democracy. The mob rules, while the police watch. Two journalists have been prevented from doing their job. And although the photographer who documented it all and sent the pictures to Scanpix – a photo agency that every Swedish media outlet has access to – nobody published them.'
The left claim to be the nice, reasonable, caring side of politics; the truth is somewhat at variance. In the UK the hatred spewed by the left at Margaret Thatcher and any other politicians who dare(d) to oppose the leftist culture of the UK often disgusts me. In America is is nearly as bad, read the comments reported in this Daily Caller article from people of the left responding to news of Dick Cheney's heart transplant, here's a few:
'“Whoever donated their heart to dick cheney: fuck you,” tweeted @yokelesy.
“Cheney’s black soul keeps rotting out his heart. Fuck that bitch,” @SolidGlo waxed poetic.
“Why in the contumacious fuck are we wasting a perfectly good heart on dick cheney?” tweeted @mr_senor_pete
Another offered a different if similar perspective, expressing happiness for Cheney’s transplant — so that Cheney could one day meet his demise in a fire.
“I’m glad Cheney survived his heart transplant because I’ve always wanted him to die in a horrible fire,” @Jedimasterbator tweeted.'
'Workforce Fairness is releasing a series of videos chronicling left-wing intimidation, including showing up at people’s houses to harass them and their families. We’re pleased to debut the first of the videos here at RedState. The videos document a growing trend in American civic discourse — the use of intimidation against private citizens to punish dissent.
...
Routinely, conservative activists are targeted for harassment, subject to degrading comments, etc. from the left and they are okay with that. Bill Maher gets invited to keynote Democratic dinners.
Archbishop Chaput of Philadelphia, in a Lenten Letter to his pastoral flock, said that evil preaches tolerance until it is dominant and then tries to silence good. The secular left, having preached tolerance for years, is proving the Archbishop true with their new found intolerance for opposing views. Witness opponents to Proposition 8 in California actively targeting for harassment supporters of Proposition 8. Witness union goons showing up on the doorsteps of private citizens to scare them into submission. Witness Media Matters For America targeting American supporters of Israel and attacking them as “Israel Firsters,” questioning their loyalty to the United States.
The left is trying to shut down the opposition. When they were out of power, dissent was patriotic. Now that they are in power, they want to use both the state and intimidation in the public square to shut down opposing views. It goes beyond boycotts to financially intimidate those who disagree with them. Now, the left is showing up at the private homes of American citizens they disagree with to intimidate them, threaten them, harass them, and make them pay for daring to have a different view.'
Thanks to Redstate for the video spot and the above text.
As I have said before, I am not a huge fan of Pat Condell because I disagree with his views on all religions. However his views on Israel and the Palestinians are often right on the mark.
I have posted these videos before and received some nasty comments for doing so but I happen to think that this subject is worth revisiting. So here are two videos from pat Condell followed by some background material. I ask you all to listen to Pat Condell's videos, read the quotations and watch the videos I post before commenting.
One of Pat Condell's best videos. I especially liked this line:
"The Arabs don't hate Jews because of Israel, they hate Israel because of Jews."
When Pat Condell comments on so much of the left's insane hatred of Israel and uncritical support for the Palestinians he voices much of what I say, but with more pizazz. The above video should be required viewing for every MP, University Vice-Chancellor, BBC 'journalist', Police Superintendent, University student and pro-Palestinian (for which you can read anti-Israel) marcher in this country. Unfortunately most of those people are so brainwashed or closed-minded that they would probably dismiss his views out of hand, as they do mine; they don't want or like facts, they just know the truth.
In that video Pat Condell claims that Muslim children are brainwashed to hate Jews; is he right?
Jews are "Apes and pigs"; hmm where have I heard that before?
Thankfully that is in the Middle East and not in the UK, or is it?
What is wrong with the world? Why do so many people hate the Jews so much? Why do so few people realise or care what hatred and untruths are being spread by the Saudis throughout Europe and America as well as by others in the Middle East?
Maybe Ken Livingstone who has declared that he wants to turn London into a “beacon” for the words of the (Islamic) Prophet Mohammed should pay more attention to the truth. Maybe Ken Livingstone who expressed his wish whilst speaking at the Hamas-aligned Finsbury Park Mosque last Friday. I say Hamas-aligned Mosque because as The Telegraph reported:
'[T]he mosque is now controlled by an Islamist organisation, the Muslim Association of Britain, which has been linked to the banned terror group, Hamas. A man who has acted as spokesman for the current leadership, Azzam Tamimi, is on record assupporting suicide bombings. One of the mosque’s current directors, Mohammed Sawalha, is described by the BBC as a former senior figure in Hamas who “is said to have masterminded much of Hamas’s political and military strategy” from his post in London.
In 2009 Mr Sawalha also signed the Istanbul Declaration which calls for attacks against the allies of Israel, which include the UK. The British Government interpreted it as calling for attacks on British troops.'
Ken Livingstone also pledged to "educate the mass of Londoners" in Islam, saying: "That will help to cement our city as a beacon that demonstrates the meaning of the words of the Prophet." Ken Livingstone also told the audience at that Mosque that:
"I want to spend the next four years making sure that every non-Muslim in London knows and understands [Mohammed's last sermon's] words and message."
I am not reassured by that pledge at all.
As I blogged yesterday, Jewish Labour figures are behind a letter sent to the labour leader Ed Miliband expressing concern that Ken Livingstone has aligned himself with the politics of radical Islam.
"The real and more pressing issue is that of the strong perception that Ken is seeking to align himself with the politics of the Muslim Brotherhood and the Iranian regime, whilst at the same time turning a blind eye to Islamist antisemitism , mysogynism (sic) and homophobia."
A few weeks ago I heard a very interesting radio programme on BBC Radio 4 about the useful idiots who propagandised on behalf of Communist Russia in order to protect the name of Communism:
'refers to Western journalists, travellers and intellectuals who gave their blessing – often with evangelistic fervour – to tyrannies and tyrants, thereby convincing politicians and public that utopias rather than Belsens thrived.'
It is a story that I know well but one that does deserve repetition because I don't think that many people do know how so many on the left of western politics covered up the evil of communist Russia, and indeed China as well.
What struck me when listening to the programme was how those who criticised Russia were the ones that were disbelieved and whose careers suffered at the time whilst those that supported the evil regimes were rewarded:
'In 1952 Doris Lessing, a British writer who has since won the Nobel Prize for Literature, was part of a delegation visiting the Soviet Union.
Her memories of the trip are clear and unforgiving:
“I was taken around and shown things as a ‘useful idiot’... that’s what my role was. I can’t understand why I was so gullible.”
She was not the only one. The Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw and American journalist Walter Duranty were some of those people who also visited the Soviet Union.
They mingled with political leaders, were escorted into the countryside by Joseph Stalin’s secret police, and returned home to speak and write of ‘a land of hope’ with ‘evils retreating before the spread of communism’.
However as stories mounted of mass murder and starvation in parts of Russia and the Ukraine, reporters such as Gareth Jones and Malcolm Muggeridge investigated and reported on ‘the creation of one enormous Belsen’.
Duranty responded with an article in the New York Times headed ‘Story of the famine is bunk’, and got an exclusive interview with Stalin.
Soon after, Jones died and Muggeridge’s career nose-dived. Duranty was awarded a Pulitzer.'
I didn't hear the second part but was struck by the BBC's own summary:
'The journalist and historian Jonathan Mirsky, who has written extensively on China, describes former leader Chairman Mao as:
“He had an enormous impact on China – but he was a monster… and…responsible for the deaths of 40 million people.”
But the veteran British politician Tony Benn argues that Mao played a significant role in building China's global importance and economic power - and that his actions - both good and bad - must be seen in historical context.
From Mao’s China, General Pinochet’s Chile, Apartheid-controlled South Africa, Saddam Hussein’s Iraq, to President Ahmadinejad’s Iran, why – and how – have so many supposedly intelligent people been manipulated by dictators into saying good things about bad regimes?'
'Historical context'? 'HISTORICAL CONTEXT'! Mao's regime killed around 50 million people but the BBC's hero Tony Benn thinks Mao's actions must be seen in 'historical context'. Maybe someone could ask Tony Benn what 'historical context' justified the killing of 50 million people in communist China? Does Tony Benn also think that the millions of deaths ordered by Lenin and Stalin and the suffering in the gulags has to be seen in 'historical context'? What about the seven million Jews killed by Hitler's Nazis in Germany; do they have to be seen in historical context'? At this point Tony Benn would no doubt lean back and suck on a metaphorical pipe and tell you that he fought against Nazism during the second world war. Indeed you did Mr Benn, indeed you did but you still say that the deaths of millions more people needs to be seen in 'historical context'!
I wonder who the useful idiots of today are? Those who believed that the 'Arab Spring' would end other than with Islamist regimes perhaps.
The usual story; too many open Firefox tabs and too little time.
1) Honest Reporting have the BBC bang to rights over their recent coverage of Israel 'pounding Gaza'.
2) the Jawa Report have an interesting report on the bile and hatred brewing in the left-wing parts of the Twittersphere.
3) A Digital Spy piece from last December shows Richard bacon to be a bigger tw*t than even I thought:
'Richard Bacon has revealed that Prince Charles caught him laughing during the Queen Mother's funeral.'
4) The Algemeiner has a fascinating article about the beginning of life on Earth and he postulates that Intelligent Design may be the correct theory. Don't dismiss the idea before reading the piece.
5) Alex Masterley is wondering about Peter Mandelson's wealth. Here's how his piece starts:
'So a man who little more than 10 years ago was living in a £250,000 flat, who secured an inheritance of £450,000 and a windfall from some shares of about the same, who has never been paid more than £150,000 in the last 10 years (anything else would have to be registered), on which one would presume tax would be payable and living costs deducted, is some how able to buy an £8 million house.'
The rest is fascinating, absolutely fascinating...
In the blue corner, Wendi Deng seen throwing a fine right cross at her husband's pie throwing assailant today at the House of Commons Culture Media and Sport committee on phone-hacking. Well done Wendi, very quick reactions and very protective of her husband, Rupert Murdoch.
In the red corner John Prescott seen here throwing a fair straight left whilst on walkabout in 2001
Obviously John Prescott would have a massive weight advantage but Wendi Deng/Murdoch is much younger and fitter. Who would win? There's only one way to find out..... "fight"
'Pro-democracy activists in Syria called for fresh protests on Saturday after the alleged torture and killing of a 13-year-old boy by security forces in the flashpoint region of Daraa.
The body of Hamza al-Khatib was returned to his family on Wednesday, following his disappearance after a demonstration on April 29, activists said on their Facebook site, Syrian Revolution 2011.
"We will go out from every home, from every district to express our anger" over the killing, they wrote on the page which carries a picture of the boy.
"A month had passed by with his family not knowing where he is, or if or when will he be released. He was released to his family as a dead body. Upon examining his body, the signs of torture are very clear," they said.
"There were a few bullets in his body used as a way of torture rather than to kill him with. Clear signs of severe physical abuse appeared on the body such as marks done with hands, sticks, and shoes. Hamza?s penis was also cut off."'
I await the protests from the leftist elements who would be up in (metaphorical) arms had this been Israel at fault; I think I will wait in vain.
2) The Telegraph and The Mail have the photographic proof that Samantha Cameron is fit; in both senses of the word.
3) Mary Sean Young has some fascinating Polaroids from the set of Bladerunner, here's one...
Rachael and Deckard together...
4) The Telegraph report on what happens when occupational health departments need to ensure they generate work to keep them employed:
'...modern day police officers are being issued with "lifestyle guides", suggesting bedtime routines and healthy eating options.
Among the pearls of wisdom offered in the documents are that officers should assist their spouses with household chores and do activities such as gardening and dancing to keep fit.
The guides even offer advice on what fillings officers should have in their sandwiches. '
5) ZeroHedge think that DeSpiegel are taking a risk of being sued by Greece:
'Germany's Der Spiegel seems hell bent on getting sued to hell and back by Greece. After a few weeks ago it "broke" the news of a secret meeting that would consider the expulsion of the country from the Eurozone, it is once again stirring passions with an article claiming that Greece has missed all fiscal targets agreed under its bailout plan, according to a mission from an international inspection team, putting further funding for Athens at risk, Reuters summarizes. "The troika (aka the International Monetary Fund, the European Commission and the European Central Bank) asserts in its report to be presented next week that Greece had missed all its agreed fiscal targets," weekly Spiegel magazine reported in a prerelease. In other words, this could be the political game over for Greece, whose fate as has been disclosed recently, is intimately tied with the perception that it is following the troika's demands for fiscal change. If the three key bailout institutions are already leaking that Greece is done, next week could well be the beginning of the end for the €.'
Is that true, is the Eurozone about to fall apart as Greece fails to meet its targets? Does this mean that David Cameron will stop promising money to ailing EuroZone countries? Does this mean that those people who called for the UK to join the Euro will now admit their mistakes and that William Hague, John Redmond amongst others were right when they were being ridiculed for being 'little Englanders' and out of step with history?
6) Brian Lee Crowley in The Financial Post examines the premise behind the question “Are we running out of natural resources?” and explains why we are not. A good explanation that should be required reading for all eco-loons. Here's the conclusion:
'We are nowhere near to running out of natural resources. Human creativity and financial resources together will ensure a continued supply of all the resources we need. The exact form those resources will take cannot be known today, however. It relies on future innovations, which are, by their nature, unpredictable because they will be the fruit of our imagination and curiosity. That is why the human mind is the greatest natural resource of all.'
7) WireUpdate has some bad news for many visitors to Amsterdam:
'In an effort to stop drug tourism, the Dutch government on Friday decided to restrict access to cannabis coffee shops so that tourists will no longer be able to buy the drugs.
Coffee shops are establishments in the Netherlands where the sale of cannabis for personal consumption by the public is tolerated by the local authorities. As this is illegal in most countries, many tourists from around the world travel to Amsterdam to use cannabis.
But in an effort to reduce criminal behavior and tourism as a result of the drug policy, the Dutch government on Friday decided to introduce a membership system for coffee shops. The city of Amsterdam, where most tourists go, is against the decision
The new system will require members of coffee shops to be a citizen of the Netherlands and over the age of 18.'
This will not help the Amsterdam tourist industry and might make the drug-pushers in the Red Light district even more insistent...
8) The Other McCain has all you need to know about 'Weinergate', actually make that more than you probably want to know about New York Democrat Rep. Anthony Weiner's penis, BlackBerry
9) Noel Sheppard at NewsBusters wonders whether 'Hatred Towards Conservative Women is Last Acceptable Misogyny in U.S.'. here's an extract:
'Of course, Tantaros was correct.
What America has painfully learned since former Alaska governor Sarah Palin was first announced as John McCain's running mate in 2008 is that it is completely acceptable for media members to mercilessly attack a woman in print or on television and radio if she is a conservative.
In reality, not only is it condoned, it's applauded.
You can even win awards for doing so - just ask Katie Couric.
Sadder still is that the Left is constantly carping and whining about the scarcity of women in politics.
Maybe if they wouldn't attack every conservative female that deigns to enter public life there'd be more of them - or is that just too darned logical for a liberal?'
10) BizyBlog claims 'AP Reporters Fabricate Scurrilous ‘Possible’ Reason Why Walesa Wouldn’t Meet With Obama'. It's an interesting theory and one that should chime with anyone who realises quite how biased most of the world's media is in favour of Barack Obama. Investors Business Daily has the more plausible explanation:
' Someone who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for actually doing something just snubbed someone who won it for nothing. But Lech Walesa’s refusal to meet President Obama is also a cry to save Poland.
Lech Walesa, the former Polish president and heroic leader of the Solidarity trade union that helped liberate the entire Eastern European Soviet bloc from communist rule, has his moral courage indelibly engraved in the history books.
… on Friday, Walesa once again answered the call to duty and announced he would not accept fellow Nobel Peace laureate President Obama’s invitation to meet with him in Poland after the G-8 Summit in France.
… Close observers of this president for the two-plus years of his rule know he isn’t interested in listening to the likes of Walesa, any more than he wants to hear the leaders of former Soviet satellite states explain how the low, flat tax rates they adopted in recent years led their nations to double-digit GDP growth.
For the sake of preserving Poland’s hard-fought freedom, Komorowski and Tusk should be joining Walesa in giving Obama the cold shoulder.
The president hadn’t even had a chance to redecorate the Oval Office before he felt the need, in fall of 2009, to appease Moscow by scrapping plans to build a missile defense shield protecting Poland and the Czech Republic from attack by Russia, Iran or any other aggressor.
At the time, the Polish minister of defense said, “This is catastrophic for Poland.”
The message, once again, delivered loud and clear to America’s friends, allies and enemies alike, is that the U.S. can’t be relied on.
… The message Poland’s leaders should deliver to our self-satisfied president is the one Walesa is delivering by his absence: Neither your Nobel nor bin Laden’s head, Mr. President, is a substitute for U.S. help in keeping a liberated Eastern Europe liberated.'
That has cleared ten tabs, only another 20 or so to go!
'Welsh Labour's leader has said an assembly candidate who wrote online that he hopes Margaret Thatcher will die soon has learned a "severe lesson".
Ynys Mon candidate Joe Lock, 25, has apologised for comments he made on Facebook about the former Conservative Prime Minister.
He also wrote he "loves Tories, as long as they are impaled on a large spike".
The Conservatives called the remarks "offensive, abusive" and "unacceptable for anyone seeking public office".
Among his postings in 2010, Mr Lock placed a link to a Facebook group called Is Margaret Thatcher Dead Yet? with the comment "can't be long, fingers crossed".'
So what was Mr Lock's apology? Did he withdraw the offensive sentiments?
'Mr Lock said: "These were stupid comments and intended for friends, but that is absolutely no excuse."
So amongst your friends wishing Lady Thatcher dead and Tories impaled on a spike? Nice friends you have.
'He added: "I accept completely that I should not have made these comments and I apologise unreservedly to anyone I may have offended.'
He accepts that he shouldn't have made the comments and apologises if he offended anyone but does he still wish Lady Thatcher dead and Conservatives impaled on spikes?
'"I have offered a personal apology to Welsh Labour, the local party and to Carwyn Jones for any embarrassment I may have caused."'
Ah that's the reason for the 'apology', to get the Welsh Labour party out of an embarrassing situation.
Now that he has apologised to his Party who might have been 'embarrassed', will he now apologise to Lady Thatcher who he wished dead? I think I know that he won't and why...
The above image is from Left Futures article entitled 'Labour should go for Osborne’s jugular'. It's a piece written by Michael Meacher who I assume will be disowning the image used...
People have complained to Left Future about the image but it's still there as is this comment from long time figure on the Labour left, Jon Lansman at 6:53 pm;
'...I didn’t imagine that the illustration would alone “create an atmosphere of violent hyperbole” or I wouldn’t have used it but I will take account of your views in future...'
When you remember the faux shock from many on the left at the 'target' imagery used in some of Sarah Palin's literature and how that was apparently to blame for the shooting of Gabrielle Gifford, you do wonder how they can even contemplate using even worse imagery themselves. Actually hypocrisy is the easy explanation.
American Power writes a fantastic piece about the Democrat state walkouts in several US States. Do read the whole piece but what I found interesting is how what he and others in the US perceive as the Democratic party's belief that as a political party they are entitled to power so fits in with how many on the left in UK feel.
As I have said before when Labour wins a general election Conservatives are meant to accept the result with good grace and live with whatever decisions are made. However when Conservatives win a general election (even if in a coalition) Labour supporters and those further to the left feel entitled to rant and rave and protest at every decision taken.
Odd isn't it?
Thinking about this reminds me of something else that I have blogged about before. A Labour supporter feels able at any Conservative dominated social occasion to lecture Conservatives about the correct views to hold without fear of insult or attack but a Conservative at a Labour dominated social occasion knows to keep very very quiet lest he engender at best silence and at worse having to leave.
These posters have started appearing in North London and show the sheer loveliness that spews from many leftists. Could this sort of poster be seen as incitement, or would a court see it as free speech?
This sort of attitude is actively assisted by the reporting of such as The Guardian, The Independent and the BBC who keep reporting on the 'costs of the Royal Family. I did demolish this one-sided argument last November, here's how:
'The BBC and various anti-monarchist groups are misrepresenting the cost of the UK monarchy again and this has annoyed me. This piece repeats the familiar misrepresentation that:
'The total cost of keeping the monarchy was £38.2m during the 2009-10 financial year, a drop of 7.9% (£3.3m) on the previous year.'
This looks at just one side of the equation: the costs of the Civil List which is soon to be replaced by the awfully named "sovereign support grant". The other side that is as usual ignored is that in 1760 it was decided that the entire cost of the Civil List should be paid by Parliament in return for the monarch surrendering his hereditary revenues from the Crown Estate to Parliament for the duration of George III's reign. This agreement with some alterations is still in place today.
So how much is the The Crown Estate worth to the UK taxpayer? The last figures I saw was around £190 million a year.
So why does the BBC insist on repeating the cost of the Royal Family <£40 million a year but ignores the income forgone by them in return for the civil list of around £190 million?'
What delightful people, but the BBC and other Main Stream Media will continue to state as fact that it is the Tea Party that is full of hatred, whilst the left is clean and innocent - f**k that.
Thanks to A Tangled Web for the spot of this video from a Code Pink rally in California.
Unacceptable behaviour but what I want to say is that there is a lot of video and still photos of 'students' breaking windows and throwing objects. I would like each and every person identifiable be charged with criminal damage, affray or some other public order offence, convicted and punished. The punishment should not be just a warning and a metaphorical slap on the wrist but a serious custodial punishment.
I also trust that University Vice-Chancellors will be viewing the images and taking action against any of their 'students' found to have been guilty of public order offences.
I have been warning for some time of civil disorder by elements fighting against 'the cuts' and unless strong action is taken now against these 'students' they will only get bolder and more dangerous.
2) The Freeman Online asks: ' Will “Clean Energy” Lead an Economic Recovery? Can pigs fly?' I think we all know the answer.
3) Toby Young tells how 'Lefties go mental while watching my school documentary' Is anyone surprised at the violence and hatred shown by the left?
4) The Telegraph report on another legacy left to the UK by the last Labour government.
'Equality Act: firms must not ask job applicants about health
Employers will not be able to ask people who apply for a job about their health under new equality laws that come into force today.
Staff who are dyslexic, have taken a large number of sick days or who look after disabled and elderly relatives will also find it easier to win unfair dismissal cases under the new law. '
5) What is happening in Iran with the Stuxnet virus? The US Report explains the background and The Telegraph blame it on/ give credit to Israel.
6) Watts Up With That reports an invonvenient fact: 'Less ice in the Arctic Ocean 6000-7000 years ago'.
7) C3 Headlines reports that: 'Peer-Reviewed Cherry Blossom Reseach Confirms Japan's Medieval Climate Warmer Than Current One'. So the Medieval warm period was not just confined to Northern europe.