THE FOUNDATION
"The very idea of the power and the right of the people to establish government presupposes the duty of every individual to obey the established government." --George Washington, Farewell Address, 1796TOP 5 RIGHT HOOKS
Operation Inherent Resolve -- No, Seriously
Last week, we humorously suggested the as-yet-nameless operation against ISIL be dubbed Operation JV Team. Well, the Pentagon might have outdone us. The Wall Street Journal reports, "Despite the initial reaction at the Pentagon, military officials said that Central Command pressed to adopt Operation Inherent Resolve as the moniker. Additionally, some officials thought that a mundane name also would be a safe choice, unlikely to offend any member of the international coalition the U.S. has assembled to strike extremist targets." The only thing more of a joke than the name is the supposed coalition. Either the irony is completely lost on CENTCOM, or this is one of the more brilliant efforts to punk Obama in recent memory. More...Comment | Share
Kerry: Islamic State Is 'An Enemy of Islam'
Secretary of State John Kerry continues to be one of the foremost apologists for Islam. He released a press statement this week declaring once again that the Islamic State isn't Islamic. "No one need[s] a reminder of ISIL's depravity and evil. But now we have the latest example," Kerry said. "ISIL now proudly takes credit for the abduction, enslavement, rape, forced marriage, and sale of several thousand Yezidi and other minority women and girls -- some as young as 12 years old. Just as despicably, ISIL rationalizes its abhorrent treatment of these women and girls by claiming it is somehow sanctioned by religion. Wrong. Dead wrong. ISIL does not represent Islam and Islam does not condone or honor such depravity. In fact, these actions are a reminder that ISIL is an enemy of Islam [emphasis added]." We're not sure what Islamic training Kerry has to issue this pronouncement, but ISIL certainly insists it's Islamic and few moderate Muslims are condemning the behavior. More...Comment | Share
Welcome to Ebola Airlines
Not only are we not stopping air traffic from West Africa, but we can't even ground a plane after it carried an Ebola patient. "The Frontier Airlines jet that carried a Dallas healthcare worker diagnosed with Ebola made five additional flights after her trip before it was taken out of service," reports the Los Angeles Times. "Denver-based Frontier said in a statement that it grounded the plane immediately after the carrier was notified late Tuesday night by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about the Ebola patient." The nurse likely wasn't contagious when flying, but that's small consolation given she called CDC beforehand to report a fever. She was permitted to fly anyway. The Left insists we trust government to fix every ill, though this is yet one more example of why that's easier said than done. But not to worry; Barack Obama says he "shook hands with, hugged and kissed, not the doctors, but a couple of the nurses at Emory because of the valiant work that they did in treating one of the patients." Public affection from Obama is hardly reassuring. More...Comment | Share
Treasury Collects $3 Trillion in Taxes
The federal government is raking in more money than Scrooge McDuck. In September, the Treasury Department announced they confiscated $3 trillion in tax revenue for FY2014. It was only 37 years ago that the federal government received its first trillion through taxes, according to CNSNews.com. Despite the windfall, Washington can't seem to function without continuing to rack up huge deficits. Furthermore, The Wall Street Journal points out, the American taxpayers' income hasn't risen to outpace inflation, but more money has gone to feed the Leviathan. "President Obama says he won't sign any tax or entitlement reform unless he gets an additional $1 trillion in new annual revenue," the WSJ writes. "How about a raise for taxpayers first?"Comment | Share
Deportations Fall -- Again
The Obama administration has made it clear for a while now that enforcing existing immigration laws aren't exactly a priority, and this last fiscal year was no different. In fact, deportations of illegal aliens crossing the border dropped again. The Center for Immigration Studies reports, "Total deportations credited to ICE, the majority of which were illegal aliens arrested by the Border Patrol and CBP officers at the ports of entry, declined 15 percent from 2013 to 2014." In sum, 306,009 illegal aliens were sent back to their homes. Most alarmingly, the report adds, "The number of aliens who have received a final order of removal, but who are still in the United States, has risen to nearly 900,000. Nearly 167,000 of these are convicted criminals who were released by ICE and are currently at large." As the immigration debate rages on, one obvious remedy would be to actually enforce border security and send home those who a.) illegally entered the country, and b.) broke even more laws while roaming around the states. The fact it's even an issue is egregious. More...Comment | Share
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RIGHT ANALYSIS
Houston Gay Mafia Goes After Pastors
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Last year, Houston voters elected the city’s first openly lesbian mayor, Annise Parker. It wasn’t long before the city passed the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance (HERO), which granted "equal rights" (read: preferred status as those with whom no one may disagree) to individuals with gender disorientation pathology. Under the ordinance, men can use ladies’ restrooms, ladies can use men’s restrooms, and, in short, anything goes -- except orthodox Christianity. Texans don’t take too well to folks messing with their manhood, and it wasn’t long before a petition drive opposing the ordinance drew more than 50,000 signatures -- more than double the number needed to get the issue on the ballot.
Imagine the shock when the mayor and city attorney announced the petition was invalid due to "irregularities." Specifically, City Attorney David Feldman announced, “With respect to the referendum petition filed to repeal the ‘HERO’ ordinance, there are simply too many documents with irregularities and problems to overlook. The petition is simply invalid. There is no other conclusion.” Actually, there is another conclusion -- at least 50,000 Houston residents oppose HERO. Imagine that. But in a suspension of disbelief, the city expects folks to believe that, of 50,000 signatures, more than 32,000 were invalid. Sure, and we have oceanfront property in Dallas to sell them.
In response, opponents of the ordinance filed a lawsuit against the city. Houston now has a coalition of about 400 area churches that oppose the new ordinance, as they actually believe that X and Y chromosomes were designed for a reason. (It's called science, which the Left supposedly champions.) The churches were not party to the lawsuit, but it just so happens that some of the 50,000 signatures were reportedly gathered at churches (which, incidentally, is fully legal).
In retribution, the city claimed the churches' sermons were fair game as a political target because petition signatures were gathered inside a church. Several pastors were delivered a subpoena demanding they yield “all speeches, presentations, or sermons related to HERO, the Petition, Mayor Annise Parker, homosexuality, or gender identity prepared by, delivered by, revised by, or approved by you or in your possession” as well as “all communications with members of your congregations” about HERO and the petition drive.
Seems that the tolerant crowd Mayor Parker runs with isn’t so tolerant after all. Unable to abide the idea that Christian pastors may actually be preaching what the Bible says, she tried to intimidate them. Alliance Defending Freedom, which is representing the pastors, noted, “The city council and its attorneys are engaging in an inquisition designed to stifle any critique of its actions.”
Now, the city appears to be backing off -- somewhat. "Mayor Parker agrees with those who are concerned about the city legal department’s subpoenas for pastor’s sermons,” according to Janice Evans, chief policy officer for the City of Houston. “The city will move to narrow the scope [of the subpoenas] during an upcoming court hearing." As if that will smooth things over.
Mayor Parker said, "There’s no question the wording was overly broad. But I also think there was some misinterpretation on the other side.” In other words, they're still going after HERO opponents -- after they adjust the wording a bit.
And then she had the temerity to complain about being "vilified coast to coast."
Pastor Dave Welch, one of the subpoenaed pastors, said, "What they did by issuing these subpoenas was to punish any pastor in the city of Houston who participated in gathering signatures against the HERO ordinance." He added that even the revised subpoenas are clearly “an effort to both punish and intimidate those who dared to step-up and oppose this city council.”
It’s no secret that across the nation, efforts are multiplying to silence Christians, censor pastors and eliminate discourse in opposition to the homosexual agenda. The Houston Council’s actions are not the first attempt but are among the most brazen. The Council, however, has no idea what -- or whom -- it’s up against. Religious Liberty is the bedrock of our Republic, and government review of sermons has no place in the Land of the Free. Parker and her cohorts may think they messed only with a few Texas pastors, but when it comes to defending our God-given and constitutionally protected rights, she messed with all of us.
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Palestinians Continue to Enjoy the Favor of the West
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| Kerry's false start |
That fighting was, of course, provoked by Hamas, making Kerry's rush to give money particularly disconcerting.
Kerry, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and others offered the usual platitudes about creating a lasting peace -- "more than just a ceasefire" -- and accepting tough choices. Hamas was chastised for its attacks on Israeli civilians, and Israel was admonished for defending itself. Nothing new there. Indeed, it was the same old backward logic.
The Palestinian Authority continues to pay only lip service to shutting Hamas out of the political picture, just as it has for years. The PA hasn't offered any reasonable solution for disarming and neutralizing Hamas fighters who routinely attack Israel with rockets. This summer, Israel discovered a network of tunnels that allowed terrorists to sneak into Israel and attack civilians. In other words, Hamas was preparing to dish out mass mayhem, but the PA did nothing. Israel had to step in militarily and stop the threat.
Now, the PA is asking other nations for money to rebuild after a conflict started by a terrorist group on its own soil that it refuses to control. In reality, the aid that Kerry and other nations are pledging will do nothing more than get Gaza back in fighting shape so Hamas can attack Israel again.
There's nothing to indicate Gaza deserves aid. All that exists right now between Israel and Hamas is a ceasefire, and given Hamas's history of ignoring those, it could end at any moment. As columnist Cal Thomas notes, "The aid is promised before the terrorist war against Israel is over and without a promise by Hamas or the Palestinian Authority that there won’t be future attacks against the Jewish state."
In fact, Hamas exists almost solely to ensure the destruction of Israel. It says so in plain language in the terrorist group's charter. They will not negotiate -- why should they? The other nations of the world are reckless enough to reward them with money to rebuild after each Israeli bombardment. They fire rockets, use civilians as human shields, gain the sympathy and spoils of the international community, lay low, and then start up all over again a few months later. It’s a tired cycle that has no end thanks to the support of men like John Kerry and Barack Obama.
The White House blows smoke under the ruse that propping up Gaza and creating the opportunity for a Palestinian state will lead to peace. Likewise, British lawmakers this week engaged in a symbolic vote to recognize Palestine as a state. The motion passed 274-12. Many governments in Europe also profess Israel is the cause of troubles in the region, not Hamas. They blame Israel as occupiers, while arguing the solution is Palestinian sovereignty.
This is not the case. The PA and Hamas haven't demonstrated their worthiness for recognition as a nation of the world. It would be a devastating mistake to reward the murderous behavior of a terrorist group with the gift of statehood. It would not soothe them into a peaceful coexistence with their neighbors. It would only embolden them to continue on with their plan: the destruction of Israel.
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TOP 5 RIGHT OPINION COLUMNS
- Victor Davis Hanson: Ethnic Aristocracies Have No Place in Modern America
- George Will: Tackled by the Language Police
- R. Emmett Tyrrell: Stop This Voter Card Madness!
- Ann Coulter: We'll Tell You How Dangerous Ebola Is After the Election
- Rebecca Hagelin & Kristin Carey: The Challenge: Media Consumption
OPINION IN BRIEF
American political leader Robert G. Ingersoll (1833-1899): "Most men are followers, and implicitly rely upon the judgment of others. They mistake solemnity for wisdom, and regard a grave countenance as the title page and Preface to a most learned volume. So they are easily imposed upon by forms, strange garments, and solemn ceremonies. And when the teaching of parents, the customs of neighbors, and the general tongue approve and justify a belief or creed, no matter how absurd, it is hard even for the strongest to hold the citadel of his soul."Historian Victor Davis Hanson: "The New York Times made up an absurd category for George Zimmerman, classifying him as a 'white Hispanic' when it wished to gin up the Zimmerman-Trayvon Martin controversy along racial fault lines. But had Zimmerman taken his mother’s last name, Mesa, or Latinized his first name to become Jorge Zimmerman, then the New York Times might have had more trouble pulling off its racial gymnastics. After all, Zimmerman is as Hispanic as Barack Obama is African-American. But the Times would not dare dub the president, who had a white mother and African father, a 'white African-American.' In short, not only are racial bumper stickers sometimes cynical, but they are also hopelessly inexact. ... Why continue with divisive racial self-identification? Too many of our ethnic aristocrats and politicians benefit from a fossilized system of a past century that is now largely irrelevant in 21st-century America."
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Columnist George Will: "Campuses are habitats for progressives, and the distilled essence of today’s progressivism is the use of power to limit speech. The fact that censorship is progressivism’s default position regarding so many things is evidence of progressives' pessimism about the ability of their agenda to advance under a regime of robust discussion. It also indicates the delight progressives derive from bossing people around and imposing a particular sensibility, in the name of diversity, of course."
Comedian Argus Hamilton: "Joe Biden campaigned in Florida Monday for Democratic candidate for governor Charlie Crist. The Democrats are running on the environment. Joe has a climate change plan. He says we can lower the earth's temperature dramatically just by switching from Fahrenheit to Celsius."
Semper Vigilo, Fortis, Paratus et Fidelis!
Join us in daily prayer for our Patriots in uniform -- Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen -- standing in harm's way in defense of Liberty, and for their families.
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