A Bevy of Ideas

Is there a full moon? Today there are lots of columns out there that are food for thought, deserving of digestion. Victor Hansen Davis has a great piece on the proposed NYC mosque. I think many of his ideas I touched upon a couple days ago, namely the different perceptions that allowing a mosque would bring in the US and freedom-loving peoples and the Islamists and other fascists. Then, Nolan Finley in the Det News offers another good column, very insightful. He suggests permitting the construction (all of us agree there is a Constitutional protection that would allow it) and then adding a nearby cathedral, church, synagogue, tabernacle, ashram, etc. In theory, it's a wonderful idea. But I wonder, again, about perceptions. Read them for yourself and see what you think. Regardless, they are wonderful examples of thought-provoking journalism.

Then, George Will has a spot-on column about Israel and world/US leaders who "preach" to the Israelis. He really nails them, from a dig at giving the Nobel Peace Prize to the terrorist Yassir (That's My Baby) Arafat to those who have no understanding of history to the feel-good crowd. If you know President Obama's stance and speeches on this, you'll get a clear picture why he's all wet (and ignorant).

"Anchor babies" and illegal immigration is another good article on the News op-ed pages. Of course, being born here, they are US citizens. They are entitled to the same rights any US citizen has. Their parents, if they came here illegally, are a different story. If someone is going to try to pull at my heartstrings, "Oh, how can you separate children from their parents," stop right now. It's not my fault--go see the illegal immigrant parents! It's their fault. And if there is any more need to demonstrate that Homeland Security Secretary Napolitano is a first-class boob, here it is: "I am surprised...that discussion is being had about amending the US Constitution before we even get to the table on amending the statutes...." Apparently she doesn't quite get it that we have laws, laws that the federal gov't are ignoring or, more accurately, refusing to enforce. Therefore, fed up with the inaction of the self-righteous, anointed gov't officials, people are turning to other matters to stop this. What a boob! Harry Reid also chimes in, once again making a case that he is one of the biggest boobs in Congress: "I don't know how anyone of Hispanic heritage could be a Republican." Just think about that one for a while, what he really says. The Las Vegas sign was correct: "Harry Reid, Nevada's national embarrassment."

Deroy Murdock has a short, but good piece on ObamaCare. His last sentence is a keeper: "...Americans should dream of the day when Barack Obama returns to Chicago to break ground on his presidential library." Is that racist or what? Oh, Murdock is a black man. Well, there must be some other name to call him then.

And there are two other pieces worth noting. First, I see Gov Jennie, rather than fixing the state budget problems, wants to pull a few fast ones to balance the books. (I laugh when I read Dems say, "Reps are trying to kill Social Security." Wait a minute! Who borrowed all the SS funds and still hasn't paid them back--and never will?????) Why did the Enron people and other corporate execs go to jail when they employed such tactics/cooked the books, but gov't officials do the same things and just go merrily along?

Tom Watkins, the former Super of Ed in Michigan, is at it again. He's one of these "reform, restructure," etc. bullhorns. But I can't ever remember him calling for higher quality teachers, those who actually know their subjects. Does he ever write about colleges giving degrees in, say, math or English or history to students who don't really know math or English or history? No doubt, he's in favor of these silly in-service, school improvement, etc. programs. Why not say, "Hey, look, we're going to hold real meetings where teachers will learn their subjects and how to present them. No more throwing Nerf balls, "ice-breakers," stick-your-finger-in-the-Kool Aid garbage." Yeah, that's going to happen! Why have I never, I mean NEVER, seen any proposals for that? I remember going to two public meetings searching for a local school superintendent. Each asked the audience for qualities desirable in a superintendent. At each, I raised my hand and added, "having a quality education." I was ignored in both meetings (and actually walked out of the second one, smirking at the boobs running the show). So, who was hired? You guessed it.

OK, out to get some other things done. I will return to read this so at least one person has seen it. Throw out the trash in November.