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Saturday, September 30, 2006MISIMPRESSIONSGood grief. When you misunderestimate your vocabulary, inventing words is a glorious thing. Friday, September 29, 2006What Men of Old Would Say About War...
Now, I want you to remember... that no bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it... by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country. Men, all this stuff you've heard about America not wanting to fight, wanting to stay out of the war, is a lot of horse dung. Americans traditionally love to fight. All real Americans love the sting of battle. When you were kids, you all admired the champion marble shooter, the fastest runner, big-league ball players, the toughest boxers. Americans love a winner, and will not tolerate a loser. Americans play to win all the time. I wouldn't give a hoot in hell for a man who lost and laughed. That's why Americans have never lost, and will never lose a war, because the very thought of losing is hateful to Americans. Now an army is a team. It lives, eats, sleeps, fights as a team. This individuality stuff is a bunch of crap. The bilious bastards who wrote that stuff about individuality for the Saturday Evening Post don't know anything more about real battle than they do about fornicating. Now we have the finest food and equipment, the best spirit, and the best men in the world. You know, by God, I actually pity those poor bastards we're going up against. By God, I do! We're not just going to shoot the bastards, we're going to cut out their living guts and use them to grease the treads of our tanks. We're going to murder those lousy Hun bastards by the bushel! Now some of you boys I know are wondering whether or not you'll chicken out under fire. Don't worry about it. I can assure you that you will all do your duty. The Nazis are the enemy. Wade into them! Spill their blood! Shoot them in the belly! When you put your hand into a bunch of goo that a moment before was your best friend's face, you'll know what to do. There's another thing I want you to remember. I don't want to get any messages saying we are "holding our position." We're not "holding" anything. Let the Hun do that. We're advancing constantly. We're not interested in holding on to anything except the enemy. We're going to hold on to him by the nose and kick him in the ass. We're going to kick the hell out of him all the time, and we're going to go through him like crap through a goose! Now there's one thing that you men will be able to say when you get back home. And you may thank God for it. Thirty years from now when you're sitting around your fireside with your grandson on your knee, and he asks you: "What did you do in the great World War ll?" You won't have to say: "Well... I shovelled shit in Louisiana. " All right, now, you sons of bitches... you know how I feel. I will be proud to lead you wonderful guys into battle anytime, anywhere. That's all. Never go in against a Sicilian when DEATH is on the line!Richmond Times-Dispatch journalist Bart Hinkle dissects the logic behind the Sons of Confederate Veterans rebuke of Senator Allen: The scene was summoned to the mind by the news that the Sons of Confederate Veterans are upset with Senator George Allen for saying he wished he had understood sooner that the Confederate flag is offensive to African-Americans.Inconceivable! Thursday, September 28, 2006The Corner: The Jim Webb ParadoxJpod explains it all: Webb is a brilliant and unclassifiable guy — I'd say he's very close to being a paleocon with socially liberal attitudes. But if he is anything, he's politically incorrect. How ironic, therefore, that his campaign has now staked itself on the incredibly dreary politically correct issue of 'offensive language' dating back decades. Instead of being the philosopher-novelist candidate, Webb is instead on the line in the most dispiriting and unintelligent political contest the United States has seen in years.Couldn't have said it any better myself, and he only has his campaign staff to blame. Worst. Campaign. Ever.Ben Tribbett remarks on the "Amazing 180" in the Allen/Webb race, and I have to agree with him. Any other campaign in the world would have turned the last two weeks into a barnburner. Yet once again, Webb is given an opportunity to break away and flubs the chance. Liberals have to be going stir-crazy over this. Progressives just don't have the discipline to win. The Webb campaign is demonstrating this time, and time, and time again. Pelosi 1, Dean 0. UK Telegraph: Beijing secretly fires lasers to disable US satellitesThis is the same country hosting the 2008 Olympics. Of course, the intent of such laser must - nay, are undeniably and solely used - for peaceful purposes: The document said that China could blind American satellites with a ground-based laser firing a beam of light to prevent spy photography as they pass over China.The soft, fuzzy kind of laser beams... clearly, someone has learned a lesson from Iraq, namely that the international community will not intervene in a nations internal affairs based on a presumed threat. What you can't see, won't hurt you (or them)... An Open Letter to the Virginia BlogosphereBoth Vivian Paige and Conaway Haskins make a plea -- one that deserves to be read by all: As two black bloggers in the Virginia political blogosphere, we bring a unique perspective to the conversation regarding race that swirls around us. Each of our families have been in Virginia for more than 150 years, so we are well acquainted with the both with Virginia’s sordid past and its slow, steady move towards inclusion that has occurred in our lifetimes. It comes as no surprise to us, then, that both candidates have used racial epithets in the past. To argue otherwise is to deny the realities of life in Virginia and our country. Inquiries into such behavior serve to shine light on those incidents and provide an opportunity for discerning whether they hold such sentiments today. It is not an irrelevant conversation, nor is it the only thing that matters in determining who should be the next junior senator from Virginia. Some have used this inquiry as an opportunity to throw around racial epithets themselves. We contend that doing so is reflective of the lack of racial sensitivity that both candidates have indicated that they had in the past. Further, we contend that this desensitizes the readers to the real issues of race that are still with us. We find such behavior unacceptable and implore our colleagues to refrain from engaging in such behavior. While campaigns are willing to exploit the issue of race (and its companion issues of ethnicity and gender), the Virginia political blogosphere should not be so eager to do so. (emphasis added) To call for a complete end to such a discussion would be not only naive but hypocritical of us, and we are not proposing that. What we do ask is that the level of discourse be raised a notch, always mindful of the possible effects of such polarizing rhetoric not only through November 7, but beyond. Wednesday, September 27, 2006FeedBurnerHere's your link, and as you can see to the left, there's a new spot to see how many people actually subscribe to the FeedBurner feed. No idea how many people subscribe to the Atom feed provided by Blogger though. 15,000 hits and 4,000 unique users makes this a pretty popular spot though. Im Not Emeril: Has The Smear Campaign Gone Too Far For DNC's Comfort?For those who continue to insist there is no liberal vs. progressive civil war within the Democratic Party, as INE explains: I've been told they have been monitoring this campaign, and are not happy with what they have been hearing and reading, primarily from the leftist blogs connected with the Webb campaign.Disagree with Pelosi on politics, but don't underestimate her. When she says things are going to far, they've probably gone way beyond acceptable. That Howard Dean and the progressives are cheering Webb as his campaign races him off a cliff should disturb any true liberal... or objective believer that politics shouldn't be a dirty word. Reason & Revelation: More on TobaccoOur friends at R&R note the R&R benefits of tobacco: Those consumed with longevity are not guaranteed to live longer if they eat healthy and consumes themselves with exercise! Smoking of all forms (including cigarettes, which this blog discourages) causes people to relax. In the forms of especially pipe and cigar smoking, the relaxation benefit is great.There is nothing better than some good pipe tobacco. In case you are curious, the tobacco in Virginia is far superior to what you'll find elsewhere. Roll up this laptop!There's a million applications for this. More Objectivity from SlateThe George Allen Insult Generator. I kid you not. Go here and be offended (in more ways than one). Commonwealth Conservative: "A smear campaign”Chad over at Commonwealth Conservative takes a swipe at the Webb campaign on the character meme: (N)ote that every one of these accusers tell stories that are unverifiable. Not a single one can be corroborated and, in fact, none of them are corroborated. Every witness and peer of Allen’s says exactly the opposite, and now the huge holes in this ridiculous smear campaign are beginning to become evident. And — surprise! — every single one of these accusers are ideological opponents of Sen. Allen. Imagine that!Here's the good news folks: this could very well be the last time we hear this racism charge ever again. The Dems played their trump card against Sentor Allen in 2006. We get to take 'em to task and clear the road for 2008! How's About That Economy?I'm just curious... how come the Dems aren't talking about the stock market? Falling gas prices? Renewed consumer confidence? Unemployment figures? Record GDP levels? Just curious. Tuesday, September 26, 2006Democrats vs. Susan Allen?My wife in particular spent the better part of two years putting me through the wringer before marrying me. Most married gentlemen will agree: their wives know them best. I had the pleasure of meeting Susan Allen's parents some months ago, and they are tremendous people. They certainly did not instill in their daughter the values Democrats would ascribe to her husband. Anyone who has met Susan knows they are in the presence of a true lady, and can't help but walk away with a level of respect for her intelligence, demeanor, and touch. Republicans and Democrats both respect Susan Allen, and that's a good thing. Here's my point. Most of what the Democrats are alleging are things that happened long before Susan met George; things a lady would know about her future husband. Is there a Democrat in Virginia vicious enough to argue Susan Allen would willingly marry a racist? Susan Allen is a wonderful human being -- I'm certainly not that base or daring, first and foremost being I don't believe for a moment it's true. Want some more perspective? Mark Levin over at National Review lays it on thick: Let's see how many Republicans are quick to distance themselves from George Allen based on this kind of reporting. The Left is counting on it. These things can easily spin out-of-control on the Republican side as Republicans are often fearful of being on the wrong side of a perceived breaking scandal. I've seen it over and over again. And watch as they claim the moral high ground when doing so.Susan Allen knows better than anyone else in Virginia the character of George Allen. I find it incredible to believe that such a lady as Susan Allen would marry the man Webb's campaign describes. If Susan Allen can turn to the people of the Commonwealth and say her husband is an honorable man, then I believe Susan. Frankly, a handful of acquaintances and a disgruntled professor don't make the cut. Allen's political opponents have used this tack time and time again, and each time it has fallen flat on its merits. I don't believe it, I refuse to believe it, and voters are smart enough to know a hatchet job when they see one. (crossposted at Allen's A-Team) Monday, September 25, 2006Get paid to test Google productsThis has a factor of cool of at least 10. Virginia Catholic Conference on the Marriage AmendmentVirginia's Catholic Bishops (DiLorenzo and Loverde) have issued their position on the Marshall-Neuman Amendment. You can read it here (PDF version). I'd encourage both proponents and opponents of the amendment to read the PDF in its entirety, as it goes through twelve separate objections commonly raised and answers each accordingly. It is a very balanced yet firm explanation that should at the very least garner the respect of opponents. Reason & Revelation: Does Protestantism = Islam?Pseudonymous poster The Friar comments on Jonah Goldberg's USA Today column comparing the fall of the Islamic caliphate to the Protestant Reformation. It's an interesting comparison, as R&R quotes from the Goldberg piece: What might be called the Muslim Protestant Reformation began with the demise of the closest thing the Muslim world had to a Catholic Church: the Ottoman Empire. Unfortunately, unlike the church, which was strong enough to fight back, the “Sick Man of Europe” just up and died, ceding the battlefield to zealots. Without the push-and-pull that birthed Western social compromise, Islam simply replaced religious authoritarianism with religious totalitarianism. Tellingly, Lebanon, which endured years of religious civil war, is an exception to this dynamic in the Arab world.It is an excellent article focusing on the lack of leadership within the Muslim faith and how the fall of the Ottoman Empire contributed to the current state of affairs in the Middle East today -- drawing comparisons to the series of wars within Christendom in the aftermath of the Protestant Reformation. There are a few intersting ideas that spring forth from this op-ed, but it would take an amazing book to outline. U.S. relaxes in-flight liquids banGood news for mommies with babies making long trips from Denver to Richmond. :) VJP: On Barry GoldwaterEveryone is talking about it, and I seem to be the only human being left on earth who hasn't seen the HBO documentary on Barry Goldwater. Of course, the rare moment when you can get an opinion on the documentary from a source you can trust to be both objective and critical is rare indeed... Statement from Rev. Gary HamThis should put things to bed nicely. Am I the only one who finds the hack-job being performed by the Webb campaign old? Statement from Rev. Gary Ham, defensive corner on the University of Virginia football team 1969 thru 1973. Rev. Ham was one of the African-American players on the UVA football team at the time: "Let me say honestly, that I was not a close acquaintance with Senator Allen during our football days at UVA but I do not recall any language or behavior that was racist in nature." "I have better recollections of Senator Allen when he was the Governor of VA. Although I disagreed with the position which he took on Martin Luther King Day, I believed him to be a man who was open to dialogue with African-Americans and other minority groups. He did much to promote outreach to poor neighborhoods and communities through faith-based initiatives." Sunday, September 24, 2006A Modest Proposal: Voluntary TaxationBy now, I'm sure most folks have heard of Bill Cosby's call to arms for each American to donate US$8.00 to the National Slavery Museum in Fredericksburg: To get things rolling, Cosby asked each American to donate $8. Cosby has already pledged $1 million to the museum, scheduled to open on land in Celebrate Virginia in 2008.Now I've always made the argument (facetiously at times) that if we wanted to pay for more bureaucracy, why not simply donate your money to the government? Spotsylvania County has just such a fund, and the "Tax Me More" fund hasn't been all that productive. Lesson? Spotsylvanians don't want their taxes raised. All this having been said, on your Virginia State Tax Form there is always the option of "donating" your refund to specific organizations. Virginia Democrats, Virginia Republicans, etc. Our modest proposal? Why not start including a variety of charitable causes the Commonwealth of Virginia currently funds and list them on your tax form? $8 to the National Slavery Museum? Why not -- your refund is typically a pittance (my tax return was only $75 or so). Who wouldn't want to take their tax return and spend it on the charitable items they see fit? For those who can't afford the charity, get your refund back. For those who can, donte the money you didn't know you had. Such a system would be typical of the "direct democracy" experiments of dozens of referenda you see out in the Western United States. The National Slavery Museum is a perfect example of a charity that would benefit from the extra shot-in-the-arm for specific projects. This solves such problems as your tax dollars going to charities you don't deem to be worthwhile, allowing bad charities who survive through government grants to atrophy, and good charities dynamic enough to survive without the hand of government to get an extra boost. A modest proposal, for your consideration. OBL not dead...... just suffering a very slow and painful death after drinking contaminated water. Was it Lenin who apologized to the tables and chairs in the room shortly before his agonizing end? Saturday, September 23, 2006QandO: Osama may be Tango Uniform?McQ over at QandO speculates on Osama's yet-again rumored demise: You'd think someone like Osama would be immunized against that (however as I read it, the vaccine only has a 50-75% protective rate, so he might have fallen outside the curve and depending on what vaccine he took and how long ago he took it, may not have had much protection at all). But given his other medical problems it may have been infection enough to kill him fairly quickly.Heh. Me too. Richmond War Room: Pigskin time...or a great football post where you can read West Virginia be refered to as "Occupied Virginia." Heh. Friday, September 22, 2006China, Christianity, and the Rule of LawAnother interesting post from the Acton Institue, this time concerning religious freedom in Communist China: In “Would a religion law help promote religious freedom?” Magda Hornemann writes, “For many years, some religious believers and experts both inside and outside China have advocated the creation of a comprehensive religion law through the National People’s Congress, China’s legislature.” The argument in favor of the establishment of such a law is that “the rights of religious believers would be better protected by being clearly stipulated and codified in an objective law of the land.”Reform begins with the judiciary. Proportionalism vs. CatholicismProportionalism and Catholicism are natural enemies? In the aftermath of the Second Vatican Council, the idea of proportionalism made a resurgence (particularly among Catholics in the United States). While sustaining a whithering attack from both Catholic academics and from Pope John Paul II himself, the battle against proportionalist ethics is finding a new home among young Catholic graduate students influence strongly by JP II. Interesting post from Acton, with some great articles linked. Ben Tribbett vs. the WorldDemocratic infighting over at Not Larry Sabato, which begs the question as to whether or not the liberal wing is really going to let the progressives railroad Virginia Democrats after all. Lots of colorful commentary in the opening salvo. You may want to shield the eyes of young children, unplug small appliances, and mentally prepare yourself for the NLS vs. RK fight that is to come. Webb owning up to Miller flier?According to Mr. Riley, that is precisely the case. If so, I applaud him for doing so and would hope he would apologize in turn. As I've long suspected, I believe Secretary Webb to be a better man than his campaign staffers are portraying him. The Mason Conservative: The Tragedy of John TylerYet another book I am going to have to buy. And to think that the price of just this one book is the same cost of a month's worth of mind-numbing cable. It pays to be smart. And costs. Allen's MotherThis is a really good article, and if you haven't read it yet, do yourself the favor. Truly an excellent article, to the point of heartmoving. Thursday, September 21, 2006Bearing Drift: Gotta Go, Mom!Ouch is right... Tuesday, September 19, 2006Decide For YourselfWhy did Peggy Fox ask the question about Allen's Jewish background? When Allen presses the question as to why it's relevant, Fox answers -- honesty. Honesty. Honesty? About what??? This is disgusting. The crowd was right to boo the question. First the comic, now the question. The question needs to be asked: Why is it that anti-Semitism is all of the sudden in vogue on the extreme left? Monday, September 18, 2006The RCP Blog: The AP SwitcherooHeh. Seems like the AP got caught switching the headline to one of their stories from something neutral to something a bit more favorable to the Dems. RealClearPolitics has the scoop. I'm all for changing headliners to something more neutral or factual, but "GOP Gains Ground in Battle For Congress" (a true item in recent polls) to "Poll Shows GOP Not Making Its Case"? That's one heck of a swing on that gate... UK London Times: Why the Pope was rightOne editor's viewpoint: The question is whether the emperor is justified in what he said. His main thrust was at least partly justified. There is a real problem about the teaching of the Koran on violence against the infidel. That existed in the 14th century, and was demonstrated on 9/11, 2001. There is every reason to discuss it. I am more afraid of silence than offence.There is the additional problem of "development of doctrine" within Islam, and whether it exists. The Koran is meant to be read with the last sayings of Mohammed holding more precedence over the first teachings, so the suras that preach violence are those that hold pre-eminence. Can there be a development of doctrine within Islam? Christian theologians hold out some hope, but most do not see this as permissible -- or in some cases amongst the more extreme Muslim sects even desireable. Still, let us not forget there are those in the Muslim world who do believe the Five Pillars of Islam do preach mercy, almsgiving, and so forth. No where in the Five Pillars is a call for violence. Perhaps there lies hope, but first and foremost it remains to Islamic scholars to recapture the spirit of the Islamic philosophers of the Middle Ages. Whether Christian calls to emphasize reason are helpful or harmful is up for debate, but regardless as to whether or not the reflections of Pope Benedict XVI are welcomed, Islamic scholarship must understand that non-believers are indeed watching with a fearful mix of trepidation and hope. Bacon's Rebellion: Rosie O'Donnell's Bizarro WorldWhen Jim Bacon makes a point, you know it's gonna be good: UVa's student newspaper, the Cavalier Daily, caused a flap recently when it printed a cartoon depicting “Christ on a Cartesian Coordinate Plane,” with Jesus crucified on the X and Y axes of a mathematical grid, and another, “A Nativity Ob-scene,” in which the Virgin Mary tells Joseph that her bumpy rash was “immaculately transmitted.” So reports the Charlottesville Daily Press.Perfectly summarized. Tacking on, there is another great post from the Richmond War Room that shares the exasperation of many: Arguments that the vast majority of Muslims embrace peace and that violence is un-Islamic are starting to wear thin. When Christian crazies blow something up, churches all over the world leap to condemn it, all while praying that the souls who have worked such evil can be reached and turned from violence.Agreed entirely, and what's more they exist and are just as nervous as we about the violence in Islam. It used to be that Islam was united under a caliphate that ensured some degree of moderation. Without that caliph or moderating force, the extremists seem to be unfettered. What will it take to fix things? I'm probably not the one to ask or even speculate upon, but it will take another Ibn Rushd (Averroes to the uninitiated) or a renaissance of Islamic thought to restore reason over violence. Sunday, September 17, 2006More Character than Jim Webb...Rep. Cardin fires a campaign staffer making racist comments independent of the campaign: Rep. Benjamin Cardin has fired a campaign staffer who posted racially charged comments against his opponent on the Internet, the congressman's campaign said Saturday.Absolutely 100% the right thing to do. Of course, Rep. Cardin could teach Secretary Webb a thing or two about controlling out-of-control campaign staffers. Saturday, September 16, 2006German conservatives defend Pope Benedict XVIAnother appropriate response from German Catholics: 'All those attacking him now don't want dialogue but rather an intimidated and silenced West!' Pofalla said in a statement.A conclusion any disinterested or objective observer can readily see. Reportedly, Benedict XVI is deeply saddened (and perhaps a bit perplexed) at the reaction to his lecture. All the more reason to preach then! Current events are certainly demonstrating the eloquence of Pope Benedict's claim of a role for reason in faith, and how certain trends in Islam counteract that. Friday, September 15, 2006HypocrisyThis gentleman knows it well: 'To affirm that Islam invites people to spread religion with the sword does not correspond to the truth. Islam forbids violence,' said the top Lebanese Sunni jurist Mohammed Rashid Qabani .Tell that to Hezbollah. UPDATE: Here's the same Mohammed Rashid Qabbani talking about jihad in non-violent terms: Plans by Israel's government to allow Jews to pray at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem "will, if put into effect, practically trigger a holy Islamic war jihad itself until the mosque and the city are liberated from Jewish occupation," Grand Mufti Mohammed Rashid Qabbani said Thursday. He added in a statement that claims by Jews that their ancient temple existed where the mosque is "are unfounded."Precisely the problem... Thursday, September 14, 2006On Pope Benedict XVI's Lecture at RegensburgUPDATE: The press seems to be having a field day with this. What is notable about the entire ordeal is that Pope Benedict XVI was proven as right: Violence has been the reaction of the fringe of the Muslim world, while reason seems to be lost on those burning the Holy Father in effigy... Much is being said of the Holy Father's lecture at the University of Regensburg on 12 September, as the BBC points out: A senior Pakistani Islamic scholar, Javed Ahmed Gamdi, said jihad was not about spreading Islam with the sword.To let Benedict XVI's comments slip away into the ether because of some criticism would do the remarks a great disservice, because what he wrote was a truly magnificent argument for the place of reason within faith; faith within reason. Pope Benedict XVI sets the argument forward, describing a conversation between "an educated Persian" and Byzantine Emperor Manuel II Paleologus in the cold winter barracks near Ankara in 1391. Imaginably, as they huddled inside a tent with several fires crackling, the conversation is drawn towards the role of reason within both Islam and Christianity. Pope Benedict XVI tells the tale: In the seventh conversation edited by Professor Khoury, the emperor touches on the theme of the jihad (holy war). The emperor must have known that surah 2, 256 reads: "There is no compulsion in religion". It is one of the suras of the early period, when Mohammed was still powerless and under threaten.There is the quote that many Muslims are pointing towards as the offending line, but clearly Pope Benedict XVI is telling the story, and the Emperor is asking a question of his Persian friend. How does he explain this? In a movie theatre if someone interrupted this story, you would understandably raise your finger to your lips and press, "shhhhhh..." The emperor goes on to explain in detail the reasons why spreading the faith through violence is something unreasonable.This contrast between reason as a part of God's will in the Christian tradition is sharply contrasted by the Emperor against the Islamic idea of the transcendence of God. Understand it this way. A rock slips from your hand and a devout Christian and devout Muslim watch it fall -- up. The Christian would be amazed. This is not supposed to happen! The Muslim on the other hand could shrug. God wills it, so it happens, even if it breaks the conventions of reason. Here the different emphasis that escapes most observers. God to the Muslim is Power, not in the sense of greed or money or things, but raw transcendent power that knows and sees all things. To the Christian, God is Love, a very intimate and loving being. This is not to argue the two are mutually exclusive -- both Christians and Muslims would attribute power and love to their ideas of God -- but the emphasis is clear. Here's where it gets good: As far as understanding of God and thus the concrete practice of religion is concerned, we find ourselves faced with a dilemma which nowadays challenges us directly. Is the conviction that acting unreasonably contradicts God’s nature merely a Greek idea, or is it always and intrinsically true?When I first read this, it was here that I set the paper down. Pretty cool stuff, eh? Jumping ahead a bit, Benedict XVI goes on to say: A profound encounter of faith and reason is taking place here, an encounter between genuine enlightenment and religion. From the very heart of Christian faith and, at the same time, the heart of Greek thought now joined to faith, Manuel II was able to say: Not to act "with logos" is contrary to God’s nature.Pretty profound, from the Christian perspective. But why is this so important? Because it is something the Christian West has forgotten, and only recently recovered: In all honesty, one must observe that in the late Middle Ages we find trends in theology which would sunder this synthesis between the Greek spirit and the Christian spirit.Benedict goes on to question whether the "dehellenization" of Europe has been a positive or negative influence, citing three specific movements: (1) The Reformation (seeking to free Christianity from philosophy) (2) 19th century modernists (seeking to free Christianity from theology) (3) The effects of pluralism (seeking to free Christianity from culture) Benedict XVI argues this position as false, if for one reason that Christianity matured in Greek culture, came to fruition within Greek culture, and is profoundly impacted by a Greek worldview, as Benedict XVI explains: This thesis (vivisecting Greek culture from Christianity) is not only false; it is coarse and lacking in precision.A perfect argument against cultural pluralism's effects on faith. Pope Benedict XVI now gets to the meat (!) of his lecture: And so I come to my conclusion.The rest, I will leave to those who have ears to hear: Only thus do we become capable of that genuine dialogue of cultures and religions so urgently needed today. In the Western world it is widely held that only positivistic reason and the forms of philosophy based on it are universally valid.Given the amount of controversy in the Muslim world about this contrast between the Christian identity with logos contrasted with an Islamic counterclaim that God's transcendence is stronger than reason, one immediately questions whether the critics had any point at all, other than to take a free shot at Pope Benedict XVI? It's been interesting to read some of the criticisms of Pope Benedict's lecture as being too cerebral, but I disagree. These are topics for the highly intelligent, and discussed by those concerned with the topic. No question remains that there is and remains the criticism in the secular West that faith and reason are incompatible, even opposed. That the additional viewpoint from our 14th century Muslim friend is added - faith transcending reason - shouldn't be cause for alarm. Rather, Pope Benedict's salient point regarding the role of logos within the Christian tradition (and faith's role within reason) remains a point for academics to concede, and natural law proponents to affirm. If Not For Whiskey...See, I knew it was true. The Irish are destined to conquer the world. Why? Because we're fine social drinkers: People who consume alcohol earn significantly more at their jobs than non-drinkers, according to a US study that highlighted 'social capital' gained from drinking.The study does not say how much of that extra income (plus more) is actually spent at the bar, but who cares? Another beer is on the way... $1.15/gal?!So sayeth The Seattle Times. Daniel CoteOne of my best friends from Montfort Academy passed away, Daniel Cote at the age of 28. Ironically, I was just reading "Bobby Fischer Goes to War", and remembered back in the day when I was mad about chess. Only one guy could beat me (and eventually did), at that was Daniel. I was thinking about him over the past few days. God bless him and his family, they will most certainly be in my prayers. If you believe in such things, pray for him and his family as well (right now). Wednesday, September 13, 2006Introduction to Protestantism and Natural LawI've been watching this project from the Acton Institute with a great deal of interest over the last few weeks: Many of you have read the series that Stephen Grabill wrote about Protestantism and Natural Law. For those of you who have not read it, but are interested, Stephen wrote an eight part series on the PowerBlog. The following exerpt from the first post points to Stephen’s aim of shifting the debate "away from the badly caricatured doctrine of sola scriptura toward a fuller understanding of the biblical theology underlying natural law. As Protestants rediscover the biblical basis for natural law and the doctrinal resources of their own theological traditions, I hope we can recover a sense of our catholicity with the broader and older Christian moral tradition."There's a podcast up, as well as several links on specific topics or portions of the thesis. Rasmussen: Bush at 45%And the hit just keep ooooon comin': The Rasmussen Reports daily updates are based upon nightly telephone interviews and reported on a three-day rolling average basis. Most of the interviews for today’s update were completed before President Bush’s address to the nation two nights ago. Friday’s results will be the first based entirely upon interviews conducted after the speech and after the 9/11 anniversary.Funny that we're cheering polls in the mid-forties, but 45% looks a heck of a lot better than 29%. Allen on MeritocracyExplaining yet again his convictions and beliefs, Senator Allen goes into what has to be one of my more favorite topics of meritocracy: Allen, the son of a legendary football coach of the Washington Redskins and Los Angeles Rams, suggested that his football background may have numbed him to some racial complexities. 'On football teams and every team sport, you don't care about someone's religion, race or their ethnicity,' he said. 'All you care about is if that person can help your team. Can he block, punt, pass or kick. It's a true meritocracy... and it's that meritocracy that you see on a football field and on a football team that we should aspire for in our society here in America.'I like that. Not only is the "Virginia Way" alive and well, we get a perspective on meritocracy. What is a meritocracy? Let's see what wikiality says: Meritocracy is a system of government or other organization based on demonstrated ability (merit) and talent rather than by wealth, family connections, class privilege, cronyism or other historical determinants of social position and political power.Thomas Jefferson and the ideals of classical liberalism are listed as one of many influences endorsing the idea of meritocracy, and includes examples of such societies as 19th-century Britain, modern Singapore, and the Republic of Venice. Not a bad historical tradition to start from. I love meritocracy. OTB: Big Oil = Big SocialismThis is a great post from Outside the Beltway on how Big Oil mostly consists of state-run petroleum industries. If you have a complaint about the market forces controlling oil, send a note to Hugo Chavez or Hu Jintao. I'm sure they'll be eminently receptive. Not Larry Sabato: IS THE 'MO TURNING?To answer Ben's question: YES. Don't expect 18-point leads or anything, but Webb's failure to define himself in positive terms after the "macaca" incident is now going to prove an incredible mental error by his campaign staff. Virginia Virtucon: On Catholic UniversityJim Riley cites "one reason why I don't give to my law school alma mater," and ironically it's the same reason I don't give to my undergraduate alma mater... Catholic University has the potential to be such a great center of Catholic scholarship, yet for reasons such as this we keep tossing it away (not to mention the outrageous cost of education there). There are glimmers of hope, notably in the School of Philosophy. It always hurt to hear "Why don't you go to a real Catholic school!" when you told others (Notre Dame, Franciscan Univeristy, even Georgetown students) knowing you were supposed to be going to the premiere Catholic school in the nation. Could you imagine what CUA would be if Tom Monahgan put his money into Brookland rather than towards Ave Maria? If Fr. Richard John Neuhaus put his energies into the academic reputation of the school? One can only dream... I'm backServer problems resolved, we are back to fighting form! Tuesday, September 12, 2006$2.30/gal?Maybe I was wrong after all... most major metropolitan centers are now enjoying gasoline prices of $2.30/gal, an "average gas price drop of 11 cents a gallon in a week": In many metro areas, prices averaged less than $2.30 Monday, according to AAA. And only in Hawaii was the statewide average more than $3.Good news for the economy, good news for motorists, and good news all around. Let's hope they stay at $2/gal for the forseeable future. OMT: Bananas!The inestimable Norm Leahy on Webb's counterprotest of the rally in Fairfax. Heh. Monday, September 11, 2006Hotline On Call: The Big NumberHow did September 11th define America? Hotline On Call has a great post going through how Americans view 9/11. One of the more amazing things the polls find? September 11th is considered as a more defining event than Pearl Harbor: Whether an attack happens again, in the near future or generations from now, it is no exaggeration to say that Americans look at the world in a different way than they did five years and one day ago. A large number of Americans think about the attacks on a regular basis, are concerned with the future and describe themselves as personally changed or affected by the events of the day five years ago. It may take another generation for those numbers to drop.No question at all as to whether or not September 11th has defined America, despite what politicians and pundits may argue. Silence on 9/11The one thing I can remember very clearly from 9/11 was scooping up my infant son Jonathan when I got home to Fredericksburg, shocked to learn the WTC fell, then slept. DEA is located right across Army-Navy drive. We felt the impact, some saw the plane as it ducked below 395. Worst of all, it was a beautiful September day. We are at war. Never forget. Friday, September 08, 2006Virginia Catholic Conference 2006 GA ScorecardCheck it out here. You'll notice the absence of a percentage for the notable reason that there are some votes that are "make-or-break" in terms of whether they are acceptable (e.g. state funding of abortions through Medicare). Definitely worthwhile for Virginia's Catholics to see what their bishops and the VCC focused on during the 2006 session. I Love This Pope!Pope Benedict XVI on Canada's so-called Catholic politicians: Pope Benedict hit out Friday at Canada for allowing same sex marriage and abortion, saying they result from Catholic politicians ignoring the values of their religion.That's some serious heat! I sincerely hope Pope Benedict XVI visits the specific role of Catholics in the public square in an encyclical. So many seem to be so confused, and in the name of the Second Vatican Council have done things entirely contrary to it's spirit. Is this a call to legislate one's faith? Of course not. But it is a call to make that voice heard in defense of family and the defenseless -- most notably when it comes to abortion and euthanasia. The Washington Post: Conscience of the Blogosphere?Calls from the Virginia Blogosphere for James Webb to fire Lowell Field? Say it ain't so. But that's precisely what you're hearing, and some Democrats are getting tired of the free-for-all mudslinging Jim Webb's netroots co-ordinator is marshalling. Alton over at I'm Not Emeril (of Martinsville fame) is posting his objections, while Chris Green is noting that not all are pleased with Lowell's performance, especially with the consistent and disgusting mangling of Allen campaign director "Dick (Wad)hams" name. UPDATE: Just in case you're wondering what kind of dirty-tricks we're talking about here, ask yourself what you would say if someone identified a counterprotest of a rally of ethnic minority groups as a -- and I kid you not -- a monkey fest? Who did this? None other than Democrat Webb booster Lowell Field. One can't help but notice that with the contraction of the Virginia Blogosphere as of late (Jaded JD being the most notable absence) and the proliferation of both new blogs and blogs-for-pay (we call them mercenaries, but "bloggers-of-fortune" might be a better term) that without a reading population trained to instantly question what they see on blogs without discrediting them all, someone has to play referee. Welcome Mike Shear. For those who will remember Shear's remarks at the 2006 Sorenson Blog Summit meeting, I drew a few conclusions, notable of which was the following: What I do find interesting about Sorenson: the tables are turning. No longer are bloggers the conscience of the MSM, but rather journalists are reminding bloggers of their responsibilities to the public square. Mike Shear, for all of his constructive criticism of blogs, is proving to be the Socratic gadfly we all need to hear.So what does this have to do with Lowell Field and his outrage? Everything. Mike Shear and the WaPo don't deserve to be placed on the spot, nor do they deserve to be forced into the position of refereeing the public square. Yet simultaneously, that's what good journalists and editors do in the end. Cut through the crap and get to the meat of what's going on. Lowell Field's tabloid blogging has no place in politics. Period. Virginia's Republican bloggers have started to beat the drum, but the experiment is yielding a he-said/she-said stalemate. Someone gets to blow the whistle, and while certain bloggers do have the reputation and the clout to call nonsense when it exhibits itself, few if any have the reputation of the Washington Post or Richmond Times-Dispatch. What was predicted in June -- the MSM watchdogging the blogs -- is slowly coming home to roost. Don't interpret this as a "put up or shut up" rant directed at anyone in the MSM. That certainly isn't my intent; not by a long shot. Rather, I'm doing two things: (1) reading the ethical tea leaves and (2) offering what I see as the outcropping of the proceedings of the 2006 Sorenson Blog Summit have offered. Mr. Shear just happens to be the one on the other side stretching his hand across the fence. That the offendee is a Democrat shouldn't scare anyone. In fact, I would wager that most Democrats highly disagree with many of the things Lowell Field and the lunatic fringe have done to their party, and most especially to their candidate. Unethical political bloggers are painting the rest of us into a corner (Republican and Democrat alike), and once where blogs kept the MSM in line, now the MSM has the golden opportunity to keep the public square in line and set the rules of fair play. That opportunity starts with exposing Lowell Field and Raising Kaine. UPDATE x2: Ben Tribbet over at Not Larry Sabato agrees: Lowell Field should be held accountable. Some other thoughts as to what paid staffers do to the credibility of the blogosphere as well in a pretty darned good post. Thursday, September 07, 2006Webb on EnthusiasmCourtesy of the WaPo: 'Judy, Andy. Every time I have to follow my fellow candidates here, I wonder if I'm about five cups of coffee behind,' Webb joked. 'I cannot compete with that energy level. I cannot do it.'Now that's the kind of energy we like to see out of the Democrats! Jim Webb: Born zzzzzz....zzzzzzzzzz....zzzzzzzz.... CATO: Gingrich’s Big Government ManifestoLooks as if the CATO Institute didn't take kindly to former Speaker Newt Gingrich's 11- Point Big Government Manifesto: Gingrich does call for Congress to cut spending. Well, not exactly. He does not actually call for any specific spending cuts. What he proposes is budget legislation that would lead to a balanced budget in seven years. Perhaps balancing the budget takes so long because he wants to spend so much more on a national energy policy. Gingrich proposes an array of subsidies to every conceivable energy interest group and project from ethanol to hydrogen-powered cars. Of course, there’s nothing in Gingrich’s manifesto about reforming entitlement programs. That’s hardly surprising — Gingrich supported the Medicare prescription drug benefit.Fuel for the upcoming war between the evangelical right and the libertarian right, I'm sure... Statement on Christian ZionismCatholic, Orthodox, and Protestant leaders in Israel have signed a document condemning Christian Zionism: Christian Zionism is a modern theological and political movement that embraces the most extreme ideological positions of Zionism, thereby becoming detrimental to a just peace within Palestine and Israel.Now there are two immediate concerns here: (1) there is an element of liberation theology that - while the Christian leaders rightly condemn it insofar as the Israeli position is concerned - is not addressed when it comes to the Palestinian position, and (2) the question of Israel's "right to exist" is never mentioned much less alluded. If the statement is a document intending peace, then this is admirable. But if we are forsaking the good for the sake of peace, then where can there ever be justice? Virginia Virtucon: Still waiting.....Jim Riley calls Lowell Field out: The longer it goes without Jim Webb either condemning or condoning his paid blogosphere mouthpiece Lowell Feld for calling George Allen an "outright racist," the more likely it is that one of two things is going on here:Outstanding, and about time. OTB: Estonia and Classical LiberalismOutside the Beltway has an excellent excerpt from the New York Times on how classical liberal reforms in Estonia have turned around the economy: [Estonia] transformed itself from an isolated, impoverished part of the Soviet Union thanks to a former prime minister, Mart Laar, a history teacher who took office not long after Estonia was liberated. He was 32 years old and had read just one book on economics: "Free to Choose," by Milton Friedman, which he liked especially because he knew Friedman was despised by the Soviets.Poland and Estonia are but two examples of where the free market has prospered in the face of Western European socialism and Soviet-style command theories. What's old is new.... University of Wisconsin Bans the Knights of ColumbusDespicable behavior over at the UW-Madison campus, where the Knights of Columbus have been banned on grounds of membership discrimination. The KofC restricts its membership to Catholic young men over the age of 18. Most call this the right of free association, protected as a constitutional right. Others in the charge towards political correctness see this as a cleansing of all things different and "divisive" on a campus. So much for diversity. The American Eleven: A Values-Led Plan for Victory in NovemberFormer Speaker Newt Gingrich offers his blueprint for victory in November with eleven specific goals: Republicans should spend the next two months focused on 11 straightforward, morally grounded issues about which the American people have clearly defined beliefs.Check 'em out! Wednesday, September 06, 2006Beltway Blogroll: Welcome Jon Henke!Danny over at the Beltway Blogroll takes credit for the hard work of the collective efforts of the Virginia Blogosphere: Coincidence? You decide, but I think I'll take credit for this one. Ed Morrissey of Captain's Quarters also should take a bow. He recommended Henke to Allen in a post last week.Free advice being what you pay for it... A belated congratulations to Mr. Jon Henke for taking on an incredible task, one I am absolutely confident he will excel. Anyone who reads QandO knows the caliber of blogger Jon Henke is, and compared to what the Webbsters have lined up, I'm already starting to feel sorry for the liberals. They just got outgunned, outclassed, and outmaneuvered. Better news: Jon just got started. Republicans have always seemed just one step behind the Democrats when it comes to netroots mobilization. No longer -- the sleeping giant is starting to stretch.
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JEFFERSONIAD POLL: Whom do you support for Virginia Attorney General?1) John Brownlee2) Ken Cuccinelli AboutShaunKenney.com is one of Virginia's oldest political blogs, focusing on the role of religion and politics in public life. Shaun Kenney, 30, lives in Fluvanna County, Virginia.ContactThe Jeffersoniad
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