If at first you don't succeed...: Obama to renew Muslim outreach

The Wall Street Journal: WASHINGTON—President Barack Obama is preparing a fresh outreach to the Muslim world in coming days, senior U.S. officials say, one that will ask those in the Middle East and beyond to reject Islamic militancy in the wake of Osama bin Laden's death and embrace a new era of relations with the U.S.

Mr. Obama is preparing to deliver that message in a wide-ranging speech, perhaps as early as next week, these officials say. The president intends to argue that bin Laden's death, paired with popular uprisings sweeping North Africa and the Middle East, signal that the time has come to an end when al Qaeda could claim to speak for Muslim aspirations. [MORE]

Here we go again with reaching out to the Muslim world. From day one in office Obama has tried to reach out to the Muslim world. Heck, Obama even turned NASA into a Muslim outreach program, but to date we have yet to see any results. 

Yes, there has been uprising in the Middle East, but no where in those uprising can we definitely point to anything that is leading to a Western style democracy. There is ample evidence that extremists are gaining footholds.

It would be beyond wise for Obama to examine what the payoff has been for his first round of Muslim outreach before he embarks on a new one.

Via: Memeorandum
Via: The Wall Street Journal
Via: Bild.de
Via: Gateway Pundit

Video: Ann Barnhardt takes Lindsey Graham and the Quran to task

Hot damn! I just saw this video over at The Right Scoop and was completely blown away.  Not only does this fearless woman rip to shreds Lindsey Graham's ridiculous statement about free speech, she takes on the Quran in the most politically incorrect manner I have ever seen.  I cannot remember the last time I saw an American (right or left) who said exactly what was on their mind without carefully picking and choosing their words in order not to "offend" anyone.

At the end of video 2 she even gives out her name and address!  Something tells me she utilizes her Second Amendment rights every bit as forcefully as she utilizes her First!

Taking Lindsey Graham to task:

Taking The Quran to task:

Video h/t: The Right Scoop

Distasteful: Columbia University students heckle wounded vet

New York Post: Columbia University students heckled a war hero during a town-hall meeting on whether ROTC should be allowed back on campus.

"Racist!" some students yelled at Anthony Maschek, a Columbia freshman and former Army staff sergeant awarded the Purple Heart after being shot 11 times in a firefight in northern Iraq in February 2008. Others hissed and booed the veteran.

Maschek, 28, had bravely stepped up to the mike Tuesday at the meeting to issue an impassioned challenge to fellow students on their perceptions of the military. [...]

Several students laughed and jeered the Idaho native, a 10th Mountain Division infantryman who spent two years at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington recovering from grievous wounds.

Maschek, who is studying economics, miraculously survived the insurgent attack in Kirkuk. In the hail of gunfire, he broke both legs and suffered wounds to his abdomen, arm and chest.
He enrolled last August at the Ivy League school, where an increasingly ugly battle is unfolding over the 42-year military ban there. [MORE]

American universities are becoming a real hot bed of fascism. College is suppose to be a place to expand your thinking by engaging in open debate and dialogue, but more and more American universities simply deal in knee jerk politically correct intolerant thinking.  


When I was in college and there were speakers I disagreed with, I usually just skipped the event.  My thinking was that low attendance was the best way to show disapproval.  If it was a subject I was passionate about and I disagreed with the speaker, I would attend with hopes of asking challenging questions.  The idea of shouting down speakers seemed so...high school to me.


I find it funny that Columbia found it far less controversial inviting Ahmadinejad to speak, than they do about removing a ROTC ban.  The real thing going on here is that the liberals at Columbia are just plain old reflexively anti-military. Anything military is evil, therefore heckling a wounded vet seems like a  natural thing to them.  


Now that conservatives are awake and taking back the country, I think it is time we start taking back education from the tired old radical who have been stinking up universities all across America. 


Via: Memeorandum
Via: The New York Post
Via: Michelle Malkin

Hundreds of riders escort Cody Alicea to school

Cody Alicea, the boy who Denair Middle School told could not fly his American flag at school, got an impressive escort to school today.

I absolutely love this story because it show what real Americans are made of.  When Political Correctness foolishness reared its ugly head, these folks were not bowed, but instead stood up to the nonsense.  The public outcry forced the middle school to rethink its fuzzy headed logic. This is how Political Correctness should have been handled from day one.

Hopefully now that more and more Americans are awake we will be seeing more push back to the foolish and stifling logic of Political Correctness.

Via: Memeorandum

Via: Gateway Pundit

Publisher adds warning label for the Constitution

There is something terribly wrong when the founding documents that for over 200 years made America the envy of the world requires a warning label. 

Fox News: A small publishing company is under fire after putting warning labels on copies of the U.S. Constitution, Declaration of Independence and other historical documents.

Wilder Publications warns readers of its reprints of the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, Common Sense, the Articles of Confederation, and the Federalist Papers, among others, that “This book is a product of its time and does not reflect the same values as it would if it were written today.”

The disclaimer goes on to tell parents that they "might wish to discuss with their children how views on race, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, and interpersonal relations have changed since this book was written before allowing them to read this classic work." [MORE] 

This political correctness nonsense is really getting way out of hand. It was a sad day when Americans allowed political correctness to gain any currency in this country. So many half-baked and intellectually infirm ideas from Political Correctness have arisen and taken root. It is high time American begin to aggressively reject Political Correctness in all of its forms.  It is comforting to see that so many people on Amazon are calling for a boycott of all books by this publisher. Hitting PC-pushing fools in the pocketbook is probably the fastest way to kill nutty ideas like this.

Via: Memeorandum

Via: Fox News 

A brief word about Arab American Rima Fakih winning the Miss USA pageant

Blowing up Memeorandum today is the controversy over Miss Rima Fakih of Dearborn, Michigan winning the title. Miss Fakih is an Arab American and as such many people are chiming in.  Basically the argument on the left is that the right is being racist for complaining about an Arab American winning. You know, they think everyone on the right hates all Muslims because of 9/11. 

The argument on the right is basically that this was an affirmative action win. The reason for saying that is because Miss Fakih wasn’t very graceful as she tripped over her gown or very intellectually deep with this answer: 

During the interview portion, Fakih was asked whether she thought birth control should be paid for by health insurance, and she said she believed it should because it’s costly.

“I believe that birth control is just like every other medication even though it’s a controlled substance,” Fakih said. 

To add fuel to the fire, runner up Miss. Oklahoma came out in favor of Arizona’s new immigration law:

Given how Carrie Prejean was crucified for not singing the praises of gay marriage, it is easy to suspect why people think the pageant is playing PC games with picking Miss. Fakih. I think it is fair to say the Miss USA pageant officials are more interested in making a statement than running an honest competition.

I have no problem with an Arab American winning, especially if that Arab American has embraced western culture. Could Miss. Fakih ever get away with an outfit like this in the Middle East?

That being said, it would have been nicer if she won truly on merit rather than some sort of PC set aside. Let’s face it, things like the questions section, poise and talent are really what this competition is all about. If beauty was the only criteria, how on earth could one possible choose a winner when all the women are equally drop dead gorgeous? So when Miss Fakih gives a ding-dong answer saying birth control is a controlled substance, you expect points to be taken away. The same goes for tripping over her gown. This is why people wonder, how did she beat out equally beautiful girls who had smarter answers and who did not trip or stumble?

I think the best way to deal with the Miss USA pageant’s desire to make statements is to stop watching it for a while. Ratings for beauty pageants have been on the decline for years. I say, let them decline further until new people , people without an agenda, can take over and run a real competition without an agenda.

Via: Memeorandum

Via: Daily Kos

Via: Michelle Malkin

Via: Hot Air

Via: Liberty Pundits

Video: Flag Flap Teens: "I Never Thought That I'd Be On National TV For Wearing An American Flag Shirt"

The kid is right, this incident in California never should have happened. The reason why he is on TV today is because so called educators have failed to educate. By giving legitimacy to anyone who feels offended, rather than intellectually challenging the reasons behind their offense, the Mexican- American students now feel that they are somehow disrespected.  They feel they are disrespected because some of their fellow Americans refuse to suppress their First Amendment rights so that the Mexican American students can feel pride for a country their parents fled.

None of this would have happened if the educators had simply pointed out that the Mexican-American students are American too and that taking offense at someone wearing the flag of the country their parents chose to come to is a rather nutty idea. The result of educators fostering this nutty idea:

Gateway Pundit: Hispanic students march down Monterey Road in Morgan Hill on Thursday morning asking for respect after Live Oak High School Principal Nick Boden ignited a controversy Wednesday by sending home five students who wore American flag T-shirts on Cinco de Mayo. (Photo by: MorganHill Times Staff)

MorganHill Times reported:

About 200 Hispanic teens are marching in Morgan Hill yelling “We want respect!” and “Si se puede!” in reaction to a controversy ignited when the Live Oak High School principal effectively sent four students home for wearing T-shirts with American flags on them during Cinco de Mayo.

Mexican-American students felt the students were being disrespectful on the only day they celebrate their heritage while students sporting red, white and blue said it violated their First Amendment rights.

Six police cars and a Morgan Hill motorcycle officer have been cruising alongside the large group as it marches.

The group – mostly high school students – walked out of school this morning after the story of four students who were sent home because they wore American flag T-shirts went viral on TV and online. Many wear red, white and green and two large Mexico flags can be seen at the front of the line.

The students say they want people to know they’re proud of their heritage and they believe wearing red, white and blue on Cinco de Mayo is disrespectful.

The celebration of diversity only celebrates our divisions rather than our unity. 

Via: Memeorandum

Via: Hot Air

Via: Gateway Pundit

What were they thinking? The Black Only Field Trip

I first heard about this story on Twitter and thought it might have been one of those crazy things people say on the Internet. However, when I check it out, sure enough it was real. 

An Ann Arbor elementary school principal used a letter home to parents tonight to defend a field trip for black students as part of his school’s efforts to close the achievement gap between white and black students.

Dicken Elementary School Principal Mike Madison wrote the letter to parents following several days of controversy at the school after a field trip last week in which black students got to hear a rocket scientist.

“In hindsight, this field trip could have been approached and arranged in a better way," Madison wrote. "But as I reflect upon the look of excitement, enthusiasm and energy that I saw in these children’s eyes as they stood in the presence of a renowned African American rocket scientist in a very successful position, it gave the kids an opportunity to see this type of achievement is possible for even them.

“It was not a wasted venture for I know one day they might want to aspire to be the first astronaut or scientist standing on the Planet Mars.

“I also think it’s important that you know that I have talked to the children who did not go on the field trip, and I think they have a better understanding of the purpose of the AA Lunch Bunch now, as I hope you do. I’m sorry if any kids were upset by the field trip or my discussion afterwards with them, and I have let them know that.

“The intent of our field trip was not to segregate or exclude students as has been reported, but rather to address the societal issues, roadblocks and challenges that our African American children will face as they pursue a successful academic education here in our community.” 

If I were one of the parents who got this letter my question to Mr. Madison would be, what is it that would prevent black students from experiencing excitement, enthusiasm and energy if children from other races were around? I would ask this question because for the life of me, I cannot see any good reason.

What this program of exclusion reminds me of is how socialism really works. The way socialism works is that it does not really elevate the poor or middle class. Instead, what socialism does is to bring down the wealthy to the level of the poor. In this case, Mr. Madison is attempting to pretend to elevate black student’s achievement by bringing down the educational opportunities of children from other races. Not cool, Mr. Madison.

Via: AnnArbor.com 

Students sent home for wearing red, white and blue on Cinco de Mayo

If this isn’t a perfect example of political correctness run amok, I am not sure what is.

Of course this takes place in California.

From KTVU: Five students at a South Bay high school stirred up some controversy Wednesday for wearing t-shirts depicting red, white and blue American flags on Cinco de Mayo.

School officials at Live Oak High in Morgan Hill told the students they had to go home if they wouldn’t turn the shirts inside out.

One of the students said it appeared school administrators were worried the patriotic shirts could trigger fights.

Some students at Live Oak High in Morgan Hill said others were planning to come to school Thursday wearing red, white and blue.

Four of the five students who wore American flags or patriotic colors on campus walked into a meeting with the superintendent of the Morgan Hill unified school district Wednesday night.

They were facing unexcused absences because they chose to go home early rather than take off what they were wearing.

…Some Mexican-American students KTVU spoke with said they thought wearing red, white and blue on Cinco de Mayo was disrespectful.

“It’s just kinda disrespectful that they would do that on this day,” said student Victoria Wright. “I mean, we don’t go around on 4th of July wearing red white and green and saying ‘Viva Mexico,’ because that’s disrespectful.” [see video here]

How on earth is it possible that American students should be punished for wearing American flags on any day of the year? This is the sickness of political correctness. Did it not dawn on school officials that the “Mexican-American” students are Americans too and therefore should have no reason to feel “disrespected”.

Zombie from Pajamas Media makes some good points about all of this.

Zombie: Let’s pause for a moment and peel back the layers. It seems that many of the Hispanic students at Live Oak High (and probably innumerable other high schools across the country) have been so inculcated with an “identity politics” curriculum that, under the rubric of instilling pride and self-esteem, they have been convinced that they are somehow distinct from and separate from the other American students; that “we” feel disrespected when forced to perceive an American flag.

The school administration then stirs in their own toxic contribution: An assumption (typical of the “soft racism” of leftist ideology) that Hispanic students will respond with violence when they feel disrespected (“the patriotic shirts could trigger fights” is the euphemism they used). Even worse, fearing violence from Hispanic students, the adminstrators solve the crisis by banishing the “offensive” items, rather than warning students that any violence will be severely punished. In other words, the racist administrators insultingly assumed that their Hispanic students would erupt in violence at the sight of an American flag, and the only way to prevent this is to cower at the presumptive violence and preemptively cave in to the mob’s demands that American flags be banned from campus.

Are the United States and Mexico at war? Is May 5 some kind of “Hate America Day”? What the hell is going on here? Aren’t the U.S. and Mexico allies? Aren’t we friendly neighbors? What is the source of the friction? Isn’t the United States a melting pot where people of every ethnic heritage all live together in harmony as Americans — rather than being a collection of self-segregated ethnic enclaves seething with mutual hostility?

We have been fostering this type of “us vs. them” mentality for decades it is called diversity. Diversity creates this balkanization where hyphenated Americans start to get the notion that they are some sort of subset of American standing apart from the full American experience.

I think we should send this guy over to that school to teach a civic lesson.

Via: Memeorandum

Via: KTVU

Via: Pajamas Media