Donald Trump has defied political pundits for months now. When he first attacked John McCain, the thought was that it would kill him in the polls, but then he went up. And that’s been the story for over four months now. He keeps on appealing to the worst-of-the-worst conservative base and his numbers go up. But many are now saying … Read More
Thoughts and Prayers
There seems to be a backlash to this almost reflexive (and increasingly meaningless) response to mass shootings, best exemplified by the cover of today’s New York Daily News: There has also been a backlash to the backlash. Christians got offended at what is being called “thoughts and prayers shaming”. The Weekly Standard offered a headline that blared,“Liberal Outrage Over Prayers … Read More
The San Bernadino Shootings: Terrorism Or Not?
Here’s what we know about the shooters: They have been identified as Syed Rizwan Farook, 28, and Tashfeen Malik, 27. Farook was an environmental specialist who had worked for the county health department for five years. Farook attended a holiday party for county employees earlier that day. Farook left the party under circumstances that were decribed by witnesses as “angry” … Read More
Today’s Mass Shooting: San Bernadino, California
Breaking news 2:46 pm EST: 12 reported dead, many injured. Some reports include a second and even third shooter. Related: 2:55 pm: The building where the shooting in San Bernardino, Calif., was reported provides services for developmentally disabled people, according to its website Dozens of civilians being evacuated right now. Hands up… #PD being very cautious and still searching for suspects. … Read More
Planned Parenthood Shooting Is Domestic Terrorism
I’ve been vacationing and the holidays and yada yada, so there’s been light blogging lately. The big news that I missed was a terrorist attack here on the United States, although whether to call it a “terrorist attack” seems to be arguable. I’m talking of course about the shooter at Planned Parenthood. On Saturday, November 27, a shooting and five-hour … Read More
Trump: Annoy Your Local Police With Your Paranoia
Well, what he said was this today (emphases are mine): We can’t let it happen anymore. We have to be strong, we have to smart. We have to be fair, we have to be fair to all side. And it’s tough. You know, if you’re Muslim — and there are so many, they’re so great, they’re such good people — … Read More
Anti-Refugee Fearmongering Continues
What Obama Says: What I say: [fb_embed_post href=”https://www.facebook.com/ken.ashford/posts/10153779656910820?comment_id=10153779735840820¬if_t=feed_comment/” width=”550″/] Turning our backs on desperate Muslim refugees plays right into ISIS’s hands. After all, they recruit from a disenfranchised and angry population. What better to create a disenfranchised and angry population?
How Hating Muslims Plays Into Terrorists’ Hands
Jonathan Chait: This is what ISIS, the Islamic State, wants. “This is precisely what ISIS was aiming for — to provoke communities to commit actions against Muslims,” said Arie Kruglanski, a professor of psychology at the University of Maryland who studies how people become terrorists. “Then ISIS will be able to say, ‘I told you so. These are your enemies, and … Read More
GOP Frontrunner on Terrorism: I’m A Psychic
Donald Trump has magic feels and can tell when terrorism will hit: “I predicted Osama bin Laden,” Mr. Trump declared in Knoxville, adding, “In my book, I predicted terrorism. Because I can feel it, like I feel a good location, O.K.?” “In real estate — my father always used to tell people, ‘You know, he may be my son, but everything … Read More
Vetting Syrian Refugees: A Governor With Guts
Kudos to Gov. Peter Shumlin SOUTH BURLINGTON – Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin said Monday that governors who turn away Syrian refugees are “stomping” on American values. As of early Monday afternoon, nine Republican governors had said they would attempt to stop the relocation of refugees from Syria because of safety concerns following Friday’s deadly attacks in Paris. “The governors who are … Read More
Paris Attacks: A Summary
There were seven coordinated terror attacks in Paris carried out by militants, killing at least 129 people. The first attacks were launched virtually simultaneously, with two explosions close to the Stade de France at just after 9.20pm local time, four miles apart. The explosions came as a large crowd were enjoying the first half of the international friendly between France … Read More
Bad News Coming Out Of Paris
Looks like a series of pre-planned coordinated terrorist attacks happening in different places throughout Paris. Also a reported hostage situation at the Paris Bataclan concert hall. 18 killed in central Paris according to another report. A possible response to the killing of Jihadi John by a U.S. drone strike? Two explosions were heard outside the Stade de France stadium north … Read More
Bush 41 On Cheney and Rumsfeld
Dad was a far better president than sons. Of course, Dad could never be elected in today’s uber-conservative GOP. But I always had a soft spot for the elder Bush. And here’s why. According to the New York Times: …the elder Bush told biographer Jon Meacham that Cheney “had his own empire there and marched to his own drummer.” Calling … Read More
Russian Plane Crash In Egypt
A Russian charter plane crashed over the weekend on the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt. All 224 aboard the Airbus jetliner were killed, with company executives ruling out technical or human error only to be upbraided by aviation officials who called such assertions premature. The Metrojet flight full of mostly Russian vacationers, bound for St. Petersburg from the Egyptian resort of … Read More