Who Believes in American Exceptionalism?

From Dennis Prager:

The cultural civil war in which America is engaged is, in large measure, about American exceptionalism. Conservative America generally believes in the concept; liberal America generally finds it chauvinistic and dangerous. What is American exceptionalism? The belief that America often knows better than the world what is right and wrong. This belief drives most of the world's opinion-makers crazy. And it particularly infuriates the American Left, that part of America that trusts what is called "world opinion" more than it trusts the American people.

And from where does this belief in American exceptionalism derive? Mostly from the religious beliefs that underlie American values. That is a major reason the current culture war is about the place of Judeo-Christian values in American life. Those who believe that America must remain a Judeo-Christian nation (in terms of values) are far less respectful of international institutions than those who wish to make America a secular nation.

Prager continues:

For the secular world, law has to be the highest definition of the good. Because it does not believe in a universal and objective morality as the Judeo-Christian world does, it has no choice but to put all its moral eggs in the legal basket. For the Judeo-Christian world, law is very, very important. But God-based morality is even more important.

Of course, such a belief has dangers. But the greater danger is thinking that law embodies morality. Rosa Parks just died. She is venerated precisely because she knew a morality higher than law. Too bad more Europeans did not place a Judeo-Christian morality above secular law. There would not have been a Holocaust.

So, as in nearly every other area of the Left-Right, blue-red divide in America, the attitude one has toward American exceptionalism ultimately lies in whether or not one wants America's values to remain Judeo-Christian.

Looking for Liberal Hawks

Austin Bay analyzes an essay written by Peter Beinart, editor of The New Republic, entitled "Tough Liberalism." Beinart's thesis:

The fundamental divide is whether you believe that jihadist totalitarianism is produced by a lack of freedom and opportunity, or whether you believe that jihadist totalitarianism is created by American and Western imperialism. The Democratic Party has not fundamentally, internally decided about which of those it believes. Much of the Kerry campaign’s inability to be totally coherent on these issues was, I believe, an attempt to straddle rifts in the party that had not yet come to an honest debate on this basic question.

The Long War

This is a thought-provoking post by Wretchard at The Belmont Club regarding a statement in Newt Gingrich's testimony before the House Subcommittee on Intelligence, in which he characterized the War on Terror as the "Long war" against the "Irreconcilable Wing of Islam". He believed this struggle could take centuries to reach a decision and would be fought largely by words in rooms and city streets.

Wretchard postulates:

Islam has always been militant and the West only recently supine. In fairness, Islam's only fault may be that it retained a belief in itself long after the West embraced self-disgust. It may be that Gingrich's Long War is less about fighting Muslims than about the West rediscovering itself. While it's apparent battlefields may be in the mountains, jungles and desert fastnesses, the only frontier that matters is in its own heart.

New Beatles Bio Comes Out Tuesday

"The Beatles: The Biography," will be available on November 1st. It sounds like an exhaustive work, taking the author-Bob Spitz-8 years to research, including 650 interviews. The original version was reportedly 2,792 pages, but it has been whittled down to just 856 pages, excluding end notes.

It sounds like the author did his homework and the reviews are positive. For example, the New York Times' Janet Maslin called it a "consolidating and newly illuminating work. For the right reader, that combination is irresistible."

This should be good news for Beatles fans.

Religion of What?

John Hinderaker at Powerline identifies what should be obvious to the Michael-Moore wing of the Democrat party, which always seems to blame America (crusaders) and/or Jews (Zionists) for the problems with many of the followers of the "Religion of Peace":

Liberals often argue that the Islamists' hatred of Christians is explained by policies of the American government, and, likewise, their hatred of Jews has its origins in Israel's purported misdeeds. It is always worth remembering that they hate Hindus, too. The fact is, they hate pretty much everyone. It has nothing to do with us, and everything to do with them.

Hinderaker is referencing the explosions that ripped through three places in New Delhi on Saturday evening within minutes of each other, killing at least 55 people -- most of them at a marketplace crowded with thousands of people getting ready for India's festival of lights. While the perpetrators have yet to be identified, I don't think there's much doubt about who did it.

This on the heels of the Iranian President's call for the extermination of the Jews in Israel.

President Ahmadinejad, elected in June, was addressing a conference in Teheran entitled "The World Without Zionism", attended by about 3,000 conservative students, who chanted: "Death to Israel!" and "Death to America!"

"The establishment of the Zionist regime was a move by the world oppressor against the Islamic world," he said. "As the Imam [the late Ayatollah Khomeini] said, 'Israel must be wiped off the map'… The Islamic world will not let its historic enemy live in ts heartland."

Or how about this lovely story about three Christian schoolgirls being beheaded?

Or how about the Beslan massacre of schoolchildren shot in the back as they ran away in terror?

Or the Danish filmmaker murdered after releasing a film focused on the shameful abuse of Muslim women by Muslim men in Europe?

The question is: when will the Islamic world face its demons, stop trying to drag everyone back to the 7th century, and join civilization?

A Separate Peace

The post title links to a surprisingly pessimistic essay by Peggy Noonan, a contributing editor of the Wall Street Journal, on the state of affairs in our nation. Noonan believes that many of our cultural and political elites have resigned themselves to making the most of their lives since they are convinced there is nothing they can do to change it. She speculates that the "the wheels are coming off the trolley and the trolley off the tracks." She makes a persuasive argument, but I don't know that I share her pessimism entirely. Maybe it's my "classic and constitutional American optimism." In any event, it is worth the read.

Will the Internet become the UNTERNET?

It is clear that the U.N. is an inept and corrupt institution. Thus, it is especially important for the U.S. government not to acquiesce to the U.N.'s attempt to wrest control of internet governance from us. This article argues the case against the U.N. A money quote:

The most free information network in human history is incompatible with an organization that has too long enabled those who would suppress human freedom.

The Difficulty In Engaging the Left

Dennis Prager does a good job of pointing out why it has become more and more difficult for people of opposing political persuasions to engage in thoughtful and respectful debate. Read it here.

The U.N. Sucks (cont.)

According to the L.A. Times, the recently-released report by the UN-established Independent Inquiry Committee, led by former US Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker,

"...meticulously detailed how the $64 billion program became a cash cow for Saddam and more than half the companies participating in oil-for-food -- at the expense of Iraqis suffering under U.N. sanctions. It blamed shoddy U.N. management and the world's most powerful nations for allowing the corruption to go on for years.

The report named politicians in Russia, France, Britain, Italy and other nations who were given favours by Saddam in his quest to get 1990 UN sanctions lifted.

Wretchard at the Belmont Club makes an an important observation relative to the profound ineptitude and corruption at the UN:

The fundamental argument against international military action is the supposition that effective alternatives exist to contain rogue states and tyrants. But what if it does not? The Volcker Report essentially describes the history of the decade-long diplomatic battle to proscribe the movements of Saddam Hussein following the Gulf War. It is an account of the unmitigated defeat of the "international community" at the hands of Saddam; not only a defeat but a rout and a surrender. And although the surrender had already taken place, the world was told categorically by the capitulators themselves that they were fighting and winning the good fight against the forces of lawlessness. The problem with September 11 was not that it happened, but that it happened where it could not be ignored; this fact was the virtual third aircraft that crashed into Manhattan that day, striking somewhere in the vicinity of Turtle Bay.

Remote Control Device 'Controls' Humans

This is kind of spooky.

We wield remote controls to turn things on and off, make them advance, make them halt. Ground-bound pilots use remotes to fly drone airplanes, soldiers to maneuver battlefield robots.

But manipulating humans?

Prepare to be remotely controlled. I was.

Where's the Love?

From Mark Krikorian over at The Corner:

More fairy takes about how humanitarian assistance will cause the Islamic world to love us. The latest is from the earthquake-hit area in Pakistan:

"While it is too early to reach firm conclusions, anecdotal interviews with earthquake survivors in this picturesque mountain district, known as Mansehra, suggest that American assistance may be improving Pakistanis' perceptions of the United States."

We also expected that after coming to the aid of starving Somalis, and beleaguered Bosnians, and conquered Kuwaitis, and tsunami-ravaged Indonesians -- and it never pans out. Now, there may be perfectly good moral or political reasons to do these things, but we need to discard the idea that people will be grateful for our largesse -- heck, the French still haven't forgiven us for freeing them from the Nazis.

Taking Stock

I attended a memorial service last night for a friend of mine named Robbie Farr. He was a very genuine, loyal friend, and a good musician. I hadn't seen Robbie for a few years, so it was a surprise when I received an e-mail from him a couple of weeks ago in my AOL account, which I rarely check, seeing if the address was still active. I forwarded the e-mail to my work e-address to remind myself to respond. Before I had the chance to, he was dead.

Memorial services almost always feel awkward to me because people greive differently and there's always the tendency to put a happy face on something that is tragic. I was glad that there was no sugar-coating what happened to Robbie last night. After all, we're all adults and are very aware of the heartaches in this world. It was appropriate that Michael Pritzl of the Violet Burning lead worship with Michael Sanchez (former roommate of Robbie's and current guitarist of Gadget Car) providing support. Robbie roadied for the Violets for years and even jammed with them a couple of times.

It was great to see so many old friends with whom I had lost touch. Reflecting on the triumphs and tragedies of a life ended so early (Robbie was 36 years old) reminded me how grateful I am for life and loved ones. I made sure that some key people in that room knew how much I love and appreciate them last night. Some of my best memories involve several of them.

It's been a strange season, this past couple of months. I'm astonished by the number of people close to me, or close friends of mine, whom have suddenly died. It's a weird feeling. During the eulogies last night I had time to reflect, so I took a quick inventory of my life to evaluate whether I'm acheiving the things that are most important--most notably loving, encouraging, and (hopefully) making a positive impact on the people in my sphere of influence. In most instances, I fell like I've fallen short. I've let the cares/obligations/pressures of this world sap much of my strength and clarity to do the things I love with the people I love. It's a bit early for a New Year's resolution (and I'm not really one to make those anyway), but I really want to change--to spend more time and create more memories with loved ones. I want to share this precious, short life I've been given with those whom God has given me. I want to be confident that I did all I could to bless and help others while I was here. And one day, when it is my time to go home, I want people to be thankful they knew me, just like they were with Robbie.

Today Was A Good Day

The wife and two eldest daughters left early this morning so the girls could sing background vocals for a children's praise and worship record. They were gone all day leaving me with Little Man and 'M' (the youngest girl). I woke up around 9:30 a.m. to 'M' sobbing, "I want to go with Momma." I wiped her tears and brought her in to watch TV in my room while I got ready. That did the trick.

Little Man woke up at the crack of 10:40 a.m. to eat some Lucky Charms and get suited up for his soccer game, where he proceeded to score 3 goals. Coach sat him out for the 4th quarter because it was becoming embarassing for the other team (Little Man is the star player, scoring virtually all our teams goals every game). On the way home, he asked if he could play with his best friend down the street, who looks like his twin brother. His friends' mom was amenable, so I dropped him off and took 'M' to our favorite restaurant "The Original Pancake House" for brunch. It was terrific. On the way home 'M' fell asleep and I was able to transfer her from car to bed without waking her (it was 50-50 for a minute there--whew!).

Then I did something that I haven't done for a long time. I hauled out my old Gretch combo amp, hooked it up in stereo to my '64 Fender Deluxe, plugged in my pedal board and electric guitar, and set out to write a new song. If you've read my blog for any period of time, you know I have lots of ideas and opinions, some of which I think would translate well into song. Unfortunately, the pressures of work, parenting, marriage, church, etc. seem to deplete my creative energy.

Today was my opportunity.

So, I set about to write a song about how oftentimes in my life I have felt underestimated. Not that I think I'm better than anyone else, it's more my reaction to the notion, stated or implied, that "I'll never amount to anything." I don't come from a family with an impressive pedigree, so I've worked really hard to make something of my life. I guess the song is a bit of a slap at those who didn't believe in me. It's almost completed and I'm pretty excited about it, especially considering the extended songwriting drought I've been in. The song is entitled "The King of Underestimation." Perhaps when I'm finished I'll post the lyrics.

All in all, today was a good day.

The UN Sucks

...but, you knew that already. Just in case you forgot, this article will remind you. Some money quotes:

The UN's policy of neutrality accomplishes precisely the opposite of its putative effect; it actually protects and bolsters vicious regimes.

Participation in the UN confers on them an unearned moral legitimacy. That the leaders of such regimes are routinely invited to speak before the UN rewards them with an undeserved respectability. So it was with Fidel Castro: his self-justifying UN speech after seizing power in Cuba elicited rapturous applause. He was raised to the dignity of statesman -- a man who deals in reasoned argument -- despite being a totalitarian ruler who brutally silences dissidents. And the unwarranted recognition of arch-terrorist Yasser Arafat as a statesman arguably began when he first spoke at the United Nations in 1974. Though such men attain and hold power by force, though they preach murderous ideologies, though they devastate the lives of their subjects -- the United Nations unfastidiously endorses them and their regimes.

The United Nations thus gives them a means to entrench their power.

Leaving the Political Faith

This article is the transcript to a fascinating symposium entitled "Leaving the Political Faith," which involves a panel of several former leftists discussing their intellectual journeys. The article is rather long, but extremely enlightening and worthwhile when you have the time. Some parts of the discussion were especially interesting to me because they explore the issue of idealism vs. realism, which I touched on in a previous post. I try to abstain from long posts, but these excerpts are so good, I just had to post them.

From John R. Bradley:

...the Left never offers any kind of practical solution to the world's problems. It's all deferred until the day of global revolution and the establishment of the Socialist utopia. So when the Iraq war came, there was all the predictable criticism -- the West was friends with Saddam, the West continues to support Arab dictatorships despite the pro-democracy rhetoric. And they are right. But what did the Left ever propose that would help solve this problem? And what did the Arabs ever do to address the issue of Saddam's vile regime? What are they proposing now? To withdraw the troops from Iraq? And then? Practical solutions would necessitate abandoning their false idealism. Better, for the Left, to render people victims, because it also renders them helpless. Then they become lost souls in need of saviour-- the hard-Left's fantasy come true.

From Michael Lopez-Calderon:

Also what I saw happening to those of us on the left was the growth of an unexpected elitist hostility to ordinary folk. Many of my leftist friends and a few colleagues adopted the position that the masses were not only deceived, but had also played a willing role in their deception. Here we were, the harbingers of an ideology that purported to stand with the ordinary folk, and yet we despised practically everything they embraced, e.g. family, faith, consumerism, money-making, patriotism, and so forth. We did not live in a world where most lived, ensconced as we were in universities.

Near the end of my university years, I began to notice this strange contradiction of “loving humanity but hating people.” I’ve realized since that it was part of the stock-in-trade of the unrealistic vision of the left, and blaming the failure of that vision not on the flawed assumption of the ideology but rather on the ingratitude of the “great unwashed” that we sought to liberate.

From Tammy Bruce:

And why do [Leftists] hate America the most? Specifically because, despite our many imperfections, we do serve as an example of the goodness and decency of humanity. Our existence proves that happiness, hope and decency can and do exist. For a leftist, the values of this nation, and the nature of her people, is a constant reminder by counterpoint of what they are not—happy, industrious, hopeful, and truly free. For the leftist and Islamist, hatred of this nation, and humanity is personal. It’s that simple.

From Jamie Glazov:

I find it incredible that after a whole century of leftists supporting and venerating one mass murderer after another, one genocidal killing machine after another, that somehow, when the new killing machine is born, and the Left ecstatically jumps to wholeheartedly support its vicious path, we are somehow supposed to believe that, once again, most leftists are somehow acting out of some kind of good-hearted and naïve wish for a better world.

You witness Stalin kill millions, you witness Mao kill millions, you witness Pol and Mengistu and Castro and North Vietnam engage in mass murder. You witness 100 million human corpses sacrificed on the altar of utopian ideals. And yet, when you jump to support the next totality that is operating on the same principles that engendered the mass murder you just witnessed, you are somehow not entertaining any kind of malicious agenda; you are just naïve and misguided.

And now, a new totality emerges as the top enemy to freedom in the world, this time Islamism, and you know full well that it operates on the same totalitarian impulses that motivated the mass killers you supported throughout the 20th century. And it is massacring innocent human beings right before your eyes. And somehow, again, your support of this ideology and the terrorists who act in its name only involves some kind of naïve and misguided agenda.

From Keith Thompson:

Any given era is dominated by certain modes, styles, structures of consciousness. America in the 1950s, for instance, was a steady-state period in which conventional, conformist values were prominent: family, suburbs, Horatio Algier, I Like Ike, and so forth. All of this began to shift in the 1960s. I believe there’s something historically significant about the psychological dynamics of the American Baby Boom generation. At its best, the Boomer generation ushered in values that had never been explored on a large scale basis: pluralism, egalitarianism, diversity, non-institutional spirituality, multiculturalism — hence, a greater concern for marginalized perspectives and groups, civil rights, feminism, ecology, cross-cultural studies. But there was a hidden toxic undercurrent to this otherwise healthy shift: a runaway relativism that went beyond respecting previously marginalized groups, to declaring that all forms of hierarchy, all conventional norms, all established structures of authority — especially Mom and Dad — are necessarily and intrinsically oppressive. We can all giggle at newsreels of this anti-authority, anti-hierarchy, anti-modernity worldview at Woodstock, but the problem is that the meme became a virulent ideology that today goes by the pretentious name of Deconstructive Postmodernism.

Here’s what matters. The contemporary moral-equivalence movement can be traced to these developments. The catechism goes like this: “Cultures different from America’s must be judged in their own terms because there is no basis for making distinctions between cultures, because distinctions are judgmental and hierarchical and based on hidden power advantages enjoyed by mainstream, dominator cultures.” This is absurd on its face, because the assertion that there’s no basis for universal value judgments is itself a universal value judgment, pretending not to be.

Clinton Lied, People Died

Remember the claims about Saddam that the Bush administration made during the run-up to Operation Iraqi Freedom? We now know where they got them from: Bill Clinton.

The National Security Archive recently released a series of documents containing intelligence about Saddam Hussein. One of the documents--number 13--was published by the Clinton administration in September 1999. If you read it what becomes clear is that the Clinton administration was accusing Saddam of many of the same things that the Bush administration accused his regime of doing in the run-up to Operation Iraqi Freedom. Read more about it here.

You've got to give them credit, the Left and their lapdogs in the media won't let facts get in the way of good anti-Bush talking points about the Iraq war.

Exterminating Whitey

This is the kind of poison that is tolerated in American universities: A genocidal liberal racist named Dr. Kamau Kambon, who is affiliated with NC State University, gave a speech at the "Black Media Forum on the Image of Black Americans in Mainstream Media." This was a program presented on October 14th at Howard University. During his speech, Dr. Kambon reportedly states:

And then finally I want to say that we need one idea, and we're not thinking about a solution to the problem. We're thinking about all these other things, but we're not dealing with a solution to the problem. And we have to start to think about a solution to the problem so that these young brothers and sisters who are here now, who are 15, 16 or 17, are not here 25 years later talking about these same problems.

Now how do I know that the white people know that we are going to come up with a solution to the problem? I know it because they have retina scans, they have what they call racial profiling, DNA banks, and they’re monitoring our people to try to prevent the one person from coming up with the one idea. And the one idea is, how we are going to exterminate white people because that in my estimation is the only conclusion I have come to. We have to exterminate white people off the face of the planet to solve this problem. Now I don’t care whether you clap or not, but I’m saying to you that we need to solve this problem because they are going to kill us. And I will leave on that. So we just have to just set up our own system and stop playing and get very serious and not be diverted from coming up with a solution to the problem and the problem on the planet is white people.

Jon Sanders at Carolina Journal has more:

Prior to his call for genocide against white people, Kambon, who owns Blacknific[e]nt Books in Raleigh, told the panel that “we are at war.” He said that white people had set up an "international plantation" for blacks, which made “every white person on earth a plantation master.” He said that, “You’re either supporting white people in their process of death, or you're for African liberation.”

He stressed one point in particular. “White people want to kill us. I want you to understand that. They want to kill you,” he said. “They want to kill you because that is part of their plan.” Kambon closed his remarks by urging participants and C-SPAN viewers to "get very serious and not be diverted from coming up with a solution to the problem, and the problem on the planet is white people."

Aren't the leftists supposed to be the champions of compassion and tolerance? This despicable tripe is being funded by our tax dollars. As repulsive as this man's ideas are, he has every right to say them unless it incites someone to commit an act of violence. If my memory of constitutional law serves me correctly, the First Amendment does not give someone the right to incite violence against another. Thus, it is okay for racists, such as the KKK, to say whatever they want, as long as they don't act upon their hatred.

Michelle Malkin makes a good point:

If there were such thing as a truly fair and balanced media, you'd have already seen as many stories about Kambon's comments as there were about Bill Bennett's comments, which were taken wildly out of context.

Where's the Associated Press now?

Send 'em an e-mail at info@ap.org.

Some Thoughts on Idealism vs. Realism

I like this blog because it is opinionated and intelligent. I also like the fact that the author grapples with difficult issues that arise in everyday life. The underlying theme of this post is the issue of idealism vs. realism. People have devoted years of study and written many novels on these topics, so nothing I say will be new. But, I would like to point out a couple things that came to mind after reading this post.

I think everyone is an idealist in some way. In the most basic sense, idealism is the essence of our dreams and visions--the things we hope for--which is inherent in us all. This is what I would term internal idealism. External idealism also exists. It manifests itself in our expectations of others (our parents, priests, politicians, etc.), as well as our perceived expectations from others. An example of the latter: I believe that God is a perfect being, just and righteous in all his ways, and the ideal expression of love and truth. My understanding of God's expectations for my life, as expressed in Scripture, provide the standard, or ideal, to which I seek to attain.

On the down side, idealists can set the bar too high for themselves and others. Consequently, idealists are often disappointed when their expectations aren't met. In the extreme, idealism can be dangerous, as is clearly demonstrated by today's Islamo-fascists who are violently intolerant of other cultures and belief systems.

In order to maintain a balanced life, a healthy dose of realism is vital. In its most basic form, realism is concerned with objective facts. From a religious point-of-view, realism assumes that mankind is not inherently benevolent and kind, but self-centred and competitive, which I think is objectively true (although not altogether pleasant). This belief is derived from the doctrine of original sin, which holds that human nature is morally disordered due to the disobedience of Adam and Eve to the revealed will of God. Everybody understands that mankind is not perfect and this belief helps us come to terms with the disappointment that arises when someone or something we idealized falls short of our unrealistic expectation of perfection.

On the down side, realists tend to be of the "I'll-believe-it-when-I-see-it" school of thought. Thus, they have little tolerance for visionaries or people of faith. They generally discount things they don't understand and can become cynical fairly easily. They often exhibit a disposition to disbelieve in the goodness of human motives and a contemptuous feeling of superiority.

The character of God perfectly demonstrates a healthy balance between idealism and realism. God loves justice and encourages us to "be ye perfect" (the ideal); but, because we are (realistically) imperfect, He dispenses grace and mercy. The belief in God and the Judeo-Christian ethic (i.e. Ideal) provides the standard by which we, as individuals and a society, measure and seek to improve ourselves. Realism helps us to cope with disappointment when the ideal isn't achieved because it reminds us that we are a work in process.

The Far Line of Sand

Wretchard at The Belmont Club posts an interesting discussion about the U.S. Navy's efforts to recreate its capability to perform critical naval operations close inshore; including keeping choke points open, preventing piracy in strategic waterways, ensuring harbor security and blockade. Wretchard reports that new classes of warships are being developed that will restructure the Navy fleet in order to better combat terrorism. Read about it here.

"Puff, the Magic Dragon" Wasn't About Weed?

All this time I thought the theme song for "Puff, the Magic Dragon" was about smoking pot. According to Snopes.com I must have been high to believe that.

Will America Stand Firm?

This is an excellent article by Jonathon V. Last, a columnist at the The Weekly Standard. In it, Last illustrates some interesting parrallels between the final chapters of the British Empire and the present age of the American empire. Due to a fervent desire to avoid conflict after WWI, British liberal elites' pacifism devolved into anti-patriotism. Last observes:

The American left, too, eerily echoes its British counterparts. Consider the "Peace is Patriotic" bumper stickers; the howls of protest against the nomination of John Bolton to be ambassador to the United Nations, for fear that he might be too assertive of American values; the comparison - by Sen. Richard Durbin (D., Ill.) - of American soldiers at Guantanamo Bay to Nazis and Guantanamo Bay to the Soviet gulag; the protest cries of "No blood for oil" and the left-wing fringe speculation that the endgame of George W. Bush's 9/11 fear-mongering would be to cancel elections and establish a fascist police state.

The liberal opponents of the British Empire were proved wrong, but their misplaced disillusionment was enough to sap the vitality of imperial confidence. After rising one last time to fight Nazism, the sun set on the British Empire.

Likewise, it is pleasant to believe that the crisis of confidence in today's liberal elites won't affect the outcome of our war with Islamist extremism. The greater worry concerns what happens next. Will protestations of liberal elites become mainstream diffidence about America's place in the world? Will we, too, stop believing that America stands firm, as a great force for good - and then see our place in the world diminish?

History, it turns out, can be both a comfort and a caution.

Guitar Shred Show

Bob Hartry sent this to me. I guess he thinks I need some guitar lessons. Well, he's right. This is my new guitar guru. He's pretty amazing, as you'll see.

Blogging has been a little light the past couple of days because I've been under the weather. I hope to resume at full speed very soon.

Anything But the Facts

The alternate universe wherein many on the left reside is a strange curiosity. The post title links to a great article by John Hinderaker @ Powerline that takes Washington Post columnist E.J. Dionne to task for his dishonest triumphalism over the legal problems currently besetting Republicans Tom DeLay, Karl Rove, and Scooter Libby.

Shall We Dance?

Click here for dance lessons by the master.

Afterglow

After it was over I talked with a bunch of people in the audience and all of them were extremely nice and effusive in their praise. The big joke outside in the alley afterward was that our music has a strange affect on our wives (let's just say they reeeaaaalllllly like us afterwards). One girl said she felt like she had been on drugs for 45 minutes (she meant that in the most positive way, believe it or not). Others commented on how they got caught up in the experience that we were having on stage. I loved that our crowd felt a part of the journey. We talked about how cool it was that our friends comprised all or part of three of the bands that night. The Roxy was full of good friends and good times.

Afterwards, Bob and I headed over to get a couple of drinks at the world-famous Rainbow. The place was absolutely packed with every strange creature in Hollywood. Misfits, the famous punk-rock band, had just finished a show a couple doors down at The Key Club and a lot of their fans ended up at the Rainbow. There's an interesting bunch of...er...people. For awhile I was standing next to Bam Magera, the professional skateboarder and prankster from the "Viva La Bam" show produced by MTV. George Lynch, who played guitar for Dokken in the 1980s, was there, too, along with several other people that looked familiar for some reason or another. This crowd was like the Star Wars cantina scene on steroids. You couldn't have casted a better Hollywood scene. There was an old man with a long white beard and a top hat sitting at the front table with a purple-sequined shirt. There were transvestites and people with piercings in places that looked...uncomfortable, face paint, tattoos on their eyes, neck (and probably everywhere else). Then there was the random oddball--like the lady in her 40s who was dressed like she was going to a city council meeting in Muskogee, and the guy who had to be fresh out of the Marines. I was a little afraid of going upstairs for fear that I might end up in an alternate dimension like the guy in Phantasm who peers into that strange world of robed Ewoks.

INTO THE VOID

We finally found a place to sit and Bob went to buy me a beer. I sat there in the afterglow of the show thanking God and feeling happy. Despite the circus environment I felt peaceful. Bob came back and we were chatting it up when this lady in her 50s with a low-cut blouse, dark hair, and a big cross necklace started talking to Bob. She was obviously hammered and Bob (nice guy that he is) listened intently as she asked him for a gumball from the machine next to us. He looks for money in his pocket and realizes he has none and, once she gets the bad news, she tells him he's a demon and that he's going into the lake of fire. He sits down kinda flustered and she gets my attention, despite my best efforts to ignore her. She takes my hand and pulls me toward her to listen closely since it was so loud in there. Then she kisses me on each cheek and tells me that since Bob didn't tell her if he was going to the lake of fire, that he surely was. I firmly assured her that he was not and then she starts babbling about how Jesus doesn't love her and won't accept her. She starts beating her breast and saying vile things about God. Bob and I were starting to get a bit anxious because we couldn't figure out where this was going. And, suddenly, the peace of God washed over me and I looked at her squarely in the eye. Instantly she stopped talking, grabbed my hand and kissed it as if to recognize some type of authority.

At first, Bob and I couldn't figure out why that lady would choose to come talk to us, since we were practically hidden in a corner minding our own business. Because of the bizarre spiritual nature of the conversation and the way she just stopped when the peace of God came, I believe something demonic was happening. Afterward I felt sad for that lady and prayed for her. My wife later postulated that perhaps demons came to harass Bob and I since we were Christians "in their house" so to speak. It's hard to know.

Despite the strange goings-on, the Rainbow experience was very fun. I enjoyed talking to the soon-to-be 40-year-old rocker with long blonde hair telling me about the time many years ago when he got up the courage to talk to Brian May (who was sitting at the table occupied by the old man in the purple shirt) about Queen, Freddie Mercury's death, etc. I also remember the beautiful blonde girl who got served at the bar before me despite being behind me in line. I asked her how she did that and she said, "believe it or not, most guy bartenders ingore me." When I told her I couldn't believe that, she said, "Oh yeah, I've had to do this (she fakes dropping her shirt to expose her breasts) just to get their attention." Shocking. Seeing all the people smoking, drinking, laughing and having a good time was very cool. The next time we play the Roxy, the Key Club, or the Viper Room, we're definitely going to hit the Rainbow.

Lower Than Angels @ The Roxy

Finally, it was time for redemption. I've never had the opportunity to redeem my own sub-par performance on the same night. So, I was not about to let this chance go for naught. Once we were announced (around 11:45 p.m.) I started playing a C7 chord in reverse on my Line 6 to get a backward-masking sound and Wade came in with the famous drum beat for "Tomorrow Never Knows," the Beatles classic. Once the whole band came in it was ROCKING! We arranged the end of this song to dovetail into "Nothing Can Separate Us," a Beatle-esque tune that was co-written by Darren. Next, was "You Are The Greatest." Darren has a great guitar solo ala Rick Nielson from Cheap Trick at the end of the bridge.

After this we played my most recent composition entitled "Is Seeing Believing," which has a psychedelic verse with guitar loops and lots of vibe flowing into a Jon Brion-flavored chorus. We then fall back into psychedelica for the bridge/solo in half-time, which features Bob Harty (pictured below) unleashed on the electric guitar. He absolutely tore it up. He is amazing. We love playing this song because it ebbs and flows differently each time. It's very in-the-moment, which is exciting musically (for me, anyways).

After this we played "Mothra," a medium-tempo song with plenty of vibe and pulses in the verses, a rockin' chorus, and a great slide guitar solo by Bob Hartry at the end. Next, was "Goodbye," which is a mellow but (I think) powerful song with a Radiohead influence, and a killer guitar solo by Darren.

Finally, we played our finale, "Deliverer." This is an 8-1/2-minute epic reflecting my Queen and Beatles influence. During the second verse (admittedly, very "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds") Bob and Darren had a harmonic convergence that sounded so amazing with my swirly Leslie guitar sound. It was just like heaven, to coin a familiar phrase. At the end of the song, the music had risen to such a crescendo that the band was going crazy. To the left of me is Dean standing his bass on the ground in upright position, strumming all four strings. Behind me, Wade was thundering drum fills and cymbal crashes. To the right, Bob is laying on his back with his hand stretched out tweaking his delay pedal to create other-worldly sounds. His guitar is laying by his Divided by 13 amp feeding back. Darren is leaning in front of his amp amazed by what he is hearing. I soaked in the moment as long as I could before bringing the band in for a crash landing. Redemption.

The G-Car Baby!

Before the Lower Than Angels set, we got to enjoy a band comprised of a few friends of ours called Gadget Car. They describe their music as Chicano Groove Punk (they are all Latino, in case you were wondering). Michael Sanchez, formerly a member of LTA, plays lead guitar in this band. It rocked! Mike was the best I'd ever saw him on guitar. Amazing considering he had just been in a car accident on the preceding Sunday, which required his rescuers to use the "jaws of life" to extract him. He spent 5 days in the hospital, during which time he was evidently visited by the Virgin Mary. He was still pretty banged up the night of the gig (his strumming hand was bruised pretty severely). The band dubbed the gig the "Thank God Mike Didn't Die" show. Marc Rivera is the lead singer/bassist and an old friend, as is the drummer, Tim Curiel. Marc is hilarious and a seasoned veteran of live shows. Everyone had a great time. Watching Gadget Car began to lift my spirits (the Captain and Coke didn't hurt, either--except that it cost $9!). Next, was LTA.

Afterfall @ The Roxy

I'm going to handle the concerts at The Roxy in several posts. First, Afterfall. The set began around 9 p.m. to a crowded room. We were very excited and Dale Dimapandan, our new bass player, was very nervous (but, did a good job hiding it). We came out to an enthusiastic reception with our first tune, "Butterfly," which is a moody and ethereal song and one of my favorites. It was well received and we were off to the races. We then played "Alone Again," followed by "Big Mistake."

Next, was my favorite song, "Tomorrow," which is kind of a Rush meets Foo Fighters song. We were flying along fine when a cable malfunctioned, rendering me without sound during the extended guitar solo. I was totally bummed because I love that part of the song. As is typical, virtually noone in the audience knew what had happened, since Darren (lead singer, guitarist pictured above) ably covered me on the solo. After the song, I told Darren to play a tune that we had set aside as an audible, called "Celluloid World." It's a mellow song with beautiful harmonies that did not involve much guitar playing by me. As he was introducing the song, I found the bad cable, gave it a tweak and had sound! So, we dithced the audible and finished the set without a hitch. The crowd seemed to love it and I think Darren and Wade were pleased that their new song "Paint This Town Black & White" was a favorite.

Even though I've had things go wrong at shows many times in the past, it's still hard to shake after the gig. We had worked so hard prior to the show to perfect the set and then something so small goes awry and ruins a part of it. I mainly felt like I let the guys down. But, they were very gracious and, as I said, nobody seemed to know. That made me feel better. But, I was determined to redeem myself during the Lower Than Angels portion of the show.

Canada lags on Air-pollution Cleanup Compared with U.S., Coalition Finds

When it comes to air quality, it turns out Canadians are full of hot air. Read about it here.

Aimee Mann @ the HOB

The wife and I met some friends out at Downtown Disney tonight and saw Aimee Mann and her band perform at the Anaheim House of Blues. It was a pretty cool show. Aimee and her bass player were great. I was disappointed with the guitar player. Crappy guitar tone. And, he looked like he was taking a nap with his mouth open half the time. Aimee was very cool and even took requests! She interacted with the crowd a lot and seemed very down to earth, which is a rarity in music these days. Overall, it was a good time.

Well, I gotta go. Tomorrow is Little Man's soccer game, then breakfast, rehearsal, and the LTA/Afterall show at The Roxy Theater in Hollywood!

LTA & Afterfall @ The Roxy

The Roxy and afterfall.net® present the 2nd Annual “Friends of Afterfall Night.” Come check out current and former members of Afterfall perform in THREE BANDS for ONE LOW PRICE!!

WHERE: THE ROXY THEATER-HOLLYWOOD
WHEN: SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15 DOORS OPEN @ 7pm
8:30 pm - Sgt. York (featuring AF’s own Darren Varieur & Wade Varieur, w/Larry Hampton & Dale Dimapandan)
10:30 pm - Gadget Car (featuring Mike Sanchez)
11:30 pm - Lower Than Angels (featuring Darren, Wade, Larry, Bobby Hartry & Dean Tapia)

HOW: $8 DISCOUNT TIX AVAILABLE via E-MAIL ONLY. For pre-sale tix, e-mail wade@afterfall.net or Darren@afterfall.net. Or buy tix at the box office the night of the show for $10. Ouch!

WHY: FAMILIAR FACES. GREAT MUSIC. GOOD TIMES. SPLIT PEA SOUP FOR THE SOUL.

A Tsunami (of Comedy)

Via Breitbart:

In one of television's inadvertently funny moments, the NBC News correspondent was paddling in a canoe during a live report about flooding in Wayne, N.J. While she talked, two men walked between her and the camera making it apparent that the water where she was floating was barely ankle-deep.

Here's the video (hat tip The Political Teen).

Bomb the Smurfs!

Independent Sources has the inside scoop of "the dumbest idea the UN has ever conceived [that's saying a lot]. Traumatizing kids so that they won’t be traumatized by something else.”

Here are some of the best comments from the links to several site links in the article:

It’s about time someone killed the Smurfs. They are probably terrorists and had it coming to them anyway. They should do an anti-war crimes video with the care bears. The Care Bears go to Abu Gharib. Have them cloaked in black hoods.

Seems to me kids should be scared of a land filled with several little blue men and one blue woman living in mushrooms.

Gravatar Smurf Village had WMDs in the north and the south and the east. We know they're there. The Smurfs are liberals and Democrats. Go bombers. Death to America. Mullah Smurf.

This may help raise awarness. Children are the main cause of war and they saw the consicquences (sic) of their action. Great, now their going to create more intifada Smurfs.

“If you choke a smurf, what color do they turn?”

Oh now I get it, war is bad.

Already, Cindy Smurfhan is arranging a demonstration and press conference which is to include the Rev. Al Smurfton to make sure that everyone places blame where blame is due: George BushGargymel!

Wrath of Allah Hits Terrorist Training Camps

Via The American Thinker:

Only a few weeks ago we were told by gleeful voices in the Islamist world that Hurricane Katrina represented the wrath of Allah, aimed at the people in New Orleans who didn’t have SUVs to get out of town. Well, Shazzam! Allah has done it again, but this time by way of a truly horrific earthquake in the borderlands of India and Pakistan. The death of thousands of innocents is hardly a subject to joke about, but the Hindustan Times reports that the earthquake struck terrorist training camps with uncanny precision.

Not Interested In Good News

The NY Times can't seem to keep its left-wing, anti-American-military bias out of its reporting. Fortunately, the guys at Powerline are on the case. What is unfortunate is that their selective use of "bad news only" reporting is symptomatic of anti-Americanism that permeates the leftist fringe of our society.

Here's an example of the total blackout on good news in Iraq from Major E., who is home from Baghdad for a couple of weeks while he and his wife await the arrival of their first child. Speaking of several addresses he has made to local civic and political groups, he notes:

What has struck me the most is how starved people are to know what is really going on over there. So many are quite grateful to hear a different perspective than the one that bombards them daily. Having watched the biased reporting since the beginning of the conflict, I was not surprised to discover that people want a more balanced perspective, even if the intensity is stronger than I expected. What has been surprising, though, and a bit disappointing, is that there has been a distinct split between the interest level of partisan political groups. I contacted county leadership for both Democrats and Republicans, along with non-partisan church and civic groups, and have received numerous requests from churches, non-partisan groups, and Republican organizations -- but zero from Democrats, despite following up with them several times.

I hope it is an anomaly, but I wonder if the fact that Democratic leaders in my county would rather accuse the troops at Gitmo of running a "gulag" than hear about the experiences of a service member who just returned from Iraq might be driving some folks away from their tent of "tolerance," not just here in Northern California but around the country.

New Blog To Watch Out For

Collected Apologies is a new blog worth checking out. The blog promises to...

be a no-holds-barred commentary on all things personal, political, practical and alliterative. Although I tend to apologize for many things (as a proper Canadian should), I also promise to send along scathing, honest reports on any given subject at any given time.

Democrats Losing the War of Ideas

This article continues an earlier discussion about the Democrats attempts to redefine their belief system. Some money quotes:

the Democrats are split down the middle on everything from Iraq to gay marriage. Centrists believe in working with business, protecting family values and fighting terrorism. “We believe that the September 11th attacks changed America for ever,” says the Democratic Leadership Council (DLC), “and defeating terrorism is the supreme military and moral mission of our time.” Liberal activists believe the opposite: that corporations are bad, family values are hogwash, and the war on terror a delusion.

Worse still, the wrong side is getting the upper hand. A new generation of angry young activists have used their mastery of the internet to tilt the party to the left. Groups such as Moveon.org (which claims 3.3m members) and blogs such as the Daily Kos (which has thousands of partisans venting daily) now colour the whole tone of the political debate on the left.

The teenage scribblers of the left seem to be turning the Democrats into a deranged version of Pavlov's dog—reacting to every stimulus from Professor Rove's laboratory rather than thinking ahead.

"Peace Is Not The Answer"

Via Powerline...

...we are living in a strange world when cynical opportunism can masquerade as moral superiority, and get away with it.

Proof of Evolution?

From The Corner:

Billions of years of Natural Selection have culminated in... the Guinness drinker.

UPDATE:

From Johah Goldberg at The Corner:

In reference to my comment that Guiness tastes like whipped pumpernickel juice, a reader informs me that etymologically pumpernickel means Devil fart. This is the sort of information you can never forget once it has hit your brain cells.

What's He Doing In There?

During childbirth, the only kid that should be in the room is the one coming out of the womb...

Due to a power outage, only one paramedic responded to the call. The house was very, very dark, so the paramedic asked Kathleen, a 3-year-old girl, to hold a flashlight high over her mommy so he could see while he helped deliver the baby. Very diligently Kathleen did as she was asked. Her mother Heidi pushed and pushed, and after a little while Connor was born. The paramedic lifted him by his little feet and spanked him on his bottom. Connor began to cry. The paramedic then thanked Kathleen for her help and asked the wide-eyed 3-year-old what she thought about what she had just witnessed. Kathleen quickly responded, "He shouldn't have crawled in there in the first place. Smack his ass again."

Democrats 'Think' About What They Believe

The title of this post links to an article about a recently-released study by two prominent Democrat analysts that illustrates some of the challenges facing Democrats in their efforts to regain power in Washington.

In one of their more potentially controversial findings, the authors argue that the rising numbers and influence of well-educated, socially liberal voters in the Democratic Party are pulling the party further from most Americans. On defense and social issues, "liberals espouse views diverging not only from those of other Democrats, but from Americans as a whole. To the extent that liberals now constitute both the largest bloc within the Democratic coalition and the public face of the party, Democratic candidates for national office will be running uphill."

UPDATE: On the other hand, I don't know how much faith to have in a party that needs to spend millions and millions of dollars developing new think tanks to figure out what its members believe. Here are some money quotes from this excellent article.

Even [former] Los Angeles Times columnist Michael Kinsley, no fan of the Republicans, has noticed. "It's true that the Republicans are the party of ideas and the Democrats are the party of reaction,'' he wrote earlier this month. "Republicans set the agenda, and Democrats try to talk the country out of it.''

All this raises the question: Why have Democrats been less reliant on the policy prescriptions emanating from think tanks that have documented the benefits of free enterprise? The answer provides another big reason that the Democracy Alliance will fail: Democrats continue to rely on a world view that crumbles under scrutiny.

The problem with the left today isn't that they don't have enough think tanks. The problem is they have held on to core beliefs that are incorrect. They don't need more think tanks to push their ideology. They need a new ideology.

Anti-War Activists Against Peace

This is a good article by Alan Nathan that bury's some of the left's tired lies about the Iraq War.

Mark Steyn: Islamist Way or No Way

Mark Steyn has a great column over at The Austrailian. Here are some excerpts:

...nobody seriously thinks what happened in Bali has anything to do with Iraq. There are, in the end, no root causes, or anyway not ones that can be negotiated by troop withdrawals or a Palestinian state. There is only a metastasising cancer that preys on whatever local conditions are to hand. Five days before the slaughter in Bali, nine Islamists were arrested in Paris for reportedly plotting to attack the Metro. Must be all those French troops in Iraq, right?

There are many trouble spots across the world but, as a general rule, even if one gives no more than a cursory glance at the foreign pages, it's easy to guess at least one of the sides: Muslims v Jews in Palestine, Muslims v Hindus in Kashmir, Muslims v Christians in Nigeria, Muslims v Buddhists in Southern Thailand, Muslims v (your team here). Whatever one's views of the merits on a case by case basis, the ubiquitousness of one team is a fact.

So even Muslims v (your team here) doesn't quite cover it. You don't have to have a team or even be aware that you belong to any side. You can be a hippie-dippy hey-man-I-love-everybody-whatever-your-bag-is-cool backpacking Dutch stoner, and they'll blow you up with as much enthusiasm as if you were Dick Cheney. As a spokesman for the Islamic Army of Aden put it in 2002, explaining why they bombed a French oil tanker: "We would have preferred to hit a US frigate, but no problem because they are all infidels."

That's why they blew up Bali in 2002, and last weekend, and why they'll keep blowing it up. It's not about Bush or Blair or Iraq or Palestine. It's about a world where everything other than Islamism lies inruins.

Supreme Court Nominee

I haven't had time to write about the President's most recent nominee to the Supreme Court, Harriet Miers. I won't take too much time here, other than to admit to being disappointed. There are a number of pundits who have written quite extensively on the nomination. In general, conservatives are upset because noone knows who she is or what she stands for, and they can't understand why the President would select an unknown commodity (to almost everyone except the President, anyways), particularly considering the disaster that is David Souter, which was inflicted upon the nation by Bush the Elder. Liberals aren't creating too much commotion, apparently satisfied that the conservatives are doing all the howling.

A whole host of extremely qualified candidates were available that would have made excellent choices. Ms. Miers was not the best choice, by a longshot. This is especially disheartening because it will likely be the last opportunity for the President to influence the court's direction. But, it appears that the President did not have the stomach for a fight with Senate Democrats. The nomination has dispirited many conservatives who were ready to rally for a fight. President Bush missed an opportunity here. But, who knows. Maybe Ms. Mier's will turn out to be an excellent appointment (assuming she's confirmed). Here is a sampling of conservative opposition to the nomination compiled by Glenn Reynolds.

At the moment, the strongest criticism is coming from the right. Over at The Corner, Ramesh Ponnuru writes:

It's an inspiring testament to the diversity of the president's cronies. Wearing heels is not an impediment to being a presidential crony in this administration! I can only assume that the president felt that his support was slipping in this important bloc, and he had to do something to shore it up.

And Rich Lowry observes:

After the Roberts pick conservatives swooned and said Bush doesn't care about "diversity"; it's only high qualifications that matter to this bold, let-the-chips-fall-where-they-may leader, etc., etc. Don't we have to take all that back now?

John Hawkins at RightWingNews, meanwhile, is even more unhappy:

Miers is a Bush crony with no real conservative credentials, who leapfrogged legions of more deserving judges just because she was Bush's pal. She used to be Bush's staff secretary for God's sake and now she's going to the Supreme Court while people like Michael Luttig, Priscilla Owen, Janice Rogers Brown & Emilio Garza are being left on the sidelines. To merely describe Miers as a terrible pick is to underestimate her sheer awfulness as a selection.

Also, check out RedState and Confirm Them for other conservative points of view on the nomination.

"Late Night" with U2

U2 fans will be interested to know that the entire Thrusday night broadcast of Conan O'Brien's "Late Night" show will be dedicated to the band. U2 is expected to perform three songs and be interviewed by O’Brien. It's an interesting time for Bono, considering he is a favorite to win the Nobel Peace Prize. The winner will be announced Friday.

Leftist Hysteria

If you want to understand the Left, the best place to start is with an understanding of hysteria.

Useful Idiots

From an article in The Toronto Sun:

Vladimir Lenin coined the apt phrase "useful idiots" to describe those living in western democracies who made common cause with his Bolshevik politics. In a free society, as in nature, aberration is not uncommon.

"Useful idiots" are aberrations in a democratic society, frequently seditious, and a reminder that freedom has costs free people must bear vigilantly.

The recent anti-war demonstrations in Washington and elsewhere are comprised of the useful idiots of our time, who make common cause with bloody-minded insurgents determined to derail the difficult transition of Iraq, from tyranny to freedom.

Read the whole thing.

Major K

Major K is a well-written and informative blog by a major in the U.S. Army currently deployed in Iraq. This post has some interesting insight into the difficulty that fatalism presents in training of the Iraqi forces.

Media Bias Rundown

Media bias is pervasive in our country (as it is in most nations) and it's ridiculous when major journalism organizations claim that it's not. Here's an example of media bias at the San Francisco Chronicle in its coverage of an "anti-war" rally in San Francisco of all places (who knew?). The blogger shows how the newspaper presents a photo out of context, only showing the one image that suits its purpose. Clearly, the Chronicle is intentionally manipulating the reader's impression of the rally and the rally's intent.

UPDATE:

An excellent point about the failing of the media made here by Hugh Hewitt:

Everything that American media could throw at a story, it threw at New Orleans in the aftermath of Katrina. No expense was spared. All hands were on deck. And yet not one news organization produced anything like complete coverage of the events unfolding inside the city's convention center or the Superdome. Horrific stories of murders and rapes spread like wildfire, reports of little girls with their throats slashed stunned Americans, and hysteria gripped many in the MSM. Weeks later the Los Angeles Times and others began to examine the collapse of the media's own levees that traditionally hold back rumor and urban myth.

Given this failure to capture the true story in New Orleans even with all of the combined resources of all the MSM working around the clock, why would anyone believe that American media is accurately reporting on the events in Iraq from the Green Zone, in the course of a bloody insurgency fought in a language they don't understand? If the combined forces of old media couldn't get one accurate story out of the convention center, why for a moment believe it can get a story out of Mosul or Najaf?

Another devastating critique of the media by a soldier in Iraq.

Instead of pitching in to help, the media types fanned the flames of hysteria and panic, making the situation appear much worse than it really was. They report selectively. They sanctimoniously criticize the efforts of those actually trying to help. They stand on the sidelines with cameras and microphones when they should be grabbing buckets and shovels. After their viewership has come off of its peak, they pack up and leave while patting each other on the back for doing such a "great job" by "raising awareness."

They are doing the same thing with regard to our efforts here in Iraq. They disgust me. I know there are few good ones out there, but sadly, they are the exception, not the rule.