As I sit here watching the Macy*s Thanksgiving Day Parade on TV just like 50 million other Americans, I can’t help but think back to the year I was involved in the parade when I was working for Macy*s. In 2001 the company I was working for, Stern’s, was closed by its parent company, Federated Stores Group, which also owns Macy*s; as a result, all of the Stern’s Loss Prevention folks were transferred to Macy*s. This was easy since all but five of the former Stern’s stores were converted literally overnight to a Macy*s store. Five stores, however, did not convert; three were closed outright never to reopen, and two were bought by Bloomingdale’s to be totally rebuilt and converted to a Bloomie’s, as they are called. My store in Bridgewater, New Jersey, was one of the two that was going to be converted to a Bloomie’s, so I found myself working at the Macy*s in the Garden State Plaza in Paramus.
Let’s just say it was not a happy experience and let it go at that, shall we? More on that in a later post.
So Thanksgiving of 2001 found me working for Macy*s and getting tagged to work the Security detail for both the parade itself and the filling of the balloons the day before. All of the Macy*s Security people (they didn’t call it Loss Prevention, they called it Security) in New York and New Jersey were required to work the parade, with the junior folks – of which I was one – being detailed to work the detail for the balloon filling the day before as well. It was a busy two days, let me tell you, but I learned a lot about the parade which I’m going to pass on here. Nothing negative today, friends and neighbors…not on Thanksgiving.
So here we go…it’s Trivia Time!
The parade I worked was the 75th Anniversary Parade, and I learned that in the early days of the parade, once the balloons reached the end of the parade route they were simply released by the handlers and allowed to float away. This was in the days before air travel was huge, of course, so there was no threat to aircraft overhead. As the balloons came down – whether by lack of hydrogen (yep, HYDROGEN) or by being shot down by hunters – they would be returned to Macy*s for repair and use in the next year’s parade, if possible.
All of the handlers for the balloons are Macy*s employees and they’re all non-paid volunteers. Believe it or not, there’s actually a waiting list each year to work the balloon crew detail, even thought it means losing part of the holiday with your family. They train in balloon handling on their days off for a month prior to the parade to prepare for the big event. The balloon detail leader is given a whistle, and the commands to lower, raise, and move the balloon are given using this. There’s no way the team members would be able to hear any spoken commands with the noise from the crowd, so they use a whistle. (This also saves the voice of the team leader.) The team members are trained to recognize the commands and act accordingly.
The big logo on the street in front of the Macy*s store where all of the acts perform is actually painted on the street, and it stays there year-round. The city of New York actually blocks off that part of the street for the day before the parade so the logo can be re-painted; if it rains, the logo isn’t repainted, the wear and tear of a year of traffic rolling over it very visible. The street stays blocked off overnight with a guard from Macy*s Security posted on it so it looks fresh and new for the parade.
The man who is in charge of the parade does nothing else for Macy*s. That’s his full-time job, and the preparations for the parade begin the day after this year’s parade is over. Sometimes even before, if something special comes along that requires it. He has a full staff working for him full-time that does nothing but help him plan the parade, and they’re not detailed out to work anything else as some companies will do at times. The parade is their gig, their only gig, and they do nothing else. Period. Nice job if you can get it.
All of the people working crowd control along the 3 mile parade route are all Macy*s Security folks. 364 days out of the year they spend their day catching thieves and bad guys for Macy*s, but on that one day of the year they work crowd control to free up the NYC Police Dept for bigger and better things. And they do it wearing suits, no less.
And that’s it for now. The turkey is going in the oven shortly, and soon after that my lovely wife and I will sit down and engage in that most revered of Thanksgiving traditions – overeating!
Y’all have a happy Turkey Day!
IHC
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Friday, November 20, 2009
So is Jesse Jackson an idiot or a racist??
So did you hear on the news yesterday that during the 25th anniversary celebration of Jesse Jackson's FAILED attempt at the White House (emphasis on failed) he made the outrageous statement that a black lawmaker in Congress "can't vote against health care and call yourself a black man"? This statement was aimed directly at Rep. Artur Davis, D-Ala., the only member of the Congressional Black Caucus to vote against the House version of the legislation.
Say WHAT!?!
Since when did the pending vote on NObama's disastrous health care bill become an issue of RACE? Oh, I see...it wasn't until last night when Jackson, in my opinion one of the two worst closet racists in the country, made this outrageous, insulting, and downright asinine statement.
You have to ask yourself just what in the living hell this man was thinking when he said this...and of course, 24 hours later after the furor in the press has been going on, now he's "softening his challenge" to the black lawmaker.
Too late, asshole...you can't "unsay" what has already been said. You said it, we heard it, and you're screwed.
This move by someone who calls himself "reverend" to take an important issue that is not related to race in any way, such as health care legislation, and turn it into a race-related issue makes me wanna puke my guts out. Obviously Jackson is worried that the legislation won't pass the pending vote on its own merits, so he's trying a last-ditch attempt to get whatever support he can by shaming black lawmakers into voting for it.
What he's going to do instead is give just about every white man and woman in this country a solid reason NOT to trust him, now or in the future, and to be VERY wary of everything that comes out of his mouth.
Like some of us have been for years...
In one moment, with one simple statement, Jesse Jackson has done more to set race relations back in this country than has been done in the past ten years. Throwing the "race card" is despicable at best, but when done by a supposed man of God on a topic as hot-button as health care goes beyond description.
What I want to see now is what NObama is going to do. He has two choices: one, condemn the statement and call Jackson on the carpet for it publicly which will effectively remove the "race" issue from the topic, or two, say nothing which will indicate his approval of Jackson's abhorrent tactics and show everyone that NObama is as big a racist as Jackson.
So what's it gonna be, Mr. President? Are you a President, or are you a black President?
So is Jesse Jackson an idiot or a racist? Simple.
He's both.
IHC
Say WHAT!?!
Since when did the pending vote on NObama's disastrous health care bill become an issue of RACE? Oh, I see...it wasn't until last night when Jackson, in my opinion one of the two worst closet racists in the country, made this outrageous, insulting, and downright asinine statement.
You have to ask yourself just what in the living hell this man was thinking when he said this...and of course, 24 hours later after the furor in the press has been going on, now he's "softening his challenge" to the black lawmaker.
Too late, asshole...you can't "unsay" what has already been said. You said it, we heard it, and you're screwed.
This move by someone who calls himself "reverend" to take an important issue that is not related to race in any way, such as health care legislation, and turn it into a race-related issue makes me wanna puke my guts out. Obviously Jackson is worried that the legislation won't pass the pending vote on its own merits, so he's trying a last-ditch attempt to get whatever support he can by shaming black lawmakers into voting for it.
What he's going to do instead is give just about every white man and woman in this country a solid reason NOT to trust him, now or in the future, and to be VERY wary of everything that comes out of his mouth.
Like some of us have been for years...
In one moment, with one simple statement, Jesse Jackson has done more to set race relations back in this country than has been done in the past ten years. Throwing the "race card" is despicable at best, but when done by a supposed man of God on a topic as hot-button as health care goes beyond description.
What I want to see now is what NObama is going to do. He has two choices: one, condemn the statement and call Jackson on the carpet for it publicly which will effectively remove the "race" issue from the topic, or two, say nothing which will indicate his approval of Jackson's abhorrent tactics and show everyone that NObama is as big a racist as Jackson.
So what's it gonna be, Mr. President? Are you a President, or are you a black President?
So is Jesse Jackson an idiot or a racist? Simple.
He's both.
IHC
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Yet Another Bad Decision by The Great Pretender
So The Great Pretender has decided not only to close Gitmo and move the terrorist prisoners there to Illinois - his home state, so why not create jobs where you came from, right? - but he's also made the downright stupid decision to put the 9/11 attack masterminds on public trial in New York City.
Of all the stupid things this man has done since he was inaugurated, I think this is the stupidest one. His lack of leadership abilities and inexperience is showing more and more as time goes on...and we won't even talk about his practice of bowing to every head of state of every other nation in the friggin' world like a good little subordinate should.
Not now, anyway....
But back to the topic at hand.
As I see it, there are three major problems with putting these terrorist assholes on public trial in New York City instead of putting them on trial in a military tribunal on a military installtion. In no specific order of priority, they are:
1. A public trial gives the defendents and their supporters the public platform they want.
There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that these defendants are going to take the stand in their own defense, and when they do you can bet that they're going to spread their message of hate and murder and terror for as long as they have the opportunity to open their mouths. And the news media, specifically the lapdog of the NObama administration, CNN, will broadcast every single word of it to everyone that will listen, worldwide. This will serve to motivate and embolden all of the terrorist cells out there into doing just what they do best - murder innocents.
And in addition to the outbursts from the defendants inside the courtroom, you can bet on having public demonstrations by every radical Islamic asshole on the Eastern Seaboard taking place on the streets outside the courtroom as well - and this, too, will be covered and broadcast worldwide by the news media.
If the trial were being held in a military tribunal on a military installation, the proceedings DO NOT have to be made pubic, and the media can - and would - be blocked from attending and broadcasting it. There would be no public stage for the terrorists at all, and that's how it should be.
2. Security both inside and outside the courthouse is going to be a nightmare.
There is no way that adequate security is going to be able to be established and maintained in a public trial location - absolutely no way. I'd be willing to bet that a few days into the proceedings, a suicide bomber makes his presence known outside of the courthouse in the public streets by blowing himself and those around him up, thus taking a bad situation and making it worse.
If the trial were held on a military installation, security would be nearly guaranteed. The closest any terrorist would get to the trial location would be the entrance gate; there's no way they'd get past the gate and the troops stationed there. Additionally, the US Army has a much better capability to provide adequate troops and equipment for security than the NYPD does. Nothing against the NYPD, but they just don't have either the manpower nor the payroll nor the equipment to put up and maintain the kind of security this public trial is going to demand.
3. The sources of evidence obtained by confidential intelligence means are going to be compromised, which will result in someone - or many someones - getting murdered.
Any and all evidence presented in a pubic trial is open to full and complete disclosure - in other words, you have to tell the court where and how you obtained the evidence, and you can't cite "national security" to avoid it. Lots of the evidence being used against these terrorist assholes was obtained by confidential intelligence means, the compromising of which could and would endanger national security and the ability of the intelligence community to continue their work. And once the sources of this information is revealed, the lives of the sources can be measured in hours, if not minutes. This would do irreparable harm to our intelligence community and their ability to function in the rest of the world.
If the trial is a military tribunal, the identities of the sources and the means by which the evidence was obtained can be protected from disclosure to the public. The tribunal judge will ensure that all evidence is admitted legally and was obtained legally, but he will also ensure that the confidentiality of both the means and the sources is protected. A civilian judge in a civilian courtroom during a pubic trial cannot do this since he must abide by civilian laws and the US Constitution.
The magnitude of the disaster awaiting our nation once this public trial gets underway scares the living hell out of me. I simply cannot believe that NObama would be so utterly stupid and unbelieveably naive to think that nothing but bad could come out of this public trial.
I just hope too many people don't die because our elected President is a fuckin' moron.
IHC
Of all the stupid things this man has done since he was inaugurated, I think this is the stupidest one. His lack of leadership abilities and inexperience is showing more and more as time goes on...and we won't even talk about his practice of bowing to every head of state of every other nation in the friggin' world like a good little subordinate should.
Not now, anyway....
But back to the topic at hand.
As I see it, there are three major problems with putting these terrorist assholes on public trial in New York City instead of putting them on trial in a military tribunal on a military installtion. In no specific order of priority, they are:
1. A public trial gives the defendents and their supporters the public platform they want.
There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that these defendants are going to take the stand in their own defense, and when they do you can bet that they're going to spread their message of hate and murder and terror for as long as they have the opportunity to open their mouths. And the news media, specifically the lapdog of the NObama administration, CNN, will broadcast every single word of it to everyone that will listen, worldwide. This will serve to motivate and embolden all of the terrorist cells out there into doing just what they do best - murder innocents.
And in addition to the outbursts from the defendants inside the courtroom, you can bet on having public demonstrations by every radical Islamic asshole on the Eastern Seaboard taking place on the streets outside the courtroom as well - and this, too, will be covered and broadcast worldwide by the news media.
If the trial were being held in a military tribunal on a military installation, the proceedings DO NOT have to be made pubic, and the media can - and would - be blocked from attending and broadcasting it. There would be no public stage for the terrorists at all, and that's how it should be.
2. Security both inside and outside the courthouse is going to be a nightmare.
There is no way that adequate security is going to be able to be established and maintained in a public trial location - absolutely no way. I'd be willing to bet that a few days into the proceedings, a suicide bomber makes his presence known outside of the courthouse in the public streets by blowing himself and those around him up, thus taking a bad situation and making it worse.
If the trial were held on a military installation, security would be nearly guaranteed. The closest any terrorist would get to the trial location would be the entrance gate; there's no way they'd get past the gate and the troops stationed there. Additionally, the US Army has a much better capability to provide adequate troops and equipment for security than the NYPD does. Nothing against the NYPD, but they just don't have either the manpower nor the payroll nor the equipment to put up and maintain the kind of security this public trial is going to demand.
3. The sources of evidence obtained by confidential intelligence means are going to be compromised, which will result in someone - or many someones - getting murdered.
Any and all evidence presented in a pubic trial is open to full and complete disclosure - in other words, you have to tell the court where and how you obtained the evidence, and you can't cite "national security" to avoid it. Lots of the evidence being used against these terrorist assholes was obtained by confidential intelligence means, the compromising of which could and would endanger national security and the ability of the intelligence community to continue their work. And once the sources of this information is revealed, the lives of the sources can be measured in hours, if not minutes. This would do irreparable harm to our intelligence community and their ability to function in the rest of the world.
If the trial is a military tribunal, the identities of the sources and the means by which the evidence was obtained can be protected from disclosure to the public. The tribunal judge will ensure that all evidence is admitted legally and was obtained legally, but he will also ensure that the confidentiality of both the means and the sources is protected. A civilian judge in a civilian courtroom during a pubic trial cannot do this since he must abide by civilian laws and the US Constitution.
The magnitude of the disaster awaiting our nation once this public trial gets underway scares the living hell out of me. I simply cannot believe that NObama would be so utterly stupid and unbelieveably naive to think that nothing but bad could come out of this public trial.
I just hope too many people don't die because our elected President is a fuckin' moron.
IHC
Sunday, November 15, 2009
The Cow and The Ice Cream
This came to me in an e-mail this week, and I thought it was worth sharing.
"THE COW AND THE ICE CREAM"
"ONE OF THE BEST EXPLANATIONS OF WHY OBAMA WON THE ELECTION
--From a teacher in the Nashville area
"We are worried about 'the cow' when it is all about the 'Ice Cream.'
The most eye-opening civics lesson I ever had was while teaching third grade this year...
The presidential election was heating up and some of the children showed an interest.
I decided we would have an election for a class president. We would choose our nominees. They would make a campaign speech and the class would vote. To simplify the process, candidates were nominated by other class members.
We discussed what kinds of characteristics these students should have.
We got many nominations and from those, Jamie and Olivia were picked to run for the top spot.
The class had done a great job in their selections. Both candidates were good kids. I thought Jamie might have an advantage because he got lots of parental support. I had never seen Olivia's mother.
The day arrived when they were to make their speeches.
Jamie went first.
He had specific ideas about how to make our class a better place. He ended by promising to do his very best.
Everyone applauded and he sat down.
Now is was Olivia's turn to speak. Her speech was concise. She said, "If you will vote for me, I will give you ice cream."
She sat down.
The class went wild. "Yes! Yes! We want ice cream!"
She surely would say more. She did not have to.
A discussion followed. How did she plan to pay for the ice cream?
She wasn't sure.
Would her parents buy it or would the class pay for it.
She didn't know.
The class really didn't care. All they were thinking about was ice cream.
Jamie was forgotten. Olivia won by a landslide.
Every time Barack Obama opened his mouth he offered ice cream and 52 percent of the people reacted like nine year olds. They want ice cream.
The other 48 percent know they're going to have to feed the cow and clean up the mess."
Remember, the government cannot give anything to anyone that they have not first taken away from someone else."
So just how is Obama going to pay for this grand health care plan he and his chief lap dog and boot licker Nancy Pelosi are currently shoving down Congress' throat?
Simple. He's going to tax the rich to pay for it; namely, all single citizens who make more than $500,000 a year and all couples who make more than $1 million a year.
He's going to take from someone and give it to someone else.
I guess he thinks he's Robin Hood.
But he ain't. "Robin Hood" economics won't work, as any first-year business student will tell you.
This should be good.
IHC
"THE COW AND THE ICE CREAM"
"ONE OF THE BEST EXPLANATIONS OF WHY OBAMA WON THE ELECTION
--From a teacher in the Nashville area
"We are worried about 'the cow' when it is all about the 'Ice Cream.'
The most eye-opening civics lesson I ever had was while teaching third grade this year...
The presidential election was heating up and some of the children showed an interest.
I decided we would have an election for a class president. We would choose our nominees. They would make a campaign speech and the class would vote. To simplify the process, candidates were nominated by other class members.
We discussed what kinds of characteristics these students should have.
We got many nominations and from those, Jamie and Olivia were picked to run for the top spot.
The class had done a great job in their selections. Both candidates were good kids. I thought Jamie might have an advantage because he got lots of parental support. I had never seen Olivia's mother.
The day arrived when they were to make their speeches.
Jamie went first.
He had specific ideas about how to make our class a better place. He ended by promising to do his very best.
Everyone applauded and he sat down.
Now is was Olivia's turn to speak. Her speech was concise. She said, "If you will vote for me, I will give you ice cream."
She sat down.
The class went wild. "Yes! Yes! We want ice cream!"
She surely would say more. She did not have to.
A discussion followed. How did she plan to pay for the ice cream?
She wasn't sure.
Would her parents buy it or would the class pay for it.
She didn't know.
The class really didn't care. All they were thinking about was ice cream.
Jamie was forgotten. Olivia won by a landslide.
Every time Barack Obama opened his mouth he offered ice cream and 52 percent of the people reacted like nine year olds. They want ice cream.
The other 48 percent know they're going to have to feed the cow and clean up the mess."
Remember, the government cannot give anything to anyone that they have not first taken away from someone else."
So just how is Obama going to pay for this grand health care plan he and his chief lap dog and boot licker Nancy Pelosi are currently shoving down Congress' throat?
Simple. He's going to tax the rich to pay for it; namely, all single citizens who make more than $500,000 a year and all couples who make more than $1 million a year.
He's going to take from someone and give it to someone else.
I guess he thinks he's Robin Hood.
But he ain't. "Robin Hood" economics won't work, as any first-year business student will tell you.
This should be good.
IHC
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Paying the Price of "Political Correctness"
Anyone who knows me knows that I absolutely abhor the phrase, "politically correct," and pride myself on NOT being that way. I'm a "call 'em as I see 'em" kinda guy; always have been, always will be. And yes, I pride myself on NOT being one of the millions of lemmings out there who won't do this or won't say that because "it's not POLITICALLY CORRECT" or may hurt someone's sensitive feelings. I have the right to voice my opinions, and I do; when I do, I try not to be insulting or rude, and I'll say right up front that I'm not always successful in that effort. Sometimes the topic and my feelings on the topic just don't make that possible.
Hang onto your ass, friends and neighbors, because today's topic is one of those kinds. I'm gonna piss some people off with what I'm going to say, and to be honest about it I really don't care.
So here goes.
I don't know exactly who is responsible for it and I don't know exactly how it got started, but the end result of the "politically correct" movement that has overtaken our American society like so much unwanted kudzu has resulted in two things.
The first of these is a society that is so afraid of the repercussions both personally and professionally for voicing their opinions and concerns that they would rather keep quiet rather than raise their concerns and/or sound an alarm. For the most part, the United States is now a population of sheep, doing nothing except what they are told, and not doing things they know they really should be doing because they know they're right but won't do because they've had it pounded into their heads by the liberal media that it's not "politically correct" and may hurt someone's feelings. And we just can't have that, now can we?
The second is twelve dead American soldiers and one dead American civilian, murdered in cold blood on a stateside US Army post, murdered by a devout follower of the so-called "religion of peace," Islam. Murdered here at home, not in a war zone across the ocean on the other side of the world. Murdered where they live, where they thought they were safe.
In my mind and in my way of thinking, both of these things are reprehensible, repulsive, and downright disgusting. And in this tragic case, both of them are inexorably and undeniably linked.
Here you have an officer in the United States Army who is a Muslim, who voices "anti-American sentiments" to students in a training class where he was in training, who is noted by his supervisors as being "emotionally torn" between his Islamic beliefs and his service to the United States and the Army, who is known to have worshipped at the same mosque and listened to the preachings of the same radical imam as three of the 9/11 hijackers - and nobody says a damned thing! Instead, it all comes to light when this Muslim murderer jumps up on a table in a processing center filled with soldiers, shouts "Allah Akbar!" ("God is great"), pulls out two pistols and starts shooting the unarmed soldiers surrounding him. When the smoke clears and the investigating begins, NOW it comes to light that people knew this guy was looney tunes and would most likely do something like this.
So why the hell didn't anybody say anything before now?
Simple. They were afraid to. They didn't want to have the finger of "Political Incorrectness" pointed at them, especially if they were an officer in the United States Army. See, it's like this: in the officer corps of all of the Armed Forces, if you have an accusation thrown at you that's serious in nature, even if you're later cleared of the accusation it's always gonna be there - and the people who will sit on the selection boards for your next promotion are gonna know about it, and they're NOT gonna promote you - because THEY don't want that same finger pointed at THEM for promoting you, a "suspected" politically incorrect person who did something awful and terrible...never mind that you were cleared. Because if they promote you, then THEY are just as GUILTY of what YOU didn't do as you are. And that's the end of THEIR career.
Think I'm wrong? Ask any retired military officer who no longer has a career to worry about. THEN tell me I'm wrong.
So several people in positions of power had their suspicions about this Muslim officer in the United States Army and what he might do, and no one says a damned thing.
And 13 people are dead because of it.
That's one hell of a price to pay for being "politically correct."
It's time we woke up and stopped being a nation of friggin' sheep. This "politically correct" bullshit that has been gripping our nation for the past 15 years or so needs to be kicked to the curb, and RIGHT NOW.
The facts are simple: you can't always make everyone happy, and every now and then people are gonna get their feelings hurt because, like it or not, sometimes the truth hurts. So you deal with it and get on with your life! You don't file a lawsuit, or go on "Oprah" and weep your tale of woe, or anything like that crap. And if you're accused of doing something wrong, if you did it then stand up like an adult and take your medicine; don't jump on the "race wagon" and say you're only being accused because you're black, or hispanic, or asian, or a redhead, or any other damned thing. And that also doesn't make your accuser a racist, either. In many cases it makes him RIGHT.
And like I said, the truth hurts.
In the end run, I have a feeling that the US Army is gonna take a high, hard one right up the old poop chute on this one, and deservedly so. Too many people saw the danger in this guy and ignored it for nothing to be done. And the fact that this involves a Muslim should NOT be a factor in what is done and how and to what severity; regardless of the religion, the fact is that this guy MURDERED thirteen innocent people because of his religious beliefs. For that, he needs to be held accountable and the people who knew he was a ticking time bomb and did or said nothing need to be held accountable as well. Those people who sat on their hands and did nothing because they were afraid to endanger their careers are now going to sit back and watch said careers go up in flames, because they sat on their hands and did nothing. And deservedly so.
As for the Muslim murderer, I hope the major makes a full and complete recovery, I really do. I hope for nothing less than his return to complete health...
...so he can be tried in a General Courts-Martial for thirteen counts of murder in the first degree, found guilty, transported to the United States Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and then hung by his neck until he's dead.
And deservedly so.
IHC
Hang onto your ass, friends and neighbors, because today's topic is one of those kinds. I'm gonna piss some people off with what I'm going to say, and to be honest about it I really don't care.
So here goes.
I don't know exactly who is responsible for it and I don't know exactly how it got started, but the end result of the "politically correct" movement that has overtaken our American society like so much unwanted kudzu has resulted in two things.
The first of these is a society that is so afraid of the repercussions both personally and professionally for voicing their opinions and concerns that they would rather keep quiet rather than raise their concerns and/or sound an alarm. For the most part, the United States is now a population of sheep, doing nothing except what they are told, and not doing things they know they really should be doing because they know they're right but won't do because they've had it pounded into their heads by the liberal media that it's not "politically correct" and may hurt someone's feelings. And we just can't have that, now can we?
The second is twelve dead American soldiers and one dead American civilian, murdered in cold blood on a stateside US Army post, murdered by a devout follower of the so-called "religion of peace," Islam. Murdered here at home, not in a war zone across the ocean on the other side of the world. Murdered where they live, where they thought they were safe.
In my mind and in my way of thinking, both of these things are reprehensible, repulsive, and downright disgusting. And in this tragic case, both of them are inexorably and undeniably linked.
Here you have an officer in the United States Army who is a Muslim, who voices "anti-American sentiments" to students in a training class where he was in training, who is noted by his supervisors as being "emotionally torn" between his Islamic beliefs and his service to the United States and the Army, who is known to have worshipped at the same mosque and listened to the preachings of the same radical imam as three of the 9/11 hijackers - and nobody says a damned thing! Instead, it all comes to light when this Muslim murderer jumps up on a table in a processing center filled with soldiers, shouts "Allah Akbar!" ("God is great"), pulls out two pistols and starts shooting the unarmed soldiers surrounding him. When the smoke clears and the investigating begins, NOW it comes to light that people knew this guy was looney tunes and would most likely do something like this.
So why the hell didn't anybody say anything before now?
Simple. They were afraid to. They didn't want to have the finger of "Political Incorrectness" pointed at them, especially if they were an officer in the United States Army. See, it's like this: in the officer corps of all of the Armed Forces, if you have an accusation thrown at you that's serious in nature, even if you're later cleared of the accusation it's always gonna be there - and the people who will sit on the selection boards for your next promotion are gonna know about it, and they're NOT gonna promote you - because THEY don't want that same finger pointed at THEM for promoting you, a "suspected" politically incorrect person who did something awful and terrible...never mind that you were cleared. Because if they promote you, then THEY are just as GUILTY of what YOU didn't do as you are. And that's the end of THEIR career.
Think I'm wrong? Ask any retired military officer who no longer has a career to worry about. THEN tell me I'm wrong.
So several people in positions of power had their suspicions about this Muslim officer in the United States Army and what he might do, and no one says a damned thing.
And 13 people are dead because of it.
That's one hell of a price to pay for being "politically correct."
It's time we woke up and stopped being a nation of friggin' sheep. This "politically correct" bullshit that has been gripping our nation for the past 15 years or so needs to be kicked to the curb, and RIGHT NOW.
The facts are simple: you can't always make everyone happy, and every now and then people are gonna get their feelings hurt because, like it or not, sometimes the truth hurts. So you deal with it and get on with your life! You don't file a lawsuit, or go on "Oprah" and weep your tale of woe, or anything like that crap. And if you're accused of doing something wrong, if you did it then stand up like an adult and take your medicine; don't jump on the "race wagon" and say you're only being accused because you're black, or hispanic, or asian, or a redhead, or any other damned thing. And that also doesn't make your accuser a racist, either. In many cases it makes him RIGHT.
And like I said, the truth hurts.
In the end run, I have a feeling that the US Army is gonna take a high, hard one right up the old poop chute on this one, and deservedly so. Too many people saw the danger in this guy and ignored it for nothing to be done. And the fact that this involves a Muslim should NOT be a factor in what is done and how and to what severity; regardless of the religion, the fact is that this guy MURDERED thirteen innocent people because of his religious beliefs. For that, he needs to be held accountable and the people who knew he was a ticking time bomb and did or said nothing need to be held accountable as well. Those people who sat on their hands and did nothing because they were afraid to endanger their careers are now going to sit back and watch said careers go up in flames, because they sat on their hands and did nothing. And deservedly so.
As for the Muslim murderer, I hope the major makes a full and complete recovery, I really do. I hope for nothing less than his return to complete health...
...so he can be tried in a General Courts-Martial for thirteen counts of murder in the first degree, found guilty, transported to the United States Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and then hung by his neck until he's dead.
And deservedly so.
IHC
Monday, November 9, 2009
It's Time to Outlaw Islam!
I've been stewing over my thoughts on the shootings at Fort Hood ever since the news broke, waiting to see what other details about this Muslim asshole would come to light. I was honestly kinda hoping that he'd be a "lone ranger," someone who acted alone, with no ties to the terrorist/radical fringe of the Muslim religion that has been responsible for so much needless and unwarranted death and destruction throughout the world for the past ten years or so.
Alas, that was not to be. Several things have come to light about this Islamic murderer, some of them being that he was "openly anti-American," spoke frequently about his hatred for all things American, and that he worshipped at the same mosque and listened to the teachings of the same radical imam that three of the 9/11 terrorists did. On top of that, what does this Muslim asshole do right before he starts shooting? He jumps up on a table and shouts, "Allah Akbar!" which is Arabic for "God is Great" and is the same thing every Muslim terrorist shouts right before he kills an innocent person, or persons.
I have come to two conclusions: First, I hope that this Muslim asshole at Fort Hood makes a full recovery. Yep, I do, I really do. I want him to make a full recovery so he can be put on trial in a military courts-martial for 12 counts of murder in the first degree, found guilty, taken to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas and the United States Military Disciplinary Barracks, and hanged by the neck until he's dead. And good luck with those virgins, by the way, you asshole.
Second, it's time to outlaw Islam. Period. And there's nothing in the United States Constitution that says we can't, either. The Constitution says that "Congress shall make no law" protecting or establishing one religion, but it sure as hell doesn't say that you can't make a law declaring a religion to be illegal.
If I'm wrong, then please correct me. But I don't think I'm wrong.
And ya know what? If the Constitution does say something like that, then I think it's time for an amendment so we CAN outlaw Islam.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know, I know...you can't judge the members of one group by the actions of a few.
Bullshit. Yes I can, and yes I will.
And as for that tired old line about "not all Muslims are terrorists," my response to you is twofold: first, maybe not, but all terrorists sure as hell are Muslims, and second, try telling that to the victims of the Fort Riley shooting. And when you do, shout it loud because Arlington National Cemetery is a long ways away.
I honestly don't care who I piss off in the Islamic religion with my views on this brutal, violence-riddled religion. I've sat back and watched members of this so-called "religion of peace" blow up, shoot, and behead innocents for the past ten years, and I'm damned sick and tired of it. If ever there was a religion that needed to be banned, it's Islam. I can think of no other religion that calls for the intentional murder of non-believers - "infidels," by the way - or the murder of anyone who turns away from the Islamic faith. ANY religion that calls for the intentional, cold-blooded murder of someone who doesn't follow that faith is NOT a religion in my book - it's a cult, and a damned bloody, violent one at that.
The people of the world in general and America in specific need to wake the hell up and see Islam for the real threat that it is. And if you don't think it's a threat, if you don't think things like that are really being talked about and planned for in the Islamic community, then you need to check out http://www.revolutionmuslim.com and see for yourself. Or just pick up a copy of the Daily News from New York City and read all about the Jewish-born American who converted to Islam, took up a raghead name, and is now calling the Fort Hood shooter a "hero." (Personally, I think this asshole needs to be taken into an alley and beaten to within an inch of his life - and then beaten for another foot.)
So does that make me just as bad as them? Prob'ly, and ya know what? I don't care. One of the lessons I've learned in life is that sometimes, in order to solve a particularly nasty problem, you have to get down and dirty and be even nastier than the problem facing you. It's either that, or let the problem keep on biting at you for the rest of your life. So sure, I'll stoop down to your level - and by the time I'm done, you won't be a problem anymore, I guarantee you that.
I'm tired of Americans being killed by Muslim assholes just because they're Americans. I'm tired of these Muslim assholes living in our country, taking advantage of the freedoms granted to them by our Constitution and using those freedoms to spout their anti-American and anti-Christian views. And most of all, I'm tired of being told that I have to "accept" their views and "tolerate" them, that they have a "right" to them and it's not my place to say otherwise.
BULLSHIT!
I have rights, too, ya know. I have the right to live my life free from fear of being killed just because some Muslim asshole doesn't like my faith. I have the right to live free from fear of attack just because some Muslim asshole wants to earn his way into Heaven by killing "infidels." I have the right NOT to have to listen to this CRAP about being fair and understanding of the feelings of others. I don't give a CRAP about the rights of ANY Muslim, ANYWHERE. They sure as hell don't care about my rights, so why should I care about theirs?
The threat is real, America. It's time to wake up and take a good, hard look around you and do what needs to be done to ELIMINATE the Islamic threat. The goal of Islam and the followers of Islam is to "unite the world under Sharia law and Islam," and according to the Qu'aran, the ONLY way to do that is to KILL ANYONE WHO IS NOT MUSLIM OR WHO WILL NOT CONVERT. And if you think I'm kidding, then I suggest you read the Qu'aran for yourself because that's what it says.
My anger is increasing as I type and is muddling my thoughts, so maybe it's time for me to just close this post down. I think I've made my point.
Gonna go surf the web now and look for a patriotic group that feels the same way I do.
IHC
Alas, that was not to be. Several things have come to light about this Islamic murderer, some of them being that he was "openly anti-American," spoke frequently about his hatred for all things American, and that he worshipped at the same mosque and listened to the teachings of the same radical imam that three of the 9/11 terrorists did. On top of that, what does this Muslim asshole do right before he starts shooting? He jumps up on a table and shouts, "Allah Akbar!" which is Arabic for "God is Great" and is the same thing every Muslim terrorist shouts right before he kills an innocent person, or persons.
I have come to two conclusions: First, I hope that this Muslim asshole at Fort Hood makes a full recovery. Yep, I do, I really do. I want him to make a full recovery so he can be put on trial in a military courts-martial for 12 counts of murder in the first degree, found guilty, taken to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas and the United States Military Disciplinary Barracks, and hanged by the neck until he's dead. And good luck with those virgins, by the way, you asshole.
Second, it's time to outlaw Islam. Period. And there's nothing in the United States Constitution that says we can't, either. The Constitution says that "Congress shall make no law" protecting or establishing one religion, but it sure as hell doesn't say that you can't make a law declaring a religion to be illegal.
If I'm wrong, then please correct me. But I don't think I'm wrong.
And ya know what? If the Constitution does say something like that, then I think it's time for an amendment so we CAN outlaw Islam.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know, I know...you can't judge the members of one group by the actions of a few.
Bullshit. Yes I can, and yes I will.
And as for that tired old line about "not all Muslims are terrorists," my response to you is twofold: first, maybe not, but all terrorists sure as hell are Muslims, and second, try telling that to the victims of the Fort Riley shooting. And when you do, shout it loud because Arlington National Cemetery is a long ways away.
I honestly don't care who I piss off in the Islamic religion with my views on this brutal, violence-riddled religion. I've sat back and watched members of this so-called "religion of peace" blow up, shoot, and behead innocents for the past ten years, and I'm damned sick and tired of it. If ever there was a religion that needed to be banned, it's Islam. I can think of no other religion that calls for the intentional murder of non-believers - "infidels," by the way - or the murder of anyone who turns away from the Islamic faith. ANY religion that calls for the intentional, cold-blooded murder of someone who doesn't follow that faith is NOT a religion in my book - it's a cult, and a damned bloody, violent one at that.
The people of the world in general and America in specific need to wake the hell up and see Islam for the real threat that it is. And if you don't think it's a threat, if you don't think things like that are really being talked about and planned for in the Islamic community, then you need to check out http://www.revolutionmuslim.com and see for yourself. Or just pick up a copy of the Daily News from New York City and read all about the Jewish-born American who converted to Islam, took up a raghead name, and is now calling the Fort Hood shooter a "hero." (Personally, I think this asshole needs to be taken into an alley and beaten to within an inch of his life - and then beaten for another foot.)
So does that make me just as bad as them? Prob'ly, and ya know what? I don't care. One of the lessons I've learned in life is that sometimes, in order to solve a particularly nasty problem, you have to get down and dirty and be even nastier than the problem facing you. It's either that, or let the problem keep on biting at you for the rest of your life. So sure, I'll stoop down to your level - and by the time I'm done, you won't be a problem anymore, I guarantee you that.
I'm tired of Americans being killed by Muslim assholes just because they're Americans. I'm tired of these Muslim assholes living in our country, taking advantage of the freedoms granted to them by our Constitution and using those freedoms to spout their anti-American and anti-Christian views. And most of all, I'm tired of being told that I have to "accept" their views and "tolerate" them, that they have a "right" to them and it's not my place to say otherwise.
BULLSHIT!
I have rights, too, ya know. I have the right to live my life free from fear of being killed just because some Muslim asshole doesn't like my faith. I have the right to live free from fear of attack just because some Muslim asshole wants to earn his way into Heaven by killing "infidels." I have the right NOT to have to listen to this CRAP about being fair and understanding of the feelings of others. I don't give a CRAP about the rights of ANY Muslim, ANYWHERE. They sure as hell don't care about my rights, so why should I care about theirs?
The threat is real, America. It's time to wake up and take a good, hard look around you and do what needs to be done to ELIMINATE the Islamic threat. The goal of Islam and the followers of Islam is to "unite the world under Sharia law and Islam," and according to the Qu'aran, the ONLY way to do that is to KILL ANYONE WHO IS NOT MUSLIM OR WHO WILL NOT CONVERT. And if you think I'm kidding, then I suggest you read the Qu'aran for yourself because that's what it says.
My anger is increasing as I type and is muddling my thoughts, so maybe it's time for me to just close this post down. I think I've made my point.
Gonna go surf the web now and look for a patriotic group that feels the same way I do.
IHC
Friday, November 6, 2009
Can Muslims be good Americans?
This little ditty surfaced around the time of the 9/11 attacks, and considering what has taken place at Fort Hood in the past 24 hours I thought it was time for it to get some more press time.
"Can Muslims be good Americans?"
"Can a devout Muslim be an American patriot and a loyal citizen? Consider this:
Theologically: No, because his allegiance is to Allah, the moon god of Arabia.
Scripturally: No, because his allegiance is to the five pillars of Islam and the Quran (Koran).
Geographically: No, because his allegiance is to Mecca, to which he turns in prayer five times a day.
Socially: No, because his allegiance to Islam forbids him to make friends with Christians or Jews.
Politically: No, because he must submit to the mullah (spiritual leaders), who teach annihilation of Israel and destruction of America, the great Satan.
Domestically: No, because he is instructed to marry four women and beat and scourge his wife when she disobeys him (Quran 4:34).
Religiously: No, because no other religion is accepted by his Allah except Islam (Quran, 2:256)
Intellectually: No, because he cannot accept the American Constitution since it is based on Biblical principles and he believes the Bible to be corrupt.
Philosophically: No, because Islam, Muhammad, and the Quran do not allow freedom of religion and expression. Democracy and Islam cannot co-exist. Every Muslim government is either dictatorial or autocratic.
Spiritually: No, because when we declare "one nation under God," the Christian's God is loving and kind, while Allah is NEVER referred to as our heavenly father, nor is he ever called love in the Quran's 99 excellent names.
Therefore after much study and deliberation....perhaps we should be very suspicious of ALL MUSLIMS in this country. They obviously cannot be both good Muslims and good Americans. Call it what you wish...it's still the truth. If you find yourself intellectually in agreement with the above, perhaps you will share this with your friends. The more who understand this, the better it will be for our country."
I don't know who wrote this, but I'd sure like to know so I can send him a congratulatory e-mail.
Honestly, I have a VERY difficult time trusting the motives and intents of those of the Muslim faith. Considering all of the bloodshed, violence, and death that's been doled out by those of the Muslim faith in the past eight or nine years, how can I feel otherwise? And for those bleeding-heart liberals out there who are going to chide me that I shouldn't feel that way towards all Muslims because "not all Muslims are terrorists," my reply is, "Maybe not, but all terrorists are Muslims."
On top of that, if this latest atrocity were committed by a white guy who was Roman Catholic, would anyone defend his religion? I doubt it.
I have read the Qu'aran; actually, it's sitting on the small shelf of my computer desk to my left as we speak, so I know what it says and what it doesn't say. I've spent time in the Middle East and have worked side by side with Muslims, and I can honestly say that I've never met a more incompetent, lazy, unreliable, hypocritical and dishonest people in my entire life. I don't trust them at all, and I doubt that I ever will.
And maybe, just maybe, one of these days the rest of America will open their eyes and see things for the way they really are.
But I ain't holding my breath on that one.
IHC
"Can Muslims be good Americans?"
"Can a devout Muslim be an American patriot and a loyal citizen? Consider this:
Theologically: No, because his allegiance is to Allah, the moon god of Arabia.
Scripturally: No, because his allegiance is to the five pillars of Islam and the Quran (Koran).
Geographically: No, because his allegiance is to Mecca, to which he turns in prayer five times a day.
Socially: No, because his allegiance to Islam forbids him to make friends with Christians or Jews.
Politically: No, because he must submit to the mullah (spiritual leaders), who teach annihilation of Israel and destruction of America, the great Satan.
Domestically: No, because he is instructed to marry four women and beat and scourge his wife when she disobeys him (Quran 4:34).
Religiously: No, because no other religion is accepted by his Allah except Islam (Quran, 2:256)
Intellectually: No, because he cannot accept the American Constitution since it is based on Biblical principles and he believes the Bible to be corrupt.
Philosophically: No, because Islam, Muhammad, and the Quran do not allow freedom of religion and expression. Democracy and Islam cannot co-exist. Every Muslim government is either dictatorial or autocratic.
Spiritually: No, because when we declare "one nation under God," the Christian's God is loving and kind, while Allah is NEVER referred to as our heavenly father, nor is he ever called love in the Quran's 99 excellent names.
Therefore after much study and deliberation....perhaps we should be very suspicious of ALL MUSLIMS in this country. They obviously cannot be both good Muslims and good Americans. Call it what you wish...it's still the truth. If you find yourself intellectually in agreement with the above, perhaps you will share this with your friends. The more who understand this, the better it will be for our country."
I don't know who wrote this, but I'd sure like to know so I can send him a congratulatory e-mail.
Honestly, I have a VERY difficult time trusting the motives and intents of those of the Muslim faith. Considering all of the bloodshed, violence, and death that's been doled out by those of the Muslim faith in the past eight or nine years, how can I feel otherwise? And for those bleeding-heart liberals out there who are going to chide me that I shouldn't feel that way towards all Muslims because "not all Muslims are terrorists," my reply is, "Maybe not, but all terrorists are Muslims."
On top of that, if this latest atrocity were committed by a white guy who was Roman Catholic, would anyone defend his religion? I doubt it.
I have read the Qu'aran; actually, it's sitting on the small shelf of my computer desk to my left as we speak, so I know what it says and what it doesn't say. I've spent time in the Middle East and have worked side by side with Muslims, and I can honestly say that I've never met a more incompetent, lazy, unreliable, hypocritical and dishonest people in my entire life. I don't trust them at all, and I doubt that I ever will.
And maybe, just maybe, one of these days the rest of America will open their eyes and see things for the way they really are.
But I ain't holding my breath on that one.
IHC
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
The Revolution Has Begun!
The first shots in the newest American Revolution have been fired, and they were fired in Virginia and New Jersey. These are the two states who just had gubernatorial elections, and in both states the sitting Demoncratic (no, I didn't misspell it) governor was defeated by his Republican rival.
In Virginia the positions of Governor, Lt Governor, and Attorney General were all won by Republicans, the first time this has happened since 1997 and the end of the administration by Virginia's first - and so far, only - black governor. (Don't get me started on Doug Wilder.)
In New Jersey, incumbent millionaire John Corzine was defeated in what's being called an upset by his Republican challenger, and to be honest, I'm not at all surprised. I was living in New Jersey when Corzine was first elected, and he got elected for one reason and one reason alone: he was a multi-millionaire and was able to spend more money - his PERSONAL money - on his campaign than his challenger. Simply stated, Corzine bought the election. His Republican challenger at the time warned the people of New Jersey that Corzine was going to be a typical "tax and spend" Demoncrat, and time has proven this prediction to be true. The people of New Jersey have gotten tired of Corzine, so now he's looking for another job.
Both of these elections are being called indicators of Obama's popularity and presidency so far, and with good reason. Both these states were carried by Obama during the last presidential election, with Virginia being a surprise win. Now, just a year later, the people of those formerly Demoncratic states have abandoned the Demoncratic party and voted in Republicans.
Sure sounds to me like the people are speaking with their votes, and I, for one, am getting the message loud and clear.
And if you've been paying attention, you've noticed that the Obama administration is playing the same old political "hide and seek" games of every administration before it. The Great Pretender traveled to New Jersey last week to campaign for John Corzine, throwing his full support - and, of course, the intended support of all of the people who voted for Obama - behind the Demoncratic candidate. But after both Demoncratic candidates lost the election and the Obama administration was asked how the President felt about it, the reply was that the President "wasn't following the election results" and had no comment.
Guess that's what happens when you back a losing horse, huh?
I agree with the opinion that this is a clear indicator of America's feelings about the current Demoncratic-controlled White House and Congress. Lots of promises were made by Obama, Biden, and Pelosi, and so far the record of promises kept is dismal at best. America was promised "change," and so far nothing much has changed. Seems to me that America is now telling Obama that they're going to give him and his bunch of Demoncratic cornies some change of their own.
And I, for one, can't wait.
True, these were only two states out of fifty, but every revolution starts with a single shot - or two. In the next few years a lot more states are going to have gubernatorial elections, and next year is the Congressional elections. THAT should be tons of fun all the way around!
I see "change" coming, that's for sure. I see a change in the Congress from Demoncratic-controlled to Republican-controlled, and two years after that I see a change in who's sitting in the White House. And I intend to do MY part in this next American Revolution.
To Obama, Biden, Pelosi, and all the other Demoncrats in Washington, I say this: hang on to your asses, ya'll, because "change" is a-comin'...and you ain't gonna like it!
IHC
In Virginia the positions of Governor, Lt Governor, and Attorney General were all won by Republicans, the first time this has happened since 1997 and the end of the administration by Virginia's first - and so far, only - black governor. (Don't get me started on Doug Wilder.)
In New Jersey, incumbent millionaire John Corzine was defeated in what's being called an upset by his Republican challenger, and to be honest, I'm not at all surprised. I was living in New Jersey when Corzine was first elected, and he got elected for one reason and one reason alone: he was a multi-millionaire and was able to spend more money - his PERSONAL money - on his campaign than his challenger. Simply stated, Corzine bought the election. His Republican challenger at the time warned the people of New Jersey that Corzine was going to be a typical "tax and spend" Demoncrat, and time has proven this prediction to be true. The people of New Jersey have gotten tired of Corzine, so now he's looking for another job.
Both of these elections are being called indicators of Obama's popularity and presidency so far, and with good reason. Both these states were carried by Obama during the last presidential election, with Virginia being a surprise win. Now, just a year later, the people of those formerly Demoncratic states have abandoned the Demoncratic party and voted in Republicans.
Sure sounds to me like the people are speaking with their votes, and I, for one, am getting the message loud and clear.
And if you've been paying attention, you've noticed that the Obama administration is playing the same old political "hide and seek" games of every administration before it. The Great Pretender traveled to New Jersey last week to campaign for John Corzine, throwing his full support - and, of course, the intended support of all of the people who voted for Obama - behind the Demoncratic candidate. But after both Demoncratic candidates lost the election and the Obama administration was asked how the President felt about it, the reply was that the President "wasn't following the election results" and had no comment.
Guess that's what happens when you back a losing horse, huh?
I agree with the opinion that this is a clear indicator of America's feelings about the current Demoncratic-controlled White House and Congress. Lots of promises were made by Obama, Biden, and Pelosi, and so far the record of promises kept is dismal at best. America was promised "change," and so far nothing much has changed. Seems to me that America is now telling Obama that they're going to give him and his bunch of Demoncratic cornies some change of their own.
And I, for one, can't wait.
True, these were only two states out of fifty, but every revolution starts with a single shot - or two. In the next few years a lot more states are going to have gubernatorial elections, and next year is the Congressional elections. THAT should be tons of fun all the way around!
I see "change" coming, that's for sure. I see a change in the Congress from Demoncratic-controlled to Republican-controlled, and two years after that I see a change in who's sitting in the White House. And I intend to do MY part in this next American Revolution.
To Obama, Biden, Pelosi, and all the other Demoncrats in Washington, I say this: hang on to your asses, ya'll, because "change" is a-comin'...and you ain't gonna like it!
IHC
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