Sunday, September 20, 2015



I am a multiculturalist


I am a multiculturalist but I don't believe that all cultures are equal.  A Leftist has to believe the absurdity that they are equal because he believes that all men are equal -- despite all the evidence to the contrary all around him.

I am a multiculturalist because I grew up as one.  I grew up in a town in the Australian tropics that even has a rather multicultural name. "Innisfail" is Irish (Gaelic) for "Isle of Destiny" -- which is a romantic name for Ireland. And since I do have substantial Irish ancestry that bothers me not a bit.  And you will never hear a bad word about Ireland from me.

But, more germanely, Innisfail was only about half Anglo-Celtic.  Most of the rest of the population was Italian but there were substantial numbers of Spaniards, Greeks, Chinese and Maltese,  And I also knew a few Sikhs, Danes, Russian and Germans.  No Muslims or Africans, though. And guess what?  It all worked perfectly well.  Recent imigrants who spoke little English were not included in much but they were not harassed in any way either.  So I have seen a very multicultural society work well in my own lifetime.  I KNOW it is perfectly possible.

So let me tell a little story about why I don't believe that all cultures are equal. 

I was recently at an Indian restaurant that did not sell alcohol but I decided that I would like some beer.  Beer goes well with Indian food.  There was a liquor shop nearby run by a Scotsman -- but it was 5 minutes past his closing time.  He was still there, however, so I knocked on his door and asked if I could buy some beer.  He refused.  He was too proud to bend his rules for a mere customer. Very British!  If you have ever been shopping in Britain, you will know what I mean.

Then, last night, I dined at another Indian restaurant which also was a sort of general store.  I was rather taken with the unusual spoons they gave us with our dinner and decided that I would like to buy some.  So I asked about that.  They said that they  did not stock them for sale.  After consultations, however, they sold me some from their own working stocks.  They went out of their way to do business. Very Indian.

So when I walked out of the restaurant, I had the spoons I wanted and they had my money in their till.  A perfect arrangement.  Capitalism embodied.  Why can't everybody be like that?

So, you see, cultures are different and some (not all) of those differences can be to our advantage.  What I have said here is merely anecdotal and, as such, is no proof of anything but, having spent time in both Britain and India, I can assure all and sundry that the two experiences I have described are abolutely typical of the two nations concerned. 

It's a sad day when Indians are more capitalist than the British but it is so.  Jaguar cars have been going from strength to strength recently -- since the firm was taken over by an Indian.  India is poor  because of its socialist politics but individual Indians are great businessmen.

But, as I started out saying, not all cultures are the same -- as we see below.






Multiculturalist casually murders good kid



The grieving family of a popular 15-year-old murdered in a horrific street stabbing have described him as 'amazing' and 'the best'.

Joshua Williams, 18, stabbed Alan Cartwright in the chest in an 'utterly senseless' attack as he cycled along a busy street in Islington, North London, with friends.

College student Alan was at the head of a group of four youngsters when they were set upon by three robbers.

Williams was today found guilty of killing the bike enthusiast by plunging a blade deep into his chest as he cycled by, a charge he denied.

Speaking after the trial concluded this afternoon, tragic Alan's heartbroken parents Alan Cartwright and Michelle Watson, and older sister Cherrie Ives, paid tribute to the much-loved teen.

Ms Watson, who is a bus driver, said: 'Alan was just a normal 15-year-old boy - loved his bikes, his family, being out with his friends. He was just a funny little kid, at the end of the day.'

His sister added: 'His friends have always said he never liked confrontation and was always polite - just a happy person.

'He was amazing, honestly. I know everybody says about their little brothers they're little rats.

'We wouldn't change him for the world. The best brother.'

Alan, who they described as a 'cheeky' joker who also had passions for music and go-karting, had been on his way to a monthly Critical Mass cycling event with his friends when he was set upon by Williams in February of this year.

The 18-year-old was part of a group of robbers who deployed a ruthlessly effective 'pincer movement', which helped them steal the bikes of two of Alan's friends in an attack that was described as 'brazen and swiftly executed'.

CCTV footage of the scene showed how Alan, known to his family as 'Little Al', made a desperate attempt to escape on his bike after the knife punctured his lung but collapsed a few yards up the road.

Paramedics rushed to his aid but could not save him. He was pronounced dead less than an hour later on the street in Islington, North London.

Five days later Williams was taken to Islington police station by his parents, who told an officer that their son was responsible for the boy's murder.

At the time of the attack, Williams had been on police bail on suspicion of possessing a four-inch lock knife although he was never charged.

Williams claimed to have an alibi but now faces a life sentence after he was convicted of murder and conspiracy to rob following a trial at the Old Bailey.

On the evening of February 27, Alan was cycling with friends when Williams and two other youths intercepted them in front of motorists and pedestrians, the court heard.

In just seven seconds, they stepped out in front of the cyclists and took two bikes before Williams approached Alan in the road and swung a knife at his chest in a 'deliberate and gratuitous' stabbing.

As his two friends were robbed of their bikes, a mortally-wounded Alan managed to cycle on before collapsing a short distance up the road. Bystanders rushed to help before paramedics arrived.

Meanwhile, Williams hopped on the back of one of the two stolen bikes, leaving Alan for dead.

Shaquille Roberts, 19, and a teenager who cannot be named for legal reasons, have since pleaded guilty to the robbery.

Malcolm McHaffie, CPS London Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor, made clear that the 'horrifying' stabbing was a planned act of 'devastating' violence.

He said: 'This was a completely unprovoked attack on a young teenager who was spending time having fun with his friends.

'The three defendants had clearly made a plan to rob the group of friends of their bicycles, however, Williams decided to take this further and use a knife in a deliberate attack on one of the cyclists, with catastrophic consequences.

'This case shows the horrifying results of knife crime and how a life can be lost and a family devastated in a matter of seconds.

'CPS London is committed to tackling knife and gang crime in the capital and we will continue to work with our criminal justice partners to robustly prosecute offenders.

'I would like to express our sincere condolences to Alan's family, our thoughts are with them at this time.'

In the days that followed the attack, Alan's parents made emotional public appeals for witnesses. They described a teen who 'always made you laugh' and was a member of the cadets.

On March 4, Williams went to Islington police station with his parents to hand himself in, the prosecution said.

When asked why they were there, his mother told an officer it was about the incident in Caledonian Road, saying: 'Yes, he's involved, he did it.' 

And as he was taken into custody, Williams, was heard by another officer to say: 'It's the right thing to do, isn't it?'.

But in his defence, Williams claimed he was at a youth club that night and he only went to the police station to tell them that he was not involved in the incident.

The court heard that the defendant, nicknamed Slimzy, was identified as the third robber in a comment about the CCTV footage which was released by police and posted on YouTube.

SOURCE






Appeals Court Sides With Religious Liberty

This isn’t a situation where working out reasonable accommodations is the preferred solution. Unlike its case against Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis, who, as a government employee, has a duty to issue marriage licenses, the state has no legitimate reason to compel private companies and workers to violate their religious beliefs.

On Thursday, the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that ObamaCare’s contraceptive mandate, even with its exemption for religious organizations, violates Americans' religious Liberty.

Three schools and one ministry based across Iowa and Missouri had sued the federal government, arguing that its workaround — requiring that religious employers make contraceptive services available for their employees although not forcing them to pay for it directly — still violated their consciences.

Circuit Judge Roger Wollman, who wrote the court’s opinion, agreed, writing that the government must respect the religious groups' “sincere religious belief that their participation in the accommodation process makes them morally and spiritually complicit in providing abortifacient coverage.”

Religious Liberty won this round. But as Reuters reports, this question will eventually arrive before the Supreme Court.

SOURCE






5 Reasons The “Antisemitism or Anti-Israel” Distinction Is Irrelevant

SINCE WHEN IS HATRED BASED ON NATIONALITY ANY MORE ACCEPTABLE THAN ETHNICITY??

So I give you the following 5 reasons trying to “catch the antisemite in a room full of Israel haters” is irrelevant.

1. Nationality Based Hate Is Just As Bad

China has a horrible human rights record. From its executions, to lack of freedom of expression, to its one-child policy, to its annexation of Tibet, there are a lot of misdeeds to protest.

Now take a group of about 50 friends, draw up a couple of placards, make some gruesome props and head down to your local Chinese-owned grocery store on the corner of the street. Shout as loud as you can, “FREE TIBET!” and hold up signs of torture victims and vandalize the store.

Seems ridiculous, right? What does this Chinese mom and pop store owner have to do with Tibet?

Chinese shop owner: “Dude, I’m from Chicago.”

Well, that is exactly what is happening with Israeli-owned businesses around the world.

Suddenly people claim “freedom of speech” and “I’m not antisemitic, I’m anti *insert whatever buzzword you’re accusing Israel of here*.”

Nationality-based discrimination is illegal in many countries in which these protests are taking place.  What’s going on here? Is “Israeli” somehow not defined as a nationality? Whatever one’s personal thoughts may be, as long as your country has diplomatic relations with Israel, “Israeli” is legally defined as a nationality and is subject to these discrimination laws.

2. It’s A Gateway Hate

Famous Israel haters such as George Galloway, Roger Waters and Ali Abumination are clearly documented to carefully avoid the “J” word when spewing their hate. But every now and then it slips out, then BAM! Busted!

George Galloway even makes sure to respond to all his followers who use textbook antisemitic language to tell them that’s not OK. Roger Waters has to explain to major news outlets he is not antisemitic.

Has George Galloway ever stopped to wonder why so many of his not-blocked followers just so happen to be textbook antisemites? Has Roger Waters ever stopped to wonder why ADL has awarded him the dishonor of bona fide antisemite?

Then we have Helen Thomas, late White House reporter, Israel critic. In a now famous video, she says the Jews must all leave Palestine and go “home” which she calls Poland and Germany. The very countries where 1/3 of the Jewish population was culled. Why did she not say, Syria, Iraq, or Egypt? Or any of the other Arab countries completely emptied of Jews which now make up half of the Jewish Israeli population?

Because the Holocaust meant nothing to her. The depopulation of Jews from Arab lands where they’ve lived for thousands of years meant nothing to her. And worst of all, the 3,000 year uninterrupted presence of Jews on an almost completely empty and barren wasteland they called home meant nothing to her.

This is the embodiment of Israel critics. This has nothing to do with Zionism or Israel. This is only about Jews. This is antisemitism. The source of Israel hate always leads to antisemitism. And eventually, as hard as you try, your argument will always lead to Jews, because you’ll have to explain why you have no animosity towards 20% of Israelis who are not Jewish yet receive the same rights as everyone else.

3. They Don’t Even Try To Hide Their Hypocrisy Because No One’s Looking

Remember when they tabled a resolution at the UN condemning Israel of abusing women’s rights? We all had a good laugh at the absurdity until it passed. Earlier this year, the United Nations passed one of its most absurd resolutions ever, condemning Israel as the worst violator of women’s rights in the world proving that no matter its absurdity or complete disregard for truth, anything anti Israel will pass in the UN. 

Soon after, Israel was condemned as the worst violator of health rights.  If Qatar tabled a resolution calling for the condemnation of Israel for unleashing killer bees on unsuspecting disabled Palestinian children, it would probably pass without anyone actually reading it.

Those responsible for this joke are the UN Human Rights council members who include Saudi Arabia, Cuba and Qatar. Saudi Arabia. The world’s champion of women’s rights if only they let them drive and work or leave the house without their guardian’s consent. Qatar where 4,000 migrant workers are expected to die in order to build a stadium meant to be used once.

Israel receives almost global condemnation over its handling of refugees. Now we see how the rest of the world handles their own refugee crisis. In comparison, Israel has done more for refugees despite limited resources than most European countries, including providing health care, temporary shelter and sending representatives to assist in emergency relief. 

Now, not to say people aren’t upset about the handling of refugees by these countries, but do you see any “Boycott Hungary” campaigns?  When is Saudi Apartheid Week?  For the first time in their lives, Palestinian “refugees” by UNRWA definition are actually refugees by normal people definition and nobody knows what to do with them.

So why is it all these countries get away with doing exactly what it accuses Israel of doing and to a much larger scale? Because nobody’s looking at them. They only look at Israel expecting her to be absolutely perfect, otherwise, boycott.

The same goes when Israeli reactions are reported while the Palestinian actions that caused them are either not reported, minimized and/or justified – but that’s a whole topic that has been covered to death.

4. If Hating Country “X” Was A Full-Time Career…

In every anti-Israel argument I face online, I try to imagine if it had been with any other country. Why does Israel, a country that just wants to provide its citizens with education, health, recreation, and to help the world in times of need, get hit the hardest with protests, boycotts and slander?

The answer is simple. There are countless organizations all over the world and thousands of people who have devoted their entire careers who put all their concentration to one cause. To vilify the only Jewish State.  Countries have based their entire foreign policy on this same cause.

Now imagine if half this effort was done against, oh… I don’t know say… Belgium.

Believe me, every day we’d find reasons to protest and boycott those guys. Did you know they practiced apartheid against the Flemish and their treatment of asylum seekers is sub-par? Boycott Stella Artois!!

If oh… say… Belgium was threatened with annihilation every day since its founding, and faced multiple wars aimed at the extinction of their population, oh… say… Belgium would also be forced to make some difficult decisions where striking the right balance between security and human rights is required – and this full time career of Belgium bashing would be so much easier.

So how does this relate to Jew hate? Well. When the effects of this full-time job of coercion and brainwashing is ingrained in the minds of people, it becomes simply understood that all Jews are associated with Israel’s deeds. Then you get this case where a horrific murder of Jews in France leads a BBC reporter to say, “Yeah, but Palestinians…” without a moment’s thought.

5. The Accusations Are Downright Psychopathic

We all know the Mossad trains aquatic creatures specifically for the purpose of eating Palestinian children. Because no plan is as realistic and well thought-out like a 1960’s James Bond villain plot.  But when you really have nothing left to accuse Israel of doing, you exaggerate or make it up.

Past actual accusations of Israel include:

    A wide range of animal conspiracy theories.

    IDF does not rape anybody because they’re racist.

    Israel only sent aid after the devastating earthquake in Nepal so they could steal babies for gay people.

    Israel sterilizes black people.

    Israel harvests organs of Palestinians

    Israel breaks into people’s homes rearranges stuff and steals shoes.

To anyone familiar with the history of antisemitism, let’s recap.  Jews were accused of:

    Causing the Black Death

    Killing children to use their blood for making Matzot.

    Host desecration

    Writing a guide on how to be a caricature of an evil Jew.

These ancient accusations of the days of yore are just as ridiculous as the ones they are throwing around today.  They even personify Israel as one single-minded evil being. One Israeli’s actions mean all of “Israel” did it.

A Jewish terrorist committed an act of terror against a Palestinian family. The terrorists are being treated as any other terrorist. They were condemned universally by all walks of life in Israel. Israelis rushed to provide aid to the survivors of this incident. Arguably, more so even than many Jewish victims of Palestinian terror.  But still. According to Abdul, Israel did it.

To wrap this up, in order to hate a country THIS MUCH you need an extra push. An extra push that can only come from the oldest hatred. Nobody on Earth says they don’t hate Hindus, only India and then proceed to protest Hindu owned businesses around the world.

Standards applied on Israel are unattainable, and are broken on a larger scale even by Israel’s accusers. Nationality-based hatred is bad. For every country. Including Israel, no matter what your crazy misguided thoughts may tell you about her.  The Israel hater is an antisemite. End of story.

SOURCE

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Political correctness is most pervasive in universities and colleges but I rarely report the  incidents concerned here as I have a separate blog for educational matters.

American "liberals" often deny being Leftists and say that they are very different from the Communist rulers of  other countries.  The only real difference, however, is how much power they have.  In America, their power is limited by democracy.  To see what they WOULD be like with more power, look at where they ARE already  very powerful: in America's educational system -- particularly in the universities and colleges.  They show there the same respect for free-speech and political diversity that Stalin did:  None.  So look to the colleges to see  what the whole country would be like if "liberals" had their way.  It would be a dictatorship.

For more postings from me, see TONGUE-TIED, GREENIE WATCH,   EDUCATION WATCH INTERNATIONAL, FOOD & HEALTH SKEPTIC, AUSTRALIAN POLITICS and  DISSECTING LEFTISM.   My Home Pages are here or   here or   here.  Email me (John Ray) here

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