| God and guns, thinking men and chili and a frosty |
| Sunday, 27 April 2008 | |
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Thank you for your kind (and unkind) letters from the Canada, America, Britain, Israel and the Arctic. Mark reads all the letters, but especially enjoys the vicious ones. Drop a line to Mark's Mailbox and if you're chosen to be the one and only Letter of the Week you'll join our roll of winners from four Continents and receive a copy of Mark Steyn From Head To Toe. It would help if you could indicate your city or town, or, at least, your state, province or country. Failing that, your continent or hemisphere would do. For letters on the complaint against Mark and Maclean's magazine by the Canadian Islamic Congress, see Mailbox Extra. Letter of the Week Heather has Two Imams Ezra Marsh Re: As the world turns I will definitely be voting NOTA when it comes my turn in a few weeks!! -Bruce (aka - GayPatriot)www.gaypatriot.org CHAOS? Dominick Schirripa Re: God and guns This is sort of like Marx's history repeating in reverse - the first time it was farce, and it played better. James Eridon AN IDIOT AND A FOOL It's more than that....... You're an absolute IDIOT and a FOOL.. Your commentary was idiotic and foolish. Nevermind your intellectual dishonesty and total pomposity. Go "Cheney" yourself !!!! EKD MARK REPLIES: Thanks for that. One day I hope to be able to write in CAPITAL LETTERS WITH MULTIPLE EXCLAMATIONS!!!!!!!!!! just like a sophisticated thinker such as yourself. PRO-AMERICAN CANADIAN A Google search won't turn it up with the terms I am using. Would you please put "your people" on it? We used to get a lot of joy (living in Michigan in those days), hearing our neighbors to the north wax eloquently about the greatness of America, when no one here in the US had the grit do do so. Enjoy your columns much! Especially God, Guns. I wish you an ever widening audience, for under the relentless siege of common sense, Liberals will perish. Paul Banbury MARK REPLIES: You're thinking of a famous editorial by the late Gordon Sinclair - not from the CBC but on 1010 CFRB in Toronto back in 1973. It had a huge impact and many years later, asked if there was anyone he'd like to meet on an official visit to Canada, President Reagan asked to be introduced to Gordon Sinclair. The Sinclairs were a great Canadian broadcasting family - Gord Jr was as big a mainstay of Montreal radio as his dad was in Toronto - and I regret that the new owners of CFRB have removed Gordon Sr's famous broadcast from their website. However, you can find it (in a TV reprise) here. OBAMA’S BLAZING SADDLES MOMENT James Eridon AMBASSADORS TO THE HEARTLAND Indeed Obama and Mrs. Clinton will need ambassadors to the heartland. Though we're used to being ignored, and maybe we like it thata way if they're to be our leaders. So many liked Bill & Jimmy because they didn't need that sort of ambassador, or so we thought. Frankly, we like McCain a whole lot because he is mature and experienced. He will be able to speak to us, never having to hide contempt for some Americans, because he doesn't possess any. McCain came back from captivity and became a productive citizen, wasn't outwardly bitter, and frankly is remarkably good humored about life in general. He will do well to remind us of these things, often. (BTW, he proved that quite nicely on the View last week, sparing with four women who, while not hostile, are none the less an intimidating panel.) Unlike his democratic counterparts who are remarkably bitter given their A faithful NR reader and subscriber; Daniel Smith THINKING MEN "During one of Stevenson's presidential campaigns, allegedly, a supporter told him that he was sure to 'get the vote of every thinking man' in the USA, to which Stevenson is said to have replied, 'Thank you, but I need a majority to win.'" Paul Stukel CHILI AND A FROSTY? YOU BET Hey, every time I go into a Wendy's, I order a chili and a Frosty. My wife says they make the best chili of any fast-food restaurant -- I love it because it really has a lot of meat in it (Where's the beef? Right there.), and as for the Frosty, I will eat ice cream for dessert any time. Paul Milenkovic IN CONTEMPT pg PATHETIC "Barack Obama has no accomplishments, no legislative record, no nuthin'. So if you don't want to vote on character (ie, his condescension to crackers too boorish to understand how sophisticatedly nuanced it is to have a terrorist pal and a racist pastor), what else is left?" I'm a regular reader of National Review Online, one who is frequently sympathetic to much that I read there. But I was so astonished by your post that I had to write. You know perfectly well that Obama has an impressive (if short) record in the Senate. You know perfectly well that he is among the most accomplished figures in government today. And you know perfectly well that, while poorly worded and quite condescending, Obama's "bitterness" remarks did not mean what you say they meant. Yet you wrote all of these things anyway. I assume that you went to college or university and learned about the importance of ideas and truth and honesty in debate. I assume that you were raised by parents who did their best to instill the value of personal honor in their son. Tell me, then: what the hell happened? The world is a dangerous place right now, and there are large issues that desperately need intelligent debating. And this tendentious garbage is what you devote your adult life to churning out? You're pathetic, sir. Pathetic. James John BORROWED BITTERNESS Obama suggested that the Pennsylvanian's [assumed] bitterness on five specific subject areas was caused by and justified by an economic/employment event of 25 years ago. Wright blames an economic/employment event of 400 years duration, slavery, etc., as being the justification and cause of every ill ever effecting a black in American and explaining every black bitterness on every issue. Obama's comments proved to me that he and, especially, his wife, have very carefully heard every racist and anti-American word the Rev. Wright snarled at his flock. Marty Asdorian ART IN KANSAS The picture can be seen here. Tom Dangermond ANARCHY IN CHICAGO Ah-ha! That explains a lot. Bill Ayers has brought his violent Weather Underground tactics to the children of Chicago Public Schools - and it's succeeding. How many school kids have been killed this year (24 and counting)? How many young people were killed just this weekend (6 and counting)? The "take it to the streets" philosophy of the 60's terrorists (Ayers and Dohrn) is rampant. The city is in a state of anarchy and all the participants are products of Chicago Public Schools. If Bill Ayers wants to bomb another building, it should be the education department building at UIC (University of Illinois at Chicago). OBAMA’S NEIGHBORS Doug Butler THE CITY HAS BEEN INVADED Comments: This puts the reality of guns and God in great focus for this Texan living in Londonistan. I moved here to attend school because I love England and the English. Every tenth voice I hear does actually have an English accent. The city has been invaded, still I seek out the rare antiquity, an actual Brit. Thank you, Mark, for this piece, even from here one can see the writing on the American wall if Obama is elected. There is a fever about him that I don't remember since The Beatles were on Ed Sullivan. I listened to you on my friend Martha Zoller's site recently. Is there a link I can hear you regularly here in London? Thank you, Mark, for all the intelligence you bring to a dumbing down world. Patti Dahlstrom LOOK NORTH TO THE FUTURE MORE EVENLY MATCHED THE MSM LOVES MCCAIN Paul Kohnhorst COZY UP TO THE SPECIAL FORCES I referenced and linked to it on my blog Also I'm recommending American Gays to cozy up to Army Special Forces ("Green Beret") veterans to learn how to "fight for their freedom", not, well, you know. Dan Ward Re: News you can lose Much like I check Drudge first for headlines, The Corner next for thoughtful dialog on many of those headlines, then RealGM for sports. Why would I bother reading the Boston Globe and have to sort through all the petty agendas? Boring doesn't begin to explain the reason people are looking elsewhere. It will be interesting to see if the WSJ can grow in this market. Jim Hill WHO’S CALLING WHO DRAB? Your sight is looking very drab these days, if I may say so. A bit Marks & Sparks circa 1997 - those warm brown colours (though M&S use drab green instead) and Garamond italic! Impossible to read. Much as I hate to be critical and may to appear to be a fan of "the medium is the message" guff, your site needs a bit of a shake-up - graphically. One site I like, which you may occasionally visit is Commentary Mags. Easy to read and clean without being sterile. And I think they use Garamond too - on the masthead I believe! Meanwhile keep up the excellent work. Toodle pip, Eric Spires Re: The butt stops here Then again he could be having the time of his life with all the attention and new people about whose pets or cars he is able to inquire. If this boy is like my daughter he'd not understand racism and be somewhat bewildered about the to do over hitting that girl who wouldn't give him the glue like he did to Lenny the day before yesterday and only got a time out. . maybe they can teach them after all. I hope not. Mark Stewart Re: Song of the Week Being connected to your website made for a wonderful vacation. If you're doing a book thing in Toronto, I hope to drop in. FIRST WITH STARDUST Theodore Iacobuzio MARK REPLIES: No. Nat Cole did verse and chorus. (It was my pal Mitchell Parish's favorite version.) Having sung the chorus back in the Forties, Frank in the Sixties did just the verse, beautifully arranged by Don Costa on /Sinatra & Strings /and titled "The Verse Of "Stardust'". Hoagy Carmichael never cared for it. NATURE BOY ON YOUTUBE Mark, I saw Jamie Cullum do a wonderful cover of this song a couple years ago in a concert in Reno, accompanied only by an acoustic base and a bongo-like drum he played. He used the original ending. One of the highlights of the concert. If you aren't familiar with him, he has a hip-but-world-weary quality to his voice that sounds like the mature Sinatra only younger. That is, when he's singing jazz and leaves the poppier stuff behind. You can catch the "Nature Boy" rendition on YouTube. Anyway, love your work. Paul Panther “L” OF A STORY Barry Perles JOLSON BEING SUBTLE I once saw a CD of Abhez' recordings. The back cover was a photo of him standing between Nat King Cole and Fred Allen. The latter is looking at Abhez with utter bewilderment. I've never seen it since, and I wish I'd bought it for the photo alone. Kevin Kusinitz KURT’S THE MAN Just an old jazz musician with a tip. You gonna like it. I'm certain of that. Go with God, sir. I love your writing and stance, BTW. Mac McDonald AHMET BY MOONLIGHT I was wondering if you had penned, or would, a piece about Ahmet Ertegun. As a fan of rock and roll, but with little historical knowledge, I eventually developed the opinion that he must have been a heck of a guy given how he was portrayed in all the bio-pics (such as Ray or Beyond the Sea). Is it true? Was he a musical visionary and colour-blind saint? Did he have a past? I'm sure your column will relate some long-ago encounter you had with him as co-interviewees on some obscure radio show! Mike Lyons GOD BLESS AMERICA One other thing: Throughout that war, Kate Smith's powerful rendering of "God Bless America" on commercial broadcast radio stations helped to reassure and uplift American spirits during the very darkest hours. It served as our anthem of hope and courage, and was heard often. I think the Ken Burns' series on WWII overlooked it, and I wonder if it could even be played today on the airwaves without creating a storm of protest from the usual culprits. Louis C. Flanagan Re: America Alone Jasper House MARK REPLIES: Well, you really should buy the book. Then you'd understand why third-generation European Muslims are less "secularized and assimilated" than their grandparents. But just to take your numbers. You say "even if they were to double in the next 25 years". "Even"? Dream on. If the average Muslim woman in Europe has 3.8 children (the estimate), they're doing far more than doubling. Likewise, if the average ethnic European couple has 1.4 children (again, the estimate), they're not standing still, they're in net population decline. And that's before you add in remorseless ongoing immigration: Yorkshire Pakistanis, for example, contract marriages with spouses from their original provinces back in Pakistan at a higher rate than they did 30 years ago. And it's also before you add in remorseless ongoing emigration: Britain, like the Netherlands and Germany, is already in the early stages of what US urban sociologists of the Seventies called "white flight" – there is a net loss of native population each year in the United Kingdom. But just to keep it simple. Let's say you've got a population of a million. 90% are ethnic Europeans, 10% are Muslims (the "official" French figure). Let's pretend they're all the same age, rather than dealing with the reality of the fact that in, say, London the vast majority of its one million Muslims are under 25. But let's imagine these million people are all 20 years old. The 900,000 ethnic Europeans with a fertility rate of 1.4 per couple will have 630,000 children and 441,000 grandchildren - steep population decline. The 100,000 Muslims with a fertility rate of 3.8 will have 190,000 children and 361,000 grandchildren - rapid growth. The "overwhelming majority" and the "tiny minority" will have near equal numbers of grandchildren. And, as I said, that's without ongoing remorseless immigrating and accelerating export of native talent. But why argue about the when of it? It might slow down or accelerate, but unless there's a big profound change the Islamization of Britain is inevitable. Why quibble over the hypothetical date of a statistical majority? Once Islam reaches 20% of the population and becomes the majority in every major English city, Britain will be semi-Muslim in its sociopolitical character. Which is to say: Britain, as we've known it, will be dead. As for "chavs", you're right, too. But they're not an alternative. The neo-Hogarthian debauchery of the Archbishop's Godless flock and the resurgence of Islam are twin partners in a lopsided walse macabre. A MUST-READ I am almost ashamed to admit that I just started reading your opinions only about a year ago, but in that time you quickly became my favorite commentator hands down (and I don't even know who is number 2.) Anyway, keep up the tremendous work that you do. For someone like myself who spends a lot of free time reading and who also takes their conservatism seriously, your style and wit are truly appreciated. Chris Panter SETTING A GOOD EXAMPLE Quite the opposite, demographic data indicate that Defense Minister Chacon (pacifist of not) is setting an important example, as Spain's 1.2 children per woman is one of the very lowest in Europe, well below the 2.1 replacement rate. A "very pregnant woman reviewing troops," who happens also to be a rather attractive defense minister, serves well to instruct virile young men about, what is now, their highest duty. Herman Edward Jacobs YOU, OR CHRIS MATTHEWS? America Alone is a shocking eye-opener! It should be required reading for our high school and college students. Sadly, that won't happen. Instead, per Chris Matthews' recommendation, the ObamaMessiah's "Race Speech" will be required reading from Grade 1 through Grad School. We'll be dead, but we will go to our graves feeling much better about ourselves. Elizabeth BIT OF A DOWNER Lo and behold, my eyes fell upon the paperback edition of America Alone, with a NEW INTRODUCTION. I did a little jig and happily sat down to read it. Ughhh. Mark, civilizational decline and demographic implosion are such downers. But I bought the book anyway, since I've lost track of who I've lent my hardcover edition to. Mike P.S. You should do a book signing in Vancouver. There would be a lot of haters, but I'd volunteer to stand over your shoulder and look suitably menacing. The fireworks would be spectacular. WIFE-BURNING A small unit had been set up in the BBC to investigate the large number of Muslim women who had died in "accidental" kitchen fires. The suspicion was that their husbands, tiring of their spouses, had murdered them and torched their bodies. The grieving widowers would then scoot off to Pakistan and Bangla Desh and get themselves a fresh woman - but more importantly - a large dowry as well. Suddenly the unit was shut down and the project canceled. No one could explain it - but the rumor suggested that they had struck paydirt - too "sensitive" to expose. It's no accident that Pebble Mill (the BBC's old Birmingham HQ) was also the home of the "Asian Unit". Some years later, one woman lived to tell the tale of her husband's abuse and took him to court. She admitted that this was quite common in the Muslim community. I can't prove any of this after all this time. But it was the first step to understanding the pressures within the BBC that leads folk like me to end up living in Atlanta! Best wishes and continue your fine work. Re: String ‘em up By the way, I continue to play for my (grown) sons your discussion with the "American Caesarism" New Hampshire guy from last January on NRO TV. Aside from some terrible audio, especially Jonah's mike, it was brilliant. Come to think of it, I'm going to listen to it again now! LTC Rick Vinas (US Army) BRIT SPEAK Rob Re: Mrs Grievance Maris Veidemanis CHERCHEZ LE PERE I think you guys are all wet going after Obama Jr.'s relationship with William Ayers and Jeremiah Wright. Obama denies that they have had influence on him, and who knows? He may be telling the truth. He may not even have accepted the teachings of Franz Fanon, which he studied as a young man. The gorilla in the Obama war room is Obama Sr. Obama Jr. boasts of the influence his father has had on him. Even the title of Obama's first book spells it out: "Dreams FROM my father", emphasis mine. Obama Sr. was a Harvard-educated far left Kenya economist who vigorously attacked the rather sensible economic plans of Tom M'Boya and Jomo Kenyatta. The attack enraged Kenyatta, who sent Obama Sr. packing. Obama was a political ally of Odinga Odinga, who shared his economic views. Which seem to my untutored eye to be awfully similar to those of Robert Mugabe, and which would have done as much damage to Kenya as Mugabe has done to Zimbabwe. There is much to admire in the career of Jeremiah Wright - his service in the U.S. Marine Corps, bringing three Presidential commendations - his earned degrees, even the building up of his church. Of course a Christian has no business calling upon God to damn anyone or anything, least of all his own country; Obama Jr. has never done such a thing; but he, unlike Wright, hasn't done anyone much good either, except himself. And Obama Jr. thinks that he is an expert on foreign policy!! John K.C. Lewis RADICAL FRIENDS How about Michelle? She is the most radical of his friends. Israel Pickholtz THE MOTHER OF ALL CULTURE WARS Aside from the surreality of a former fugitive finding an honored seat in our educational establishment, I think that Mr. Ayers is a central figure in the mother of all culture wars that this presidential election is becoming. Would an Obama candidacy even be possible without critical race theory becoming an integral part of the teacher's kit? Seems like something out of America Alone ... For good measure, here's the poseur terrorist's own website: Free speech forever! Douglas W. Steinshouer Re: Heaven as a Spitzer-class bordello I've already noticed that al-Qaida will contradict themselves when they say things like, "American technology is ruining the world - and you can read more about it on my website." Now the same people who say that the U.S. is evil because we spread our oversexed popular culture all over the world are using sex to sell their version of Heaven. And unfortunately, their followers are too dense to see this. I never thought I'd see this as a positive, but at least our oversexed popular culture only produces the likes of Britney Spears. Rachel Davin PARADISE FOR WHO? Douglas Johnson A COLD NIGHT IN HEAVEN Keith Sullivan MUSLIMS HAVE LESS FUN The Muslim world really does need a little more "Democracy, Whiskey, Sexy!" Things have gone way downhill since the white man shrugged off the burden. Patrick Re: The view from the Downing Street For example, "USS NEW YORK CITY arrived in port today" vice "The USS NEW YORK CITY arrived in port today." I have to correct this on official USN correspondence all the time. If we sailors can not get it right, how can we expect the "Wall Street Journal" to do so? I should not presume to talk language with you, but thought I would let you know that there is at least one reader who shares your distaste for putting "the" in front of the names of ships. CAPT E. Hasell BART’S FINAL REQUEST Jon Bush THE THE I think "the La Cosa Nostra" is standard FBI usage, too, so what does that say about THEIR intelligence? Larry Eubank WHAT ARTICLES DO YOU COLLECT? So, like the old joke about how Bostonians save the R's from the middle of words so they can stick them on the ends of others, journalists today save up their articles like "the" so they can stick them where they don't belong. Frankly, most MSM journalist can stick a lot of things where they don't belong. Like the front cover of the April Reader's Digest that touts articles on "The Fearless Tina Fey" and "Barbaro the Brave." While Marines are dodging snipers and IED's the RD defines down what's fearless and brave. Fey makes fun of her nations leaders without the slightest fear of reprisals. As for Barbaro, well he was a F***ING HORSE! Brian Johnson
Re: Eurabian Night AS FIJI GOES… John James PICK OF THE PUNDITS Mary Ruby THE CONDESCENDING CRUSADES IN PERFECT HARMONY Blake Emerson Re: Wham! Excellent choice of book to review for Macleans. What is the point of saving the world from militant Islam if we can't appreciate the truly beautiful things that life has to offer? Jack Kirby should not be looked down upon as an artist because he toiled in the medium of comic books. He was one of the outstanding creative artists of the 20th century. There is a sense of action, adventure and of life in his work that has often been imitated but no one has ever quite matched in comic books or anywhere else. I don't think he hangs in too many art galleries, but he should. Keep breaking up the commentary on current events with reminders of the brilliance and beauty of the world we're trying to preserve. By the way, I'm a reasonably well-read guy and I can't name a Martin Amis book, let alone one of his characters. Ask me the names of the Fantastic Four however... Jim McReynolds Re: Boy, meats, world Dr Grandin's only additional concern about Halal slaughter is related to the relative inexperience of the Muslim slaughterers: " Due to the fact that Muslim slaughtermen do not usually receive as extensive special training in slaughter techniques as Jewish Shochtim, preslaughter stunning is strongly recommended." William S. Aronstein PhD MD HE DOES HIS BEST WORK WITH THE DEMOCRATS WHO GETS THE LOOT? I was getting a little bitter about my chances at the valuable prizes, so while clinging to some of my Bibles & guns, I am taking a moment out to write & ask when & how we'll know who gets the loot. As for my favorite (or favourite) article from Herr Steyn, it remains his 1997 obit for Tupac in TAS. To this day I cannot read it complete without taking a break to regain my composure & catch my breath. Forever our Culture Vulture Numero Uno. Regards from the Wine Country. Skip Engle YOU DON’T WANT FREEDOM And criminalizing drugs and regulating everything else are all incompatible with free society. Listen, I hate to break this to you but people don't WANT freedom, Steyn, least of all you. Bruce K. MARK REPLIES: Oh, phooey. When have I argued for the government regulation of anything? As for drugs, I've written (reluctantly) in favor of decriminalization a decade ago in The American Spectator and 15 years ago in Punch in Britain - on the narrow grounds that (as with the "war on hate speech") waging the so-called "war on drugs" in the way it's being done does more damage to a free society than the drugs do. You're right that too many "people" (and certainly Canadians) don't want freedom. But I do. It's one of the arguments of my book. You might try reading it before making fatheaded assumptions. LAST WORD Ahmed Hamaidia MARK REPLIES: Ha! I'm clinically insane but still out of jail (at least until June 2nd). |
