Mob Rule - Oct 27

I'm not a sensationalist. I like to keep things short, sweet, simple and to the point. So when I use such terms as 'fascist' or 'the new totalitarianism', I'm not exaggerating. Here are some examples that has recently got my attention:

When An Acquittal Isn't Really An Acquittal

Anarchy is in the courts. It is a sure sign that we are in trouble when the rule of law effectively breaks down. I certainly got the chills after reading this CFP article. How's this for a legalese tongue twister: 'Acquitted Conduct Sentencing Enhancement'. Here's how it works. Let's say a defendent is charged with both possession of stolen property and theft. The jury convicts on the lesser charge of possession but acquits on the second. The judge can still use the acquittal to 'enhance' a harsher sentence than what would normally be reserved for the lesser charge. What it boils down to is this: A defendant can find themselves facing a lengthy prison sentence (or hefty fine) based on hearsay and innuendo. When politics, and not the rule of law, are used to sledgehammer anyone unfortunate enough to stand in the way of an unscrupulous lawyer we should all be worried. Is it any wonder I hold lawyers with such little regard?

Driving While Under the Influence of Blackness

A right that citizens of a democracy surely enjoy is the protection against unsubstantiated and unwarranted search and seizure by the police. And guess who gets the short end of this stick? Blacks of course. No, not all cops are racist as irresponsible bomb-throwing leftists love to attest to. However, the simple fact is this: Young black men are far more likely to stopped by the police, be they on foot or at the wheel of a vehicle than their white counterparts. Do racist attitudes blindly convict? You bet it does.

What Kind of 'Academic Freedom' Is This?

Universities have increasingly become a hotspot for anti-Americanism and seditious behaviour. Miscreants at Emory U effectively shut down David Horowitz as he was attempting to deliver a speech hosted by Emory's Chapter of College Republicans. I have just seen a vision of the future and it apparently doesn't include conservative speakers. At one point Mr. Horowitz challenged the protesters with this statement:

'How can you learn if you can’t see the arguments?'

And that's exactly the point. They don't want to see the arguments. That would require honesty, maturity and patience, three attributes that are in short supply. Everybody loses when these kind of 'brownshirt' tactics are deployed. Jews and Christians lose out. Muslims lose out. Even agnostics and atheists lose out. Free speech is not yet extinct but it is most definitely on the 'endangered' list. Also from FPM are the testimonies of two brave women: Donna Hughes and Nonie Darwish and the hostility they faced at our institutions of 'higher learning'.

Vladimir Putin, Meet Hillary Clinton

Putin and Hillary as natural ideological allies? You don't say! Superficially these two appear to be like night and day. A closer look reveals they're very much cut from the same cloth. And I'm not referring to silk or satin material either. In Russia, the heavy-handed tactics of the Kremlin make it next to impossible for opposition parties to prosper while Bob Tyrell gives Americans seven reasons not to vote for Clinton #2.

The Axis of Eeeeevil!

Go ahead. You know you want to point your right pinky to your mouth. Maybe I'll take Mini-Me to Iran, a place that continues to fascinate me. Aside from Israel (and perhaps Jordan) it is a ME country I'd love to visit if I had the time and money. Stupid reality! Dr. Assad Homayoun warns American foreign policy makers about possible war with Iran. America is not at war with the Iranian people, who are mostly young and have ambitions to move to the West. Nor should we lend any legitimacy to the regime's mullahs who want to hold onto power at all costs. Thank goodness our politicians don't believe in that. Oh wait, never mind.

Mr. Putin was in Iran recently. Now there's a conversation I'd love to overhear! Puin made two statements of note. Firstly, Russia would continue to support Iran's nuclear program. Not surprising since much of the funding, materiel and expertise undergirding Tehran's nuclear ambitions has Russian origins. Secondly, and more importantly, Russia's 'near abroad' will not be used as a land base for any military action against Iran. I'm guessing the likes of Azerbaijan heard Putin loud and clear.

Johnny Cash