How Could 36% of America be so Dumb?

Monday, November 08, 2004

They're a minority, to be sure, but a large enough faction of uninformed individuals cannot go unnoticed, as futile as their efforts may be. From The Washington Times:

Most U.S. adults surveyed by the Gallup organization oppose laws banning private possession of handguns but support stricter laws governing gun sales.

Sixty-three percent of the 1,012 adults over the age of 18 polled said they did not think there should be a law banning "the possession of handguns, except by the police and other authorized persons." Just 36 percent said there should be such a law.

Fifty-four percent of those surveyed Oct. 11-14, one month after the Clinton-era ban on the sale and ownership of certain types of so-called assault weapons expired, said laws covering the sales of firearms in the United States should be "more strict." Eleven percent said they should be "less strict" while 34 percent said the laws should remain as they are now.

While the 63% figure is optimistic, I am absolutely flabbergasted that 36% of the people surveyed believe handguns should be banned. It doesn't matter how much university research you put in their laps proving that handguns are used far more for self-defense than to commit crimes, they won't budge. They see guns as evil and there are no two ways about it.

Bill Maher Fans Support Yasser Arafat

Here is the part from the complete transcript of Friday night's episode of Real Time with Bill Maher that I was referring to in this post:

Now, someone else who apparently is leaving office: Yasser Arafat. [audience reacts] I know, he was such a great guy. [laughter] But apparently the PLO is in anarchy because Arafat never named a successor. And the problem is, there are very few people who have experience running a hated political organization. [laughter] Although Tom Daschle is available. [laughter] [applause]

Unfortunately the transcript doesn't specifically say how the "audience reacts" but having seen the episode myself I can assure you that it was a sympathizing coo. You'd think the transcript would have read, "audience hoots and hollers," but that is reserved for jokes about President Bush and anyone right-of-center.

Evolution is Theory Fact

From the Associated Press:

ATLANTA - A trial opened Monday over whether a warning sticker in suburban Atlanta biology textbooks that says evolution is "a theory, not a fact" violates the separation of church and state by promoting religion.

The sticker reads, "This textbook contains material on evolution. Evolution is a theory, not a fact, regarding the origin of living things. This material should be approached with an open mind, studied carefully and critically considered."

Well, evolution is a theory, not a fact; so what's wrong with including a sticker in a textbook that says so? Ah, because according to the secularists the school board is somehow "promoting religion."

A 1987 Supreme Court ruling tells us that creationism is a religious belief, and, along with evolution, cannot be taught in public schools. The sticker does not "teach" creationism, therefore no violation has been committed. If anything, making a point that evolution is just a theory that should be "carefully and critically considered" balances out the possibility that evolution is taught. And that my friends, despite wishful thinking by the secularists, would be a violation of the Constitution.

Bill Maher's Audience Sad About Arafat's Impending Departure

Just to give you an idea of where the fans of Bill Maher stand, when the Real Time host announced at the beginning of his show tonight that the Jew-hating, terror enabling Yasser Arafat will "soon be leaving office" due to his recently reported ailments, the sympathizing crowd booed in condolence! A half-astonished Maher sarcastically replied back, "Yeah, like he was such a great guy!"

I'll have a link to the transcript when it becomes available. I still can't get over the fact that these people respect Yasser Arafat more than President Bush. A skit where Maher pretends to be an Abu Ghraib prisoner as a result of Bush's victory drew much laughter, as did his jokes implying that Bush (a true friend of Israel) is an enemy of civil liberties. Yeah, try telling that to a Jewish settler who's afraid to eat at a public restaurant in Tel Aviv because a suicide bomber belonging to Arafat's PLO party may strike at any moment.

Please Don't Hate Us

For the third straight Monday I must apologize for my absence and will once again consolidate a weekend's worth of updates into one short post.

Just minutes ago, history was made when Ed Reed of the Baltimore Ravens returned a 106-yard interception for a touchdown in front of an ecstatic home crowd. The Red Sox can probably endure another 86-year-long curse and still win another championship before we see another 106-yard interception return. It's amazing what you can see when you casually look up at the television screen from your reading at the right moment.

In other news, if you're still feeling bitter about last week's election, please feel free to upload a pathetic picture of yourself on the National Sorry Day website where disgruntled Bush-haters are asking the world for forgiveness. I don't have the heart to break it to these fools, but selling out and sucking up to our neighbors to the north will probably not make getting accepted any easier.

Guess the UK Wanted Kerry

Thursday, November 04, 2004

The Daily Mirror asks its readers: How can 59,054,087 people be so DUMB?

Let's ask them. Perhaps the margin of victory might not have been so wide had P. Diddy not put a gun to America's head on election day. Other European newspapers have displayed similar Page One titles, and I'm not at all surprised. Looks like those itching to leave the country have more places to consider now than just Canada.

Cause I Just Had To

By now almost all the pumpkins that have been harvested for Halloween have deteriorated and been disposed of via household trashcan. Being that I'm a crazy gun-nut with a thirst for blood, however, I couldn't pass up on the wonderful opportunity to take our dying pumpkin out to the range with my roommate, Matt Stryker.

Here I am loading up the magazine with eight 9mm rounds that will soon pierce through the flesh of our decaying pumpkin that once served as a great centerpiece at our Halloween party.

And here is the damage one magazine did to the pumpkin. By the time Stryker and I unloaded 100 rounds into the chunk of produce, it completely crumbled into a heap of pulpy pumpkin bits with a slight scent of lead (most of the destruction came from the exit wounds not visible in this photo). I wish I could have gotten a picture of the final product. Notice the hole that resulted from a direct bulls-eye shot through the mouth. I can't recall which one of us made that perfect shot.


And in memory (and goofiness) of the pumpkin, I show this picture of him kicking Matt Stryker's ass in videogames just hours before he met his fate. Sigh, why must pumpkins have short life spans? At least we gave it a proper 100-round salute before its departure from this earth.

Home Sweet Canada?

I realize I've been laying it on thick when it comes to all the whiners who have emerged since President Bush claimed victory, and to be sure, I would have done the same to the conservatives had Kerry won. Believe me, I was looking forward to lauding the Bush cheerleaders and all those that make up the conservative blogosphere.

But it's Bush who won, so the hysterical liberals I will deride - and the fuel continues to flow through my fingers every time I read a news report such as this Associated Press story that suggests some citizens are so upset over Bush's victory that they're considering an exodus to Canada.

By all means, don't think twice about it. If you don't want to be here then pack up and leave. You can try, anyway. Americans are so despised worldwide (and have been long before Bush) that gaining legal status elsewhere is near impossible for average Americans.

As a defeated Kerry supporter/Bush hater you basically have three feasible options: Continue to whine and complain over how unfair our democratic process is, attempt a deflection to Canada, or you can shut up and move on so we as a lone nation can begin moving in promising directions. But please, if America isn't the Land you love then find a new home and never come back. It's time for the rest of us patriotic Americans to move on and be optimistic.

I know, I know, I was scared too when the Red Sox won but the sun came up the next morning as it did this morning as it will tomorrow morning.

Who Says Conservatives are Against Gays?

Wednesday, November 03, 2004

From Reuters:

DALLAS - Dallas County, the home to some of the biggest conservative supporters of President Bush, made history Tuesday night by electing an openly gay Hispanic woman as its sheriff.

I wonder what Cher would have to say about this. As you may remember, it was Cher who made those lovely comments to a South Florida crowd, urging them to vote for Kerry because the conservatives would pack all the gays up and banish them from our society.

Classic Moments from LiveJournal Community II

From Jeiku (Again, feel free to leave comments):

Only one election under my belt and i've already lost faith in the system. I can't believe we're going to have four more years of that f*cking gnomish looking as*hole running things. If those f*cking SUV drivin, horn honkin, beer drinkin, support-our-f*cking-president-no-matter-what-dumbf*ckery-he-pulls-out-of-his-ass-next, cowboy hat wearin fraternity as*holes says word one to me about this, I just might have to write "Da moon rules #1" on their car, wita key. England is looking better and better these days.

And don't let the door hit you on the way out. Leave soon, though. I hear Canada isn't so welcoming and I'm sure the UK isn't accepting many Americans with open arms anytime soon. But let us know if you need help vacating the country. We'll be glad to help.

Classic Moments from LiveJournal Community

From Ethan:

Well, America has decided. That is, the uneducated, misinformed, dogmatic Americans decided.

So let's see what this "educated" Livejournal blogger has to say. Please feel free to leave comments in his journal:

Over the next four years we can look forward to...

1. Prayer in schools

President Bush has never expressed an interest in forcing prayer in public schools. He didn't do it in the last four years and he won't start anytime soon. But I know how horrible God is to Liberals, so their fear is quite understandable.

2. Roe v. Wade overturned

Only if a liberal justice resigns and a conservative one is appointed. This isn't guaranteed despite the gain in the Senate because the Democrats can still filibuster any appointments. I'm sure Ethan's knowledge of our government doesn't permit any further discussion on this issue.

3. Takeovers of Iran and anyone else with oil.

Ah yes, the war for oil rant. Ethan and people who use this line spell their name I-D-I-O-T.

4. A fallout of the middle class

Bahahaha.

5. Our first amendment being stripped

In what way: speech, press, religion, assembly? It's actually the Left wanting to "strip" religion. Read #1.

6. Our second amendment being manipulated into more

I'm not going to even begin getting into this one. Fear them guns, though. We crazy Muther F*ckers!!

7. Lack of balance of power

As was the case since 1996 when President Clinton started the trend of convincing Americans to vote Red as Republicans gradually increased their control of government every time there was a congressional election.

8. Lots of dead young people

Because a President Kerry would have withdrawn every soldier, right? Wrong!

9. And much, much more!

Call me crazy, but I'm feeling optimistic. Then again who knows what will happen after we finally get all that oil.

This One's for Bruce

Ann Coulter shares similar sentiments about the futile efforts of Big Liberals to defeat President Bush:

The Democrats threw everything they had at this election. They ran a phony Vietnam War hero and a phony Southerner. They had middle-aged women executives at MTV hawking "Rock the Vote" to entice the most uninformed young people to vote for Kerry. They had Bruce Springsteen, Dave Matthews and New York Times darling Eminem. They had documentaries, books, the universities, Hollywood (and the French!) on their side.

The media campaigned heavily for Kerry with endless Abu Ghraib coverage, phony National Guard documents and, days before the election, false news reports that hundreds of tons of munitions had been looted in Iraq.

But for all their chicanery, vote-stealing, Hollywood starlets, fake polls and faux patriotism, the Democrats were wiped out on Election Day.

Bush won the largest popular vote in history with a 3.5 million margin. Indeed, simply by getting a majority of the country to vote for him – the left's most hated politician since Richard Nixon – Bush did something "rock star" Bill Clinton never did. Bush maintained or increased his vote in every state but Vermont. Republicans picked up seats in the House and Senate, and continue to dominate state governorships. Also making history of a sort, Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle lost his election, marking the first time in half a century a Senate leader has been defeated.

To Michael Moore, George Soros, Terry McAuliffe, Dan Rather, Al Franken and the whole gang at Air America Radio – you were great, guys! Thanks for the help! We couldn't have done it without you!

As we now know, the most important issue to voters was not terrorism, but moral values. Marriage amendments won by lopsided majorities in all 11 states where they were on the ballot. Even in Oregon, the state targeted by gay marriage advocates as their best shot of defeating a marriage amendment, the amendment passed by 57 percent – a figure noticeable for being larger than the percentage of votes cast for Bush in Oregon. In the great state of Mississippi, the marriage amendment passed with 88 percent of the vote. Seventy percent to 80 percent of Americans oppose gay marriage and partial-birth abortion.

Maybe next time around Bruce Springsteen will play a few more concerts in the swing states and not charge more than $100 a ticket.

Just Disgraceful

Access to Michael Moore's site is still available despite an inaccurate report by Fox News' Brit Hume tonight. Branch pages are still online, such as the one I posted in the previous update, but going directly to michaelmoore.com brings you to a dead-end page that shows a collage of dead soldiers in the image of President Bush's face.

Now this may or may not come as a big surprise to many of you, but I've always had some parcel of respect for the documentarian. But this immature display of protest through the exploitation of fallen soldiers to make up the face of a commander and chief they most likely supported shows the true character of Michael Moore.

Moore Desperation

From Michael Moore's official site:

Dear Friends,

We’ve only got two hours left on the East Coast! I am in Cleveland and the turnout is huge. It was the same this morning as we went to polling sites in Florida. People waited for three hours to vote, but no one was deterred. One man told me “I’d wait in this line three days if I had to.” It’s raining here in Ohio, we’ve got a big bus and we’re pulling people out of their homes (gently!) handing out free umbrellas, ponchos, and bottles of water (the last item being slightly unnecessary, considering how soaked all of us already are!). I’ve been getting early tracking results from across the country and things are looking good – very good. But anything can happen in the last few hours. People are just getting out of work. The lines are going to be enormous. Tell everyone you know – as long as you are IN LINE before the closing time, they HAVE TO let you vote.

Early word has it that it is very tight in Nevada, New Mexico, Colorado, and Iowa! Michigan – don’t let me down! If you haven’t voted, stop reading this and get down to the polls. Keep calling and e-mailing your address book.
This is it. The homestretch. Let’s do it!

Yours,
Michael Moore

Turnout was huge alright, huge for the wrong guy...by about 3.5 million votes.

We Got The Power!

So will President Bush take my advice and blast the "Vote for Change - We Got The Power" anthem at his victory celebration? I don't think Bruce Springsteen would appreciate that very much, nor will Cher who now fears that the gays will be banished from society, and Cameron Diaz, who must regard our country as a nation that supports rape.

I congratulate President Bush on his victory and look forward to his correcting the war on terrorism that is in dire need of improvement, among other policies of his administration and the newly strengthened House and Senate. Justice Rehnquist can finally step down and allow for a replacement without having to worry about giving control of the Court to the Left. It's been a good race. Let's move on and pray for little whining and litigation that's sure to come.

Sit Back and Enjoy the Show

Tuesday, November 02, 2004

I don’t know about you, but I’m getting a kick out of this election business. Being that I’m a dedicated third-party voter (with the real influential power in this election...you’ll soon know what I mean) I don’t have a dog in this race. I don’t have to scramble and make sure everyone I know gets out and votes. There is no suspense for me. I’m going to laugh at which ever camp looses, and be amused as they complain and cry foul; the college and Hollywood liberals if Bush wins, and the conservative blogosphere if Kerry wins.

Browsing both Republican and Democratic websites and blogs has convinced me that supporters on both sides are virtually identical to each other, but you’ll never get them to admit that. Both are optimistic their side will win, both quote pollsters from the other side saying their side will win, and both camps are documenting every story they can find or contrive that suggests the other side is guilty of fraud, conspiracy and voter intimidation.

Anyone want to guess how long it will take for the loser to concede or the litigation to end?

They Refuse to Reason

Monday, November 01, 2004

I wish I could have been at a Pub, or wherever these people convene, to see the reactions from all the Britons who read the Telegraph this morning (emphasis added):

Britain's gun laws are aimed at the wrong target, curbing and criminalising legal ownership while failing to tackle huge rises in shooting offences over the past few years, according to an international firearms legislation expert.

Prof Gary Mauser said that Britain was making the same mistake as Canada and Australia in focusing on legal owners - a section of the law-abiding community where gun crimes, such as the Dunblane massacre, were aberrations.

The Home Office and police chiefs should instead tackle the possession of guns in criminal hands, said Prof Mauser, a member of the independent Fraser Institute in Canada. He has given evidence to select committees of the House of Commons and the Canadian Senate and predicted the escalation of gun crime on Britain's streets.

His warning comes as gun crime incidents are averaging about 29 a day in England and Wales, more than twice the level of when the Labour Government came to power in 1997. In the past two years, there have been cases of schoolchildren and a baby, killed or injured by guns.

"I believe that factors of political correctness are at work," he said. "Police crackdowns, Home Office initiatives and over-regulation of legally held weapons create froth and they may even fool the police themselves into believing they are doing something about gun crime."

Prof Mauser added: "The sad truth is that while the police officers are inspecting farmers' gun cabinets to see if they comply with regulations somewhere in the UK, someone, who has not filled in a firearms certificate form, will be smuggling a gun into the country or selling one to an inner city youth."

Recorded gun crime rose by three per cent to 10,590 incidents in the year to June. Two-thirds of gun crime takes place in London, Birmingham and Manchester.

It doesn't matter to these people that crime has skyrocketed since the irrational ban on private gun possession went into effect in Great Britain. Just as long as it's there, they feel safe.

Quote of the Day

Perhaps I should be ashamed for laughing as hard as I did after reading this. Thanks, Pure Libel, I needed the laugh:

The one time you really need to meet with your academic advisor, she’s off for a few months on maternity leave. What an inconsiderate whore. Would it kill her to staple her legs shut until I graduate?

October's Last Weekend

Again I apologize for the lack of updates over the past few days and will use this space to recap a weekend that was both good and bad.

The Good:

On Friday a small group of friends and I attended a most-righteous Sister Hazel concert at Floyd's Music Store for the third straight, and for the third straight year I was blown away by one of my favorite live bands. Sister Hazel has a way of becoming intimate with the fans by brining them into the show. It's something you can always expect from these guys, unlike so many other performers, and is why I never miss a show when they're in town.

On Saturday we hosted what was for the most part a largely successful Halloween party -- save for the fake blood stains on the carpet and bathroom walls, a couple beer spills, unnecessary fights and the expected trashing of the kitchen and living room areas. Naturally, I dressed up as Hugh Hefner and took the role of making sure everyone was having a good time. I have yet to hear any complaints from any of the guests.

The Bad:

On Saturday the Seminoles were bested by unranked Maryland; effectively ending our chances at a national title this year. In addition, the quarterback controversy has once again debouched as Chris Rix almost took us to victory with his deep threat. Alas, too little too late was the case thanks to the inept Wyatt Sexton who has been our starter since replacing Rix earlier in the season. Fortunately the agony of defeat was blanketed somewhat by our Halloween party and I won't have to worry about Seminole Football until next Saturday.

On Sunday we saw "Saw" (review coming) and as expected I was less than satisfied. It was neither better nor worse than last week's "The Grudge" but the trailers beforehand dictate that the end of this year and the beginning of 2005 will bring us a large quantity of horror movies. If I enjoy one out of five considering the genre I can say it's worth it.

Fahrenheit 9/11 Teaching Tool

Michael Moore's "Fahrenheit 9/11" is debouching in schools around the country to the dismay of many Republican officials. From The Seattle Times:

MILL CREEK — A high-school teacher's classroom showing of the controversial film "Fahrenheit 9/11" has some local Republicans fired up.

Judy Baker, a teacher at Henry M. Jackson High School, showed the anti-Bush documentary last week to students in her government class as part of a lesson in propaganda and politics. She adhered to district policy that requires permission from both the principal and a parent for students to see the R-rated film.

"We're supposed to be training kids to be informed voters. It seems appropriate to help kids critically dissect information and analyze it," Principal Terry Cheshire said.

Only one parent opted for their child not to view the movie Thursday, but the local GOP headquarters received a call from a concerned parent and an e-mail about the movie, said Darcy Cheesman, coordinator for the Snohomish County Republican Party's get-out-the-vote campaign.

The question here is: Should public school teachers be allowed to show "Fahrenheit 9/11" to their students when teaching the subject and tactics of propaganda?

Surely no one will argue with the fact that there are better ways to teach subjects than to simply show films; it's a lazy method so many public school teachers have a penchant for, as was the case when a college professor of mine would show the movie "Braveheart" to demonstrate the cruelty of ancient justice systems.

But if displayed in the appropriate context, "Fahrenheit 9/11" is indeed an example of propaganda, and if the teacher in question makes sure to point out Moore's inaccuracies (which isn't hard to do) and the elements that make it propaganda, then I would not object to the screening -- that is unless there's an undisclosed agenda in play that Republicans may correctly be suspicious of.