Bloglinks, Bloglinks, Bloglinks...

I've just added a new Bloglinks section to the right side of this page. If you have a blog and would like to exchange links with me please email me and I'll check out your blog for consideration.

JK

NYU surrenders freedom of speech

PRESS ADVISORY
AYN RAND INSTITUTE
2121 Alton Parkway, Suite 250
Irvine, CA 92606


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 28, 2006


NYU's Surrender Underscores Need to Display Danish Cartoons

Irvine, CA--"In a seemingly mundane decision, New York University has
sacrificed the principle underlying its flourishing and the survival of
civilization--free speech," said Dr. Yaron Brook of the Ayn Rand
Institute. NYU is refusing to protect a student group's right to display
the Danish cartoons of Mohammad at a panel discussion on free speech on
March 29.

The group's event was to be open to the public, but at the last minute
NYU retreated.  Under the pretense of maintaining campus security, the
administration contradicted its own stated policy on free speech by
requiring that, if the cartoons are displayed, the event be limited only
to "members of the NYU community." The student group now must turn away
more than 150 members of the public who had planned to attend the panel.


"The university's shameful appeasement of Muslim and anti-free-speech
groups--which have vowed to protest the event--underscores the urgent
need to display the cartoons in defense of freedom of speech," said Dr.
Brook.

"Free speech protects the rational mind: it is the freedom to think, to
reach conclusions and express one's views without fear of coercion of
any kind. And it must include the right to express unpopular and
offensive views, including outright criticism of religion. NYU--which
like other universities grants tenure to protect intellectual
freedom--ought to recognize the crucial importance of this principle and
defend it.

"If intimidation and threats are allowed to compel writers, cartoonists,
thinkers and institutions of learning into self-censorship, the right to
free speech is lost. If Muslims are allowed to pressure critics of Islam
into silence, critics of religion will be next. And then everyone else."

Panel discussion on the Danish cartoons
A Panel Discussion on Free Speech

Panelists: Peter Schwartz, former chairman of the Board of Directors of
the Ayn Rand Institute and author of The Foreign Policy of
Self-Interest: A Moral Ideal for America; Greg Lukianoff, president of
the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education; Andrew Bostom, author
of The Legacy of Jihad: Islamic Holy War and the Fate of Non-Muslims;
and Jonathan Leaf, New York Press editor who resigned over his paper's
decision not to publish the Danish cartoons.

Moderator: Dr. Harry Binswanger, professor of philosophy and member of
the Board of Directors of the Ayn Rand Institute.

What is planned: (1) A display of the controversial Danish cartoons
depicting Mohammad. (2) A panel discussion and Q & A on the meaning of
the worldwide reaction to the cartoons.

Where: New York University, 60 Washington Square South at NYU Kimmel
Center, Eisner and Lubin Auditorium (4th Floor), NY, NY 10012

When: March 29, 2006, 7 to 10 PM

Summary: ARI's Peter Schwartz will participate in a panel discussion on
the Mohammad cartoon controversy. He will explain: Why the eruption of
violence and the issuance of death threats make completely irrelevant
the question of whether the cartoons are in bad taste. Why the idea that
freedom of the press must be "coupled with press responsibility" means
that free speech is not a right, but a fleeting permission. Why every
Western newspaper and media outlet should have immediately re-published
or shown the cartoons in solidarity with the cartoonists. Why the
cowardly and appeasing response of many Western governments--including
our own--will only invite further aggression. Other panelists will
present their own views.

###  ### ###

Dr. Yaron Brook and Peter Schwartz are available for interviews now and
after this event.
Contact: Larry Benson
E-mail: media@aynrand.org
Phone: (949) 222-6550 ext. 213

Free intellectual ammunition available!

From The Intellectual Activist:
TIA Daily is sent free to active duty military members who request it
as an expression of gratitude for those serving in the military. If
you know of anyone in the armed forces who would like to receive TIA Daily,
let them know that they can also get a complimentary subscription,
just by sending an e-mail to: editor@TIADaily.com.

Afghanistan's Muslim Clerics of the Religion of Peace to call for more violent protests...

It seems the Afghan man who converted to christianity has landed safely in Italy. I think the fact that we allow the persecution to go on in a country that we recently "liberated" is a real shame.

From WashingtonPost.com
ROME, March 29 -- The Afghan convert to Christianity who faced a possible death penalty in his homeland for renouncing Islam has arrived in Italy where he will be granted political asylum, prime minister Silvio Berlusconi said Wednesday:

Complete article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/29/AR2006032900496.html

The strange thing is that when I first read this article it quoted Muslim clerics in Afghanistan who were threatening violent protests, and calling for the death of the man. In the space of a few minutres it changed to the watered down version that now appears on the site.

On globeandmail.com I found this reference:
"Muslim clerics condemned Mr. Rahman's release, saying it was a “betrayal of Islam.” They threatened to incite violent protests."


And on Forbes.com I found this:
But the outrage put Karzai in a difficult position because he also risked offending religious sensibilities in Afghanistan, where senior Muslim clerics have been united in calling for Rahman to be executed.

"This is a betrayal of Islam and the entire Afghan nation by our government," said Hamiddullah, a senior cleric in Kabul. "This will have very dangerous consequences for the government. Muslim leaders will react very strongly."

A cleric in northern Kunduz town, Ubuiddullah, said, "We will protest this. We are very angry."

However, a preacher in northwestern Badghis province said the country's religious leaders should not incite violence.

"Clerics shouldn't be calling for people to riot and damage our country," Mohammed Usman said.

On Monday, 700 clerics, students and others in the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif protested Rahman's acquittal a day earlier. The demonstration ended peacefully and there have been no rallies since.

*
Can anyone explain to me how this is a "betrayal of Islam"? Is there any Muslim out there who will say that calling for the execution of this man who just happens to believe something different is a betrayal of Islam - the religion of peace? Or is the peace only available to those who submit to Islamic law?
JK

Viva! resisting democracy and other virtues...

From JZ:

Could democracy in America ever end? Who knows ....

My response:

Hey Z,
I'll begin by saying, let's hope it never begins!

Unfortunately, with all the talk about spreading democracy and defending democray these days this is a question that has to be answered. It is so important to understand and educate ourselves on the reason why the United States is not, and was never intended to be, a democracy. The idea of this country being a democracy is relatively new... really around the turn of the 20th Century with the rise of collectivism in Europe is when it took on popularity as a term.

Our founding fathers knew well the dangers of democracy and how easily democracies violated the rights of the individual in the name of utilitarian pragmatism or factional fighting between groups -- basically the mob can vote away the rights of the individual. It is also the reason they insisted on so many checks and balances within the system of governing, not only the three branches of the government but also the separation of state and federal governments.

Having said all that there seem to be very few people who realize this even within the governing body so the danger of it all changing for the worse is very real. Remember the outcry for eliminating the electoral voting system during the '00 and '04 presidential elections? Unless we have the capability to give rational reasons for preserving the system of representative government it will continue to be in danger.

The best tool for learning about these issues are of course the writings of the founding fathers themselves. They are increasingly misrepresented by both historians and anyone else wishing to use them for their own purposes. We have had about 230 years and have demonstrated to the world that a constitutional system dedicated to the primary purpose of defending individual rights from being negated by government force is the most productive and beneficial of any government so far invented.

Benjamin Franklin - the only person to have signed the three most significant founding documents of the United States—the Declaration of Independence (1776), the Treaty of Paris (1783), and the U.S. Constitution (1787)— was asked as he emerged from the long task of coming up with a constitution: "Well Doctor, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?" to which Franklin replied, "A republic if you can keep it."

Let's do.
JK

The U.S. Navy 2005 Visual Year in Review...

If every picture tells a story than you can learn a lot about the U.S. Navy by watching this year in review in pictures.

I'd love to hear your comments. Take a look at the faces of both the servicemembers and the people they are helping.

One of my favorites is of the female Sailor giving a tour of a ship to some Pakistani women. The Sailor is in clean pressed dress whites and the Pakistani women are in head scarves. How does this meeting of cultures affect each person involved?

JK

"F" is for Freedom! (and The Fenwicks)!

From Steve Schub of the Fenwicks!

"V" may be for "Vendetta", but "F" is for Freedom! (and The Fenwicks)!

       -Hey all you West Coast Fen-heads & 'Wick-heads, join a Fenwick
on the barricades, at two events defending freedom with a Capital "F"!
The first? This Saturday March 25th. I have been nudged, by the
nation's leading defender of property rights-  Mr. Logan Darrow
himself, to play The Fenwicks' Anti-Eminent Domain ditty, "Preeminent
Domain", live- at a rally on behalf of The Bernard Luggage Company in
Hollywood, California. A family owned business since Lord knows when,
they (along with 30 other businesses) are being forced to sell- (or be
condemned by the City), so that the Starwood Hotel Chain can build a
"W" Hotel. They are all under imminent Eminent threat. Some day, you
may be too. So come out and show your support.

   -Said Rally will be from 1:00-4:00 p.m., this Saturday March
25th, at the Sunshine Parking Lot, at 1636 Vine Street in Hollywood, CA
90028, (near Hollywood and Vine, next to "Star Hair and Nails"). I
should be humiliating myself, (musically speaking), playing just that
one song, sometime between 3 and 4 p.m. Assuming "The Man" don't stop
me first...

For additional info, and all sorts of assorted intellectual ammo about
Eminent Domain Abuse, check out the following links:
The Institute for Justice:
http://www.ij.org/private_property/index.html
And Logan Darrow's site (where you can also buy a copy of The Fenwicks'
song "Preeminent Domain", and support the Cause, all for low, low price
of only 2 Clams!):
http://www.freestarmedia.com/song.html

-Event #2. The Fight for Freedom of Speech. Join me on Tuesday April
11th at 7PM, on the USC Campus, where I'll be attending (not speaking,
just attending)  a Panel Discussion on the Danish Cartoons and The
World's Reaction.
Details here:
http://www.aynrand.org/site/PageServer?pagename=support_free_speech

-Now leaving the realm of the political, let's talk "Existential"
Freedom, shall we? Our best Boychick, Bennett Miller's excellent
documentary "The Cruise" about Madman/Philosopher/Tour Guide- Timothy
"Speed" Levitch, is finally being released on DVD thanks to Lionsgate.
(I guess being nominated for an Academy Award really wakes up the
Suits...) Anyway, for all you East Coast Fen-heads, in honor of this
unholy holy event, "The Cruise" will be shown on the Big Screen, at the
Angelika Film Center, this Friday and Saturday at Midnight.
Benny-Burger, the Barbarian himself, Mr. Bennett Miller, will be in
attendance at both screenings, so go give him a hug, and a big sloppy
wet one, and after he slaps you, tell him it's from The Fenwicks...

-Lastly, rarely do I plug publications. But here's an exception that
proves the rule. Check out the brand new Journal on Culture, Science
Politics, and Art- from a consistently, Secular, pro-Reason,
pro-Freedom, pro-Individualist perspective: "The Objective Standard".
Dig it here:
http://www.theobjectivestandard.com/

At the expense of prophets...

Just incase anyone might get the wrong impression that I am only supporting freedom of speech when it comes to publishing cartoons of Mohammed, I found this on a great site called Whim Internet Magazine. You can goto it by clicking on the title to this post. or copy and paste: http://www.radford.edu/~whim/toon/articles/jc6_18.html

There are many great cartoons at the site, I chose this one because it includes many different religious figures all playing poker for souls. Pretty funny actually.

I hope everyone will goto the website and check out the rest of the Jesus cartoons, they are hilarious!

JK

Muslim law to Christian: Deny your faith or die

Click on the title of this post for the details of how a man who converted from Islam to Christianity is now facing the death penalty.

Ah, the religion of peace... why can't we all just embrace it???

Unveiling the Danish Cartoons...

From the ARI Web site:
Unveiling the Danish Cartoons:
ARI's Defense of Free Speech Against Islamic Totalitarians


So long as men are free to criticize, free to dissent, free to present their own ideas without fear of coercive reprisals--the fight for rational culture has a chance. But the crisis over cartoons of Mohammad threatens to wipe out freedom of speech. Our leaders have shamefully sided with the mobs chanting death threats and torching embassies. Free speech, our leaders say, is not an absolute, its exercise must not offend religious beliefs--it is a right, in other words, that we are not free to exercise. So far, no Western government has declared that anyone, on domestic or foreign soil, who threatens a citizen with death for speaking out will be dealt with by the full force of the government.

If the threats, riots and killings fomented by Islamic states are allowed to proceed--if they are allowed to compel Western thinkers into self-censorship--the first to be silenced will be the critics of Islam. And then the critics of religion. And then everyone else.

Because of the profound default of our governments, it is incumbent on citizens to defend our hard-won rights. We should all demand that our governments staunchly defend our freedom of speech. And every media outlet should publish the cartoons--as an act of defiance against those who claim the right to silence any one of us, as a show of support for those who are brave enough to defy the killers, and as a practical means of defusing the immediate threat, since the killers will have not just a handful but thousands of individuals to behead.

The Ayn Rand Institute is proud to announce a campaign to publish the Danish cartoons and to arrange a series of panel discussions and debates to discuss the vital need to defend free speech.

You can see all the cartoons at the Ayn Rand Institute Web site.

http://www.aynrand.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Danish_Cartoons_01

More Wafa...

Here is another appearance by Wafa Sultan on Al Jazeera from July
2005 (Different than the one that is enjoying wide circulation on the
internet)

http://www.memritv.org/Search.asp?ACT=S2#

Transcript:

http://www.memritv.org/Transcript.asp?P1=783

USS Arizona relics

Pearl Harbor, Hawaii – (Mar. 16, 2006) Sailors from the Pearl Harbor Surface Navy Association (SNA) visit the site of the USS Arizona relics. The Arizona relics are parts of USS Arizona that were removed from the water and placed on shore near Pearl Harbor’s Middle Loch. Photo by Joe Kane

Defend freedom of speech

From Fontpage Magazine:

"The free world should be standing resolutely with Denmark, ready
to defend freedom of speech. Insofar as it is not defended, it will
surely be lost. On Wednesday (Mar. 15) publications all over Europe--in
France, Spain, Germany, Italy, and Holland--published the cartoons
to demonstrate their support for this principle. But in a grim
reminder of the dhimmitude and multiculturalist fog that still grips
us, the editor of France Soir was fired for doing so. The defense of
free speech and free thought will not be easy, and is not the matter
of just a day."

Complete article at this link:
http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=21127

...or click on the title of this post.
jk

Wafa Sultan: Woman of the Year

For all who have not yet seen the Memri clip of Wafa Sultan (link below), I urge you to do so. Her courage and righteousness is heroic and very uplifting. Of course she now has received deatht threats from representatives of the "religion of peace." She is one amazing woman and has my vote for woman of the year! You can read about her here:

or

Click here for the video.

Islam is as Islam does...

Ever since I posted the rant (Islam = Stupid Loser, by "Z") against the terrorists who were rioting over the Danish cartoons depicting Mohammed I have been getting a steady stream of email and comments... some in support and some from apologists. The thing that strikes me most about it all is that for the most part the ones who hate the rant compare Islam to Christianity and say something to the affect, "Christians fight wars all the time so why are Muslims so bad for what we are doing?" This respnse is very telling about the mindset of the Muslims who say it... they don't come out and say, "We reject what the terrorists are doing, or we too think suicide bombs and burning of property over a silly cartoon is way out of line." No, they just say, "if you do it we can do it."

It does not hold water. First of all I'm not a Christian and if I were I would denounce anyone acting un-chistian-like.

Anyway, to read the original post and the comments I refer to read on and follow the link.



Here is the beginning of my response to the comments:
***
The problem I have with Islam is that it is at its root anti-human and anti-life. I do believe it is perfectly fine to ridicule evil and that is why I posted the “rant” although I did not write it. Yes, it does generalize about Muslims and though I don’t believe all Muslims are homicidal maniacs like the ones who are the loudest spokesmen for Islam right now, I do know that there are way too many Muslims who are willing to sit back and watch in silence while their “religion of peace” is used as an excuse to murder and destroy.

Any Muslim who truly believes Islam is a religion of peace would not allow suicide bombers to kill innocents and not say a word to denounce them. They would not allow mobs of Muslims to riot in the streets over a cartoon without pointing out how unholy their behavior is. Would not allow anyone to saw off a human being’s head on TV without marching in protest and calling these animals what they really are – murderers of the lowest kind.

Why do I say Islam is evil? Because as a religion based on faith submission it rejects the use of the one tool that makes Homo sapiens (thinking animal) unique in the entire animal kingdom – the ability to reason.

To read the entire post either click on the title of this post above or go to: http://ablekaneadventures.blogspot.com/2006/02/islam-stupid-loser.html#comments

Scroll down to the comments section...
JK

Fenwicks Update - Artimus enters the Rock Hall of Fame

From Steven Schub:

Ladies and Gentlemen (and all those in between)!
I am proud to say, that tonight, Monday March 13th 2006, at
The Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City, The Fenwicks' Founding
Father, Patron Saint, and Spiritual Godfather- The King, The Backbeat
and The Heartbeat of Southern Rock N' Roll, The Ever-Lovin' Livin'
Legend Himself- Mr. Artimus Pyle, (and his band Lynyrd Skynyrd), will
officially be inducted into "The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame". No
friends, there probably won't be barking, but knowing Artie, you can
rest assured, that this "Hallowed Hall" ain't never gonna be the same
again!
For 17 years Artimus slammed the skins, and beat the drums,
for the Greatest American Rock Band of All Time- Lynyrd Skynyrd.
("Freebird", "Sweet Home Alabama", "Gimme Three Steps", "What's Your
Name", "Simple Man", the list just goes on and on...). And with lead
singer Ronnie Van Zant gone, there is no one alive who better embodies
the message and the music of Lynyrd Skynyrd than Artimus Pyle. All of
us here in Kibbutz Fenwick send our love, respect, and imperial
boatloads of Mazel Tovs out to Artimus. If you love us, you love this
man- for without him, there would be no "us". (I mean this quite
literally. For those unfamiliar with the all-too-strange but true tale,
of how this Southern Rock God, discovered this here spaz singing for a
punk band called "Jew2" in Jerusalem Israel, and then re-discovered me
years later working as a bell-boy in New York City, flew Jim Corrieri
and I to Jacksonville, and created The Fenwicks in 72 hours, well you
wouldn't believe me if I told you, so simply click on this to read The
Word:
http://www.thefenwicks.com/bio.shtml
-And if ya'll want auditory evidence, click on this, to hear a
super-duper rare recording of Artimus Pyle playing drums with your very
own Fenwicks, on a truly twisted cover version of Jimi Hendrix's "Manic
Depression" (ya gotta scroll down a bit, it's just under "Truth &
Memory").
http://www.thefenwicks.com/music.shtml
-For all Artimus Pyle related info, (including news on his upcoming
solo record: "Artimus Venomous"), hit his website:
http://www.apbband.com/
In closing, to quote our "Southern Rock Rabbi" Mr. Pyle: "What a world,
what a world, what a world!"
-In joy, mirth, and joviality,
Schubieshake and The Flabbergasting Freedom-wuvin' Fenwicks....
p.s. Oh, and um, one final note:
As the oh, so surreal events of the last few weeks will surely testify:
It apparently pays to be a Fenwick fan! What do I mean by such hubris
unt arrogance? Well, see here: It's an ancient, age-old adage, a
time-tested chestnut of Show-Biz Wiz-Dumb, a Hollyweird Axiom, if you
will: "If you're on The Fenwicks' email list, you are destined for
greatness!" (See Phil, Bennett and Artimus for details...) It should be noted
however, that if you are actually IN The Fenwicks... well, you'll
apparently starve for life and dance in oblivion. But that's a whole
'nother story- for me, my 6-foot invisible bunny rabbit, and my team of
therapists... Seriously though, just jesting, not kvetching. Life's
been good to us 'Wix. We dig our subterranean existence as underground
underdogs, I swear!

Shalom Y'All!
xoxo, Shake

Victory! - Reaping the rewards of "Deploying Reason"

In June of last year I posted on my plan to distribute Ayn Rand books to deploying ships. Ed Thompson of the Ayn Rand Institute donated a bunch of copies of Atlas Shrugged as well as some other material and I sent books out with every deploying unit I could find.

I wrote in my blog, "The Deploying Reason plan is my own way of helping improve the intellectual climate of my workplace (the military) and also a great way to encourage my shipmates to share my interest in Ayn Rand and Objectivism." (For the full text click on the title of this post)

Well, last week I got my first nibble! But it wasn't from the books... it was from my blog. I won't use the person's name but I got an email from a guy I knew years ago from my first command, USS Boxer (LHD 4) in San Diego. We used to mountainbike together when I was still there and we emailed back and forth every once in a while over the years...

Anyway, to make a long story short, he emailed me last week and thanked me for introducing him to Ayn Rand. He had been meaning to check it out for a while but did not get around to it until he was deploying for six months and decided to bring along a copy of Atlas Shrugged. Well, That was it! He was hooked! And now he says he is a frequent visitor and supporter of the Ayn Rand Institute bookstore where he has purchased a bunch of stuff.

This for me is one of the most gratifying emails I have ever received! I know I have interested some other people over the years as well, but over the past couple of years I have been actively trying to interest people and it is nice to see it paying off. I can only hope that others will be influenced by the fact that I am, and will continue to be, Deploying Reason!

No money for robbers...

Steve Forbes in a February 27th editorial congratulates and supports
BB&T in its refusal to grant loans for eminent domain property
takeovers. He mentions a small bank in the Midwest as having
followed suit. May there be more.

When God is a Monster...

Click on the title of this post to read about a true heroine in the fight against irrationality and the visciousness of the radical Muslim fascists.

One of the reasons there is such a need for people like this is to lead the way for other Muslims to begin questioning and speaking out against the terrorists.

If you really believe Islam is a religion of peace then start acting like it. When a Muslim terrorist blows himself up in the name of Allah, millions of peace-loving Muslims should be in the streets protesting and denouncing the homicidal fanatics as infidels and blasphemers.

The problem is many so-called moderate Muslims identify with, sympathize with or outright support the spread of Islam through any means necessary - even by the sword.

TO read the article - and to meet the salvation of the Muslims if they want to emerge from the dark ages of superstition and violence, click here.

JK

Hitting the nail on the jarhead...

A few months ago I had the non-pleasure of watching a bad piece of propaganda for the nihilist anti-civs... a movie called "Jarhead". Supposedly about a Marine who joins the Marine Corps and then realizes that the choices he made have consequences he wasn't prepared for. Well, actually, that's what it could have been about if it had not been focused on tearing down the good image of the Marines.

Anyway, fellow Objectivist and former Marine, Nicholas Provenzo has a commentary that I think captures it pretty well. You can click on the title of this post to go directly to the article.

Semper Fi!
JK

Ayn Rand Institute to bring Danish cartoons to widest possible audience

In light of the recent violent outrage in the Islamic world over the
"Danish Cartoon" controversy, and the anemic response to this outburst in
Europe and America, the Ayn Rand Institute has launched a campaign to
bring the Danish cartoons to the widest possible audience--and to arrange
a series of panel discussions to discuss the vital need to defend free
speech.

ARI's immediate plans include:

* Holding three talks on college campuses

    UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 3/10/06

    Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 3/13/06

    University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 4/10/06


* Promoting these events with an aggressive print advertising and
Internet marketing effort.


* Placing the Danish ads on www.aynrand.org and promoting them
aggressively in print, on the airwaves, and over the Internet.

ARI's budget for these activities is $33,000 and, if you wish to
contribute to this vital, historic effort, the time to do it is now.

For information on how to contribute, how to attend and publicize the
public events, and to get more information on ARI's Free Speech
Campaign, go to www.aynrand.org/freespeech. Or click on the title of this post.