English Defense League Demonstration in Luton (UK)

Today, in the English town of Luton, the English Defense League is holding a demonstration against radical Islamic influence and the idea of Shariah law in Britain. Among the speakers are Elisabeth Sabaditsch-Wolff of Austria, who is being prosecuted for speaking out against radical Islam in her native country, as well as Los Angeles Rabbi Nachum Shifren. Gates of Vienna and Politically Incorrect have coverage and videos.

http://gatesofvienna.blogspot.com/2011/02/edl-demonstration-in-luton.htmle

Here is the text of Sabaditsch-Wolff's speech (Europe News/DK and Gates of Vienna).

http://europenews.dk/en/node/39847

Below is the text of Rabbi Shifren's speech.

"For millions of Americans such as myself, there remains a special grandeur in the British people, long after the "Great War" has ended, long after the average schoolboy or girl has stopped recalling that there was once a real threat to the entire island.


What we remember most from those long-forgotten trials of fire, is the tremendous spirit of defiance, an unyielding attitude of tenacity in the face of an overwhelming evil. There are no fitting words to use in recounting the admiration that has been shown for that great statesman and hero to all that understand and cherish what we have in our Western civilization, the great Sir Winston Churchill.

As one re-reads those now-famous utterances that gave hope to a lost world, devastated entirely by the Nazi juggernaut that stood poised to conquer it, there arises at once an immediate recognition and correlation of a modern symbolism of those dark years of despair and loss of freedom.

From "Their Finest Hour Speech" by Sir Winston Churchill:

"I expect that the Battle of Britain is about to begin. Upon this battle depends the survival of Christian civilization. Upon it depends our own British life, and the long continuity of our institutions ..... The whole fury and might of the enemy must very soon be turned on us. (He) knows that he will have to break us in this island or lose the war. If we can stand up to him, all Europe may be freed and the life of the world may move forward into broad, sunlit uplands.

But if we fail, then the whole world, including the United States, including all that we have known and cared for, will sink into the abyss of a new dark age made more sinister..... Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves, that if the British Empire and its Commonwealth[5] last for a thousand years, men will still say, This was their finest hour."


Is there one of you today that does not recognize these words and their relevance at this time? What British man or woman does not understand the similar peril that threatens to consume Britain along with America?

My dear British friends, the battle for your land, the struggle over your souls has begun! Let no one deny the tenacity and mercilessness of our enemy, both here and abroad. There is not one person here today that doubts that the essence of Islam is about war and submission. It is long past the hour where men of good faith came to reason and dialog, where the dimmering light of reason was snuffed out by the dreadful call of ......ALLAH AKHBAR!

And so, as you go on your daily routines, you are struck by the sheer audacity of this "enemy from within", as he dictates to you what you can do and what you can't:

-Which public swimming pool you may or may not swim in.

-Which neighborhood police and fire personnel may or may not go in.

-How much tax money shall go to "educate" our youth about the wonderful "live-and-let-live" attitude of the "religion of peace" in the British classrooms?

-Which and how many Christian girls shall be raped and abused by a religion that considers them "whores."

-Which Ministers will be bought off with the most notorious of Muslim means of extortion to further the Islamic march toward total conquest of Britain?

-The scurrilous, seditious BBC and their quisling colleagues in the Leftist infested media, ever ready to aid and abet the blood-thirsty enemy that desires ever more submission and power.

As in those dark days, of exploding V-2 rockets that would break the mettle of most men, so too are we now called upon to bear a totally different sword into battle. Each of you is called upon to remember who you are, and what your purpose is, for your children and generations of British fellow citizens. In this new battle, the weak will be swallowed up. Those of little or no faith will be brought asunder. Those who have trouble "identifying" the enemy will instead become a fifth-column to the detriment of your fellows.

For us in the States, there remains no doubt of what is at stake for you, and for us. Over two centuries ago we fought you in our War of Independence. Now, we pray to G-d that you may remain strong and never forget who you are and why you must vanquish the sword of radical Islam and all its vestiges from your land. We stand beside you in this darkest hour.

We proudly look upon this awesome assembly of Englishmen, the mighty infidels of the EDL, and know in our hearts the eternal truth of those words so bravely uttered: NEVER HAVE SO FEW, DONE SO MUCH, FOR SO MANY!!

May G-d bless you, and your country, England."
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This past week, Anjem Choudary, a radical British Islamic cleric appeared on the Sean Hannity show and openly stated that Islam and Shariah law will take over the West. Choudary is a despicable character and Hannity told him so. In addition, Luton is the site where returning British war veterans were heckled by Muslim protesters as they (the troops) paraded through the town as local residents attempted to welcome them home a couple of years back.

The EDL is a controversial bunch to be sure. Its opponents call them hooligans and racists. Many of their demonstrations have gotten out of hand. Yet, the more outrageous the provocations from people like Choudary, the angrier the response will be if the people perceive that their government will not stand up for them. I am not an expert on the EDL, and I don't know if they oppose any and all immigration.

It is becoming increasingly clear that there is a divide between the European people and their political leaders. The common folks are saying that they have had enough of the intimidation, crime, and outrageous behavior by radical and unassimilated Muslims. They are demanding action from their leaders, who, up to now, are hiding under their desks and refusing to stand up to the radicals and hate-mongers. Clearly, something has to give as this can only grow. How great it would be if the good Muslims in Europe could stand up with the citizens and take down their radical spokesmen and troublemakers. One can only imagine the fear that they must be feeling.

Stand With Us and Hillel Statements Regarding the Rutgers Incident

In the wake of last week's event at Rutgers University (previously reported on this blog), the Jewish advocacy groups, Stand With Us and Hillel of Rutgers have issued the following statements.


http://www.standwithus.com/app/iNews/view_n.asp?ID=1740

The statement from Hillel at Rutgers is below.

http://www.standwithus.com/flyers/Hillel%20Stands%20Against%20Extremism%20and%20Hate%20at%20Rutgers.pdf

As my readers know, I report often on campus issues involving Israel and the conflicts between Jewish and Muslim students. As events in the Middle East continue to heat up, tension on US university campuses figures to increase. It is troubling and bears watching.

Orange County Grand Jury Charges 11 in Speech Disruption at UC-Irvine

In breaking news today, an Orange County (CA) grand jury has charged 11 members of the Muslim Student Unions of UC-Irvine and UC-Riverside for the disruption of a speech by Israeli Ambassador to the US Michael Oren at UC-Irvine last February 8.

http://www.ocregister.com/news/students-287073-church-attorney.html

Yesterday, the Orange County Register published a letter to the Orange County District Attorney from the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), which was also signed by several other persons and entities.

http://www.ocregister.com/opinion/defense-286944-uci-editor.html

"At the same time, prosecuting these students may in fact lead to more disruptive and perhaps violent forms of political protests, since less non-violent and less disruptive protests would by this new precedent carry nearly the same criminal exposure."

Fousesquawk comment:  Is that an implied threat?

The Star of David is Showing Up in Cairo Protests-Why?

Hat tip to Pajamas Media

Pajamas Media is reporting a disturbing development in the Egyptian protests, the appearance of Mubarak caricatures with the Star of David painted on his image as a stooge of Israel/Jews. It seems that the photos appeared on the German daily Die Welt and other press organs-without any comment.

http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/anti-semitic-imagery-at-egypt-protests-draws-yawns-from-western-media/

I found the above photo on Fox News.

Is it not the responsibility of the Western media to point out these photos and what they may mean? Could it be that the media is so sympathetic with the anti-Mubarak protesters that they don't want to comment on this possible anti-Semitic aspect of the disturbances? Is it possible that many press organs have simply snapped the pictures and published them without even thinking of the implications?

The Massacre Map

(Hat tip to Europe News-Denmark)

The below map was produced by Torbjorn Karfunkel and shows Arab massacres of Jews prior to 1948. If you go to the Europe News link, you can enlarge the map. It is a useful resource the next time you hear all these stories about how peacefully Jews and Muslims lived in the Middle East pre-1948 when the modern state of Israel was formed.







http://europenews.dk/en/node/39746

Anti-Semitism in the Arab World

Hat tip to Europe News (DK)

Europe News (DK) has cross-posted an excellent piece by Mudar Zahran of the Hudson Institute (NY). It describes how Arab governments as using anti-Semitism as a tactic with dealing with their own populations.

http://europenews.dk/en/node/39772

Another Noreaster-Has Anyone Seen Al Gore?

                                                                              

"Help!!!"

* Update:  Big Al has responded (to Bill O'Reilly's comments) in his exclusive, "Al's Journal"


Here is the text off the Huffington Post:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/al-gore/an-answer-for-bill-oreill_b_817238.html 

"Last week on his show Bill O'Reilly asked, "Why has southern New York turned into the tundra?" and then said he had a call into me. I appreciate the question.


As it turns out, the scientific community has been addressing this particular question for some time now and they say that increased heavy snowfalls are completely consistent with what they have been predicting as a consequence of man-made global warming. Here's Clarence Page at the Chicago Tribune:

"In fact, scientists have been warning for at least two decades that global warming could make snowstorms more severe. Snow has two simple ingredients: cold and moisture. Warmer air collects moisture like a sponge until it hits a patch of cold air. When temperatures dip below freezing, a lot of moisture creates a lot of snow."



Global Warming-the consequence (Photo Fox News)


"A rise in global temperature can create all sorts of havoc, ranging from hotter dry spells to colder winters, along with increasingly violent storms, flooding, forest fires and loss of endangered species."



-Fousesquawk comment: Yes, Dr Gore, and scientists also know that rain is a consequence of global draught, just as extreme heat is a consequence of the Ice Age, just as losing is a consequence of winning, just as love is a consequence of being mugged on the subway, just as a peanut is a consequence of butter, just as getting three outs in a baseball game is a consequence of making three errors, just as losing 40 pounds is a consequence of drinking 45 beers every night . It all makes perfect sense, right?


"Uhhhh.....yeaaaah."

And Clarence Page? Where does he tend bar?

More on the UCI-MSU Grand Jury Issue

(Video provided by Stand With Us)

Stand With Us, a pro-Israel organization,  has produced this video on yesterday's protest in Santa Ana, California by supporters of the UC-Irvine Muslim Student Union protesters who disrupted the speech by Israeli ambassador to the US, Michael Oren at UC-Irvine last February 8.



Oh well.

More Whoppers From Janet Napolitano

Janet Napolitano, the reigning 2010 Fousesquawk Jerk of the Year is at it again. Monday, she told an audience in El Paso-just across the border from Ciudad Juarez-that the  border area is not as bad as people make it out to be.


http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5igGG_z07WlOX32SRzTA5cctwgmWA?docId=2479494bcd5e4914b2f566ece188f64d

Here is the text. Make sure you are sitting while you read it.

Napolitano touts safety of US border communities


(AP) – 2 days ago


EL PASO, Texas (AP) — Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said Monday that U.S. communities on the border with Mexico are safer than most Americans believe, but also warned Mexican drug cartels they'll be "met by an overwhelming response" should they move north.

Hey Janet. They have already moved north. They are here. Overwhelming response? You mean sanctuary cities like LA and San Francisco?

Napolitano told an audience at the University of Texas at El Paso — just across the Rio Grande from Ciudad Juarez and the unprecedented wave of drug-fueled violence engulfing it — that it's "inaccurate to state, as too many have, that the border is overrun with violence and out of control."

What??!!. Just last month, a US Border Patrol agent was killed working on the border. Phoenix is the kidnap capital of the nation. But, of course, Phoenix is not on the border, so there can't be a connection. (Wasn't the Lindbergh baby kidnapped in Phoenix?)

"This statement, often made only to score political points, is just plain wrong," said Napolitano, who was governor of Arizona before being confirmed as Homeland Security secretary in 2009.

Of course it's wrong, Janet. Here is an actual photo of the border.




Napolitano said violent crime has not spiked in U.S. communities across the roughly 2,000-mile border with Mexico. But the secretary also recognized that guarding against spillover from Mexican drug violence is an ongoing concern.

That's because those who cross the border generally don't settle in border communities. They move to inland areas to find work or join their gang buddies in places like LA.

"Today I say to the cartels: Don't even think about bringing your violence and tactics across this border. You will be met by an overwhelming response," she said. "And we're going to continue to work with our partners in Mexico to dismantle and defeat you."

That rumbling you feel under your feet is not an earthquake. It's the trembling of the cartels.

Napolitano said the Obama administration has increased the U.S. Border Patrol to more than 20,700 agents, more than double its size in 2004. She also said $600 million in funding signed last year by President Barack Obama will allow authorities to hire 1,000 additional Border Patrol agents and 250 new Customs and Border Protection agents to guard formal Mexico-U.S. border crossings.

An additional 250 Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents focused on transnational crime, as well as increased unmanned aircraft patrols, also are budgeted.


Texas Gov. Rick Perry often slams Washington for not sending enough manpower and money to secure the border state. He said last year that the $600 million was a good start, but not enough.


"The federal resources in Texas are woefully inadequate to secure the border with Mexico, and Gov. Perry will continue urging the Obama administration to do its job and protect our citizens from the ruthless drug cartels," Perry spokeswoman Katherine Cesinger said in a statement after Napolitano's speech. "It's unfortunate that a former border governor, who knows the implications of a porous border, continues to downplay the fact that there is a war waging within a stone's throw, or for that matter, firing range, from our border communities."


A sluggish U.S. economy has reduced the number of immigrants sneaking into U.S. territory and Napolitano said Border Patrol apprehensions declined 36 percent in the past two years as a result. But she also said U.S. authorities deported 779,000 illegal immigrants nationwide in fiscal years 2009 and 2010, more than ever before.


Last year, about 195,000 deportees were convicted criminals, Napolitano said.


"Let's stick with the facts and numbers when talking about where we are with the border," she said.

Bring on those facts and numbers. What, do we have 12 million people in this country illegally?

The statistics out of Juarez are nothing short of astounding. More than 6,000 people in the city have been killed by drug violence in the past two years alone, making it one of the most dangerous places on earth.


About 50 students protested outside the auditorium where Napolitano spoke, demanding justice for women slain in unsolved murders in Juarez, or for an end to the violence there. Others protested increased U.S. efforts to fortify its southern border at the expense of economic opportunity.

Uh, isn't it for the Mexican government to solve those crimes and bring justice?

Napolitano said "a secure border does not mean a sealed border with no commerce."


During a 15-minute question-and-answer session with the audience, Napolitano said the U.S. had to do a better job stopping the flow of American guns smuggled south to fuel Mexico's drug war.


"I'm not here on a victory lap," she said. "We have more work to do."

Napolitano's address was part of a yearlong nationwide campus tour that began last week. She also was heading to Dallas on Monday to discuss Super Bowl-week security ahead of Sunday's contest between the Packers and Steelers at Cowboy Stadium in Arlington.

And attending the game too, Janet?

Protest in Orange County on Behalf of "Irvine 11"

Yesterday, a group of protesters showed up in front of the Orange County DA's Office to demand that there be no prosecution against those students who disrupted the speech of the Israeli ambassador to the US at UC-Irvine last February. The OC Register has the story and an accompanying video.

http://www.ocregister.com/news/speech-286546-event-students.html?plckOnPage=7

I see that the local Orange County Jewish Federation CEO is still getting his name in the papers over this issue. Too bad he can't just learn to say, "no comment". There is good news, however. The Register misspelled his name.

Update to the Rutgers Event

(Hat tip to Newsrealblog)

Reference is made to my previous postings on last week's anti-Israel event at Rutgers University, where pro-Israel students were, in effect, not allowed to enter unless they paid a hastily-decided $5 admission fee-that did not apply to the anti-Israel crowd. Rutgers student Aaron Marcus, who was present, has written an account for News Real Blog, which is linked below.


http://www.newsrealblog.com/2011/01/30/israel-supporters-denied-entrance-to-anti-zionist-event-at-rutgers/

What is happening is that universities all over North America are being increasingly intimidated by the various Muslim Student Associations and their anti-Israel brethren like Students for Justice in Palestine and all the other groups that are bringing  tension and ill-feeling to our campuses. At Rutgers, the campus police was under-staffed because their bosses in the universities are telling them to keep a low profile and not antagonize you know who. Thus, you have a situation at Rutgers where a bunch of pro-Palestinians, suddenly recognizing that their "free and open to the public" event was going to have a majority audience of pro-Israel students, changed the rules, charging admission for some while admitting their own followers free.

What a joke.

What a joke our campus police forces have become. What a joke the university spokespeople are as they tend to pass this off as no big deal.

A few short years ago at UC-Irvine, a group of conservative students tried to hold an "affirmative action bake sale", where whites had to pay more for the same food products than blacks. They had a sliding scale of prices depending on the race of the person buying the food. The attempt was to make a statement about affirmative action. Outrage ensued and the university shut it down real quick.

Last week at Rutgers, another group practiced their own form of affirmative action right in front of the university.

Obama's Dilemma

President Obama has been taking an understandably cautious approach to the Egyptian crisis-so cautious that his bumbling press spokesman, Robert Gibbs, has no idea what to tell inquirying reporters at the daily briefings. The official position has seemed to be that the US would let The Egyption People decide what happens to their country, an admirable position indeed. Yet, it seems that the US position is inching toward easing Mubarak out the door a'la the Shah.

Obama has now come out and stated that the Muslim Brotherhood should play a role as long as they renounce violence and recognize democratic principles. Of course, they have long been telling Western audiences those very things as part of their propaganda campaign. What they want, however, is an Islamic caliphate. More tellingly is the statement from a Brotherhood leader yesterday:

"Get ready for war with Israel."

http://www.jpost.com/Headlines/Article.aspx?id=206130

Obama has also now told Mubarak that the "transition must begin now." I think in diplomatese, it means "get out!". That would represent a departure from letting The Egyptian People decide unless Obama has come to the conclusion that they have, indeed, decided that Mubarak must go-a pretty safe bet. Thus, it appears that Obama considers the risk of telling other friends in the region that when the going gets tough, the US won't stand by their allies-to be the lesser danger. Indeed, the US seems to be in a no-win situation.

Unless, of course, you believe that democracy is on the march in Egypt. Isn't that what all the protesters are saying to the Western reporters on the street? That would be the desired outcome for every country in the Middle East since free societies tend not to become radicalized and also tend not to war against each other.

Meanwhile, in the real world...........

Here is how I see it playing out assuming Mubarak chooses not to order the military to wipe out the protesters. First a disclaimer. I am no Middle East expert. I have been to Egypt a grand total of once, and that means nothing. What I am going to say means as much as idle chatter in a pub.

Mubarak will leave the country and take his newly-installed vice president with him. Mohammed El Baradei, an international bureaucrat, will assume office as a caretaker president. We may even see an election later this year as scheduled. One way or another, when all the dust is settled, the Muslim Brotherhood will be running things in Egypt after sweeping El Baradei or whoever else out of the way. Then we will have witnessed the next Iranian-style revolution.  There will be no democracy. There will be no friendship with America. There will be no more peace treaty with Israel. On the contrary, there will be another hostile state on Israel's border itching to destroy the Jewish state. There will be an alliance with Iran. Will that be the 'will" of The Egyptian People?

And watch the dominoes, to coin a phrase, follow suit in the Middle East.

Yet, NBC Middle East reporter Richard Engel, who has years of experience in the region and speaks Arabic, is dismissing any importance as to the Brotherhood. He says they are not much of a factor. I can't buy it. Go to their website Ikhran Web and see how they are following events. They are making demands.

"Mubarak must leave. Until then, no dialogue with the military, VP or government.

The Chief Justice of the Constutional Court must be appointed interim president."

If these things all come to pass, what should the US, the West and Israel do?

Maybe we will wake up to the fact that there is very little we can do to to please that part of the world. No matter how Egypt plays out, the US will be blamed no matter what we do or don't do. After all, we are the reason that those nations have been failed states and societies for all these milennia before the US or the modern state of Israel came into being.  Israel, for one, is reaching the point where they can wait no longer to take out those Iranian nuclear facilities with or without our help.

We also need to develop our own oil supplies instead of depending on Saudi oil. How much longer will it be before that nation is shouting, "Death to America"?

We also need to start a new international organization made up of free and democratic countries and let the rest belong to that corrupt, useless and decrepit outfit called the UN. They can all stew together without our foreign aid. It goes without saying that all aid to Egypt should stop if the Brotherhood takes power. (It won't. We'll try to buy their favor.) They will already come into possession of all the weapons we have given Egypt. That's bad enough.

Ditto for that other "proud nation" called Pakistan.

I have been saying for some time that our children will inherit World War III. The way things are going, I may live to see it as well.

Of course, we could simply make a peace treaty.