Celebrating Barbarism

Islam, at least the way Palestinian Arabs practice it, is a religion of Jew-hatred. After the horrible mass murder of Jewish seminary students, did the Palestinian Arabs mourn? No, they celebrated.

To his credit, Palestinian President Abbas condemned all attacks on civilians. But the Palestinian people celebrated.

Gaza Conflict Explained

What is the difference between the Israeli attacks on Gaza which killed innocent civilians and the HAMAS massacre of seminary students?

Simple.

Israel's intended targets were the terrorists themselves. After all, terrorists had been sending shrapnel-filled rockets onto civilian populations. If your neighborhood were the target of rockets, what would you expect your government to do?

HAMAS's intended targets were innocent seminary students.

The bad folks at the ironically named "Cross Cultural Understanding" web site calls HAMAS's mass murder of innocent students a "counter-attack." Evil.

Gaza Conflict

In the course of researching the horrible mass murders approved by HAMAS within a Jewish seminary, I ran across references to the killing of 120 including many civilians by the Israelis in a raid in North Gaza that I had not previously heard about. I will continue looking for credible reports on what that is about, but so far it sounds pretty terrible and has been underreported by the Western press. Updates to come when I have reliable information on this.

Update from from the AP reported March 2:

Early today, Israeli aircraft destroyed the office building in Gaza City used by Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, witnesses said. Five people were lightly wounded in the raid.

At least two dozen Palestinian civilians, including a baby, were among those killed Saturday, and militants said 25 fighters died. Health officials said about 200 people were wounded, 14 of them critically.

The overall death toll was the highest in a single day since the current round of violence erupted in September 2000. The highest previous death toll was 38 on March 8, 2002.

The intense fighting pushed the Palestinian death toll to more than 80 since fighting flared Wednesday. About half of those were civilians.

While expressing regret for civilian casualties, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak blamed "Hamas and those firing rockets at Israel," his office said in a statement, pledging to continue the offensive to protect Israeli towns and cities.

On Friday, Israeli Deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilnai renewed a threat to invade Gaza to crush militant rocket squads that attack southern Israel daily.

Palestinian fighters kept up a steady stream of rocket and mortar attacks on Israeli targets, firing around 50 on Saturday alone in defiance of the Israeli assault. Six Israelis were injured by rockets that reached as far as Ashkelon, a coastal city 11 miles north of Gaza.

The Israeli military said one of its airstrikes on northern Gaza targeted a parked truck loaded with 160 rockets.

On Thursday, militants raised the stakes by firing Iranian-made rockets into Ashkelon, striking closer to Israel's heartland than ever before and putting more Israelis at risk. Palestinian rocket fire earlier in the week also killed an Israeli man.

Here is a follow up from AFP on March 4:

GAZA CITY (AFP) — Israeli warplanes early Tuesday carried out raids on the north of the Gaza Strip, killing two Palestinians and wounding two others, a Palestinian medical source said.

Israel had vowed on Monday to keep hitting Gaza even as troops pulled out of the Hamas-run territory after clashes that killed more than 120 Palestinians and dealt a major blow to Middle East peace talks.

A first raid against Gaza City killed one person while the second further north killed one and wounded two. The victims were not immediately identified.

A military spokesman in Tel Aviv told AFP that the Israeli air force had "attacked a group of terrorists who were preparing to fire rockets at Israel."

An Israeli military source said a rocket fired from the Beit Hanoun district north of Gaza City on Tuesday had smashed into a house in the southern Israeli town of Sderot, but nobody was hurt.

"We are not prepared to show any tolerance, period. And we will respond. Our reaction is not limited to a specific operation or day," Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told a meeting of his Kadima party in Jerusalem on Monday.

"The operation will not end before we achieve our goals and our first goal is a significant reduction of Qassam and Grad rocket fire against Israeli civilians," he said, referring to rockets used by Gaza militants.

It is tragic when civilians get killed in fighting between militants. It is hard to assess this situation though, knowing that Palestinian Islamic militants have been known to use innocent Muslim women and children as shields.

It is terrible when innocents lose their lives as "collateral damage." It does not appear that Israel is targeting innocents, but is instead targeting terrorists, killing innocents in the process. The level of civilians killed must be condemned.

It is evil, even Satanic, to deliberately target innocents as HAMAS did in the Jewish seminar, and then laud the action.

Further Update: As bad as the Israeli actions appear to be in terms of the loss of innocent life, it is as if HAMAS want to prove that HAMAS is worse.

Mass Murders in Jewish Seminary Praised by Hamas

The Columbus Dispatch carries the story of a mass murder (7 dead, 10 wounded) in a Jewish seminary. HAMAS responds:

“We bless the (Jerusalem) operation. It will not be the last,” Hamas said in a text message sent to reporters.

There is no excuse for this sort of behavior, either the behavior of the mass murders or their blood-thirsty organization.

Not surprisingly, the web site of the unindicted co-conspirator, HAMAS-front, Council on American Islamic Relations lacks any denunciation as of 4:21 pm EST.

Update: 8 dead, 35 injured.

Update Friday March 7: Still no expression of sympathy for the victims by CAIR. What a surprise.

Other Points of View

On this blog, I have linked to "Other Points of View." let me make one thing abundantly clear. I link to them so the reader can see what others, some of whom are incredibly bigoted, are thinking. I do NOT endorse any other viewpoint than my own -- and that goes for all links from this blog.

I intend to expand the list of other points of view, not because I agree with any other them, but because they are there.

Primary Election Thoughts

I have so far not weighed much on the constant election activity going on in American and Ohio, except perhaps to lament on how early the presidential campaigns started. I now share some miscellaneous thoughts resulting from the Ohio, ,Texas, Vermont and Rhode Island primaries that resulted in an uncontested Republican nominee at its convention (John McCain) and a lively and continuing contest between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama for the Democratic nomination.

• I understand that Rush Limbaugh suggested that Republican voters cross-over in Ohio and Texas to vote for Hillary Clinton to keep the democratic side fighting internally and using up their campaign funds against each other. I find that tactic distasteful.

• The Barack Obama campaign has demonstrated 3 important things about racism in America:

1. His support among white voters and the media shows that there is much less racism in white America than previously believed.
2. On the premise that is a white votes for a white because they are white, that is racism. It is also true that if a black votes for a black because he is black, that too is racism. Obama getting 90% of the black vote in some primaries shows a serious racism problem in black America.
3. Based upon pools in which 74% of white Americans believe that America is ready for a black president, but only 62% of black Americans believe it, black "leaders" have oversold racism victimology to black America.

• Obama and Clinton may spend themselves down to nothing to get their party's nomination, but with the free liberal mainstream media support, it will be a close race anyway.

• None of the candidates has an adequate position on an individual's right to keep and bear arms , at least to satisfy me. Mr. McCain's position is probably the lease harmful for those who own guns for self defense.

• Negative ads work. Hillary Clinton's "red phone ad" apparently took quite a toll in the primaries in Ohio, Texas and Rhode Island criticizing Mr. Obama's lack of experience (where he is deservedly vulnerable). My favorite satirical response ends with: "Hillary. It is 3 am. Do you know where Bill is?"

• Low income Democrats currently without health care insurance are scared by both the Clinton and Obama universal health care plans, because both plans would force them to pay for coverage they cannot afford and do not want.

• Mr. Obama's "I am my Brother's Keeper" speech was downright frightening. Go away, Big Brother. I don't want you to try to keep me.

Sitting Duck Zones

I understand that Half Price Books, as a matter of corporate policy, post "No guns" signs. Today, I sent the following letter to corporate counsel for Half Price Books:

March 4, 2008

Corporate Counsel,

Half Price Books, Records, Magazines Incorporated
5803 East Northwest Highway
Dallas, TX 75231

Dear Sir or Madam:

I am writing to ask you to correct a dangerous condition which I am given to understand exists in all your Ohio stores. I am sure we agree that safety of the public and of your employees is a top priority.

Your stores have no guns allowed signs. In 2004 when the Ohio General Assembly enacted concealed carry legislation, those signs seemed like a good idea. Guns are dangerous ordinances and need to be handled properly, carefully and safely. Unfortunately, experience has proven that gun free zones are a bad idea.

On December 6, 2007, a homicidal maniac entered the Westwood Mall in Omaha, Nebraska, and murdered eight people until an off duty police officer who just happened to be there fired at him and the shooter killed himself. The mall was a posted gun free zone. The shooting was at least the fourth at a mall or shopping center in 2007, following incidents in Salt Lake City, Utah; Kansas City, Missouri; and Douglasville, Georgia.

On April 17, 2007, a homicidal maniac opened fire on the Virginia Tech campus, hunting down his victims, ultimately murdering 32 students and teachers before killing himself. Virginia Tech is supposed to be a gun free zone, so no teachers could be armed to defend their students.

On February 14, 2008, another homicidal maniac murdered 7 defenseless victims and injured 21 more at Northern Illinois University in, you guessed it, a "gun free zone." And by the way, he had time to reload.

The lesson is clear: Homicidal maniacs do not obey gun free zone signs. However, they may well see these zones as safe harbors where they can kill without fear of being killed themselves.

On December 9, 2007, a homicidal maniac murdered four people, entered a church in Colorado Springs obviously intent on killing more. He had over a 100 rounds of ammunition on him and he was wearing a bullet proof vest. A parishioner who was a volunteer security guard and had a concealed carry permit fired at the maniac. The murderer took his own life without killing further innocent people.

Ohio's concealed carry law requires permit holders to pass a background check and take 10 hours of training before being issued a permit. The history of the law in Ohio and in other states has been excellent. Permit holders do not commit gun crimes. They are the law abiding citizens. I attach a recent article from the Columbus Dispatch attesting to that fact. I also enclose a sheet from the Ohio concealed carry association.

What about your stores? Do you believe that homicidal maniacs or gun-toting robbers will obey your sign? Isn't it more likely that the sign tells them that your store is a better victim and that they will be safer as they commit their crimes on you, your employees, and the public?

In Ohio, one person in eighty has a concealed carry permit. Concealed carry permit holders will likely not shop at your store. You lose their business and the protection. Protection? Yes. If criminals know they may face guns in committing their crimes. They are more likely to think twice. As for the other customers, concealed carry means the weapon is concealed. There is nothing to make other customers uncomfortable, because they will not see any fellow law-abiding citizen's weapon.

I have read comments from criminals. They fear being killed by their victims for more than being killed by the police. In the UK where all guns are banned, 53% of all burglaries are committed with the residents at home ("hot"). In the US, burglars fear that the homes will be defended, so they do a better job of casing the targets. Only 16% of burglaries are "hot." The potential presence of legal guns deters violent crime.

Your signs, placed there with the best of intentions, protect the criminal and leave your customers and your employees at risk. The signs make your stores dangerous for customers and employees alike, because, perversely, it invites gun crimes.

I urge you to remove the sign, which creates the hazard to your customers and your employees. I would like to resume shopping at your stores.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

David Carroll