February 11, 2006

In Defense of Ann Coulter’s CPAC Remarks

Ann's taking flak lately from many Conservative bloggers I admire for her remarks at CPAC. The remark many are discussing is:

Rag-head talks tough, rag-head faces consequences.

There're two parts of this I'd like to discuss. One is the use of the phrase "rag-head." I'll get to that in a minute.

The other is the assertion of the key strategy that, when your enemy attacks you, that enemy must face consequences. At this time Islamofascists are literally threatening to kill Westerners for the use of free speech, and it is of great value to impose consequences on them for doing so. Ann is 100% correct in this. (See this recent post for similar views by Victor Davis Hanson). And, of course, no Conservatives I have seen so far have specifically objected to this assertion in criticizing Ann's remarks.

This leaves the use of the phrase, "rag-head," which many are specifically criticizing. First of all, this shows again how fantastic Western culture is vs. Sharia culture. In Sharia culture, they kill women and children, and few expresse any outrage at all. In Western culture, the mere use of a pejorative phrase to refer to those same killers, evokes protests.

Ann is just showing us how to win. Don't be concerned with the feelings of the people who are trying to kill us, is what she's saying. Offend their feelings purposely, as an immediate consequence of the death threats they make to us. It's all good, sound strategy.

Would I use the same phrase, or a similar one? I would not, because I feel widespread use of such phrases could lead to rabble-rousing and senseless mob behavior; this is very likely the same view held by Ann's critics.

But I see Ann as having things in common with Joan of Arc. She's a leader. She wants the free world to win against the Islamofascists who want to destroy it. We don't have to turn into a rabble, a senseless mob, to achieve that; but offending the feelings of those Islamofascists is not only not to be avoided -- it is also a reasonable part of a successful strategy. 

Do Muslims in the U.S. Seek to Assimilate into Western Culture?

Yesterday's LA TIMES home page showed an opinion piece titled "What Would Mohammad Do?" as one of the 3 most-emailed stories. The author, Jamil Momand, a Muslim who is a professor of biochemistry at Cal State Los Angeles, seems to be on the side of moderate Muslims:

ON FRIDAY, I sat on the carpet listening to the sermon at an L.A. mosque. The topic was expected and familiar: a denunciation of the publication of the offensive cartoons that have had the Muslim world up in arms. I directed my eyes to the carpet so no one could see the disgusted look on my face. "Not again," I thought. "Don't we Muslims ever get tired of complaining?"

The khateeb (the person delivering the sermon) stated that it was not right that Islam was the target of abuse. He said some will go out of their way to disrespect Islam. He said the Muslim community demands an apology, and (thankfully) he called on Muslims to be peaceful and forgiving.

But I found the conclusion of his article jarring:

Some Muslims may say that public opinion does not matter when it comes to Islam. Yet if one examines the life of the prophet Muhammad, one would conclude that he carefully considered public opinion. When he negotiated a treaty with Arabs who were at war with him, he did not insist that his title as "prophet" be placed in the document (this act horrified his companions, to the point where they thought it was sacrilege). Instead, he had his name written as simply Muhammad, the son of Abdulla. This placated his enemy and was essential to successfully concluding the treaty, which gave the Muslims an extended period of peace that allowed them to publicize Islam. In fact, the opportunity the treaty created may be responsible for Islam's existence.

"This placated his enemy and was essential to successfully concluding the treaty, which gave the Muslims an extended period of peace that allowed them to publicize Islam." That's the advice Momand is giving to fellow Muslims. It sounds very much as though he intends for the words, "the enemy", to refer to the free Western world; and as though he's advising fellow Muslims to "placate" us merely so that they can eventually triumph over us.

It doesn't sound like he's advising Muslims who live in the U.S. to assimilate into Western culture; rather, it sounds like he's advising the same policy of non-assimilation, that has led England, France, and much of Europe into the very dangerous situation they currently face.

The GWB Tax Cuts Worked: More Great News on the Economy

From Larry Kudlow:

Economic pessimists have had a field day ever since GDP was reported a week ago at only 1.1 percent for the fourth quarter. But the latest jobs report released on Friday blew them out of the water. Including revisions, January employment is a huge 317,000 above the initial December level. In fact, over the past three months, non-farm payrolls have increased an average 229,000 per month. That's explosive. We're on pace for another 2 million jobs in 2006, following gains of 2 million in 2004 and 2005. Wages are also picking up steam, and with gasoline prices falling, consumer purchasing power and retail sales are climbing.

...Additionally, the Bush administration has just requested another $70 billion for the battlefronts of Iraq and Afghanistan, another $18 billion for Gulf Coast recovery, and $2.3 billion in case the Avian Flu epidemic ever arrives. This is essential spending, but it is also essential that budget makers dig deep for spending offsets. A $400 billion budget-deficit estimate will politically damage the tax-cut case. New House Majority Leader John Boehner must really get moving on the road to budget reform.

If there is no turnaround, overspending and headline deficits will politically crowd out the vital tax-cut extensions that are so necessary to investor, business, and consumer confidence.

The supply-side economic growth plan is working. But the governing GOP coalition must close the circle on budget restraint.

From Tech Central Station:

* The Gross Domestic Product (GDP), a key measure of economic expansion and contraction, increased by 4.3 percent in the third quarter in spite of the devastating hurricanes. Since the second quarter 2003, GDP has grown over 3 percent each quarter.

* The November unemployment rate was 5 percent, where the rate has been hovering since May. (The unemployment rate has since dropped to 4.7% in January).

* Continuing the solid monthly trend in 2004, 215,000 jobs were added to the economy in November.

* Productivity, an indicator of rising living standards, rose more than expected during the third quarter and increased at its highest rate in two years.

* Factory orders and orders for durable goods increased by 2.2 percent and 3.7 percent, respectively, in October.

* A survey of America's leading CEOs, the Business Roundtable's CEO Economic Outlook Survey, showed that they expect "broad strength in the economy moving into 2006." The CEO Economic Outlook Index for December 2005 was at 101.4. The index is "centered on 50, which means anything above 50 is expansion and anything below 50 is contraction."

From Reuters:

The U.S. budget registered a surprisingly big surplus of $20.99 billion in January as strong receipts outweighed spending, a Treasury Department report showed.

The GWB tax cuts worked phenomenally well. Making them permanent will continue to power the economy.

See also these previous posts:

The Tax Cuts Worked-Economic Expansion: Year Five

The Bush Tax Cuts Have Resulted in Higher Tax Revenue

Lower Taxes Make the Economy Stronger

Lower Tax Rates Are Resulting In Higher Tax Revenue

A Myth Debunked: Bush Tax Cuts Did Not Favor the Rich

Tax Cuts Work: Government Forecasting Incorrectly Thought Tax Costs Would Reduce Tax Revenue