Deep thoughts . . .

. . . not by Jack Handy

Barry O

'I CAN'T SPEND ALL OF MY TIME WITH MY BIRTH CERTIFICATE PLASTERED ON MY FOREHEAD'...
- Barry O

I'm not a "Birther," but if he would just show the real certificate, with all of the data rather than the Hawaii abridged version, he could kill the discussion.

Driving in Italy: Italian drivers have me totally amazed. They dote on their families, but most in this area do not take reasonable care to protect them on the road. I see kids in the back with no seat belts, babies riding on mothers' laps, overcrowded cars, and total ignoring of ALL traffic laws. In five months in Italy, I have yet to see one person stop at a stop sign.

Barry O redux: Barry is scheduled to make a speech about how he ended the war in Iraq. I find that rather duplicitous, since the surge is what made the difference, and he was violently opposed to it. However, nothing about Barry O and his rapid about faces surprises me any more.

Katrina redux: The fifth anniversary of the Katrina disaster just passed. Watching again how badly we reacted brought back the pure fury I felt then. By we, I don't mean Bush. I mean Bush and the federal government, Mary Blanco and the state of Louisiana, Ray Nagin and the city of New Orleans. Any idiot watching the tube could see the dire straights of the residents in the Dome and on the overpass. We have amazing resources, but we couldn't get them out of the barn.

Jimmy Carter redux: Wait . . . that's Barry O. Nevermind.

If you've noticed a marked lack of respect for Barry O, it is intentional. I haven't disliked a president so much since Jimmy Carter. Barry makes Bill Clinton look like a hard-core Republican. I simply cannot wait to see him out of office - hopefully in three years.

Now that we're leaving . . .

. . . here's your bridge back.

Thanks, 3/5

Oorah!

Mosque . . .
. . . redux

Earlier, I expressed concerns about the mosque near ground zero. Now, I have more concerns. Again, I do not disagree with the right to build, but rather with the intent.

The developers behind the Islamic center planned for a site near Ground Zero won't rule out accepting financing from the Mideast -- including from Saudi Arabia and Iran -- as they begin searching for $100 million needed to build the project.

When asked if they would then turn to foreign donors, (Oz) Sultan replied, "I can't comment on that."

Pressed on whether the developers were willing to rule out accepting donations from the governments of Saudi Arabia or Iran, he repeated, "I can't comment on that."

While Barry O may be technically correct that he did not overtly support the mosque, he certainly gave that impression by making a rather strong statement at the Iftar dinner. Combine the timing, the location and the audience, and what other conclusion is to be drawn? Couple that with the apparent need to clarify the day after the feces hit the rotary air mover, and it's classic Obama.

Remove foot from mouth. Clarify. Ready, fire, aim.

At least Hamas is on his side.

Vociferous supporters such as New York's Mayor Bloomberg say we should turn the other cheek, be good hosts, and shut up.

Perhaps, but we are running out of cheeks to turn.

On the other hand, maybe the folks who are driving so hard to build this building, regardless of the concerns of a large constituency, should do some introspection themselves.

I say again. Do they have the right? Absollutely. Should they? I say no.

August 6, 1945 . . .

. . . Hiroshima, Japan

This time of the year, various factions in Japan demand apologies, and certain liberal American factions try to force them. I hold both of these groups in the lowest regard.

So did my father, who was on Guam and was otherwise destined for the land invasion of Japan.

So did my cousin, who was rotting as a slave in Japan after surviving Cabanatuan and the Hell Ships.

The events of Palawan, Laha, Banka Island, Bataan, Parit Sulong, Manila, the Burma Railroad, Pearl Harbor, Nanking, Wake Island, Chichi Jima, Camp O'Donnell, and others too numerous to mention, preclude any apologies - ever.

I have concerns . . .

. . . about the mosque near ground zero.

In preface, I will state that I am sickened by the overt displays of bigotry by some of those opposing this project. However, I am still saddened that the project will most likely proceed as planned.

My concern is not about religion, freedom of speech or human rights. It is about common sense and sensitivity.

Let me draw a parallel. Might we establish a Department of Defense school named after Harry Truman in Hiroshima? That would not be well received. Similarly, we decided not send the Truman, Eisenhower or Roosevelt to Japan when the Kitty Hawk was retired. We sent the Washington, becuse we felt to do otherwise would be insensitive.

How magnanamous would it be for the imam of this congregation to say, "We understand the level of emotion associated with ground zero, and out of respect for those feelings, we will locate our mosque elsewhere."

Instead, there is a legal battle forcing the issue. I do not contest the congregation's right to do so, but which approach would be more likely to engender understanding and respect?