Stupid is as Stupid Does

6 Responses to “Stupid is as Stupid Does”

1. the Grit on February 17th, 2008

   Hi Steve,

   There’s no denial on the left, only ignorance. Remember that they don’t really care about facts and logic, only emotion, so they get their news from The Daily Show and Al Sharpton. While this is a fine way to live your life in a society that can afford to carry the dead weight, it’s unfortunate that, in a moment of weakness, we gave these people the right to vote away the very society that makes their existence possible.

   As to the article you list, most excellent. I must, however, point out that this isn’t my fault. I’ve advocated sealing our borders and restricting immigration significantly since the 70s.

   the Grit

   Hi Grit…….and you’re right, I don’t mean you specificially, but us as a country, culture and way of life that has given ourselves over to political correctness and leftist policies in the hope of getting something for nothing…………..steve

2. M2 on February 18th, 2008

   So in lauding Judaism and the European Jews, Rodriguez seems to feel that he must insult and denegrate Muslims?
   His premise is essentially that the “valuable” Jews were traded for the “worthless” Muslims, and he makes this disgusting and irrational point without even recognizing that he is perpetuating the racist dogma spouted by the likes of Hitler and the men under his command.
   He says:

   …we opened our gates to 20 million Muslims, who brought us stupidity and ignorance, religious extremism and lack of tolerance, crime and poverty due to an unwillingness to work and support their families with pride.
   So Jews bring “culture, thought, creativity, and talent,” and contribute to “science, art, international trade,” and “the conscience of the world”, and Muslims bring “stupidity and ignorance, religious extremism and lack of tolerance, crime and poverty,” and contribute “fanatical hatred… destructive skill… backwardness and superstition.” Because, as we all know, people are defined solely by the religion to which they belong? (Which may explain why atheists are, to wit, “undefined.”)

   Are there Muslim fanatics, Muslim terrorists, Muslim leeches on the wealth and prosperity of Europe? Certainly there are. Are there also many talented, creative, thoughtful and brilliant Jews who have contributed to all human endeavors? Likewise, too many to be counted.

   But where the freak does Rodriguez get off suggesting that all of Islamic culture, in practice, is solely about death, crime, filth, and a total lack of any valuable contributions to the human race? There are plenty of Islamic scholars throughout history who have made great contributions to the enlightment of humankind. In fact, while Europe was languishing in the so-called “Dark Ages,” Islamic science and culture was thriving and flourishing. Islam has certainly contributed more than enough to be considered a “valuable” culture by Rodriguez’s standards. Do any of these look familiar?

   1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0

   Where the freak do you think we got these numerals from? How do you think so much of ancient Greek history, literature and science was preserved, except by the tireless efforts of Muslim scholars and translators, who stayed “awake” during Europe’s Dark Age? What about Caliph al-Mamun’s House of Wisdom? What about nearly every scientific or mathematical term that begins with the letters al (like algebra, algorithm, alkali, and so forth) all of which (among many other aspects of our modern vocabulary) are derived from the Arabic words uttered by Muslim scientists and mathematicians like Mohammed ibn-Musa al-Khowarizmi? The concepts of zero and infinity, so important to so much of our modern mathematics, owe far, far more to the East (including Islam, India and the Far East) than they ever have or will to Western civilization, which maintained an irrational fear of the literally irrational for centuries upon centuries. Astronomy, algebra, philosophy, experimental sciences… Islamic culture has contributed a wealth of knowledge to the world, no matter what some of its current misguided adherents are doing.

   The point is simple: yes, many Jews have made wonderful contributions to our species; however, many Muslims have also made great contributions to our species. And correspondingly, there have been malefactors, psychotics, and just plain a$$holes on both sides of that particular fence, as with any two cultures you might like to pick.

   It is popular, particularly on the right-wing, for folks nowadays to paint all Jews as “good guys,” owing to the relentless persecution and despair they have endured for a few thousand years (though many of these far-right folks are just playing nice to get the 120,000 Jews they need for the Rapture). It is just as popular to paint all Muslims as “bad guys,” owing to the modern-day activities of some screwed up Muslim zealots in the past few decades.

   But the simple fact is: lumping every member of a specific religion into a “good” or “evil” category is, simply, idiotic and unrealistic.

   Take the position that people (individually and in groups) should be judged on their words and deeds, and not by the words and deeds of others who claim membership in the same group. There are some abominable Muslims out there; there are also some bright, charming, happy, optimistic and peaceful Muslims out there, and we’re not about to call them abominable just because they share some beliefs (though not all) with the actual abominable Muslims. There are some brilliant, creative, benevolent and generous Jews in the world; and there are also some ravenously psychotic & abominable Jews, whom we’re not about to call “good” simply because they cover their heads and read the Torah.

   We should all be disheartened by the fact that Rodriguez, in trying to make a decent point about the horrible loss incurred by European reluctance to interfere with the Holocaust, felt the need to find some target to replace the Jews, completely disregarding the fact that such a blanket belief in the consistency of character within one sect or clan was exactly what enabled the Europeans to disregard the Jews so generally in the first place. That’s just sad. It’s silly to throw out a whole basket just because of a few cracked eggs.

   Absolutely agree with the first position Rodriguez takes (the Jews in Europe had much to contribute, and the outright persecution on the part of some Europeans, and apathy on the part of others, led to the deaths of many Jews who may well have otherwise had a huge impact on the course of human history. The Holocaust was an unforgivable act, and all of those responsible for it) directly or indirectly & share in the blame for the atrocious acts committed during the Axis’ push for power; and not just those acts committed against Jews, but those against blacks, gypsies, gays and so many other ethnic and sociocultural groups.

   There… A rant relating to this BS article you’ve referenced by some possibly fictitious and probably irrelevant “Sebastian Vilar Rodriguez” (although obviously some feverish mind produced it)…
   I am amazed that people (In America, mostly right wing-nuts… so an agenda can be attached thus… I’m actually not amazed) are continuing to forward this passage to others with the blatant implication that, in a nutshell, “all Jews are better than all Muslims.”

   P.S. - A rant relating to the fact that NSL is referencing this moronic & myopic piece of crap while hoping to further enrage said wing-nuts & thus proclaim democrats inane will have to wait…

   M2……Whoa, I guess your general point is correct however I think you over simplify the diminishment of the culpability of this group in general when you look at the statistics of those that agree in principal with the objectives and means of Jihad. It certainly isn’t as nominal as ordinary deviant activity in any other class or group. I guess I am saying yes the Jews, whites, blacks, Indians, French, and I’m running out of ideas here…..have bad actors, it is in numbers that is statistically predictable. When you measure the bad actors in the Muslim world it is significantly greater. I have personal friends that are Muslims and I’m going to Orlando next week to visit one named Ahmed that we call Eddie and no this guy isn’t a threat or a bad actor, but even he recognizes that such threat runs too deep among his own people. And yes they have made great contributions to the world over the ages, but let’s not confuse that with the overwhelmingly massively greater contribution of the Jews on a per capita basis, which even exceeds what we call white Anglo-Saxon Americans by a large degree. But that is not to argue bias, but to recognize statistics.

   Rodrigez does on closer examination indict a whole class over the conduct of a minority, but it should be recognize that this minority is a much more significant minority than similar evaluation of other groups would suggest and we derive that information from their own responses to multiple surveys. As I have stated here on NSL that the more devout and less back slid a Muslim is the more likely he is to fall into Rodrigez’s stereotype. This is by no accident, though it may seem that way. You only have to peruse the Koran to understand why……….steve

3. Barbara (Xerraire) on February 29th, 2008

   Strong words Rodriguez wrote.

   I too, have walked the streets of Barcelona to find, “Halocausto es Mentira”

   ( “The Halocaust is a lie”)

   I was very very young then and it made a huge impression on me.
   Perhaps it was that same year I saw rare film footage of Germans marching into Holland.

   Strong article.
   My guess is, he called it as he saw it.

4. bob agard on March 1st, 2008

   Thank you for this post. I am going to post it, too.

5. M2 on March 3rd, 2008

   A little late Bob… This BS has been in circulation since 2004 at the very latest
   (sorry Steve, Spain / May 07 is a farce)…
   From what I know this is at least round three.
   Better late than never though…
   & have you posted that picture of BHO in Kenya 2006 wearing some traditional garb? That gets everyone all in a panic as well… so by all means, do so if you haven’t!

   Pay no attention at all to the common sense contained in my initial reply… Momentary loss of good judgement on my part.

   M2……….I think you might be mistaken here, as I understand it (without checking) I believe you’ll find the BHO picture from Kenya over at the HRc website. Concerning the 2004 date, you are correct. 2004 not 2007, (and it should be clarified that it was in November not May) but the content references acts from the 40’s so not so sure how this distinction makes it germane.

   Also, you seem to confuse “isms” with “conditions.” You previous comments suggest that somehow an evaluation of Islamic Culture is equivalent to evaluation of other classes of people and some sort of prejudice discrimination against those groups such as black, Latino, gay/lesbian(though I won’t concede this point) and gender. Society is wrong to denigrate a class of people based on their God given attributes, but when it comes to voluntary “isms” and associations I don’t think your argument holds up. I am a Christian because I choose to be, I am a white male because God chose that for me. If there was something about what I choose in my life that you find objectionable you could fairly comment (and you do such as conservatism, Republicans, neo cons, etc and if you take the lead from BHO’s wife you would have to include corporate America per se in the same breath.). If I was associated with the Klan I suppose you criticize that on a broad across the board basis. If I was a member of the Nation if Islam I suppose some would criticize that and it wouldn’t be a function of their prejudice or sense of unfairness. To criticize the aspects of a person or group based on their being is a pure and simple ad hominine attack. To criticize someone’s voluntary viewpoints, beliefs, associations or isms is fair game. Criticism of Muslims as Muslims is not the type of hostile and negative and Neanderthal ad hominine discrimination your initial comment on this thread suggests. Founders of groups or Religions define their movement and others subscribe to such tenants and we are free to criticize and disdain the outcome of such work. We did it with the KKK and many others.

   You seem to find the criticism of Islam as a repugnant thing. I disagree here. I said to you before that such feelings are based on a Pollyanna view of the question. Christianity is what Christ said it is and Islam is what Mohammed says it is and the murderous, Jihadist and exclusiveness of that religion is published in their writings and those members of their ranks that don’t subscribe to such radical views are the apostates. To reference and comment on results of Islam (in Europe in this case) is not the same as attacking a people group as you would like your comments to suggest not withstanding the contribution of the Arabic numbering system from nationalities that are predominate in this religion…steve

6. Ham on April 6th, 2008

   Whoa, stevereenie. Stepped into a hornets nest here didn’t ya?

   Bottom line, I think you summed it up correctly by stating the nature of the Religion is the nature of the founder.

   Christ taught love, forgiveness, temperance, peace, redemption through him. Christ only got angry only once and overturned some chairs and tables. Christ kept the whore from being stoned.

   Mohammed taught conversion by force, that non-believers should be killed or taxed. Mo got angry lots of times and lead his religion from the sharp edge of a sword. Mohammed teaches to stone the whore.

   Hi Ham,

   Thanks for the note. Short and Simple, you are correct here since it obviously must be said……….steve

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