Islam, Catholicism, Irrelevant In 21st Century?

You would not believe how bad the Iranian mullahs have their shorts in a wad over this picture. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Elena FriasWord coming out of Iran is this picture shows that Ahmadinejad has violated Islamic tradition. Apparently comforting a grieving mother is a sin. Islam forbids men from touching women who are not members of their direct family. What’s up with that?

According to The Telegraph, Mohammad Taghi Rahbar, the Friday prayer leader of Iran’s second city, Isfahan, told Mehr news agency that Ahmadinejad had “lost control”.

Some observers say this is attack is politically motivated because elections are coming up this summer. It may be politically motivated. Is it Iran being idiotic, or Islam being idiotic? Or some of each?

“Islam is on the way to irrelevancy if they don’t start including women, and certainly people of other color, and ultimately homosexuals.” Yeah, this according to Sally Quinn of the Washington Post. There is this one caveat. She was referring to the Catholic Church and Catholicism, not Islam. Do you think she, or any member of the news media for that matter, would ever say that about Islam? Christianity, that’s fair game.

Link: Iran’s Ahmadinejad blasted for consoling Chavez’s mother

Alternate Universe Defined

Daily Beast and Newsweek contributor Michael Tomasky defines the Left’s alternate universe in one sentence. On advising Obama on how he should respond to the “deficit hawks” over House Budget Committee Chair Paul Ryan’s budget (that the president should listen to advice from the media is another topic), Tomasky says, “Obama should ignore them—and make it clear that jobs, not deficits, are his main priority.”

The alternate reality is that the only thing we’ve seen grow since Obama took office is deficits and debt. Not jobs. Which for normal people, begs the question whether Obama is sincere, lying, or has a clue on how to create jobs in the private sector? The left-leaning media, like Obama, don’t care about deficits and the national debt. In fact, reducing the national debt and arriving at a balanced budget isn’t in Obama’s proposed budget. And that alone should be cause for concern.

The reality is that Obama’s policies and deficit expansion have only worsened unemployment and expanded the need for government help. It doesn’t matter that he says jobs are his main priority. He’s been saying that since before his first inauguration. Both he, and Mr. Tomasky are of the belief that we can spend our way to prosperity and borrow our way out of debt. How’s that working for you? The reality is, the only way either of those things will turn around is by turning loose this economy and let it grow, instead of sapping the blood from it and holding it back. That’s when real jobs, not government jobs, will be created.

Note too that the Left has a word for being responsible with the people’s money. If you think that the government should not spend more than it takes in, then you’re a deficit hawk. Which ostensibly must be as bad as a defense hawk or war hawk. It follows that you’re a deficit dove (or ignoramus) if you think money grows on trees and can spend and borrow as much as you want, with no limit whatsoever. Which label do you think the low information voters identify with?

Link: How Obama Should Respond to Ryan

Behavioral Rehabilitation For Fido

After reading a disturbing story about a couple arrested on animal cruelty charges for starving their animals to death, and not given any jail time for it, there is this one that shows some hope for humanity. Something new, a Behavioral Rehabilitation Center for animals that are victims of abuse. Animals that, absent rehabilitative treatment, would likely face euthanasia.

People want their dog to be a friend, not afraid. But sometimes, fear grips dogs so tightly they shake, cower, bite, growl or pee. It can be constant, painful and hard to overcome. Such dread can consume a dog when it’s freed from a cage at a puppy mill or hoarder’s home because that’s the only life the dog has ever known.

Link:  Woman won’t get jail time in pit bull abuse case | New Center Offers Help for Dogs Consumed by Fear  |  Tools for Fighting Cruelty