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[speculawyer]

I'm scared of people called Muhammad because RADICAL MUSLIMS TAKING OVER

- A person with sensible views​

All these damn Irish and Messicans gonna hand America over to the Pope

I am done with US if Jorge is the fastest growing name here. We are no longer free.

Hey guys . . . I can't deal with the substantive arguments so let me pretend this is racism and afraid of a particular name. Herp Derp.

I expect better from you guys.

 

[Black Mamba]

Kansas Tea Party supporters are threatening to sit out the state’s pivotal Senate election, potentially dealing another blow to the reelection hopes of Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.).

Though schisms within the GOP base rarely have such an outsized impact on a general election contest, the lack of support from the conservative base could be devastating to the vulnerable Roberts’s chances against surging independent Greg Orman.

Multiple sources tell The Hill that a group of Tea Party leaders in the state are meeting Wednesday to try to decide whether they should go to bat for the incumbent this fall or sit out of the race entirely.

Aware of the vulnerabilities it faces, the Roberts campaign has been engaged in a full-court press to mend fences with conservatives over the past few weeks and regain some of the trust lost during the bitter primary fight against radiologist Milton Wolf, whom the senator beat by a closer-than expected margin.

“It all comes back to whether or not there’s an agreement reached. I don’t know if there’s going to be,” said Steve Shute, a city councilman in Gardner, Kan., and Tea Party activist.

“The longer this delays, to find results, the greater risk there is that Kansas turns blue or purple,” said Shute, who’s been acting as a moderator between conservatives and the campaigns of Roberts and Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback (R).

Ever since Democratic nominee Chad Taylor was removed from the ballot, giving Orman a one-on-one shot at toppling the GOP senator, the Roberts campaign has been parading Republican establishment and Tea Party figures through the state to help boost the struggling Roberts.

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) campaigned for him last week and he nabbed the endorsement of rising conservative star Ben Carson on Tuesday. Sources also tell The Hill that Roberts bringing Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) in to stump for him next month, another figure with serious conservative clout.

But for disaffected Tea Partyers in the state, it might not be enough. Many were livid over Palin’s decision to campaign for Roberts, saying she should have reached out to grassroots supporters beforehand.

The endorsements, they say, won’t convince them Roberts is worth saving. Conservatives want to secure a number of commitments from the campaigns of both Roberts and Brownback, who faces his own tough reelection fight.

The Wednesday gathering will follow a two-hour-long meeting and conference call Friday that took place between junior-level representatives from Brownback’s campaign, Roberts’s campaign, state party executive director Clay Barker and about 10 conservative activists and Tea Party leaders, organized by the state party chairman at the request of Shute.

“We talked through a lot of issues, a lot of items, and it was for the most part civil, cordial and, I think, constructive,” Shute said of the Friday meeting.

In large part, the Tea Party’s demands center on the investigation launched by a Kansas medical ethics board into Wolf’s controversial postings of patient X-Rays and off-color commentary to his Facebook page, which helped sink his campaign when the details of the posts and the investigation were leaked to the press. Conservatives believe the leaks and the probe were politically motivated, and an inappropriate use of a state agency to knock out a political candidate.

“They’ve just done some nasty, ugly, backhanded stuff here and things they shouldn’t be doing, and it’s a frightful despotism,” Rob Wood, another conservative activist engaged in the negotiations, told The Hill.

Shute declined to confirm the parameters of the demands from conservatives, but conversations with members of both wings of the party indicate that they include, but aren’t limited to, Brownback intervening to dismiss the ethics investigation into Wolf.

Conservatives are also demanding Anne Hodgdon, a member of the state organization that launched the investigation — and who conservatives believe not only triggered the investigation but leaked the news of it to the press —be removed from her post and barred from ever working again in any state agency.

In addition, they’re calling for the resignation of top Kansas GOP officials and for the state party to adopt a resolution declaring that if Roberts doesn’t complete all six years of his next term, Wolf would be named his replacement. And they want Kansas to institute a runoff primary, as well as for state party leaders to agree to meet more often with conservatives.

One of the Brownback representatives engaged in the Friday talk also met with Shute on Tuesday for lunch to continue discussing a potential compromise.

Privately, members of the Brownback and Roberts campaigns and state party officials have scoffed at the list of demands, which they see as at best baseless and at worst illegal, like the call for Brownback to call off the investigation.

But Kansas conservatives warn they should heed their demands, lest Roberts lose the race due to dissatisfaction within the base.

Wood said conservatives are “outraged” at what he called the “nuclear options” used by the establishment in Mississippi and Kansas to defend incumbents facing primary challenges.

He declined to confirm any planned or past meetings, but did say he and others have expressed their concerns to the campaigns and want an answer soon — or else.

“We’re giving [the Roberts campaign] every opportunity to win this race if they want it, but they’re running out of time,” said Wood. “If they get it done by the end of this week we could hit the ground and get it done.”

Roberts’s staff and even the senator himself have been reaching out to Tea Party activists in the state with personal phone calls.

“Like any campaign, we have been actively reaching out to grassroots leaders across the state,” said Roberts campaign manager Corry Bliss, who noted the prominent endorsements and said conservatives are “rallying” around Roberts.

“We are all united on the most important issue of this election, making sure Republicans gain control of the Senate — and that can’t happen without reelecting Pat Roberts.”

Some activists in the state, however, aren’t convinced.

“Here in the state of Kansas we are still mightily peeved at Pat Roberts, his staff and everybody on the campaign,” Kansas Tea Party supporter Chuck Henderson told The Hill during a Saturday phone conversation.

Henderson said conservatives feel that they were “abused badly during the entire campaign” because Roberts only showed a fleeting interest in their concerns when it was clear their frustration with him could jeopardize his hold on his seat.

“And now people are beginning to get phone calls from staffers begging us to come in and help him out,” Henderson scoffed.

He added, in disbelief, “And after all of the meanness and nastiness, for Sarah to show up and just declare the Tea Party is supporting him?”

Some have begun to express a begrudging willingness to support Roberts if control of the Senate comes down to Kansas.

Henderson said conservatives see Orman, the independent, as a clear “liberal Democrat, and the risk of Republicans losing the Senate could cause conservatives to “hold our nose and vote for Roberts.” He said that, regardless, he “will not lift a finger for him” to get out the vote.

If Kansas isn’t key to Senate control, however, Henderson said there’s no question conservatives will stay home.

“Our consideration is, if Republicans don’t need him [to hold the Senate], to let him swing in the wind,” he said.

http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/senate-races/219400-tea-party-revolt-puts-kansas-at-risk


HAHAHA. Cut off your nose to spite your face, morons.

Tea Party unhappy with politics vow to undo Roberts campaign if illegal demands aren't met, bwahaha.

You can't make this shit up. GOP can't control their monsters.

 

[JesseEwiak]

Hey guys . . . I can't deal with the substantive arguments so let me pretend this is racism and afraid of a particular name. Herp Derp.

I expect better from you guys.

So, are you saying people against immigration reform are just afraid of all those Latino gang members and thus, we should listen to them?

 

[NYCmetsfan]

I don't know? You have a weird obsession with killing my buzz, you know that?

Its more about me. I'm keeping my expectations low

And it was RVs

http://media.townhall.com/townhall/blog/gravisthpoll00107.pdf

 

[Aaron Strife]

Its more about me. I'm keeping my expectations low

And it was RVs

http://media.townhall.com/townhall/blog/gravisthpoll00107.pdf

Fair enough. I still dare to dream.

Still sour on Kansas? Not much Roberts can do imo. He's been trying the "he's a Democrat!" schtick and it hasn't stuck.

 

[NYCmetsfan]

Fair enough. I still dare to dream.

Still sour on Kansas? Not much Roberts can do imo. He's been trying the "he's a Democrat!" schtick and it hasn't stuck.

I'm getting more optimistic. Still haven't seen as many polls as I'd like with out the Dem.

I'll start feeling good about it in about a week, if we get like 3-4 polls.

 

[Oblivion]

Meh, thinking about it, while Republican governors are of course, complete shitheads, do we really want a Democrat to be elected?

Yes, I'm totally serious.

Most of these states have Republicans legislatures and there is no doubt in mind they will be just as shitty and douchey as the Republicans in congress. This would only serve to hurt the Democrats in power.

 

[Black Mamba]

Meh, thinking about it, while Republican governors are of course, complete shitheads, do we really want a Democrat to be elected?

Yes, I'm totally serious.

Most of these states have Republicans legislatures and there is no doubt in mind they will be just as shitty and douchey as the Republicans in congress. This would only serve to hurt the Democrats in power.

If you lived in those states, you'd disagree.

Would you rather have Romney over Obama right now?

 

[thezerofire]

College Republican National Committee: Say Yes To Rick Scott


.... I have no words. It has to be fake, right? I mean, the "Republicans are People too" thing was absurd and a little bit creepy, but this is just... just.... wow.

“the generation that has their earbuds in and their minds turned off.” is pretty offensive

 

[RustyNails]

Hey guys . . . I can't deal with the substantive arguments so let me pretend this is racism and afraid of a particular name. Herp Derp.

I expect better from you guys.

Here's your "substantive argument": "Guyz I am scared of the name Muhammad rising, and here are some scary looking Muslims with Anjem Choudhary"

How should anyone respond to that. Bill Maher has got you by the balls in his fearmania.

 

[CHEEZMO™]

Amarabia soon.

 

[kehs]

And Director Resigns.

On Wednesday morning, Ms. Pierson met with Jeh C. Johnson, the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, the agency that oversees the Secret Service. In a statement, Mr. Johnson said that he had accepted Ms. Pierson’s resignation, and that he had appointed Joseph Clancy, a former agent in charge of the Presidential Protective Division, to become the agency’s acting director.

Mr. Clancy was in charge of the presidential detail the night in November 2009 when Michaele and Tareq Salahi, then a married couple, managed to get past Secret Service checkpoints for President Obama’s first state dinner without being on the guest list.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/02/us/julia-pierson-secret-service.html

 

[WayneMorse]

nvm

 

[Aaron Strife]

Begich might just get a break in Alaska. An investigation has found his opponent (Dan Sullivan) has been lying about his residence since 1997 in order to claim Maryland tax breaks. Oops.

Big Dog Clinton speech used as an ad in Kentucky

 

[speculawyer]

Here's your "substantive argument": "Guyz I am scared of the name Muhammad rising, and here are some scary looking Muslims with Anjem Choudhary"

The name 'Muhammad' is clearly a proxy for more Muslims. And lots of Muslims want laws outlawing blasphemy, don't want to teach evolution, attack cartoonists, have very sexist views, etc. This are political goals that I do not agree with. It is not just a matter of extremists, it is these types of things that are also a problem. So a rising number of Muslims does worry me.

How should anyone respond to that. Bill Maher has got you by the balls in his fearmania.

No, I have a well-grounded fact-based view the situation. Whether you like it not (and I know you don't), there is a guy with London accent running around in the desert cutting the heads off reporters and aid workers. That is not good.

What you should say is "I share your concern with these extremists (which you do). I think this is a problem the Muslim community should work on."

What you should not do is say "Hey spec . . . you are racist! You are the problem here, not those extremists."

If the left were to adopt our the way you are treating me, they would start losing a LOT of elections. I'm not the problem . . . the extremists are. And I want things done on every level to prevent them from growing. Stop people from joining them. Kill active terrorists. Get people in the community to report on the extremists. And ignoring the problem and acting like it does not exist will only let it grow.

We are at a bit of a crossroads here . . . right now, the Tories in the UK are trying to bring up bans of people and organizations. I don't think that is the right way to go but if we ignore these issues, that type of remedy is going to become more popular in Europe. If the more moderate parties don't deal with this issue then the farther right parties are going to win elections. Both in Europe and in the USA.

I'm glad Obama has decided to step up and attack ISIS. I'm glad he has formed a coalition with some Sunni nations to address these extremists. And I'm happy that Hillary Clinton seems to be even more hawkish on these matters since I think that will help her in a presidential election.

 

[JesseEwiak]

The name 'Muhammad' is clearly a proxy for more Muslims. And lots of Muslims want laws outlawing blasphemy, don't want to teach evolution, attack cartoonists, have very sexist views, etc. This are political goals that I do not agree with. It is not just a matter of extremists, it is these types of things that are also a problem. So a rising number of Muslims does worry me.


No, I have a well-grounded fact-based view the situation. Whether you like it not (and I know you don't), there is a guy with London accent running around in the desert cutting the heads off reporters and aid workers. That is not good.

What you should say is "I share your concern with these extremists (which you do). I think this is a problem the Muslim community should work on."

What you should not do is say "Hey spec . . . you are racist! You are the problem here, not those extremists."

If the left were to adopt our the way you are treating me, they would start losing a LOT of elections. I'm not the problem . . . the extremists are. And I want things done on every level to prevent them from growing. Stop people from joining them. Kill active terrorists. Get people in the community to report on the extremists. And ignoring the problem and acting like it does not exist will only let it grow.

We are at a bit of a crossroads here . . . right now, the Tories in the UK are trying to bring up bans of people and organizations. I don't think that is the right way to go but if we ignore these issues, that type of remedy is going to become more popular in Europe. If the more moderate parties don't deal with this issue then the farther right parties are going to win elections. Both in Europe and in the USA.

I'm glad Obama has decided to step up and attack ISIS. I'm glad he has formed a coalition with some Sunni nations to address these extremists. And I'm happy that Hillary Clinton seems to be even more hawkish on these matters since I think that will help her in a presidential election.

In other words, a whole swath of people who pray to a specific God should pay for the sins of the acts of a small minority?

 

[PhoenixDark]

Don't most Muslims believe adulterers and those who leave the Muslim faith should be killed? And a large percent are fine with honor killings. Yeah. Whether you want to call it an ugly religion or ugly people, it doesn't matter to me. And I'd say the same about Christianity, especially Law/Old Testament denominations.

 

[CHEEZMO™]

What percentage of the US population is even Muslim? Must be high if IMMINENT SHARIAH is something to worry about. I bet this huge voting bloc support super-regressive parties, too.

 

[Avon Barksdale]

Muslims aren't even 1 percent of the U.S. population.

 

[CHEEZMO™]

Muslims aren't even 1 percent of the U.S. population.

 

[East Lake]

I didn't know Ron was trying to get some of that cosnpiracy money.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XABWejTQPo8&list=UUvsye7V9psc-APX6wV1twLg

 

[Retro]

“the generation that has their earbuds in and their minds turned off.” is pretty offensive

Pretty much. And this is coming from the chairman of the College Republican National Committee, which is "the nation’s oldest, largest, and most active youth political organization." These guys have one job, to appeal to young voters, and that's the line they use publicly? How contemptuous are they of young voters behind closed doors?

That's not even digging into how offensive it is to appeal to female voters with pretty dresses and reality television tropes. Everything from the contrast of the stuffy old mom (crazy hair, antagonistic tone, moronic bouncing / clapping) and wedding planner (contemporary hairstyle, smartly dressed), the token African American best friend...the complete lack of subtlety (actually calling the dresses by candidates' names and accessories as political statements? Really?) is just... staggering.

It's like they've hired a caricature artist to do their official portrait.

Also, more fun: The "Republicans are Black" woman (the only African American in the entire video, mind you) from the "Republicans are totally not inhuman monsters People Too!" ad is stock photography. Not unusual to use stock photography for these sort of things, but if you're trying to make a point of saying "This is what a Republican looks like", you probably shouldn't... you know... fake it (or at least be ambiguous, the model might not even be American, let alone Republican).

 

[pigeon]

The name 'Muhammad' is clearly a proxy for more Muslims. And lots of Muslims want laws outlawing blasphemy, don't want to teach evolution, attack cartoonists, have very sexist views, etc.

This is all true about Christians as well, who vastly outnumber Muslims in the US and UK. So this concern seems a little bit ridiculous to me. You should be much more worried about the ongoing popularity of the name Christopher.

 

[TastyOreoFriend]

I take full credit

Still need to see more polls. One poll can be an outlier and I don't expect to see the race be that far in one direction.

Oh it'll be a closer race than it should no doubt, considering Rick Scotts Record. This is just the first poll I've seen in awhile where Crist was starting to edge him out if only a little. Charlie Crist has run a pretty shitty campaign versus Rick Scott who already wasn't popular here to begin with.

One difference is that celiac disease actually exists. Whereas most of the food we've eaten for centuries plus has been "genetically modified" by some standards making it an insanely broad term unlike gluten.

I'd be more behind GMO's if it wasn't Monsanto behind a lot of the larger research. They sue farmers who use save their seeds from their GMO grown vegetables seeds if they don't pay them. Makes me feel dirty.

But yeah Gluten free diets are legit if you don't suffer from celiac disease. Any other benefits seen if you don't have it are merely from cutting out processed food and watching your diet more.

 

[benjipwns]

This is all true about Christians as well, who vastly outnumber Muslims in the US and UK. So this concern seems a little bit ridiculous to me. You should be much more worried about the ongoing popularity of the name Christopher.

Benjamin means son of the south in Hebrew and there arose an Israeli Tribe of Benjamin. He was originally going to be naned the son of pain according to the Torah.

A shortened name for Benjamin is Ben.

The powder of ibn Ghazi "renders the unseen visible, opening terrifying vistas of reality and our frightful position therein. Powder of Ibn Ghazi has been trusted for centuries for revealing the invisible under conditions of extreme duress, and should be used with great caution."

The city was called Marsa ibn Ghazi before the Ottomans.

Once again, all the evidence, all the roads, lead to Benghazi.

We need to continue the investigation to find out how to stop the son of pain from opening a terrifying vista of reality.

 

[zero shift]

Don't most Muslims believe adulterers and those who leave the Muslim faith should be killed? And a large percent are fine with honor killings. Yeah. Whether you want to call it an ugly religion or ugly people, it doesn't matter to me. And I'd say the same about Christianity, especially Law/Old Testament denominations.

It isn't that hiveminded. It's only the majority in six countries (probably 8 if you include the totalitarian nations known as Iran and Saudi Arabia). Plenty of places have very little support for that such as Tunisia, Lebanon, and Indonesia.

Taken as a whole the Muslim world certainly is behind the rest of the world, but it isn't anywhere near a giant ISIS circle jerk.

 

[thepotatoman]

“the generation that has their earbuds in and their minds turned off.” is pretty offensive

It would be absolutely hilarious if that's what the quote was, but the true quote is a lot more boring.

“How do you reach the generation that has their earbuds in and their minds turned off to traditional advertising?” she said. “It’s our goal to start the conversation by presenting ourselves in a culturally relevant way.”

I would say that, in context, it's actually pretty accurate.

 

[thezerofire]

It would be absolutely hilarious if that's what the quote was, but the true quote is a lot more boring.



I would say that, in context, it's actually pretty accurate.

that is a bit better

 

[JesseEwiak]

It isn't that hiveminded. It's only the majority in six countries (probably 8 if you include the totalitarian nations known as Iran and Saudi Arabia). Plenty of places have very little support for that such as Tunisia, Lebanon, and Indonesia.

Taken as a whole the Muslim world certainly is behind the rest of the world, but it isn't anywhere near a giant ISIS circle jerk.

It's almost like a lot of the support for horrible things is based on ancient tribal and cultural customs of the region and not the religion.

 

[Lucky Forward]

Also, more fun: The "Republicans are Black" woman (the only African American in the entire video, mind you) from the "Republicans are totally not inhuman monsters People Too!" ad is stock photography.http://thedailybanter.com/2014/09/republicans-new-black-friend-either-stock-photo-interesting-day/ Not unusual to use stock photography for these sort of things, but if you're trying to make a point of saying "This is what a Republican looks like", you probably shouldn't... you know... fake it (or at least be ambiguous, the model might not even be American, let alone Republican).

Even better...

The Republicans In 'Republicans Are People Too' Ad Are All Stock Photos

 

[Wilsongt]

Even better...

The Republicans In 'Republicans Are People Too' Ad Are All Stock Photos

They couldn't find enough old, white men to be in the commercial.

 

[Mario]

Even better...

The Republicans In 'Republicans Are People Too' Ad Are All Stock Photos

I had guessed that was the case the first time I watched it, and imagined it would come back to haunt them.

 

[NYCmetsfan]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYRlchb9R4c

 

[Aaron Strife]

DSCC: Internal poll shows Braley leading Ernst 47-46

 

[pigeon]

DSCC: Internal poll shows Braley leading Ernst 47-46

That's not a good poll for Braley if it's an internal

 

[NYCmetsfan]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikV1906afbM]

 

[Oblivion]

Don't most Muslims believe adulterers and those who leave the Muslim faith should be killed?

Funny story. Back several years ago, my mom was living in Ohio with my brother while I was in L.A. I was talking to her on the phone one day (this was probably 3 or 4 years after she left) and being away from each other so long, my mom, being a naturally super conservative muslim woman, was worried about all the depravity and debauchery that I most likely would have fallen into without her guidance.

During that conversation, she asked me how much I believed in Allah. This is more or less the equivalent of asking "how many people have you murdered?". Realizing this was a stupid question, I jokingly (though not really) said "about 75%". Needless to say, the madre flipped her shit. She claimed that technically she wasn't even supposed to be speaking to me by this point and the Qu'ran said I'm supposed to be killed at some point.

Now, she seemed like she was being both serious and non-serious with that comment as she has a tendency to say similar things (minus the whole killing thing) when it comes to other manners. After that she hung up and didn't speak to me for like two weeks I think. She calls me out of the blue and was like "Hey son...think you could help me out on my rent?". Oddly enough she never mentioned that other stuff ever again.

 

[PhoenixDark]

James O'Keefe is gonna work in somebody's DOJ one day.

 

[B-Dubs]

James O'Keefe is gonna work in somebody's DOJ one day.

I would assume being arrested and pleading guilty to wiretapping a Senator would disqualify him from a government job.

 

[Oblivion]

Also, too. No one in my family (aside from me and that's currently a secret) has converted away from Islam before, however there are quite a few people who have committed adultery, oddly enough, and they all seem to be alive and well so far.

 

[Wilsongt]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYRlchb9R4c

I would be surprised if I didn't know Doocy was a cerified, card carrying idiot.

Speaking of idiots:

Former Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA) on Tuesday suggested that women don't actually care about issues like equal pay and contraception.

During an appearance on Fox News' "The Real Story," host Gretchen Carlson asked Brown about accusations made by his opponent in the New Hampshire Senate race, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH).

"Your opponent, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, she recently issued this statement on your record on women's issues. 'He doesn't stand up for women's reproductive rights and economic security. He co-sponsored legislation to deny women coverage for birth control or even mammograms. Had he two opportunities to vote for equal pay laws and both times voted no.' How do you respond to her claim?" Carlson asked.

"Well, unfortunately, I'm talking about issues that people care about," Brown responded.

 

[NYCmetsfan]

Islam /= islamism and I think spec mixes that and when you come from the maher type atheism you tend to conflate the two far too much.

 

[theprodigy]

I would be surprised if I didn't know Doocy was a cerified, card carrying idiot.

Speaking of idiots:

:lol this guy

 

[RustyNails]

Don't most Muslims believe adulterers and those who leave the Muslim faith should be killed? And a large percent are fine with honor killings. Yeah. Whether you want to call it an ugly religion or ugly people, it doesn't matter to me. And I'd say the same about Christianity, especially Law/Old Testament denominations.

Do you know the biggest country that commits honor killings per capita? India, which is majority Hindu. How come you never hear about it? Here, this one happened yesterday. Do you now think Indians are "ugly people" too? "Large percent" of Muslims are not fine with honor killings. Not sure where you're getting your information from. How often have you heard of honor killings from Indonesia? Or Malaysia? Two largest predominantly Muslim countries in the world. Read this

With the exception of Iran, laws which allow for ‘honour’ killing are not derived from Islamic precepts, but from the penal codes of the Napoleonic Empire which legislated for crimes of ‘passion.’ Such laws have come under sustained opposition from women’s rights activists leading to some reforms

Adultery is impossible to prove in Shariah without confession or if it's an orgy, and Apostasy has been historically tied with allegiance to the Muslim state. It's been less than 100 years since the Muslim Caliphate was abolished, followed by different regions in the Caliphate colonized by the great Imperial powers and other "enlightened" western countries.

 

[KingK]

I've been an atheist since I was 10 years old and don't have many positive opinions of any religion, but I agree with Rusty that Bill Maher is a fucking asshole and comes off as a raging racist whenever he talks about Muslims.

Newsflash: people in fucked up third world countries with terrible poverty and autocratic regimes tend to have some ass-backwards views. I have little doubt something similar to extreme Islamism would still be around in the scenario where the middle east was majority Christian, Jew, Buddhist, Pastafarian, Atheist, or whatever.

Also, regarding racial profiling of Muslims; it is my understanding that a large amount of terrorist plots are foiled by members of the Muslim community reporting things to the authorities. If racially profiling against black people has taught us anything, it's that it's a great way to get a community to be more cooperative and supportive of the police, right?!

Islam /= islamism and I think spec mixes that and when you come from the maher type atheism you tend to conflate the two far too much.

Agreed.

 

[RustyNails]

The name 'Muhammad' is clearly a proxy for more Muslims. And lots of Muslims want laws outlawing blasphemy, don't want to teach evolution, attack cartoonists, have very sexist views, etc. This are political goals that I do not agree with. It is not just a matter of extremists, it is these types of things that are also a problem. So a rising number of Muslims does worry me.

The rising number of Moozlums should not worry you, as vast majority of them don't want to slit your throat. You're talking about Evolution, but I'm 100% sure you lumped it with similar points of contentions Christianity faces without doing any research on the rich history of evolution theory from Muslims.

One should then take a look at the world of creation. It started out from the minerals and progressed, in an ingenious, gradual manner, to plants and animals. The last stage of minerals is connected with the first stage of plants, such as herbs and seedless plants. The last stage of plants, such as palms and vines, is connected with the first stage of animals, such as snails and shellfish which have only the power of touch. The word 'connection' with regard to these created things means that the last stage of each group is fully prepared to become the first stage of the newest group.

The animal world then widens, its species become numerous, and, in a gradual process of creation, it finally leads to man, who is able to think and reflect. The higher stage of man is reached from the world of monkeys, in which both sagacity and perception are found, but which has not reached the stage of actual reflection and thinking. At this point we come to the first stage of man. This is as far as our (physical) observation extends

That's from Ibn Khaldun, a 13th century Polymath that lived centuries before Darwin. Next time, appreciate the sciences brought forth from Muslims before blackballing them as regressive barbarians.

No, I have a well-grounded fact-based view the situation. Whether you like it not (and I know you don't), there is a guy with London accent running around in the desert cutting the heads off reporters and aid workers. That is not good.

What you should say is "I share your concern with these extremists (which you do). I think this is a problem the Muslim community should work on."

What you should not do is say "Hey spec . . . you are racist! You are the problem here, not those extremists."

If the left were to adopt our the way you are treating me, they would start losing a LOT of elections. I'm not the problem . . . the extremists are. And I want things done on every level to prevent them from growing. Stop people from joining them. Kill active terrorists. Get people in the community to report on the extremists. And ignoring the problem and acting like it does not exist will only let it grow.

We are at a bit of a crossroads here . . . right now, the Tories in the UK are trying to bring up bans of people and organizations. I don't think that is the right way to go but if we ignore these issues, that type of remedy is going to become more popular in Europe. If the more moderate parties don't deal with this issue then the farther right parties are going to win elections. Both in Europe and in the USA.

I'm glad Obama has decided to step up and attack ISIS. I'm glad he has formed a coalition with some Sunni nations to address these extremists. And I'm happy that Hillary Clinton seems to be even more hawkish on these matters since I think that will help her in a presidential election.

No, you are being disingenuous when called out for being wary of people named Muhammad. Not calling you racist, but more prejudiced. I'm sure if a dude walks by named Muhammad you automatically assume the worst in him judging by your responses. I know Bill Maher is.

The biggest victims of ISIS have been Muslims, so of course they consider them a problem. They have their supporters, but they are on the margins. Grand Muftis from Saudi Arabia to Egypt and beyond have called them out, but it is never enough. I don't think anyone is not glad Obama and coalition are bombing the crap out of ISIS positions other than people like PD and other extremely selfish, self-preserving isolationists including Ron Paul types.

 

[eBay Huckster]

That's not a good poll for Braley if it's an internal

it's also a GQR-conducted internal. afaik, it'd be charitable to describe it as "decent"

 

[Aaron Strife]

That's not a good poll for Braley if it's an internal

It's a lot better than if it showed him trailing.

I always take internals with a grain of salt but I generally trust Dem internals more than GOP ones since they're usually on the same planet instead of making shit up outright.

 

[Tim the Wiz]

Don't most Muslims believe adulterers and those who leave the Muslim faith should be killed? And a large percent are fine with honor killings. Yeah. Whether you want to call it an ugly religion or ugly people, it doesn't matter to me. And I'd say the same about Christianity, especially Law/Old Testament denominations.

What.

 

[PhoenixDark]

Ex-Secret Service Director: Agency Needs To Be 'More Like Disney World'

U.S. Secret Service Director Julia Pierson resigned Wednesday after being hammered by both lawmakers and the press for a series of embarrassing missteps committed by the President's and White House's security detail.

The Washington Post's Carol D. Leonnig, who broke the news that the man who jumped the White House fence last month went far deeper into the building than the agency originally disclosed, offered more insight late Wednesday into Pierson's tenure with the Secret Service:

In the spring, Pierson was irate at what she considered the excessive security measures her team had planned for the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit, which Obama hosted this summer, demanding that it dismantle extra layers of fencing and reopen closed streets, according to two agency supervisors. Supervisors who had mapped out the security plan said they were taken aback when Pierson, who worked during high school at Walt Disney World as a costumed character and park attendant, said: “We need to be more like Disney World. We need to be more friendly, inviting.”

That "Disney World" mentality also may have contributed to Pierson suggesting that the White House reduce the recommended numbers of officers patrolling the perimeter of the White House complex by a third, as the Post reported.

Pierson had been hired as director to clean house in the wake of the agency's 2012 prostitution scandal. But one anonymous supervisor who spoke with the Post questioned how suitable she was for the top spot.

“I respect Pierson’s service, but she hasn’t been on a protective mission in two decades,” the supervisor said. “She doesn’t know anything about security planning in a post-9/11 world.”

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/julia-pierson-secret-service-disney-world

Yeah...she shouldn't have been hired.

Race and gender play roles in why some people are hired for some jobs, that's just a fact. But in the vast majority of cases, said person isn't hired "just" because of their race or gender. I'm sure a lot of people were qualified to be emergency manger of Detroit, for instance, but hiring a black person (Kevyn Orr) who was qualified took precedent for obvious reasons. He's still taking shit of course, but less so.

But in this case I'm not even sure Pierson was qualified for the job. Sure as hell doesn't sound like it, based off this.