No Law, No Civilization

Victor Davis Hanson / Townhall Columist

 

Why did Rome and Byzantium fall apart after centuries of success? What causes civilizations to collapse, from a dysfunctional fourth-century-B.C. Athens to contemporary bankrupt Greece?

The answer is usually not enemies at the gates, but the pathologies inside them.

What ruins societies is well known: too much consumption and not enough production, a debased currency, and endemic corruption.

Americans currently deal with all those symptoms. But two more fundamental causes for decline are even more frightening: an unwillingness to pay taxes and the end of the rule of law.

Al Sharpton is again prominently in the news, blaming various groups for the Baltimore unrest. But Sharpton currently owes the U.S. government more than $3 million in back taxes, according to reports. His excuses have ranged from insufficient funds to pay them to sloppy record-keeping and mysterious fires.

Sharpton, a frequent White House guest, apparently assumes that his community-organizing provides him political exemption from federal tax law. He seems to be right, at least as long as the current administration is in power.

The Clinton Foundation is expected to refile its tax returns for 2010, 2011 and 2012 after failing to separate government grants from donations. If an average citizen tried to amend his taxes for such huge sums and from that long ago, he would probably be under indictment.

News reports of undocumented donations from foreign governments caught the foundation underreporting its income. The well-connected Clinton clan apparently had assumed that their political status ensured them immunity.

In the current political landscape, ideology also offers cover for tax noncompliance. Two of the most liberal talking heads at the MSNBC cable news network, Touré Neblett and Melissa Harris-Perry, known for their advocacy of higher tax rates on the affluent, turn out to be both quite well off and quite unwilling to pay their fair share of taxes. Reports indicate that Neblett and Harris-Perry both owe more than $50,000 in delinquent taxes.

Poll Shows Young Voters Likely to Turn on Democrats in 2016

Justin Haskins / Townhall Columnist

 

When the confetti cleared on Election Night in 2012, Barack Obama’s victory over Republican challenger Mitt Romney looked ugly; there’s nothing reassuring about a 332–206 electoral vote smack down.

Although the electoral vote totals made it appear as though it was a runaway Obama victory, the popular vote totals were actually much closer than the final electoral college tally. Romney lost by about 3.5 million votes, which is especially tough in a nation of over 300 million people.

Now that numerous candidates have declared for the 2016 race, pollsters have been busy trying to get an early read on where the nation stands. One interesting poll recently released by Harvard’s Institute of Politics (IOP)shows that although a majority of young voters still favor a Democrat (DNC) candidate for the presidency, the gap has closed significantly compared to the previous two presidential elections.

About 55 percent of respondents aged 18–29 indicated in the IOP’s poll that they would like to see the Democrat win. Exit polling data reveal 66 percent of the same demographic preferred Obama over McCain in 2008 and 60 percent favored Obama over Romney in 2012.

Perhaps even more interestingly, 18–24 year olds in the poll had a slightly less-favorable view of another Democrat president taking office in 2017 than 25–29 year olds did, which may partially be attributed to the poor economy for college graduates and high levels of student debt.

While it’s still (obviously) too early to be thinking about presidential polling, the IOP survey does show the allegiance of young people to the DNC has some serious cracks in it. The mood of many of those same individuals who were very enthusiastic about the Democrat Party just a few elections ago has definitely soured, and there’s no reason to expect things to improve before 2016.

Perhaps more importantly, polls like this one may be a clear sign Hillary Clinton—or maybe even Bernie Sanders (I can dream, can’t I?)—isn’t going to be able to tap into the young, restless hope-filled-dreamer mantra so effectively utilized by the Obama campaign team.

Feds overlooked Texas jihadi because “there are so many like him”
 

By Robert Spencer / Jihad Watch

 

“There are so many like him that you have to prioritize your investigations.” But…but…it’s a tiny minority of extremists!

“Texas Attacker Left Trail of Extremist Ideas on Twitter,” by Scott Shane, New York Times, May 5, 2015: WASHINGTON — Counterterrorism officials on Tuesday were studying the electronic trails left by two men killed by a […]

Read in browser »

 

NYPD assessing Islamic State threat to Pamela Geller

Pamela Geller / Atlas Shrugs

This is yet another vicious hit piece from the Daily News, but I thought it worth posting because I was in extensive threat assessment meetings with the NYPD today, and they’re on the job. If the Islamic State wants to get to me, they’re going to have to go through the NYPD. 

“NYPD assessing ISIS threat to controversial blogger Pamela Geller,” by Nancy Dillon, Jason Silverstein, Rocco Parascandola and Corky Siemaszko, New York Daily News, May 6, 2015:

The NYPD has been in touch with Manhattan resident Pamela Geller, who organized the controversial Prophet Muhammad drawing contest in Texas, about a threat to her safety lodged by ISIS.

The murderous Islamic State wants to lop the head off an Muslim-hating...

Read the whole entry »

     

• Email to a friend • Article Search •

Op-ed:
Turning Heroes Into Villains and Murderers Into Victims
By: Diane Sori / The Patriot Factor / Right Side Patriots on CPR Worldwide Media
cprworldwidemedia.net

“This is a war. This is war on free speech. What are we going to do? Are we going to surrender to these monsters? Two men with rifles and backpacks attacked police outside our event. A cop was shot; his injuries are not life-threatening, thank G-d. Please keep him in your prayers. The bomb squad has been called to the event site to investigate a backpack left at the event site. The war is here.”
- Pamela Geller's words after the shooting at her Muhammad Cartoon Event

The First Amendment guarantees we Americans the right to free speech...free speech uncensored and unencumbered by those who disagree with what we are trying to say...or so we thought. The First Amendment was NEVER intended as a means to make a hero the villain nor murderers the victims...or so we thought. The First Amendment guarantees 'We the People' numerous freedoms including freedom of religion, expression, and assembly...that is until the hero...and my personal hero...was Pamela Geller and the 'supposed' victims were muslim...or more specifically muslim islamic terrorists.

Pamela Geller...deeply affected by the events of 9/11 makes sure to have 9/11 remain the touch point in her quest to warn all about the dangers islam poses to both America and our American way of life. Through her group 'Stop the Islamization of America,' Pamela helped prevent the opening of the infamous islamic community center mere blocks from what was the World Trade Center. Calling the proposed abomination the 'ground zero mosque'...a mosque that was a slap in the face to all murdered on a sunny September day...Pamela successfully pointed out that that abomination had NO right being built upon 'sacred ground' where 3000 Americans lost their lives to people just like those whom some in the media are now trying to turn into the victims of Pamela Geller's 'supposed' islamaphobia.

And a series of events...like Pamela's campaign to display placards in public transit systems...in buses and in the subways...in major American cities... placards telling the truth about the islamic savages out to kill NOT only Jews but Christians as well... was met with condemnation by those wishing to stop her right NOT only to display the truth about those out to kill us all, but to deny Pamela Geller her First Amendment right to freely speak her mind. Thankfully, the placards went up as the courts rightfully ruled in her favor and against those who consider Pamela "the anti-Muslim movement's most visible and flamboyant figurehead"..a mantle she oh so proudly wears.

And now as Pamela's in conjunction with her American Freedom Defense Initiative's 'Muhammad Art Exhibit & Contest' at the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland, Texas was wrapping up...muslim islamic terrorists Nadir Soofi and Elton Simpson...both armed with assault rifles and both having the intention of killing as many of the participants and attendees as they could...opened fire outside the contest hall injuring one unarmed police officer but resulting in their own deaths when other officers fired back. And all this over a contest organized to stand up for free speech after the nightmare of Charlie Hebdo with its violence and death over simple drawings of Muhammad...drawings considered offensive by muslims but really who cares what they think as everything seems to be offense to them...this contest also featured speeches by Pamela and Geert Wilders (a Dutch lawmaker who wants the qur'an banned in Holland...wish it was banned here too). And with possible but NOT yet verified ties to ISIS...these two savage's deaths have once again brought Pamela Geller into the spotlight but NOT as the hero she is but as an instigator of hate.

And so the kumbaya sorts...liberal talking heads and some 'supposedly' on our side...some like ubber-mouth Donald Trump...came out in force to imply that Pamela...a staunch advocate for Christians, Jews, and even muslims who have been 'victimized' by muslim islamic terrorists...was the true villain and that together with those of us who support her were as much an obstacle to freedom as were the very muslim islamic terrorists...and it is my right to call these savages exactly what they are...NO matter that their intent was to murder Pamela, her partner Robert Spencer, and Geert Wilders...and collateral damage be damned.

So while the left and kumbaya sorts say this contest was a deliberately staged anti-islam event used as bait for attention...the liberal talking heads and some 'supposedly' on our side refuse to understand that attention is two-fold...both good and bad...and in this case the attention was good proving through their actions alone that we are indeed at war with those who will NOT abide even the most innocuous criticism of their so-called prophet or of islam as a whole. And while 'We the People's' right to free speech is attacked and infringed upon almost daily by both islamists...and I refer to most muslims as islamists because if you do NOT outwardly condemn the jihadists than you condone them...and the liberal left who want us to censor ourselves, if you will, so as NOT to upset the sensibilities of those out to kill us all...the bottom line is that if these savages are sent into a murderous rage over a simple cartoon contest do you really think they can ever become part of the fabric of American society. I for one do NOT...especially when the Obama controlled media is totally in support of the jihadis as witnessed how they report little on muslims behaving badly yet page one news becomes those like Pamela who publicly condemn or criticize the enemy.

Such is the case with Pamela Geller but trying to blame Pamela for what happened in Texas...trying to call her an instigator...a villain...an islamaphobe...is NOT only an attack on her first amendment right to free speech but is also an attack on 'We the People's' collective right to free speech...a right which is slowly being eroded away NOT only in regards to the pandering to muslims initiated by the muslim residing in the White House, but is also being eroded away in the guise of our right to use certain words that criticize or condemn some in another minority group...which according to the First Amendment is our right to do whether they like it or NOT.

And that minority group is the small percentage of blacks that seem to be calling all the shots and being the voice for the black community as a whole, because like with the muslims the majority of blacks refuse to silence the minority of blacks behaving badly. Angry as we all know over the 'rightful' shootings in Ferguson, Baltimore, New York City, and elsewhere, those blacks behaving badly now have made it clear that any white person who uses the words 'thug', 'element', 'hoodlum', and other such words...including the N-word that they routinely use in describing or greeting each other...are racists deserving of their ire...deserving of their particular form of ire in the guise of vigilante justice consisting of rioting, looting, and setting cities ablaze.

So when the smoke clears and the muslim islamic terrorists calm down a bit over their itty-bitty feelings having been hurt by something as simple as a cartoon, the fact remains that free speech is indeed under attack here in America, and Pamela Geller's event was right in pointing that out.  And why...sadly because for some pointing out problems is simply NOT enough...for some the problems will only hit home when savages act up and show themselves behaving badly.

So I leave you with these wise words from my hero and friend, the true American patriot Pamela Geller, “If we don’t show the jihadists that they will not frighten us into silence, the jihad against freedom will only grow more virulent.”

And how right Pamela...who now has an ISIS issued fatwa on her head...is for it must be understood that we are at war with islam...all islam for like muslim Turkish Prime Minister Recip Edrogen says there is NO radical islam and NO moderate islam as there is only one islam...and the sooner we all accept that as fact the sooner we can effectively fight back and save our beloved America and all we hold dear...save America from muslim islamist acts of terror and save America from the traitorous islamist residing in the While House...and it is my still in effect First Amendment right to freely say that.