Garbanzo Toons

A Daily Dose of Stupid

I found some really stupid things written in the Detroit Free Press this morning. At least I thought they were stupid. The writers of these pieces would obviously disagree with me. And it has come to the point for many people, that any idea they disagree with is an exercise in stupidity. That is a foolish way to think. You've got to have the facts or at least a decent argument to back up your thoughts. I may or may not have either.

The first selection is this article, reprinted in its entirety.

The American Civil Liberties Union released a report Tuesday that said the U.S. government's crackdown on terrorism financing has hampered the religious freedom of American Muslims by making it difficult for them to donate to Islamic charities.

Called "Blocking Faith, Freezing Charity," the 166-page report is based on 120 interviews with Muslim donors and leaders.

The report said that nine American Muslim charities, including the Dearborn-based Goodwill Charitable Organization, have been shut down since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks as a result of government action during the Bush administration.

Muslims can still give to charities. There are many worthwhile charities who cater to people of all religions. If we infidels are constantly expected to reach out to the Muslims in our midst, shouldn't they at least make a minor gesture back? You know, send a few dollars to Goodwill, or the Salvation Army, or any of the hundreds of other charities in this country. If they wish to contribute to Islamic charities, shouldn't there be some sort of monitoring of these charities to make sure none of their zakat goes to jihad? Or have I committed an islamophobic thought crime by wondering if Islamic charities support jihadist murderers merely because there is a documented history of this support?

Next, we have a letter written to the Free Press,

Former Gov. William Milliken was being characteristcally modest in his Sunday column ("Make Michigan nation's clean energy powerhouse"), because history shows he was a leader before his time when it comes to renewable energy. Had the federal government supported his efforts back in 1976 to promote solar and wind energy in Michigan, we would now be at the head of the curve instead of catching up to it.

Having been a renewable energy advocate back in the 1970s, I saw a great burst of promise regarding our state's energy independence when Gov. Milliken signed Michigan's renewable energy tax credit into law. As a result, some 300 startup companies in solar and wind energy-related businesses were born in our state. That was 1976!

One or two years after the 1976 bill signing, the startup companies died on the vine because of a lack of will by the feds to support ongoing energy conservation tax credits. I pray that we are not going down that same road again.

No, these energy companies didn't die to to government inaction, they died due to consumer inaction. We, the American consumers, weren't interested. If these renewable energy concepts were as great as claimed, there would be no need for the government to shove them down our throats they way they are doing now. There would be no need for the never-ending "green" propaganda campaigns in our schools and media. People would buy them on their own because they would see an advantage to them beyond moral posturing. Unless, of course, we are too dumb to know what is good for us and we need the government to act as a benign guide and caretaker.

And speaking of government as caretaker, nursemaid, mommy, and daddy, here's another delightful letter.

Big banks that still have billions of dollars of uncollectable debt on their books want to repay the government the TARP funds. I wonder if the only reason they wish to repay is to get away from government control in regard to the excessive compensation in the form of stock options, pay and bonuses for top executives and boards of directors?

Well, wouldn't you? Or should executive pay be decided by the government? Some people would say yes to that, under the delusion that their pay will never be government approved. It's only the rich who have to be controlled by kindly Uncle Sam, not we, the people, right?

Oh, and by the way, Obama killed a fly today. It was quite an event. It was too late to be reported in today's Free Press. It still made me wonder if this was serious reporting. Vanderleun, at American Digest has written the post I was thinking of writing about this major event. Of course, he's written it much better than I would have, so we can all be thankful that I read his before attempting my own.

Labels: American Digest, Detroit Free Press, economics, energy, islam, Obama

posted by Harry @ 7:05 PM