Reid's Attempt to be an Authority of Political Partisanship

Today Harry Reid stated that if President Bush nominatesTed Olsonfor U.S. Attorney General, it will be blocked because "he's a partisan, and the last thing we need as an Attorney General is a partisan." Right Senator Reid, and you're some kind of non-partisan. When one thinks of working across the political isle, Senator Reid is the last person one thinks of.

On a somewhat related note, one of the Bush administration's top priorities should be getting their judicial nominations to the Senate floor.

2+2=4? Maybe Not

Recent statistics have shown that our children are competitive in math and science when compared to the children of countries such as China and India in their elementary years of schooling. However, once our children reach their high school years their interest and success in these subjects decrease substantially, while the scores in these other counties remain high. Part of this can be blamed on the teacher union's preference of putting their own interests before the interests of our children, but I also put a large part of the blame on an ideological shift within the foundation of America's educational system. More specifically, there has been a shift in America's educational system from more of a absolutist way of thinking to a more relativist means of thought. Think about math and science and one can easily see how this shift will affect our children's ability to succeed in these areas. In math and science one has a problem in front of him or herself, and when attempting to solve that problem by a system of rules and guidelines, that individual reaches an answer that is either right or wrong. One can understand that if one comes from a school of thought that puts more of a bias on an absolutist way of thinking, that it will ultimately make math and science easier to understand. Unfortunately, this shift, caused by the feminization of our public schools, has caused our children to put more of a bias on a relativist school of thought. Yes, now there are no absolute answers. Now every answer to every question is up in the air and up for interpretation. Now, in the American educational system, it is perfectly acceptable to question things such as who was really at fault for 9/11. Americans? Jews? Capitalism? Neocolonialism perhaps? Yes, in American's educational system two plus two might equal four, however, it might not. I will guarantee you one thing: In China and India two plus two is still equaling four, and if the United States wants to stay competitive she better undergo another ideological shift back to normalcy.

In a Developed Country?

On August 8, 2007 the New York Times published an article written by Monica Davey entitled “Collapse is New Ordeal for Somali Community." This news story, which should have been on the op-ed page, sympathized with the Somali community located near the 35W bridge collapse in Minneapolis. According to Davey, these immigrants that once had to endure a life of war, now are force to "deal with family and friends injured or missing in the collapse." This unfortunate disaster has apparently created new "anxiety" and the feeling they can't escape disaster. The article goes on to explain that this bridge is a critical piece of infrastructure for these Somali immigrants. So much so in fact that the locals call the 35W bridge the "Somali Bridge." The main point the article tries to make, however, is the Somali immigrants came here to escape disaster, and America has let them down by allowing this tragedy to occur. Abdi Osman, a resident in this community, confirms this point. "I didn't think that was possible here," said Osman, "In a developed country? In America? Shame."

On August 10, 2007 the Minneapolis Star Tribune published an article written by Pat Pheifer entitled "Brutal Attack Tears Apart Family, Community." This article is about Afif Abdiaziz Ahmed, a member of the Somali community. Ahmed brutally beat his wife for so many years she is now mentally handicapped, and not able to care for herself. According to Pheifer law enforcement officials feel that it is against Somali culture to report cases of domestic violence. In other words domestic violence is culturally acceptable within the Minneapolis Somali community. Powerlineblog.com, which covers this same article in a blog entitled "Taboos" also points out that due to the shortcomings of Somali culture, the Minnesota legislature had to make a law prohibiting the practice of female genital mutilation. It was also a cultural norm for Somali men to circumcise the clitorises of their wives so they don't receive pleasure from sexual intercourse.

Of course, individuals that have seen and experienced the community in question, unlike Davey, know first of all, no one calls the 35W bridge the “Somali Bridge.” Unfortunately, we also know other characteristics of the Somali Cedar Ave. community. This is a neighborhood plagued by violence, crime, and unruliness. It is a place where pizza can’t be delivered due to bad checks and pizza carriers having knifes put in their face. It’s a place where one can’t walk down the street and feel safe, day or night, from getting mugged and/or beat up. It’s a place were women can never go to their cars by themselves after work, for fears of their safety. It’s a place unrecognizable to the social contract of safety America provides. It’s a place where women have to walk around under the hot summer sun in full Islamic dress. It’s a place where women are not worthy enough to protest next to a man. During a Somali political protest in a park, the men were protesting on one side and the women the other, using our developed political system while displaying undeveloped characteristics of their community, a non-belief in women equality. Sadly, it is place where this undeveloped community is excused under the name of multiculturalism. So I say, ‘I didn’t think that was possible here.’ ‘In a developed country?’ ‘In America?’ ‘Shame.’

If you think its a long war

Firm is using DNA to help families identify the remains of victims from 911. So is this a long war? Six years after and were still finding remains at ground 0