Right Me a Story

Reckless Responsibility

2006-11-23T21:45:00.000-05:00

Well well well. It's been a couple months. Sorry. Let's not dwell on it. Following in my friend Dave's footsteps I'm back. So is Jim Flaherty. Following a completely necessary but unpopular decision to change the way income trusts are taxed in Canada, the Federal Finance Minister today announced his financial forecast for the country. The priority of this government? Fiscal responsibility. Amazing. While cutting the national debt and lowering taxes (all of them, GST, income taxes, business taxes, the works), might not be as pretty politically as spending the night away like the other parties would have liked it is what this country needs. Less government. Less spending. Kudos.

What, then, was the reaction of the opposition? Jack! says this is "reckless" and Liberals pretty much said the same thing. Listen carefully folks. This isn't spin, these guys are saying it is "reckless" to cut taxes. It's reckless to let you keep some of your own money instead of giving even more of it to the government each year to waste away as it casually does. I've said this before, but essentially these conflicts are based in philosophical differences. The Liberals/NDP believe that the government should be the keeper and primary deciding factor of what we do with our lives and where money is spent. Trudeau said that the government has no business in the bedroom, but his successors think he has plenty of business in my wallet. I, and the Conservative Party, believes each of you has a right to do whatever you want with your money. It IS your money, and not the governments. Which world would you rather live in? Personally, I applaud fending off the nanny-state, and encourage more cuts in spending and cuts in taxes. Let's usher in an era of personal responsibility along with the fiscal responsibility - let's stop relying on the govermment to run our lives and support every mundane unnecessary social program. It's our money, people should have the ability and responsibility to do with it what they please. But, I shouldn't get ahead of myself, one step at a time...

Do The Right Thing

2006-07-18T23:32:00.000-04:00

There are three major political parties in Canada - the Liberals, the NDP and the Conservatives. With Israel actively responding to a 2-pronged terrorist onslaught from Hamas in Gaza and the Hezbullah in Lebanon at the moment, what do Canada's three major parties have to say?

The Liberals: Canada has always been able to act as an intermediary, but we can only serve in that useful role if both in our comportment and our actions we take steps and stances which enable us to play that role," said the former foreign affairs minister. - Bill Graham

The NDP:"I write to express outrage at (our) government’s response to the destruction levelled by Israel on the innocent civilians in Gaza and Lebanon. Israel’s response has been illegal, brutal and disproportionate." - Alexa McDonough

The Conservatives: "Israel has a right to defend itself...Hezbollah believes that through violence it can bring about the destruction of Israel. Violence will not bring about the destruction of Israel. Violence will only bring about more violence. And inevitably the result of the violence will be the deaths primarily of innocent people.'' - Stephen Harper

Israeli civilian targets -- homes of innocent people, have been hit in the past week or so by more than 700 missiles coming from Lebanon and Gaza. These attacks have been launched by two groups recognized within Canada (and the United States and EU) as illegal terrorist organizations. So why then do the Liberals feel it necessary to find some sort of moral equivalence between the actions of a terrorist organization who started the current violence and whose stated goal is the destruction of Israel, and that of the Israeli military which is acting in self-defense to protect its citizens by attacking military targets and terror infrastructure? Why does the NDP completely ignore Israel's right to defend its citizens from this constant threat by terrorist groups who are fighting to destroy its country? Imagine if we Canadians were under attack by two of our closest neighbors, and there were hundreds of rockets raining down on our cities each day from terrorist groups across the border? How would you want your government to respond?

I know I sound like a broken record here, but it's time these politicians and many Canadians wake up and realize we are fighting a global war on terror. These barbarians in Gaza and Lebanon are the same Islamic Fundamentalists who flew two planes into the world trade center, who blew up trains in Madrid, who destroyed a resort in Bali, and who attempted to level targets and murder hundreds in Toronto just a few weeks ago. We need to be united -- we need to courageously support the fight to destroy terrorist groups before they destroy us. This is NOT about left-wing or right-wing ideals or politics -- this has nothing to do with who will win the next election. It's about doing the right thing and understanding the threat that democracries around the world are now faced with. I suggest the Liberals and the NDP wake up and follow the lead of the Germans, British and Americans abroad -- and of course, their own Canadian government here in Canada.

Universal = Crap

2006-07-18T17:22:00.000-04:00

6 weeks later. But I am back with a vengeance my friends. So last night further solidified my views about our inept health care "system" in the great white north. Someone very close to me came down with a bladder infection at around midnight. She was suffering a great deal -- and how did our health care system come through for her? Well, 1) The hospitals had a 7 hour wait during the middle of the night in order to give her a routine look-over and prescribe some simple anti-biotics. 2) 24-hour walk-in clinics? Good luck. There are none within an hour or so of Waterloo, and when you're with someone who has to pee every 5-6 min, that's quite a journey. 3) Apparently there are great pills that exist over-the-counter to help against a bladder infection -- such as Uristat. Problem? Well, yes. Those pills exist over-the-counter in the US only, and not in Canada.

So bottom-line? The health care system has failed me yet again. This is just a simple routine, thankfully non-serious example, but I challenge each of you to show me what the value is in a "universal" health care system where everyone has access to the same, universally-awful health care? Canadians take such pride in their health care program over the big-bad-American system, however, our health care program is nothing to be proud about and consistently ranks well below the top of the list in terms of democratic nations. In fact, we rank 30th, well behind such beacons of technology and intelligence in Saudi Arabia and Iceland. One last point - please do not refer to our program as a "free system". It is far from free. Canadians on average pay more than Americans do for their health care - ours is just taken from us in taxes, so that we can't see how much of our money is being used for it. A Canadian family of four on average pays $16,000 a year in health care. $16,000!!

So now that I've had my rant - I'd like to hear from those who support this system as to why. I am in favor of some sort of two-tiered system, which while not perfect, is far better than any system we can imagine right now.

World Cup Picks: Tamir Edition

2006-06-08T22:46:00.000-04:00

Well with the World Cup of soccer fast approaching, and my traditional teams not in the tourney (Israel, Canada and even Romania), I have to lend my allegiance to another nation (or nations). Firstly, I will strongly support the United States -- a great, young, under-valued team who did well in 2002 and may go a long way. As a Canadian and an Israeli, why not support the country that funds 80% of my exports, and is the lone true defender of my nation of birth? While this is not a very popular view in today's "We're-Anything-But-American's" Canada, but frankly, I don't care! Now, assuming the United States does not win it all, I will also be backing the Brazilians, who I have always supported since I was a small child: not because of any connection to the country, but due to the amazing, creative soccer teams my father brought me up to root for. Whether you agree with my picks, I think we can all agree on one, utilitarian thing: Let's hope France gets their ass kicked as much and as quickly as possible!

Jihad This

2006-06-08T11:04:00.000-04:00

Let the debate begin: exactly how many virgins does Al-Zarqawi get wherever he is now? (how do you say hell in Arabic?). One school of thought says: none, he just sent others to die as suicide bombers, but he was a coward and never did it himself. Another school says: no, but he organized jihad! That's even better. Finally, there is the swiss school of thought that finds a happy compromise: those two elements cancel out - he gets 36 virgins, no more, no less.

What are your thoughts? Perhaps there is some interest to start an Al-Zarqawi Virgin Pool? When a terrorist ring-leader dies, you've gotta at least have a little fun from it...

The Peaceful Majority

2006-06-06T21:39:00.001-04:00

Sometimes you read something that is so perfect, why even try to paraphrase? I couldn't have said it better myself...from Celestial Junk:

"Caption should read: It Should Read: It's Not Ok to Murder in the Name of My Religion."

I used to know a man whose family were German aristocracy prior to World War Two. They owned a number of large industries and estates. I asked him how many German people were true Nazis, and the answer he gave has stuck with me and guided my attitude toward fanaticism ever since.

“Very few people were true Nazis” he said, “but, many enjoyed the return of German pride, and many more were too busy to care. I was one of those who just thought the Nazis were a bunch of fools. So, the majority just sat back and let it all happen. Then, before we knew it, they owned us, and we had lost control, and the end of the world had come. My family lost everything. I ended up in a concentration camp and the Allies destroyed my factories.”

We are told again and again by “experts” and “talking heads” that Islam is the religion of peace, and that the vast majority of Muslims just want to live in peace. Although this unquantified assertion may be true, it is entirely irrelevant. It is meaningless fluff, meant to make us feel better, and meant to somehow diminish the specter of fanatics rampaging across the globe in the name of Islam.
The fact is, that the fanatics rule Islam at this moment in history. It is the fanatics who march. It is the fanatics who wage any one of 50 shooting wars world wide. It is the fanatics who systematically slaughter Christian or tribal groups throughout Africa and are gradually taking over the entire continent in an Islamic wave. It is the fanatics who bomb, behead, murder, or honor kill. It is the fanatics who take over mosque after mosque. It is the fanatics who zealously spread the stoning and hanging of rape victims and homosexuals. The hard quantifiable fact is, that the “peaceful majority” is the “silent majority” and it is cowed and extraneous.

Communist Russia was comprised of Russians who just wanted to live in peace, yet the Russian Communists were responsible for the murder of about 20 million people. The peaceful majority were irrelevant. China’s huge population was peaceful as well, but Chinese Communists managed to kill a staggering 70 million people. The Average Japanese individual prior to World War 2 was not a war mongering sadist. Yet, Japan murdered and slaughtered its way across South East Asia in an orgy of Killing that included the systematic killing of 12 million Chinese civilians; most killed by sword, shovel, and bayonet. And, who can forget Rwanda, which collapsed into butchery. Could it not be said that the majority of Rwandans were “peace loving”.

History lessons are often incredibly simple and blunt, yet for all our powers of reason we often miss the most basic and uncomplicated of points. Peace-loving Muslims have been made irrelevant by the fanatics. Peace-loving Muslims have been made irrelevant by their silence. Peace-loving Muslims will become our enemy if they don’t speak up, because like my friend from Germany, they will awake one day and find that the fanatics own them, and the end of their world will have begun. Peace-loving Germans, Japanese, Chinese, Russians, Rwandans, Bosnians, Afghans, Iraqis, Palestinians, Somalis, Nigerians, Algerians, and many others, have died because the peaceful majority did not speak up until it was too late. As for us who watch it all unfold, we must pay attention primarily to the only group that counts; the fanatics who threaten our way of life."

Day 1: Already Missing the Point

2006-06-04T22:42:00.000-04:00

Well it didn't take long for most of our government officials and journalists to twist the Toronto Terrorism story from intelligent debate to idiotic politically correct nonsense. Case in point? Here is what Joe Comartin, the NDP Public Safety Critic had to sayabout the Muslim community: "They're the major victims when something like this happens because of what seems to be the inevitable backlash," Comartin told Question Period. "Canada has been good about the limited nature of that backlash, but it certainly is there. There's the bigotry and the racism that comes to the surface at these points."

To be fair -- the Liberals and NDP haven't been much better. But lets get this straight. 17 GTA Muslims, all Canadian citizens, become homegrown terrorists and attempt mass murder against innocent Canadian citizens. The become radicalized by attending mosques and training camps in this country. And what is the response? Our friendly neighborhood politician would have us believe that the Muslim community is the "major victim" when Muslim extremists, deeply integrated in the Muslim community in the GTA, attempt to kill innocent civilians. I'm sorry Joe -- ALL CANADIANS are the major victims here. This sort of whitewashing and BS is what will turn the discussion away from the real issue at hand here: where did these men become Islamic jihadists? How did this transformation occur under our watch, inside Canadian mosques and Islamic communities? These are questions the Islamic community leaders need to answer and address in order to prevent future attacks here in Canada against all innocent civilians (that includes Muslims, Jews, Christians, Atheists, etc.). I hope we manage to get away form the politically correct garbage statements for a few seconds over the next couple of weeks in order to address some of these real issues...

We Are Under Attack

2006-06-03T12:55:00.000-04:00

For those of you who never imagined Militant Islamic terrorists attacking Canada -- wake up. Like those before us in Spain, Bali, London, New York, Washington and everywhere else in the free world -- we too are under attack. Today 17 men were arrested by the RCMP with 3 tonnes of ammonium nitrate (to picture how much that is, understand that only 1 tonne of the same material was used in Oklahoma City). I really hope this awakens the large majority of Canadians who have failed to comprehend the scope of this war on our civilization by Islamic Fundamentalists. Whether we like it or not, they have made the choice for us: we are at war. At this point we gain the resolve to speak out and do what we can to stop the spread of terrorism across the globe, or we can sit back and just wait for the next time when we won't be so lucky here in our backyard.

By the way, the suspects are all from southern Ontario, and even though you'll never hear this obvious statement on television: they are all Muslims. Here is a poem from one of the suspects (thanks to Stephen Taylor), as well as the full list of adult suspects:

Soon I'll return to my lord , the one that deserves every grace
Oh you don't have to worry cause of me you'll find no trace
It really is to late, why did you wait?
You could have sent me at least one dinner plate
I guess it is my fate
And La Ilaha Illa Allah is my mate. (translation: "I shall worship no God but Allah". This is usually the verse suicide bombers yell out before detonating their bombs).

1. Fahim Ahmad, 21, of Robinstone Drive, Toronto, Ontario;
2. Zakaria Amara, 20, of Periwinkle Crescent, Mississauga, Ontario;
3. Asad Ansari, 21, of Rosehurst Drive, Mississauga, Ontario;
4. Shareef Abdelhaleen, 30, of Lowville Heights, Mississauga, Ontario;
5. Qayyum Abdul Jamal, 43, of Montevideo Road, Mississauga, Ontario;
6. Mohammed Dirie, 22, Kingston, Ontario;
7. Yasim Abdi Mohamed, 24, Kingston, Ontario;
8. Jahmaal James, 23, of Trudelle Street, Toronto, Ontario;
9. Amin Mohamed Durrani, 19, of Stonehill Court, Toronto, Ontario;
10. Steven Vikash Chand alias Abdul Shakur, 25, of Treverton Drive, Toronto, Ontario;
11. Ahmad Mustafa Ghany, 21, of Robin Drive, Mississauga, Ontario;
12. Saad Khalid, 19, of Eclipse Avenue, Mississauga, Ontario

For more info see here

Moore-onic Behavior

2006-06-01T10:18:00.000-04:00

Just when you think the low can't get any lower. Yesterday Michael Moore was sued by Sgt. Peter Damon, a National Guardsman from Middleborough. Damon is suing Moore for unsolitally using videotape of him in his mock-umentary Fahrenheit 9/11. If you've seen the movie, you remember that Damon is the soldier who lost both of his arms in an awful explosion, and in a dramatic scene in Moore's film he cuts up scenes from the interview where Damon explains his pain and appears to say he felt left behind and blames the President.

The truth? Damon says he "agrees with and supports the President and the United States' war effort, and he was not left behind." "It's upsetting to him because he's lived his life supportive of his government, he's been a patriot, he's been a soldier, and he's now being portrayed in a movie that is the antithesis of all of that," Damon's lawyer, Dennis Lynch, said.

It's amazing that even the story of a war hero with no arms needs to be twisted and manipulated by Moore to push his specific agenda. Anyone who examines any of his films even slightly beneath the surface will see that they are entirely based on manipulations like this, and half-truths -- he panders to the ignorant masses who sadly will believe his propaganda films hook, line and sinker without so much as a second thought. I think he may have finally gone too far with Fahrenheit, and luckily this is only one of many stories like this which has come out in recent years.

Probable Fate: Stranded in a ditch in Bratislava

2006-05-31T11:36:00.000-04:00

I am back. And with a vengeance. I have been busy planning my European Extravaganza. You see, from July 28 to August 28 Josher (Josh Grunberg), Davidson (Dave Gruia) and I will be embarking an a legendary trip around the world (or at least Europe). As it stands now we plan on visiting at least 13 major cities in 6 countries in 30 days. Here is our temporary list -- let us know what you think...

1) Madrid
2) Toledo
3) Barcelona
4) Nice/Monaco
5) Florence
6) Rome
7) Vatican City
8) Pompei
9) Venice
10) Lake Como (aka Lake River Cuomo)
11) Salzburg
12) Vienna
13) Prague

P.S. Yes, I am aware that Nice and Monaco are in France. I apologize in advance. I would never voluntarily visit the despised Frenchmen on my own, but traveling in a group I have little choice. The good news? I have lots of great France jokes. Personal favorite at the moment? "When your on the battlefield, how do you know where the French are? Check your rearview mirror"

The Intellectual Idiot

2006-05-16T10:32:00.000-04:00

I always felt that Noam Chomsky was scum. But even the low has found a way to get lower. Chomsky traveled to Beirut the other day to meet with and support Hizbullah, the Lebanese terrorist organization that has killed hundreds of Israeli civilians as well as US Marines which were stationed in Beirut. This group has called for the destruction of both America and Israel numerous times. So what did Noam have to say about them? "
"Hizbullah's insistence on keeping its arms is justified... I think Nasrallah (the leader of Hizbullah) has a reasoned argument and [a] persuasive argument that they [the arms] should be in the hands of Hizbullah as a deterrent to potential aggression, and there is plenty of background reasons for that. So until, I think his position [is] reporting it correctly and it seems to me [a] reasonable position, is that until there is a general political settlement in the region, [and] the threat of aggression and violence is reduced or eliminated, there has to be a deterrent, and the Lebanese army can't be a deterrent." - From MEMRI

Who Am I and Why Am I Here?

2006-05-09T12:14:00.000-04:00

In my communication for managers course I was asked to write 700 words explaining "who am I and why am I here?" Well, I thought I would share this riviting piece of work with you folks as well. Enjoy...

Any discussion of who I am and why I am here must largely be rooted not only in my own life, but also in my ancestry. It is my family and my people’s unique heritage and troubled history that have shaped my path. This legacy has given me both a distinctive purpose and a deep responsibility as part of something far greater and more significant than my own existence.

As a person of Jewish heritage, my ancestors have struggled over the past 2,000 years to overcome tremendous hardships, including slavery, exile and persecution. However, it was during the 20th century in particular that a series of events dramatically altered the lives of the Jewish people and forever shaped my existence and purpose. During the Holocaust, my grandfather was enlisted into the Russian army. He would never see his family again. After the war, he found that they had all been killed by the Nazis. During this same time, my grandmother and her family hid underground for many months in Poland, surviving only due to the kindness of one German man who risked his life to feed them each day. It was the horrors of the Holocaust that would eventually force my grandparents to leave their homes and come to the newly formed land of Israel. It was there that the Jewish refugees gathered after rejection from all other parts of the world (including Canada), and built for themselves a strong and prosperous nation. It was in Israel that my parents were raised and eventually served in the Israeli army, as all citizens do. Moving forward, a few years after I was born, my family decided to seek new opportunities in Canada. All of this brings me to where I am today.

In order to understand who I am as a person, and what principles and goals I have set out for myself, it is essential to know my history. Unlike most of my friends, I feel forever touched by the horrors of hatred, genocide and the destruction of freedoms. While so many families perished in the Holocaust, parts of mine miraculously survived. I strongly believe that with this privilege of life and continuation of the legacy of the Jewish people comes a great responsibility. I feel a duty both to act as the voice for those who could not survive, and to create a better world for the generations to come. My grandparents struggled and fought to survive so their children could live a peaceful and prosperous life. My parents dedicated years of their lives ensuring that there would always be a safe home for my people in the land of Israel. All of these sacrifices have played a dominant role in shaping who I am as a person.

So where do I fit within my family’s legacy? The question of what sacrifices I will personally make for my community is one I struggle to define each day. I will commit significant portions of my life to being a spokesperson for freedom and democracy as best I can. I am moved and motivated by the words of Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel: “Never be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.[i]” I have and will continue to exercise moral courage by donating money and my time to causes which will help stop the evils in this world that threaten the peace and security of my people and my children in the future. Furthermore, I am currently active in politics and plan to run for office so that I can best promote the tremendous democratic principles upon which this country was founded, both domestically and abroad. I believe these commitments and my pledge to actively pursue them will be what shapes my legacy and defines my existence many years from now.

Just as my place in this world is in part defined by my ancestors and heritage, so too will the place of my children and grandchildren be defined. One day, I want my children to reflect on my life and be proud of their father and his accomplishments, as I am with my ancestors. I hope that they too work to dedicate their existence to a greater purpose - the continuation of our people’s heritage and the prosperity of freedom around the world.

[i] Wiesel, Elie (2006). Elie Wiesel Quotes. Retrieved May 6, 2006, from http://en.thinkexist.com/quotes/elie_wiesel/

Movin On Up Reprise

2006-05-09T12:03:00.000-04:00

I am sorry for the long day -- I didn't intentionally leave you all hanging here! There is however, good news to report: I have purchased my first piece of real-estate at the ripe age of 22. In fact, I have actually purchased 2 pieces of real estate (my parking space and my condo are actually completely seperate and can be sold or leased seperately as well). Bottom line, I am SUPER excited and I can't wait for all of you to stop by for a big house-warming bash at my place around September 2008. Whoever brings McDonalds gets a nice seat on my soon-to-be-determined-comfy-couch.

Movin' On Up...to the South Side?

2006-05-01T23:52:00.000-04:00

It's decision time for this friendly blogger. Already in my Carlsberg years, I am now close to making the natural progression of buying an apartment. I am looking to buy a nice apartment on the 24th floor of this building on Yonge and Eglinton. The building will be ready in about 2 years, is right next to tons of great attractions (indigo, 2 movie theatres, pickle barrel, even Toys R Us!), and has a movie screening room, indoor pool, 24-hour-concierge, etc. Am I ready to grow up and take on the impending mortgage? Should I instead be abandoning the cold TO winters for another climate? Or should I continue to cling to the friendly confines of home? These are all big questions. Who out there has the answers for me?

United 93

2006-04-30T11:56:00.000-04:00

Today I saw United 93 with a good friend of mine. There has been much controversy made recently with the release of this 9/11 film - as many people I know have claimed it's "too soon" to release such a film. Others feared this would be a tasteless, money-grabbing representation of a national tragedy. Well, I certainly understand these feelings, but in response all I have to say is: I just saw it, and would strongly recommend this film be seen by anyone and everyone. This is one of the most powerful and memorable movies I have ever seen. Indeed, I now understand exactly why the family members of all those on-board United 93 strongly supported this film. Furthermore, I've never seen a movie that has been so widely-acclaimed by critics as this film. As everybody left the theatre today, I wasn't able to spot a single dry-eyed individual in the crowd -- and I said to myself that the director could not possibly have made a better film. Here is why...

My major fear prior to seeing the first real 9/11 movie was pretty much in line with the concerns of others I've already mentioned -- I worried about ignorant directors editorializing the most tragic day in American history (see: the upcoming Oliver Stone 9/11 movie), and feared sappy, traditional, "movie-like" drama added to a story that completely doesn't need anything added to it for interest-sake. Paul Greengrass delivered a masterpiece -- a stellar, real-time account of what happened on that fateful morning, without any voice-overs, no back-stories, no love-stories: just the horrific images of that day, and the eventual heroic story of United 93 passengers exactly how it happened. This story is so amazing, so important, that it needs on fluff and speaks for itself. Greengrass even goes further than what many thought was possible -- using several of the real FAA officials and flight control workers instead of just actors.

Seeing this movie brought me back emotionally to that day in a way I thought was impossible. I left the theatre shaking, wiping back tears. I was both incredibly angry that such an attack against the free world was able to take place by such scum, as well as proud and amazed by the heroism of the amazing passengers of United 93 (the first real victory in this war on terror). You cannot compare this picture to any other -- its brutally clear here, as I believe it should be for all of us, who is good and who is evil. There is little way anybody can leave the theatre humanizing and sympathizing with the terrorists in any way here -- they are represented clearly and unequivocally by their revolting actions and frightening devotion Islamic fundamentalism.

Leaving the theatre, my friend said something I am going to take to heart: I'm going to buy this movie when it comes out, and I'm going to watch it each year on Sept. 11. It won't be an easy thing to do, but I'm going to do this to honor those that died, and to keep the terror of that morning fresh in my mind so that I personally do whatever I can in my life to make sure evil never succeeds in creating a day like this again.

Never Forget

2006-04-25T17:37:00.000-04:00

Today is Holocaust Memorial Day or Yom Hashoah in Hebrew. Likely most people don't even know that today has any significance, but I think keeping this day and the vivid images of the Holocaust in our minds is absolutely critical: both in remembering those who perished and in ensuring that such a disaster never happens again. About six million Jews, including most of my family, as well millions of blacks, gypsies, gays and handicapped were slaughtered by the Nazi's between 1939-1945. On one hand we must look at the delayed response and pathetic appeasement of leaders such as Chaimberlan, who if they had acted earlier and recognized the threat, millions of lives could have been saved. On the other hand, we must thanks and cherish the ultimate sacrifices of the heroic Canadian, American and British soldiers who without them, the world would certainly be a far different place, and I surely wouldn't be here to see it.

Remembering the Holocaust is so important, however, not only for reflecting on what has occurred in the past, but also to ensure that it never happens again. I'm afraid that a situation not unlike the rise of Nazi Germany and the utter incompetence and unwillingness of the Western world to act in order to stop the impending threat, may happen again if we don't learn the correct lessons from this. It is imperative that as a society we clearly acknowledge and identify what is so clearly evil, and do whatever is in our power to stop it. Each and every one of us has a voice, and it is not just our right to use it, it is also our responsibility. Some will argue that there is no such thing as good and evil, that one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter, etc. This sort of nuanced, clouded thought in the West is precisely what helped create the horrors of WWII, and certainly the terrorist attacks on 9/11 and elsewhere around the world. Today there are several places where we need to speak up and take action: such as in the Sudan, as well as with the maniacal regimes of North Korea and Iran. Nobody likes war, and violence is rarely even going to be the answer here -- but if we don't speak up and act decisively, we will create a situation where it is too late to stop these threats peacefully. Democratic nations such as Canada must have a clear, principled and motivated moral compass, or else history is doomed to repeat itself. Never forget the horrific events of just 60 years ago and never forget your voice and power to stop it from ever happening again.

Bedlam in the Burbs

2006-04-23T22:49:00.000-04:00

So I am a few days late in writing this, so I apologize for my lack of timeliness up front -- but the recent developments in Caledonia, and consequently across Ontario have really grinded my gears. In case your head has been in the sand (or if you've just been studying for exams), you may have missed a major development. In order to protest a piece of land they think is theirs, a group of 200 Natives decided to block the main street in Caledonia for several days, throw a car over a bridge, light tires on fire and more. Then, out of solidarity, another group of Natives set train tracks on fire near Kingston, thereby halting Via trains and infuriating passengers for at least one day. As I've mentioned before in response to other protests of this nature, I think "protests" such as these which do nothing but terrorize and make life miserable for local innocent residents need to be rejected at all costs. How would you feel if you couldn't go to work or to the store because of these protests? What really bothers me about this episode is the response to these actions from our government...

I'm going to ignore for a few moments the nature of the Native claim on this land and assume they have a reasonable case. If this is so, hijacking the main street in Caledonia for several days is completely ridiculous and acceptable. These Natives should be using the legal system to air their grievances and unlawful acts such as this need to be stopped immediately. What did the brilliant McGuinty government decide to do about the main street in Caledonia being held hostage? The answer is NOTHING. Instead of doing the reasonable thing and sending police in immediately to arrest every single "protester," the government decided to let the situation escalate and get drastically out of hand. McGuinty said: "We are determined to resolve this, but we will do this in a way that results in no incident.'' No incident? What a coward -- how about living up to your duty and stopping a group of hoodlums for hijacking street in your province. Honestly, I challenge each and every one of you to name me another place in the world were such a ""protest" would be met with a non-response for such a long time? Good luck.

So, as for the Natives claim itself, I won't get too much into this because it's really not the point of my post. But here is essentially what happened: the Natives had control over this small piece of land in Caledonia about two centuries ago, then in the late 1800's they sold the land. Now, the land is being developed and is worth a pretty penny, so surprise surprise, these Natives claim its still their land -- despite the fact they sold it. These sorts of claims and protests are absurd, and by letting this ridiculous affair continue for so long, the McGuinty government has just given credibility and attention to this joke of a story. End the madness today. Criminals belong in jail, not in control of our streets.

Hell is Getting Crowded

2006-04-18T01:14:00.000-04:00

They strike again. Palestinian Islamic suicide bombers blew themselves up yesterday at a falafel stand in a crowded bus terminal in Tel Aviv. 9 dead, 65 injured. Who were some of the victims? Phillip Belahson, 45 from Ashdod, who was on a trip with two of his 4 children; Viktor Erez, 60, from Givatayim, Binyamin Hafuta, 46, from Lod, and two foreign workers from Romania, Rosalia Basania, 48, and Budha Piroshke, 50. The target here is clear and simple: innocent men, women and children -- these barbarians see no difference between military (who they know they can't defeat conventionally) and civilian bystanders. Imagine the fear and apprehension these people must be living in, unable to do simple things like taking a bus or going to a restaurant.

Debbie Does Jakarta

2006-04-12T12:08:00.000-04:00

Now this one came completely out of left field folks - who could have seen this coming? Recently opened Playboy offices in Jakarta, Indonesia were stormed and vandalized by 300 members of the Islamic Defenders Front. The Indonesian version of the magazine actually shows no nudity at all, but the Islamic rioters threw a fit with rock in hand anyways, and said that the name of the magazine alone is justification for its expulsion. This is precisely the danger with these types of people: It's great that they don't read Playboy, and nobody is making them. But somehow they feel it is their duty and right to demand that NOBODY else read it because it goes against their radical interpretation of Islam.

Mice over Moms!

2006-04-12T01:35:00.000-04:00

If anyone was ever unsure about the insanity of PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), here is your final proof (Thanks to Blistering Cheese for that one). If you don't care enough to read, let me summarize the story for you: a British is a breeder of Guinea Pigs for medical testing. PETA was unhappy about this so they firebombed him, threatened him and abused members of his family. It gets worse. At one point they dug up and stole the body of his 82 year old dead mother!! These people are simply nuts -- all I have to do is look back to a PETA friend of mine in High School, who faced with the situation, told me he would rather let his own mother die before having a mouse tested on in order to develop a cure for her disease. Anyways, I digress, there is a right way and a wrong way to protest - digging up dead grandmothers should be off limits...even Michael Moore would hesitate before digging in folks.

Wake Up and Smell the Jihad

2006-04-10T01:39:00.000-04:00

MP's are gathering this week to discuss Canada's involvement in the continued democratization of Afghanistan. To celebrate this move, a Taliban spokesman summed up Canada's position this way: "when we kill enough of them, they will quit." Not only is this the position of Islamic terrorists regarding Canada, but this is how they see the West in general. They understand that we are in the midst of a clash of civilizations: between the Western free world, and the Islamic totalitarian, sharia-run states on the other side. Unlike most Canadians, the enemy understands this will be a very long, drawn-out war in which only one side can truly emerge victorious. So will the Taliban and their Al Qaeda/Hamas/etc. pals come out on top?

I wish the answer was that simple. I would love to say no -- the West is prepared to endure a long war against terror designed to relieve the free world of this existential threat. But I am not so convinced. In a way, I think the Taliban spokesman is right -- if they kill enough Canadian soldiers fighting for freedom in Afghanistan, likely there will be significant pressure to return the troops home. Why is this?

Well I think it's simple. We, as the West and as Canadians specifically, have failed to understand the threat of Islamic fundamentalism. (By the way, NO, I am not saying that all Muslims are terrorists or anything even close to that. There exists a minority within the Islamic world who have largely hijacked their religion, thus creating a militant sect) Anyways, most Canadians don't feel they are at war today; nor do they feel threatened whatsoever by Islamic terrorists -- despite the fact Canada currently houses significant numbers of them due to our lax immigration policies. One day, this will all change and it's just a matter of time unfortunately before Canada is a target - just as Spain, England, Australia, Israel and many, many others have been in the past. Only then I fear will Canadians wake up and understand this war is not about Iraq and its not about George Bush -- it's much bigger than that, and there is a group committed to the destruction of our way of life and values, and they are willing to give their lives to ensure that their twisted view of Islam spreads across the world. As Mark Steyn and many others understand, in 20 years continental Europe will be look drastically different and many parts will be largely occupied by Islamic fundamentalists in some way or form (due to horrendous birth rates of non-Muslims in places like France). My concern is that by the time we all realize what is at stake -- it will be too late for us to help stop this mess. I am not saying that we should go and invade every Muslim nation, in fact, I'm not even advocated military action at all right now. I think the first step is for us to recognize the threat we are faced with, and then we can begin to examine how best to stop it.

Keep Pollin'

2006-04-08T01:39:00.000-04:00

I am not a big fan of polls -- I think they always need to be taken with a grain of salt. That being said, the first polling results came out today since the Parliament began this past week. While these numbers really must be observed cautiously, especially since the Liberals don't even have a leader yet (or won't until December), this should still be good news for Conservatives and NDPers alike. Why?

As seen below, the Conservatives and the NDP have made massive gains across the board at the expense of the Liberals. Liberal bastions of support in the GTA, Montreal and Vancouver (yes, the same Vancouver that David Emerson is from) have completely fallen apart, and shifted largely towards the Conservatives. So then what does this all mean? I think it means that Canadians are very happy with a fresh face in power, and one that has been able to set clear, attainable goals in its first week. Perhaps even more importantly, Canadians are happy that the Conservatives have brought some civility back to the House, and have consulted and worked with the other parties closely before making any sort of decision thus far.

Furthermore, this spells some troubling news for the Liberals: as a centrist party, their support appears to be shifting between the left and the right, which may spark some serious difficulties for them moving forward. It's never too early for a partisan prediction: so while there is TONS of time left before an election, I think it may be hard for the Liberals to win the next race -- it's a lot harder to demonize Stephen Harper after he's been Prime Minister and Armageddon hasn't occurred yet. Unfortunately for all Conservatives and comedians in the country, Belinda dropped out of the race, but it remains to be seen if Ignattief, Rae, Brison and co. can step up to the plate. Perhaps the favorite Liberal slogan will come back to haunt them: "better the devil we know, than the devil we don't know."

A Rotten Apple

2006-04-06T03:13:00.000-04:00

Today may have sparked the beginning of the end for Apple Computers. The company today announced Project Boot Camp, a program which allows users to run Windows on their Macs. While this move in itself doesn't present major strategic issues for the company, I have a hunch there may be a lot more too this decision than some realize...

Forever plagued with 3% of the PC market, Apple was hoping that the massive sales of its Ipod and increased traffic in its Apple stores worldwide would help spark their PC sales. Unfortunately, this has not happened and the company has been forced to re-think its strategy. First, they switched to Intel chips, thus making their computers no different hardware-wise than any other PC system. Now, one must understand that Apple spends a MASSIVE amount on R&D yearly, almost solely devoted to development costs for its operating system -- one which only 3% of the market uses. Clearly, Apple is not making the profit on this business that it needs, especially when resources could be diverted to profitable aspects of the company, such as the consumer electronics area. So what does this mean? I have a theory, which may or many not be true.

I believe in the coming years, Apple will begin to shelve its own operating system, and begin selling PC's that run solely on Windows. What does this mean for the company? It means a lot. Firstly, they suddenly open the door to very direct competition with powerhouses such as Dell and HP. Secondly, and perhaps most importantly, what will this move do to the legion of dedicated Mac users? I think this will drive them nuts and they will NOT be happy. These are users who don't like Windows and want to be different, and their loyalty will have been taken for granted. So while this move financially makes sense and will raise Apple's stock price in the short term, I think it would spark disaster in the long-run. Would significant computer users really pay 50% premiums to buy "nice" looking machines, that operationally run just as well as the competitions? My guess is no -- as Sony tried this model, it failed miserably, and now they have already run out of the business as quickly as they could.

So bottom line -- I wouldn't want to be Steve Jobs right now. He's got some hard decisions to make and this appears to be the first one in a very, dangerous direction. Some may say this is just an isolated move to appease some users looking for Windows functionality on their Macs, but I think this is just one step in a shift in strategic direction the company started taking a few years ago -- it appears the Apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

A Growing Concern

2006-04-03T15:06:00.000-04:00

Today the new Conservative government announced that it was not going to pursue the Liberal Party's legislation to de-criminalize small amounts of marijuana, much to the joy of police officers across the country. Pot heads and hippies everywhere are fine with this though, however, as they are too high to realize what has happened. Seriously though, even though I am a college student I have no problem with this move and I'll tell you why…

I will start off by clarifying that I have never, and will never, smoke anything -- marijuana or tobacco; I see no reason. Clearly, those who enjoy smoking pot will have a differing opinion, and there are reasonable arguments for legalizing marijuana, I just personally don't support them. But more importantly, I think we need consistency in our legal system in order to ensure its effectiveness and credibility. If marijuana is illegal, why ban it in large doses and legalize it in small doses? Why allow possession, but not the sale of it? These moves make no sense, and since Canada is not about to fully legalize marijuana use until pigs can fly (or when the NDP takes power, whichever comes first), there is absolutely no reason to allow people to break the law, but just a little bit. Its simple: if you are a criminal and you break the law, you should face the consequences, and this is a lesson that needs to be broadly understood by today's youth (and even adults). This doesn't start or end with small marijuana use, people need to be deterred from committing crimes, and only punishment can achieve this.

The Harper Revolution

2006-04-02T03:14:00.000-04:00

With Parliament starting up on Monday, the Harper Conservative government is not about to coast into office. Rather, the Tories have a plan of action that involves 5 main items in which almost all of their attention will be focused. Love them or hate them -- the Conservatives are not about to repeat the mistakes of the Martin government, and intend in going to the polls in the next year or two with a significant list of accomplishments. They have a plan to fundamentally change Canada in a number of ways. With that said, here are the 5 priorities you can expect to hear a lot more about in the coming months:

1) Political Accountability
Amongst other things, the Tories plan to: "limit individual donations to parties or candidates to $1,000; ban corporate, union and organization donations to parties, ridings and candidates; ban cash donations to parties or candidates of more than $20; prevent former ministers, staffers and senior public servants from lobbying government for five years after they have left government; introduce "whistleblower" measures that include protections and even monetary rewards for people who expose wrongdoing; give more money to the auditor general to conduct investigations"
My Thoughts: Long Overdue. It's easy to talk about accountability when you're not in office, but if the Tories keep their word and act on this it will be significant, and I don't see any party putting up opposition here.

2) Lower Taxes
The Conservatives plan to cut the GST by 1% immediately and another 1% within 5 years. To pay for this they will likely repeal the income tax credit the Liberals added recently.
My Thoughts: Excellent move. Canadians dread the GST, and as Canadians are already severely over-taxed this is a positive step. For those bleeding-hearts out there, the great thing about the GST is that it is a progressive tax, meaning the rich and the poor are effected equally by it. I think Paul Martin said it best in 1989 - "goods and services tax is a stupid, inept and incompetent tax''

3) Law and Order
repeal the gun registry; impose mandatory minimum prison sentences for drug crimes, weapons offences, crimes committed while on parole and repeat offenders; end conditional sentences (known as house arrest) for serious crimes such as violent and sexual offences and weapons offences; repeal the Criminal Code section (known as the "faint hope clause") that allows criminals serving life sentences to apply for early parole; try to amend the constitution to forbid prisoners in federal institutions from voting in elections.
My Thoughts: I really hope they come through on this, as there will likely be some opposition from the NDP and perhaps that Liberals here. The fact is criminals get off way too easily in this country. I would personally like to see some specific action against gangs in order to help with the situation in Toronto, especially considering the brain-dead mayor we currently have who can't be bothered and is focusing 110% of his time on the "homeless crisis."

4) Child Care
The plan will create conflict in Parliament and with the provinces. Mr. Harper will give parents a taxable $1,200 child-care allowance annually for each child under six. He will also allocate $250 million a year in tax credits to employers who cover the full cost of creating day-care spaces.
My Thoughts: Contrary to Mr. Reid's opinion that Canadians can't be trusted with their own money, and would likely spend it all on "beer and popcorn," I think any plan to give citizens more control of how their own money is spent is a good thing. People work hard for their money and deserve to have a say in where it goes -- and creating a socialist health care program run by the government is not the solution (especially since there would only be spots for something like 1/6 children), as government is simply incapable of operating as efficiently as private enterprises.

5) Health Care Wait-Times Guarantee
Provinces will establish "benchmarks" setting out how long patients should have to wait for treatment in areas such cancer, heart, diagnostic imaging, joint replacements and sight restoration. If patients aren't treated within that period, they will be allowed to travel to another jurisdiction outside their own province -- even the United States -- and still be publicly insured by their own government.
My Thoughts: I do not believe our health care system is effective, and this is merely an attempt to patch up a broken system. I don't think that pouring more money into health care is the answer, we need politicians who are able to come up with creative, innovative ideas to our health care crisis and I have doubts that these measures will do much. Only in Canada can your cat get an MRI tomorrow, but you need to wait 6 months.

Overall: I think this 5-pronged plan is pretty solid if pursued correctly. These are all mainstream issues that the Conservatives were elected on, and if the party can truly stick to this plan, they will help shed the absurd idea that once in power they will pursue an agenda of banning abortion, fully privatizing health care, somehow sending troops over to Iraq and doing whatever possible to ban gay marriages. This is the beauty of being in power -- you are judged by what you do, not what you MIGHT do. All the Tories have to do now is not blow it, and I for one have faith.

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

2006-03-30T14:44:00.000-05:00

I better stop ragging on the lefties, or I'm gonna lose some friends because of this blog...but unfortunately this one was just too funny to let go. Examine this picture carefully. This nice girl is trying to show us that war is bad -- and so she paints a Mercedes sign on her face. What happened to evil, big corporations? (remember: Halliburton!). Poor girl, if only she stopped watching Michael Moore movies and John Stewart "news" shows she'd be able to figure simple things out like a peace sign. The critical question here, however, is why didn't her friends or other protesters say anything to here? Either they thought it was funny, or they have no idea what's going on either. Either way, it's really not fun when this is your competition -- sure doesn't look bright for the Democrats in '08.

Another One Bites the Dust

2006-03-29T16:17:00.000-05:00

This is why I voted for the Conservative Party. Today, the terrorist organization Hamas officially took-over the government in Arafatistan (or "Palestine" for those of you on the left), and Stephen Harper responded swiftly by announcing that Canada would join a few other nations in suspending its aid to the Palestinian Authority. This may seem like a clear, obvious move, but chosing not to support terror is a policy the Liberal party rarely made a priority; chosing instead to shake the hand of Hizbullah leaders in Lebanon. I suppose they just prefered to focus on the "shades of grey" in dealing with Islamic fundamentalism.

Go Leaf$ Go

2006-03-28T00:14:00.000-05:00

Late last night I had a discussion with my good friends Dave and Josh about the sporting world and business world, and exactly how intertwined they are and should be. The argument Josh made was essentially, that Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment (MLSE) were crooks and liars and represented all that is wrong with sports today -- because their top priority was not winning, but rather to earn profits. In Josh's opinion, the team needs to come clean to fans and the public and simply say that the company is interested first and foremost in profits and NOT winning hockey or basketball games. Is Josh right? Well...

Coming from a business background (and being money-hungry BBA students), Dave and I had a slightly different opinion. In my opinion, MLSE is a business, just like any other company in any other industry. Every business' prime goal is to make as much money as possible -- that's capitalism, and that's what gives us jobs, funds our way of life, and allows 24-hour sports channels to broadcast where we live. Just like Nike, McDonalds, or even the Green Earth store -- MLSE's top priority is making money, and winning is important to them, it's just not the top priority. The reason that the Leafs suck consistently has nothing to do with MLSE really, they are doing an excellent job in running a successful organization, and are accountable to their stakeholders with regards to running a business that is as profitable as possible. So why do the Leafs suck? Because of me, Dave, Josh and every other stupid Leafs fan. If Torontonians didn't support the fledgling product on the ice, mediocre year after mediocre year, then there would be pressure for MLSE to offer a better product, one that fans enjoy and are willing to pay for. Today, though, MLSE has no reason to clean house and change the way they do business, because their customers haven't told them to do so.

So is this a problem? This is where Josh and I differ fundamentally. I say not at all. While it would be nice if sports were like a beautiful Soviet-era-dream, and were void of free-market influences, this is a pipe dream and would never happen, nor work. It is the pursuit of the almighty $ that leads teams to cater to the every whim of their fans, and provide Toronto Maple Leaf car flags, towels, shot glasses, etc., not to mention a channel devoted solely to the .500 hockey team. These are the things that make the game fun. Without the "business," the Leafs would be like your local PeeWee hockey team, that nobody watches and nobody cares about. Fact is -- Toronto is not a "hockey town," it is a Leafs town, and our priorities are the same as ownerships: we want our team to make a lot of money, sell us random Leafs merchandise and overpriced tickets, and if they happen to win at the same time? All the better. Go Leaf$ Go.

Apparently Freedom IS Free!

2006-03-26T02:34:00.000-05:00

So a special someone hinted I was boring them with my political postings -- so this will be the last one for a few days! Anyways, a couple of days ago two Canadians and a British man were freed by an Iraqi terrorist group that had held them hostage for 118 days. What makes this story interesting is that these three came to Iraq to protest the war and the "illegal occupation." How were they treated when they arrived? Well, the barbarians they came to support kidnapped and tortured them for months -- using their desperate faces on television as tools to pursue their global Jihad. It was only until this week that the US military managed to risk their lives to find these hostages and swiftly free them from their captors. The response from the hostages? Here's where the story gets interesting...

The hostages had the nerve to blame and attack the military (the same ones that saved their lives) and the "illegal occupation" for their capture -- and basically everyone else in the Middle East BUT the terrorists who ACTUALLY kidnapped them. This isn't a case of Stockholm Syndrome here folks. While I'm glad for the families of these men, I have to be honest and say that they themselves deserved every inch of what they got. To fly to Iraq and support a group of Muslim extremists fighting the spread of democracy, only to be captured by the very same terrorists and held hostage has more than a little bit irony in it. Want some more irony? Well, the volunteers came to Iraq as part of a Christian volunteer group for Peace. Funny that a Christian volunteer group would go support Muslim extremists seeking to turn Iraqi society into a Saudi Arabia -- a place where the mere possession of the Bible is punishable by death.

Anyways, we'll never know, but I wouldn't be surprised if this whole ordeal was all orchestrated from the beginning by these "activists" -- something tells me there's a reason they weren't beheaded months ago like most of the others before them.

Domino Effect

2006-03-24T18:32:00.000-05:00

Over the years, one issue has been near and dear to my heart. Recently, it has been in the news again, and my heart has started to beat a little bit faster as a result. With the Israeli election only a few days away, the unilateral concessions are coming in hard and fast, as the Kadima party (founded by Ariel Sharon) inches over closer and closer to the left in an attempt to grab more votes away from Labour. What issue am I talking about here? Jerusalem. And why is Tamir panicking? Well...A poll published by the Jerusalem Post recently stated that 63% of Israelis are willing to make concessions on the status of Jerusalem in exchange for real peace with the Palestinians. Now, while the accuracy of polling is spotty at best, and while 75% of those who were willing to make the concessions also felt that peace wasn't possible - this still scares me.

Jerusalem is not only the capital city of the State of Israel, it is also the holiest place in Judaism. Muslims pray towards Mecca, Christians flock to the Vatican, and before those religions were formed, Jews for thousands of years (since 1004 BCE) have made Jerusalem their spiritual centre. The city of Jerusalem is mentioned in the Jewish bible over 800 times. Throughout the many, many years of foreign control over the city (which ended in 1948), Jews have continued to flock to Jerusalem, despite being persecuted, massacred and exiled many times. I am not a very religious person -- but for me Jerusalem is immensely important as it represents Israel's right to exist, and the Jewish people's right to exist as well, which has been challenged on numerous occasions.

My point is two-fold -- firstly, for Israel to even consider parting ways with an inch of Jerusalem is absurd. Its claim to the holy city is deeper and stronger than that of any capital city in any country in the world. Just ask yourself -- how long have Americans held Washington D.C. to close to their hearts, and Canadians Ottawa, Ontario? Considering that America is 230 years old, and Canada only 139, the comparison isn't even valid here. So then ask yourself this -- which other country in the world would VOLUNTARILY even consider giving away part of its capital city for peace with another nation? Especially when this country has never started, nor lost a war in its history.

Secondly -- as I briefly touched on earlier, Jerusalem to me represents the Jewish people's claim to the land of Israel. There is nowhere in the country that Jews have a closer and more obvious tie to than the city of David. By giving up even a small piece of the land, Israel is acknowledging that it truly has no legitimate claim to any of the country -- Tel Aviv, Acko, Haifa, anywhere. The Palestinians have made it very clear that they will not rest with Gaza, or even Jerusalem, they want the whole country, and will throw martyr's around until like nobody's business until the Jews are "thrown into the sea."

Luckily Labour won't be winning this election. But, neither will the Likud. We will have to see what Ehud Olmert does as Prime Minister -- there will be unilateral concessions, but to what degree? All I know is that one boy will be losing a lot of sleep over the next few months.

1 1/2 Men, 1 Moron

2006-03-23T14:19:00.000-05:00

I'm not sure what it is about celebrities. Actors are very rarely among the most intelligent group of society (I can obviously think of a few who go against the norm). They almost never go to University, and their profession has very little to do with intellectual, political and scientific thought. So why then does Charlie Sheen see the need to speak about 9/11 as if he were a knowledgeable individual worthy of intellectual conversation? Here is what our good friend, and brother of Emelio, had to say about Sept. 11..."seems to me 19 amateurs with box cutters taking over commercial airlines is the conspiracy theory." And with regards to the twin towers coming down, Sheen questioned the building collapse, saying that according to him, it looked like a staged demolition. Would I be out of line to ask what experience Charlie has working in the demolition business and what makes him think that he knows more than every prominent architect who has been shockingly silent on the matter? (and no -- sticking a cherry bomb down the dress of one of his whores does not count as demolition experience in this particular case).

Anyways, last rambling point here, but would it be too much to ask that celebrities make an effort to side with America (the country that gave them fame and amazing fortune?) It's sad that as a society we look up to people like Barbara Streisand, Sheryl Crow, Sean Penn and Alec Baldwin. If these people hate America so much, they should leave -- something tells me that speaking out against the government in places like Iran wouldn't go over so well for them (see: Mr. Penn). It is at this point that I sigh and watch Team America -- a small piece of justice in a world that lacks it so.

Farm me a River

2006-03-21T19:03:00.000-05:00

I am disgusted with myself. 7 days without a post. Want to know the real reason why? I've been so busy with work I have nothing interestig to write -- who cares about interactive creative marketing or strategy triangles? Exactly, nobody. Anyways, I was driving in downtown Toronto today when I was abruptly stuck in traffic by several tractors around Queens Park. This is the second time this has happened to me in a few years. "Farmers feed cities" is what they wanted me to know while I waited semi-patiently in a line of cars. Did the message get through? Well you be the judge. If I were to be one to suppor the farmers in whatever it is they want from me (likely some more of my tax dollars), this would change my mind. Aggrevating innocent drivers on University Avenue in downtown Toronto is not a solution to a problem. I have never understood why farmers believe they are entitled to ever more tax dollars to fund their fledgling businesses. Why is farming so special? If a farm isn't profitable, it should go under, the same way a software company or video store should go under. There is no reason why the government should step in and aid an economically unprofitable industry, especially when the goods they produce are available in large quantities and cheaper prices elsewhere (thumbs up to free trade).

Purely out of spite, I will now make it my business to oppose these farmers in whatever way possible, with the hopes of teaching other idiots that stupid protests which do nothing to solve your grienvances are a bad idea. How will I make a difference? I will no longer eat fruits and vegetables from this day forward...sound like a good plan?

The Pigs Have Taken Flight

2006-03-13T16:36:00.000-05:00

Ladies and Gentleman, the impossible has happened. The hopes and dreams of college students everywhere have been realized, and the Gods have smiled down on Norway. It is rare that events such as these happen in our lifetime -- like the Moon Landing, 9/11, the fall of the Berlin Wall, it is events such as these that shape a generation, and change the paradigms that we live by forever. Am I going to stop bullshitting and tell you what happened? Yes. A women in Oslo, Norway turned on her kitchen faucet yesterday and instead of water, beer came out. Beer, from the kitchen sink. Some say the world is going to hell, I think this proves there is still hope for us out there.

Bowling for Camembert

2006-03-09T20:55:00.000-05:00

As reported in the Washington Post today, a former teacher held 20 young hostages with a handgun in a high school classroom in France. Interesting isn't it? I thought this sort of mindless act is the result of the "gun culture" in the United States, where guns flow like water. But in France, as with Canada and other nations, guns such as the one are illegal - so how did this happen? While I personally don't own a gun and likely never will, in my opinion this just clarifies the point that banning guns in society does nothing but give criminals a significant leg-up on the rest of us. Banning handguns keeps weapons out of the hands of law-abiding citizens - but by definition, criminals will still break the law in order to get their weapons and continue to threaten the innocent. One can clearly make the argument that, as scary as it may be in theory, when everyone has a hand-gun there is at least a level playing-field, and criminals need to think twice before threatening an innocent women on a dark street in Marseilles. There's no right answer here, but perhaps Michael Moore was full of résidus while bowling for bullshit in his Oscar-winning film...

If life were an hourglass that wouldn't fade away

2006-03-09T19:07:00.000-05:00

I'd like to apologize for my extreme lack of activity on this blog over the last little while. This has been a difficult time for my family as of late, and that has kept me pretty busy. That being said, I should be resuming my post-a-day policy moving forward, so stay tuned...

Carlsberg Years?

2006-03-04T17:42:00.000-05:00

So when exactly do your "Carlsberg" years begin? Mid-20's? Late 20's? Sometime in your 30's? I just bought a case of Carlsberg, which I now really enjoy: does this consequently mean that I am old? I can't wait to get out of school and start working 9-5 (err, 8-7 is more like it), I don't mind paying a premium for my Stella, and I already enjoy going to "nicer" bars and lounges over grungy, dirty bars/clubs that happen to have cheaper alcohol. I'm only 22, it seems I may have missed the Lakeport-years altogether...but where are you all at? Who knew a bottle of alcohol could so easily describe what stage of life you're in?

Anyways, I am off to the Laurier Charity Ball -- I will post more tomorrow.

Cuban Revolution: Reprise

2006-03-02T18:54:00.000-05:00

Before I get into this rant, let me just quickly state: I had an AMAZING time on my trip to Cuba, being with my friends were amazing and I wouldn't take it back for anything. I will post about my trip shortly, and for now see some "best of" pictures here. This article is about the bigger picture and not about my trip specifically. As my friends and I frantically searched redtag and selloffvacations for our spring break trip deals a few weeks back, I found myself in a rather precarious position. I had to make a moral choice -- should I go to Cuba, a country where all-inclusive trips provide the best value and beaches, and consequently pay taxes and support the Communist Regime led by El Presidente? I had two schools of thought here as I deliberated: 1) Don't go, stick by your principles, find some other, less offensive 3rd world country to go to and wait for Castro to choke on a cigar or fall flat on his face again, 2) Go on the trip, and contribute to the Westernization of Castro-stan. I was leaning towards the first option, as many others were trying to convince me to follow the second school of thought. Well, due to realities of an $1100 all-inclusive trip and the preferences of my friends, I decided to go and see for myself, and I came to a few realizations...

Having experienced the beautiful islands and various Miami Vice drink-contraptions, it's clear to me now that I should in fact not visit Cuba in the future, and that my trips do little else but encourage the continuation of the irrelevant totalitarian state and the suffering of its people. Why? 2 reasons.

1) Tourist complexes such as Varadero, Cayo Coco paint a beautiful picture of this country to tourists. The sandy beaches, upscale restaurants and cute markets look more like Kokomo than Kuala Lumpur. These cities are not part of the real Cuba. These resort-towns paint nice pictures for tourists, but these are nothing but extremely secure complexes, requiring special documents to enter and exit, designed to bring some much-needed funds to the government-owned resorts. Without the flood of Canadian tourists, it can be argued that the Castro government would have fallen (no pun intented) many years ago. Most importantly, the people who work at the resorts very rarely live in these plush towns and reap the benefits of the rare infrastructures which are non-existent in the rest of the country.

2) The flow of "Western" ideas and values stops at the border to Cuba. While it would be nice to think that workers at tourist resorts benefit from the Western ideals brought to places like Varadero by the Canadian and German tourists who flock to the sunny beaches, this doesn't happen. While resort workers do get the opportunity to speak with tourists daily, they still are indoctrinated from day 1 through state controlled media and schools, and absolute lack of freedoms and lack of internet access. By the time the lucky few who speak English get employed at the resorts, "Westernization" is already a lost cause. This was made brutally clear to me when I managed to have a 2-hour discussion with a very intelligent waiter at my resort, who despite his intelligence and general understand of the lack of freedoms in his country, still tried to explain to me absurd government propaganda which he passed off as absolute truth. Onay, our kind waiter, explained to me that Americans murder Cuban babies. He told me that President Bush orchestrated 9/11 with the Pentagon in his quest for oil. He told me the FBI has a list of countries (which the Cuban government got a hold of) that it is going to invade shortly, and that Cuba is #8 on that list. To most people with even moderate intelligence who grow up in a democratic state, these sorts of ideas are clearly absurd. But in Cuba, even an intelligent man such as Onay believes these ridiculous government lies, and why shouldn't he? The same way most Palestinian children believe Jews are vile devils who eat Muslim babies in their Matzah, Onay believes the United States is the Devil and that the Cuban (totalitarian) government is his only defence against the invasion of the Evil Empire. Onay doesn't want democracy, why would he? He's heard nothing but horror stories about it since his conception. Indoctrination is extremely effective -- see Germany, Japan, Syria, etc. etc.

Onay ended our conversation by explaining to me that we both are set in our ideals and are right given our education and up-bringing. He's right in that. But that's where it stops. My friend Onay is lucky and has an underground illegal internet account, and I'm going to email him about the democracy and freedoms he's missing (he, in turn will teach me about why the United States is evil, but I guess you take the good with the bad). I will most likely be unsuccessful in pursuading my friend, but I will try my best to instill some Western values in my waiter-friend. Perhaps I can show him that there is hope for Cuba -- the same way Germany and Japan managed to become models for democracy and economic power in the last 60 years, so too can Cuba. Forget voting -- if you were to tell the women of Afghanistan that they would be able to leave the house without a cloth over their entire body, and a man escorting them 5 years ago they'd laugh it you. But these things are possible, and I think I can one day bring this hope to Onay. He deserves the right to feel the way he does in his country today, but his children and their children deserve the right to make their own decisions and decide their own fate in a free society. Until that happens, my email correspondence with Onay will be my only connection to a Communist Cuba. Looks like I'll have to find a gorgeous beach and heavy-alcoholic drinks elsewhere. Life's all about sacrifices right? Freedom isn't free.

On the IR

2006-03-02T02:00:00.000-05:00

Well, for all my readers I would like to apologize for my lack of posting! I have some GREAT stories and analysis from Cuba, but this week and the devil that is WLU midterms/assignments have really put a damper on my blogging ability. Have no fear, Thursday I will post a new entry that you won't wanna miss....I promise....so check back....later on Thursday

Viva la Spring Break

2006-02-19T13:59:00.000-05:00

Hello! To my thousands (err, tens) or readers out there -- I will be away for the next 7 days as I head off to Cuba with a group of my friends. Wish me luck! When I return I will be writing a post detailing my experiences and outlining my moral dilema about visiting a country such as this. I will attempt to post once or twice from Varadero, but I am not quite sure I will be able to blog from Castrostan, stay tuned and happy reading week to those also on break.

The Pastry Wars

2006-02-17T19:21:00.000-05:00

Many have reported on how clear the clash of civilizations between the Western world and the Islamic World has become as of late. As is almost always the case, this dichotomy is best broken down using Pastries...Recently, Iranians have decided to eliminate the usage of the term "Danishes" in reference to the delicious, sweet flaky treat, meant as a strong diplomatic move against Denmark. What will they call them instead? “Roses of the Prophet Muhammad.” No, seriously. I'm not making this up. I'm not allowed to.

A Call to Action

2006-02-16T00:34:00.000-05:00

*UPDATED* The talk has been cancelled, as both UW and WLU are cancelled today due to poor weather. I feel pretty bad for the Youth Communist League, it seems nothing ever goes right for them...

My apologies for the lateness of this announcement -- but I have just been informed that Ward Churchill, University of Colorado Professor, is going to be speaking about Israel and other topics at UW Thursday evening. For those of you who don't remember, Ward created quite a stir a year ago when he wrote an essay claiming that "unquestionably, America has earned" the 9-11 attacks as the "gallant sacrifices of the combat teams" were seen as "a tiny taste of their own medicine." According to Ward, in order to even the score with America, Muslims would "at a minimum, have to blow up about 300,000 more buildings and kill something on the order of 7.5 million people." More? Well, Ward also called the innocent 9-11 victims "little Eichman's," in reference to the Nazi leader responsible of the logistics of the Final Solution. With regards to Israel, he outlined how the Jews are really worse than the Nazis, and have used the Holocaust as a cover for their genocide on the Palestinians. The list goes on and on.

Who invited this guy to speak at UW? The campus Communist Club (no, seriously.) Its amazing how a University can consistently show no class or balls whatsoever. Freedom of speech is obviously critical in places of higher learning -- but there is nothing intelligent or educational about Ward Churchill: he is a walking hate-speech that should never have been given a soap-box to abuse in the first place.

Sadly, I have class tomorrow evening, but I am seriously considering going late so that I can give Mr. Churchill a piece of my mind. I encourage you all to do the same:

6:30 PM, B1 (biology building), Room 271, University of Waterloo

Picking Berry's

2006-02-15T19:42:00.000-05:00

I will start this post off with a disclaimer: yes I am biased. But what's the fun in being impartial? Anyways, Microsoft is hot on the tail of the Canadian tech company RIM. Essentially Microsoft has won backing of major cellular networks for a new standard of phones using Microsoft's Windows Mobile OS. These phones will be much cheaper than BlackBerry's, and will eventually empower all employees to work 24/7 with their hand-held friend, and not just the execs. If I were RIM, I'd close up show right now...

Okay, so I'm exagerating -- RIM isn't going bankrupt anytime soon. But I think the company is in serious trouble here. The company has been enjoying a first-mover advantage in the email-PDA market for a little while now and I think the honeymoon is about to end. The frightening thing, especially if I were a RIM shareholder, is that without the BlackBerry the company is essentially done (at least based on what they've made public). I've always found it amusing how in Waterloo (the home of the RIM empire), everyone thinks the company is the next best thing sinced sliced bread -- but hey, they're entitled to their bias as well.

The reason I'm worried is because Microsoft has just begun its plan to take over this market. We've seen this pattern before. Microsoft doesn't believe in the first-mover advantage -- rather, they clearly let others enter the market first, wait and see what mistakes they make, and then go right in and eventually capture enormous market share (see Xbox, Java, etc.) The BlackBerry technology might be neat, but right now it's a corporate business tool geared towards executives (due to its cost). Microsoft and its partners are about to make email-capable PDA's the productivity tool for the everyday working Joe.

Crossing the Fine Line

2006-02-14T17:47:00.000-05:00

Okay. So a Danish newspaper 4 months ago publishes some cartoons that offends some Muslims. The response today? A group of rioters in Pakistan attacked and torched a McDonalds restaurant. Okay folks, you can storm and light up embassies, behead innocent civilians, and shout out slurs against Jews and Christians all you want -- but is nothing sacred? This is McDonalds! There is nothing Danish about it. And it's so delicious. And I'm upset. Now it's personal.

Ahmadinejad Lied! Kids Died!

2006-02-14T10:05:00.000-05:00

Everybody's favorite Iranian President is back at his old whacky ways yet again. While Mr. Ahmadinejad is so delusional it makes his comments rather laughable, I think they must be taken fairly seriously these days. While it's always hip to rag on Jews and the Great Satan (USA) around that neighborhood -- Adhmady is clearly taking it to the extreme with the hopes of firing up his people, with the hope that they won't notice the utter ineptitude of his government. I recommend you read his short quote below, and then imagine this character with his finger on the trigger of a nuclear weapon. By the way, the crowd was chanting: "Death to Denmark" as he read gave this speech. No, seriously.

"Even today, a group of people convene and declare: 'We rule that the Holocaust happened, and everybody must think the same.' This is a medieval way of thinking. On the face of it, the technology has changed, but the culture and the way of thinking remain medieval. If you are looking for the real Holocaust, you should look for it in Palestine. Over there, the pillaging Zionists are massacring the Palestinian people every day. If you are looking for the crimes of the Holocaust, you should find them among the oppressed people of Iraq. Today, all the people throughout the world are familiar with your methods and your way of thinking. Your behavior is the essence of Western liberalism."

Iranian President Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad, which aired on Jaam-e Jam 2 TV on February 11, 2006.

link to video

The Bitter Taste of Victory

2006-02-13T11:40:00.000-05:00

I'm rather upset today after reflecting on Canada's 16-0 thrashing of the Italian women's hockey team. Why? Well let me provide some context: If you've ever been disappointed by Canada's weak performances at recent Olympic Games, you're probably not alone. Who's to blame here? Well, don't blame the athletes: those that choose to stay here, train and compete, despite the pathetic funding they received in Canada should be honored. The government? With all its faults, the government represents the will of the people, if athletic funding were a popular election issue then funding would increase. So then, who is our guilty culprit?

Look no further my friends, it is you and I. The other day, our women's hockey team -- clearly in one of the few Olympic Events where our country can truly be dominant, managed to destroy the Italian team. Were there celebrations in the streets (as with Toronto Maple Leaf round-1 playoff victories)? Were these amazing athletes treated as heroes back home? You might think so, but in this bizaro-Canada, the Canadian women's hockey team has been receiving loads and loads of angry emails and letters! People say they should have let up rather than embarrass the lowly Italian folks. To recap, our team won, Canadian's are upset.

Ignoring the fact that goal-differential is critical in this hockey tournament and thus every goal was extremely important, our country's response to this victory is abhorrent. I am ecstatic with the 16-0 result, and I only wish we could have hit the 20 goal mark. The reason Canada is consistently out-performed in Olympic Games by much smaller countries (see Australia), is because we promote a culture of defeat and mediocrity, happily accepting top 50 finishes and celebrating them as if they're Gold Medals. When we are finally rewarded with some remarkable success from our hard-working athletes, we find a pathetic way to deny it.

Despite all of the hoopla that would tell you otherwise, the Olympics are about victory, they are about national pride and they are about looking up to heroes and winners. Our Canadian women's hockey team deserves nothing but our praise and support, and I'm truly ashamed at the response many have given them in this country.
Oh Canada, you let me down.

émeutes sur les rues

2006-02-11T17:16:00.000-05:00

The big hit these days in Europe and the Middle-Ages, err, Middle-East has finally arrived in Canada! Today, about 250 protesters began doing their thing in Montreal over the publishing of Prophet Muhammad cartoons in European Newspapers. While the protests were deemed "peaceful" by the media, there were still some pretty interesting things being said by some friendly folks... One protester referred to the cartoons by saying: "That makes us very nervous. If they touch our prophet, one day we will touch your prophet." How nice. Others, still found ways to attack the Great Satan (the USA), despite the fact no American publication has touched the cartoons, and that the Bush Administration has actually strongly condemned them: "We also want to denounce al-Qaeda, this nightmare created by American imperialism to justify its economic empire on the planet." I didn't know Michael Moore was in Montreal today? The best thing out of this protest; however, was the decision of some Montreal Muslim groups not to participate -- and instead open up their Mosques to the public. Those refusing to participate with the fringe-militant members of their religion, and instead seek to focus and promote the peaceful side deserve to be commended.

Anyways, the real fireworks should begin this week when two Canadian newspapers out of Alberta will publishthe controversial cartoons. Keep your cowboy hats on, it's about to get interesting...

Who Can Doubt the Chinese?

2006-02-10T12:30:00.000-05:00

I just had a fortune cookie at work and the fortune said: "you are interested in public service." A sign perhaps? Maybt the Chinese God's somehow know about my desire to seek public office someday....eerie

oh, and also. The cookie came with two fortunes. The second fortune says: "Accept the next proposition you hear." Anyone have a proposition for me?

Preach It, Sista

2006-02-09T19:02:00.000-05:00

If there's one thing that grinds my gears it's stubborn political correctness. Blind people are now the "visually challanged". Morons are now "intellectually challanged." Clearly, those preaching a change in our vocabulary for the sake of more inclusive "liberalized" communication have gone a tad over-board. This, my friends, is why I love one particular lady who stands up to these forces of evil and speaks her mind...

I am speaking of course, of Ann Coulter. While many won't agree with her on every point (even I can't say that I do), she says exactly what she thinks, and to hell with those who don't agree with her. In this day and age, I wish we had more Ann Coulter's (and less Barbara Streisand's would be nice too). The forces for freedom in the world smile everytime Anne opens her mouth.

This week, Ann's weekly column is about the Muslim riots across the world. As usual, Ann hits the spot. While her article is consistantly amusing, she makes one important point; constrasting the relationships of religious groups with other "infidels":

"Catholics aren't short on rules, but they couldn't care less if non-Catholics use birth control. Conservative Jews have no interest in forbidding other people from mixing meat and dairy. Protestants don't make a peep about other people eating food off one another's plates. (Just stay away from our plates — that's disgusting.)"

read the full article at: www.anncoulter.com

The Beast Has Awaken

2006-02-08T19:18:00.000-05:00

Well, well, well...after a few years on velcrorock.com, and then a short, bet generous, stint on DaveGruia.com, Tamir is back online.

I purchased this site for a few reasons. Okay, I have no idea why I bought this site. But since I already have it now, I will be using it to post interesting articles, my own random thoughts, pictures and videos, and maybe free McDonalds (If only I could actually do that...).

Anyways, when I come up with a really good value proposition for all you out there to keep coming back to my site, I'll let you know. So keeping checking back often just in case.

Do it for Denmark

2006-02-08T18:30:00.000-05:00

Unless you've been living in a bubble for the past few weeks, you've heard that radical Islamists are currently rioting all across the globe over a group of cartoons published (originally about 4-months ago) in a Danish newspaper that depict the Prophet Mohammad. Muslims in general believe there should never be any pictorial depiction of the prophet, so many of the extreme radical ones have resorted to rioting and violence, as can be seen in the torched Danish embassies in Syria and Lebanon, as well as through the riots in Afghanistan, Gaza, Pakistan, etc. etc. etc. While many believe that these cartoons are in fact inappropriate, clearly, rioting and threats of violence against entire countries and societies because of this is absurd and barbaric.

If you would like to see the cartoons, go here: http://www.humaneventsonline.com/sarticle.php?id=12146 You will likely be surprised as to how tame they actually are, especially in comparison to the remarkably anti-Semitic and anti-Christian cartoon features daily in the Arab press. Just today, Iran's main newspaper has run a contest to see who can come up with the best Holocaust cartoon. (see: http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1138622562556&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull)

As Muslim dissident Ibn Warraq recently wrote:
"A democracy cannot survive long without freedom of _expression, the freedom to argue, to dissent, even to insult and offend. It is a freedom sorely lacking in the Islamic world, and without it Islam will remain unassailed in its dogmatic, fanatical, medieval fortress; ossified, totalitarian and intolerant. Without this fundamental freedom, Islam will continue to stifle thought, human rights, individuality; originality and truth.Unless, we show some solidarity, unashamed, noisy, public solidarity with the Danish cartoonists, then the forces that are trying to impose on the Free West a totalitarian ideology will have won; the Islamization of Europe will have begun in earnest. Do not apologize."

If you support the most basic elements of freedom, and would like to stand up to these goons who seek to silence anyone who dares questions them, there is something you can do. If you want to help counter the effect of the many Muslim countries boycotting Danish goods, please think about purchasing some of these fine goods next time you're out and about:

Shoes:
Ecco
Jaco
Danish Design:
Royal Copenhagen
Georg Jensen
Stelton
PH-lamps
Lego (toys)
Brio (toys)
Raadvad (knives etc.)
Trip Trap
HTH- kitchen
Morsoe (Fireplaces)
Royal Danish Porcelain
B & G Porcelain
Vesta (Windmills)
B & O radioes/televisions etc.

Other:
Watco Danish Furniture Oil
Buy Danish yarn
LEGO

Beverages:
Tuborg Beer
Carlsberg Beer

Clothing:
H20
Hummel

I'm Positive, Are You?

2006-01-23T00:31:00.000-05:00

About 6 months ago I went to a BBQ sponsored by Jovan Boseovski, the Conservative candidate in my riding (Willowdale). I spoke with Jovan and flat-out told him what I thought about many issues, but most importantly I told him this:

Run a positive campaign. The Conservatives will only win an election if they present a clear, positive vision for Canada. The “anti-Liberal” campaign will never be victorious.
Well, Jovan and Mr. Harper have listened. Today, the Conservative Party will hopefully win this election, and send the 13-year-old Liberal government into hibernation. The reason the Conservatives will win is NOT because of Adscam, RCMP investigations, bribing candidates in BC, “beer and popcorn” gaffes or even the PM throwing out random constitutional changes during the middle of a debate. The Conservatives will win because they were the only party to present a clear, positive and actionable vision for Canada.

How did I know this would work? Simple, history. The reason the Democrats did not win the Presidential election in 2004 is because their entire campaign was “Bush lied, kids died!” They had no good policies, no positive plan whatsoever. The Republicans meanwhile, like them or hate them, had a VERY clear plan and there is no doubt where George Bush stands on the issues. Also in 2004, the very same Conservative party lost the Canadian election because they ran an anti-Liberal campaign and not a pro-Conservative campaign. Want a non right-wing example? Well, the Tories in Ontario thought they could beat Dalton McGuinty by telling the public he was evil. Well, it didn’t work. People don’t care why we shouldn’t vote for the Liberals, they want to know why they should vote for the Tories.

Let’s hope Conservatives have learnt a lesson here and continue to campaign as the party of ideas. If they slip back into “attack-mode,” we’ll be back with the Fiberals in a heart-beat. In Canada. I’m not making this up. I’m not allowed to.

Manipulating Munich

2005-12-28T00:42:00.000-05:00

Tonight I went to see Munich: Steven Spielberg’s new movie “inspired by” the massacre of 11 Israeli athletes during the 1972 Munich Olympics by Palestinian terrorists. In response to the attacks the Israeli Mossad sent a hit-squad to liquidate those responsible, and this is what the story is based on.I was very frightened to see this movie.

Spielberg has made incredible, powerful films in the past depicting important moments in Jewish history, including Schindler’s List, and less directly in the WWII film Saving Private Ryan. This film was a bit different, and affected me in a special way, since it attempted to dissect the state of Israel (the country I was born in and am deeply attached to). I was afraid to see this movie because understanding Spielberg’s left-leaning ideology, I feared he would show Israel as brutal agressors, and Palestinians as innocent refugees fighting for a nation (your sad David and Golieth portrayal you’ll get daily on CNN, CBC, BBC, etc. etc.)

To my pleasant surprise, Spielberg did not white-wash terror whatsoever in this movie. He showed the PLO as brutal thugs, prepared to kill innocents without remorse in its aim to destroy Israel. Even Spielberg’s analysis of Israel and its methods and key players was rather tame and balanced — showing the families and leaders touched by terror and struggling to find an appropriate response to it.

Where Spielberg went wrong though, was where it really counted: his message. The underlying moral of this film is that the infamous “cycle of violence” needs to end. In one rant near the end of the film, and angry and emotionally distraught Eric Bana (Avner) tells his Mossad leader that his mission to kill the brains behind the Munich massacre was worthless, one bad terrorist is always just replaced with another. Furthermore, throughout the film everytime the Mossad squad sent to assasinate those responsible for the Munich attacks eliminates one of its targets, Spielberg cleverly shows a PLO terror response on civilians. The message is important in today’s world: Terror is evil and wrong, but our violent responses to terror only fuel more terror, and the cycle continues.

While this view is likely popular in University classrooms and NYT editor’s desks, it is fundamentally flawed and dangerous. Even though Spielberg may or may not have intended this, everytime he splices a picture of a dead Israeli athlete with a soon-to-be-dead PLO terrorist, he is creating a moral equivelance between the victims and the agressors, the good and the evil. When Israel responds to a brutal suicide bombing killing women and children on a bus by blowing up a bomb factory burried beneath someone’s home in Nablus, it is NOT perpetrating a cycle of violence, and the two acts are in no way comparable or equal whatsoever.
The last scene of this movie is where Spielberg truly unveils his true agenda. This film is not about Israel. It is not about the Palestinians. This film is about the United States and it’s about our post-9/11 world. Munich ends with a long, obvious shot of the twin towers — a sad statement essentially showing that while we seek to fight and destroy terror, it only leads to more violence and more killing. Steven Spielberg could not make a film with this message by using the United States as an example of why fighting terror is inneffective, so he instead used a much more convenient and less-controversial example: Israel.

What Spielberg fails to grasp is that Israel and the United States are not and should not engage in any “cycle of violence.” Our goal is not to kill the terrorist leaders and then kill their replacements, and so on. Our goal is to DESTROY terror and defeat evil. We are not fighting for the sake of fighting. We are fighting for our families, for our freedom and for our civilization. During the WWII, the Allied soldiers fought bravely to defeat an evil enemy bent on destroying our way of life; they did not fight to continue any “cycle of violence.” During the Cold War, we fought the Soviet Union to protect democracy and freedom across the world. At the time, this was criticized heavily as useless antagonism as well, but today, and thanks to the courageous leadership of Ronald Reagan and others, we have defeated the Soviet Union — there was no “endless cycle of violence” there either.

Despite Spielberg’s message that nobody wins from this violence, there will ultimately be a winner: it will either be us or it will be them. If we decide to wave the white towel to protect our “righteousness” the decision will come sooner rather than later. Yasser Arafat, Osama Bin Laden and Abu al-Zarqawi are all prepared to fight and kill each and every one of us until we surrender to their archaic and twisted beliefs — if we don’t have the will and desire to fight back and protect our freedoms, and if we are unable to recognize the difference between what is good and what is evil, we will lose our freedom and we will lose this war.