Tuesdays with Paulie 6/26/07

Why we are the good guys
First graders used as suicide bombers

Juma Gul is a 6 year old Afghan child, who collects scrap metal for money. Last month Taliban fighters forced him to wear a vest they said would spray out flowers when he touched a button. He said they told him that when he saw American soldiers, "throw your body at them." Juma is an impoverished youngster being raised by an older sister. Taliban militants targeted what they thought was a desperate boy, but they didn't count on his street smarts to outwit them.

"When they first put the vest on my body I didn't know what to think, but then I felt the bomb," Juma told The Associated Press. "After I figured out it was a bomb, I went to the Afghan soldiers for help."

A Taliban spokesman claims the boy is being used as propaganda, but Afghan tribal leaders and NATO's International Security, have no doubt that Juma is telling the truth. This would not be the first time the Taliban or Islamic terrorists have used children to commit murder. In April a video surfaced, showing terrorists instructing a boy of about 12 as he beheaded an alleged traitor with a large knife.

When I hear horror stories such as this one, I'm reminded of the true evil we face in our war against Islamic fundamentalists. However, I also recall the statements of ignorance made by my fellow Americans.

Presidential Candidate John Edwards (D) believes the war on terror is a mere bumper sticker slogan. Rosie O'Donnell believes that Christian fundamentalism is more dangerous than Islamic fundamentalism. She as well as Hollywood nut jobs such as Charlie Sheen believe the United States government brought down the Twin towers on 9/11. Former President Jimmy Carter believes terrorist organizations such Hamas, who teach school children the glory of suicide bombings, can be a legitimate political power and partner for peace in the Middle East.

Stories such as Juma should unite the world or at least Americans in fighting against this evil we haven't seen since the days of Hitler and Nazi Germany. Unfortunately, it does not. Personal political agendas, Bush-hatred, ignorance and simple power, continue to divide America. I fear that another 9/11 will have to happen before the United States can fight with one voice. God forbid we ever suffer such a catastrophe, but even if we did, I believe our representatives wouldn't be singing "God Bless America," on the Capitol steps, they would be pointing fingers of blame.




If you can't beat your opponents, then silence them
Democrats want to limit freedom with Fairness Doctrine

When you can't win in the arena of ideas because you have none and believe that all problems can be solved by raising taxes and throwing money at it, the best way to hide your ignorance is to silence your critics.

That is exactly what Democrats are considering doing by bringing back the "fairness doctrine." California Senator Dianne Feinstein recently told Fox News she is "looking at" bringing back the Fairness Doctrine, " because "talk radio is overwhelmingly one way."

The notion that talk-radio is dominated by conservatives is not unfounded. Sean Hannity, Laura Ingraham and of course Rush Limbagh are self-described conservatives who dominate the radio airwaves. However, liberals have had limited success. Alan Colmes, Amy Goodman and of course the publicly funded National Public Radio. The liberal radio project, Air America, has been a disaster. Instead of asking why left-wing radio is not nearly as successful as it's counterpart, many Democrats rather have big brother take away the conservative voices.

What you won't hear in the mainstream press is that instituting the Fairness Doctrine is a ploy by Hillary Clinton and her supporters. Clinton has always been a favorite target of conservatives. A Clinton Presidential campaign without talk-radio would be a campaign free of media criticism or tough questions.

It's no secret that a mainstream press overloaded with liberal bias does not always report the truth or the whole story. Talk-radio in conjunction with the Internet news sources have been the voice of honesty within the media.

Right now, radio, television and print media must permit equal advertising time for political campaigns who want to purchase it. Radio stations that air talk-personalities are not responsible for the content of those programs. Radio stations are businesses with a goal of making a profit. Their decisions to air a particular program is a free-market decision. You and I are not having a gun placed against our head and being forced to listen to a particular station. We have the power of turning the dial or turning the radio off.

The idea of government forcing Rush Limbaugh to air a counterpoint or Air America to do so is ludicrous. It's ironic that the people who are against the Patriot Act and NSA wire-tapping program, have no problem with Uncle Sam regulating free speech.

Paulie