I never hide the fact that I reject the outdated labels Liberal and Conservative, nor the fact that I follow news and commentary outlets from both the political left and the political right. Politico is one of the left-wing outlets yet even THEY are starting to wake up about the wrong-headedness of the left’s attitude of “Islam: Right or Wrong!” To cite just a few new quotes from the site that usually cries Islamophobia at the slightest excuse:
***** “As the violence spreads across continents, what we are witnessing is a meltdown of the Islamic universe. Populations in Africa are as much in the cross-hairs as those of India, Europe, the U.S. and elsewhere. The victims may be diverse but the culprits are of one affiliation.” (Balladeer: Nice of them to finally notice.)
***** “So let’s be clear. The West didn’t invent despots in the region (The Middle East). The tradition predates Western influence, one strongman dynasty has replaced another for centuries — and always with a great deal of popular momentum backing its strong Islamic leaders.”
***** “Why do we expect host countries to succeed in convincing (Muslims) that women have a right to equal treatment, especially when liberal thinking in Europe and the U.S. urges immigrants to hold fast to their own cultures?”
***** “Molenbeek and other Islamized neighborhoods in Europe have become fortresses of separatism. And the influence of those neighborhoods is not easily contained. There’s sufficient evidence to believe that the lackadaisical approach to undigested multiculturalism backfires repeatedly. It could all end catastrophically at any moment.”
***** “Two fundamental conditions need to be met for any chance of peace or security to remain in our globalized century of mass migrations. European and American societies have to regain confidence in their deepest self (not merely in their free market or political principles) and immigrants to the West need to recognize the flaws of their own cultures.
“The first requires that Western societies reaffirm their identity-forming traditions and insist that newcomers incorporate them as a core consciousness. The second requires newcomers to have the cultural humility to do so.”
Balladeer: Well put. Unfortunately it’s Politico-EUROPE. I don’t expect the close-minded American Left to be this reasonable anytime soon. To read the whole article click HERE
FINAL FOUR: FIRST BERTH – The NorCal 3 seeds – the FRESNO CITY COLLEGE RAMS – had a hardcourt rumble with the NorCal 7 seeds – the CONTRA COSTA COLLEGE COMETS. The Rams dominated early and led the Comets 63-44 by Halftime. After the break Contra Costa College inched closer and closer to Fresno City College but their attempted rally fell short. The Rams won by a Century Club score of 100-89 led by B.J. Shelton with 27 points. 
ELITE EIGHT: FIRST BERTH – The Brummel Dome was the site of another masterpiece of defensive basketball played by the top seeded SADDLEBACK COLLEGE GAUCHOS. Their opponents, the 9th seeded BAKERSFIELD COLLEGE RENEGADES, trailed them at Halftime by a barely believable score of 26-16. The Renegades stunned the Gauchos after the break by forcing Overtime with a 50-50 tie to end Regulation. In the extra session Saddleback College won the game 64-56. Breaon Brady led the Gauchos with 14 points and 9 rebounds. 
Balladeer’s Blog continues its examination of the grand and exciting Hawaiian epic about the goddesses Pele and Hi’iaka. 
FORSETI – The god of the laws for men and gods alike who acted as the judge and moderator for disputes among the deities of the Teutono-Norse pantheon. His powers of arbitration and unquestioned fairness were necessary for settling conflicts involving his hot-blooded and temperamental fellow divinities. It is unknown, but doubtful, if Forseti’s rulings were at all binding on Odin. He was the son of the god Baldur through his wife Nanna and lived in a 
NOR-CAL REGION – THIRD ROUND – GAME ONE – In this game the 7 seeds – the CONTRA COSTA COLLEGE COMETS – took the court against the 2nd seeded FEATHER RIVER COLLEGE GOLDEN EAGLES. The Comets trailed the Golden Eagles at Halftime by a score of 47-44 but in the 2nd Half Contra Costa College outscored Feather River College SIXTY-TWO to THIRTY-SEVEN! The Comets won this upset by a Century Club score of 106-84 led by Jeremiah Alston with 25 points. 
