This Tiger Can't Golf

So a tiger from someone's private collection went roaming around the Ronald Reagan library this past week. Wildlife officials shot and killed th 425-pound tiger, and then airlifted the animal in a large net. No surprise there. I don't think the tiger would have been as humane (pun intended) if someone were trespassing on its native soil. Yet, the bleeding-hearts came out for a look-see:

The park has become a gathering place for people mourning the tiger's death. Many expressed varied opinions about the event.

"I thought it was sad that they shot the tiger, but I think they did the right thing," said Arthur Sanders. "I thought that was mean," said another. One visitor said he was concerned about the tiger's presence near schools.

"It was a very tame tiger, from what I understand," another man told NBC4. "It was declawed. It was cowering in a ravine, which further kept it isolated. The net that they used to carry it out of here after they shot it, they could have used to drop over it and held it down that way."

Monday-morning quarterbacking. They coulda, they shoulda. It was a tiger. What the hell was it doing loose in the first place?

Moorpark resident Mike Lillis followed the tiger's last paw prints. He cast one of the prints in plaster. "Having him get shot, that bothered me and it bothered a lot of people," Lillis said. "In a way, I felt this was my way of honoring him."

Honoring... a tiger. For braveness in combat? Please. Ask these morons what they thought the wildlife officials should have done after it bit the head off a loved one.

Timing Is Everything

Jennifer Beals, one of the stars of Showtime's lesbian drama The L Word, has decided, since her show is about to have its second-season premiere this Sunday, to speak out in favor of gay marriage:

"I'm always shocked that gay marriage is such a big deal. You have to realize how precious human life is, when there are tsunamis and mudslides, when there are armies and terrorists - at any moment, you could be gone, and potentially in the most brutal fashion. And then you have to realize that love is truly one of the most extraordinary things you can experience in your life. To begrudge someone else their love of another person because of gender seems to be absolutely absurd. It's based in fear, fear of the other, fear of what is not like you.

OK, hang on there, Jenn. We've gone over this. The phrase "gay marriage" is an oxymoron. Marriage, by definition for thousands of years, is the joining of a man and a woman. Not a man and a man, or a woman and a woman. It's the word, not the joining.

Fear? There are gay couples that are out there, and I have no fear of them. What two men or two women decide to do in the privacy of their own home, car, or hotel room, is none of my business, just as my privacy is my own. Everyone should be different from everyone else. That's what makes us unique.

But when you are able to see lives on a day-to-day basis, rather than reducing it to politics, then it humanizes a whole community of people that were otherwise invisible."

Invisible? Will & Grace, The L Word, countless characters on countless shows.... what is this invisible crap?

Yale-educated Beals credits popular culture, such as her TV show, with breaking down homosexual stereotypes as it enables "people to see another side of life".

Oh, so her comments mean something because she's from Yale. Well, excuse the hell out of me.

I guess she felt her show needed that extra boost of publicity.

Smart as a Rock

OK. Chris Rock needs to stop. And I don't just mean with the following stupid comments:

"What straight black man sits there and watches the Oscars? Show me one. And they don't recognize comedy, and you don't see a lot of black people nominated, so why should I watch it?"

Here's a partial list of the nominees:
Jamie Foxx, Actor
Don Cheadle, Actor
Sophie Okonedo, Supporting Actress
Morgan Freeman, Supporting Actor

Um, last time I checked, all four of the actors listed were black.

And this, right before the "black man" comments:
"I never watched the Oscars, except the Halle Berry / Denzel Washington year. ..... Come on, it's a fashion show. No one performs, it's not like a music show. Nothing against people who aren't straight, but what straight guy that you know really cares?"

Right, Chris. Like you absolutely knew Denzel and Halle would win. And his typical comments that show his homophobia. Just like racists. "I'm not racist, but... " What moron thought he would be "edgy" enough to be the host of the Oscars? Actors and other crew are there to show off gowns and praise fellow actors and crew. That's it.

The left is just losing it. And I love my front-row ticket to the insanity.

Always Bet On Black

I've been holding back on this subject for a week, waiting to see how it plays out. And it played out as predictably as I thought it would.

After a 13-year-old boy went joyriding in a stolen car with a friend last week, at 3:30 in the morning, cops spotted them and gave chase. The car crashed into a fence, the friend got out and ran, then the 13-year-old backed-up and hit the patrol car. The officer got out, fired 10 shots, and killed the boy.

At this point, the question becomes, "Did the officer over-react?" In my opinion, no. They are in South Central Los Angeles, where crime is a major problem. But of course, the citizens never blame themselves:

Community activists blamed racism. "There seems to be a complete disregard for black life," said Danny Bakewell, head of the Brotherhood Crusade.

How are these people certain the cops were 100% certain themselves that the occupants were black? At 4 in the morning? Do these people think the cops were actively hunting for blacks? They were looking for people breaking the law. The fact that they were in South Los Angeles gave them a high probability the law breakers were black.

Fault in the Brown incident wasn't entirely clear-cut. Officer Garcia shot Brown after the boy apparently backed the car directly into the side of the police cruiser; Garcia was crouched behind the door. LAPD policy allows officers to shoot into moving cars, but only if the vehicle threatens the life of a cop or bystander.

And many citizens, black and white, wondered why the cops were shouldering all the blame for an incident that started because a 13-year-old was driving illegally, in a stolen car, at 4 in the morning. "We see young, innocent kids killed by gangbangers, and we don't see [this much] outrage," says white City Councilman Dennis Zine.

Councilman Zine makes my point. I've even read an article that states that joyriding is a rite of passase for young men. They see beer and car ads and want to drink and drive as early as they can. To me, that's a bunch of horseshit. The first time I tried beer, I was 12. I took one sip, spit it right back out. Never tried it again until I was 30. As for driving, none of my friends ever took a car in the middle or the night, or even the day, and went joyriding. We knew the value of patience.

13-years-old, driving a stolen car, 4 in the morning. And when the cops spotted them, they chased him for three miles. That's almost the length of 53 football fields.

Cops in L.A. are constantly chasing idiots driving 90 miles an hour on our multitude of freeways. When these people stop, there is no telling whether they will try and attack the police with their cars until they are completely out of their vehicle.

Bottom line in the blame game: try the parents.

Return Of The Pup-i

I knew he wouldn't keep silent for long. John Edwards, Kerry's ex-running mate and puppy dog, made a thinly veiled bid for the Presidency of 2008 while promoting his new Center on Poverty, Work, and Opportunity in New Hampshire.

While saying he has not decided whether to seek the presidency, Edwards sounded like a man who is putting a lot of thought into what makes voters tick.

"People are looking for strength and conviction, a core set of beliefs that we stand behind," he said in an interview previewing his speech to Democratic activists.

"I just believe that what the American people need in their leaders is to know where they stand. They may not know the nuance of the policy, but they know where that person wants to take the country," Edwards said.
Asked if President Bush passed that gut-check test with voters, Edwards paused before answering. "I don't think that's true, but there are a lot of people who do," he said.

Um, does Edwards know Bush won?

Edwards did not want to say why his former running mate, Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts, is faulted for lacking conviction and vision. "I think that's a complicated question," Edwards said. "Others can respond to that. I actually think John Kerry was a very good man and would have made a very good president."

Was a good man and would have made a good president. Nice. Notice he didn't disagree. But a complicated question? This man was Kerry's running mate, for Christ's sake. How could he not know?

Actually, the answer lies in Edwards' previous statements. "...what the American people need in their leaders is to know where they stand... they know where that person wants to take the country." That is something that Kerry failed in doing. He never had the courage of any convictions. As Edwards said, people are looking for "a core set of beliefs that we stand behind."

And guess what? We found them. In the year 2000.

We're The Kids In America

I had not declared any politial affiliation for about 18 years, ever since I could vote. I had an extremely basic knowledge of politics, but I knew enough about world events and other things that would affect me. Liberal or conservative, Republican, Democrat or Independent, it did not matter. I've always lived by the rules of common sense.

Which is why it frustrates me to read about college students who so lack common sense that they parrot the liberal bylines without hesitation.

Newsweek Magazine's online version had a twenty-something guest columnist from Michigan State University, Traci Carpenter, write an article on what her fellow college students thought of Social Security, if they even thought about it at all.

...but we never think for a moment that when we get that age, we won't be able to retire in style—or at all.

But this is the picture President Bush painted for us in his assault on our Social Security system at a White House forum last Tuesday and in his State of the Union Address on Wednesday.

"Assault." Didn't waste any time giving us her point of view, did she?

"If you're 20 years old, in your mid-20s, and you're beginning to work, I want you to think about a Social Security system that will be flat bust, bankrupt, unless the United States Congress has got the willingness to act now," Bush told the forum, using his usual rhetoric of impending doom.

"Usual rhetoric of impending doom." Wow. So scientists who predict a volcanic eruption, or an earthquake, or even forecasters who predict a hurricane, and warn people about the possible dangers, are just using their usual rhetoric of impending doom? Curious...

And as an inherent cynic about all politicians, I can't help but wonder if Bush truly has the best interest of my generation in mind. Through four years of his administration, he has barely acknowledged our needs and now he wants to save us from a threat looming a half century away? I can't help but be a little skeptical.

I'm sorry, I didn't realize your generation HAD needs, aside from going to school and getting a decent job that may turn into a great career.

Megan Connor, 21, a self-proclaimed Kerry supporter way back when, takes a more optimistic approach. She's happy Bush has taken notice of what she feels is an important issue, even though the shortfall isn't set to kick in for at least a decade after Bush leaves office.

THIS is what I like to hear. Although a Kerry supporter, Connor has the capacity to see things from the other side, and not just dismiss them outright.

However, she is concerned that our generation isn't prepared for what Bush has proposed. For those of us not financially savvy and clueless when it comes to investing, "it's going to be guesswork," she says.

Andrew Bell, 21, shares the same anxiety. "People in general have a pretty Short-term outlook," he said, adding he would be willing to pay more now to keep the current system because it would be "one less thing I have to worry about."

Well, we wouldn't want Mr. Bell to worry too much, would we? I mean, it's only LIFE we're talking about here.

Speech? What Speech?

On Wednesday, President Bush gave a clear and concise State Of The Union address, which laid out his specific plans for Iraq, health care, and the reform of Social Security.

But apparently Democratic House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority leader Harry Reid heard about five or six words and then drew their own conclusions.

(The Democratic responses came after the speech)

Pres. Bush: The United States has no right, no desire, and no intention to impose our form of government on anyone else. ..... We will succeed in Iraq because Iraqis are determined to fight for their own freedom, and to write their own history. As Prime Minister Allawi said in his speech to Congress last September, "Ordinary Iraqis are anxious … to shoulder all the security burdens of our country as quickly as possible." This is the natural desire of an independent nation, and it also is the stated mission of our coalition in Iraq. ..... In the end, Iraqis must be able to defend their own country — and we will help that proud, new nation secure its liberty.

“We all know that the United States cannot stay in Iraq indefinitely and continue to be viewed as an occupying force,” ..... “Neither should we slip out the back door, falsely declaring victory but leaving chaos,” Pelosi said. “We have never heard a clear plan from this administration for ending our presence in Iraq.”

Pres. Bush: We will help an additional 200,000 workers to get training for a better career, by reforming our job training system and strengthening America's community colleges.
..... Under the No Child Left Behind Act, standards are higher, test scores are on the rise, and we are closing the achievement gap for minority students. Now we must demand better results from our high schools, so every high school diploma is a ticket to success. And we will make it easier for Americans to afford a college education, by increasing the size of Pell Grants.
..... I ask Congress to move forward on a comprehensive health care agenda — with tax credits to help low-income workers buy insurance, a community health center in every poor county, improved information technology to prevent medical errors and needless costs, association health plans for small businesses and their employees, expanded health savings accounts, and medical liability reform that will reduce health care costs, and make sure patients have the doctors and care they need.

Reid said Bush should join Democrats in fighting for better job training, improved education and more affordable health care. Instead, he said, Bush offered “the same old ideology.”

Did their TiVO record the wrong program?

Pres. Bush: We will not set an artificial timetable for leaving Iraq, because that would embolden the terrorists and make them believe they can wait us out. We are in Iraq to achieve a result: A country that is democratic, representative of all its people, at peace with its neighbors, and able to defend itself. And when that result is achieved, our men and women serving in Iraq will return home with the honor they have earned.

Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., said Bush “did not mention how many more lives will be lost because we still have no timetable for leaving Iraq. And he did not mention how his plans for Social Security dramatically cut benefits across the board and make the challenge worse.”

President Bush said this:
As we fix Social Security, we also have the responsibility to make the system a better deal for younger workers. And the best way to reach that goal is through voluntary personal retirement accounts. ..... Right now, a set portion of the money you earn is taken out of your paycheck to pay for the Social Security benefits of today's retirees. If you are a younger worker, I believe you should be able to set aside part of that money in your own retirement account, so you can build a nest egg for your own future.

Why is personal responsibility such a hard concept for Democrats to understand?

Pres. Bush: But we have to move ahead with courage and honesty, because our children's retirement security is more important than partisan politics. I will work with members of Congress to find the most effective combination of reforms. I will listen to anyone who has a good idea to offer.

Even so, Democrats were volunteering few detailed alternatives to Bush’s proposals. Reid told reporters that without a specific White House blueprint for overhauling Social Security, he saw no need for Democrats to offer “a counterplan to nothing.”

Pres. Bush: In the three and a half years since September 11^th, 2001, we have taken unprecedented actions to protect Americans. We have created a new department of government to defend our homeland, focused the FBI on preventing terrorism, begun to reform our intelligence agencies, broken up terror cells across the country, expanded research on defenses against biological and chemical attack, improved border security, and trained more than a half million first responders. Police and firefighters, air marshals, researchers, and so many others are working every day to make our homeland safer, and we thank them all.

Reid and Pelosi also accused Bush of failing to develop a plan for protecting the country from terrorism and said Democrats wanted more health, education and job training benefits for veterans.

Brought to you by The Insanity Of The Left.