Posted on 07/08/2010 3:41:39 PM PDT by A_perfect_lady
Before we begin: a disclaimer. I do not like Obama. I do not like the Muslim world. Having said that... I am suddenly considering the possibility that this NASA outreach is not an evil plot to destroy America. It occurs to me that Obama is doing something ... not necessarily wrong.
Look, we on the conservative side have long held that the hatred the Muslim world bears toward us is part jealousy. They know they are not a cultural force in this world anymore. They have seen the moment of their greatness flicker (several hundred years ago.) As one pundit put it, the muslim world was the cradle of civilization. And as soon as civilization could climb out and crawl away, it did. They know they cannot compete with the modern world, not financially, not scientifically, intellectually... and they sure as heck won't win the World Cup.
If Obama is trying to draw them into the 21st century with us, trying to interest them in the kind of technology that has uses other than blowing up an Israeli cafe or a Starbucks in NYC... this is almost understandable.
Look, I'm a teacher in a public school. (This will de-certify me in the eyes of some Freepers automatically. You aren't a true Freeper, to them, unless you teach your own kids and kill your own meat.) But anyway, I am a teacher. I teach 7th grade in an inner city school (oh yes, the fun never stops, let me tell you.) I meet my share of half-molted little bully crabs who are sometimes so torn between putting gum in a girl's hair and snatching a nerd's pencil that I catch them before they can make up their minds.
Now there are several ways to deal with children like that. One is a brisk beating. I'm a fan, but we can't do that. Another is to boot him out of my class. Ha, what do you think we are, a charter school? We can't kick a kid out unless he's actually shooting people. Even then it'll have to go to committee first.
What I CAN do, as little Hector is plotting his next evil trick, is try to actually engage him in what the rest of us are doing. For example: we are making posters. "Hector, rather than destroy other kids' posters, how about if I put you in charge of putting them up on the wall?? (No, no, don't use the staple-gun [!!] Here's some tape.)"
We are reading a story. "Hector, would you like to be the main character? You read all his lines." Yes, you're catering to the most evil kid in class. But sometimes... it works. Sometimes Hector gets it. Sometimes he gets involved enough that he no longer has to assert his masculinity by hiding Guillermo's skateboard until the kid cries. Sometimes he settles down into a fairly decent participant once he really feels included and finally understands what the hell is going on.
Am I comparing the entire Muslim world to the maladjusted, neglected, illegitimate whelp of a gang-banger and an underage cholita? Well dang, folks, what else can you compare them to?? They only stop stoning their own women long enough to blow up a market, what can I say?
We could just kill them all. Seriously, technically, we could. Problem solved. But we're a little squeamish about that. We could kick them out of the UN, but apparently you need a committee to do that, and guess who is the biggest voting block in the UN? Yeah.
So... maybe Obama is trying Plan C. Engage the bully, get him interested in science, technnology, the 21st century. Make him feel included. Coax him a little.
When George W. Bush presented his vision of Iraq as a whole new experience for the Middle East, as an opportunity to teach them that they could fashion a government that was neither fundamentalist theocracy, nor pan-Arab socialist, run not by Mullahs or dictators or cartels, but by the people, I thought "Dang, Dubya, you're a wide-eyed naif if you think these people are capable of anything new." I still suspect that they are a study of social pathology, culturally crippled by Islam and a lack of the happy constellation of Greek wisdom, Viking determination, German hardiness, Roman ruthlessness, English work ethic, and Irish good cheer that made Western Civilization possible. (And let's not forget the French contribution of... really good cheese.)
But Dubya thought they could be eased into the modern world. Obama might be hoping the same thing.
I don't want to be like the Bush Derangement Contingent who were absolutely convinced that anything he did was motived by the Ee-vil machinations of Cheney and Halliburton. If Obama is doing something for reasons that are understandable, let us give the Devil his d-- I mean, give the man his due: he might not be operating completely on objectionable principles. If there's any possibility that it'll work, let's not burn it down just because it's him.
You drunk the KOOOOOL-AID!
Ever wonder why there were no Muslims on Star Trek?
Answer: Because it’s in the future
Its not what we pay NASA for and I frankly don’t care if the islamderthal pig rapists feel good about themselves.
Now there are several ways to deal with children like that. One is a brisk beating. I'm a fan, but we can't do that. Another is to boot him out of my class. Ha, what do you think we are, a charter school? We can't kick a kid out unless he's actually shooting people. Even then it'll have to go to committee first.
International politics isn't restricted to the same rules that public schools are. We can, for instance, inflict a brisk beating and/or boot unruly nations out of the class.
Sorry, but you live up to the stereotypical public school employee image in this instance. Muslims are animals. Period.
What about Khan?? ;)
Yeah, that line of reasoning has done a bang-up job with North Korea, hasn't it?
Sorry. They had no greatness. They were always robber barons, stealing what they could use (including inventions) and burning down the rest. They even stole that stupid thing they worship, the kaabaa. They produce nothing (but filth), and are not capable of understanding anything but what they can use for killing.
These people are verminous insects. No more, no less.
We can, but for some namby-pamby reason, we don't. Note: to me, those are Plans A and B. As I said, I think Obama's going with Plan C. I'm not saying it'll work. I'm simply saying that his motives might not be dishonorable.
You can’t make Muslims feel good about themselves without lying to them.
Probably. But my essay isn’t actually about the Muslims. It’s about the concept that Obama might have a goal that is... perhaps more idealistic than viable, but not necessarily at odds with any American value.
We will be giving them the technology to better enable their project of Jihad and universal Islam in the long run. In the short run we will make them more dangerous to Israel and each other. The best we can hope for, I think is to somehow ignite the Great Shia Crusade(Lunade?) against the Sunni at some point before Iran gets usable nukes. We should then concentrate on protecting and enabling Israel in whatever action it deems meet and judicious.
NASA is being put right out of the space business and its energies are being transferred to Global Warming and Prevarication and Jihad Building.
Right off the top I suspect a lie behind the claim of “outreach”.
What is “outreach” today will be found to be technology transfer tomorrow. After all, Obama has made it very clear that he wants America to be brought down a couple of notches.
None of this president’s objectives and actions are dishonorable when seen in the light of Jihad and the furtherance of its goals.
One might view Iraq and Afghanistan as examples of where the US did strike back at the unruly (and murderous) child. It has met with mixed results...in part because of varying conditions and in part because of lack of resolve and implementation.
When facing a bully the wrong response is to try to talk your way out of it. The bully reads that as weakness and doubles his demands and the beatings. Obama's route increases the danger quotient in the world, not lessens it.
Recall, for example, after the Iraq invasion Libya suddenly announced and gave up it's nuclear program and handed over it's materials. That was a case of one bully seeing another bully beaten up and decided he didn't want to be on the wrong end of that equation. World risk was reduced because a bully was beaten...and that doesn't address the decrease in risk with Iraq having been changed to a less belligerent stance, again, the result of another beating of the bully.
So you say Obama's motives might not be dishonorable, I have my opinions but ignoring those one must at a minimum conclude that at best Obama is ignorant of history and his idealistic naivete puts billions of people at greater risk...and that's giving him the benefit of the doubt.
"They" have NO intention (other than using whatever underhanded and deceitful measures--Taqiyya and Kitman to undermine our Republic and advance theirs by pretending to want to become "westernized") of ever "assimilating" or adopting our customs or way of life.
Moreover, what can they possible "contribute" to our space effort.
What have the Islamist developed, invented or perfected in the the last 1,000 years, other than War and Jihad?
If it were not for a stroke of geographic "Luck" which provided many Muslim countries with oil, they would ALL be much the same as Rawanda and Darfur.
It is specifically because of their religious beliefs which has prevented them from what is needed to become advanced societies, regardless of which country they control; the stubborn refusal to accept anything which Islam/Sharia forbids, most of all, independent thought and questioning which is paramount in all scientific disciplines.
Listen if Sharia forbids even the "Listening to Music or Dancing" how does anyone expect them to conform with other scientific measures needed to excel in those areas?
A Muslim Astronaut?
Now that's funny!
I can see it now: No other female astronauts allowed on the same mission.
No pork products served as meals and their must be Halal.
All work must stop 5 times a day (and they will probably want to maneuver the space craft to orient it toward Mecca) for their "Salat."
And who knows what other "DEMANDS" they will insist on in other for "us" to give "them" the "privilege" of participating in "our" space program!
(Amazing isn't it: They come to our country and then we have to change our way of life to acomodate "them!")
Sorry, this is simply a sop to the Muslim Street by Dear Leader and an exercise in futility, which could come back to haunt us.
Soetoro has a precedent for his actions in the transfer by Billclinton of ICBM and space warfare technology to China.
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