Aug 8, 2003 | Dollars & Crosses
Writes Dr. Edwin A. Locke of the Ayn Rand Institute:Not content with the battering of Microsoft by the U.S. government and many state governments, the European Commission has now decided to stomp on Microsoft some more.
Why? Because Microsoft is not doing enough to help competitors who make audio and video files or server software! This action comes just two years after the same commission prevented an important merger between GE and Honeywell. Between the capitalist-hating Europeans and the capitalist-bashing Americans, how are our most successful companies supposed to function--that is, to grow and innovate?
President Bush should start by threatening the Europeans with retaliation unless they immediately cease their persecution of Microsoft and of all other large American companies that have done nothing more than be successful at what they do. He should then seek to eliminate antitrust persecution in the United States. If we want our economy to grow, if we want to get out of our recession, if we want to help stem our huge budget deficit, we need all the economic growth we can get. And the most essential pre- condition of economic growth is: freedom from government coercion.
Aug 8, 2003 | Dollars & Crosses
From the Washington Times, "Black church will pay whites to attend", July 31, 2003:Greenwood Acres Full Gospel Baptist Church in Shreveport, La., is eager for more diversity, so it will pay white people to attend services in August. Bishop Fred Caldwell, who said the idea came to him during his sermon Sunday at the mostly African-American church, said he will pay $5 an hour for Sunday services and $10 for the Thursday service, according to the Shreveport Times.
(Hat Tip: B. Harburg-Thomson)
Aug 7, 2003 | Dollars & Crosses
From David Holcberg of the Ayn Rand Institute:What is the difference between the ELF environmentalists who burned down an apartment complex under construction in San Diego on Friday and "mainstream" environmentalists? The means they choose to chip away at--and eventually destroy--freedom and modern civilization.
While ELF environmentalists employ direct violence to attack private property and prevent new development, "mainstream" environmentalists favor the indirect approach of using the government's power to do the same. Since human life requires and benefits from freedom and technology, both types of environmentalists are guilty of advancing an anti- human agenda.
Aug 7, 2003 | Dollars & Crosses
From David Holcberg of the Ayn Rand Institute:
Last week, President Bush asserted that "The Palestinian people, like people everywhere, deserve freedom, they deserve an honest government and they deserve peace." The truth, however, is that the vast majority of Palestinians deserve none of these values.
Do they reject arch-terrorist Arafat as their leader? No, they embrace him.
Do they revolt against Arafat's brutal dictatorial regime? No, they support it.
Do they condemn, jail or execute suicide bombers and terrorist murderers? No, they lionize them and hail them as heroes.
Do they promote goodwill and understanding towards their Jewish neighbors? No, they preach hatred of Jews in their schools and call in their mosques for genocide of Jews.
Most Palestinians actively or passively support a terrorist regime that is responsible for the injuries and deaths of hundreds of innocent Israelis, and thus have done nothing to deserve freedom and peace. Instead of striving for peace Palestinians have created a terrorist culture of hatred, violence and death. What do they deserve?
Exactly what they have gotten so far: oppression, misery and death.
Aug 6, 2003 | Dollars & Crosses
From David Holcberg of the Ayn Rand Institute:In response to Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas's demand for the release of every single one of the thousands of Palestinian terrorists held in Israeli jails, President Bush replied: "Surely, nobody wants to let a cold-blooded killer out of prison that would help derail the process" and "engage in terror attacks."
But clearly Abbas's demand--and Palestinian popular support for it--is incontrovertible evidence that the Palestinian leadership--and the great majority of Palestinians--want exactly what president Bush said nobody wants: to free all imprisoned terrorists so they can resume murdering Jews.
If President Bush believes that evading reality is practical--that a man demanding the release of terrorists is an honest partner for peace--he needs to do some hard thinking. Bush said: "I fully understand the prime minister's desire, I fully understand his request."
Do you Mr. President?
Aug 5, 2003 | Dollars & Crosses
Here's an influential American law professor arguing that we must respect people's alleged "right" to tyrannize their neighbors:A professor of law at New York University who served as senior adviser for constitutional law to the occupation authority in Iraq until mid-July, Noah Feldman, said... it is crucial Iraqis pick the constitution-making body because Iraqis must accept the finished product as legitimate.
"The Iraqis have a much better knowledge of their politics. I don't honestly think we would be in a position to gerrymander the outcome by choosing particular individuals and I don't think we would want to," Mr. Feldman said. "The success of the constitution is absolutely crucial for the success of Iraq. I strongly object to those who measure the success of the constitution by the words in it. If the Iraqis don't like the constitution, it has no chance of catching on." ... I see [Kanan Makiya's] views as deeply desirable but not viable given the situation on the ground in Iraq. In Iraq most people don't want separation of church and state," Mr. Feldman said. [NYSun]
That people "want" to force their religion on others is no more worthy of respect than that a murderer "wants" to kill; regardless of how many people have such desires, they have no right to be left free to pursue such ends. The only reason America shouldn't force religious freedom down the throats of unwilling Iraqis--which it would have every right to do--is that it is not our role to civilize barbarians, and it is not worth sacrificing American lives to such a cause.
Before we wind up promoting religious tyranny, America should get the hell out of Iraq (outside of maybe a few military bases)--with the proviso that we'll be back to topple any future government that threatens our interests. If the Iraqis insist on being savages, they deserve what's coming to them.
