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What all the fuss in Wisconsin was about…

Mar 12, 2011 | Politics

From Restrictions on Public-Employee Unions in Wisconsin Become Law (WSJ):

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker signed a bill into law Friday eliminating most collective-bargaining rights for the state's public employees, while boosting how much they will pay for their benefits and making it tougher for public unions to retain members.

[..] Under the law, unions said it will be more difficult for them to retain members. The new law requires that 51% of all eligible workers—including those who don't vote—approve a union, which means unions can win a majority of votes cast, but still be barred from representing workers. Previously unions had to win a majority of votes cast. The state also will stop collecting dues automatically as soon as contracts end. Peter Davis, general counsel of the Wisconsin Employee Relations Committee, the state agency that oversees union elections, said he didn't believe any other state requires unions to win a majority of eligible voters.

[...] Many union members object to the tougher election requirements. "Annual certification is just a complete tactic to bust the unions," said Chris Fons, a 45-year-old high school teacher from Milwaukee. Mr. Walker defended the changes in union elections. "It really puts the onus on saying if the union wants to provide value they have to prove it," he said. "If people believe it then they'll come out and vote."

Under the previous system state workers were forced to pay money to unions that they did not approve of. In fact, in the 28 non-right-to-work states, unions had negotiated provisions that forced government employees to pay union dues -- or get fired.

Atlas Shrugged Adaption “Competent” and “Credible” according to TOS Review

Mar 12, 2011 | Politics

The Objective Standard (TOS) reviews Part 1 of the Atlas Shrugged Movie Adaption.The review praises the acting of  Taylor Schilling (Dagny) and Grant Bowler (Rearden) for executing their parts near perfectly, while pointing out that:
...Each plot point is there, as is much of Rand’s dialogue sans most of the overt expressions of her philosophic viewpoint, which first-time director Paul Johansson does his best to illustrate instead through the actions of the characters and the events of the plot. For the most part, the script stays true to the novel while updating it in ways that do not blunt the power of Rand’s theme—no small feat.
The review summarizes that "Atlas Shrugged: Part I is not the novel and it does not pretend to be," but that:
...It is a fairly competently made, credible adaptation of one of the most complex novels ever written. Even with its flaws, the film is enjoyable and has wonderful moments, including some in which it captures the power of the novel—such as the party during which Dagny gets the Rearden Metal bracelet, the scene during which Hank hands over his ore mine to Paul Larkin, and the already mentioned scene during which Dagny and Hank discover the motor. Fans of Ayn Rand’s masterpiece likely will enjoy these scenes in particular and appreciate the movie generally. Those unfamiliar with the story will probably enjoy the movie as well and may find their curiosity sufficiently piqued to read the book. If so, they will be even more richly rewarded. All in all, Atlas Shrugged: Part I will be a satisfactory journey for many viewers and could help increase awareness of Rand’s work.
Read the full review here.

Freedom of Association is a Right; Collective Bargaining Is Not A Right

Mar 10, 2011 | Politics

From Collective Bargaining Is Not A Right (Heritage):
[...] the freedom of association is a right shared by all Americans and protected by the First Amendment. In contrast, collective bargaining is a special power occasionally granted to some unions. In upholding North Carolina’s ban on government union collective bargaining, a federal court wrote in Atkins vs. City of Charlotte: “All citizens have the right to associate in groups to advocate their special interests to the government. It is something entirely different to grant any one interest group special status and access to the decision making process.”Gov. Scott Walker’s (R) budget bill in Wisconsin in no way infringes on any Americans’ right to associate and lobby government. What it does do is allow Wisconsin employees to choose not to join a union and keep their job at the same time. It also forces the government unions in Wisconsin to collect their own union dues instead of using the power of the state to withhold them directly from employee paychecks.Now there is a question you’ll never see in a New York Times poll: “Do you favor forcing all state employees to join a union and empowering government unions to take union dues directly from employee paychecks?”

Atlas Shrugged Movie Producer Comments Make Charlie Sheen Seem Like The Voice of Sanity

Mar 10, 2011 | Politics

From The Daily Caller:
[...] John Aglialoro, the producer of the movie adaptation of the classic Ayn Rand novel “Atlas Shrugged,” hinted that part three of the movie trilogy might be made as a musical.
“But you know, part three could be a musical . . . like a Les Miserables kind of a musical,” said Aglialoro. “That’s part of the impact and I guess I haven’t said this publicly yet, but I’m looking at it completely different if part three is a musical with quality music that’s done in a certain way that people will like.”[...] Aglialoro, who held the movie rights and toiled over adapting the novel to film for 18 years, told TheDC he wants to shock audiences with the final installment: “I mean, if you saw the play Les Miserables without the music, and then with the music, you may go in there saying, ‘oh hell, I would never want to see that great book in a musical.’ That’s going to shock a lot of people to see part 3 be a musical, and part 2 may be very different from part 3 and very different from part  1. It has to be new, you know . . . We get a freshness, a vitality about it, and yet it has the same, rock-solid principles and philosophies that we all know and love.”
Clueless. If the AS movie bombs Mr. Aglialoro will be the reason for it.

Profiles in Business Courage: George Buckley CEO of 3M

Mar 9, 2011 | Business, Politics

Writes Richard Salsman at his blog on Forbes on  Bravo For George Buckley, A Righteous CEO:
Since his party’s failure in the mid-term elections, President Barack Obama has been posing as “pro-business” and a “centrist.” There’s not a single reason to believe it. Obama is a phony — on this and many other issues — just as he was during his 2008 campaign. If Obama is “pro-business” in any way, like most politicians today he claims to be so only to extract tax revenues and campaign funding. That’s the sole extent of it. Business is a mere host to his political parasitism. Yet his hostile attitude isn’t much different from that seen in the GOP.[...] That Obama is being disingenuous is clear from the avalanche of new regulations, controls and dictates now piling atop America’s businessmen, whether due to ObamaCare’s further socialization of the health care sector, or to Dodd-Frank’s scheme to further invade the financial sector, or to the EPA’s latest crusade against nearly every sector by calling CO2 a “pollutant.” [...] In his essay on regulation Obama also conceded that many “unreasonable burdens on business” have “stifled innovation and have had a chilling effect on growth and jobs,” yet he refused to call for the repeal of any set of regulations, or the abolition of a single regulatory agency. He keeps sponsoring and signing laws that impose still more burdens.[...] For an alternative assessment — i.e., with refreshing honesty and candor — consider a recent interview of a courageous business executive who dares to describe Obama’s actual policy toward business: legalized looting. According to George Buckley, CEO of 3M Corp. since 2005, “We know what [Obama's] instincts are: they are Robin Hood-esque. He is anti-business.”Buckley further explains that “there is a sense among companies that the U.S. is a difficult place to do business,” and “it is about regulation, taxation, seemingly anti-business policies in Washington, attitudes towards science.” He adds that “politicians forget that business has choice. We’re not indentured servants and we will do business where it’s good and friendly. If it’s hostile, incrementally, things will slip away. We’ve got a real choice between ...
Read the rest of Richard Salsman's article at his blog on Forbes:  Bravo For George Buckley, A Righteous CEO.

Muslim Apostate Comic Book Artist Bosch Fawstin on John Stewart’s Daily Show Tonight

Mar 1, 2011 | Politics

 Apostate, Cartoonist and author of The Infidel, Bosch Fawstin will be on John Stewart's Daily Show Tonight. According to Bosh:

Hey everyone, for better or worse, my segment on THE DAILY SHOW will be airing TONIGHT, 11PM EST, and 11PM PST as well. Not sure when it airs in other time zones, check your local listings.

I hope you all got and enjoyed The Infidel #1, reader reaction has been as good as I could have hoped for. I have no idea what to expect from The Daily Show appearance, it was 3 hours of shooting, but I hope it's funny and informative and lets the world know that some small corner of pop culture is taking on the bastards.

Best, Bosch

Also, in case you have not read it check out his interview over at Capitalism Magazine: Art Against Jihad: An Interview with Bosch Fawstin Creator of The Infidel and PigmanUPDATE: It appears that the Daily Show took a "liberal approach" top editing effectively changing answers to some questions posed to Bosch. Writes Bosch on his blog,  "I've now seen the segment and before they "edited" it, I actually answered, ‎"What's wrong with Batman in WW2 recruiting a German Batman without any mention of Nazis?" when Asif asked me "What's wrong with a Muslim Batman?", and they did the same thing with some of my other "answers" [..] For my full account of what was left out of Baosch's aired segment on The Daily Show, click here."UPDATE: You can see Bosch's "edited" appearance here:

Salsman: Unions and Government By Mob Rule

Mar 1, 2011 | Politics

Richard Salsman writes in Forbes on Ochlocracy and the Menace of Government Unions:
A revealing chant can be heard from the mobs invading the state capital in Madison, Wis.: “This is what democracy looks like.” Indeed, the much-beloved “democracy” of our tumultuous times entails under-performing, over-paid state bureaucrats showering pet politicians with compulsory union dues and holding taxpayers hostage to their militant demands while the voices and votes of a handful of reasonable officeholders are nullified by others who flee the state to duck hard votes. Meanwhile, out-of state mobs of equally under-performing, over-paid bureaucrats are bused into the state, to intensify the intimidation. This is democracy — what Tocqueville called the “tyranny of the majority” and Hamilton called our “real disease.”Technically, the demonstrations and work stoppages of state bureaucrats and the unjust laws supporting them illustrate how we’ve got an ochlocracy — government by mob rule, by the “will of the “people,” by intimidation and fueled by ignorant voters and unprincipled demagogues. Government teachers ensure that students (future voters) are illiterate and innumerate, while populist “leaders” appeal not to voters’ reason but to their passions. Sacrificed in an ochlocracy is respect for individual rights, constitutionalism, and the rule of law. Peaceful assembly, petition and persuasion are displaced by the scream, the curse, and the threat.In a truly free country there is sanctity of contract, voluntary exchange and bargaining (whether individually or collectively), freedom of association and peaceful assembly, and the right to petition (lobby) the government for a redress of grievances. But that’s not really what’s at stake in Madison, or in the half-dozen other U.S. state capitals where a growing number of union-based mobs are accumulating while blocking streets and occupying buildings. In a free country voluntary private labor unions are perfectly fine — however misguided they may be in their Marxist-inspired perceptions of “exploitation” by “robber barons” — but no one and no group has any right whatsoever to compel others to deal with them. Compulsion can never be justified, rationalized, legitimized or legalized in any process of genuine dealing, exchanging or bargaining.Yet for the past 75 years — since the Wagner Act was enacted in 1935 — U.S. federal law has compelled private companies to “deal” with militant unions and to satisfy their excessive, unaffordable demands. Thereafter, if union members chose to strike and leave their jobs, the law (and “law enforcement” officers) allowed such quitters to torment, intimidate and prevent other laborers from freely working in their place, and forbade firms from hiring eager replacements.The Wagner Act — known as the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) — created a political panel, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to curb the rights of employers in bargaining with unions. Thus since 1935 the NLRB has repeatedly violated private firms’ bargaining rights, dictating to those on only one side of the “negotiating” table (firms) what are “fair” or “unfair” practices, and privileging the other side (unions), in violation of voluntary bargaining. The NLRB forces firms to “deal” with unions, allows forced membership (and dues) on workers who do not want to participate in a union, and prohibits companies from replacing or firing those who conspire to sabotage or undermine it from within.The list is quite long of once-vibrant U.S. industries that have been inexorably drained and decimated by compulsory unionism since 1935...
Read the rest at his blog at Forbes.

Yaron Brook – Tea Party Patriots American Policy Summit

Feb 28, 2011 | Politics

Yaron Brook gives a rousing speech at the Tea Party Patriots American Policy Summit 2011 on 2/25/2011. His speech focuses on the idea that freedom lies in stresses a single, fundamental principle, the principle of individual rights, rather than vague terms such as fiscal responsibility (can be done through taxation) or limited government (can suggest democracy rather than a republic). An engaging speech which ended in an 1800 person standing ovation, the only one that night.

Art Against Jihad

Feb 28, 2011 | Politics

In this wide-ranging and exclusive Capitalism Magazine interview, ex-Muslim artist extroadinaire Bosch Fawstin discusses: his new graphic novel series The Infidel and its' hero Pigman -- the Jihadist's Terrorist; the influence of Frank Miller, Alex Toth and Ayn Rand on his work; the errors of George W. Bush and his contempories; his appearance on the Daily Show and the solution to dealing with Islamic terrorists. Definitely worth reading!Link: Art Against Jihad: An Interview with Bosch Fawstin Creator of The Infidel and Pigman

Pigman: The Jidhadist’s Terrorist

Feb 28, 2011 | Politics

 Some scenes from issue #1 of Bosch Fawstin's graphic novel series The Infidel.The Infidel is a story about twin brothers Killian Duke and Salaam Duka, whose Muslim background comes crashing to the forefront of their lives on 9/11.Salaam’s response is full submission to Islam.Killian responds by creating a comic book featuring a pigskin-clad superhero named Pigman, who takes on Jihad.  " The idea of Pigman" explains Bosch in a recent interview with Capitalism Magazine "came about when I started thinking about the enemy and what would be their worst nightmare personified. He’s a pigskin-clad superhero, a physically big, strong, ruthless defender of Western Civilization who fully understands the enemy and speaks his language. He is the perfect weapon against jihad."Order a copy of issue#1 of the Infidel at Bosch's website.

Art Against Jihad: An Interview with Bosch Fawstin Creator of The Infidel and Pigman

Feb 27, 2011 | Culture

In this wide-ranging and exclusive New Romanticist interview, ex-Muslim artist extraordinaire Bosch Fawstin discusses: his new graphic novel series The Infidel and its' hero Pigman -- the Jihadist's Terrorist; the influence of Frank Miller, Alex Toth and Ayn Rand on his work; the errors of George W. Bush and his contemporaries; his appearance on the Daily Show and the solution to dealing with Islamic terrorists. Enjoy! NEW ROMANTICIST: Who is Bosch Fawstin?BOSCH: A life-long comic book fan whose love of heroes led him to Ayn Rand’s novels and her philosophy of Objectivism, which my own fictional heroes embody.I decided in my mid-20’s that I would turn my love of comic books into a career and released my first graphic novel, TABLE FOR ONE in 2004. The book led to a “Russ Manning Most Promising Newcomer” award nomination, as well as an “Eisner Award” nomination for “Talent Deserving of Wider Recognition”.I’m currently working on my second graphic novel, THE INFIDEL, featuring PIGMAN, the pigskin-clad, counter-jihad superhero.NEW ROMANTICIST: Ayn Rand? Yes, I see the author of Atlas Shrugged she even makes an appearance in Table For One. What inspires you about Ayn Rand and her philosophy Objectivism in regards to your art?BOSCH: Ayn Rand is the most fully realized artist I've ever come across. She wrote the truth as if her life depended on it, and she made me conscious of the fact that my favorite artists have always been the most honest. Her philosophy of Objectivism is what helps keep my life and the lives of my heroes in full intellectual engagement with reality. Its focus on what really matters helps me better recognize the unimportant and the unnecessary in my life and in my art, which is a great value in keeping my stories anchored to reality and true to themselves.NEW ROMANTICIST: Who are your influences from comics – both in writing and art?BOSCH: Frank Miller and Alex Toth are the big two, the ones whose work most challenged me to get real serious about my writing and drawing in order to show and tell my stories in the best way I can. Miller, mainly for his writing, and Toth for his inimitable drawing and storytelling ability.NEW ROMANTICIST: For those new to Toth, what do you recommend as your favorite?BOSCH: When it comes to the work of Alex Toth, I find it very difficult to play favorites because when thinking of your question I had a flood of images and stories in my head. But here's a link to a short story that he drew that really shows how singularly great he was as a comic book artist. You can imagine how I felt when, less than a week after I sent him a black and white xerox copy of Table for One, I received a handwritten post card from Alex Toth himself, praising my efforts. I had heard about his famous post cards, which were truly a work of art in and of themselves. The one thing his appreciation for my work did is to make me dig deeper to get better, which is something he did throughout his entire career.NEW ROMANTICIST: I see some John Romita Jr. in there too – particularly in the panel with your character Killian inking his comic with his library in the background. Also, some of those characters seem reminiscent at times of Herge’s Tintin. Wasn’t Miller an Ayn Rand fan too (though by no means could one call him an Objectivist)? I remember reading that Miller was particularly influenced by her work on esthetics, The Romantic Manifesto, which I assume you have also read?BOSCH: Definitely, I read it a number of times, and I recall that when I first heard of Rand's influence on Miller, I felt "Of course", after having read his work for a number of years. John Romita Jr. was my favorite penciler in comics for a good number of years, especially when he had his early runs in Amazing Spider-Man and X-men, and I still appreciate his work, but I'd love for him to draw stories that he thinks are truly worth telling because when he's asked about his best work he goes back nearly twenty years to his collaboration with Frank Miller in Daredevil: Man Without Fear.NEW ROMANTICIST:  Miller also has been fairly vocal against the Jihadists and in his defense of Western Civilization, to the point that many of the left-leaning of those in the comic world label him a “fascist” etc., despite the fact that Miller is a defender of free speech. Are there others in the comic world with your views, and how do your views on 9/11 differ with his?BOSCH: I do know of a number of creators in comics who understand the threat we face, but I'm not sure they'd want to associate themselves with my particular position, so they'll go unmentioned by me. I do know that Miller intended to pit Batman against al Qaeda in a story he called "Holy Terror, Batman!", but for whatever reasons (we can imagine what they were), Miller has now replaced Batman with his own creation, "The Fixer". To think that Batman went from taking on Jihad to now taking on a Muslim to be his "French Batman" shines some light on why Miller's project didn't go through. Nonetheless I personally think Batman is not built to take on mass murderers anyway, since DC doesn't allow him to kill, and being willing to kill is a requisite for fighting jihadists. Regarding any differing views Miller and I may have with respect to our approach in taking on this enemy, the Infidel takes on all of Islam -- it's laws, its doctrine of warfare, etc.. By contrast, from what I've read about Miller's views and his project, I've never heard him get explicit about Islam per se, so he may just be focusing on al Qaeda. The fact that even that is considered controversial is just another sign of how far removed our culture is from where we need to be during this war.NEW ROMANTICIST: What are your thoughts of Alan Moore, creator of Watchmen?BOSCH: While I appreciate the craft Moore brought to Watchmen, because it must have taken a lot of thought and a lot of work to put it together the way he did, I've never been moved by his stories. The only time I felt there was something strong and true happening in Watchmen is when Rorschach entered the story. Not surprisingly, Rorschach was based on Steve Ditko's Objectivist-leaning character, The Question. I think Moore tried his best to cut The Question down to size in order to characterize him as a psycho, but I think the character ended up being the most compelling in the story, despite Moore's intent.NEW ROMANTICIST: Who did you discover first – Miller or Rand?BOSCH: Miller.NEW ROMANTICIST:  Have you sent a copy of The Infidel to Miller?BOSCH: I did ask a mutual friend to pass it on to him, so I'll wait and see what happens. I'd love to discuss taking on Jihad through comics with him, and find out exactly where our approaches differ.NEW ROMANTICIST: What is The Infidel about?BOSCH: The Infidel is a story about twin brothers Killian Duke and Salaam Duka, whose Muslim background comes crashing to the forefront of their lives on 9/11. Killian responds by creating a comic book featuring a pigskin-clad superhero named Pigman, who takes on Jihad. Salaam’s response is full submission to Islam. Pigman’s battle against his arch-enemy, SuperJihad, echoes the escalating conflict between the twins.NEW ROMANTICIST: Who is Pigman and how did he come about?BOSCH: Pigman is aka Frank Warner, an ex-Muslim who, prior to 9/11, wrote and published books critical of Islam and Jihad. After the atrocity, Frank realized that he would have to take the war into his own hands when he saw Washington’s pathetic response to 9/11. The idea of Pigman came about when I started thinking about the enemy and what would be their worst nightmare personified. He’s a pigskin-clad superhero, a physically big, strong, ruthless defender of Western Civilization who fully understands the enemy and speaks his language. He is the perfect weapon against jihad.NEW ROMANTICIST: What would you have rather seen Washington do? What do you think of those who said that Bush went “too far” in Iraq, and look what that has led to?BOSCH: In addition to immediately bombing the mountain ranges of Afghanistan to wipe out most of al Qaeda, I would have wanted Washington to bomb Iran to show what happens to the world's greatest state sponsor of jihad terrorism after an attack like 9/11, not to mention as a long overdue response to years of aggression against us.George "Islam means peace" Bush, after having the green light from the American people to do whatever it took to End the threat facing us, decided to show our enemies that they can get away with mass murdering Americans if they belong to a religion. I really think Bush went after Iraq in order to avoid confronting Iran and Saudi Arabia, the two greatest threats we face in the region, which just happen to be the two most Islamic countries in the Muslim world. I think Bush's decision to go after Saddam Hussein is because he appeared to be the least Islamic – i.e. "religious" -- of our enemies in the Muslim world. And the fact that there was no love lost between Sadaam and his neighbors meant Bush could avoid Iran and Saudi Arabia without too much of a price to pay from an American public uninformed about who our greatest enemies actually are.In the aftermath of 9/11, we needed an American president who understood that an enemy who flies planes into buildings, and a culture that celebrates that evil, would have to be dealt a devastating blow that would force it to end its jihad once and for all and begin to accept that we live in the 21st century.NEW ROMANTICIST: How did you come about your views of Islam?BOSCH: I was born into a Muslim family and, while my parents were not devout, anti-Semitism, misogyny, and a rejection of all those outside of our own kind was the norm in my upbringing. Only after 9/11 did I read the Koran and study Islam and its jihad. I needed to know firsthand whether Islam sanctioned the atrocity and I found that it did -- that however insane the act seemed to the civilized world, Islam gave the 9/11 Muslim mass murderers a moral sanction for their evil act. We are still so far removed from the realization that Islam’s heroes are its jihadists, from Mohammad to Osama bin Laden.NEW ROMANTICIST: Wow! Leaving Islam. Doesn’t that make you an Apostate?BOSCH: It does, and according to Islam, I'm to be killed for it. It's similar to how deserters of armies have been dealt with by their superiors when caught, which only emphasizes the militant nature of Islam.NEW ROMANTICIST: Well at least you are in good company. So I take it you would not put Mohammad in the same category of Jesus or Buddha?BOSCH: Mohammad was unique among those who claimed to be prophets as he had his critics assassinated, he waged wars against neighboring tribes and spread his religion by the sword. Mohammad made the founders of other religions seem rational by comparison.NEW ROMANTICIST: Well how would you reply to Former President George W. Bush and President Obama who say that Islam is a “religion of peace”, and that Osama and those violent Muslims are “extremists?”BOSCH: Islam means submission, submission to the will of the malevolent Muslim God, Allah. Osama bin Laden has never been repudiated as a deviant Muslim by any honest Muslim who knows Islam. The mass-murderer Osama bin Laden is revered in the Muslim world as the closest thing to Mohammad today, which really is all one needs to know about Islam and what it truly means.NEW ROMANTICIST: Yeah, but those moderate Muslims aren’t killing anybody. In fact you have a peaceful, moderate Muslim as a character in your comic-book. What does that make them?BOSCH: "Moderate Muslims" aren't Muslim in any way that Islam would recognize. The problem with them is that they give Islam a better face than it deserves, and some mistake them for Islam itself, sometimes citing a decent person who happens to be Muslim as proving that Islam's fine, outside of its "extremists." I've thought about this for a while, and I think I've found a good way to make my point about it: Your average Muslim is morally superior to Mohammad. They are individual human beings who may or may not be a problem. It's Islam's consistent practitioners, especially those who are active in Organized Islam, who are the problem.NEW ROMANTICIST: It’s quite intriguing how you have a story within a story. You have the counter-jihad superhero, PIGMAN, whom is the fictional creation of Killian Duke, who is himself is a fictional creation by you. It works on so many layers tailored to multiple audiences. How did you come up with that idea? BOSCH: At a certain point in putting together my ideas for the story, I thought about the fact that not only must we wage a ruthless battle against the jihadist enemy, but we also, as individuals, have to fight through the self-destructive barriers that our culture has built around us in order to dissuade anyone from taking on a project such as The Infidel. It's as if somehow those who are most invested in these barriers think that they can protect themselves from acknowledging certain terrible truths without paying any real world consequences for it. As Ayn Rand has stated, "To fear to face an issue is to believe that the worst is true." So the story of Pigman took on a whole new dimension for me when I decided to write about the kind of cartoonist who would create such a comic book in a world that demanded it, but that does its best to ignore the necessity for it, which made me even more interested in taking the project on.NEW ROMANTICIST: If you could describe Pigman in one or two words what would you call him?BOSCH: Jihadists' Terrorist.NEW ROMANTICIST:  And would it be safe to say, given the similarities, that Killian Duke is an autobiographical version of you?BOSCH: Yes, he is.NEW ROMANTICIST:  So how has been the response to Issue#1 of The Infidel so far?BOSCH: The response to The Infidel #1 has been gratifying. There have been two reviews published so far, both positive. One was written by someone who disagrees with the theme of the work; one by someone who is sympathetic with it. Reader response has been as good as I could have hoped for, both from long-time comic book fans and from those for whom this may have been a first-time comic book purchase. Nearly ten years after 9/11, The Infidel #1 is the first comic that has taken on jihad in a significant way. I believe today’s pop culture has to show and tell the truth about what we are facing in the post-9/11 world; it has to bring it to the enemy the way the culture of the WWII generation did.NEW ROMANTICIST: …and it also looks like you will be making an appearance on The John Stewart show?BOSCH: Yes, after they read my critical comments about the "Muslim" Batman, they found out about Pigman and invited me on to discuss both in an "interview" conducted by their "Liberal Muslim". And even though I thought the actual shoot went pretty well, who knows what will air, since their job is get as much laughter as they can from their segments. But I figured this would be a good way to get Pigman out there to a culture that has seemed to want to keep him out. The segment I'm on has been rescheduled a few times already, but it looks like it will now air either Mon. Feb. 28, but more likely Tues., March 1st. I'll keep everyone updated about that on my blog.NEW ROMANTICIST: So what can we expect in Issue #2?BOSCH: The twins engage in a war of words that only makes matters worse between them, but sheds more light on who these men are. In Pigman's world, SuperJihad makes his first strike.NEW ROMANTICIST: Fantastic…thank you for sharing your time with us Bosch, and we hope to hear from you again.BOSCH: I appreciate the opportunity to get the word out about my work, thank you.Order a copy of issue#1 of the Infidel at Bosch's website.

Free Speech Under Attack in Europe

Feb 22, 2011 | Politics

Geert Wilders in the WSJ  on Islam/Multiculturalism vs Freedom of Speech:
The perverse result is that in Europe it is now all but impossible to have a debate about the nature of Islam, or about the effects of immigration of Islam's adherents. Take my own case, for example. My point is that Islam is not so much a religion as it is a totalitarian political ideology disguised as a religion. To avoid misunderstandings, I always emphasize that I am talking about Islam, not about Muslims. I make a clear distinction between the people and the ideology, between Muslims and Islam, recognizing that there are many moderate Muslims. But the political ideology of Islam is not moderate and has global ambitions; the Koran orders Muslims to establish the realm of Allah in this world, if necessary by force.Stating my views on Islam has brought me to court on charges of "group insult" and incitement to racial hatred. I am being tried for voicing opinions that I—and my constituents—consider to be the truth. I am being tried for challenging the views that the ruling establishment wants to impose on us as the truth. [ "European Free Speech Under Attack", WSJ ]

Bosch Fawstin’s Graphic Novel The Infidel Now Available for Download

Feb 21, 2011 | Politics

Objectivist Cartoonist -- perhaps the first major one since Spiderman creator Steve Ditko -- whose debut graphic novel, TABLE FOR ONE, received the praise of Alex Toth, along with an Eisner Award nomination, has just released the first chapter/issue of his latest comic book, a graphic novel, in PDF form. Fawstin's  THE INFIDEL, is a story about twin brothers whose Muslim background comes to the forefront of their lives on 9/11. One responds by creating a counter-jihad superhero comic book called PIGMAN, as the other surrenders to Islam. Pigman's battle against his archenemy SuperJihad is echoed by the escalating conflict between the twins.You can order it here.

The Influence of Legal Pragmatism on the 4th Amendment Privacy Doctrine

Feb 18, 2011 | Politics

From Amy Peikoff:
My paper, “Pragmatism and Privacy,” is now available online at the NYU Journal of Law & Liberty’s website. In the paper, I demonstrate the influence of legal pragmatism on the development of Fourth Amendment privacy doctrine and, towards the end of the paper, I have the opportunity to apply some of Tara Smith’s criticisms of Justice Scalia’s Originalist methodology. (You may also be interested to read an article appearing in the same issue: Prof. Randy Barnett’s article on why the Obamacare individual health insurance mandate is unconstitutional.)

Lindsay Lohan, Hollywood Voice of Reason

Feb 16, 2011 | Politics

Writes Mark Topson at his blog:

[Lohan on Twitter:] I pray Egypt maintains it's [sic] treaty with Israel and sets the trend for its neighbors to create peace with Israel and the entire region.

What a pleasant surprise, to hear someone in the entertainment world not only talk about something other than 1) themselves, 2) their uninformed socialist fantasies, and/or 3) their hatred/sexual fantasies of Sarah Palin, but actually express support for Israel's security for once, instead of bashing the country as a "genocidal apartheid state," banning its films from film festivals, and boycotting musical performances there. Good for you, Ms. Lohan.

Read the rest.For why you should support Israel see Yaron Brook's Israel Has A Moral Right To Its Life.

Another Illiberal Democracy — In Egypt

Feb 15, 2011 | Politics

Richard Salsman takes on the concept of Democracy as an end to itself over at Forbes:
History makes very clear to nearly everyone (except history’s democrats) that democracy–the mere voting power and rule by some majority–is no necessary guarantor of genuine liberties or individual rights; indeed, more often than not, democracies have trampled rights.[...]For faith-based democrats like Presidents Bush and Obama, democracy means voting — and voting is considered an end in itself, not a means to some other, truly legitimate end like securing and protecting individual rights. ["Another Illiberal Democracy — In Egypt"] 
Read the rest.

Commentary by Richard Salsman @ Forbes

Feb 15, 2011 | Politics

Some great commentary at Richard Salsman at Forbes:“Another Illiberal Democracy – in Egypt,” February 10, 2011 Democracy is no guarantor of genuine liberties or rights; indeed, far more often it brutally tramples them.“The Actual State of the Union,” February 1, 2011 Presidents no longer bother to give objective assessments of America’s current and future state.“Krugman, ‘Toxic Rhetoric’ and the Smear-Mongers,” January 20, 2011 Political programs – but not political “rhetoric” – can inflict violence; let’s start recognize the difference between the two.“New Congress, Same Old Leviathan,” January 11, 2011 Neither GOP control of Congress nor the arrival of 50 or so Tea-publicans will reduce federal spending in 2011-2012.“A Golden Decade of Government Failure,” January 4, 2011 The best investment asset of the past decade was gold – because government policies were a complete failure.“A Well-Earned Capitalist Christmas,” December 23, 2010 The real meaning of Christmas -- and all that we enjoy about it – is thoroughly pagan and capitalistic.“The Virtue of Lower Tax Rates On The Rich,” December 15, 2010 The rich have a right to their earnings and deserve huge tax-rate cuts; they have no duty to create jobs or reduce deficits.“Where Have All The Capitalists Gone?” December 5, 2010 Almost everyone acknowledges that capitalism delivers the goods – but most people still claim it’s immoral.

What Egyptians Really Want: Islamofascism

Feb 10, 2011 | Politics

Here are some "highlights" from a 2010 Pew poll of Egyptian attitudes as listed by a recent IBD Editorial:
  • 49% of Egyptians say Islam plays only a "small role" in public affairs under President Hosni Mubarak, while 95% prefer the religion play a "large role in politics."
  • 84% favor the death penalty for people who leave the Muslim faith.
  • 82% support stoning adulterers.
  • 77% think thieves should have their hands cut off.
  • 54% support a law segregating women from men in the workplace.
  • 54% believe suicide bombings that kill civilians can be justified.
  • Nearly half support the terrorist group Hamas.
  • 30% have a favorable opinion of Hezbollah.
  • 20% maintain positive views of al-Qaida and Osama bin Laden.
  • 82% of Egyptians dislike the U.S. — the highest unfavorable rating among the 18 Muslim nations Pew surveyed.

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