Post Category → Dinesh D’Souza

Question & Thought for September 13th, 2016!!!

Question & Thought for September 13th, 2016!!!
Good Tuesday Morning!
1. Question – What is the most unusual book dedication in the history of American publishing?
2. Thought – I began to flip randomly through Alinsky’s book in frustration when I came upon the dedication page. There I read perhaps the most unusual dedication in the history of American publishing.
Most books are dedicated to loved ones – family and friends – or to individual mentors. Alinsky, interestingly enough, dedicates his book to the devil. This is not a joke: Rules for Radicals is actually dedicated to Lucifer: Alinsky calls him “the first radical known to man who rebelled against the establishment and did it so effectively that he at least won his own kingdom.” Now this is remarkable in itself, and yet it has attracted very little attention. Progressives who learn about it are initially surprised, and then tend to dismiss the dedication with a roll of the eyes and a weary “Oh brother.” This, however, is intellectually uncurious. Alinsky was serious about his choice. In fact, he returned to the same theme in a  Playboy interview he did in 1972. In it he said, “If there is an afterlife, and I have anything to say about it, I will unreservedly choose to go to hell.” When the interviewer asked him why, Alinsky said, “Hell would be heaven for me. Once I get into hell, I’ll start organizing the have-nots over there. They’re my kind of people.” (America Imagine a World Without Her by Dinesh D’Souza)
“I never let my schooling interfere with my education.” (Mark Twain)
rem – Have gratitude, do good, and don’t be consumed by life’s commotion.
Question & Thought & ANDs.

Question & Thought for June 25th, 2016!!!

Question & Thought for June 25th, 2016!!!

Good Saturday Morning Great Britain!!
1. Question – What countries in the world are looked upon as global leaders? America? China? Russia? France? Germany? Australia? Mexico? Israel? Britain? Is there such a thing as a global leader or has this become the United Nations or the European Union? In today’s world what country embraces nationalism? If America is just like the rest – what country will pick up the global baton and address global issues on immigration, borders, debt, and terror? What country is trying to make itself better for tomorrow’s children?
2. Thought – Unlike the British and the French, America was not a colonizing power: (In fact, America had once been a colony of Britain.) America sought no colonies for itself in the manner of the British and French. Indeed, in the decades after World War II, America encouraged Britain to grant independence to its colonies. Thus America’s influence in the world, unlike Europe’s, was not based on conquest but rather on attraction to American ideals and the American way of life.
Milton writes in Paradise Lost, “Who overcomes by force, hath overcome but half his foe.” America’s influence was greater because its institutions and values were adopted rather than imposed. Still, America’s triumph was accompanied by the shocking realization that if America fell, there would be no one left to pick up the baton. The end of the American era would seem to signal also the end of Western civilization. (America – Imagine a world Without Her by Dinesh D’Souza)
“Great Britain hath no more right to put their hands in my pocket without my consent, than I have to put my hands into yours for money.” (George Washington, 1774)
“To love our country, our country ought to be lovely.” (Edmund Burke)
A great deal of intelligence can be invested in ignorance when the need for illusion is deep.” (Saul Bellow)
rem – I had no knowledge that I had no knowledge.
Question & Thought & ANDs.

Questions and Thought for October 3rd, 2015!!!

Questions and Thought for October 3rd, 2015!!!
Good Saturday Morning!!!
1. Question – If challenged, how would you defend your nation? And, is wealth being shunned in our homes, schools, colleges, media, churches and communities?
2. Thought – Upon examination, we recognized that the real source of Western power, and of America’s current hegemony, was economic strength. America’s real power wasn’t that it could pulverize everyone else, or even that everyone else admired American style and culture. Rather, America’s military, political, and cultural power all derived from its affluence. America’s wealth enabled the country to afford a more sophisticated military than anyone else. Similarly, wealth made Americans self-confident and creative, and this is why American culture exuded an irresistible allure – the allure of individuality and success. I now realize that, when America declines, not only will Americans have a lower standard of living, relative to others, but America’s decisions will also matter less in the world, and American mores and American culture will become increasingly marginal and irrelevant. Think of the way Americans view Mexico, with a mixture of condescension and contempt. That’s the way we are going to be viewed. Correction: among many educated people outside the West, that’s the way we are viewed now. This transfer of confidence from the West to the East, within my lifetime – this is what I find astonishing. (America, Imagine a World Without Her? by Dinesh D’Souza)
“With him the love of country means
 Blowing it all to smithereens
And having it made over new.” (Robert Frost)

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rem – know the why or lose the way! 
Question & Thought & ANDs.

Questions & Thought and ANDs for Constitution Day 2015!!!!

Questions & Thought and ANDs for Constitution Day 2015!!!!
Good Constitution Day Morning!
1. Question – Does it seem to you that Americans are more interested in a 24 hour McDonalds than food, health, education, finances and how our government was intended to work?
2. Thought – I mention all this because many of these carefully devised safe-guards have been brazenly ignored in recent decades, with presidents and the federal government usurping authority reserved to the states, ignoring the Constitution when it limits the scope of governmental action, getting into wars without proper congressional authority, politicizing the courts, and so on. These offenses have been committed by Democrats and Republicans, progressives and conservatives, although the most flagrant violations are by Democrats and progressives who increasingly don’t even pretend to feel inhibited by the Constitution. As a result, we have a Leviathan state, far from limited government the Founders envisioned. The government that was set up to protect our rights has in many cases become a danger to our rights. (AMERICA Imagine a World Without Her by Dinesh D’Souza)
“If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary.” (James Madison)
AND: The Overton Window is one tool to use in measuring the likelihood of success for policy change.  But IMO its only a measuring tool.  The skill lies in how we move a concept from ‘unthinkable’ to ‘acceptable’.  This is how culture’s change.  What is interesting is when we have activist judges and/or a President willing to govern/rule via Executive Order.  In these cases there is a much narrower or shorter graduated scale necessary for moving a concept.  Its a simply a stroke of the pen.  Real world examples:  Gay Marriage decided by five folks wearing robes; Iran Nuke ‘treaty’/agreement signed despite congressional disapproval.  These concepts moved from unthinkable/unacceptable directly to policy with little transitioning.
I hate to see the Lefties leave your address book.  These are the very folks needed to challenge various Thoughts and to make the Conservatives think even harder. Its a loss.
1. Question – What’s right?  To be perfectly honest:  You doing all the legwork on things informed people like myself have neither the time or the insight to produce such thought provoking material.   
2. Thought – NFL opened its season last night. Patriots and Steelers. Both team’s # 1 running backs could not play due to substance-abuse.  Anyone who thinks marijuana and PED’s aren’t rampant in all pro sports are off their “John” Rocker!  I liken suspensions in the NFL to speed traps:  Everybody is speeding but ‘red cars’  get pulled over ‘just b/c’ and ‘stupid is as stupid does’ gets pulled over for being, well, stupid (any player who has weed in their car/system during a stop they didn’t anticipate or a test they did anticipate).  The other issue is domestic violence and the NFL seems to finally moving in the right direction.  As for New England…something really stinks up there and liken them to banking scandals as all their little ‘tricks’ add up to institutionalized cheating.   
2A. Thought – It’s been 14 years since 9/11. What’s wrong?  We don’t think like Israel:  Profile and act on suspicions, patterns or blatant signs someone (lone wolf) or some group is on the verge of 
acting out.  The same is true for unstable individuals in the U.S. who go on shooting sprees.  The signs are there and the end result was often highly plausible.  None are easy but it has to happen.
 
2B. Thought – Overton window?  Its like The Book of Revelation:  Lukewarm which gets vomited out!  Pick a side ie;  hot or cold but riding the middle = stand for nothing and fall for anything. 
 
AND:

The Overton window seems to be very small these days???? In Northern California right now, enemy territory, thank god there’s some good wine here. Next three days Dr. John McDougall’s Advanced Study Weekend, hope to hear some good speakers. Sold our house, a lot of good memories.
 
Don’t text and Drive….I just try to call my friends and family on the landline when I get home, real voices:) 

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rem – know the why or lose the way! 
Question & Thought & ANDs.