[MD] Intellect battles the [immigrant] barbarians

[Ham Priday]

Hi Rebecca --

> You need to stop reading Samuel Huntington right NOW!!!
> It's obvious that you've been tainted by him; we can have a
> discussion elsewhere about why his ideas are Crap Crap Crap.

I started reading "Clash of Civilizations" a couple of years ago, but
concluded that Huntingdon was on the wrong track, and switched to Karen
Armstrong's "Battle for God".

What we face today is a clash of moral and religious values that exists as
much within our borders as outside.  Every U.S. president and senator swears
to "...support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all
enemies, foreign and domestic" before taking office.  The first
constitutional obligation is to secure the defense of the nation, and as I
see it, we have been derelict in enforcing the immigration laws needed to
achieve domestic tranquility.  We have allowed our homeland to be occupied
by aliens, many of them illegal, who demand the benefits of citizenship with
no respect for our cultural heritage, our national language, or the civil
responsibilities incumbent upon individuals in a free and open society.
History shows us that when a nation is unwilling or unable to secure its
borders, it's heading for a fall.

> Secondly,
> [Ham, responding to Khaled]:
> Since concealing the body is not a religious requirement but,
> as you say, a "backlash of the 20th Century", it can only be
> a statement by the Islamic people that they do not wish to
> identity with the modern world or be a part of its culture.
> I consider this an act of defiance and disrespect to the culture
> that has accepted them.

[Rebecca]:
> And the Amish?  they don't wish to identify with the modern technological
> world but we accept and regard them as a legitimate part of the nation.

[Ham, previously to Arlo]:
> We would have similar problems with the Amish here in
> Pennsylvania, except that they run their own schools and
> businesses, and have earned respect as a peaceful people.

[Rebecca]:
> If Americans believe in a free and open society then why
> would they care that some women wear head scarves.
> Your vaunted Bill of Rights guarantees freedom from
> religious persecution.  Last time I checked that included
> Muslims (although, someone might want to double check
> that one, it may have been updated under the current
> administration).

Rebecca, I do not "vaunt" the Bill of Rights; in fact, I think FDR's attempt
to "amend" the Constitution by adding four additional "Freedoms" was
uncalled for and ill-conceived.  Freedom to speak your mind or worship as
you please is implicit in the Constitution; it doesn't deprive others of
their right to do the same.  But Freedom from want and from fear are
egalitarian concepts; they could be construed to mean that government must
provide a house to those who can't afford one, or force you to build or pay
for theirs.  That's socialism, not freedom of opportunity.  "Freedom from
want" implies eternal satisfaction with all desires met -- a utopian dream.

> Frankly, we can't live with closed-minded thinking anymore.
> There are too many diverse people living under the same tent for it.

What does "anymore" imply?  That we no longer need to respect our national
sovereignty?  That "too many diverse people" are living here, which means
America must now be a multicultural mishmash of what it one was?  And, how
did all these unwanted people get to live under our tent?  It would appear
that you, too, are hooked on the proposition that "times have changed, and
we have to adjust accordingly."  I don't buy that nonsense.  Time is a
constant.  Only values change, and man is the caretaker of his values.

> If we want to see Western culture survive it has to become more
> adaptable and accepting of outside influences.  Forcing people to
> do things your way will only bring resentment; we should try to
> live up to the high ideals that we claim to espouse - live and lead
> by example.

If there's any "force" being exerted here, it's the pressure and
intimidation of those who want what America offers without being willing to
assimilate and adapt as Americans.  If we sit back and allow our nation to
be taken over by foreigners with their own political agenda, tribal customs,
and language, what hope is there for the future of our culture?

Regards,
Ham