7/9/07: My latest Townhall column is a modified version of my Washington Examiner column. I added information about Georgia’s new anti-illegal immigration laws.
Check out States Fighting Back on Illegal Immigration.
7/7/07: Potter fan profiling…
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Weird post title, eh?
It’s been a slow blogging year for me, and that’s because my offline life is much more interesting right now. I admire bloggers who have full offline lives yet blog prodigiously. Whenever I try to balance the two spheres, it seems like one suffers. I can’t do both well, so I have to choose which one to focus on.
Anyway, I’m off to California for a two-week “working vacation” to visit my youngest sister (so long, DC!). I’m also working on a couple of offline writing projects I hope to have published (fingers crossed!), so expect sporadic posting at LBC.
While on the left coast, I’m attending a two-day conference of conservative writers and thinkers, hosted by Ward Connerly, the man behind state anti-race preferences campaigns. Connerly invited me to attend the conference he’s organized for the past seven years. We’ll discuss topics like race preferences, the Super Tuesday campaign, the importance of colorblind government policy, illegal “immigration,” etc. My presentation will center around the black-hispanic preferred minority status battle.
Connerly has taken a lot of heat for making the simple argument that regardless of whether humans will ever be colorblind (an impossibility, in my opinion), government policy must be. You may recall that he responded to commenters who called him a hypocrite. Years ago, a California newspaper erroneously reported that Connerly, while fighting against preferences, benefited from preferences as a “minority” business owner. The charges are false, but Connerly’s detractors continue to quote from the article. Read my review of his autobiography.
I’ll write up a report about the conference next week.
Consider this thread wide open. Discuss whatever’s on your mind. No topic is taboo. Suggested subjects:
- Racial discrimination tied to breast cancer risk — More causation/correlation confusion.
- Ten Politically Incorrect Truths About Human Nature — #8: A man’s so-called midlife crisis has to do with his wife’s age, not his age. Her “imminent menopause and end of her reproductive career” prompts him to try to attract younger, fertile women by driving shiny red sports cars.
- Men have become too whiny and apologetic. I can’t stand it when a man tells the truth, but then apologizes when the media and interest groups bear down on him. Isaiah Washington, former star of “Grey’s Anatomy,” called a co-worker a “faggot.” He bowed, scraped, and apologized, agreeing to attend counseling and meet with homosexual groups. Washington thought all was well. But they fired him anyway. Next time, either keep your mouth shut or stand your ground.
Conservative and Christian columnist Cal Thomas told the truth about Muslims, and various groups “demanded” an apology. His response (audio): “I’m Going to Keep Pointing It Out Until They Blow Me Up…”
I’m waiting for the day some group “demands” that I apologize for something I’ve said or written. I can’t wait. I’ve already got my speech prepared.
Gotta go. Thanks for reading LBC. 
And keep checking this blog for Harry Potter book news and a profile of a certain fan.
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“Years ago, a California newspaper erroneously reported that Connerly, while fighting against preference, benefited from preferences as a ‘minority’ business owner. ”
I realize that the charge against Connerly is untrue, but I don’t care if it was true.
This make tickle the edge of ethics, but I do not care if a person “played by the rules” and opposed the rules at the same time. It is called “gaming the system” and that is what CPA’s are for in the tax arena.
The libs have thrown the same “smear” against Clarence Thomas.
The only way I can read it is that the libs have given the “boy” a gift of white compassion and the “boy” has bitten the hand of the master as a “thank you.” Oh, my. And the blacks who attack Thomas or Connerly are telling me that they don’t want to risk competing without the edge of compassion welfare.
There is nothing so destructive of the “colorblind” concept than an entitlement that is color based.
“Racial discrimination tied to breast cancer risk”
Read the article. It’s just a bit bizarre. First, I suspect that it would be hard to find any black woman under 50 (their group limits) who has not felt discriminated against at some time or another. What about the women who were discriminated against who _didn’t_ get breast cancer? Second, what about us white folks? I’ve had breast cancer – and definitely been discriminated against as a woman, but the length of time between the two events is enough to eliminate any cause/effect relationship. So any kind of discrimination? Now stress, I could consider…but in the end, I suspect that we’re going to learn that there’s some genetic predisposition, plus environmental factors we haven’t yet considered – and I _don’t_ think discrimination of any kind is going to be a significant factor.
heliotrope …
Also fits in with the folks who think that if you’ve smoked pot or used drugs in your youth, you have lost all moral authority to tell your kids not to do the same. Or if you made a mistake and had one of those very large premature babies, you have no right to tell your children not to have premarital sex. Only the perfect have the right to tell others not to do wrong – and as far as they’re concerned, Jesus is just a legend.
Kind of makes you wonder if we should have any laws at all!
Small problem with defending Isaiah Washington. You have to take in account he is considered a world class jerk. On previous projects and on Grey’s, behind the scenes he has had multiple confrontations with cast members and staff. Funny how none of his cast mates have come to his defense.
An interesting article, although sexual harassment being sexist is quite the leap.
I found it incredibly depressing. Particularly as a small breasted apple-shaped brunette who wants to remain married for her whole life and not get dumped when she’s 50!
Whoops I mean sexual harassment *not being sexist is quite the leap.
The other stuff mentioned about menopause and blondes is still incredibly depressing. I’ll be looking forward to that drink later on today.
That’s great that your offline life is more interesting–I’d love to know why
The racial discrimination tied to breast cancer is over the top. Just because those things appear to be tied together doesn’t mean one causes the other. Ice cream consumption is tied to sunburn too. But does ice cream cause sunburn? No, something else does.
Same thing with this study. Other studies have shown a correlation (not a cause) between depressed and/or pessimistic personalities and higher cancer risk. Might this be a narrower look at the same thing? Women who feel discriminated against, who feel victimized, might also be the ones who are pessimistic about life, putting them into the higher cancer risk category.
The article reads like one more attempt to blame the White Man for every problem anyone of another race has.
Have a good, productive time at your conference, LaShawn.
I had to smile when I saw the Cal Thomas retort the other day. Good for him. I think there’s the beginnings of a revolution going on in this country against those who would make us all out to be bigots, racists, etc. for sticking up for the rule of law, our country and our beliefs. We aren’t going to be intimidated anymore and lest anyone not believe that, witness the death of the joke of an immigration bill the Senate tried to puish down our throats.
Simply being a fiscal conservative these days is enough to get someone labeled a bigot or racist.
It is refreshing to hear about the Cal Thomas’ of the world who refuse to knuckle under the race bullying that is endemic in our society.
One of the more delightful aspects of posting on LaShawn’s site is the thoughtfulness of most of the posters who do not simply spout the pc line.
Re: 10 politically incorrect truths: In my case, the sports car was YELLOW.
Patsy;
Now that I think about it, my first “wow” car [that I actually drove] was a yellow mustang… smiles
Hey, breast cancer…that reminds me of something I was supposed to post on but don’t think I ever did.
1. The Susan G. Komen foundation fights breast cancer.
2. Repeatedly, studies have indicated a strong link between abortion and breast cancer.
3. Planned Parenthood is a huge abortion provider.
4. The Susan G. Komen Foundation supports Planned Parenthood.
5. What’s up with that?
Let’s discuss something really important – baseball.
Barry Bonds will soon break the home run record set by Hank Aaron. Does anybody care?
Hey – you said that no topic was taboo, La Shawn! And there is nothing more important to the long-term health of this nation than baseball.
Any records Bonds breaks at this point are tainted just as McGwires single season home run record is tainted…anyone who uses performances enhancing drugs should not be consider in the same breath as thoe past greats like Hank Aaron, Roger Maris or Babe Ruth…I am sure with the proper combination of chemicals you could make Pee Wee Herman into a home run machine.
I’m not much of a baseball fan but hey, all know that Barry is one of the best that ever did it. Heck, it could legitimately be argued that he is THE BEST that ever did it. You may not want to give him props for it, but the world knows.
Hold on to your fantasies and romantic views about Ruth, Maris and Aarron. Certainly they where good too, but very few if any, living or dead, has ever been better than Barry. Additionally, they did it in an era that was not likely as competitive as the league currently is in terms of talent and skill of the players.
As for the so-called steroid taint, nothing has been proven. Just a lot of speculation on the part of those that don’t want Barry to own the record; this because they percieve him as arrogant. Arrogant or not, upon eclipsing the record, he will have earned it and deservedly so, will wear the crown.
Big ups to you Barry…shake the haters off and keep it movin.
Real scientists know that statistical correlation is not the same as causation. I guess we don’t have too many real scientists around these days.
Sort-of-unrelated-but-not-really item: I was chatting with a young person on another site, and he said that certain ethnic slurs, “must not be offensive any more, because I’ve never heard them.”
It’s a kind of sweet naivete, I guess. I just hope he never uses those words, or he’ll find out just how offensive people still think they are.
Barry Bonds should go into the record books with an asterik next to his name, for the nearly decade long suspected use of steroids his game as benefited from.
As for the so-called steroid taint, nothing has been proven.
Right. We all know how often people’s hat sizes increase dramatically after what — just working out a lot?
Please.
A forty year old male and the convertable (red or not) is not so much about catching the eye of young fillies as it about the stallion switching from physical exertion to shifting gears.
I burned my way through two of those critters. The first one was a Triumph TR-7 Spider. Somehow, I managed to tuck my wife and two small children into the thing. We were all thrilled with the wind in our hair……….but we had to go practical and I traded it for Dodge convertible which sported a real back seat.
There is nothing quite so deflating than a leaky roof and a “fun” car that rattles and wheezes.
My wife and I often rent convertibles when we are in a beautiful area in good weather, but this old horse has no illusions that anyone else in the world gives a hoot what we drive.
Middle aged men who even care what some beach bunny thinks of them should consider themselves lucky if they don’t actually catch one.
Have fun on the Left Coast, La Shawn.
Bonds-he’s doing something that no one else has done, except Aaron-I think it’s great that we will see a new record this year. As for asterisks-forget it. Bonds is setting the record, and deserves respect, not envious slander. If you put an asterisk by his name, put one next to Ruth’s for playing hung over, and Mantle’s for playing while on ‘greenies’(amphetamines). ‘Greenies’ used to be as common as sunflower seeds in Baseball-many records were set by ‘green’ players so if Bonds deserves an asterisk,so does every other record setter who’s not as ‘clean’(pharmaceutically)as a Mormon.
I’m not advocating drugs, just fairness.
C’mon Doug. Playing “hung over” is HARDER than playing while juiced, making Babe’s HRs much more impressive than Bonds’.
Speaking of Mormons, there’s a whole lot of them in the NFL–you don’t need to be taking performance-enhancing substances to compete unless you’re a wanker.
BTW, baseball fans, there’s a little league diamond at the site of the old County Stadium where Aaron played with the Milwaukee Braves. It would be so awesome to be a kid and go up to bad where Aaron did.
I drive a green pickup, and my wife is past “that point” in her life. What’s wrong with me?
Radish:
The Babe hit most of his home runs at the beginning of the so-called “live ball” era. This was before expansion and other sports diluted pitching staffs – not to mention the ever-shrinking strike zone.
To all:
As for Bonds – the use of certain performance-enhancing drugs is prohibited under current MLB rules. Either the rules matter, or they don’t matter (a similar debate just took place in the Senate about a certain matter that has slipped my mind for the moment). Baseball must decide – do they keep the current rules in place and enforce them, or do they change them? It’s not as though baseball has not changed the rules before – the curve ball used to be banned, for example.
Keeping the current rules presents problems for MLB. If it can be proven that Bonds used banned performance-enhancing drugs, then he should be either suspended for a period of time or banished permanently (if he used them for a long period of time, I would lean strongly towards the latter punishment). Nor will Bonds be the only one in hot water, if even a fraction of the rumors turn out to be true. But I don’t see how an asterisk can be placed beside any records Bonds sets. Do we throw out any hits a batter got while using a corked bat, or strikeouts by a pitcher who managed to scuff the ball? How can we determine which games were played on the level, and which ones were not? It seems to the that this is the result when you have rules and don’t enforce them.
Changing the rules also presents problems. What are the long-term health effects of these performance-enhancing drugs? Is it fair to ask athletes to possibly risk their health just to smack a few extra home runs? And how will the public react to uber-bulked-up supermen crushing a gazillion four-baggers every season (and ten gazillion strikeouts as well) rather than ordinary-looking guys who patiently work a pitcher for a game-winning hit?
LaShawn, are you having your Harry Potter book sent to your CA sis’s address?
I won’t be able to get mine until several days after it comes out. I just hope that no one blurts out the ending. That would be no good.
Have a great trip!
I’m waiting until I get home. I’ll avoid TV, radio, and the web that day.
– Admin
That ruling in MISSISSIPPI is going to drive JESSIE JACKASSON crazy that jerk wants racial prefernces SCREW JESSIE JACKASSON and his RAINBOW/PUSH wackos
RE: Mid life crises
Wonder why so few seem to acknowledge that the decisions and choices made in life are so much more important than the physical attributes we enter life with. There are people who make something of themselves, and there are people who do not. My wife is in her mid fifties. I have pictures of her when we met, and pictures of our life together. She was just as cute as could be back then and is more beautiful now. I admire the beauty of women but feel no need to spend time staring at others. They are neat, but my wife is wonderful indeed.
The fact that I am true to my wife does not mean I am better than another. It does mean that I am aware of my blessings, and fortunate.
PS: as far as I know my wife does not read what I post here.
For the record, my mid-life crisis sled is black.
La Shawn, he must be awfully special! I hope love finds you!
Okay, I hadn’t heard of him before, but I LOVE Cal Thomas now!
Steroids and the like may make you stronger, but you still have to have the hand and eye coordination to hit the ball.
In baseball, if you have a lifetime batting average of hitting the ball and getting to base 3/10 times, 300, you are considered to be a great hitter.
People knew Sosa and McQuire were juiced — “it’s the tightly wound balls” my behind — and they did nothing about it.
If MLB wanted to get rid of the steroid problem they would just enact one simple rule: If you test positive for any banned substance, you are banned for life from baseball.
They did it to Rose for gambling!
Obviously the powers that be like all the hits and all the big guys hitting gazillion homeruns.
Also, how come we don’t have more players that are clean coming out against the steroid users. Seems that the silence is deafening.
LaShawn,
Enjoy your time on the other coast.
While I am totally on watching our border with Mexico, there’s a law in place since the ‘66 Cuban adjustment act that cubans who come to America are allowed to stay and persue citizenship a year later. Completely aside from the idea that these people are being handed the amnesty any common sense weilding american deied their mexican cousins. These people are being plucked wholesale from the Florida Straits (the water between Cuba and Florida. Aside from consuming massive resources to police and block their entry, they are rolling the dice on their lives. Those that go in self-built crafts typically are hard pressed to make it to our shore. The other ones who are fortunate enough to hire a smuggler to bring them often use their “welcome to america money” (we can’t let them start their new life without money, they’re given some startup funds courtesy of the US taxpayer) to pay their way. Really guts you.
Would the Racial Privacy Initative get support from the federal government?
It’s a bunch of bunk about the mid-life crisis. Some of us want the toys (a V-Rod would be cool). But don’t have any intention of trading in our wives. People make stupid selfish choices all the time, then don’t want to take responsibility for them. To blame dumping your wife on her memopause or your mid-life crises is just a stupid seflish choice. I put my dream of a motorcycle on hold 20 years ago when we started having kids. When we get them through college the dream will live again. I can’t imagine getting a new wife now. We’ve worked so hard to make it this far (23 years).
My wife told me to go buy a new motorcycle. Now that is a woman worth keeping.
My wife made a deal with me. I lose 75 lbs. and she will do everything in her power to help me get the motorcycle. And I have a strong suspicion that the gym membership my daughter got for me was funded by my wife. That’s a woman worth keeping.
They do their best to keep us straight.
It’s a comfort to know that men of true substance will not be bound too strongly by something as basically immutable as physical characteristics. Same goes for women, we have what we think we’d go for, and then there’s what we truly go for (as in marry), and women of substance will hopefully attract a likeminded man. In the meantime, here’s another politically incorrect truth.
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