Quote of the Day

“The new law in Arizona actually allows police officers to pull people over if they look Hispanic.”

– My political science professor

(Don’t worry, I corrected him. Respectfully, of course.)

UW Socialists Get Their Time on Failblog.org

I had no idea when I took this pic that it would be seen all over the blogosphere by 13k+ people. Pretty awesome.

FailBlog’s headline? “Well, at least they tried to fix it.”

Heh.

http://www.imao.us/index.php/2010/03/becum-a-lefty-an-lern-to-spel-gud/

“Who’se Schools? Our Schools!”

On college campuses all across the nation this past Thursday, student strikes were held to protest against ongoing budget cuts. The protests were organized by the same old usual suspects:  Communists, Socialists, Anarchists, Marxists,  Liberals, hippies, weirdos, crazies…

I know I’m forgetting a group.

Regardless, one of these protests was held at the University of Washington, where the Seattle International Socialist Organization teamed up with the UW Student-Worker Coalition to demonstrate in the middle of the Quad. Now, the Quad usually looks like this in Spring:

On Friday, it looked like this:

Wait, what?

Can we look at that sign on the left a little closer please?

That’s right, ladies and gentlemen. The geniuses at socialistworker.org printed up dozens of signs for students to hold that were grammatically incorrect. And they’re still grammatically incorrect even after the students add the “E’s” to them.  (I love the small “e” myself. Fighting back against the conformity of all caps…)

That picture has actually garnered a lot of attention from around the Conservative blogosphere (Instapundit, Gateway Pundit, RightWingNews, IMAO), and even on the David Boze Show, a local Conservative talk show here in Seattle. I uploaded it to Twitpic, and as of now, it has over 11,500 views.

Attention student protesters: If you’re going to cut class to protest budget cuts, you might not want to hold misspelled signs. It makes you look really dumb. And oh yeah, if you’re going to correct the sign, correct it all the way. Don’t go halfway and throw in the towel.

And now back to more photos of protesting brilliance:

My, aren't those Cherry Blossoms beautiful?

I suppose these "radical women" mean tax them MORE since they're already taxed, but I could be wrong.

This message brought to you by the Freedom Socialist Party

I'm sensing a theme here...

And here we have the inevitable hippie chicks dancing.

So we’ve learned that all we have to do to stop budget cuts (and in effect, fix the economy) is to tax the rich. It’s so simple!

Keep in mind, folks, that I go to school with these people.

Every. Single. Day.

Btw, here’s the intro to Friday’s “David Boze Show,” featuring yours truly:

Quote of the day

I was listening to an archived podcast of The Dennis Prager Show a couple of minutes ago, and Prager said something I felt I had to share with all of you:

“I do not want America to be loved. If it happens, that’s lovely. It is of no interest to me. Zero. To Liberals, it is very important. I want America to do what is right. If we end up loved, fine. If we don’t end up loved, fine. Since when does “world love” correspond with “world goodness?” Exactly when?”

I can’t tell you how often this topic comes up at the UW in my political science classes. This past quarter, for example, I had a media and politics class where we discussed America’s brand image, and what we could do to “fix it”  around the world.” The whole idea was to figure out how we could change  to make other countries like us more.

Out of 100+ students, I was the only one who vocally expressed that I didn’t care what other countries thought about us. I am so in alignment with Prager on this issue, it’s not even funny. I couldn’t care less about being liked. Like Prager, all I care about is that we’re doing what’s right.

UW Graduating Seniors Protest SecDef Robert Gates’ Commencement Speech – VIDEO

As Hugh Hewitt would say, these people are nutters.

First, a vid from Elliot Stoller with Seattle Indymedia:

Next, a report from Komo 4 News:

Robert Gates’ UW Commencement Speech – Update

Just wanted to give an update on a couple of blog posts (part 1, part 2) I wrote about two weeks ago, entitled: “UW Nutjobs Plan To Protest SecDef’s Commencement Speech Next Weekend.” The groups planning on protesting were:

– The International Socialist Organization

– Democracy Insurgent

– Bail Out the People — Not the Banks!

– Socialist Alternative

– World Can’t Wait

– The Anti-War Collective

Lovely.

Anyway, just saw this Facebook update from a Conservative friend of mine who’s graduating today. He wrote:

Robert Gates gave an amazing speech. Protestors were expelled with large cheers. Maybe I am proud of UW.

Good stuff, glad to hear it.

You Know You’re at a Liberal University When…

…the professor asks a class of 100 students to raise their hands if they think being a cop is more noble than being an academic professor, and you’re one of three people to do so.

Btw, the professor is an ex-police sergeant and 15-year vet on the force.

Welcome to life at the UW.

Correction

Remember all of the groups that were going to be protesting SecDef Gates’ commencement speech next week? Well, strike one from the list — the Muslim Student Association. In a letter to the UW Daily, MSA senior advisor Zakariya Dehlawi, wrote:

It recently printed in Rachel Solomon’s article, “Groups plan to protest Gates as commencement speaker,” that the Muslim Students Association (MSA) at the UW was going to protest the commencement speaker, Robert Gates. This is patently not true.

The MSA is purely a religious organization, and we strive to be apolitical. Our goals are to educate the UW community about Islam and provide for our diverse membership. Endorsing political rallies is not in our mandate.

I understand this is a student newspaper, but accurate reporting is appreciated. I request that The Daily print a retraction because this reckless coverage has negatively affected our reputation.

In looking at the groups that were planning on protesting (International Socialist Organization, Democracy Insurgent, Bail Out the People — Not the Banks!, Socialist Alternative, World Can’t Wait, the Anti-War Collective), I was actually wondering why the MSA was among them. I’m glad Mr. Dehlawi was able to clarify his group’s position, and I wanted pass along his letter to you.

UW Nutjobs Plan To Protest SecDef’s Commencement Speech Next Weekend – Part 2

As if Elizabeth Fawthrop’s and Veryl Pow’s comments weren’t insane enough in the article I posted yesterday, they have actually one-upped themselves in the comment thread on the UW Daily website. And it’s not just them, but other people who sympathize with them as well.

After posting my criticism of Fawthrop’s claim about Gates “leading” the military, a person who calls themselves “ewb” wrote:

Your definition of what it means to lead is very narrow. While the generals you mentioned may directly oversee the invasions in Iraq and Afghanistan, this in no way excuses Robert Gates from the role he has played in promoting these wars.

So, is Gates leading or promoting the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan? I’m confused. Anyway, let’s move on…

Gates is obviously a leader of these wars, and is implicated in them just as much, if not more so because of his position of power, as the generals.

Do you realize what “ewb” just wrote? Not only does he or she believe that Gates is complicit in the deaths of Iraqi civilians and American soldiers, but that Generals like George Casey and David Petraeus are as well. That level of lunacy can only be found in Code Pink and MoveOn.org-type circles; “Pink” with their berating of Donald Rumsfeld a few weeks ago, calling him a “war criminal,” and MoveOn with their “General Betray Us” ads from 2007.

Here’s more from commenter “hakalo”:

How can you draw a distinction between starting wars and perpetuating wars? The fact stands that Gates is implicated in these wars, regardless of whether he was the SoD when they started or not.

Which means that Obama is also implicated in these wars, right? I’ll post a response to that question if I get one.

Moving on, when a fellow CR, Holland Avery, pointed out that Gates was speaking for free (Democracy Insurgent has been oustpoken against current UW budget cuts), “hakalo” wrote this:

There is a ton of security involved with bringing Gates to Husky stadium. The UWPD specifically will be pulling on a lot of its resources to provide security. Gates’ visit is not free in any sense of the term.

How ridiculously petty is that? Robert Gates is the Secretary of Defense of the United States of America. Of course he needs to have security! Grow up.

Finally, Veryl Pow himself chimed in:

On Gates and the Budget Cuts, the campus is undergoing increased militarization as many other programs and workers are getting cut.

Remember his evidence for that claim? Yeah, it was the fact that one CIA Officer is currently acting as a visiting researcher on campus. Great point, Veryl.

More:

By speaking here, Gates isn’t raising money for students of color who will no longer be able to afford tuition under the 28% hikes over the next two years. It isn’t going to the anti-racist, anti-patriarchal organizations like the Women’s Center which is facing devastating cuts. He isn’t saving the jobs of the 17 custodians, most of whom are immigrant workers, who have already been laid off.

First of all, notice how Pow infused the matter of race into his comment, pointing out that “students of color” won’t be able to afford tuition? His comments on race get worse later in his comment, but I just think it’s interesting that Pow somehow thinks that every white person who goes to the UW is going to be able to afford these tuition hikes.

Secondly, Pow’s line of argument here is silly. Of course Gates won’t be raising money or saving custodial jobs by speaking at the seniors’ graduation ceremony. But guess what? Neither will any other speaker who comes to the UW! Pow’s point adds nothing to his argument, and serves to make him seem even more loony.

Pow continues:

Instead, that Gates is speaking for free represents the broader trend of militarization of campus, along with agent Tim Thomas, who is paid for by the CIA and the UW gets money for hosting him.

Merriam-Webster’s definition of broad: “Extending far and wide.”

Merriam-Webster’s definition of trend: “To show a tendency.”

Again, Pow’s evidence for the broader trend of the militarization of the UW? One CIA researcher and a speech being given by the SecDef of the U.S.

Here’s where Pow’s comments on race get really outlandish:

The only way people of color can get access to the university is through joining the army reserve.

Riiiight.

So Nick/Holland, take your racist chauvinism somewhere else before claiming we are incapable of rational thought. Ya our peoples have heard that from white folks for centuries now, and just because we have a different conception of freedom (because we are denied those white privileges of yours under this ‘democracy’), don’t make our struggle worthless or irrational.

Amazing, isn’t it? That is the far-Left for you, ladies and gentlemen.  If you disagree with anything they say or do, you’re labeled a racist, a chauvinist, or a host of other things. It’s quite sad.

American hero, Veryl Pow

UW Nutjobs Plan To Protest SecDef’s Commencement Speech Next Weekend

Let’s just look at this article piece by piece, shall we?

From the UW Daily:

Groups plan to protest Gates as commencement speaker

Graduating seniors will fling their caps into the air next weekend, celebrating their accomplishments in higher education and symbolizing their entry into a world beyond textbooks, GPAs and the dreaded all-nighters central to finals week.

But some students feel there is a political stain on this year’s ceremony. The selection of Secretary of Defense Robert Gates as the class of 2009’s commencement speaker has spurred students dissatisfied with the cabinet member’s war record to protest.

Here’s where it gets good:

“Robert Gates has, for the last year and a half, led the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and has killed thousands of civilians, thousands of American troops,” said Elizabeth Fawthrop, a member of the International Socialist Organization at the UW and a graduating senior.

Um, what? Robert Gates has led the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan for the past year and a half? First of all, her timeline is way off, as Gates assumed his position as Secretary of Defense on December 18, 2006. Secondly, it’s not currently, nor has it ever been Gates’ responsibility to lead the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. When he became SecDef, the Commanding General in Iraq was George Casey, who was then followed by Gen. David Petraeus. In Afghanistan, there have been a host of commanding Generals, none of which have been named Robert Gates.

As far as Fawthrop’s claim about Gates killing “thousands of civilians” and “thousands of American troops,” it’s almost not worth responding to. The anti-war nuts like her will always blame people like Gates for the deaths of innocent civilians, but to also claim that he has killed thousands of American soldiers? Only true nutjobs believe nonsense like that. Our men and women in the service volunteer to defend this country, and know they may be put in harms way. That is something people like Fawthrop will never understand, and never appreciate.

Here’s more of the article, if you can stomach it:

Democracy Insurgent member Veryl Pow cited the secretary’s involvement in the Iran-Contra scandal in the 1980s and what Pow believes to be the increased militarization of campus — with CIA Officer Timothy Thomas presently acting as a visiting researcher — as reasons for protest.

The increased militarization of campus? One CIA Officer comes to the UW as a visiting researcher, and you cite that as evidence that the UW campus is being militarized? Are you serious?

More:

Although this year marks the first time the UW will host a sitting member of the presidential cabinet as commencement speaker, Gates’ high-profile status is inconsequential to Pow.

“To me, Robert Gates is a nobody,” he said. “I’m very ashamed he’s affiliated with America.”

Simply stunning.

The story proceeds to list the groups that are going to protest the commencement speech:

Student and national groups joining the International Socialist Organization and Democracy Insurgent include the Bail Out the People — Not the Banks! movement, Socialist Alternative, World Can’t Wait, the Anti-War Collective and the Muslim Student Association.

Sounds like a lovely bunch, doesn’t it?

The article ends with this:

“This is a special day for us and for our families,” Fawthrop said, “but what we’re trying to say is that the UW should have done better.”

This coming from the girl who can’t even get her facts straight about the man she’s protesting against.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll keep saying it: welcome to life at the UW.

American hero, Veryl Pow