Posts Tagged ‘America’

Mort Todd

Part 2: The Super-Hero’s American Exceptionalism

by Mort Todd

Editor: This is the second part of a two-part series. You can read part one here.

The 1970s showed the once-invincible comic book super-heroes to be losers, in attitude and sales. Watergate had disillusioned the super-patriot Captain America with a storyline implying Nixon was the head of a terrorist group. The Captain trashes his outfit and becomes Nomad, The Man without a Country. My 11-year-old mind thought this was ridiculous, as Cap was originally a Depression-era 98-pound weakling until given a Super Soldier serum to bulk up and fight Nazis. It was unlikely that one of the “Greatest Generation” would bail on his country so readily. Even then I realized that this development merely mirrored a hippie writer’s attitude more than staying true to a character’s origins. 

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Super-heroes became bleaker and even homicidal in the 1980s. The Punisher, a murderous vigilante, has become a top Marvel character. The Dark Knight Returns, a re-imagining of Batman, introduced an elderly caped crusader fighting the corrupt U.S. government represented by a stoogish Superman. Watchmen was set in a dystopic alternate reality where Nixon is still president and the super-group is made up of, among other miscreants, a rapist and mass murderer. It was a transmutation of established super-heroes from the 60s with Steve Ditko’s Objectivist hero The Question recast as the psychotic Rorschach.  (more…)

Andrew Klavan

Klavan on the Culture: God in 60 Days

by Andrew Klavan


Derek Broes

Mr. Obama, Tear Down Your Wall!: Reflections After 20 Years

by Derek Broes

I recently attended an event at The Ronald Reagan Presidential Museum celebrating the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. The event titled: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of the Wall: Reflections from Yesterday, Lessons for Today, was a conference packed with an impressive list of speakers ranging from world leaders, dignitaries and influential personalities from around the world. 


The event was comprised of three panel sessions and a luncheon keynote speech. The goal of the conference was to look at specific events that led to the fall of the wall, the people responsible, the impact of that historic event, and the legacy of the man who led the charge to end the Cold War, Ronald Reagan. There were two sessions that stood out at this event.  The first was the keynote speech by former Secretary of State for Ronald Reagan, George P Shultz.  His speech shed light into the unique leadership Ronald Reagan provided that we fail to find in our elected officials today.  Shultz delivered a rare look into the mindset of the Soviets at the time, and the determination and constancy of purpose that Reagan possessed.  He spoke of how Reagan approached the use of force with a subtle pot shot at the Obama administration.  (more…)

Steven Crowder

Lonewolf Diaries: Europe Waaaaay More Racist Than America

by Steven Crowder

You may be asking… “Really? I know the title is meant to be provocative, but do you REALLY think Europeans are more racist than Americans?”

 The correct answer is: Abso-freaking-lutely! Have you ever spent time with French, Irish or Eastern Block folk? The prejudice is often laughably absurd.

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Before you go and point the finger, let me state that I am completely aware of the irony in that previous statement (lumping everyone into one category while labeling them “prejudice”). However, since we’re dealing with the mythical “racist redneck” generalization that is frequently tossed at Americans, I’m going to speak of Europe as a whole simply to save time. (more…)

Alvaro Alvillar

There Is a New Movement…

by Alvaro Alvillar

…and it is us!

We are proud! We are united! We are loyal! We are kind and giving! We are decent! We are diverse! We are always seeking to improve ourselves and lift others! We are always the first ones to show up in time of need-anywhere in the world! We are the most powerful country in the world-but we are not bullies! We are family! We are friends and neighbors!  We are Americans and we are without a doubt the best example of a free people the world has ever seen-period.

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We are ready to let our voices be heard-loud and clear! We are going to show up whenever and wherever we are called to defend ourselves. We are going to defend all patriotic Americans against slander and libel, in and out of court with both our presence and our pocketbooks. We are going to show up in unprecedented numbers and vote out the garbage, both left and right, that claim to represent us but prove otherwise-time and time again. We are energized, organized, determined and willing to stand up against the lies, intimidation, corruption, media manipulation and government fraud that is and has been perpetrated against us for too long now. We are especially ready to fight and stop any and all efforts that are currently being taken to separate us from our constitutional rights! (more…)

Evan Sayet

America, Join the Obama Coup or Get Out of the Way

by Evan Sayet

Dear America,
 
I hate you.
 
I hate you because you’re stupid, you’re bigoted and you’re dangerous.
 
I know that you’re stupid because you believe in an invisible man in the sky.  Not only does that make you stupid, it makes you dangerous.  After all, if you’re that easily led to believe in some invisible man in the sky then you might be led into believing in witches and you might burn people at the stake.  I don’t care if you “cling” to your religion because you’re not as rich as I am, the fact that you cling to that stupidity makes you a threat to the utopia that would come if only there were no religion.
 
I know that you’re bigoted because you love America.  I’m a citizen of the world, not xenophobic or nativist like you.  I don’t believe in false borders falsely imposed on me by corporations and evil, white men seeking to exploit the world.  Remember what my Messiah’s mentor said, it’s “white man’s greed that rules a world in need.”  Why do you think America is better than any other nation?  It’s only your bigotry and bigotry is evil.  You’re evil.  And you’re standing in the way of my utopia, the peace and prosperity that would come if only there were no countries. (more…)

John T. Simpson

American Basiji

by John T. Simpson

Since Iran’s Green Revolution began on June 12th we have all learned the meaning of the term Basiji, whom Matthias Kuntzel of The New Republic called “Ahmadinejad’s Demons.” Since Supreme Leader In Name Only Ali Khamenei’s son now runs the Basiji, I consider it more of an Ahmie and Khamie thing, like the election itself. We’ve seen what they’ve done: murderous beatings, motorcycle drive-by clubbings, even the shooting of innocents like Neda Soltan and Kaveh Alipour.

That violence is always blamed on those protesters by Ahamadinejad and other hardliners, as well as FARS and other state-run mouthpieces, all of whom are doing their damndest to demonize the Green protesters as enemies of the state, foreign agents, even domestic terrorists. Glad we don’t have that kind of stuff in America, huh? Ya, as if! What country are YOU living in?

What, in essence, are the Basiji? Are they not an ideologically and violently overzealous arm of the fascist Iranian thugocracy? Well, if terrorizing innocent citizens over ideology with full political backing is the key issue here, then what do you call the three menacing baton-swinging racist epithet-spewing New Black Panther Party poll watchers in Philadelphia, paid in full by Democrats, who uttered such overzealous statements as “you will soon be ruled by the black man, cracker”? (more…)

Christian Toto

Interview: ‘Not Evil Just Wrong’s’ Phelim McAleer and Ann McElhinney

by Christian Toto

 The upcoming documentary “Not Evil Just Wrong” skewers global warming alarmists in the media and around the world. But filmmakers Ann McElhinney and Phelim McAleer contend their movie isn’t a conservative one.

“It’s a liberal, socialist film. It’s about poor people in Africa and America,” McAleer says. “We’re not interested in insulting anyone or winning political points,” McAleer continues. “I don’t care about your politics and I’m not going to demonize you.”

But what McAleer and McElhinney won’t stand for is watching people suffer while serious, glaring misinformation guides public policy.

That happened during the misinformation campaign surrounding the use of DDT years ago to stop the spread of malaria, they say, and it could happen soon if the U.S. adopts cap and trade legislation which will hamper industry – and curtail American prosperity. (more…)

Spike Spencer

Fight For America

by Spike Spencer

As I sit here in a Sydney hotel listening to the news of our savior’s next plan to change America as we know it, (you remember America, the engine of capitalism, a force for good all around the globe, and the last refuge of freedom and prosperity for millions escaping tyranny and oppression), I simply can’t resist the urge to reluctantly look forward at the enormous chasm of ruin this lemming-leader is leading us toward.

We used to be a strong, quiet nation, a big sleeping lion. It wasn’t wise to poke us with a stick and arouse our wrath. Now we seem to be becoming more and more like a fat neutered bull with dull horns with no will to do anything other than chew cud and remember the good old days when we were the hero of that joke about the old bull and the young bull up on the hill checking out the hot cows in the pasture. Hmm… Do they make Viagra for bulls nowadays? I do believe our collective heroic independence and valor needs a shot in the libido. (more…)

Jeremy D. Boreing

Encroaching Government Ensures We’re Not Free

by Jeremy D. Boreing

Americans beware. You are not free. Worse, you are being made more and more a slave each day by the very people who tell you incessantly that you are. In fact, the very word itself, FREEDOM, has become your enemy, as it is bandied about proudly and loudly, and distracting you from the encroaching tyranny all around. The word freedom has replaced the substance of freedom that was your birthright, and that is no more.

Of course, Americans were never completely free, which is expressly why freedom was so long sustained on these shores. Our founders knew what freedom is: The natural, God-created state of man, completely unrestrained by the conventions of other men. They also knew that such pure freedom was never practically experienced, and that if it was, it could never be sustained, because it would naturally and instantly consume itself as the powerful and strong exercise of their will without restraint upon the weak. Pure freedom replaces itself with tyranny, rapidly and violently in a shockingly Darwinian fashion. From the chaos of pure freedom rise despots and kings. (more…)

Greg Gutfeld

Daily Gut: America Ranks 114th on the ‘Happy Planet Index’

by Greg Gutfeld

So over the weekend, while I was sunning myself by the pool, surrounded by all the things that make me happy (my masseuse Roderigo, my aromatherapist Pablo and a hollowed-out gourd), a report was released ranking nations from least to most happy. According to the New Economics Foundation’s “Happy Planet Index,” Costa Rica came out on top – reporting the “highest life satisfaction” in the world.

Meanwhile America, the GREATEST country in the world – came in at 114th.

Guatemala, which is somewhere, came in second. (more…)

Joseph C. Phillips

Why Do You Love America?

by Joseph C. Phillips

My son was confused. “Why does everyone hate America?” Sadly he wasn’t referring to Iran or even France. He was talking about the other children in his class. Apparently during his 6th grade class discussions a great many of his classmates expressed hatred for their country. Not only did they blame America for everything that was wrong in the world and condemn this nation for its greed and materialism, a great many of them expressed a desire to live someplace else. They believed New Zealand or Canada would allow them the opportunity to grow up without the stain and humiliation of being an American.

Now I was confused. I suspect the sentiments expressed by these children were more reflective of their parents beliefs than they were of any deep thought by the children themselves. Yet I am puzzled by such vitriol coming from children (and parents) advantaged with more liberty and opportunity than any other people in the history of the world.

I am, however, not discouraged. I know that in spite of the inclination of his classmates(and their parents)the majority of Americans love their country and love being Americans. No offense to New Zealand, but I suspect there are only a small number of Americans aspiring to live as ex-pats in Auckland. The truth is that even those that are critical of America love her dearly. (more…)

Bosch Fawstin

“Light Touch”

by Bosch Fawstin

Inspired by an article in today’s Wall Street Journal.


[click to enlarge]

For more on my work, visit my blog.

Robert Davi

Burnt Offerings: Teaching Our Children — Pride in Going Red, White and Blue

by Robert Davi

On March 26, I was watching the Kids’ Choice Awards with my 8-year-old twins on Viacom’s Nickelodeon, which for 30 years has been the No. 1 entertainment brand for kids. It was dedicated to the Big Green Help environmental campaign and “going green” for Earth Day awareness. Leonardo DiCaprio was honored for his green work. Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson was the host, and my fellow Hollywood stars and musicians came out in full force.

An impressive commitment was shown to keeping the message of Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth” as a battle cry for our youths’ participation in protecting Mother Earth from global warming and pollution. My children were enthusiastic. I was confused. Something bothered me, and I could not put my finger on why – until Memorial Day weekend.

It started on Saturday morning, when I took my 8-year-old son, Nicholas, who is a Cub Scout, to the Los Angeles National Cemetery. About 2,700 Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, from Cub to Eagle, convened to place flags on more than 84,000 gravesites of America’s finest. It was a moving, profound experience.

One would expect a lot of running and playing among these youngsters as they performed their task. But, no. At each site, they stood at attention, recited the name of the service member and then saluted. Within two hours, 84,000 flags proudly waved in the gentle breeze. (more…)

Schizoid Mann

An Alternative to War

by Schizoid Mann

Disclaimer: What you are about to read is fiction. It is a story about peace. Peace at any cost.

THE WORLD TODAYA News Summary

May 2009

BONN (EU News) – The current CSPEU administration has decided to increase productivity by lowering the age that children are required to enter the workforce from nine to eight years of age. The EU Vice Minister for the Interior states the lowering of the work age is due to an increased shortage of youthful workers. “It’s a reflection of the ongoing fighting between our peaceful union and the obstinate Russians.”

Citizens and subjects in the 18-25 age bracket have seldom been seen in recent years. The Vice Minister commented on this by stating, “This temporary downturn in our youthful population is insignificant compared to the tremendous loss of life on the Russian side. Though our rockets delivering Vemork V weapons obliterated St. Petersburg and most of Moscow years ago, the Russians, though scattered and ill equipped, still choose to resist to this very day. It staggers the mind why they wish to continue their own misery. ” (more…)

Chele Stanton

Freedom Isn’t Free

by Chele Stanton

While volunteering for the McCain Campaign last year, I ran across a display of quotes by former President Ronald Reagan… One of them touched my heart so deeply that it inspired me to sit down and start writing a song as a tribute to our men and women in the United States Military.

The quote said… 

“We all share the love of peace, but our sons and daughters must learn two lessons men everywhere and in every time have had to learn:  that the price of freedom is dear, but not nearly as costly as the loss of freedom – and that the advance and continuation of civilization depend on those values for which men have always been willing to die for…” 

While some of our brave men and women in uniform have made it safely back home to their loved ones, others have come home wounded – their lives forever changed.  Yet still, there are those who have gone on to another home – paying the ultimate price for freedom… with their lives…  (more…)

Greg Gutfeld

Daily Gut: An America That Tortures

by Greg Gutfeld

So a lot of media types have been making grand pronouncements on the topic of torture – the gist being: this is America, and America doesn’t torture.

If so, then I’m not sure I want to be part of that America.

Bear with me. I want you to imagine that you’ve got a mom or a dad working at the Library Building in L.A. Imagine also that a CIA interrogator has captured a terrorist with profound knowledge on a plot to level that building in days. If that terrorist does not reveal that information, your parent dies.

Fact: if a loved one is going to be killed in 24 hours, and an agent is holding someone with knowledge that could save him – you sure as hell want that agent to have every option at his disposal. Imagine if he said, “well, the suspect didn’t tell us anything. We asked him and asked him, and he still said nothing. We did all we could do. Sorry about your dad.” (more…)

John T. Simpson

Why Reparations Have Already Been Paid, With Interest

by John T. Simpson

I may get in a lot of trouble for this, but that’s the risk you take with bold statements. And the bill on slavery reparations, currently before a Congressional committee, requires the boldest. Even President Obama stated he was against this a year ago. Why is this bill even in committee?

Well, if he isn’t going to say anything, I am. By the way, this is an old song. Never liked it.

The issue of reparations for slavery, once a hot topic of political speculation and conjecture among pundits everywhere, not to mention political agitation and racial tension, is fast becoming a possible source of yet even more crushing financial drain on an already shaky American economy.

It is called H.R. 40, submitted by Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) with three co-sponsors, and its exact title is  “Commission to Study Reparation Proposals for African-Americans Act.” It was introduced on January 6th of this year, and has since been referred to committee. (more…)

Bosch Fawstin

American Islam?

by Bosch Fawstin

Here was Barack Obama in Turkey this week:

“We will convey,” said Barack Obama to the Turkish Parliament Monday, “our deep appreciation for the Islamic faith, which has done so much over the centuries to shape the world — including in my own country.”

Robert Spencer has his say on that here, and I’ve written about Western Muslims and the idea of ”American Islam” in my book, “ProPiganda: Drawing the Line Against Jihad“: (more…)

Bosch Fawstin

“I’m Geert Wilders!”

by Bosch Fawstin

Saturday, I saw the most honest and courageous politician on earth give a speech about Islam’s threat to the civilized world after a screening of his short film, “Fitna.” It was just another reminder of how important strong leadership is in a dangerous world. In light of that, it is disheartening to see that the greatest and most powerful country in the history of the world, The United States of America, goes small against jihad and big against its own citizens, post 9/11. And further, that Washington P.C. is led by the weakest leaders it has ever had at a time when it needs the strongest. (more…)

Andrea Peyser

Celebutard of the Week: Gwyneth Paltrow

by Andrea Peyser

After winning the Oscar for Shakespeare in Love, Gwyneth Paltrow has been shamefully idle (Shallow Hal, anyone?) Even her latest film, Two Lovers, co-starring Joaquin Phoenix, premiered, depressingly unnoticed, at the Sunshine Cinema on New York’s Lower East Side.

But Gwyneth, who moved to London after declaring, “We’re all going to die when George Bush has his way,’’ is far from allergic to taking home our money. Nor is the lady bred in an exclusive Manhattan private school opposed to reinventing herself in a curiously American kind of career:  lifestyle guru.

(more…)

Ben Shapiro

Can Movies Lose Wars?

by Ben Shapiro

This is a tale of two cultures.  Both cultures are faced with the threat of Islamic terrorism.  Both have watched their soldiers fight and die.  Both have watched their citizens burn alive. 

But one culture has rejected a far-left film establishment that seeks to undermine its war on terror – the other has embraced it.    

The first culture – the culture that rejects its morally relativistic artists – is America.  The second culture – the culture that accepts and encourages its morally relativistic artists – is Israel. 

Hollywood may make tons of movies like In the Valley of Elah, Rendition, and Stop-Loss, but those movies tank.  Tel Aviv makes similar movies, and those movies are considered the greatest film achievements of the Jewish State. 

There’s a reason for that: while Hollywood believes American exceptionalism is passé, most Americans disagree.  By contrast, Tel Aviv believes that Zionism is passé – and that post-Zionist attitude has infected much of the Israeli populace. 

It’s no wonder that America is winning its war on terror, while Israel is losing hers. 

(more…)