Aidan MaconachyAidan MaconachyA non-partisan blog that discusses a wide variety of topics. These include politics, religion, secular issues, culture, news stories. The blog also features a regular cartoon strip . Articles
Gianni Alemanno: neo-fascist with a makeover
2008-04-29 23:40:00 The climate of paranoia that has become a dominant feature of Italian politics lately, helped pave the way for Gianni Alemanno's mayoral victory in Rome.Alemanno, who served as agriculture minister in Berlusconi's last government, will be a mayor-with-a-mission. He has vowed to get tough on immigration. His "Pact for Rome" includes the following: “Immediately activate procedures for the expulsion of 20,000 nomads and immigrants who have broken the law in Rome.”Fittingly for a one-time neo-fascist whose cosmetic adjustment to the mainstream was mainly about political convenience, Alemanno's office is located close to Piazza Venezia. This is the famed piazza where Il Duce, Benito Mussolini, strutted and ranted mere decades ago.Xenophobia is once again alive and well in Italy. The Northern League has been successful in riding an anti-immigrant ticket since the entry of Romania and Bulgaria into the EU. In the general election it increased its share of the vote by 8%.The anti-im... More About: Makeover
R.T. Naylor: "War on Terror" myth and misinformation
2008-04-28 18:31:00 "The great masses of the people…will more easily fall victim to a big lie than to a small one." (Adolf Hitler)R.T. Naylor, is an economics professor at McGill. His book "Satanic Purses: Money, Myth and Misinformation in the War on Terror " was published in 2006. This is an important book. It hasn't had as much exposure stateside as it deserves, due in part to prevailing media thinking that buys into the official War on Terror line.Naylor draws on his extensive knowledge of international black markets, money laundering, terrorist financing and smuggling to challenge the Bush administration's global-fantasy-network of terrorists and financiers, all allegedly weaving a diabolical scheme to bring the West to its knees."Satanic Purses" presents a convincing argument that far from there being a monolithic terror organization of the Al Qaeda variety, in fact terrorist attacks are most often locally initiated and financed. The common driving force behind these acts is poverty, alienati... More About: War On Terror
Hillary Clinton: narcissism and entitlement
2008-04-27 11:42:00 Barack Obama is clearly the Democratic candidate of choice. On paper he is unbeatable. There is no way he can lose the pledged delegate lead, short of imploding.Hillary Clinton claims she is more electable. If the superdelegates were to hand her the nomination despite being behind on the popular vote and the pledged delegate count, it would fracture the party and might very well pave the way for a McCain victory - a victory that would be aided by the many Obama supporters who would almost certainly sit out the vote as a form of protest.Clinton's quixotic candidacy is being driven by ego, hubris and an inappropriate conviction of entitlement. Narcissism touches everything she does - all the way from her carefully choreographed cosmetic image to stories she has been spinning that don't stand up under scrutiny - the Bosnia "under fire" fiction being the most recent example.There seems to be no limit to what she is prepared to say and do if it looks as though it might enhance her imag... More About: Entitlement
Padre Pio and the sainthood racket
2008-04-26 00:56:00 The Catholic Church has made it easier to manufacture saints in a timely and efficient manner. Now new-saints-in-the-making are fast tracked as a result of more efficient guidelines for assessing the saintlike attributes of proposed candidates. At one time the Church charged a so-called Devil's Advocate with digging for the dirt on prospective saints, but that office has since been abolished.You have to wonder what type of criteria the Church uses to gauge "saintliness" when you consider that there has been a movement to push for the canonization of Girolamo Savonarola. Exactly what is saintly about about a 15th century fanatic with apocalyptic fantasies who orchestrated the burning of books and art is difficult to fathom. Josemaria Escriva de Balaguer, the founder of Opus Dei, was given the papal nod despite being a well known fascist sympathizer and anti-Semite.So it should come as no surprise that a few years ago the Church saw fit to canonize Padre Pio , a pious fraud who wore f...
Mishal Husain: hype-free news
2008-04-26 00:50:00 Mishal Husain is a BBC news presenter. Her family is originally from Pakistan. Mishal was born in the UK (1973), and grew up in the United Arab Emirates.She read law at Cambridge University and graduated in 1995. Following this she completed a Master's degree in International and Comparative Law at the European University Institute in Florence. Her thesis addressed the legal status of Bosnian refugees in Europe.I happened upon Mishal Husain quite by accident when I checked out BBC World. I was struck by her cool demeanor and relaxed style. Her timing is impeccable. There is nothing phony about her personality. She can be a little sardonic at times, but it comes across as good natured. I got a laugh once, when she referred to a bubbly blond who reports on sports as "a vision in pink".After reluctant exposure to FOX news, it's a welcome relief to happen upon an anchor who coolly and professionally delivers the goods. If there was a discipline along the lines of zen-and-the-art-of-ne... More About: News , Free , Hype
Mark Steyn, Macleans and Rex Murphy
2008-04-25 22:34:00 The case against Macleans has been dismissed by Canada's Human Rights Commissions. The magazine featured an excerpt from Mark Steyn's book, "America Alone" that caused a bit of an outcry. The Canadian Islamic Congress, at least those speaking in its name, took the view that the Steyn piece was "flagrantly Islamophobic".I can see where the complainants are coming from and I can understand why they would feel that way. However, while I understand their impulse to evoke human rights, I would have stayed their hand.Steyn isn't a racist. He mines the fears and prejudices that haunt the American psyche and supplies a narrative that I have argued reflects bigotry, prejudice and pessimism in respect to Islam ... but then half of America thinks the same way. Some of the "racist" comments attributed to Steyn aren't actually his own. He's too chicken to say it without parenthesis when it comes to the risky stuff. He borrows, plays semantic games. He makes use of others' comments as cover... More About: Murphy
Mishal Husain: hype-free news
2008-04-23 16:40:00 Mishal Husain is a BBC news presenter. Her family is originally from Pakistan. Mishal was born in the UK (1973), and grew up in the United Arab Emirates.She read law at Cambridge University and graduated in 1995. Following this she completed a Master's degree in International and Comparative Law at the European University Institute in Florence. Her thesis addressed the legal status of Bosnian refugees in Europe.I happened upon Mishal Husain quite by accident when I checked out BBC World. I was struck by her cool demeanor and relaxed style. Her timing is impeccable. There is nothing phony about her personality. She can be a little sardonic at times, but it comes across as good natured. I got a laugh once, when she referred to a bubbly blond who reports on sports as "a vision in pink".After reluctant exposure to the freak show on FOX, it's a welcome relief to happen upon an anchor who coolly and professionally delivers the goods. If there was a discipline along the lines of zen-and-... More About: News , Free , Hype
I usually have it on mute
2008-04-23 16:30:00 Tags: Fox news" title="Atom feed">Site Feed More About: Mute
Mark Steyn, Macleans and Rex Murphy
2008-04-22 09:50:00 The case against Macleans has been dismissed by Canada's Human Rights Commissions. The magazine featured an excerpt from Mark Steyn's book, "America Alone" that caused a bit of an outcry. The Canadian Islamic Congress, at least those speaking in its name, took the view that the Steyn piece was "flagrantly Islamophobic".I can see where the complainants are coming from and I can understand why they would feel that way. However, while I understand their impulse to evoke human rights, I would have stayed their hand.Steyn isn't a racist. He mines the fears and prejudices that haunt the American psyche and supplies a narrative that I have argued reflects bigotry, prejudice and pessimism in respect to Islam ... but then half of America thinks the same way. Some of the "racist" comments attributed to Steyn aren't actually his own. He's too chicken to say it without parenthesis when it comes to the risky stuff. He borrows, plays semantic games. He makes use of others' comments as cover... More About: Murphy
Warning Christians at worship: punch up in Church of the Holy Sepulchre
2008-04-21 16:50:00 Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulchre turned into the equivalent of a pub free-for-all recently, with Greek and Armenian worshipers trading punches. Israeli police waded in to try and break up the warring factions.The fracas was set off when Armenian worshipers took it upon themselves to throw a Greek Orthodox priest out of the church.Palm fronds, traditionally used to celebrate the return of Jesus to the Holy City before he was crucified, were employed as weapons to beat the police officers.The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is shared by various branches of Christianity, each of which jealously guards its turf. Ironically two Muslim families and their predecessors have long served as 'keepers of the gates' ... kind of like a neutral ref in a tense stand-off between competing factions.It is ironical in the extreme to learn that followers of "the prince of peace" beat each other up on the very site where many Christians believe Jesus was crucified and buried.Israeli police offer... More About: Worship , Warning
Israeli soldiers admit to reign of terror in Hebron
2008-04-21 05:26:00 The Israeli activist organization Shovrim Shtika (Breaking the Silence), has published 39 testimonies from Israelis who served in the army.This is disturbing stuff. One soldier who was based in Hebron is candid about the type of criminal behavior that had virtually become normalized.He speaks of incidents in which Palestinian drivers were pulled over, windows smashed and the occupants beaten. He is also candid about a theft of tobacco from a Palestinian shopkeeper who was beaten "to a pulp" for objecting. In another incident he refers to stun grenades being tossed through the windows of mosques while people prayed.According to another testimony, Israeli soldiers often engage in gratuitous thuggery. A soldier from the Kfir Brigade speaks of being with groups of soldiers "many times" when Palestinian taxis were hijacked. The drivers were forced to sit in the back and provide information about places where the inhabitants have a hate on for Jews. They would then go there and "make a ba... More About: Terror , Soldiers , Reign
Ireland: Catholic Church pays for decades of abuse
2008-04-20 15:05:00 Up until fairly recently the Catholic Church undertook a type of faith-based welfare in Ireland . It ran schools, children's homes and orphanages.In addition to brain washing the children in its care, the decades of Catholic control has resulted in a catalogue of crime as victims of sexual abuse and other violations have come forward with the truth of what they had to endure.In 2002, the Church paid 128 million in cash and property to the State, but the total is more likely to be between 1 billion and 1.3 billion euros. Prior to the 2005 deadline, a staggering 14,500 applications were made by individuals for sexual, emotional and physical abuse.In Canada, the Catholic Church has also been responsible for a catalogue of crimes against native children.It was frankly nauseating to listen to the media fanfare for pope Benedict as he made his rounds in the United States. Despite his claim to be "ashamed" of the crimes committed against children, he hasn't lifted a finger to discipline a... More About: Abuse
At least it wasn't on my watch
2008-04-20 14:24:00 Tags: Catholic Church, abuse" title="Atom feed">Site Feed More About: Watch
John McCain: 10 things you need to know about him
2008-04-20 05:12:00 John McCain has a carefully crafted public image that fools a lot of people into buying into the myth and media-driven hype that surrounds him. People who see McCain as more liberal than Bush need to look more closely at the candidate behind the public mask.MoveOn Org posted 10 things you need to know about McCain, and they make interesting reading (click here for MoveOn's post and sources). These aren't facts you are likely to find on the main networks: John McCain voted against establishing a national holiday in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Now he says his position has "evolved," yet he's continued to oppose key civil rights laws.According to Bloomberg News, McCain is more hawkish than Bush on Iraq, Russia and China. Conservative columnist Pat Buchanan says McCain "will make Cheney look like Gandhi."His reputation is built on his opposition to torture, but McCain voted against a bill to ban waterboarding, and then applauded President Bush for vetoing that ban.McCain opp... More About: John , Things , John McCain
Evangelical crusader Charles McVety and Bill C-10
2008-04-18 22:33:00 It's always problematic when government bureaucrats attempt to play film critic. A provision in Bill C-10 if passed would allow bureaucrats from the Heritage Ministry to refuse tax credits to any film deemed "offensive."Canada's film industry already faces many challenges. The last thing it needs is petty government interference that would make raising financing for movies even tougher than it is at present.The thinking behind the Bill C-10 provision is somewhat vague. The Heritage Ministry has offered assurances that "mainstream films" aren't a concern. So movies such as Crash and Ma Fille, Mon Ange would be off the hook, despite some pretty graphic content ... which leaves you wondering what types of potentially "offensive" productions they have in mind.According to the Ministry, the proposed crackdown would apply to films or TV shows considered to be in violation of the criminal code. So what are we talking about here ... gang rape movies that end with ritual decapitation? To ... More About: Evangelical , Charles
Time Canada got it priorities straight
2008-04-18 21:50:00 Tags: Charles McVety, Bill C-10" title="Atom feed">Site Feed More About: Canada , Time , Straight
Pope Benedict: a man of many contradictions
2008-04-17 08:53:00 Pope Benedict , who says he is "ashamed' of the child abuse scandal that has damaged the American Church, managed to set his personal afflictions aside as he was welcomed with White House pomp and ceremony. At his side was George W. Bush, a president who unleashed a maelstrom of death and destruction upon the people of Iraq, based on a pack of lies. These two men, despite their differences, have a lot in common. Neither one is prepared to take responsibility for decisions that have had a ruinous effect on untold numbers of lives, and both seek absolution by evoking the name of their God.The pope's claim that he is "ashamed" of pedophile priests, overlooks the key role he played in enabling their activities. In 2001, then Cardinal Ratzinger, issued a secret Vatican edict, an updated version of "Crimen Sollicitationis", that made clear to bishops that the interests of the Church were to be safeguarded first and foremost. A key element in the document was secrecy. Church leaders were ... More About: Pope , Pope Benedict
Brigitte Bardot: in court for inciting hatred
2008-04-16 04:25:00 Brigitte Bardot's unconditional compassion for animals doesn't extend to fellow humans, especially if they happen to be Muslim. Bardot has taken on a second career of sorts as a celebrity defendant. She recently went on trial for the fifth time in France for insulting Muslims. The prosecutor in the case, Anne de Fontette, is asking for a tougher sentence, adding "I am a little tired of prosecuting Mrs Bardot.The one-time sex kitten is married to Bernard D'Ormale, an associate of right wing demagogue Jean-Marie Le Pen who heads up the National Front.Muslims aren't the only objects of Bardot's limitless scorn. In her book, A Cry in the Silence, gays and lesbians are described as "cheap faggots or circus freaks". This seems odd since Bardot has claimed that gay people are among her best friends - as she put it: "For years, they have been my support, my friends, my adopted children, my confidantes."The unemployed don't escape her scorn either. They are characterized as people "wh... More About: Brigitte Bardot , Court , Hatred
Sally Kern and the AFA: targeting gays in America
2008-04-15 06:31:00 Oklahoma State rep., Sally Kern (Rep), has it in for gay people who seek to serve their communities. Rather than welcome the contribution of gay America ns willing to volunteer their talent and their time, Kern has been making incendiary comments directed at the gay community that are not only unjust, but despite her claims to the contrary, both hateful and malicious. In a recent speech, Kern went so far as to claim that homosexuality is a bigger threat to national security than terrorism.Kern warns that "gays are infiltrating our city councils". She claims the city council in Eureka Springs, AR, is "controlled by gays."Actively discriminating against fellow Americans on the basis of their sexual orientation, isn't a problem for the American Family Association (AFA). It has produced a video titled "They're Coming to your Town". The video promotes a conspiracy agenda that has more in common with the twilight zone than reality. The trailer warns: "watch and learn, how to fight a well... More About: Gays , Targeting
Sally Kern gay alert
2008-04-15 06:20:00 Tags: Sally Kern, anti-gay agenda" title="Atom feed">Site Feed More About: Alert
Hitchens calls Andrew Sullivan "a lesbian"
2008-04-14 18:44:00 During an appearance on the US cable news channel MSNBC, Christopher Hitchens traded a few barbs with Andrew Sullivan on the topic of Obama and religion.Sullivan is gay. At one point Hitchens tossed out a remark, apparently aimed at Sullivan's sexuality.SULLIVAN: Two things. One, it's important to clear up that he [Wright] did not say "The Jews are going to get you" in some conspiratorial, classic anti-Semitic fashion. I think that's just —HITCHENS: He [Wright] thinks only Jews are going to object to [Rev. Louis] Farrakhan and [Libyan leader Moammar] Gadhafi. Excuse me?SULLIVAN: No, he didn't say "only."HITCHENS: No, but —SULLIVAN: Again, you keep playing with that quote. We're happy to have it on the record. And now you've made me forget my second point, which is —HITCHENS: Oh, well, don't be such a lesbian. Get on with it.Clearly a cheap shot - the type of goading remark that gets yelled from the back of the school bus. Some have argued that it's evidence of homopho... More About: Lesbian , Calls , Andrew Sullivan
Canadian Jewish dissenters criticize Israeli policies
2008-04-13 00:58:00 Under Stephen Harper, the Canadian government has shown a more pronounced pro-Israel position, or perhaps "bias" might be the better term.In response to the recent Israeli incursions in Gaza, thirty three member countries in the 47-seat UN Human Rights Council endorsed a resolution that accused Israel of war crimes in Gaza. Nations that favored censuring Israel included China, India and Russia. Thirteen nations abstained.Despite the overwhelming military force used in Gaza that resulted in 120 deaths, including children and non-combatants, one nation stood out against condemnation of Israel - and that nation was Canada.In the recent past the Canadian position has at times been even more unabashedly pro-Israel than the United States itself. Condoleezza Rice condemned continued housing construction in East Jerusalem on land annexed in 1967. By contrast, Canadian Foreign Affairs minister, Maxime Bernier, refused to condemn Israeli settlement activity in East Jerusalem.The pro-Israel ... More About: Jewish , Policies
Carla Bruni nude photograph sells for $91,000 at Christie's
2008-04-12 18:16:00 A nude portrait of Carla Bruni , France's first lady, recently sold at Christie's in New York for $91,000 - more than 20 times the expected price. It was purchased by an unnamed Chinese art collector.The photograph dates back to 1993, and shows a naked Ms Bruni, with hands strategically placed, standing pigeon-toed as she gazes pensively at the camera.The picture was taken by the photographer Michael Comte. Christie's defends its decision to put it up for sale. A spokesperson referred to Ms Bruni as "one of the most beautiful women in the world" and described the picture as "a perfectly respectable work of art."In media photos, Carla Bruni comes across as understated. She doesn't present as overtly sexy. Perhaps that's why her nude shots seem so natural and in a sense, asexual. She seems entirely comfortable with her sexuality, without letting it define her.Compared to the tawdry celebrity displays out there, or even compared to the blond productions on Fox, with their overdone ...
General Petraeus' Iraq testimony: mix of myth and reality
2008-04-11 21:18:00 The recent appearance of General Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker at the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committee, provided little in the way of new information. There were few surprises. The questions posed by the panel weren't very challenging, and the replies were vague at best with Petraeus at one point referring in abstract terms to the "geometry of the battlefield" and the "calculus" of diplomacy and politics. His reassurances rang hollow, because his measure of progress is suspect.Petraeus' assertion that the Maliki government is in the business of cracking down on outlaw elements in order to unify Iraq under the rule of law is misleading. The divisions in Iraq are in fact deeper than they have ever been. Maliki is all about bolstering his sectarian power base, at the expense of his sectarian enemies. To present Maliki as national unity champ pushes the bounds of credulity.Petraeus keeps pointing to the down turn in levels of violence, without speaking abou... More About: Reality , Testimony
Securing the peace in Iraq
2008-04-11 21:17:00 Tags: Iraq , security" title="Atom feed">Site Feed More About: Peace
Saudi blogger Raed Al-Saeed releases a Muslim response to 'Fitna'
2008-04-11 04:39:00 A short film titled Schism by Raed Al-Saeed, employs a technique similar to that used by Geert Wilders in Fitna. Schism focuses on Bible verses that promote violence. The film succeeds in demonstrating that stereotyping of religion can go both ways.Al-Saeed uses verses from Samuel that call upon the Israelites to attack their enemies: "Go and attack the Amalekites! Destroy them and all their possessions. Don't have any pity. Kill their men, women, children, and even their babies. Slaughter their cattle, sheep, camels, and donkeys."There is a scene of soldiers beating unarmed youths in Iraq while a background voice expresses grim satisfaction. In another scene a fired-up evangelical preacher urges children who are part of "God's army" to be ready to kill in the name of their religion. The scene I believe is taken from the documentary "Jesus Camp".Al-Saeed makes the point that it is easy to take any Holy Book out of context in order to push an extremist agenda. He also stresses that... More About: Blogger , Muslim , Saudi , Response
John McCain: gaffe prone, thin skinned and McNasty
2008-04-09 15:51:00 John McCain is still having trouble getting the Shia/Sunni thing sorted out. A while ago on a trip to Jordan, Joe Lieberman had to set him straight when he started rambling about Al Qaeda members being trained in Iran for operations inside Iraq. Al Qaeda is of course a Sunni organization and Iran is Shia, a distinction McCain somehow overlooked.Now McCain's at it again. During the Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, he once again blurred his Shia/Sunni lines in an interchange with General David Petraeus:MCCAIN: "There are numerous threats to security in Iraq and the future of Iraq. Do you still view al-Qaeda in Iraq as a major threat?"PETRAEUS: "It is a major threat. Though it is certainly as not as major a threat as it was say, 15 months ago."MCCAIN: "Certainly not an obscure sect of the Shias overall?PETRAEUS: "No, sir."MCCAIN: "Or Sunnis or anybody else then?"An obscure sect of the Shias overall." What's that supposed to mean? Even if you have some theory about "alternativ... More About: John , John McCain
John McCain flash cards
More articles from this author:2008-04-09 15:40:00 Tags: John McCain, gaffes" title="Atom feed">Site Feed More About: Flash , Flash cards , Cards , John McCain 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 |
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