Blogger Wintery Knight has published a synopsis and commentary on the recent Southern Baptist Convention, which produced a statement in defense of traditional marriage. The Southern Baptists have had a lot of good proposals on these issues recently; especially last year's proposal encouraging younger people to marry and challenging our absurdly high age-of-consent-laws.
The Southern Baptists made some strong stands this year, declaring their support for traditional marriage and gender-roles and some proposed legislation defending Christian rights against the legal onslaughts of the Gay Mafia. Among these were the Religious Freedom Restoration Act and the First Amendment Defense Act.
While the Southern Baptists are to be applauded for their stand; they are overlooking two obvious problems. The first one is, simply that, if American culture has sunk to the level that our largest Christian denomination has to explain to us what marriage and gender are; and that Congress actually has to debate over the First Amendment---then it is a fairly safe assumption that our culture has rotted to the point where these types of resolutions are not going to have much effect.
The second---as Wintery Knight points out---the Republican Party has already nominated a candidate who's largely ejected ideology from his platform. The Donald has had very little to say on such matters. Given that he is on his third marriage and Hillary's relationship with our ex-President Clinton is somewhat notorious it hardly seems that these concerns are resonating much with the voters either.
And really, we should not expect it to be otherwise. Traditional families are actually a minority these days. The Divorce Industry, the Abortion Racket, the Gay Mafia, Relationship Counseling, Adultery/Dating Sites, the Domestic Violence Industry, the Welfare/Child Protection Syndicate, Media-driven Sex Scandals and Controversies---these are all billion-dollar industries in the Prozac Nation. The Smart Boys never let a good crisis or human tragedy go to waste when there's a fast buck to be made.
Traditional families don't make good political capital either. All that politicians in the past could do is be proud of our strong families and promise to keep defending them. But the Wise Guys of today understand that by deconstructing and redefining everything, the resulting confusion and uncertainly alone generates unlimited opportunity.
And this is nothing new with Donald Trump. The last Republican candidate who ran an ideologically-driven campaign was Ronald Reagan, who won landslide victories in 1980 and 1984. Since then, American so-called Conservatives have pursued the strategy utilized by the Left; i.e., abandoning ideology to pander to the worst elements in human nature. That strategy gave us failures like the Bushes and Gingrich; and candidates like Dole, McCain, Romney and Trump.
That's the point that the Baptist Leadership is wholly missing. They assume there is no difference between a Conservative in 2016 and a Conservative in 1980. In 1980, the Moral Majority was a genuine political force; to the point where the Rev. Pat Robertson was a serious presidential contender in 1988. Ben Carson, whose platform was probably closest to that group won a whopping 9 delegates in 2016.
The Ameroboob of today is not an ideologue. Recall that almost 1/5 of American high-school graduates today cannot even read. He's also very highly amoral. Religious leaders of any faith are not liable to influence public policy very much when these factors are the prevailing public attitudes.
A better idea for the Baptist Leaders would be something like organizing a project to set themselves up in a colony in some foreign country. Like it or not, things have gotten that critical in the US---and the situation is not likely to improve. The Baptists originally began here in America in the same way. It's time to do it again.
The Russian media reported this week the deaths of two soldiers, the most recent of whom stopped a suicide-bomb attack on a humanitarian aid distribution center but was himself killed as well. The other was a soldier named Mikhail Shirokopyas, a sergeant and career soldier from Siberia. Sgt. Shirokopyas died from wounds sustained while guarding a humanitarian aid convoy near Aleppo, which was attacked by moderate rebels.
Shirokopyas left behind a wife and a 13 year-old daughter. It is noteworthy how many slain Allied soldiers were married men and fathers. The toll has been a lot heavier on the Syrians---an estimated 11% of Syrian children are now orphans: thanks to the Jihad.
But in our postmodern Western dystopias, where both fatherhood and heroism are held in contempt, such sacrifices are difficult to comprehend. The fact is that fatherhood and heroism are culturally closely related concepts; and, typically when a culture degenerates, both disappear together. Contemporary male reaction to a story like Sgt. Shirokopyas' typically comes in one of two ways. The effete male feminist type affects a cynical sneer and thinks it a purposeless sacrifice; while the Red Pill manly-alpha-leader type shakes his head that anyone could be foolhardy enough to risk his life.
In contemporary America, the Smart Boys all agree that those in the know never assume responsibility, work hard, or make personal sacrifices. Those things are for suckers and chumps. The postmodern successful man knows that winning the Game is about getting suckers and chumps to do all those things, while he reaps the rewards for their actions. In less politically correct times, such men were referred to more commonly as shysters and rooks. Back then, facing responsibility with manly courage was far more honorable than knowing how to work the system.
When one considers what a father actually does, we see that he assumes responsibility for the provision and protection of a woman and her children. Heroism is only one step removed from that in that it extends provision and protection to a community or nation. In a religious context, sainthood is the step beyond that those, extending those responsibilities to a Faith.
So it is not surprising that fathers like Sgt. Shirokopyas would risk---and sometimes lose---their lives for a greater good. Deprive men of a belief in a greater good and society produces 'heroes' who look like this instead.
So far from being a useless sacrifice, actions that these family men who've died in Syria have saved literally hundreds of lives. Had one not been present to stop a Jihadi suicide bomber, how many more would have died? Can any of us say that one of the boys whose life was saved that day won't live to be a greater man than the soldier who saved him?
And that is what Fatherhood is all about. There is an old maxim which truly says that the two things a man really wants before he dies is to see his sons higher than himself and his enemies, lower. That's what heroism is all about, too. But we see in our culture today is a world everyone is lower than everyone else instead. And until men want to be fathers again and women want to be mothers again---don't look for any heroes here any time soon.
At the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum this weekend, Russian engineers displayed a virtual model of the proposed Crimea Bridge. When completed, the bridge will be one of the world's longest---at nearly 12 miles. The project will accommodate four lanes of traffic and two lanes of light rail; crossing the Kerch Strait and connecting the Crimean Peninsula with the Russian mainland.
The Bridge is expected to create thousands of jobs in the region, especially in Crimea where the tourism industry is projected to quadruple. Experts believe that the Bridge will be completed during 2018. Crimea is already receiving investment from developers for constructing new hotels. Unfortunately, EU and US countries cannot invest in Crimea due to economic sanctions. Nonetheless, over 170 bids have been received to date.
Not everyone is happy with this project; most notably the neo-Nazi government in the rump-state of Ukraine. Nor are the envious and frustrated Smart Boys in Corporate America, whose plans to seize Crimean oil ports and raise the Rainbow Flag over Sevastopol collapsed in 2014 when Crimea seceded and reunified with Russia. Former NYC mayor and Wall Street financier Michael Bloomberg even went so far as to compare the project to Stalin's modernization projects of the 1930s. This is, of course, coming from a man whose lone technological achievement in New York was connecting the city with a network of surveillance cameras.
Bloomberg should possibly have taken a good look at the Brooklyn Bridge and recalled that we once built things like that too. But an annual report from our own Department of Transportation in April showed that 61,000 US bridges are structurally deficient. Most of these are in the most heavily-trafficked regions and some 87% were constructed before 1970.
Bridges are generally rated for a lifespan of 50 years before needing replacement; the current median age of US bridges is 42 years. Industry experts believe that an estimated $71 billion is urgently needed simply to repair critical structures. Without any substantial bridge replacement, the number of aging bridges is going to increase exponentially. The American Society of Civil Engineers estimates that over $3 trillion is required to bring US bridges back to full operating capacity by 2020.
But that will likely not happen, because sums of that magnitude are needed both for maintaining a military capable of destroying other countries' bridges; and maintaining a welfare system which is supporting a large number of under/unemployed contractors, engineers, and construction workers. Nor is it likely that the costs can be lowered, because too many of the Smart Boys on Wall Street and the Legal Profession profit off cost inflation and/or frivolous lawsuits. Small wonder then, that political and financial leaders of the Bloomberg type envy Russian innovation.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, who spoke at SPEIF noted this as well. "We need the US but we don't need them constantly interfering with our affairs, telling us how to live, and hindering Europe from building relations with us. Sanctions have had zero effect on Americans, but they tell their partners to endure them. Such a powerful nation could be of benefit to the world, including Russia, but the problem with the US government is its tendency to interfere with internal affairs of other countries."
It isn't only other countries, President Putin. American citizens endure the same the same constant interference from the government in our own lives. But at least, Russia is willing to stand up to them, while the American people slavishly submit to them.
And we wonder why Crimea chose reunification with Russia over American Exceptionalism? All we need do is compare this:
To this:
Allied leaders and media announced this morning the great news that Fallujah, Iraq is now in possession of the Iraqi government after a nearly two-year ISIS occupation.
General Raed Judat, head of the Iraqi Military Police gave a press conference this morning from the steps of Fallujah City Hall. "The city has been purged of ISIS terrorists" he stated to a cheering crowd. General Judat went on the explain that the remaining ISIS forces holding out in the Western suburbs had surrendered. The Iraqi flag was then raised over the building.
Iraqi Prime Minister Abadi addressed the nation this morning, proclaiming a national Day of Thanksgiving after the grueling three-week battle culminated in success.
"We congratulate all Iraqis on this victory." Abadi said, "And another victory is close, very close, God willing, in Mosul to drive the last ISIS terrorist from the Iraqi nation."
Abadi then reached out to the thousands of displaced Iraqi citizens, assuring them of imminent return to their homes after specialists clear the city of ISIS mines and booby-traps.
"This is your city again, and with God's help, you shall return to it." he promised.
The governments of China and Iran, whose advisors assisted in the operations, sent their congratulations as well. "The honor of the liberation of Fallujah is the result of national solidarity and faith in God against terrorist and extremist forces." Iran's Speaker of Parliament said. "We continue in the hope that security and tranquility once again will be established in Iraq."
Fallujah's liberation effectively split the lines of communication between Raqqa and Mosul, the two last major cities under ISIS control. Russian Intelligence Services estimate that around 80% of ISIS forces have been killed, captured, or fled since the Alliance was formed in Baghdad last September. Russia, China, Iran, Syria, Iraq, and recently, Lebanon, are all contributing jointly to sweeping terrorism from the region.
As part of an aggressive global economic initiative, Chinese President Xi Jingping visited Serbia today, the first visit from a Chinese Premier since 1984. This visit follows meetings in neighboring countries Bulgaria, Macedonia, and Greece by Chinese officials and Xi will visit Poland next.
Xi's project, now 2-3 years into development, is called The One Silk Road, a motif from Chinese culture referring to an ancient trade route. China's ambitious plan is to invest in infrastructure development in partner-countries, chiefly through ports, railways, and other transportation facilities. To that end, China announced last week a proposal to establish an international bank to compete against Wall Street-dominated concerns like the IMF and World Bank. More details about this bank will doubtless emerge when Xi attends the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Council meeting in Tashkent next week.
The One Silk Road Project is projected to create millions of jobs in the Eastern Hemisphere.
In a very pointed symbolic gesture inaugurating this new economic shift, Xi dedicated the cornerstone to a new Chinese Cultural Center built on the site of the former Chinese Embassy which was destroyed in a NATO airstrike in 1999. A monument to the Chinese who died in that attack will remain as part of the proposed courtyard.
"The Serbian people, with an indomitable spirit, have risen time and again from the ashes, like the Pheonix; a spirit we Chinese greatly admire." Xi stated, "Both China and Serbia are peace-loving powers, but who do not fear the hegemonic designs of others. We are united in our commitment to world peace and development."
China has already signed a major port deal with Greece and plans to make Athens the hub of Europe's end of the Silk Road. They are striving to build a high-speed rail service uniting Europe and East Asia, in which Serbia will play a major role. Already, Chinese engineers have begun rail upgrades in Greece and Macedonia. The proposed new system will run from Athens to Hong Kong.
While China's project is ultimately going to be a great benefit to the world, it is sad to consider that American reaction has been to spend billions of taxpayer dollars to obstruct China militarily, diplomatically, and covertly in every conceivable way, without allocating a dollar to rebuilding and upgrading our own failing infrastructure. We have no high-speed rail here, while China is increasingly connected by it. Even a Chinese deal to build an experimental high-speed line in the US folded under a morass of bureaucracy, lawsuits, and xenophobia.
Formerly, the United States was the undisputed world leader in mass-transit. We once had a railway system that was the model which other nations emulated. But infrastructure issues don't grab headlines like China-bashing does; or today's headline that a basketball player threw his mouthguard into the stands during a tantrum; or the major announcement that Pornhub will now be offering audio services for the blind. The latter story is considered, by today's standards, a major US technological breakthrough.
So in the immediate future, while a typical Ameroboob arrives at 4 AM to the airport; wastes two hours allowing TSA perverts to paw through his underwear and take nude photographs of his kids; hoping all the while nobody in his entourage was accidently added to a No-Fly List; anticipating an uncomfortable crowded flight with no amenities--- the Greek who arrived at Athens Terminal at the same hour will be half-way to Hong Kong, enjoying a nice breakfast in the dining car. But at least the US airlines' profit margins will remain high; and in modern America, the bottom line is really all that matters.
Chinese Public Transportation
American Exceptionalist Public Transportation
Doubtless mortified by Syria's recent suppression of several Jihadist drug-smuggling and sex-trafficking rings, a few dozen outraged employees of the US State Department urged John Kerry to consider military action against the Assad government. Kerry has yet to comment on the proposal, which was an internal memo leaked to the press. Considering that this happened during the same week that a CIA torture report was leaked and the DNC database was hacked; Kerry might be inclined to consider strengthening the Beltway's own security before getting involved in Syria's.
For example, if the US actually had competent officials in the State Department they would realize that Assad's forces are part of an Alliance, and attacking them will also attack roughly five other countries. These include Russia, China, and Iran---people who might take an unfavorable view of the Pentagon dropping bombs on their citizenry.
Kerry might also have considered that the Pentagon's current state of readiness might not be quite up for WW3. The Pentagon this week had to beg Congress to allow them to import more Russian-made rocket engines, for example. It must be rather galling for Pentagon commanders---putting on these grand military demonstrations in front of Russia and China---knowing that imports from these countries keep our military supplied.
As if this wasn't enough, a representative of the US Diversity Air Force was forced shamefacedly to confess to the press that, alas, the rumors were true. The USAF had indeed lost 12 years' worth of intelligence and security data.
"Hopefully we'll be able to get this data recovered and there won't be a long-term impact" said General Mark Welch, "We must learn what happened, how it happened, and keep it from happening again."
And hopefully Obama won't start WW3, if our lives depend on intellects like General Welch. Doesn't an average 12 year-old with his first computer know enough to backup his files? But remember that this is the same Pentagon who outsources software technology to China and India, then has no idea why their systems keep getting hacked.
Meanwhile, on the troubled island of Okinawa, the Pentagon has decided that after a grueling 11 days of alcohol prohibition and curfews, our brave men and women in uniform have suffered enough and the temporary restrictions would be removed. (Translation: the restrictions were cutting into defense contractors' profit margins). Other than a DUI with critical injuries and a few assaults and robberies, the personnel stationed on Okinawa behaved themselves during this harrowing ordeal. Besides, the Tojos have deployed extra police to the island, so our forces can emerge from their safe spaces just in time for weekend festivities. Which hopefully won't result in any Okinawan casualties.
The past week has been remarkable, even by contemporary American standards, for its seeming outbreak of mass insanity. Two Jihadists attack Orlando and Amarillo, and we're told that the killings had no connection to Islamic extremism. A beautiful and talented Christian singer is assassinated; we are told it was not a hate-based crime. Within minutes of the first shooting, the Cultural Marxists demand gun control and then accuse Donald Trump of exploiting the tragedy for political gain. Obama denounces senseless violence; then announces major military build-ups in Europe, the Pacific, and the Middle East.
But now it is an early Summer weekend, and the few remaining sane Americans are entitled to some respite. And since for seven straight days the Cultural Elites have droned endlessly about gun control, we have decided to offer as our weekly recommendation a television series based on the life of a legendary American gunfighter, Johnny Ringo.
Johnny Ringo aired on CBS from 1959-1960. And even more politically incorrect, it was sponsored by a cigarette manufacturer. If readers can find copies of episodes (some are on Youtube) with the original advertisements, it will be refreshing viewing, whether one uses tobacco or not.
Johnny Ringo is a gunfighter who, because of his reputation, is offered a sheriff's job in a small Arizona town. In the premier episode, he is called upon to rid the town of the corrupt gang running it. The acting sheriff is an alcoholic named Case whom Ringo reforms by giving him an opportunity to prove his worth. Case goes on to become a respectable merchant and his daughter Laura becomes Ringo's steady girlfriend.
In these reviews we also hope to highlight the positive portrayals of masculinity against the absurdities posited by certain denizens of the Manosphere who peddle their false philosophy of Game as true masculinity. One of the most remarkable things about Johnny Ringo is how closely the villains approximate the Gamers' standards of masculinity. In the first episode and several which follow, Ringo's opponents are clearly employing Game Techniques as a way of dominating their presumed inferiors. In several other episodes, brutal men are holding women by fear; a few PUA-types appear among others. A very common theme is the clearly stated motivations of hatred and desire for unearned dominance and superiority the villains display. Those depictions should illustrate quite graphically just how much previous generations of real men and real women thoroughly despised men of these character traits.
For his own part, Ringo displays masculinity in a purer form. One especially noteworthy recurring theme in the series is redemption. Ringo, although never hesitant to use his marksmanship skills in pursuit of justice, is ever-willing to forgive those who've made mistakes and deserve a second chance. This is because of a masculine character trait which has vanished from popular culture altogether and never adduced by the Game Cult: humility.
In our narcissistic era of entitlement, humility is a virtue rarely seen or practiced. But humility and redemption are two closely related concepts; c.f., the writings of St. Paul in the New Testament. It's actually impossible for one to exist independently of the other. Hence we see in contemporary culture the seeming paradox wherein irredeemable evil is defined as anything that opposes personal entitlement. Humility though can only come from a position of strength. How else would it possible to redeem or reform unless one power to do it?
Johnny Ringo's plots are also interesting in that they frequently include moral dilemmas and metaphysical riddles that confront various characters. There is something of an undertone throughout the series of 'Right vs. Relativist' ethics being played out.
Though the series only lasted one season, Johnny Ringo is a genuinely underrated production. The scripts and plots show some sophisticated and intelligent thought went into them. From an artistic standpoint, despite capitalizing on the name of a Western legend, the characters are portrayed as genuinely human; with all their strengths and weaknesses who not infrequently fall to rise again. In other words, what we see is humanity in both its best and worst forms---with the caveat that any one of us are capable of both nobility and sin. Though Johnny Ringo never depicts any particular religious scenes or plots, it has a distinct current of Christian motifs and value systems running through it.
Johnny Ringo is in the public domain and nearly all episodes are on Youtube free of charge, although DVD sets are available.
