The bloody bombings of Tuesday, August 19th, challenge those anti-war activists who say that terrorists hate us because of America’s warlike policies. On Bloody Tuesday, Islamic terrorists struck not U.S. targets, but United Nations headquarters in Baghdad.
The U.N. opposed the war but their more positive attitude toward the Arab world didn’t stop the killers from murdering U.N. humanitarian officials, along with innocent Iraqis.
Meanwhile, the Israeli government has been doing just what critics from the left want it to do—compromising with Palestinians, releasing their prisoners, withdrawing from their towns. Palestinian officials even proclaimed an official truce—but that didn’t stop their terror organizations from claiming “credit” for a bus bombing killing more than 20 and injuring over 100. These events prove that attacks of Islamic fanatics bear little connection to American or Israeli policy—but stem from the blind blood lust of these evil killers.
They don’t need to be understood. They need to be stopped.
The Big Lie Behind the Gay Marriage Drive
The relentless drive for same sex marriage is based on a dangerous deception. Advocates for homosexual unions insist that they aren't trying to change the institution of marriage, but merely hoping to extend its benefits equally to all Americans. But this argument contradicts the basis of wedlock throughout human history. In the Bible, after God creates Eve from Adam's side, the text in Genesis 15.24 says: “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and cling to his wife and they shall become one flesh.” They become one flesh by producing children- creating the possibility that their union will endure for generations.
Two men may love each other, but they can never become one flesh-nor can two women. If society ignores this obvious truth, and pretends that same sex relationships are just as significant as marriage between a man and a woman, then we will participate in a grotesque lie.
Income Taxes Hurt Strivers, Not the Wealthy
Arianna Huffington, one of the colorful candidates for governor in California’s Recall election, recently released her tax returns. This divorced mother of two lives in an 8,000 square foot mansion valued at seven million dollars, but she paid no federal income taxes the last two years!
As a writer and media figure, her corporation paid more for her staff and expenses than she earned, so this wealthy celebrity paid less income tax than a struggling janitor earning $20,000 a year. This shows the unfair nature of high income tax rates. High tax rates don't hurt you once you’re rich—they just stop you from getting rich. They don’t take away from the money you already have, but they do prevent you from accumulating wealth for your family’s future. No wonder so many people with inherited wealth say they don’t care about tax cuts, but people struggling to get ahead care a great deal!
Republicans and Democrats live in Different Worlds
A fascinating new study by the polling firm Penn, Schoen and Berland shows profound differences between those who identify themselves as Republican, and those who say they’re Democrats. For instance, Republicans are vastly more likely to enjoy hunting, to play golf, or to listen to Christian radio. Democrats are much more likely to watch MTV, to enjoy travel abroad, or to make purchases on impulse. Republicans are more than twice as likely to play an active part in church or synagogue, to describe themselves as workaholics, and to admire people in uniform.
But the most revealing difference of all comes in whether you trust your emotions or your logic: Democrats overwhelming say that they let “their hearts rule their heads” but Republicans put thinking ahead of feeling. Maybe that’s why Republicans more often identify with common sense approaches to the issues that contrast with the Democrats and their feel-good, visionary attitudes.
Michael Medved hosts a nationally syndicated daily radio talk show on which these editorials were aired. You can visit his website at www.michaelmedved.com.
