As a sometime columnist and commentator on culture and society, I am grateful for being alive at the present moment. My country and the world provide a three-ring circus far beyond the imagination of Barnum and Bailey. Even a cursory online investigation brings reams of material suitable for satire and ridicule. Only time and other work keep me from writing more commentaries.
As I say, I find such opportunities most welcome as a cultural commentator.
As I say, I find such opportunities most welcome as a cultural commentator.
As a human being, however, I am often baffled, amused, or appalled—and often experience simultaneously all three emotions—by what I discover in my online meanderings.
Here, for instance, is the story of a 51-year-old Canadian, a husband and a father of seven children, who has decided he is a six-year-old girl. Yes, you read that correctly. And after his wife told him to hit the road, he actually found a couple willing to adopt him and play along with his fantasy. (Caveat: These photographs are truly weird.) http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3356084/I-ve-gone-child-Husband-father-seven-52-leaves-wife-kids-live-transgender-SIX-YEAR-OLD-girl-named-Stefonknee.html
So in our politically correct times some questions arise. Must I feel sympathetic to such a creature? Am I allowed to express disdain? Laugh long and loud? Am I really expected to be so deluded as to accept that a man close to my age can suddenly declare himself a female first grader? And what of his wife and children? Who is supporting all these people while this guy has his picture taken with a pacifier in his mouth?
Sometimes Western culture seems to live in Fantasyland.
You want examples? Let’s move closer to home. The Obama administration, following a program begun by former President George Bush, recently ordered the United States Border Patrol to engage in a “catch and release” program regarding illegal immigrants? (“Catch and release”: That sounds fishy to me.) What are we to make of a program that ignores illegal immigrants? Is the American government saying we no longer need borders? (That’s how some on the Border Patrol interpret the order.)
Fantasyland.
If you have traveled by air in the past decade, then you know the routine of waiting in long lines, showing your passport, having your bags inspected, removing your shoes, and being photographed. All well and good, but then why leave open 1300 miles of our Southern border? Some have argued we can’t build such a fence. Well, China built one to keep drugs coming from North Korea out of their country. Israel built one to keep Israelis on their feet and breathing. Why can’t we build a fence?
http://www.breitbart.com/texas/2016/02/06/report-leaked-document-to-show-spike-in-illegal-crossings-by-aliens-from-terrorist-nations/
Another national story: In the past few days, commanding generals in the Marine Corps (shame, shame) and the Army recommended that women be required to register for the draft. Really? We’ve fallen that low? I’m curious as to how many fathers want their daughters eligible for a draft. Besides, over 60% of young men today would fail to qualify for the military. Are we to suppose that women are that much tougher physically and mentally? Will they make better warriors than men?
Fantasyland.
In addition, the current administration ordered the military to make climate change a number one priority. I’m not sure what this order entails, but until now I thought the number one priority of the military was to defend the United States against foreign aggression.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/feb/7/pentagon-orders-commanders-to-prioritize-climate-c/
Fantasyland.
College students consciously demand their own special Fantasyland. On many campuses the students have put the kibosh on free speech, banning speakers, running professors out of the classroom, muzzling teachers and their fellow students, and even creating “safe zones” to which they can retreat when their feelings are hurt. These poor little tykes demand “trigger warnings” in regard to books or classroom discussion, advance notice that the material or the discussion contains distressing material. https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/liberal-but-not-tolerant-on-the-nations-college-campuses/2016/02/11/0f79e8e8-d101-11e5-88cd-753e80cd29ad_story.html?hpid=hp_no-name_opinion-card-b%3Ahomepage%2Fstory
Meanwhile, the murder rate in Chicago continues to climb, as it does in other several other cities. These killings cause politicians to call for stiffer gun laws, yet Chicago has some of the toughest gun laws in the country, and still the killing and bloodshed continue. Chicago’s last Republican mayor served in 1931. Since then, Democrats have manned—or womaned or whatever it’s called these days—the helm. Could that political dominance have anything to do with the current condition of the city? Should we make any sort of connection between the politicians, murder, and poverty?
Some Republicans and Democrats tell us the economy is in fine shape. Really? Perhaps these people don’t shop for their own groceries or beat the street looking for a job. Here’s what CNN has to say:
http://money.cnn.com/2015/10/15/news/economy/us-economy-cracks/
More Fantasyland.
Internationally? Many European and American politicians continue to plug the idea that Islam is a religion of peace.
Let’s take a look. Here are some stats for 2014 on Islam and violence: http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/attacks/attacks.aspx?Yr=2014
Internationally, Middle Eastern refugees continue to bomb, steal, murder, and rape from Libya to Norway. One solitary example: A few days ago, a story dating from December finally broke in which an Iraqi refugee, age 20, raped a ten-year-old boy. The refugee claimed a “sexual emergency,” stating that he hadn’t had sex in four months. Ah, of course: the old “sexual emergency” gambit. http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/boy-10-raped-iraqi-refugee-7320320
Again, Fantasyland.
Many of our politicians, including both George Bush and Barack Obama, have proclaimed Islam a religion of peace. If so, then why this breaking news from France regarding mosques, imams, guns, and violence? http://www.churchmilitant.com/news/article/france-shuts-down-up-to-160-mosques
Over the past weekend, demonstrations by European “far-right” groups brought arrests and violence. (If you oppose immigration into Europe, you are automatically a member of the Far Right.) The groups were protesting the “rape culture” their governments were importing into their countries. http://www.nationalreview.com/article/429432/muslim-mobs-rape-europe
Apparently, only Russians know how to deal with rapists and molesters of women. Last week 51 Moslem refugees, who were kicked out of Norway for “bad behavior,” decide to try their luck in Murmansk, Russia. These peace-loving lads entered a club and began molesting women. A group of Russian men hauled the molesters into the street and gave them a lesson on how to treat females. Eighteen of the refugees required hospitalization.
http://dailycaller.com/2016/02/04/refugees-go-clubbing-in-russia-harass-girls-wake-up-in-hospital-the-next-morning/
And so it goes. Turkey announced this week that it may take part in the Syrian war against the government, which means opposing Russia. Turkey is a member of NATO. Meanwhile, North Korea launched a rocket capable of carrying nuclear warheads, and European and American financial markets are in disarray.
And somewhere in Canada a grown man has declared himself a little girl.
Fantasies are so much fun. But eventually reality comes crashing in.
A politically incorrect column could use a politically incorrect poet. Much despised nowadays for his imperialism and his supposed racism, Rudyard Kipling looks deep into the dark heart of Fantasyland in his “The Gods of the Copybook Headings.” Let’s end with his last verse:
“And that after this is accomplished, and the brave new world begins
When all men are paid for existing and no man must pay for his sins,
As surely as Water will wet us, as surely as Fire will burn,
The Gods of the Copybook Headings with terror and slaughter return!”
Here, for instance, is the story of a 51-year-old Canadian, a husband and a father of seven children, who has decided he is a six-year-old girl. Yes, you read that correctly. And after his wife told him to hit the road, he actually found a couple willing to adopt him and play along with his fantasy. (Caveat: These photographs are truly weird.) http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3356084/I-ve-gone-child-Husband-father-seven-52-leaves-wife-kids-live-transgender-SIX-YEAR-OLD-girl-named-Stefonknee.html
So in our politically correct times some questions arise. Must I feel sympathetic to such a creature? Am I allowed to express disdain? Laugh long and loud? Am I really expected to be so deluded as to accept that a man close to my age can suddenly declare himself a female first grader? And what of his wife and children? Who is supporting all these people while this guy has his picture taken with a pacifier in his mouth?
Sometimes Western culture seems to live in Fantasyland.
You want examples? Let’s move closer to home. The Obama administration, following a program begun by former President George Bush, recently ordered the United States Border Patrol to engage in a “catch and release” program regarding illegal immigrants? (“Catch and release”: That sounds fishy to me.) What are we to make of a program that ignores illegal immigrants? Is the American government saying we no longer need borders? (That’s how some on the Border Patrol interpret the order.)
Fantasyland.
If you have traveled by air in the past decade, then you know the routine of waiting in long lines, showing your passport, having your bags inspected, removing your shoes, and being photographed. All well and good, but then why leave open 1300 miles of our Southern border? Some have argued we can’t build such a fence. Well, China built one to keep drugs coming from North Korea out of their country. Israel built one to keep Israelis on their feet and breathing. Why can’t we build a fence?
http://www.breitbart.com/texas/2016/02/06/report-leaked-document-to-show-spike-in-illegal-crossings-by-aliens-from-terrorist-nations/
Another national story: In the past few days, commanding generals in the Marine Corps (shame, shame) and the Army recommended that women be required to register for the draft. Really? We’ve fallen that low? I’m curious as to how many fathers want their daughters eligible for a draft. Besides, over 60% of young men today would fail to qualify for the military. Are we to suppose that women are that much tougher physically and mentally? Will they make better warriors than men?
Fantasyland.
In addition, the current administration ordered the military to make climate change a number one priority. I’m not sure what this order entails, but until now I thought the number one priority of the military was to defend the United States against foreign aggression.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/feb/7/pentagon-orders-commanders-to-prioritize-climate-c/
Fantasyland.
College students consciously demand their own special Fantasyland. On many campuses the students have put the kibosh on free speech, banning speakers, running professors out of the classroom, muzzling teachers and their fellow students, and even creating “safe zones” to which they can retreat when their feelings are hurt. These poor little tykes demand “trigger warnings” in regard to books or classroom discussion, advance notice that the material or the discussion contains distressing material. https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/liberal-but-not-tolerant-on-the-nations-college-campuses/2016/02/11/0f79e8e8-d101-11e5-88cd-753e80cd29ad_story.html?hpid=hp_no-name_opinion-card-b%3Ahomepage%2Fstory
Meanwhile, the murder rate in Chicago continues to climb, as it does in other several other cities. These killings cause politicians to call for stiffer gun laws, yet Chicago has some of the toughest gun laws in the country, and still the killing and bloodshed continue. Chicago’s last Republican mayor served in 1931. Since then, Democrats have manned—or womaned or whatever it’s called these days—the helm. Could that political dominance have anything to do with the current condition of the city? Should we make any sort of connection between the politicians, murder, and poverty?
Some Republicans and Democrats tell us the economy is in fine shape. Really? Perhaps these people don’t shop for their own groceries or beat the street looking for a job. Here’s what CNN has to say:
http://money.cnn.com/2015/10/15/news/economy/us-economy-cracks/
More Fantasyland.
Internationally? Many European and American politicians continue to plug the idea that Islam is a religion of peace.
Let’s take a look. Here are some stats for 2014 on Islam and violence: http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/attacks/attacks.aspx?Yr=2014
Internationally, Middle Eastern refugees continue to bomb, steal, murder, and rape from Libya to Norway. One solitary example: A few days ago, a story dating from December finally broke in which an Iraqi refugee, age 20, raped a ten-year-old boy. The refugee claimed a “sexual emergency,” stating that he hadn’t had sex in four months. Ah, of course: the old “sexual emergency” gambit. http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/boy-10-raped-iraqi-refugee-7320320
Again, Fantasyland.
Many of our politicians, including both George Bush and Barack Obama, have proclaimed Islam a religion of peace. If so, then why this breaking news from France regarding mosques, imams, guns, and violence? http://www.churchmilitant.com/news/article/france-shuts-down-up-to-160-mosques
Over the past weekend, demonstrations by European “far-right” groups brought arrests and violence. (If you oppose immigration into Europe, you are automatically a member of the Far Right.) The groups were protesting the “rape culture” their governments were importing into their countries. http://www.nationalreview.com/article/429432/muslim-mobs-rape-europe
Apparently, only Russians know how to deal with rapists and molesters of women. Last week 51 Moslem refugees, who were kicked out of Norway for “bad behavior,” decide to try their luck in Murmansk, Russia. These peace-loving lads entered a club and began molesting women. A group of Russian men hauled the molesters into the street and gave them a lesson on how to treat females. Eighteen of the refugees required hospitalization.
http://dailycaller.com/2016/02/04/refugees-go-clubbing-in-russia-harass-girls-wake-up-in-hospital-the-next-morning/
And so it goes. Turkey announced this week that it may take part in the Syrian war against the government, which means opposing Russia. Turkey is a member of NATO. Meanwhile, North Korea launched a rocket capable of carrying nuclear warheads, and European and American financial markets are in disarray.
And somewhere in Canada a grown man has declared himself a little girl.
Fantasies are so much fun. But eventually reality comes crashing in.
A politically incorrect column could use a politically incorrect poet. Much despised nowadays for his imperialism and his supposed racism, Rudyard Kipling looks deep into the dark heart of Fantasyland in his “The Gods of the Copybook Headings.” Let’s end with his last verse:
“And that after this is accomplished, and the brave new world begins
When all men are paid for existing and no man must pay for his sins,
As surely as Water will wet us, as surely as Fire will burn,
The Gods of the Copybook Headings with terror and slaughter return!”