Columnist Victor Hanson writes about the Islamic World forcing us into the Dark Ages. I think he has several good points, but I am sad to realize how one-sidedly we view this issue.

Hanson has ample, legitimate evidence of the wrongs of the “islamo-fascists.” But I keep thinking about what we’re doing to ourselves.

“First, the Western liberal tradition is fragile and can still disappear,” writes Hanson.

Fear can destroy everything. Terror requires a victim; it requires someone who will be terrorized and cannot overcome their own fears. Fear causes paralysis. Fear makes us incapable of thinking.

“Second, the Enlightenment is not always lost on the battlefield.”

Enlightenment can be lost in Abu Ghraib, Gitmo, and countless secret prisons. It can die under torture.

“Third, civilization is forfeited with a whimper, not a bang.”

Listen for that whimper in line at the airport when you surrender your 3.5 ounces of contraband and take off your clothes for the good of the homeland.

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There is no arguing against the claim that beheading is barbaric. Is it more barbaric than rape as punishment? Is it more barbaric than stoning? It seems our enemies have a spectrum of barbarisms. But, wait, our enemies? Our friends, the Afghans, practice rape as restitution (and keep us supplied with heroin). While our friends the Saudis may be above that, they do broadcast official beheadings on TV.

Regarding Iraq: proponents for the War Without End claim a democracy in Iraq will be a shining example for the region, the first big domino in a glorious sweep of liberation. We’re bringing freedom to the world!

In 50 years, the democracy of Israel has only pushed surrounding nations to extremes.

Now, tossing the royal family out of Saudi Arabia would surely create a shining example of a democracy (and, remember, Bin Laden and most of the 9/11 terrorists were Saudis). But that democracy might not be as reliable a supplier of oil, so, never mind.

I think the Simpsons see the future: our 51st state, Saudi Israelia. mjh

The Seattle Times: Nation & World: Student creates Web site that automates fake boarding passes By Joshua Freed, The Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS — A computer-security student says terrorists would have no trouble getting around the government’s no-fly list, and to prove it he set up a Web site that prints fake boarding passes. …

“Before, any 12-year-old could have done it,” [Christopher Soghoian, 24, a doctoral student at Indiana University] said Friday. “Now any 30- or 40-year-old could do it as well.” [mjh: ouch!] …

Soghoian said taking nail clippers and liquids away from travelers is giving them a false sense of security, and he’s trying to show where the real threats are.

“When they say ‘For security reasons,’ everyone shuts up, everyone follows the rules and no one questions authority. And I don’t think that’s right,” he said.

Lush Limbaugh is a Big, Fat Monster

By now, you’ve heard about Lush Limbaugh’s attack against Michael J. Fox. Perhaps you’ve even read Limbaugh’s words. But you haven’t really faced the monstrosity of Limbaugh, the playground bully, until you see him mimic and mock Fox’s physical condition. Limbaugh is odious; he is vile. I cannot comprehend how anyone respects a single turd that falls from his mouth.

TSA – Taming Sheep Agency

Mer flew to Tucson last weekend. Like every good citizen of the fatherland homeland, she carefully thought about her duties regarding carry-on items. She packed her baggie with items of approved size. She contemplated the nature of gels versus ointments, creams and salves.

In Albuquerque, the guardians of safety and compliance put their heads together and recognized the threat implicit in a jar of homemade jam. No matter. Everything else passed scrutiny.

In Tucson, standards are higher — and Tucsonans safer for it, I’m sure. On the return leg, Mer’s little film canisters of face cream would not pass. The physically intimidating supervisor called to rule told her “original containers” are required. Well, in some places, if not others — but, perhaps, inconsistency is a tactic to keep us safe. Still, the original container is 3.5 oz and we all know what a crime against humanity it would be to try to smuggle .5 oz of contraband aboard. If half an ounce were missing from the original container, would it be OK? Or would that constitute unacceptable alteration of the contents? The answer is classified.

Mer was furious and prepared to say she’d never fly again, a threat she can’t keep. I haven’t flown in almost 6 years since I walked past countless men with machine guns fully prepared to kill me to keep me safe.

This is the price we’ve paid for lacking any imagination or real sense. It is the ultimate legacy of 9/11. We are ruled by fear and fear-mongers.

On a lighter note, maybe, I’m reminded of the story my brother, Dan, loves to tell. He and his wife, Sharon — a math scholar who speaks Arabic — lived in Saudi Arabia for a few years. They were returning to Saudi Arabia after a much needed escape to Europe. At the airport, the Saudi TSA — Total Sanctity Agency — found chocolates filled with flavored liquors in Sharon’s luggage. After confiscating her jam face cream chocolates, the Homeland Guardian advised my brother to take Sharon home and beat her for her crime.

The Saudis and the Israelis are our role models, now.

Karl Rove, the Architect of Victory

I heard part of the NPR interview with Karl der Grosse, king-maker. Karl says “stay the course” on the election — keep ’em scared of terrorists and taxes — and the Republicans will hold onto both houses of Congress. He’s sure of it. He’s seen more polls than anyone. It’s a cakewalk. Republicans will be showered with roses on Election Day. Some call him a mad genius — they’re half right.

I look forward to the day, soon to come, when no one remembers who the hell Karl Rove was and everyone spits on the ground if you utter the word Duhbya.

Time to (re-)read my not-necessarily-fictional Left Undone. mjh

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White House Upbeat About GOP Prospects
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Report Warns of Potential Voting Problems in 10 States By Amy Goldstein, Washington Post Staff Writer

Two weeks before the midterm elections, at least 10 states, including Maryland, remain ripe for voting problems, according to a study released yesterday by a nonpartisan clearinghouse that tracks electoral reforms across the United States.

The report by Electionline.org says those states, and possibly others, could encounter trouble on Election Day because they have a combustible mix of fledgling voting-machine technology, confusion over voting procedures or recent litigation over election rules — and close races. [mjh: perhaps this explains Rove’s odd optimism]
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The GOP Leans on A Proven Strategy By Peter Baker, Washington Post Staff Writer

Beset by discouraging polls and division within ideological ranks, the White House is accelerating efforts to woo back disaffected conservatives and energize the Republican base in a reprise of a strategy that succeeded in the last two campaign cycles.

President Bush and Vice President Cheney have given multiple interviews to conservative journalists, senior adviser Karl Rove has telephoned religious and social activists, and the White House has staged signing ceremonies for legislation cracking down on terrorism and illegal immigration. Two weeks before Election Day, Bush aides invited dozens of radio talk show hosts for a marathon broadcast from the White House yesterday to reach conservative listeners. …

To maximize the blitz, the White House set up a tent on the North Lawn yesterday and let 42 radio hosts broadcast live during the day. Because it was on government property, “Radio Day” included outlets such as National Public Radio, but “it’s mostly conservative talk,” White House press secretary Tony Snow said. “This is a chance to talk to people and get heard,” said Snow, a former talk show host who did more than 20 interviews yesterday and has also been dispatched to talk to conservative Web sites such as the Power Line blog. …

Iraq was a subject of discussion as officials tried to explain Bush’s evolving rhetoric. Snow minimized the decision to no longer describe Bush’s policy as “stay the course,” telling Fox that he found only eight times when Bush used the phrase. The liberal Center for American Progress then quickly posted a list of 30 instances when Bush argued to “stay the course.” And Rumsfeld told Hannity that it is “nonsense” to say Bush is “backing away from ‘stay the course,’ ” saying he only wants to avoid confusion. …

Some conservatives said it is too late. “They honestly need a baseball bat against the head,” said Republican pollster Frank Luntz, who helped Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) take over Congress in the 1990s. “Because if they don’t change the lexicon immediately, as bad as this election is going to be, they’re going to lose the presidency in 2008. I’ve given up on 2006. They’ve already made so many mistakes, there’s no way they can fix it in two weeks. But I’m worried now they’re going to lose all the marbles.”