Category: Chris Freind

Trump Does Not Want Presidency

Trump Does Not Want Presidency By Chris Freind Trump Does Not Want Presidency

Virtually no pundit believes Donald Trump will win the GOP nomination, let alone the presidency. Half think he’ll fall short because he doesn’t get it, and the others think he can’t sell it.

They’re both wrong.

Trump absolutely gets it, and, more than any other candidate on either side, he could sell it.

The reason he won’t win is far simpler: He doesn’t want it.

Trump’s ideas are resonating, and not just with Republicans. From common-sense border security to exiting the Middle East to taking on political correctness, his bold vision is exactly the kind of leadership people have been seeking. So with a roadmap for success, why would someone deliberately deviate from a winning course, jettisoning any chance to occupy the White House?

Trump wants the best of both worlds, coming oh-so-close, but just short enough that he doesn’t inherit the awesome responsibilities and frustrations that come with the Oval Office.

Trump’s outrageous statements show him to be serious, but as a world-class headline grabber and conversation piece, not a bona fide presidential candidate.

Let’s analyze The Donald and his candidacy:

1. For starters, running for office while not really wanting it is nothing new. Mitt Romney’s son Tagg told the Boston Globe, “(Mitt) wanted to be president less than anyone I’ve met in my life … if he could have found someone else to take his place, he would have been ecstatic to step aside.”

And it showed. Romney never caught fire because people sensed that his heart wasn’t in it. Similarly, George H.W. Bush lost re-election because he demonstrated utter disinterest. Trump supporters are starting to see him in the same light, since people will not give blood, sweat, tears (and money) to a candidate who doesn’t appear to fully believe in what he’s doing.

Voters don’t want someone to do them “a favor” by running; they desire a leader with the passion and energy to see it through to the end — all effort, no excuses. Trump’s not doing that.

2. The “How” of the Trump Explosion: Say what you will about Trump: Arrogant, egomaniacal, even nasty. Maybe. But one thing is unquestionable: he’s an extremely smart man. Trump speaks intelligently without talking points because he has core beliefs, and, while not knowing the minutiae of every issue (and no president does), he is able to articulate his positions with clarity and charisma.

More important, he eschews the boring and often politically correct approach of his colleagues. Rather than tiptoeing, he tackles tough issues head-on, taking the bull by the horns and calling out those too afraid to speak their minds. That refreshing approach has bolstered Trump’s support, even among those who don’t agree with many of his positions but respect his candor.

All of which makes his crazy statements seem all the more calculated. Granted, anytime one has the guts to speak off the cuff, there will inevitably some hyperbole and misstatements. But that’s why God invented whiteout — so we can rectify our mistakes, clarify our points and move on. But Trump has never done that.

Instead, he constantly doubles down on his controversial positions, making even faithful followers question him. Banning Muslims; calling Mexican immigrants rapists; insulting debate moderators; engaging in feuds with TV networks; and stating John McCain wasn’t a war hero — these are just a few examples of Trump’s inflammatory rhetoric. But it’s his refusal to admit he misspoke, let alone was wrong, which makes it almost impossible to believe that such as savvy as he could be so inadvertently bumbling.

Bottom line: Donald Trump knows exactly what’s he doing, and he’s in control, all the time.

3. The “Why.” The presidency isn’t for anyone. An effective president must exhibit immense patience and restraint, have the ability to work with adversaries and allies, employ grace under pressure, and hone the skills of diplomacy and tact. That doesn’t mean the Commander-in-Chief can’t be tough as nails, as both Roosevelts and Ronald Reagan proved. But they had qualities that made them suitable for the office — attributes that Trump probably has, but doesn’t want to display.

The Donald, in his businesses, reality TV career, and campaign, has a simple rule: His word is first, last, and immutable. Fine. As boss, that prerogative is eminently his. But that would not be the case at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

Obviously, as head of the executive branch, the president wields enormous power, and many serve at his pleasure. But Congress and the government bureaucracy is a whole different animal. A strong leader can help influence Congress, but push too hard, embarrass them too much, and they’ll make you pay — even those from within his own party. And that’s particularly true for someone viewed as a “Washington outsider,” as Trump would be.

It’s one thing to insult rivals, excoriate the media and blast foreign heads of state on the campaign trail. But try that as president, and your demise will be clocked with an egg timer.

For someone used to sycophants jumping whenever he enters the room, Trump would be in for a rude awakening. Presidents come and go, but the Washington culture is slow to change. Trump is smart enough to realize that, and knows his frustration level would quickly go through the roof, begging the question if gaining the presidency is worth what he would have to give up — namely, being himself.

Donald Trump, who was world-renowned before his candidacy, has seen his profile skyrocket. Unquestionably, he is enjoying every minute as flamboyant flamethrower, a role he will continue to embrace as the primaries approach.

It’s not inconceivable that his plan is to fall short, blame the media and political establishment for their institutional corruption, threaten to run as an independent, and, being the master performer that he is, storm out, leaving the world in suspense as to how he will top his campaign exploits. And make no mistake: Trump will surely not disappoint.

Donald Trump relishes one thing above all else: The swagger that comes with being one of the most successful and brash leaders in the world. About the only thing that could knock him off that pedestal is a stint in the Oval Office.

So with all the benefits — and no responsibilities — of being “almost” the victor, it seems clear that Donald being Donald trumps being Donald being President.

And you don’t need a casino to make that bet.

Trump Does Not Want Presidency

Chris Freind: Thanksgiving Day 2015

By Chris Freind Chris Freind: Thanksgiving Day 2015

Another Thanksgiving is here, which means too many lists of things for which to be thankful. Certainly, there is much to appreciate, but we’ll leave that commentary to the flowery romantics, for whom I am thankful, so that I can be the flame-throwing Grinch.

Now, the list of things for which we should not be thankful:

1. Million-Dollar Clock Boy: Actually, make that $15 million, because that’s how much 14-year old Ahmed Mohamed is demanding from the city of Irving, Texas, and the Irving School District (along with a written apology), because he was “publicly mistreated” and, of course, remains scarred. And what caused him to suffer so much “trauma” that he had to move to Qatar to continue his education? Americans doing their jobs. Imagine that.

You might remember Ahmed. He’s the one who brought a “homemade clock” to school – in blatant violation of school policy, a fact still being ignored by his ill-informed defenders, including President Obama, who invited him to the White House. The device, built inside a briefcase, had a timer, protruding wires, electronic circuitry – and was beeping during class.

Upon discovering the device, the teacher did what anyone with an iota of common sense would do: Notify school officials, who in turn contacted law enforcement. Was it a clock – or a hoax bomb? No one knew, and in these times, you can’t take any chances, which is precisely why the authorities were called to investigate. It made no difference that Ahmed was Muslim, as it would have been handled the exact same way no matter the ethnicity or gender of the student. Timothy McVeigh and American-born mass shooters have proven that homegrown terrorists are just as dangerous as foreign ones.

So what’s the legal standing to sue? There is none. Instead, it’s a perfect example of malicious abuse of process. The fact that this case is even seeing the inside of a courtroom is an indictment of a judicial system continually overstepping its bounds and encouraging the next travesty of justice. Ahmed’s case is a frivolous lawsuit on steroids, and it’s only going to get worse until someone has the backbone to take on unethical trial lawyers (sorry, that’s redundant) – political correctness be damned.

Here’s hoping we can be thankful to Irving for fighting to the end by not settling for a single penny, refusing to admit wrongdoing, and standing up for true justice.

2. Not Being Charlie Sheen: When Sheen actually acted, as in the hit movies “Wall Street” and “Platoon,” his charisma made him an A-lister in a sea of Hollywood mediocrity. But when he got fired from the TV show “Two and A Half Men,” and subsequently had a public meltdown – by endlessly tweeting indecipherable messages about “winning” and showcasing his high-risk lifestyle – he showed his true colors.

Now he’s being made out as “brave,” and “courageous,” a “hero” with the guts to tell the world he has HIV.

Are these people serious?

No one “deserves” to contract a disease like HIV, but outside of a blood transfusion gone terribly wrong, you don’t get that virus by accident. Translation: Sheen’s extremely risky behavior – especially his drug use and significant sexual promiscuity, choices entirely of his own making – vastly increased his chances of meeting an unfortunate fate. Sheen’s past finally caught up with him, and, while tragic, was entirely predictable.

Yet Sheen’s sycophants want us to believe his disclosure was a selfless act of courage, and we should look to him as a role model. Wrong. Let’s be honest: He’s had HIV for over four years, and the only reason he went on TV now was to jump in front of the story, since someone was apparently going to tell the world of his condition. And Sheen now faces multiple lawsuits from ex-partners who claim he never told them of his HIV status.

Either way, Americans should be thankful that they’re not Charlie Sheen, as he has proven that money can’t buy everything – most of all, class. Sheen could have been one of the great ones, but instead, has relegated himself to the bin of Hollywood has-beens who have become cocktail party jokes.

3. Playing for an NBA Team that isn’t the 76ers: There have been lots of good teams in NBA history, and a few great ones. But since it’s impossible to compare legendary teams from different eras, it’s also impossible to pick the greatest one.

But there can only be one “worst” team in history – baddest of the bad, lower than the bottom of the barrel. So if you play for the Philadelphia 76ers – off to an astounding 0-15 start – you should most definitely be thankful that you’re not on any other team, since there is the distinct possibility that you will be part of the worst team ever, surpassing the record of another – you guessed it – Philadelphia 76ers team. As you may recall, that was the only team in the history of professional sports to have a single-digit win column, with a 9-73 record. As the bad guy Belloq says in “Raiders Of The Lost Ark:” “We are simply passing through history. This, this IS history.” So true. The rest of the NBA is passing through yet another forgettable season, but this 76ers team continues to make history. Hey, if you’re going to be bad, you might as well go all the way. 0-and-82, here we come!

4. An ISIS parent: Give ISIS fighters credit – they believe in something. Warped and demented, but nonetheless, something real.

Great. So do a lot of people.

The biggest difference between us and them is how we view not just life, but family. Sacrificing for a cause is one thing, but when it involves watching your own kin blow themselves to smithereens – while the ringleaders, ever so conveniently, never strap on the suicide vest – it becomes crystal clear why ISIS can never win. Successful civilizations are built upon the principle of protecting their people. When the value of those lives becomes meaningless, those societies eventually collapse.

Bombs and bullets aside, be thankful that we celebrate our children by showering them with love, enjoying them at their recitals and T-ball games, instilling in them the wondrous sense of discovery that awaits them, and relishing the sparkle in their eyes as boundless curiosity takes hold and grows to new heights. Their light fuels America’s torch of tomorrow, keeping the beacon lit, which shows the world that the United States will always – always – be the home of the brave and land of the free.

Despite our differences in America, and there are many, we must never forget what we are capable of accomplishing. We live in the most generous nation the world has ever known, made possible by the most compassionate people who have ever lived. On this Thanksgiving, especially in the wake of tragedies hoisted on the world by godless heathens who survive solely on hate, let’s be thankful for who we aren’t, and infinitely more important, who we are.

Happy Turkey Day!

Chris Freind: Thanksgiving Day 2015

Mizzou Mess Caused By Cowardice, Hypocrisy

By Chris Freind Mizzou Mess Caused By Cowardice, Hypocrisy

College has become outrageously expensive, leading many to question if higher education is worth it.

But not so fast.

After witnessing the events at the University of Missouri this past week, it’s apparent that college can still teach priceless lessons – lessons that are reverberating around the nation, and sowing the seeds for more to come.

Unfortunately, they’re all the wrong ones.

Both the president and chancellor at Mizzou resigned this week due to pressure from a small group of students who were – what else? – “offended.” Their issue was a perceived lack of action by the administration in dealing with a few “racial injustices” on campus.

Like clockwork, the demonstration grew, since the new modus operandi in America is joining the dissent du jour, protesting against every damn thing under the sun that isn’t to one’s particular liking. Once upon a time, our protests actually carried relevance (civil rights movement, Vietnam), where people of all races united behind common-sense ideas rooted in fairness. But now, demonstrations have devolved into it’s-all-about-me affairs, with the professional protesting class more concerned about getting on TV and becoming “viral” social media sensations than fighting for anything of substance. It doesn’t matter that objectives are usually vague pie-in-the-sky rhetoric, or that many protesters don’t actually know what they’re protesting. As long as the protesters’ narcissism quota is met, life is good for the “aggrieved.”

As the media exposure at Missouri grew, so did the ranks of the offended, including one student hunger striker, a football team that went on “strike” by boycotting team activities (actions condoned by the coach), and some faculty threatening a walkout, all with the goal of forcing President Tim Wolfe out the door.

Well, they succeeded, and then some. But not because of admirable goals, but the cowardice of university officials who redefined “caving in.” It’s bad enough to capitulate, but to do so because you think appeasement will solve anything – while getting zero in return – is not just naïve, but idiotic. And it sets the bar higher for the next protest, where it’s a certainty that even more ludicrous demands will be made – and met – to the benefit of a few, and the detriment of everyone else.

Let’s look at the “lessons learned” in the Missouri debacle:

1) Cluelessness: It’s great to be anti-administration, but A) specifically, what did the protesters expect the president and chancellor to do, and B) did they really think their resign-or-else demands fit the “injustices” that occurred?

Let’s talk about the white elephant in the room: The incidents on campus, which, while unfortunate, were mere words:

• People in a pickup truck yelled racial slurs at a student. (Which brings up a not-so-insignificant point: Since we don’t know who they were, it’s possible they weren’t even students, rendering President Wolfe with no recourse).

• An allegedly drunk white student used racial slurs against the Legion Of Black Collegians. While abhorrent, does that really merit calling for the president’s ouster? (A president who had already ordered diversity and inclusion training, and whose administration called racial bias deplorable and “totally unacceptable.”)

The biggest impediment to closing the racial gulf is the feeling of resentment among many that protesters don’t want equal opportunity for all, but special treatment for some. We will never progress as “Americans” until we view each other through color-blind glasses, and no amount of protests will change that immutable point.

• There was a swastika smeared on a dorm wall; that is a crime (defacing property), and should be dealt with by both the university and law enforcement.

Reports Wednesday indicated a longer series of incidents that have troubled the campus community for years, but specifically that’s what the current focus erupted over.

Not to downplay those acts, but that’s it. This whole uproar is because of a few insults. That’s an ugly part of life, and thankfully only a very small percentage of people stoop to that level, but ousting a university president and chancellor over them is not keeping the situation in its proper perspective.

And while we need to teach the values of justice and equality to our children, people need to grow a thicker skin. What’s next? Protesting bosses who don’t ooze compliments every five seconds, but instead may use harsh language to demand accountability? Calling for coaches to be fired who use colorful (but not racial) words to motivate a team?

Should the president have banned certain behaviors and imposed a speech code? And who would determine what that censorship should entail? If there is a zero-tolerance for racism and insults, will it still be acceptable to play music with questionable lyrics, and those calling police “pigs,” and glorifying the killing of cops? Should single-race fraternities and clubs still be permitted? Or will those things be acceptable because they don’t “offend” the protesters?

Censorship and selective “justice” solve nothing, and only throw gas on the fire. Yet clearly, we still haven’t learned our lesson.

2) Cowardice: Instead of resigning with a whimper, the president should have come out strongly with the following message: “Any football player who boycotts a team activity loses his scholarship – immediately. You want to protest, do so on your own time, and own dime. But under no circumstances will you abuse the taxpayers’ money; since the university is publicly funded, your scholarships are, in fact, subsidized by the people. And if you lose it, you pay your own tuition bill (just like everyone else), or you’re gone.”

(Out of curiosity, one wonders how many football players who went on “strike” continued to eat university-provided food, sleep in university dorms, and enjoy the lavish benefits afforded them. If they really believed the president presided over a racially insensitive campus, they should have manned-up long ago and eschewed those things in “protest.” I’m guessing none did.)

The same message should apply to teachers: Protesting is your right, but when it affects your job (and disenfranchises tuition-paying students), you need to go. Period. There should be zero tolerance for that type of behavior.

3) Hypocrisy: Good thing the protests were about racial equality, and that the media was a godsend in broadcasting the demonstrators’ message. Except it became abundantly clear that neither were true.

After ”winning,” protest organizers turned hostile to the media, trying to boot them from the protest area – except that, since they were on public property, that request held no weight. And the hunger striker who was given headlines across the country? Sorry. He couldn’t be bothered giving any more interviews.

Protesters sent out a number of tweets lambasting the media for not “respecting black spaces.”

Gee, with leadership like that, it’s great knowing the systemic oppression of racism and inequality at the University of Missouri will finally be banished. Except, of course, when it comes from them. But since they are part of the offended entitlement movement, they can do no wrong.

Before rushing blindly into the next misguided protest – and fawning over narcissist organizers – maybe the media should keep both eyes open so it doesn’t get burned again by the very people it puts on a pedestal.

When are we going to wake up and realize that appeasement doesn’t work? That double standards are wrong? And that attempts to solve racial discontent with solutions rooted in race will continue to backfire?

Evidently, not anytime soon. And that’s the most tragic lesson of all.

Mizzou Mess Caused By Cowardice, Hypocrisy

GOP Candidates Have Issues

By Chris Freind CHRIS FREIND

About the only thing worse than seeing Christmas (sorry, “Xmas,” to be politically correct) merchandise in September is presidential election coverage two years before the election. Not only has that coverage been meaningless, but, to make the sin mortal, many of the “experts” are completely wrong in their assessments.

Blame it on pundits’ short memories and the desire of networks to create, then sensationalize, juicy stories with no substance. The result is average voters tuning out, and the bases of both parties blindly leaping at red meat thrown out by candidates who think inflammatory rhetoric will win the nomination.

So let’s cut through the spin and analyze the races on both sides.

Democrats: This one is easy. Hillary Clinton rolls. Barring an indictment for using a private email server for her State Department work (an act of sheer stupidity, creating an issue where there wasn’t one), Clinton will cruise to the nomination.

First and foremost, she has no competition. Sen. Bernie Sanders (the Democrats’ Ron Paul) excites the extreme left, and articulates his positions clearly, so he will perform better than expected when the primaries start. But his support runs only so deep, and the Democratic rank-and-file sees Clinton, because of her name, background and fundraising prowess, as the candidate with the best chance to retain the White House. Joe Biden knew this all too well, which is why, despite the grandstanding, he never had any intention of entering the fray. About the only thing more annoying than the V.P. playing coy on running was the immense media coverage of such a no-brainer non-event.

Does Hillary have baggage? Of course, but much of that was aired in 2008. Her biggest negative is the massive money given by foreign nationals to the Clinton Foundation — people who had business dealings with the United States, and the State Department in particular. To say there were conflicts of interest would be a monumental understatement.

But Hillary will win the nomination, and likely the presidency, because of her secret weapon: The Republican Party. Leave it to the GOP geniuses to give Clinton exactly what she needed to jumpstart a thus-far lackluster campaign: A platform making her look incredibly presidential. And that’s exactly what they did.

The marathon congressional hearings on Benghazi allowed Hillary to showcase endurance, poise under pressure, the ability to think quickly on her feet, and, perhaps most of all, her sense of humor — all attributes Americans look for in a leader. The kudos she received (even begrudgingly by many conservatives) bolstered her national standing, and she scored points because of the (correct) perception that she was the victim of a witch-hunt (as embarrassed U.S. Rep. Kevin McCarthy made clear by proudly stating that his Benghazi Committee took a toll on Hillary’s poll numbers).

Cost of fruitless investigations and ridiculously long hearings: Millions. Taking hard-hitting shots by angry, politically motivated Republicans for 13 hours, yet emerging unscathed (and as a much more likeable person), courtesy of a GOP that still doesn’t understand that there’s no smoking gun with Benghazi: Priceless.

Republicans: Since there seems to be more GOP candidates than the population of Wyoming, and only a few can win the nomination, we’ll look at the major players:

• New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie should have been on the list, but encountered a smorgasbord of problems that eliminated him from contention. The two biggest? His appearance for one, and he’s wrong that weight doesn’t matter. It does. Americans may be obese, but they don’t want their leaders to be. Second, his involvement in Bridge-Gate, as he either knew about it, or should have. Both negatives combined to bring the curtain down on Christie’s bottom-dwelling candidacy.

• Jeb Bush, the establishment’s choice all along, has raised significant money. But his candidacy has been sinking because : The forgotten ones (the rank-and-file) prefer elections over coronationsBush is Romney-lite, but even stiffer (if that’s possible); he Bush name is toxic, even to many Republicans; and he has come across as woefully unprepared. Jeb’s fundraising has now taken a nosedive, he’s slashed staff payroll, and he finds himself floundering without direction. If, by some miracle, he squeaks by, he will get steamrolled by Hillary.

• Unfortunately, Rick Perry dropped out, which has been a serious blow to the late-night comedy shows.

• Texas Sen. Ted Cruz is the Tea Party favorite, which would be great if there were a Tea Party. But there’s not, and his insane antics (pushing a government shutdown over Obamacare, hanging his House colleagues out to dry in the process) make him unelectable in a general election.

• Ben Carson, the unexpected new frontrunner has as much chance of getting the nomination as Bill Cosby. Despite being vastly out of his league, he remains near the top of the polls, perhaps because some polled Republicans don’t want to be perceived as bigoted (even to themselves) if they support someone else. How else to explain backing someone who doesn’t understand the difference between the debt ceiling and the budget; stated that he would not visit the victims’ families in the wake of the Oregon mass shooting (“I would probably have so many things on my agenda”); and, asked what he, if president, would be doing as a Category 5 hurricane approached, answered, “I don’t know.”

The fact that Carson is polling high shows how absolutely meaningless such barometers are. Look for Dr. Carson’s campaign to go on life-support when the primaries begin, as the GOP electorate awakes from its boredom-induced anesthesia.

• Donald Trump will ultimately fall, a descent entirely of his own making. While some of his positions are simply egomaniacal (taking credit for Ford Motor Co. not relocating to Mexico), many are common sense ideas (such as building a border wall, and the Middle East being better off with strongmen such as Saddam Hussein and Moammar Gadhafi in power — ideas that have appeared in this column years ago).

But he has acted more like a reality-TV entertainer than presidential candidate, and his insults, which made for good theater during the slow summer news cycle, have grown old. People want a tough-as-nails leader, but one who also shows compassion. And Trump seems wholly incapable of admitting when he is wrong, doubling down on boneheaded statements, or blaming “interns” for such mistakes instead of manning-up.

Trump also made a huge error by not spending $100 million on a nationwide ad campaign showing a kinder, gentler Donald Trump. Since he is the only one who could afford such a blitz, he could have defined the campaign, leaving his opponents powerless to respond. Incomprehensibly, he did the opposite, putting away his checkbook and accepting campaign contributions. That sent the message that A) he’s too cheap to spend his own money, making many question his commitment, and B) he can now be bought by deep-pocketed special interests, just like all the rest. In doing so, he lost his biggest trump card, and he will fade away as more viable candidates emerge.

Who will they be? Watch Marco Rubio (perhaps the candidate with the greatest Reagan-esque vision), Carly Fiorina (who, more than anyone, can nullify Hillary’s gender advantage), and, as a dark horse, John Kasich (a successful governor of electorally-critical Ohio, who also brings Washington experience). Or maybe, with so many candidates and an ornery electorate, there could be a brokered convention.

But one thing is certain: If the GOP remains the Party of No, without bold ideas, they’ll be calling Hillary “Madam President.”

GOP Candidates Have Issues

Generation Dysfunctional

By Chris Freind Generation Dysfunctional

Each generation thinks it’s better than the present one. It’s a natural tendency, looking with nostalgia at the past through rose-colored glasses while conveniently forgetting the negatives, and a self-centeredness based on the belief that it “did things right.”

As we all know, the claims of “old-timers” of “when I was your age, I walked five miles to school through 2 feet of snow” are wildly exaggerated. And many aspects of today’s society, which many older folks see as “things going to hell in a hand-basket,” are, in fact, remarkable accomplishments.

But while technological breakthroughs have made incredible improvements in our day-to-day lives — achievements unthinkable just 20 years ago — that has come with a price. Modern conveniences that require no effort have, in large part, killed personal initiative and work ethic. Coupled with insane helicopter parents who literally hover over and mastermind every move of their children, a generation of wholly dysfunctional individuals is coming of age.

They have grown up in a protective bubble, completely insulated from everything that isn’t orchestrated down to a tee. But as they step into the real world — be it school, the athletic field, or job market, they are woefully ill-equipped to deal with the slightest adversity, let alone a bona fide crisis.

So the only “solution” they know is to remain defiantly entitled, demanding anything not to their liking be changed, canceled, and banned — or else.

For perhaps the first time in American history, it is becoming painfully apparent that things were indeed better in the past, as the country’s march toward self–destruction continues.

Consider just a few examples that never would have occurred just a few generations ago:

• Students in a high school class were given different roles to recreate the atmosphere of slavery in America: Slaves, prohibitionists, slave traders, politicians. But the exercise, which would have brought tedious textbook lessons to life, was abruptly cut short because several students broke down crying, storming out of the room because they felt “bad” for “offending” the black students in the class. So now, we can’t even teach history to college-bound young adults for fear of rattling their ultra-acute sensitivities. And if you can’t teach history accurately, the truth soon becomes forgotten, and we all suffer.

• In what has become a commonplace occurrence, especially on the soccer field, players routinely fall to the ground after minimal or no contact. The invariable result? All players take a knee while coaches, refs, and especially parents, all charge the field to render comfort to the fallen “warrior.” After a ridiculous amount of drama, the player rises, and, after receiving the obligatory applause, more often than not stays in the game, all smiles, and is running full speed five seconds later, his ego all better, and hurt feelings soothed.

That’s not to pick on those who sustain true injury, but in the vast majority of cases, the “wimpification” of America is on full display, as this coddled generation shows how much it needs — in fact, craves — such attention. Not that long ago, young athletes played with the small hurts, and would have been embarrassed to make such a scene — and would disown any parent who came onto the field. Short of physically being unable to continue, their pride would push them to keep playing (and we’re obviously not talking about serious injury, such as concussions). But in our “it’s-all about me” society of no shame, today’s kids revel in the misplaced accolades they receive. And it’s getting exponentially worse.

• School Halloween celebrations are increasingly being cancelled because a small minority of students and parents feel “uncomfortable” and offended by the traditions of that holiday. It’s not enough that they simply don’t participate (and who are we kidding? Halloween hasn’t been a “religious” holiday for at least a century), because that would be live-and-let-live. No, they have to push their grievances on everyone, bullying all who disagree, and demanding longstanding American cultural traditions be summarily dismantled. And in the ultimate act of cowardly appeasement, more and more administrators are capitulating rather than fighting, fueling the “offended” movement to push their agenda that much further next time. Prior generations would never have rolled over like that.

What the hell is happening? Why, despite Middle America recoiling at this level of craziness, is nothing being done to stop it? And where are the parents and leaders, calling out the loudmouths propagating such madness?

The answers are that A) some are afraid of being labeled insensitive, offensive and bigoted, so they keep quiet, waiting for someone else to do the heavy lifting; and B) many more are part of the problem, even those who may publicly rail against such things.

And we are reaping what we have sown, as it has become ingrained in tomorrow’s leaders to be politically correct, massively entitled, immensely coddled, ultrasensitive, and incredibly narcissistic.

The recent actions of our political leaders show exactly where our children get their attitudes.

In just the last few weeks, the Haverford Republicans, breaking more than a quarter-century campaign tradition, refused to debate at a League of Women Voters forum. Same for the Chester GOP, whose candidates for mayor and city council bailed at the opportunity to discuss the issues with their Democratic counterparts. And the Democratic candidates for Delaware County Council, at the last minute, completely blew off a scheduled League of Women Voters forum, forcing the event to be cancelled. Talk about narcissistic! And so much for setting a good example, keeping your word, and honoring civic duty as candidates.

On the national level, the two Republican frontrunners, Donald Trump and Ben Carson, refused to participate in a debate that was scheduled for three hours, stating that two was their absolute limit. Really? Regardless of whether that time frame was too long for maintaining the attention of viewers, no candidate running for the most powerful position in the world should be so wimpy that he could not endure an extra 60 minutes for the American people’s benefit — so adeptly pointed out by Carly Fiorina.

Voters want character and heart in their leader, since they know the president’s stamina must be unrivaled. So what does it say that the top two Republicans not only espoused weakness, but perhaps more important, demonstrated an entitlement attitude that if they didn’t get exactly what they wanted, they would “run away” and not participate. That used to be called selfishness and being a brat, which we taught our children not to be.

When our leaders don’t practice what they preach, it makes instilling the bedrock values that made America the greatest nation in history virtually impossible. And if that doesn’t change, we will lose yet another generation.

John Hughes, the prescient 1980’s film director, got it so right in his more-relevant–than-ever movie “The Breakfast Club,” as teacher Richard Vernon talks with the janitor Carl about the future:

Vernon: “You think about this: When you get old, when I get old, these kids are going to be running the country.”

Carl: “Yeah.”

Vernon: “Now this is the thought that wakes me up in the middle of the night. That when I get older, these kids are going to take care of me.”

Carl: “I wouldn’t count on it.”

Neither would I.

Generation Dysfunctional

Let Orcas Breed In California

CHRIS FREINDBy Chris Freind

There’s always been something fishy about state government in California.

For decades, it has employed a nanny state mentality in passing ever more restrictive laws — many outrageously stupid — that serve only to erode the freedoms of Californians and the companies for which they work. That “government knows best” attitude, which has stifled the state’s economy and alienated its citizens, has led to a dramatic reversal in the migration of Americans to the Golden State, with millions leaving to seek a more productive life elsewhere.

Such arrogance was on full display recently as the California Coastal Commission in approving SeaWorld’s expansion of its killer whale (orca) tanks, also took it upon itself to ban SeaWorld from breeding any of the 11 killer whales it has in captivity. If such an egregious ruling stands, it could prove a deathblow to the state’s premier aquatic park, and, ironically, hurt the very animals it claims to be helping. SeaWorld is appealing the decision, and, should any common sense be left in our judicial system (though admittedly that’s a big “if”), it will prevail and expand its operation so that future generations can experience firsthand the wonders of sea life that would otherwise be impossible.

Given that SeaWorld has been under attack by misguided and often ill-informed zealots, both in the animal rights movement and government itself, let’s bypass the fish tales and look at the facts regarding animals in captivity:

1. Government overreach: The Coastal Commissioners’ purview should have been limited to the land-use permit for SeaWorld to double its orca tanks (part of the company’s $100 million expansion initiative called Blue World). Period. The commission has neither the jurisdiction nor the expertise to institute a ban on breeding. And since SeaWorld is already regulated by the federal government, there was no need for clueless bureaucrats to gratify their whim and get involved.

SeaWorld has not captured a wild orca in 35 years, so its business model is to breed killer whales — its star attraction — in captivity. Ironically, the commission’s decision to play God, despite no legitimate rationale, threatens the animals in the San Diego facility, along with hundreds of jobs. But the biggest casualty would be our children, who would be deprived of learning about sea life, the monumental rescue efforts of SeaWorld (which has saved the lives of countless sea creatures, from the small to the giants of the deep), and how more conservation efforts are needed for the world’s oceans, which are seriously endangered by pollution and overfishing.

2. Many of the animal rights extremists (sorry, that was redundant) applauded the commission’s ruling, believing that keeping killer whales (which aren’t actually whales, but large dolphins) in captivity is “inhumane.” Really? Well, what could be more inhumane than depriving a mammal of its natural instinct to mate and reproduce? Taking that away is the ultimate act of cruelty, and illustrates the hypocrisy of the animal “rights” crowd — an inaccurate label if there ever was one.

3. Many activists see the breeding ban as just another step in the fight to close SeaWorld permanently. But where will it end? If killer whales should be “freed” from captivity, then, by definition, so should every dolphin, seal, sea lion, and fish, since keeping them in clean, safe, veterinarian-maintained facilities must also be “inhumane.” But it can’t stop there. Let’s shut down every zoo and safari attraction in America, such as Disney’s Animal Kingdom. And of course, since animals “deserve” the same rights as humans, that means no animal research for scientists finding the cure for cancer and other deadly diseases.

While we’re at it, the hell with expanding cage size for chickens; let’s push for an outright ban on any animal for human and domestic pet consumption. Pet dogs, cats, and birds? Nope. Keeping them in a warm house away from nature’s predators is too taxing on them. And absolutely no hunting, either.

Pay no attention to the fact that hunts keep animal herds healthy and at appropriate population levels (they endure a gruesome death by starvation if their numbers increase); that zoos and aquatic parks literally keep the bloodlines alive of species that would have otherwise gone extinct in the wild; that animals provide invaluable nutrition for billions worldwide who would otherwise starve (yes, human beings, the forgotten ones in this discussion who seem to have no rights); that animal research leads to cures for both people and animals; and that the next generation of zoologists, marine biologists, and yes, global citizens, benefit from admiring and experiencing animals up close and personal — which has changed the American mindset from one of pointless killing (such as decimation of the buffalo) to one of conservation.

And as leaders of the world, Americans, better than anyone else, can pressure other nations to do likewise so that endangered species can rebound and thrive rather than go the way of the dodo.

Out of sight is out of mind, and if we don’t showcase the magnificence of animals to our young minds, then their imaginations will never be ignited, and the fire to protect animals will be left to others — meaning, it won’t happen. How is that in the best interest of “animal rights?”

4. In an ideal world, it would be nice for orcas to roam free. But we don’t live in an ideal world, so their presence is needed to educate and inspire. It has always fallen to a select few to sacrifice for the good of many, humans as well as killer whales. SeaWorld’s family of orcas, which have been inspiring awe since the 1960s, have undeniably played a huge role in the public’s demand that whaling be halted. (It took until 1986 to institute an international ban on whaling, yet because of loopholes, Japan, Norway and Iceland continue to actively hunt, killing 30,000 whales since the “ban” took effect.)

Because so many have experienced the majesty of orcas at SeaWorld, the interest in stopping rogue nations from whaling has become a front and center issue for millions, so much so that a cable TV show documenting efforts to stop whaling on the high seas has become a hit — and pressure continues mounting to stop whaling entirely.

Killer whales in captivity isn’t inhumane. Just the opposite; it is helping to keep whales safe in a way nothing else could. And that is priceless.

This author had the incredible experience of swimming with captive dolphins on the island of Curacao. They performed shows, played with swimmers, and were incredibly content. How can such a claim be made? Because some of the dolphins leave their “captivity” to accompany a dive boat out to the open ocean, interacting with divers as they explore the sea. This, of course, allows them to bolt from their “masters” and be free of captivity forever.

But they don’t. Instead, they return to their enclosures to be with their families, both dolphins and trainers. The point isn’t that SeaWorld should do the same, or even if the killer whales would return, but that keeping animals in captivity, so long as they are treated well, is not inhumane.

The real threat to SeaWorld’s killer whales isn’t SeaWorld, but imbeciles who are like fish out of water when it comes to common sense. Lift the ban and let the breeding continue, so that future generations of both orcas and people can have a whale of a time together.

Let Orcas Breed In California

Indoctrination Replaces Education

By Chris Freind Indoctrination Replaces Education

We need another stimulus. Desperately.

It’s the only way we can afford to give every American a personal consultant — someone to ensure that all free thinking, creativity and initiative be eliminated, replaced by a politically-correct speech code.

From a personal standpoint, this would ensure an end to disagreeable readers. Rather than saying, “Hey (insert expletive here), I don’t know what you’re smoking, but you’re a moron and got it totally wrong,” people would be required to say something like, “Nice try. You didn’t make your point, but good job anyway! Have a peachy day, and be well!”

Boring? Yes. Unrealistic? Think again.

We’ve discussed in numerous columns how a radical minority is effectively pushing all Americans to genuflect at the altar of political correctness (PC), resulting in a much weaker nation and bewildering cultural changes once thought impossible.

Tragically, the majority who oppose extreme PC measures continue to stand on the sidelines, content to complain at the watercooler but reluctant to draw a line in the sand for fear of being labeled racist, bigoted, offensive, insensitive and, God forbid, non-inclusive. Day by day, the enemy becomes stronger while the “peacemakers” put up scant resistance to policies, regulations and laws that don’t just gnaw, but gouge, a huge bite out of America’s traditional fabric.

Perhaps most frightening are the generations coming of age who know nothing else, having been imbued from Day One with a sense of entitlement — the innate “right” to be “offended” by anything they don’t like, and the expectation that their hurt feelings will be aggrieved by helicopter parents; social engineering educators, administrators, and coaches; coddling workplace colleagues; and nanny government officials.

Such indoctrination has left them naively unaware that the implications of political correctness, which they see as innocuous, continue to erode freedoms, and threaten to take down the nation as we know it.

The situation has been steadily deteriorating, but recent events that would have been deemed “crossing the line” just a few years ago have now been met with barely a whimper. And each time the PC police gain a victory, they become emboldened, taking it that much further.

Consider:

1. Several schools in Minnesota have hired a “recess consultant” — costing tens of thousands — to apply a structured, interventionist approach regarding how children play and interact in the schoolyard. So now, if kids are playing kickball, they’re told to substitute “Hey, you’re out!” with “good job” or “nice try.” All “conflict” is being whitewashed from existence by omnipotent counselors hovering over every child’s move.

Really? This is what it’s come down to? Putting a stake in the heart of our children’s natural instinct to use their imaginations, play together, and — get ready for it — solve conflicts by themselves? Obvious bullying aside, what these misguided souls call conflict is what’s otherwise known as growing up in a civilized society. It won’t always work out the way children want, but that’s called life. In allowing them to act independently and resolve issues on their own, they learn invaluable lessons that will serve them for the rest of their lives: higher education, work, marriage and parenthood.

Two thoughts: A) it makes you wonder how previous generations, including the Greatest Generation who saved the world, survived and prospered without constant coddling, and B) once again, the best interests of the ones who matter most — our students, our future — are completely ignored. One obvious answer is to overhaul the public school system and inject school choice, especially public-to-public choice, because without it, parents have absolutely no recourse, and their children are stuck in a most harmful environment.

2. The Great Valley High School in Malvern hosts an annual Spirit Week, and the student council is responsible for one of its themes. This year, it chose “America Day.” But this being Amerika, that was not to be!

After all, “America Day” could be offensive to anyone not born here or not a citizen, or, for that matter, someone who just doesn’t like anything. So in the spirit of inclusion, the school administration wanted to call it “World Culture Day” to honor the multiculturalism in the school community, according to a letter written by Superintendent Regina Speaker-Palubinsky to avoid any “confusion” and “misunderstanding.” And hey, no big deal, because after all, the school will celebrate America during Veterans Day!

The theme that was finally chosen is “Celebrate Your Country Day.” Note that it is not “Our Country” day, but instead the country of your choice. Not the America where most were born; not the America that has allowed millions of immigrants to enter and assimilate; not the America that provides a world-class defense of its unprecedented freedoms; not the America that allows for such a beautiful high school; and not the America that keeps the beacon of hope lit for billions. Nope. Instead, the Grand Marshals of Political Correctness deemed it more important to celebrate the country of your own choosing.

I’m sorry, Ms. Superintendent, but I’m really confused. Veterans Day is wonderful, and vets are a big part of America. But they should be honored on their merits, and their achievements should not be combined or watered down by anything else unrelated to them. And conversely, there are a million things to celebrate about America, so why limit that to only things dealing with veterans?

America is the world’s largest melting pot, welcoming more people and cultures than any nation in the history of the world. So why should celebrating our country be jettisoned? If you truly want to celebrate multiculturalism and diversity, the only logical choice is, and should have been, America Day.

How ironic and shameful that the administrators of a school with the nickname “Patriots” would throw America under the bus in the name of political correctness. And kudos to the parents and students who fought the good fight in an attempt to rectify such a monumental error. Unfortunately, not enough did.

3. Students across the country are being suspended for wearing shirts with American themes, including some honoring the U.S. military. One particularly egregious case was an Oregon eighth-grader whose shirt read, “Standing for those who stood for us,” and was emblazoned with the symbol for fallen soldiers. So much for the ultimate sacrifice such soldiers gave defending our freedom of expression. But there is hope, as the student and his family refuse to give in — an example we should take to heart.

4. Numerous cities throughout America are abolishing Columbus Day in favor of Indigenous Peoples Day, celebrating the history and contributions of indigenous cultures, while criticizing European settlers for colonialism and land grabs.

Really?

Admittedly, the Europeans and, later, Americans, did not always do the right thing, especially to Native Americans. No reparations and no apology can ever fully right those wrongs.

But America, despite the errors of its past, has shown the most remarkable resilience of any nation in history not just to learn from its mistakes, but to make things right and yes, better, for future generations.

Rather than needlessly re-opening old wounds, maybe those pushing personal agendas should take a hard look at the everlasting contributions of both Native Americans and Europeans, like Columbus. Imagine that.

Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev famously said, “America will fall without a shot being fired. It will fall from within.” Indisputably, his prescience is right on target. Will we ultimately prove him wrong? Not unless we stop making every decision political.

Only then will we be truly correct.

Indoctrination Replaces Education

Mental Health Mass Murder

By Chris Freind Mental Health Mass Murder

I wholeheartedly believe the president.

Despite seven years of foisting gimmicks on the American people, designed to score cheap political points while leaving substantive issues unaddressed, President Obama has finally unleashed his true passion. Speaking off-script, he fired with both barrels at America’s lack of stringent gun control laws, blaming that, and ultimately the American people, for the mass shooting at an Oregon community college.

For speaking with the courage of his convictions, the President gets an A.

But for failing to understand even the most basic “cause and effect” relationship — a concept mastered by fourth graders — Mr. Obama earns an F, illustrating a disturbing lack of judgment.

It’s one thing if a politician thinks blaming guns for the nation’s violence will be a winning issue in the polls. That kind of naked political calculation, while repugnant, is at least understandable.

But how is it possible the president of the United States actually believes guns themselves are the root cause for so much blood in the streets? It is unfathomable.

Let’s review this situation with our eye on the real target:

1. Enough is enough. It is time, once and for all, to stop ignoring the white elephant in the room: guns are not responsible for these mass killings. And let’s stop the feel-good fairy tale rhetoric that sounds good but accomplishes absolutely nothing: getting bulletproof backpacks for our kids, placing metal detectors in schools, and advocating over-the-top gun control laws all in the name of this “never happening again.”

It’s time to get down to the business of “why,” and identify the real problems, because you can’t provide an answer if you don’t know the question.

And until we truly look in the mirror, this will happen again. You can do everything discussed above, and it will still occur, because they are tactics, not strategy. Big difference.

This didn’t happen in the 1950’s — or even the 1980’s or most of the ‘90’s — when access to guns was considerably easier than now. We didn’t bolt school doors a generation ago. We didn’t have lockdowns. We didn’t whitewash everything. We didn’t coddle our kids all the time, and we didn’t get a trophy even when we lost. Oh, and we didn’t kill people when something didn’t go our way or we had hurt feelings.

It is time to stop kicking the can down the road while patting ourselves on the back for “solutions” that won’t solve anything except to soothe our own egos.

2. Are people — the president included — really that naive to think that a mentally ill person with no intention of seeing tomorrow’s sunrise would not try killing as many as possible, even if he didn’t have guns?

In other words, we are supposed to believe that a would-be murderer wakes up one day and thinks, “If I had guns, I would go shoot everyone I see, including myself, but since I don’t, I’ll just grab a latte, mosey down to the gym, drop off the dry cleaning and get a jumpstart on those reports my boss needs.”

Sorry, but in The Real World, it doesn’t work that way.

Instead, radicals and people with mental illness do whatever it takes to “succeed,” guns notwithstanding. They make crude but lethal bombs out of household items such as pressure cookers (Boston Bombers). Or they grab a knife and start wildly stabbing (Pittsburgh, where 22 were injured by a student, and China, where 29 died and 130 were injured in a knifing spree). Or they drive through a crowd to kill as many as possible with their car. And some, of course, steal guns and murder gun owners in preparation for their mass killings (Sandy Hook).

Taking the call to ban more guns to its “logical” end, we must therefore ban kitchen appliances, cutlery, and yes, even automobiles. And we should punish law-abiding gun owners who were victimized by criminals, making them the “bad guy.”

The lack of common sense in such “reforms” is simply astounding.

3. What should we do about guns? Implement reasonable laws to close loopholes, such as mandating that all people buying firearms at gun shows and via the Internet be subjected to a 60-second background check. Sounds simple enough, but is it opposed by many gun-rights organizations.

Despite claims by conspiracy theorists, background checks are not federal gun registries, nor do they lead to them. Background checks are not a conservative/liberal, Republican/Democrat issue. Since they do not impede or infringe upon a law-abiding citizen’s right to own a firearm, it’s not “gun control” at all. It’s criminal control.

And the checks work: there have been 1.8 million denials since 1998. In 2010, half of those denied had felony convictions or indictments, almost 20 percent were fugitives, and 11 percent violated state laws.

To allow convicted felons or the mentally ill to buy a gun with quasi-legal impunity is crazy. Granted, they aren’t legally allowed to possess firearms, but any criminal with half a brain will get his gun via this loophole rather than risk getting caught in an undercover sting.

Background checks are useful, but not a panacea. The FBI database is only as good as the information it receives from states. If criminal and mental health records aren’t routinely sent and/or updated, it won’t be as effective as it could be. It’s not perfect, but that’s not a reason to scrap expanding it.

Nothing can or will ever fully prevent lunatics from engaging in a shooting spree, but a background check system is a solid first line of defense.

4. Address mental health issues. America must better fund mental health services, and make the system considerably more effective. A good start would be passing Texas Sen. John Cornyn’s Mental Health And Safe Communities Act — legislation designed to help mental health patients before they strike.

According to the Washington Post, “the bill would clarify the types of mental health records required to be forwarded to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System and encourage states to send more information to the database by creating a stick-and-carrot compliance system. It would also encourage ‘best practices’ for responding to mental health crises, including the use of specially trained response teams by federal and local law enforcement agencies.”

Prevention, rather than overreaction, is critical to keeping the peace.

5 .Perhaps most important, we need to stop coddling our children. Doing so has left them unable to cope with everyday life, leaving many dysfunctional. But for some, any type of rejection leads to violence against anyone and anything, snapping when something finally doesn’t go their way. Someone doesn’t like them, they get fired, a teacher or boss disciplines them — and they go on a rampage. We are raising generations of extremely risk-averse and thin-skinned individuals who are “offended” by everything — a complex fueled by a woefully misguided sense of entitlement. It has become a dangerous condition, exacerbated by a romanticized outlook of going out in a “blaze of glory.”

Parents need to stop being their children’s friend, and start being parents again. Back to basics.

There is no single cause for these mass shootings, and it will take a comprehensive effort to stop such tragedies. But that can only happen if we stop shooting blanks, and keep the real issues that need addressing squarely in our crosshairs.

Mental Health Mass Murder

Clock Shows PC Poison

Clock Shows PC PoisonBy Chris Freind

Anyone who thinks the following isn’t “alarming” should have his clock cleaned:

• Fourteen year-old student brings homemade “clock” to school.

• Device has a timer, protruding wires and electronic circuitry.

• Device makes beeping sound in student’s suitcase during class.

• Teacher, uncertain what it is, contacts school officials, who notify police.

• Student, who happens to be Muslim, is questioned and arrested.

• Forces of political correctness circle the wagons, blindly defending student; viciously attacking school officials and police as racist; demanding the student be given an apology; and screaming that he should file lawsuits for his “ordeal.”

• The nation’s “elite,” from President Obama to Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, fawn over student and throw compliments his way like he was God’s gift to America.

This situation epitomizes modern-day America: A small but very vocal minority shouts “racist” every time they feel “offended,” encompassing everything from comedians’ jokes to law enforcement profiling to criminals being “disenfranchised” when police use force apprehending them.

The biggest casualty is America’s security, because every time we don’t push back, the PC bullies have free reign to eviscerate all who oppose them. And our enemies become emboldened, with the blueprint for “success” falling right into their laps.

Let’s look at the real story behind the firestorm engulfing the McArthur High School in Irving, Texas:

1. The big controversy is whether the student, Ahmed Mohamed, was “profiled” because he was Muslim. In other words, was he detained and arrested because of his skin color and religion? How that is controversial in the first place is mindboggling. Two answers:

• Anyone possessing such a device should have been dealt with in exactly the same way.

• But if he was profiled, you can still make the argument that it was justified.

Are there terrorists other than Muslims? Of course, including red-blooded boy-next-door Americans, such as Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh and numerous mass shooters.

Yet the sad but true reality of today’s world is that people meeting certain criteria require extra scrutiny. Islamic militants, including those who have discreetly assimilated into American society as part of “sleeper cells,” are, and should be, at the top of that list. For those labeling that “discriminatory,” a quick refresher – facts, not opinion – is in order: All 19 Sept. 11 hijackers were Muslim. As were the Fort Hood shooter, the Boston Bombers, the Fort Dix Six, and the Chattanooga military installation shooter. Ditto for the Times Square bomber, the shoe bomber, the underwear bomber, and the Garland, Texas, shooter.

It was Islamic terrorists who bombed the London tube, trains in Madrid, and shot up the Charlie Hebdo office in France. And let’s not forget the myriad death threats by Muslim fundamentalists to any editor who dared exercise freedom of speech by publishing Mohammed cartoons.

Without making America into a bigger police state, we must redouble our efforts to identify threats, and ultimately, thwart attacks. And while no ethnicity, nationality or religion should be “off the table” to profiling, it is irresponsible to deliberately look the other way in scrutinizing those who fit possible “red flag” profiles. We could certainly use more tact in certain profiling situations, but, unequivocally, we cannot afford to base security procedures, or lack thereof, on hurt feeings.

2. It was bad enough that President Obama stuck his nose where it didn’t belong, but to shoot from the hip without the facts makes the sin mortal. Inviting Ahmed to the White House – really, Mr. President? This incident rises to that occasion? – and telling him to bring the clock, while claiming Ahmed’s teachers “failed him,” are prime examples of why the president’s ratings continue to plummet. Big on gimmicks, small on substance.

And it’s not without irony that, while the president criticizes the school’s security protocols, the number of intruders who have literally walked into the White House has been unprecedented under his watch. Time to refocus your priorities, Mr. President.

3. Many are calling for apologies to Ahmed and his family. Well, here’s some free advice to the police and school district: Don’t do it. Not now, not ever. There’s no need.

And for what exactly should they be apologizing? Doing their jobs?

An unknown contraption – definitely not a stretch thinking it resembled an explosive device – is discovered in a school, the authorities are notified, and the police investigate. How is anything about that wrong?

Using the critics’ rationale, it must therefore also be wrong to report suspicious devices in malls and movie theatres. See one at an airport or bus terminal? No problem. Simply ignore it. After all, this is America, land of the free and home of the naïve.

4. Let’s talk about profiling. Colleges, businesses and the government profile to determine whom they want to target, admit, and hire. Israel actively profiles, and as a result, its El Al airline, despite being a high-value target, has been hijacked only once. And law enforcement, especially the FBI, uses profiling to catch serial killers and other dangerous criminals.

Was it wrong to have profiled Irish Catholic students carrying suspicious packages in Northern Ireland several decades ago? Of course not.

That certainly doesn’t mean Ahmed should have been treated as a terrorist suspect while being detained, and questions must be answered about reports, if true, that he was denied access to his parents and a lawyer during questioning. But those things have nothing to do with the fact that both school and law enforcement officials performed their jobs.

5. Ahmed was suspended because, in today’s climate, you simply cannot bring that kind of thing to school. Period. If he’s as smart as his defenders make him out to be, he should have known the response that would be generated.

6. If, as the critics state, the teachers and police overreacted, what should they have done? Nothing? Hoped for the best? Taken Ahmed at his word? As usual, the silence is deafening.

One has to wonder what their response will be if someone actually detonates a bomb at a school, with scores killed and maimed. Since suicidal radicals have shown no hesitation about using their children as sacrificial bomb carriers, nothing should be assumed or taken for granted that “it couldn’t happen here.”

The same Monday-morning quarterbacks ravaging the officials in Irving would undoubtedly complain that our children weren’t protected, and demand answers as to how the school administration was blind-sided, why it didn’t employ better security precautions, and why elements of profiling weren’t utilized. The hypocrisy of the PC crowd knows no bounds.

If Americans don’t stand up for common sense security policies, and reject politically correct measures that imperil the nation, sooner or later the clock will strike 12, and the once-great American fairy tale will turn into a nightmare.

Clock Shows PC Poison

Blame America For Europe’s Problem

By Chris Freind Blame America For Europe's Problem

If only paprika repelled refugees the way garlic does vampires.

But it doesn’t. So Hungary’s prime minister, Viktor Orban, is doing everything else in his power to stop the unchecked flow of Middle Eastern refugees into Hungary, and in doing so, is protecting his people.

And you know his tactics are on the right track when the rest of the nauseating politically correct European Union roundly criticizes his actions as barbaric and inhumane.

But there are other, much more appropriate terms for leaders like Orban: Gutsy, bold, smart, and most of all, visionary. And that last one is the most important, because it shows that Orban sees what will happen if he opens the floodgates and allows his country to be inundated with refugees.

So let’s cut through the name-calling and irrational demands of the open-borders crowd by dispassionately analyzing the situation:

1. Blame for the sake of blame is pointless, but blame so that mistakes aren’t repeated is priceless. So let’s cast blame onto whom it belongs: The United States.

Indisputably, America caused this crisis. And before the partisans holler “it’s Obama’s fault,” let’s be clear that it is the result of very bad decisions by President Obama and President George W. Bush, along with a complicit Congress.

Iraq, when ruled by the iron fist of Saddam Hussein, was stable. Conditions were often brutal, but stability reigned. There were no car bombs, no suicide bombers, and above all, no chaos. Since Iraq had no involvement in 9/11, it should never have been invaded, an action America’s leaders naively believed would bring “democracy. “ In fact, it produced anarchy, and an unprecedented terror threat. And it was a colossal waste of American blood and treasure, since nothing was accomplished except giving our enemies a huge foothold.

Ditto for Libya, where America betrayed Moammar Gadfafi by eliminating him on behalf of the impotent Europeans. Now, Libya is ruled by the same thugs who fought America in Iraq (giving them billions in oil revenue with which to “play,” and spawning an exodus of refugees across the Mediterranean).

And perhaps most significant to causing the refugee exodus was America’s interference in Syria’s sovereign affairs, where we destroyed that nation’s stability by attempting to oust President Assad from power – an action that gave rise to the marauding ISIS.

The lessons for America are: A) stop playing policeman to the world; B) stop trying to force our values (democracy, human rights, etc.) on other countries in ways that always – always – backfire; C) become energy independent so that we can once and for all extricate ourselves from the Middle East quagmire that has us bent over a barrel. Enough is enough.

2. “A nation that cannot control its borders is not a nation.” So were the prophetic words of Ronald Reagan, who knew a thing or two about handling crises.

To be clear, most of the Middle Eastern refugees are not “vampires” looking to suck the lifeblood out of European countries, and the majority must be assumed to be good, hard-working people who faced severe hardships in their home countries. But where does it end? Are Western nations obligated to take in everyone facing adversity? If so, that amounts to most of the globe.

Who will pay the billions to house and feed the hundreds of thousands streaming into Europe? (There have already been nearly 400,000 this year alone). And what’s next? With many European countries already facing high unemployment rates (France, for example, is just below its all-time high, and the number of people seeking work is at a record level), where will these refugees find jobs? If there is a job market at all, since many are surely low-skilled. And when they can’t find work, they will become recipients of Europe’s social safety net, which is so obscenely generous (aka unaffordable and unsustainable) that the refugees will soon “play the game,” no longer incentivized to find employment, instead content to live off the taxes paid by productive citizens.

That’s a recipe for massive resentment and an inevitable violent backlash, which we are already seeing. And while violence can’t be condoned in a civil society, the critics fail to see that it is not rooted in xenophobia, but simple economics, and a sense that fair play has been jettisoned, with favoritism now shown to noncitizens, while those whose blood, sweat and tears built (and rebuilt) their country are left out in the cold.

Most people’s natural tendencies to protect their families, culture and country should not be cavalierly discounted by armchair analysts who live in ivory towers, far from the real life struggles of hard-working Europeans.

Temporary humanitarian assistance is one thing, but affording permanent status is quite another.

3. There is the charge against Hungary, which has erected barbed wire along its border with Serbia, that its people are inappropriately wary of Muslims entering their nation.

To many, they have good reason to be. Hungary’s Christian population clashed with the Muslim Ottoman Empire, which ruled their nation for 150 years in the 16th and 17th centuries. And if the situation were reversed, it would be perfectly natural for Muslims to be wary of Christians occupying their lands. In fact, the presence of America and its Western allies in the Middle East is a major reason why they are (legitimately) viewed with contempt by the indigenous peoples. And no, the East Germans who fled into Hungary after the Iron Curtain was lifted are not comparable to the current migrants streaming in, for obvious cultural and historically ethnic reasons.

Let’s be honest. There will undoubtedly be a considerable contingent of refugees who care nothing for European culture and traditions, as evidenced by the behavior and outrageous demands of many who have previously emigrated to Europe, from advocating Sharia law to rejecting showing their faces for state-issued IDs, to, yes, terrorism. And there are those with ISIS sympathies who are using the crisis as an excuse to gain intelligence and secure a foothold for future operations against European targets. Even if that’s one-half of 1 percent, it still amounts to thousands more that the already overburdened security services have to monitor.

And the tragic attacks in England, Spain and France proved that doing so is impossible.

4. This crisis shows why the EU should be disbanded, at least for everything but a common currency. No nation should have its sovereignty – its domestic and foreign policy decisions – usurped by the dictates of clueless Europeans who have no knowledge of history nor any foresight. Instead, they value political correctness above all else.

5. As detailed in prior columns, the solution is for the West to fund and fully equip regional anti-ISIS fighters so that stable governments can once again gain the peace. They may not be the most benevolent regimes, but the situation would become infinitely better, and the refugees would be able to do what is most important: return home.

Anything less, and the powder keg of Europe, which already caused two world wars, will move closer to detonating.

Blame America For Europe’s Problem