Alan K. Henderson's Weblog

The Brexit Party won 29 out of 73 of the UK's seats in the European parliament.

Labels: Europe, Politics

Theresa May resigns.

Musical reference.




 

Update: Check out this image in Instapundit comments.

Labels: Europe, Music, Politics

Associated Press headline: Tourist mecca Notre Dame also revered as place of worship.

Now imagine of some Islamic organization's project were described as a "crusade."

Labels: Europe, Religion

The original poem here.

Stein's Law cited here, in an article about Detroit's tailspin, with passing reference to "insolvent social-democratic Europe."

The parody first appeared in comments to this Powerline post.

Labels: Economics, Europe

At OnIslam.net, five Muslim academics expressed their outrage at the Charlie Hebdo attacks. Dr. Tariq Ramadan and Sheikh Omar Suleiman issued generic religion-of-peace platitudes. Dr. Wael Shihab appealed to Sura 5:32: "[W]hosoever killeth a human being for other than manslaughter or corruption in the earth, it shall be as if he had killed all mankind." On the surface, it seems many jihadi supporters would find vindication for the attacks in this sura, based on an the assumption that mocking Mohammed qualifies as "corruption" (or "mischief," in some translations). Lacking the Quranic version of a Strong's Exhaustive Concordance, I can't tell you how that root Arabic word is commonly used.

Unlike the others, Drs. Khaled Hanafy and Yasir Qadhi seek to address a root issue: whether or not Islam prescribes punishment for mockery of Mohammed. Each claims that such mockery (and even direct harassment) is recorded in the Quran, and in no event did Mohammed ever order retaliation. This approach should be further expanded upon; if the claim is correct, it will be substantiated by a list of all the suras recording such prophet-mocking incidents.

But that addresses only a subset of Islamic terror attacks. Most commonly the terrorists just want to kill non-Muslims for being non-Muslims; Boko Haram serves as a classic example.

All modern jihadi movements operate under the assumptions that a) Mohammed instructed future generations of Muslims to wage war against infidels as long as there are unconquered infidels on Earth, and b) that Islam supports private parties not authorized by governments (i.e. vigilantes) to undertake such warfare. Does Islam support either of these principles? Both Muslims and non-Muslims say yes, both Muslims and non-Muslims say no.

This post will not seek to discern whose interpretations are correct. As a Christian and a humanitarian (the Muslim world historically lags behind the West re human rights) I would prefer that Islam just go away, but it isn't, so the next best thing to hope for is the defeat of the jihadi view in the war on ideas. Unfortunately, the people best equipped to engage in that war are an ill-focused, disorganized lot.

Who has any chance of swaying Muslim opinion away from the jihadi view? Robert Spencer and Bill Maher? No. Muslims will most likely be swayed by Muslim authorities - clerics, politicians, academics. These leaders who reject the jihadi view need to organize in a united front, and put together a substantive message supporting their opposition to the jihadi view. They're not doing that. If they were, the American press so desperate to push the Religion of Peace meme would have found them.

Labels: Europe, Middle East, War on Terror, World

Update: Note that this cartoon dates back to November 2008.

Labels: Europe, History, Politics, World

NRO has a slideshow of Viktor Yanukovych's mansion.

Labels: Europe, World

Then:



Now: EU plans to fit all cars with speed limiters.

Labels: Europe, Politics

Baroness Thatcher passed away earlier today.

Here's a snippet from her appearance on "Firing Line" with William F. Buckley Jr. The subject: "What Have We Learned from the Failure of Socialism?"



The Guardian published a few choice quotes, including this, which ties in with the topic of the "Firing Line" discussion: "It is ironic that just when those countries such as the Soviet Union, which have tried to run everything from the centre, are learning that success depends on dispersing power and decisions away from the centre, there are some in the community who seem to want to move in the opposite direction. We have not successfully rolled back the frontiers of the state in Britain only to see them reimposed at a European level with a European superstate exercising a new dominance from Brussels." ("Bruges speech", 1988)

Rest in peace.

Update: What she meant to Eastern Europe.

Labels: Economics, Europe, Obituaries, Politics

Iain Murray passes along a really bad prediction initially spotted by Zerohedge.

Labels: Economics, Europe, Politics

If Gérard Depardieu were a cheese-eating surrender monkey, he'd accept the gargantuan tax hikes and say to the French tax officials "Thank you sir, may I have another?" or something along those lines. But non! He's moving to Switzerland.

Labels: Economics, Europe, Politics

From Iain Murray via National Review Online: Nobel Peace Prize Goes to Destabilizing Force.

Labels: Economics, Europe, Politics

Those idiots in Norway gave the Nobel Peace Prize to an institution that is currently tearing itself apart - the European Union.

How often do you see a Peace Prize announcement with photos of cops in riot gear?

Best comment, from "mbradleyc" - "But I thought they couldn't give it out posthumously!?"

EU isn't dead, it's just pining for the fjords.

Labels: Economics, Europe, Politics

Regarding the post below, it turns out that the news story Ann Althouse and I reported doesn't correspond with its title.

Ann's source, from Townhall Finance: Johnny Depp Flees France Over Tax Hikes. Its source, from the Houston Chronicle: Johnny Depp moves back to America to avoid paying taxes in France.

The Townhall title implies that some change in French tax policy is driving Depp away. Not quite:

However, Depp has now moved his family out of France after government officials asked him to become a permanent resident, as he feared he would end up paying tax in both countries.

He tells Britain’s The Guardian newspaper, “Well, I kind of do (live back in America). I’m between wherever I end up on location, and then the States. (I left because) France wanted a piece of me. They wanted me to become a permanent resident. Permanent residency status – which changes everything. They just want… Dough. Money… I’m certainly not ready to give up my American citizenship.”

Depp goes on to explain that if he spends more than 183 days a year in France he will have to pay income tax in both Europe and America, adding, “So you essentially work for free.” Depp left because France was about to force him into its taxing jurisdiction. Not the same thing as a tax hike. That doesn't mean that French tax policy - or ours - bears no resemblance to Lord Cutler Beckett.

Labels: Europe, Politics

Art: private-sector pirate Captain Jack Sparrow vs. public-sector pirate Lord Cutler Beckett.

Life: Johnny Depp flees France's piratical tax rates.

Labels: Europe, Politics

Socialists win in France.

Time to short stocks in French-owned corporations.

Labels: Europe, Politics

By a museum to be built by the European Union.

The idiocy is so obvious it shouldn't require explanation. No-brainer - the war was fought between independent states. We don't refer to the Middle Ages/Renaissance wars between the Italian city-states as Italian civil wars - there was no Italy then. Likewise, a war between independent states Italy and France (and others) was not a civil war.

Labels: Europe, History, Politics

The times they are a-changin' in the Netherlands.

Labels: Culture, Europe

If you disarm the public, there is no deterrent to crimes like this.

Glenn Reynolds has lots of links.

In The Agora describes a Monty Pythonesque scene: rioters forming an orderly line to loot a sporting goods shop. In comments I suggested that Britain's next Prime Minister should be Terry Gilliam, who directed the dark comedy Brazil: "He seems to have his finger on the pulse of British culture more than a lot of other folks."

Labels: Crime, Europe

Daily Mail headline: Former NHS director dies after operation is cancelled four times at her own hospital.

(Link via Rand)

Labels: Europe