48 Comments

• 1. Rasmus  |  August 6th, 2008 at 7:31 am

  Good morning Noonen,

  I see you are up yearly. I don’t think I ever thanked you for your blog. As you know i rarely agree with you but I do appreciate all your hard work, so thank you.

  As for your list I have the following comments.

  I don’t think any of your points make you a racist, but I would say that anyone believing in all those points would be horribly uninformed. There are several republican talking points on there. Here are a few comments:

  3: how much foreign policy experience did George W. Bush have when you happily voted for him?

  11: please differentiate between America and the American government. See, there is a huge difference Noonan. You are not a racist because you think your government is the best thing since sliced bread and an American disliking your current administration is not un-patriotic.

  12: this one is so funny. There is some strong evidence out there that the republican smear machine had prepared 30 sec. spots bitching about how Obama is using the troops for political gains if he had actually gone to visit those wounded troops.

  13: I think the surge is working and that it is a contributing factor together with the fact that the Sunnis are stepping up to the plate now (something they started doing before the surge) but Its not going to make me vote for McCain (if I could vote) because I still think he is wrong in most things, old and in too much in the pockets of big oil.

  15: that’s actually a very empowering sentence. We are the change we have been waiting for. In other words, don’t wait for someone else to do something. You can of cause look at negatively if you choose to do so.

  16: George W. Bush had experience in how to run companies into the ground when you happily voted for him. Obama has run/managed an amazing campaign and when he wins he will surround himself with some of the brightest most innovative people. These people will be free to think and not forced to fit into some predefined agenda that is designed to only Obama’s friends on the expense of the people.

  17: when did the republican smear campaign send you this talking point? So Obama wants to kill our babies, is that it?

  22: they are bitter and you know it. but they are bitter at their government and not just bitter by nature. Big difference.

  24: if you have a conflict with a person the rational thing to do would be to talk about it. you might find that the conflict is solvable. If you don’t talk to him you will never know. (what would Jesus do Noonen?)

  25: If Obama is only preferred by the European elite then the conclusion must be that roughly 80% of Europeans belong to the elite. If 80% belong to the elite then that would undermine your argument that us Europeans are living in socialist countries. You can’t have it both ways.

  29: so he has some money now. Who cares? He didn’t actually make a lot of money until recently. I’m pretty sure someone with Obama’s skills could have made a lot more as a lawyer if he wanted to. Its clear to me that he is not motivated by money.

  30: yes, I’ve seen the picture. Not sure if its true but I also don’t care. Me must have hundreds of campaign offices all over the country. Many of which he has probably never been to . do you think Obama asked them to hang up a picture of Che? Get over it.

  Thanks,

  Rasmus

• 2. Retired Spook  |  August 6th, 2008 at 8:07 am

  If you’re tired of Obama exploiting the fact that he “doesn’t look like the other presidents on our currency and, did I mention, he’s black”, when in reality, he’s really 7/8 white with a good tan, then you’re probably a racist

  Also, the fact that 80% of Europeans support him is, by itself, a good reason not to vote for him. I don’t want someone to lead us down the road to Euro-socialism, particularly when many of the European countries that have tried it are coming to the conclusion that it’s unsustainable. I realize Obama thinks that the only reason it hasn’t worked is because he wasn’t running it. He brings arrogance to a whole new level, and, in the end, it’s going to be his undoing. It’s already starting to unravel, and we haven’t even gotten to the conventions yet.

• 3. Bigfoot  |  August 6th, 2008 at 8:27 am

  My contribution:

  If you think that conservatives should have the same right to dissent from the actions of a president Obama as liberals have from the actions of president Bush….you may be a racist.

  If you disagree with the idea that inflating tires will save us as much oil as additional drilling will produce….you may be a racist.

  If you DARE utter the name “Hussein” between “Barack” and “Obama”, or even the type the letter “H” between “B” and “O”….you may be a racist. And if you’re talking about the late president of Iraq, you’re better off using his first name, “Saddam”. Remember, racism does not require using an actual racist word. A word that can be mistaken for a racist word (such as “niggardly”) is just a bad.

  If you mention that Obama’s father and stepfather were muslims….you may be a racist. If you qualify your statement by saying that Obama himself is not a muslim, this is NOT evidence of not being racist. If you point out that muslims are a religion, not a race….you may still be a racist.

  If you think that “just words” is a trite slogan….you may be a racist.

  And a bonus, for the astonomically-minded:

  If you think that being offended by the term “black hole” is stupid….you may be a racist.

• 4. neocon  |  August 6th, 2008 at 8:35 am

  If you even mention Obamas middle name……..you may be a racist.

  I think voters are realizing that behind the well polished facade and stage craft of this campaign is an empty room. I find it very amusing that Obama labeled McCains gas tax holiday as a gimmick has now proposed giving a $1000 rebate paid from oil profits. And that’s not a gimmick?

  Once again the Democrats have nominated the least electable candidate. Remind me to send them a Christmas card.

• 5. Morphie  |  August 6th, 2008 at 8:44 am

  Another example of Repugs injecting race into the campaign. Good job Noonan and NRO.

  FYI….The most liberal senator is Kerry….. His voting record proves it.

  I think voters are realizing that McCain will be wearing adult diapers and drooling uncontrollably in less than 2 years.

• 6. phnx  |  August 6th, 2008 at 8:52 am

  You may be a racist if you mention that his grass roots funding raining is actually funded by special interest fat cats:

  http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/08/05/america/bundlers.php

• 7. CanadianObserver  |  August 6th, 2008 at 9:14 am

  Also, the fact that 80% of Europeans support him is, by itself, a good reason not to vote for him.

  2. Retired Spook | August 6th, 2008 at 8:07 am
  ———————————–

  Heaven forbid the American voter show some intelligence in selecting an individual respected by other countries to represent them on the world stage.

  Better to make the same mistake a third time and retain the reputation obtained during the Bush years as the home of the ignoramus, eh, Spook.

• 8. Synewave  |  August 6th, 2008 at 9:19 am

  Same could be said for McCain….I see no difference in the candidates on the issue of raising money phnx.

  You may be unpatriotic if you call McCain an old fart in the early stages of Alzheimers. Psyche records anyone?

• 9. neocon  |  August 6th, 2008 at 9:20 am

  CO,

  Please name the other countries that elect leaders based on their world approval.

  I don’t ever recall Canada choosing a candidate based on his favorability in America. In fact, the opposite is usually the case, right?

• 10. Rasmus  |  August 6th, 2008 at 9:24 am

  “Also, the fact that 80% of Europeans support him is, by itself, a good reason not to vote for him. I don’t want someone to lead us down the road to Euro-socialism, particularly when many of the European countries that have tried it are coming to the conclusion that it’s unsustainable. I realize Obama thinks that the only reason it hasn’t worked is because he wasn’t running it. He brings arrogance to a whole new level, and, in the end, it’s going to be his undoing. It’s already starting to unravel, and we haven’t even gotten to the conventions yet.”

  Spookster,

  I seriously doubt that you’ve even been to Europe – You definitely don’t have a clue what you are talking about because everything you say is so unbearably stereotypical. Nothing but silly little on-liners. You seem to get most of your knowledge from Rush Limbaugh and the other extreme right wing nuts.

  Why don’t you go apply for a passport and come-on over to evil nasty Socialist Europe? I’ll show you around.

  Regards,

  Rasmus

• 11. neocon  |  August 6th, 2008 at 9:29 am

  So calling European governance socialist, and pointing out that countries like Ireland and France are implementing financially conservative policies, is being stereotypical???

  Are you an example of European education Rasmus?

  Warm regards,
  neocon

• 12. Rasmus  |  August 6th, 2008 at 9:45 am

  Neocon,

  Yes I am. I’m currently leaning my fifth language which is very much in the European spirit.
  Now please enlighten me Neo, does Denmark have a socialist government?

  kind regards,

  Rasmus

• 13. neocon  |  August 6th, 2008 at 9:54 am

  Well despite a free market economy, the fact the their health care system is 85% supported by taxation and that high end tax rates can exceed 60%, I’d say yes, they are quite socialist. Is that best you got?

  And congrats on the five languages, I am starting my second free market business model. But I guess when your countries are the size of one of our states, learning other languages is more important. Sorry.

• 14. phnx  |  August 6th, 2008 at 9:58 am

  Erasmus:

  “Having experienced applied socialism in a country where the alternative has been realized, I certainly will not speak for it. The well-known Soviet mathematician Shafarevich, a member of the Soviet Academy of Science, has written a brilliant book under the title Socialism; it is a profound analysis showing that socialism of any type and shade leads to a total destruction of the human spirit and to a leveling of mankind into death…” Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

• 15. uffy  |  August 6th, 2008 at 10:20 am

  Actually, I am Danish and thought I would respond to Rasmus: Denmark has a social democracy. You have the great fortune to donate 60% of your paycheck to the gov’t. You have the distinct pleasure to pay 8 dollars for a cup of coffee. And lucky you, you get to pay 600 thousand dollars for a really crappy one bedroom apartment in Copenhagen and that is with rats. A 2 bedroom nice apt costs right at 2 million. Everyone except the older Danes speak English. If you talk Dane to anyone in Denmark they will answer you in English.
  I live in a Danish community in the heartland of the USA. I paid 75 thousand for a new 2 bedroom ranch with an attached double garage. I get to speak my Danish language. My Danish relatives who come to visit me love the USA. They have little use for Obama.
  I didn’t see Obama speaking any foreign language when he went to Europe. I certainly do not think that “yo momma” and “ho” is a second language. I have NO respect for some up start who started his campaign at the table of a known terrorist. I have NO respect for someone who sat in a pew for 20 years and listened to “hate” speak from some demented so called preacher. I have NO respect for Obama who refuses to debate the issues and flip flops on the issues daily. Obama has NO solutions. When Obama came to my state he was lost! He had no clue what city he was in or for that matter what state. The band of thugs he had as security were rude and disrespectful. My state will go Republican!
  The young and foolish who want a nanny state love Obama. They want change…..yet they give no answers to why Obama would be a good President. If you truly want change, why would you go with a politician? How hypocritical!
  Tusen tak.

• 16. Rasmus  |  August 6th, 2008 at 10:44 am

  Neocon,

  “Well despite a free market economy, the fact the their health care system is 85% supported by taxation and that high end tax rates can exceed 60%, I’d say yes, they are quite socialist. Is that best you got?”

  Denmark has a progressive tax system which means the amount of tax you pay goes the more you make. You are right that the high end tax is around 60% but this is somewhat misleading. In reality most people pay between 25% and 45%, and the once that pay 45% don’t complain because they have a good income. Don’t forget that Danish salaries tend to be quite a bit higher compared to the US. Just to give you an example; the minimum salary for someone working at the cash-registrar in a supermarket is 87 Kroner which is 11.6 Euros an hour before tax.

  On top of that we have chosen that everyone has the right to healthcare. The US is already doing it with certain things. Your fire departments, police force, public school system, libraries etc. are paid for by the taxpayers correct?

  I’m from demark and I can tell you that it’s a pretty good country to live in (the weather sucks though). lots of people have their own businesses. In fact the Government give you a tax rebate if you start a business. That doesn’t sound very socialist does it?

  Phnx,

  “…..showing that socialism of any type and shade leads to a total destruction of the human spirit and to a leveling of mankind into death…” Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn”

  Well then it must be true! So you are saying that my little country will implode on itself due to our public healthcare system etc.? that’s funny.

  Both you and Neocon should really try and differentiate between western European countries and countries like Venezuela and Cuba. Don’t paint us all with one brush.

• 17. Rasmus  |  August 6th, 2008 at 10:51 am

  Uffy,

  Har du boet i USA hele dit liv? Hvornår var du sidst i Danmark? Som du nok ved er Obama meget populær i Danmark, og jeg kan faktisk slet ikke genkende din beskrivelse af ham. Du snakker om ham som om han er en gangster.

  Med venlig hilsen

  Rasmus

• 18. Rasmus  |  August 6th, 2008 at 11:14 am

  Hi Uffy,

  Are you sure you are Danish? Your name would be Uffe in Danish. A couple of comments:
  The Government: consists of the Conservatives and Venste (which are right of the conservative). The social democrats lost power 7-8 years ago.
  60% tax: the tax system is progressive meaning you pay more tax the more you make. You can dislike this approach but in reality most Danes pay between 25% and 45% tax (and get a bunch of free stuff for it)
  8 dollars for a coffee is grossly overstated. I would say about 6 dollars for a premium cup of coffee (and bear in mind the dollar is weak)
  600 thousand dollars in Copenhagen would give you a 3 bedroom place (of cause you can buy a much cheaper house in some rural area in the US compared to the Capital of Denmark)
  For the rest, I can only tell you that Obama’s approval rating in Denmark is around 80%. You should read a Danish newspaper once in a while.

  Regards,

  Rasmus

• 19. Tractatus  |  August 6th, 2008 at 11:16 am

  Another example of Repugs injecting race into the campaign. Good job Noonan and NRO.

  And yet in their world, it’s Obama who plays the race card. Funny how that works.

• 20. CanadianObserver  |  August 6th, 2008 at 12:05 pm

  15. uffy | August 6th, 2008 at 10:20 am
  ———————————-
  How long have you lived in the U.S., uffy?

  It sounds as if you have bought the neocon agenda, hook, line and sinker. You may claim a Danish heritage but your redneck views shine through bright & clear:-

  uffy—–”I didn’t see Obama speaking any foreign language when he went to Europe. I certainly do not think that “yo momma” and “ho” is a second language.”

• 21. Retired Spook  |  August 6th, 2008 at 12:12 pm

  Yes I am. I’m currently leaning my fifth language which is very much in the European spirit.

  When you’re surrounded by countries that all speak different languages I can see where being multi-lingual would not just be an advantage, but a near necessity if you regularly travel more than a few hundred miles from home. After you become fluent in those 5 languages perhaps you could take a course in critical thinking. Oh, wait, I guess if you can make 11.6 Euros (about $18.50 USD) per hour manning a supermarket cash register, critical thinking skills are kinda superfluous. I mean why would anyone aspire to anything else?

  I certainly do not think that “yo momma” and “ho” is a second language.

  ROTFLMAO!! Actually it is uffy; it’s called Ebonics.

• 22. Danish Artist  |  August 6th, 2008 at 12:16 pm

  tract,

  again ignoring facts, which you claim to use, and relying solely on rhetoric.

  Barak Hussein Obama or his campaign rarely lets anything go by without making it racial!!

  But continue to wallow in your ignorance and liberal talking points. When you use a single fact, I may take notice.

• 23. Retired Spook  |  August 6th, 2008 at 12:22 pm

  You can dislike this approach but in reality most Danes pay between 25% and 45% tax (and get a bunch of free stuff for it)

  Well that certainly explains why 80% of Danes love Obama.

  I’m reminded of a segment on, I think, 60 Minutes a while back in which they interviewed young people in their 20’s and 30’s from Belgium, IIRC. In responding to the question about the high tax rate, one particular young man’s comments struck me as defining what European socialism is really all about. He said no one minded giving over half their income to the government because everyone made a decent living, got a lot of free stuff and didn’t have to work very hard. That, coupled with Ras’s comments, kinda says it all.

• 24. Retired Spook  |  August 6th, 2008 at 12:27 pm

  And, I might add, it explains why they couldn’t defeat the Nazis without our help.

• 25. OhioOrrin  |  August 6th, 2008 at 1:37 pm

  ok, lets talk taxes.

  if we “not socialist” americans added up all the direct & indirect taxes including:

  payroll - fed, state, local
  fica
  sales
  property
  capital gains

  PLUS

  that portion of prices for goods and services attributable to taxes bearing in mind that in reality, business NEVER pays taxes…

  then how much COMBINED TAXES do we “non-socialist” americans pay?

  40%, 50, 60?

  at what level of taxiation are we “non socialist” americans actually “socialist”? 50% + ?

  the dollar should be taxed only once - when earned thu payroll or dividend.

  when we see the true combined tax rate, then we will have tax reform!

• 26. Poop Party  |  August 6th, 2008 at 1:45 pm

  LETS ENCOURAGE A WRITE IN ON HILLARY AOR PARIS.
  Why not push to get a write in vote for Paris Hilton and one for Hillary Clinton? If you can get even a few thousand youthful nuts and older Clinton Zealots to vote for them instead of Obama it could possibly tip a state or two over to you.
  If we can stop the Obama Depression, Mideast Defeat and US Subservience that will come from an Obama victory then its worth the risk of Paris Hilton’s ego being stroked a tad.
  I for one will be encouraging my friends who are on the fence about Obama to write in Hillary or for a lark go Paris.

• 27. Kurt  |  August 6th, 2008 at 2:00 pm

  While we are on jokes:

  What do Barack Obama and Osama bin Laden have in common?

  They both have a friend that bombed the Pentagon.

• 28. Retired Spook  |  August 6th, 2008 at 2:01 pm

  Expanding on my earlier comment about Euro-socialism collapsing, combined with Rasmus’ comments about what a great place Denmark is, I find it interesting that in 2 short years, Denmark has gone from this:

  (2006) In many respects, the Danish economy is world-class. For two years running, the Economist Intelligence Unit has nominated Denmark as having the world’s best economic climate for foreign investors.

  to this:

  (8/5/08) The Danish central bank was forced on July 11 to step in to provide liquidity guarantees to Roskilde bank, Denmark’s tenth-largest financial institution.

  -snip-

  With the Danish economy already in recession, having shrunk for two consecutive quarters, and with a bleak outlook in the construction and property sectors, the central bank was taking no chances. Jyske Bank analyst Christian Hede commented, “They [Roskilde bank] have seen some heavy losses on their lending to property developers. There is a tense atmosphere here in Denmark.” (emphasis added)

  But, hey; Denmark has a federal government budget surplus. It must suck to have your government not only take a huge portion of your income, but then keep more than they actually need. Sounds like price gouging to me — kind of what you Libs are accusing American oil companies of doing.

• 29. Retired Spook  |  August 6th, 2008 at 2:47 pm

  ok, lets talk taxes. if we “not socialist” americans added up all the direct & indirect taxes including:

  Good point, OhioOrin. Here’s what Denmark’s tax structure looks like. We have yet to institute a VAT or green taxes, at least at the national level, but I’m betting a President Obama would correct that oversight.

• 30. phnx  |  August 6th, 2008 at 3:47 pm

  “So you are saying…” Rasmus

  I’m simply repeating what Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn said.

• 31. Danish Artist  |  August 6th, 2008 at 4:19 pm

  “ok, lets talk taxes. if we “not socialist” americans added up all the direct & indirect taxes including:”

  One year maybe 1999, I attempted to do just that. Quicken is a wonderful tool. I tracked the payment of any tax as best I could. At the time, I did not know the gasoline tax - so fuel was excluded.

  In the end, again without fuel and other hidden taxes that were not itemized on bills, receipts, etc. the rate was 35%!!!

  At the time, I was in the mid middle-class tax bracket. Yes, I did get my tax cut when Bush took over. BUT 35%!, the government gets way too much in taxes and Barak Hussein Obama (Uh oh, I may be a racist!) wants to increase it more! (Uh oh, I may be a racist!)

  The American people need to know what really is going on with taxes. Not the filtered and spun BS that liberals feed them.

  We are still being taxed for the Spanish-American War!!! It is a tax that is on your phone bill that has never been repealed. Taxes are permanent, tax cuts are temporary. The opposite should be the case - taxes temporary, tax cuts permanent! Make the liberals, debate tax increases and take a stand on raising taxes. Make Obama debate and vote on tax increases (Uh oh, I may be a racist!).

  His proposed politicies, of the hour (Uh oh, I may be a racist!), are wrong for this country especially during this slow economy (Uh oh, I may be a racist!).

• 32. Stingray  |  August 6th, 2008 at 5:22 pm

  You May be a Racist…
  August 6th, 2008 at 05:32am Mark Noonan

  I’ll play along with Mark and the wingnuts.

  31. If you have your radio dial set to Sean Hannity or Savage you…may be a racist.

  32. If you think Obama is arrogant, but McCain is not even though McCain starts many a speech with the presumptuous phrase “..as your President…” you…may be a racist.

• 33. Ken  |  August 6th, 2008 at 5:51 pm

  If you want to make that list really short, just sum it up to If you don’t support Obama, you are racist.

• 34. Timetested  |  August 6th, 2008 at 6:28 pm

  If you think Obama is a country club elitist; but McCain with his nine houses, trophy wife and $500 dollar shoes is not than you might be a racist.

• 35. Teafor2  |  August 6th, 2008 at 8:00 pm

  And it’s an amazing country where an Arizona multimillionaire can attack a Chicago South Sider as an elitist and hope to make it stick. The Chicagoan was brought up by a single mom who had big ambitions for him, and he got scholarshipped into Harvard Law and was made president of the law review, all of it on his own hook, whereas the Arizonan is the son of an admiral and was ushered into Annapolis though an indifferent student, much like the Current Occupant, both of them men who are very lucky that their fathers were born before they were. The Chicagoan, who grew up without a father, wrote a book on his own, using a computer. The Arizonan hired people to write his for him. But because the Chicagoan can say what he thinks and make sense and the Arizonan cannot do that for more than 30 seconds at a time, the old guy is hoping to portray the skinny guy as arrogant.

  Good luck with that, sir.

  Meanwhile, the casual revelation last month that Mr. McCain has never figured out how to use a computer and has never sent e-mail or Googled is rather startling. It’s like admitting that you’ve never clipped your own toenails or that you didn’t know that toothpaste comes out of a tube because your valet always did that for you. It’s like being amazed at the sight of a supermarket scanner. What world does Mr. McCain live in? Where does he keep his sense of curiosity? My 94-year-old mother has sent e-mail. Does somebody plan to show him how it’s done and will they explain to him what “LOL” means?

• 36. FmrMarine  |  August 6th, 2008 at 8:26 pm

  if you think earbama is black you may be a racist!

• 37. CanadianObserver  |  August 6th, 2008 at 8:42 pm

  35. Teafor2 | August 6th, 2008 at 8:00 pm

  ——————————–

  Every label the McCain team tries to pin on Obama seems to bounce back in their faces and they end up looking like fools.

  Not only fools, but hypocritical fools at that.

• 38. FmrMarine  |  August 6th, 2008 at 9:06 pm

  co

  THATS why YOU, live in Kanada and WE, live in the US.
  though you seem to have to feed your LITTLE manhood, by posting BU!! S#!T on an AMERICAN conservative web blog.
  I say the frog has a bad case of PENIS ENVY!!

  live with it co, you would never make it here!

• 39. gotbrains?  |  August 6th, 2008 at 9:09 pm

  Deleted - off topic.

• 40. Stretchrun  |  August 6th, 2008 at 9:27 pm

  If you think the Obama’s reminder to check your tires for proper inflation is laughable, but McCain’s reminder a year ago to turn out the lights for five minutes a day is a great suggestion you may be a racist!

• 41. neocon  |  August 6th, 2008 at 9:29 pm

  The following what I find most telling. Not the opinions of our resident Obama sycophants.

  “WASHINGTON - Barack Obama may be the fresh face in this year’s presidential election, but nearly half say they’re already tired of hearing about him, a poll says.”

  http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080806/ap_on_el_pr/poll_obama_overexposure

  And then considering the following, this election is over. Say hello to President McCain.

  Zogby Aug 2008

  · McCain gained 20% and Obama lost 16% among voters ages 18-29. Obama still leads that group, 49%-38%.

  · Among women, McCain closed 10 points on Obama, who still leads by a 43%-38% margin.

  · Obama has lost what was an 11% lead among Independents. He and McCain are now tied.

  · Obama had some slippage among Democrats, dropping from 83% to 74%.

  · Obama’s support among single voters dropped by 19%, and he now leads McCain, 51%-37%.

  · Even with African-Americans and Hispanics, Obama shows smaller margins

• 42. uffy  |  August 6th, 2008 at 9:38 pm

  Rasmus: I have lived as a citizen of the USA for 60 years now. I am originally from Horsens, Denmark. I also have family in Vejla and a few crazy cousins in Copenhagen. My name uffy is a spin off from the word “uffda”. You should have known that right off. Not quite the citizen of the world you claim to be are ya? And coffee is really 8 dollars a cup in Copenhagen and if you think all Danes love Obama you are very young and naive. I travel to Denmark every 4-6 years. When was the last you were there? And you are being very dishonest when you cite your knowledge of Denmark. To blatantly lie about tax that Danes pay says volumes about you. Shame on you!
  I find it amusing that some kid who calls himself Canadian Observer would bash rednecks. How racist! Guess they don’t work up in Canada or contribute up there the way “rednecks” do here. I will take a hard working American loving redneck any day than some socialist or commie wannabe. I criticize Obama b/c he is dishonest and a RACIST. How many videos of hate speak do you need to see to catch a clue? But then, I am just a typical white woman who lives in a rural state and a Lutheran who owns a gun.
  When Obama speaks of the issues and quits his flip flopping, maybe I will give a closer listen to him. As of now, the brutha is an empty suit with a wife who should stay home and bake cookies or appear in a Ludicris video.
  The last I looked, US citizens vote for the President, not the world. The USA has treaties to protect 50(?) countries or is it 60? They should do well to remember that and uplift the USA. This country certainly has been wonderful to my family.
  Gud velsigne og bevare dig.

• 43. neocon  |  August 6th, 2008 at 9:45 pm

  uffy,

  Great post. You completely exposed Rasmus and CO.

  Godspeed
  neocon

• 44. gotbrains?  |  August 6th, 2008 at 10:52 pm

  Uffy: “I travel to Denmark every 4-6 years. When was the last you were there?”

  Rasmus:“I am from Denmark.”

  If I’m not mistaken, uffy, Rasmus is a Danish citizen currently living in his home country of Denmark. Rasmus?

• 45. uffy  |  August 6th, 2008 at 11:55 pm

  Salute the Danish Flag - it’s a Symbol of Western Freedom By Susan MacAllen

  In 1978-9 I was living and studying in Denmark. But in 1978 - even in Copenhagen, one didn’t see Muslim immigrants. The Danish population embraced visitors, celebrated the exotic, went out of its way to protect each of its citizens. It was proud of its new brand of socialist liberalism one in development since the conservatives had lost power in 1929 - a system where no worker had to struggle to survive, where one ultimately could count upon the state as in, perhaps, no other western nation at the time.

  The rest of Europe saw the Scandinavians as free-thinking, progressive and infinitely generous in their welfare policies. Denmark boasted low crime rates, devotion to the environment, a superior educational system and a history of humanitarianism.

  Denmark was also most generous in its immigration policies - it offered the best welcome in Europe to the new immigrant: generous welfare payments from first arrival plus additional perks in transportation, housing and education. It was determined to set a world example for inclusiveness and multiculturalism. How could it have predicted that one day in 2005 a series of political cartoons in a newspaper would spark violence that would leave dozens dead in the streets -all because its commitment to multiculturalism would come back to bite?

  By the 1990’s the growing urban Muslim population was obvious - and its unwillingness to integrate into Danish society was obvious. Years of immigrants had settled into Muslim-exclusive enclaves. As the Muslim leadership became more vocal about what they considered the decadence of Denmark’s liberal way of life, the Danes - once so welcoming - began to feel slighted. Many Danes had begun to see Islam as incompatible with their long-standing values: belief in personal liberty and free speech, in equality for women, in tolerance for other ethnic groups, and a deep pride in Danish heritage and history. The New York Post in 2002 ran an article by Daniel Pipes and Lars Hedegaard, in which they forecasted accurately that the growing immigrant problem in Denmark would explode. In the article they reported:

  ‘Muslim immigrants constitute 5 percent of the population but consume upwards of 40 percent of the welfare spending.’ ‘Muslims are only 5 percent of Denmark’s 5.4 million people but make up a majority of the country’s convicted rapists, an especially combustible issue given that practically all the female victims are non-Muslim. Similar, if lesser, disproportions are found in other crimes.’

  ‘Over time, as Muslim immigrants increase in numbers, they wish less to mix with the indigenous population. A recent survey finds that only 5 percent of young Muslim immigrants would readily marry a Dane.’ ‘Forced marriages - promising a newborn daughter in Denmark to a male cousin in the home country, then compelling her to marry him, sometimes on pain of death - are one problem’

  ‘Muslim leaders openly declare their goal of introducing Islamic law once Denmark’s Muslim population grows large enough - a not-that-remote prospect. If present trends persist, one sociologist estimates, every third inhabitant of Denmark in 40 years will be Muslim.’

  It is easy to understand why a growing number of Danes would feel that Muslim immigrants show little respect for Danish values and laws. An example is the phenomenon common to other European countries and the U.S .: some Muslims in Denmark who opted to leave the Muslim faith have been murdered in the name of Islam, while others hide in fear for their lives. Jews are also threatened and harassed openly by Muslim leaders in Denmark, a country where once Christian citizens worked to smuggle out nearly all of their 7,000 Jews by night to Sweden - before the Nazis could invade. I think of my Danish friend Elsa - who as a teenager had dreaded crossing the street to the bakery every morning under the eyes of occupying Nazi soldiers - and I wonder what she would say today.

  In 2001, Denmark elected the most conservative government in some 70 years - one that had some decidedly non-generous ideas about liberal unfettered immigration. Today Denmark has the strictest immigration policies in Europe. ( Its effort to protect itself has been met with accusations of ‘racism’ by liberal media across Europe - even as other governments struggle to right the social problems wrought by years of too-lax immigration.)

  If you wish to become Danish, you must attend three years of language classes. You must pass a test on Denmark’s history, culture, and a Danish language test. You must live in Denmark for 7 years before applying for citizenship. You must demonstrate an intent to work, and have a job waiting. If you wish to bring a spouse into Denmark, you must both be over 24 years of age, and you won’t find it so easy anymore to move your friends and family to Denmark with you.

  You will not be allowed to build a mosque in Copenhagen. Although your children have a choice of some 30 Arabic culture and language schools in Denmark, they will be strongly encouraged to assimilate to Danish society in ways that past immigrants weren’t.

  In 2006, the Danish minister for employment, Claus Hjort Frederiksen, spoke publicly of the burden of Muslim immigrants on the Danish welfare system, and it was horrifying: the government’s welfare committee had calculated that if immigration from Third World countries were blocked, 75 percent of the cuts needed to sustain the huge welfare system in coming decades would be unnecessary. In other words, the welfare system as it existed was being exploited by immigrants to the point of eventually bankrupting the government. ‘We are simply forced to adopt a new policy on immigration. The calculations of the welfare committee are terrifying and show how unsuccessful the integration of immigrants has been up to now,’ he said.

  A large thorn in the side of Denmark’s imams is the Minister of Immigration and Integration, Rikke Hvilshoj. She makes no bones about the new policy toward immigration, ‘The number of foreigners coming to the country makes a difference,’ Hvilshøj says, ‘There is an inverse correlation between how many come here and how well we can receive the foreigners that come.’ And on Muslim immigrants needing to demonstrate a willingness to blend in, ‘In my view, Denmark should be a country with room for different cultures and religions. Some values, however, are more important than others. We refuse to question democracy, equal rights, and freedom of speech.’

  Hvilshoj has paid a price for her show of backbone. Perhaps to test her resolve, the leading radical imam in Denmark, Ahmed Abdel Rahman Abu Laban, demanded that the government pay blood money to the family of a Muslim who was murdered in a suburb of Copenhagen, stating that the family’s thirst for revenge could be thwarted for money. When Hvilshoj dismissed his demand, he argued that in Muslim culture the payment of retribution money was common, to which Hvilshoj replied that what is done in a Muslim country is not necessarily what is done in Denmark. The Muslim reply came soon after: her house was torched while she, her husband and children slept. All managed to escape unharmed, but she and her family were moved to a secret location and she and other ministers were assigned bodyguards for the first time - in a country where such murderous violence was once so scarce.

  Her government has slid to the right, and her borders have tightened. Many believe that what happens in the next decade will determine whether Denmark survives as a bastion of good living, humane thinking and social responsibility, or whether it becomes a nation at civil war with supporters of Sharia law.

  And meanwhile, Canadians clamour for stricter immigration policies, and demand an end to state welfare programs that allow many immigrants to live on the public dole. As we in Canada look at the enclaves of Muslims amongst us, and see those who enter our shores too easily, dare live on our taxes, yet refuse to embrace our culture, respect our traditions, participate in our legal system, obey our laws, speak our language, appreciate our history . . we would do well to look to Denmark, and say a prayer for her future and for our own..

  I thought Canadian Observer might like to see what one of his fellow citizens is saying.

• 46. Jeremiah  |  August 7th, 2008 at 12:13 am

  It’s no use, Uffy, in talking to Liberals.

  They’ll see one day when the Muslims come knocking on their door.

  Unfortunately, America is headed for the same tragedy, with the liberalism that has blinded so many. Generation after generation, Christian people have sit back in the hopes that the liberals would see, but it was to no avail. And now, their children and grand-children growing up know not the truth, because they allowed liberals who have control of the NEA to remain in control.

  When you don’t fight back…

  Anarchy is forthcoming!

  God bless you, and keep up the good work!

• 47. Rasmus  |  August 7th, 2008 at 5:18 am

  gotbrains,

  I haven’t lived in Denmark for about 10 years now but I go back there about 4-5 times a year. There’s a direct flight from Barcelona (Girona) to my hometown (Århus) and a return ticket is about 70 euros (Ryanair) so I feel quite close to my country. Besides that I still have my family and lots of friends there.

  Uffy,

  The word uffda is Norwegian and not Danish:
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uff_da

  Uffe is a boy’s name in Denmark so I assumed that’s where it was from.

  You have family in Vejle not Vejla.

  I said Obamas approval rating is about 80% in Denmark (why do claim i said everyone loves him?)

  I used to pay tax in Denmark, my family pays tax there and my friends pay tax there. It’s very difficult to calculate exactly how much tax people pay in total because there are some hidden taxes but also a lot of benefits (like subsidies for single moms and other things), but when it comes to Income tax its progressive and the average is around 36%.

  Please don’t question my knowledge of my own country again.

  Thanks,

  Rasmus

• 48. CanadianObserver  |  August 7th, 2008 at 9:03 am

  uffy—–”I didn’t see Obama speaking any foreign language when he went to Europe. I certainly do not think that “yo momma” and “ho” is a second language.”

  ———————————-

  When did you hear Obama use those phrases, uffy?

  Obama may be unilingual but, unlike the current fellow occupying the White House, he is more than proficient in the use of the English language.

  It must really hurt to know that the Presidential candidate most admired around the world is not the one you support, eh, uffy.

  You should be grateful that the U.S. can still produce a leader of Obama’s calibre and when he becomes leader of the free world no one would blame you for feeling a bit of pride in that fact.