So many opinions, not enough time to go over them
1) Obama's inauguration.His oath was shown live on TV 7am Hawaii time. That happens to be the same time so many people here tend to be stuck in rush hour traffic, so not everyone got to see the 1st Hawaii-born President take the oath!
As for me, after Obama took the oath of office, I had to leave home or I would've been late for work.
However, the bus I took that morning was so fast(most days I'm not so lucky), when I walked into the school's office, the worker's computers were playing Obama's inaugural speech live!
Also, on the bus ride, I passed by the apartment building where Obama's grandma lived until her death. I could see downstairs, people huddled around a TV!
I got to see the re-runs of the whole thing live in the afternoon!
It was history in the making
2) Where was I on 11/4/2008, when it was announced Obama won the Election?
I was at home @ 6pm Hawaii time. I was watching several stations to see how they covered the results.
The TV was on Fox, and I was about to wash the dishes.
Then Sheppard Smith made a special alert! Barack Obama was going to be President Elect!
Obviously, the dishes waited a few hours as I watch history unfold @ Chicago, Phoenix (McCain's concession speech) as I watched pundits on Fox, NBC, and CBS discuss the results
3) Earlier this decade, some on the Left claimed requiring IDs for voting is "disenfranchising minorities" . (Nevermind that the most non-white state, Hawaii, required voters to show ID -- without a problem)
The results are in --- States with voter ID seen INCREASED turnouts in the polls!
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123327839569631609.html
The two states with the strictest voter ID requirements are Indiana and Georgia. Both require a government-issued photo ID. According to figures released by Prof. Michael McDonald of George Mason University, the overall national turnout of eligible voters was 61.6%, the highest turnout since the 1964 election.
(skipped paragraphs)
So what happened in Georgia where the ACLU, the NAACP and other such groups claimed the state's photo ID law was intended to depress black turnout? According to figures released by Curtis Gans at American University, Georgia had the largest turnout in its history, with nearly four million voters. The Republican turnout was up only 0.22 percentage points; the Democratic turnout was up an astonishing 6.1 percentage points, rising from 22.66% of the eligible voting population to 28.74% of the eligible population.
(skipped paragraphs)
The claim that Republican legislatures in Georgia and Indiana passed voter ID to depress Democratic turnout is demonstrably false. But even if it were true, they obviously failed miserably to achieve that objective given the huge increases in Democratic and minority turnout in both states.
I guess liberals will now claim that their historic increases in turnout would have been even higher if not for voter ID laws. But that would be an absurd argument, given the states' performance in comparison to other states without voter ID laws.
With every election that has occurred since states have begun to implement voter ID, the evidence is overwhelming that it does not depress the turnout of voters. Indeed, it may actually increase the public's confidence that their votes will count.
--
If you're truly dedicated to voting, you would get your ID's. Sure getting an ID can be an inconvenience, since you might have to take time away from work. But MILLIONS of Americans of all races have done it! In the bigger scheme of things, it's not the most difficult thing in the world
4) I'm running out of time! Have a nice day
Friday, January 30, 2009
Friday, January 16, 2009
1st post of 2009
Busy month, only now I'm posting in 2009
A few quick things
1) College football championship? Officially, it's the University of Florida! (and Hawaii had the honors of being the 1st opponent of the eventual "champions")
However, there's no playoff system for Division 1-A college football!
Utah was the only undefeated team in 2008! However, they're not in a "major conference"!
Southern California & Texas also have just 1 loss, just like Florida!
There's no playoffs, since the colleges make more $$$ from the bowls. Plus, bowl games like the Rose Bowl, Sugar Bowl, Orange Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, Sun Bowl, and Cotton Bowl are traditions many don't want to give up!
However, it's not a real championship if it doesn't come with a playoff
2) Some parents are paranoid about their children playing with Barbies & Bratz
http://www.salon.com/mwt/broadsheet/2009/01/10/barbie/index.html
I responded to such paranoia, and most of those commenting within the following link agree -- LET THE CHILDREN HAVE A CHILDHOOD!
http://letters.salon.com/mwt/broadsheet/2009/01/10/barbie/view/?show=all
Enjoy!
3) Israel & Gaza
I could spend more time commenting on this issue, but here's a short version
In 2005, the Palestinian Authority gotten full control of Gaza Strip!
Hamas ended getting elected to run Gaza!
Were their goals to make Gaza a prosperous place for it's future generations? NO!
Their goals was to get the Jews out of Israel! So they declared war on Israel, using Palestinian civilians as human shields!
Look, when Mexico became independent from Spain, Mexico didn't launch attacks on Spain!
When Algeria became independent from France, they didn't launch attacks on France! And this was after an 8 year war of independence. But the Algerian leaders understood that they won, and it was now their time to control their destiny!
When Nelson Mandela became president of South Africa, he didn't launch attacks on Europe!
Whereas the Hamas demanded all Jews leave Gaza (as well as all of Israel), Mandela took a different route! Mandela encouraged descendants of European conquerors to stick around and help make South Africa a better place!
The Hamas had a chance to make Gaza a land of prosperity! They don't care about that!
Here's a great commentary on all this
http://www.jewishworldreview.com/cols/sowell011309.php3
4) If the Palestinian community had it's version of Martin Luther King Jr, they would've likely gotten control of West Bank too!
Look, if Martin Luther King Jr. didn't have nonviolent protests, Barack Obama wouldn't be president in a few days!
Does anyone believe that had the African-American community sent suicide bombers to European-American hang-out spots, (which is what Hamas does to Jewish hang-out spots in Israel) that we would be having Obama as the next president?
That would've made the European-American community more paranoid!
Even the Black Panthers, Nation of Islam and other similar groups didn't go that far!
Having Martin Luther King and his supporters showing restraint, showed European-Americans that they don't have to be afraid of African-Americans!
With the various African-American mayors, CEO's, as well as Oprah Winfrey, Bill Cosby, Micheal Jordan, Tiger Woods, the whole Motown family, it made many non-blacks comfortable with African-Americans.
Even though most African-Americans didn't vote for George W. Bush, he appointed 2 African-American Secretary of States -- Collin Powell and Condaleeza Rice. He trusted our national security with African-Americans. That made many Americans comfortable with African-Americans in power.
I'll go as far as saying that Bush appointing Powell and Rice, made US Americans comfortable with the idea of voting for someone of African ancestry to be President!
Imagine had the Palestinian movement took the Martin Luther King route! Israel could've gotten it's 1st Palestinian president by now!
Happy Martin Luther King weekend and remember to watch Obama's inauguration if you can!
A few quick things
1) College football championship? Officially, it's the University of Florida! (and Hawaii had the honors of being the 1st opponent of the eventual "champions")
However, there's no playoff system for Division 1-A college football!
Utah was the only undefeated team in 2008! However, they're not in a "major conference"!
Southern California & Texas also have just 1 loss, just like Florida!
There's no playoffs, since the colleges make more $$$ from the bowls. Plus, bowl games like the Rose Bowl, Sugar Bowl, Orange Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, Sun Bowl, and Cotton Bowl are traditions many don't want to give up!
However, it's not a real championship if it doesn't come with a playoff
2) Some parents are paranoid about their children playing with Barbies & Bratz
http://www.salon.com/mwt/broadsheet/2009/01/10/barbie/index.html
I responded to such paranoia, and most of those commenting within the following link agree -- LET THE CHILDREN HAVE A CHILDHOOD!
http://letters.salon.com/mwt/broadsheet/2009/01/10/barbie/view/?show=all
Enjoy!
3) Israel & Gaza
I could spend more time commenting on this issue, but here's a short version
In 2005, the Palestinian Authority gotten full control of Gaza Strip!
Hamas ended getting elected to run Gaza!
Were their goals to make Gaza a prosperous place for it's future generations? NO!
Their goals was to get the Jews out of Israel! So they declared war on Israel, using Palestinian civilians as human shields!
Look, when Mexico became independent from Spain, Mexico didn't launch attacks on Spain!
When Algeria became independent from France, they didn't launch attacks on France! And this was after an 8 year war of independence. But the Algerian leaders understood that they won, and it was now their time to control their destiny!
When Nelson Mandela became president of South Africa, he didn't launch attacks on Europe!
Whereas the Hamas demanded all Jews leave Gaza (as well as all of Israel), Mandela took a different route! Mandela encouraged descendants of European conquerors to stick around and help make South Africa a better place!
The Hamas had a chance to make Gaza a land of prosperity! They don't care about that!
Here's a great commentary on all this
http://www.jewishworldreview.com/cols/sowell011309.php3
Why don't the Palestinians vote for some representatives who would make a lasting peace with Israel? Because any such candidates would be killed by the terrorists long before election day, so nobody volunteers for that dangerous role.
We don't know what the Palestinians really want — and won't know as long as they are ruled by Hamas, Hezbollah and the like.
Whatever the benefits of peace for the Palestinian population, what are the terrorists going to do in peacetime? Become librarians and furniture salesmen?
So-called "world opinion" has been a largely negative factor in this situation. Nothing is easier than for people living in peace and safety in Paris or Rome to call for a "cease fire" after the Israelis retaliate against people who are firing rockets into their country.
4) If the Palestinian community had it's version of Martin Luther King Jr, they would've likely gotten control of West Bank too!
Look, if Martin Luther King Jr. didn't have nonviolent protests, Barack Obama wouldn't be president in a few days!
Does anyone believe that had the African-American community sent suicide bombers to European-American hang-out spots, (which is what Hamas does to Jewish hang-out spots in Israel) that we would be having Obama as the next president?
That would've made the European-American community more paranoid!
Even the Black Panthers, Nation of Islam and other similar groups didn't go that far!
Having Martin Luther King and his supporters showing restraint, showed European-Americans that they don't have to be afraid of African-Americans!
With the various African-American mayors, CEO's, as well as Oprah Winfrey, Bill Cosby, Micheal Jordan, Tiger Woods, the whole Motown family, it made many non-blacks comfortable with African-Americans.
Even though most African-Americans didn't vote for George W. Bush, he appointed 2 African-American Secretary of States -- Collin Powell and Condaleeza Rice. He trusted our national security with African-Americans. That made many Americans comfortable with African-Americans in power.
I'll go as far as saying that Bush appointing Powell and Rice, made US Americans comfortable with the idea of voting for someone of African ancestry to be President!
Imagine had the Palestinian movement took the Martin Luther King route! Israel could've gotten it's 1st Palestinian president by now!
Happy Martin Luther King weekend and remember to watch Obama's inauguration if you can!
Saturday, December 27, 2008
UH sports update
1) Usually, Hawaii Bowl games are usually close
However, this past Hawaii Bowl was like last year's Sugar Bowl -- Hawaii got smashed, and its QB got sacked 8 times!
Meanwhile, the Notre Dame offense came alive!
Due to the inexperience of the offense, Notre Dame didn't live up to the hype during the regular season.
However, they did so well that they made their usually grumpy head coach smile
Being that most of those players will be back next year, Notre Dame should be able to become great again!
As for Hawaii, hopefully they'll be able to protect their QB a lot better next year! The offensive line was once the pride of UH football! However, they fell on hard times recently. Hopefully, they become the pride of UH football next season.
Most of this year's UH defensive starters are done this year! It will be re-building year for the UH defense in 2009!
Meanwhile, after all the coaching changes of the past year, and the loss of last year's QB & recievers -- UH still was able to make it to a bowl game!
2) UH women's volleyball didn't make it to the Finals this year.
4 seniors have now moved on!
Hopefully, the younger players can pick it up and bring UH women's volleyball back to the glory days of the 1980's!
AS for the men's volleyball team, it hit it's low last year. Can it go back to the glory days of the 1990's and early 2000's?
3) Basketball
The men's basketball team struggled early this season, but they seem to be coming together as a team!
Unfortunately, the women's basketball team has fallen on hard times!
Their coach, Jim Bolla has a reputation for being over-aggressive in his coaching style! It doesn't seem to be helping! If nothing improves this season, he might need to be replaced!
However, this past Hawaii Bowl was like last year's Sugar Bowl -- Hawaii got smashed, and its QB got sacked 8 times!
Meanwhile, the Notre Dame offense came alive!
Due to the inexperience of the offense, Notre Dame didn't live up to the hype during the regular season.
However, they did so well that they made their usually grumpy head coach smile
Being that most of those players will be back next year, Notre Dame should be able to become great again!
As for Hawaii, hopefully they'll be able to protect their QB a lot better next year! The offensive line was once the pride of UH football! However, they fell on hard times recently. Hopefully, they become the pride of UH football next season.
Most of this year's UH defensive starters are done this year! It will be re-building year for the UH defense in 2009!
Meanwhile, after all the coaching changes of the past year, and the loss of last year's QB & recievers -- UH still was able to make it to a bowl game!
2) UH women's volleyball didn't make it to the Finals this year.
4 seniors have now moved on!
Hopefully, the younger players can pick it up and bring UH women's volleyball back to the glory days of the 1980's!
AS for the men's volleyball team, it hit it's low last year. Can it go back to the glory days of the 1990's and early 2000's?
3) Basketball
The men's basketball team struggled early this season, but they seem to be coming together as a team!
Unfortunately, the women's basketball team has fallen on hard times!
Their coach, Jim Bolla has a reputation for being over-aggressive in his coaching style! It doesn't seem to be helping! If nothing improves this season, he might need to be replaced!
Saturday, December 20, 2008
The Police Can't Protect You Everytime
The gun control fanatics like to say "you don't need a gun, the police are there to protect you!"
But the police aren't perfect! They're not robots that appear at any moment of trouble! They're people with flaws, just like you & me! They can't save us in an instant!
Whenever there is a riot or a shooting spree, the police don't always do the most honorable thing!
Sometimes, the police back down in danger, and watch passively as things get out of hand!
1) It happened in last month's Mumbai shootings!
A media photographer Sebastian D'Souza said this
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/world-news/article14086308.ece
But what angered Mr D'Souza almost as much were the masses of armed police hiding in the area who simply refused to shoot back. "There were armed policemen hiding all around the station but none of them did anything," he said. "At one point, I ran up to them and told them to use their weapons. I said, 'Shoot them, they're sitting ducks!' but they just didn't shoot back."
The militants returned inside the station and headed towards a rear exit towards Chowpatty Beach. Mr D'Souza added: "I told some policemen the gunmen had moved towards the rear of the station but they refused to follow them. What is the point if having policemen with guns if they refuse to use them? I only wish I had a gun rather than a camera."
To all you gun control fanatics who keep saying "you don't need guns, the police are here to protect us" READ THE 2 PREVIOUS PARAGRAPHS AGAIN!
The police in Mumbai DID NOTHING even when the shootings were going on! They were just standing around! It was after plenty died, and hours passed when they finally did something!
It's not just Mumbai 2008! It's also Greece 2008, New Orleans 2005, and Los Angeles 1992!
The incident that was shown most on the TV news was the brutal attack on European-American truck driver Reginald Denny! He was dragged out of the trucks and rioters were throwing rocks at his head!
What did the police do? NOTHING! They weren't even around!
Denny's life was saved only because other African-Americans in the area were outraged by the anit-white hate crime, got Denny out of the area and drove him to the hospital!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reginald_Oliver_Denny
While the attack on Denny was seen as "blacks attacking whites", the MAJORITY of victims being attacked at the same time were Latinos & Asians!
In one case, Feild Lopez, a Guatemalan immigrant was dragged out of his car, brutally beaten and had his genitals spray-painted as his attackers laughed!
What did the police do? NOTHING! They weren't even around!
Lopez's life was saved only because Rev. Bennie Newton, an African American minister, got Lopez out of there and took him to the hospital!
The TV news showed chaos in the LA streets and noticed no cops were around!
This encouraged other gang members to loot & attack!
While the 1st few hours of the riots were dominated by African-American rioters, the Latino gangs were thinking to themselves "why should the blacks have all the fun? What the fuck are we waiting for, let's break some shit up?"
By the time the riots were over, most of those arrested were Latino!
Meanwhile, stores owned by Asians (in this case, mostly Koreans) were attacked, looted & burned by African-American & Latino rioters!
What did the police do? NOTHING! They weren't even around!
Some Korean-owned stores got saved ONLY because their owners were carrying shotguns and rifles! They knew the police weren't going to help, so they took the initiative to protect themselves!
To learn more about the LA riots, the social conditions in LA before the riots, and the police INACTION during the riots, I recommend reading "Official Negligence" by Lou Cannon! If it doesn't horrify you, then nothing will!
4) New Orleans 2005
In August 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans.
Even before that, New Orleans had one of the highest murder rates, and one of the most corrupt police departments! Definitely not a stable place!
After Katrina hit New Orleans, gang members took advantage of the chaos by looting stores and beating up anyone who they didn't like or anyone who was vulnerable!
Meanwhile, in Algiers Point, a European-American neighborhood, there were hate crimes committed against African-Americans who happened to be in the area!
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20090105/thompson?rel=hp_picks
Where were the police?
Some left the city, some committed suicide, some even joined the looting!
There weren't enough police to take control of the long-out-of-control city!
It was so bad, that the National Guard had to intervene just so those bringing in humanitarian supplies can come in without getting attacked by rioters!
The prisons were damaged, and they needed to make a makeshift prison to jail the looters!
http://www.komonews.com/news/archive/4163081.html
NEW ORLEANS - As looters filled the streets and shots rang out, the city's overmatched police knew that whatever other endeavors Hurricane Katrina brought to a halt, crime wasn't one of them.
After being criticized for allowing lawlessness to spiral out of control in the days immediately following the storm, police began arresting people but then ran into a new problem - where to put them. With New Orleans' jails flooded, a temporary holding facility was set up at the city's train and bus terminal.
It held only 30 prisoners by Monday, but that number was likely to swell if police from neighboring Jefferson Parish deliver inmates they had held the past few days.
(skip paragraphs)
The prisoners are separated according to crimes. Inside "Cell 3, felony," some two dozen men milled around. Nearly all had been brought in for looting. Any stolen property valued above $300 was being treated as a felony.
"Believe me, we reviewed every case carefully," said one corrections department official who asked that she not be identified because of safety concerns. "These are not people who stole food. They stole drugs from pharmacies or TVs from stores."
5) So we looked at 4 cases, involving different continents, different racial groups, involving different provoking factors!
In all those cases, the police either backed down or outnumbered!
Is your town's police any better! There's ONLY ONE WAY TO FIND OUT! The only way to find out is when it's too late --- after a riot or shooting spree has started!
Until then, your police department can give out PR statements saying "we will protect our communities", but until chaos happpens, it's all just talk!
In any emergeny, in the first 48 hours, you're on your own!
That means the police aren't going to protect you from 1) those bigger & stronger than you, 2) those on drugs, 3) large mobs of people, 4) those who armed with weapons!
So to the gun-control fanatics, still want to tell me "we don't need guns, the police will protect us"?
6) Enough about the police, I want to discuss the Plaxico Burress case.
Burress is an NFL player who accidentally shot himself at a nightclub!
Gun safety isn't as easy as it looks on TV!
However, I'm irritated by many commentary on this case!
Many commentators say "Burress broke the law (on gun possession), lock him up!"
Here is David Koppel's response to such comments!
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122835270947177981.html?mod=djemEditorialPage
Some commentators contend that Plaxico Burress should have hired bodyguards, instead of carrying a gun himself. Mr. Burress might now agree. But people who aren't as wealthy as he is also deserve to be safe, and they don't have the money for bodyguards. New York City needs to regularize its carry permit system so that law-abiding people can protect themselves, especially if their circumstances (such as being a witness to a gang crime) place them at heightened risk.
The Burress case also shows why mandatory sentences are a bad idea. He was careless but had no malign intent. Legislators and mayors like to appear tough by pushing through such draconian laws. Yet the victims are people like Mr. Burress whose conduct may have been improper, but who do not deserve the same sentences meted out to robbers and burglars.
AMEN Mr. Koppel
Also, I noticed many conservatives are silent on this!
They claimed to be outraged when Obama said rural European-Americans "cling to their guns" as reasons to oppose the Democrats! Yet, those same pundits SAY NOTHING when the NBA & NFL place gun-control policies on their players!
You think NASCAR could get away with having gun-control policies on their drivers? NO WAY!
Their drivers & fans (mostly European-Americans from the South) will protest loudly against such policies! NASCAR could NEVER get away with it!
Yet, the NBA & NFL, with many African-American players, get away with gun-control policies! Both leagues have the support of Manhattan/Hollywood/SanFran limousine liberals and they have the silent support of conservative pundits (the same ones offended by Obama's "cling to their guns" comments)
You noticed that many conservative pundits are also silent when African-American rappers are on trial for "illegal gun possession". They didn't speak up for Snoop Dogg, Sean Combs, or DMX when they were on trial for "illegal gun possession", the same laws conservative pundits PRETEND to dislike!
Someone needs to speak up on this!
It's not enough to be outraged when a limousine liberal celebrity bashes rural white gun-owners! As Obama's election showed, YOU CAN'T RELY ON WHITE VOTERS ALONE anymore! The NRA needs to reach out to non-whites! I already see non-whites at gun shows! Why not give them a bigger voice?
After all, the 1st gun control laws were bans on Native Americans & African-Americans from having guns. This allowed the KKK to attack minorities with impunity!
If the KKK was to try attack a large non-white community today, they would get shot at! Their white sheets would turn red from blood!
From an earlier-linked article on India's gun control laws
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122877201598989093.html
One of the big obstacles to gun liberalization in India is the fear that more guns will lead to more violence, given that India is a tinder box of sectarian tensions ready to erupt at the slightest provocation. In fact, more gun ownership -- especially by India's minorities -- might have a deterrent effect.
In 2002, in the Indian state of Gujarat, Hindu mobs brutally attacked Muslim villagers with impunity!
Imagine if the Muslim villagers were armed. The Hindu mobs couldn't attack the Muslim villagers with impunity!
But the police aren't perfect! They're not robots that appear at any moment of trouble! They're people with flaws, just like you & me! They can't save us in an instant!
Whenever there is a riot or a shooting spree, the police don't always do the most honorable thing!
Sometimes, the police back down in danger, and watch passively as things get out of hand!
1) It happened in last month's Mumbai shootings!
A media photographer Sebastian D'Souza said this
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/world-news/article14086308.ece
But what angered Mr D'Souza almost as much were the masses of armed police hiding in the area who simply refused to shoot back. "There were armed policemen hiding all around the station but none of them did anything," he said. "At one point, I ran up to them and told them to use their weapons. I said, 'Shoot them, they're sitting ducks!' but they just didn't shoot back."
The militants returned inside the station and headed towards a rear exit towards Chowpatty Beach. Mr D'Souza added: "I told some policemen the gunmen had moved towards the rear of the station but they refused to follow them. What is the point if having policemen with guns if they refuse to use them? I only wish I had a gun rather than a camera."
To all you gun control fanatics who keep saying "you don't need guns, the police are here to protect us" READ THE 2 PREVIOUS PARAGRAPHS AGAIN!
The police in Mumbai DID NOTHING even when the shootings were going on! They were just standing around! It was after plenty died, and hours passed when they finally did something!
India has one of the strictest gun control laws, but it didn't protect Mumbai at all
From Shikha Dalmia
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122877201598989093.html
After all, what was particularly infuriating about the Mumbai attacks was not just that the Indian government failed to prevent them, even though it had received repeated warnings. Nor was it their tragic death toll; Mumbai, after all, experienced worse in the coordinated series of bombings in 1993 and 2006. Rather, it was that had there been anything resembling meaningful resistance, the attackers never would have been able to stage the kind of spectacle they did. Before they holed up in the Taj and Oberoi Hotels, they seemed to operate with almost complete impunity, freely moving from one target to another.
(skip paragraphs)
But if the hotel staff could take bullets, the question is why couldn't they return them? The reason, as P.R.S. Oberoi, chairman of Oberoi Group, noted, is that none of the hotel's security staff was armed, thanks to the country's strict gun laws that make it virtually impossible to obtain permits. This is also perhaps why the gunmen moved around the city as if they owned it without fearing that anyone would shoot back.
And don't give me this "Mumbai incident was just an isolated incident" CRAP!It's not just Mumbai 2008! It's also Greece 2008, New Orleans 2005, and Los Angeles 1992!
Let's go over these incidents
2) Greece 2008
On December 6, 2008, the Athens police killed a 15-year old boy, and riots spread throughout Greece.
What did the police do about the riots?
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122904354644400355.html?mod+djemEditorial%20Page
But soon the protests turned into ugly riots. Groups of masked anarchists set about an orgy of torching, looting and vandalism in Athens, Thessaloniki and other major cities in Greece.
What was unique about the events in Greece -- as opposed to, say, the riots in the banlieues of Paris a few years ago -- was the total withdrawal of the government and the security forces from the scene of the riots. Civil society was left alone and unarmed to fend off the violent attacks on their property by the hordes of predators. On Tuesday night, one of the worst nights of rioting, more than 400 shops were attacked in Athens: Some were torched, others looted and seriously damaged.
All of this took place while the security forces simply stood by and watched the disaster unfold. They were following the explicit orders of their political masters to assume a "defensive posture" -- which in effect meant that they did not try to prevent the orgy of destruction.
Anyone watching this absurd scene could be excused for concluding that a secret deal had been struck between the government and the rioters: We let you torch and plunder to your heart's content, and you let us continue pretending that we are in charge.
3) A similar thing happened in Los Angeles in the early 1990's.
In March 3, 1991, a man videotaped 4 European-American cops brutally beating an African-American drunk-driving suspect Rodney King! The beatings continued even when King stopped resisted arrest!
On April 29, 1992, 3 cops were found Not Guilty, the other cop got an indecisive decision from the jury!
Just like after the recent Greece incident, riots engulfed Los Angeles!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1992_Los_Angeles_riots
What did the police do after the riots started?
The police backed down!
The commanding police officers told their subordinate officers to get out of South Central LA!
Meanwhile, there were large amounts of hate crimes being committed and videotaped by helicopters!
News commentators were noticing ZERO police were in sight, as rioters attacked ANYONE who wasn't African-American!
The incident that was shown most on the TV news was the brutal attack on European-American truck driver Reginald Denny! He was dragged out of the trucks and rioters were throwing rocks at his head!
What did the police do? NOTHING! They weren't even around!
Denny's life was saved only because other African-Americans in the area were outraged by the anit-white hate crime, got Denny out of the area and drove him to the hospital!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reginald_Oliver_Denny
While the attack on Denny was seen as "blacks attacking whites", the MAJORITY of victims being attacked at the same time were Latinos & Asians!
In one case, Feild Lopez, a Guatemalan immigrant was dragged out of his car, brutally beaten and had his genitals spray-painted as his attackers laughed!
What did the police do? NOTHING! They weren't even around!
Lopez's life was saved only because Rev. Bennie Newton, an African American minister, got Lopez out of there and took him to the hospital!
The TV news showed chaos in the LA streets and noticed no cops were around!
This encouraged other gang members to loot & attack!
While the 1st few hours of the riots were dominated by African-American rioters, the Latino gangs were thinking to themselves "why should the blacks have all the fun? What the fuck are we waiting for, let's break some shit up?"
By the time the riots were over, most of those arrested were Latino!
Meanwhile, stores owned by Asians (in this case, mostly Koreans) were attacked, looted & burned by African-American & Latino rioters!
What did the police do? NOTHING! They weren't even around!
Some Korean-owned stores got saved ONLY because their owners were carrying shotguns and rifles! They knew the police weren't going to help, so they took the initiative to protect themselves!
To learn more about the LA riots, the social conditions in LA before the riots, and the police INACTION during the riots, I recommend reading "Official Negligence" by Lou Cannon! If it doesn't horrify you, then nothing will!
4) New Orleans 2005
In August 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans.
Even before that, New Orleans had one of the highest murder rates, and one of the most corrupt police departments! Definitely not a stable place!
After Katrina hit New Orleans, gang members took advantage of the chaos by looting stores and beating up anyone who they didn't like or anyone who was vulnerable!
Meanwhile, in Algiers Point, a European-American neighborhood, there were hate crimes committed against African-Americans who happened to be in the area!
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20090105/thompson?rel=hp_picks
Where were the police?
Some left the city, some committed suicide, some even joined the looting!
There weren't enough police to take control of the long-out-of-control city!
It was so bad, that the National Guard had to intervene just so those bringing in humanitarian supplies can come in without getting attacked by rioters!
The prisons were damaged, and they needed to make a makeshift prison to jail the looters!
http://www.komonews.com/news/archive/4163081.html
NEW ORLEANS - As looters filled the streets and shots rang out, the city's overmatched police knew that whatever other endeavors Hurricane Katrina brought to a halt, crime wasn't one of them.
After being criticized for allowing lawlessness to spiral out of control in the days immediately following the storm, police began arresting people but then ran into a new problem - where to put them. With New Orleans' jails flooded, a temporary holding facility was set up at the city's train and bus terminal.
It held only 30 prisoners by Monday, but that number was likely to swell if police from neighboring Jefferson Parish deliver inmates they had held the past few days.
(skip paragraphs)
The prisoners are separated according to crimes. Inside "Cell 3, felony," some two dozen men milled around. Nearly all had been brought in for looting. Any stolen property valued above $300 was being treated as a felony.
"Believe me, we reviewed every case carefully," said one corrections department official who asked that she not be identified because of safety concerns. "These are not people who stole food. They stole drugs from pharmacies or TVs from stores."
5) So we looked at 4 cases, involving different continents, different racial groups, involving different provoking factors!
In all those cases, the police either backed down or outnumbered!
Is your town's police any better! There's ONLY ONE WAY TO FIND OUT! The only way to find out is when it's too late --- after a riot or shooting spree has started!
Until then, your police department can give out PR statements saying "we will protect our communities", but until chaos happpens, it's all just talk!
In any emergeny, in the first 48 hours, you're on your own!
That means the police aren't going to protect you from 1) those bigger & stronger than you, 2) those on drugs, 3) large mobs of people, 4) those who armed with weapons!
So to the gun-control fanatics, still want to tell me "we don't need guns, the police will protect us"?
6) Enough about the police, I want to discuss the Plaxico Burress case.
Burress is an NFL player who accidentally shot himself at a nightclub!
Gun safety isn't as easy as it looks on TV!
However, I'm irritated by many commentary on this case!
Many commentators say "Burress broke the law (on gun possession), lock him up!"
Here is David Koppel's response to such comments!
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122835270947177981.html?mod=djemEditorialPage
Some commentators contend that Plaxico Burress should have hired bodyguards, instead of carrying a gun himself. Mr. Burress might now agree. But people who aren't as wealthy as he is also deserve to be safe, and they don't have the money for bodyguards. New York City needs to regularize its carry permit system so that law-abiding people can protect themselves, especially if their circumstances (such as being a witness to a gang crime) place them at heightened risk.
The Burress case also shows why mandatory sentences are a bad idea. He was careless but had no malign intent. Legislators and mayors like to appear tough by pushing through such draconian laws. Yet the victims are people like Mr. Burress whose conduct may have been improper, but who do not deserve the same sentences meted out to robbers and burglars.
AMEN Mr. Koppel
Also, I noticed many conservatives are silent on this!
They claimed to be outraged when Obama said rural European-Americans "cling to their guns" as reasons to oppose the Democrats! Yet, those same pundits SAY NOTHING when the NBA & NFL place gun-control policies on their players!
You think NASCAR could get away with having gun-control policies on their drivers? NO WAY!
Their drivers & fans (mostly European-Americans from the South) will protest loudly against such policies! NASCAR could NEVER get away with it!
Yet, the NBA & NFL, with many African-American players, get away with gun-control policies! Both leagues have the support of Manhattan/Hollywood/SanFran limousine liberals and they have the silent support of conservative pundits (the same ones offended by Obama's "cling to their guns" comments)
You noticed that many conservative pundits are also silent when African-American rappers are on trial for "illegal gun possession". They didn't speak up for Snoop Dogg, Sean Combs, or DMX when they were on trial for "illegal gun possession", the same laws conservative pundits PRETEND to dislike!
Someone needs to speak up on this!
It's not enough to be outraged when a limousine liberal celebrity bashes rural white gun-owners! As Obama's election showed, YOU CAN'T RELY ON WHITE VOTERS ALONE anymore! The NRA needs to reach out to non-whites! I already see non-whites at gun shows! Why not give them a bigger voice?
After all, the 1st gun control laws were bans on Native Americans & African-Americans from having guns. This allowed the KKK to attack minorities with impunity!
If the KKK was to try attack a large non-white community today, they would get shot at! Their white sheets would turn red from blood!
From an earlier-linked article on India's gun control laws
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122877201598989093.html
One of the big obstacles to gun liberalization in India is the fear that more guns will lead to more violence, given that India is a tinder box of sectarian tensions ready to erupt at the slightest provocation. In fact, more gun ownership -- especially by India's minorities -- might have a deterrent effect.
In 2002, in the Indian state of Gujarat, Hindu mobs brutally attacked Muslim villagers with impunity!
Imagine if the Muslim villagers were armed. The Hindu mobs couldn't attack the Muslim villagers with impunity!
Friday, December 12, 2008
Hawaii sports news
1) Last week's Hawaii vs Cincinnati football game ended differently from its 2002 version!
The 2002 version ended with UH victory and a fight!
The 2008 version ended with UC victory and handshaking!
I was at the 2008 version. UH was up 24-10 at the start of the 4th quarter. At one point, a UH player was down. Because there was a few minutes without action, some UH fans started taunting Cincinnati with chants of "over-rated!"
It was bad enough that those chants came while a UH player was trying to get up from the field!
The UH player eventually got off the field on his own!
However, the chants of "over-rated!" has motivated the Cincinnati to play harder, which lead to UC's 29-24 victory!
Next time someone wants to chant "over-rated!", the need better timing!
2) UH's next game is the Hawaii Bowl, where they're playing Notre Dame. Even though this year's Notre Dame is average, it still comes with a big tradition! It's going to be exciting!
3) So far, the UH women's volleyball team is doing well in the playoffs! Will this be the year they return to the championship glory that they had in the 1980's?
The 2002 version ended with UH victory and a fight!
The 2008 version ended with UC victory and handshaking!
I was at the 2008 version. UH was up 24-10 at the start of the 4th quarter. At one point, a UH player was down. Because there was a few minutes without action, some UH fans started taunting Cincinnati with chants of "over-rated!"
It was bad enough that those chants came while a UH player was trying to get up from the field!
The UH player eventually got off the field on his own!
However, the chants of "over-rated!" has motivated the Cincinnati to play harder, which lead to UC's 29-24 victory!
Next time someone wants to chant "over-rated!", the need better timing!
2) UH's next game is the Hawaii Bowl, where they're playing Notre Dame. Even though this year's Notre Dame is average, it still comes with a big tradition! It's going to be exciting!
3) So far, the UH women's volleyball team is doing well in the playoffs! Will this be the year they return to the championship glory that they had in the 1980's?
Friday, December 05, 2008
Hawaii vs Cincinnati -- football Saturday
As I'm writing this (Friday, December 5, 2008 Hawaii time) tom morrow will be the football game between Hawaii & Cincinnati.
Cincinnati won their 1st Big East championship and is headed to their 1st BCS bowl game.
Hawaii struggled in the beginning due to inexperience amongst it's offense players. However, they have gotten better and will be headed to the Hawaii Bowl!
But let's face it, the hype on this game has NOTHING to do with anytime mentioned in the previous 2 paragraphs!
The hype is due to the fact that the last time 2 teams played, (11/23/2002) the game ended in a big fight!
http://archives.starbulletin.com/2002/11/24/sports/index.html
People have said that the fight started due to excessive roughness from Cincinnati. Also, a Cincinnati player sacked Hawaii's quarterback Timmy Chang after he threw the ball and injured him. Shawn With-Allen replaced Chang and finished the game.
The last few seconds, when Withy-Allen "took the knee", it was said that a Cincinnati player tried to tackle him and the fight started there! (for those who don't know American football, when the QB kneels down after the snap, he signaling that he's not going to make a play, and you can't tackle him)
1) That was THE GAME THAT CHANGED HAWAII'S IMAGE!
Back in the late 1990's, UH football team was so junk, it was seen as a joke. High school students (both athletes & non-athletes) balked at the idea of going to UH due to it's "junk football team". People booed when a potential prize included UH football tickets! To make things worse, in 1998, the UH football team DIDN'T WIN A GAME! UH was seen as the WORST football school in the nation!
That made Hawaii, as a state, look bad! It gave the state of Hawaii a WEAK reputation! People stereotyped Hawaii as "soft"
After June Jones was hired as head coach in 1999 (coincidentally in my 1st year as a UH student), we started a winning tradition! No one laughing at our team now!
But what REALLY gave Hawaii a tough, hardcore image was the UH-Cincinnati game! We won a close game, and we showed that Hawaii is NOT scared of a fight!
We showed that Hawaii isn't going to back down from a fight from a mainland team, even one whose inner city had a riot in the previous year!
This was a common point made among many young adult males I talked to the week after the football fight! We were happy that the whole nation knows that Hawaii people are tough and "not to be (------) with"
This image was reinforced after the Hawaii Bowl 2003 game between the UH's (Hawaii vs Houston)! Another fight broke out at the end of a game!
Ironically, the Hawaii team had a few players & coaches who came from the city of Houston. I wonder what happened to them the next time those guys entered their former hometown! Someone must've said something!
Both Cincinnati & Houston had reputations about excessive rough playing, trash-talking, provoking opponents and that sort of stuff! Many UH fans said Cincinnati & Houston had "outlaw programs" and that Hawaii players are "from a culture that don't back down from that"
It also gave a special pride to UH students as in "at this university, we are smart enough to get into college, but we are tough too. We got to school with footballers who don't back down" Sometimes, toughness trickles down. Even people who aren't that "tough" or "hard-core" had the confidence of "I went to this (name of ghetto middle/high school), I went to the tough-guy school, I'm a survivor"
However, other UH fans felt differently about those fights.
Some felt the fights make Hawaii look bad & "uncivilized". They claimed that it will make tourists reluctant to visit Hawaii. Some also felt that it reinforced negative stereotypes on Polynesians!
Some thought those players were "thugs" (I'll comment on that stereotype later on this post)
Many also felt then-UH coach June Jones was too lenient on player misbehavior!
2) I remember that football was the 1st season when I watched UH football games at a sports bar!
Before the game vs Cincinnati, I was thinking "should I go to the bar to watch that game or should I stay home & concentrate on academics".
This was due to Cincinnati being an "average team" at the time. While it ended the season with a winning record, it still didn't have the name recognition like Alabama (which UH played the following week without incident), and it wasn't our major rival like Boise State or Fresno State!
However, the same week, in my Journalism 250 class, we had a group project project to make a mini-paper! The students were to do stories on campus news, sports, entertainment, etc. I chose to do sports, though I NEVER written an article on a sports game before!
So now, watching that UH vs Cincinnati IS academics, so watching that game IS concentrating on academics! :)
I didn't want to pay for game tickets, didn't have press passes, so I chose to based my "reporting" on what I saw on TV.
So there I was at Players Bar (no longer in business, replaced with a Japanese restaurant), watching the game and writing what I saw in the game. I wrote down the quotes of TV broadcasters, and wrote down what time the touchdowns were made (ie. 2:42 left in the 1st quarter)
The beginning of the game itself was exciting. Chad Owens (who I knew personally from being classmates while @ UH) was going to receive the kick-off. He was just coming back from injury, and it wasn't publicized when he was going to return to playing. Even the broadcasters were surprised he was on the field!
One guy at the bar yelled "they should've sit him out and save him for the Alabama game"
Owens received the kick-off and punt returns but made no touchdowns that game! He played with no fear that game.
Later, Timmy Chang had a sprained knee sometime late in the 1st half! It was then assumed Chang was out for the rest of the game. Withy-Allen would be the quarterback.
But Chang came back in the game.
However, during the 4th quarter, after he threw the ball, he got tackled. (once the player throws the ball, you can't tackle him) Chang needed help to get off the field and he was then done for the game!
As for the game itself, it went back & forth, with Hawaii & Cincinnati taking turns having the lead. But Hawaii won the game!
All that made the game exciting for me, the extremely inexperienced sports journalist working on a journalism class project!
But after the game was over, the fight occurred. I saw people who were walking out of the bar ALL OF A SUDDEN STOPPED as the TV showed the fight! I could also hear the UH broadcaster (I assume it was Jim Leahy) saying in a serious tone of voice "This is Bad"!
It was exciting for someone doing a journalism project! I was glad I saw the game!
The next morning, at the UH dorms, I talked to a student who was at the game. He talked about watching the fight, and seeing UH fans throwing stuff @ the Cincinnati players!
At that point, I was jealous of that student! He saw it in person. I only saw it on TV!
That whole week, that was the topic of 95 % of the conversations taking place at UH!
While working on the story in the Journalism classroom, I typed out my observations on the game as all one story. One of my group members gave me few tips -- instead of writing it as 1 story, split it up -- so 1 story would be on Chad Owens coming back from injury, 1 story Timmy Chang getting injured, 1 story on the game itself, & of course -- 1 story on the fight!
That group member was earlier reluctant to write on sports, (maybe not his topic of expertise), but he understood good writing and good editing!
3) Because of that game & the one against Houston, some people assumed UH football players were "thugs"
I was at UH at the time and some football players were classmates!
I thought those "thug" labels were SEVERE exagarations!
Most of UH footballers I had in my class were funny guys who like to joke around! Some were cared more about academics than others! However, NEVER had I seen them act in a thuggish manner! NEVER had I seen them intimidate anyone off the field!
For example, Shawn Withy-Allen, who some said was illegally sacked at the end of the game, which people said started the fight! I know Shawn because I was his classmate. He definitely IS NOT the type to fight over nothing! He is a very nice person! He is a very religious person who is really into his Christian faith! But he is NOT one of those who abused moral judgments.
If you asked him what he believed, he'll be upfront and tell you with no shame! But he NEVER condemned anyone for not being of the same faith! I have NEVER seen him condemn atheists, religious liberals, or non-Christians!
I even remember him doing a taping for his Christian group. He asked me a few questions on sexual issues. While some of my answers weren't something religious conservatives agree with, he NEVER hated on me! He just smiled and laughed! I'm assuming he's thinking "OK, this guy may need to learn a few things" but it's NOT like "that guy is siding with the devil"
Chad Owens (who I mentioned as a classmate) is known as a funny guy filled with confidence. It always amazed how he showed no fear when getting tackled by HUGE guys, even though Owens is shorter than me!
In the Journalism class, there was an ex-UH football player Craig Stuttzman, who is currently an assistant coach! Very well mannered person. Even during the class, when a classmate suggested a reporter ask "if a (player whose name I wont' reveal ) is gay" Stuttzman didn't lash out to defend a former teammate! Very professional.
I also remember in that class Stuttzman questioning a Ka Leo editor (Lance Collins) who visited the class to talk about editorial journalism!
Stuttzman asked Collins "how important is it for you to get your facts right?" Collins was evasive saying his current editorials were more on philosophical issues.
After several evasions, Stuttzman got to the point, questioning the infamous editorial from way in early 1999 in which Collins mocked the UH athletes for loosing (this was right after the infamous 0-12 season), academic troubles, promiscuity and getting special treatment! Stuttzman mentioned that his teammates were upset and emphasized that Collins never "put on the pads and stepped on the field before". Stuttzman questioned Collins in a stern but non-threatening manner!
I also remembered having guys like Hyrum Peters, Chad Kahale, Lyle Castro, Tony Akpan, Jeff Rhode, Matt Manauma, Houston Ala, Ryan Santos, Jeremiah Cockerahn and a few others in my class. I also remembered meeting Ikaika Curran when I used to work at the UH dorms. None of them acted in a "thuggish" manner!
Due to their size and in some cases, their race, the UH football players are easy to stereotype! And their critics stereotype too easily!
4) This is the 1st year of the Coach Mack (Gregg McMackin) era at UH. So far, he's known for emphasizing restraint among his players when it comes to behavior!
Maybe at the end of tomorrow's game, all the players from both teams will shake hands and the audience will applaud!
--
PS: I hope I didn't sound like someone who glorifies violence when describing how some local people reacted to the fight! Someone could've died in the fight! My intention was to explain what people felt after the infamous game! Some sounded like they glorified fights and the "tough guy mentality", but that's what many people were saying after the game!
Cincinnati won their 1st Big East championship and is headed to their 1st BCS bowl game.
Hawaii struggled in the beginning due to inexperience amongst it's offense players. However, they have gotten better and will be headed to the Hawaii Bowl!
But let's face it, the hype on this game has NOTHING to do with anytime mentioned in the previous 2 paragraphs!
The hype is due to the fact that the last time 2 teams played, (11/23/2002) the game ended in a big fight!
http://archives.starbulletin.com/2002/11/24/sports/index.html
People have said that the fight started due to excessive roughness from Cincinnati. Also, a Cincinnati player sacked Hawaii's quarterback Timmy Chang after he threw the ball and injured him. Shawn With-Allen replaced Chang and finished the game.
The last few seconds, when Withy-Allen "took the knee", it was said that a Cincinnati player tried to tackle him and the fight started there! (for those who don't know American football, when the QB kneels down after the snap, he signaling that he's not going to make a play, and you can't tackle him)
1) That was THE GAME THAT CHANGED HAWAII'S IMAGE!
Back in the late 1990's, UH football team was so junk, it was seen as a joke. High school students (both athletes & non-athletes) balked at the idea of going to UH due to it's "junk football team". People booed when a potential prize included UH football tickets! To make things worse, in 1998, the UH football team DIDN'T WIN A GAME! UH was seen as the WORST football school in the nation!
That made Hawaii, as a state, look bad! It gave the state of Hawaii a WEAK reputation! People stereotyped Hawaii as "soft"
After June Jones was hired as head coach in 1999 (coincidentally in my 1st year as a UH student), we started a winning tradition! No one laughing at our team now!
But what REALLY gave Hawaii a tough, hardcore image was the UH-Cincinnati game! We won a close game, and we showed that Hawaii is NOT scared of a fight!
We showed that Hawaii isn't going to back down from a fight from a mainland team, even one whose inner city had a riot in the previous year!
This was a common point made among many young adult males I talked to the week after the football fight! We were happy that the whole nation knows that Hawaii people are tough and "not to be (------) with"
This image was reinforced after the Hawaii Bowl 2003 game between the UH's (Hawaii vs Houston)! Another fight broke out at the end of a game!
Ironically, the Hawaii team had a few players & coaches who came from the city of Houston. I wonder what happened to them the next time those guys entered their former hometown! Someone must've said something!
Both Cincinnati & Houston had reputations about excessive rough playing, trash-talking, provoking opponents and that sort of stuff! Many UH fans said Cincinnati & Houston had "outlaw programs" and that Hawaii players are "from a culture that don't back down from that"
It also gave a special pride to UH students as in "at this university, we are smart enough to get into college, but we are tough too. We got to school with footballers who don't back down" Sometimes, toughness trickles down. Even people who aren't that "tough" or "hard-core" had the confidence of "I went to this (name of ghetto middle/high school), I went to the tough-guy school, I'm a survivor"
However, other UH fans felt differently about those fights.
Some felt the fights make Hawaii look bad & "uncivilized". They claimed that it will make tourists reluctant to visit Hawaii. Some also felt that it reinforced negative stereotypes on Polynesians!
Some thought those players were "thugs" (I'll comment on that stereotype later on this post)
Many also felt then-UH coach June Jones was too lenient on player misbehavior!
2) I remember that football was the 1st season when I watched UH football games at a sports bar!
Before the game vs Cincinnati, I was thinking "should I go to the bar to watch that game or should I stay home & concentrate on academics".
This was due to Cincinnati being an "average team" at the time. While it ended the season with a winning record, it still didn't have the name recognition like Alabama (which UH played the following week without incident), and it wasn't our major rival like Boise State or Fresno State!
However, the same week, in my Journalism 250 class, we had a group project project to make a mini-paper! The students were to do stories on campus news, sports, entertainment, etc. I chose to do sports, though I NEVER written an article on a sports game before!
So now, watching that UH vs Cincinnati IS academics, so watching that game IS concentrating on academics! :)
I didn't want to pay for game tickets, didn't have press passes, so I chose to based my "reporting" on what I saw on TV.
So there I was at Players Bar (no longer in business, replaced with a Japanese restaurant), watching the game and writing what I saw in the game. I wrote down the quotes of TV broadcasters, and wrote down what time the touchdowns were made (ie. 2:42 left in the 1st quarter)
The beginning of the game itself was exciting. Chad Owens (who I knew personally from being classmates while @ UH) was going to receive the kick-off. He was just coming back from injury, and it wasn't publicized when he was going to return to playing. Even the broadcasters were surprised he was on the field!
One guy at the bar yelled "they should've sit him out and save him for the Alabama game"
Owens received the kick-off and punt returns but made no touchdowns that game! He played with no fear that game.
Later, Timmy Chang had a sprained knee sometime late in the 1st half! It was then assumed Chang was out for the rest of the game. Withy-Allen would be the quarterback.
But Chang came back in the game.
However, during the 4th quarter, after he threw the ball, he got tackled. (once the player throws the ball, you can't tackle him) Chang needed help to get off the field and he was then done for the game!
As for the game itself, it went back & forth, with Hawaii & Cincinnati taking turns having the lead. But Hawaii won the game!
All that made the game exciting for me, the extremely inexperienced sports journalist working on a journalism class project!
But after the game was over, the fight occurred. I saw people who were walking out of the bar ALL OF A SUDDEN STOPPED as the TV showed the fight! I could also hear the UH broadcaster (I assume it was Jim Leahy) saying in a serious tone of voice "This is Bad"!
It was exciting for someone doing a journalism project! I was glad I saw the game!
The next morning, at the UH dorms, I talked to a student who was at the game. He talked about watching the fight, and seeing UH fans throwing stuff @ the Cincinnati players!
At that point, I was jealous of that student! He saw it in person. I only saw it on TV!
That whole week, that was the topic of 95 % of the conversations taking place at UH!
While working on the story in the Journalism classroom, I typed out my observations on the game as all one story. One of my group members gave me few tips -- instead of writing it as 1 story, split it up -- so 1 story would be on Chad Owens coming back from injury, 1 story Timmy Chang getting injured, 1 story on the game itself, & of course -- 1 story on the fight!
That group member was earlier reluctant to write on sports, (maybe not his topic of expertise), but he understood good writing and good editing!
3) Because of that game & the one against Houston, some people assumed UH football players were "thugs"
I was at UH at the time and some football players were classmates!
I thought those "thug" labels were SEVERE exagarations!
Most of UH footballers I had in my class were funny guys who like to joke around! Some were cared more about academics than others! However, NEVER had I seen them act in a thuggish manner! NEVER had I seen them intimidate anyone off the field!
For example, Shawn Withy-Allen, who some said was illegally sacked at the end of the game, which people said started the fight! I know Shawn because I was his classmate. He definitely IS NOT the type to fight over nothing! He is a very nice person! He is a very religious person who is really into his Christian faith! But he is NOT one of those who abused moral judgments.
If you asked him what he believed, he'll be upfront and tell you with no shame! But he NEVER condemned anyone for not being of the same faith! I have NEVER seen him condemn atheists, religious liberals, or non-Christians!
I even remember him doing a taping for his Christian group. He asked me a few questions on sexual issues. While some of my answers weren't something religious conservatives agree with, he NEVER hated on me! He just smiled and laughed! I'm assuming he's thinking "OK, this guy may need to learn a few things" but it's NOT like "that guy is siding with the devil"
Chad Owens (who I mentioned as a classmate) is known as a funny guy filled with confidence. It always amazed how he showed no fear when getting tackled by HUGE guys, even though Owens is shorter than me!
In the Journalism class, there was an ex-UH football player Craig Stuttzman, who is currently an assistant coach! Very well mannered person. Even during the class, when a classmate suggested a reporter ask "if a (player whose name I wont' reveal ) is gay" Stuttzman didn't lash out to defend a former teammate! Very professional.
I also remember in that class Stuttzman questioning a Ka Leo editor (Lance Collins) who visited the class to talk about editorial journalism!
Stuttzman asked Collins "how important is it for you to get your facts right?" Collins was evasive saying his current editorials were more on philosophical issues.
After several evasions, Stuttzman got to the point, questioning the infamous editorial from way in early 1999 in which Collins mocked the UH athletes for loosing (this was right after the infamous 0-12 season), academic troubles, promiscuity and getting special treatment! Stuttzman mentioned that his teammates were upset and emphasized that Collins never "put on the pads and stepped on the field before". Stuttzman questioned Collins in a stern but non-threatening manner!
I also remembered having guys like Hyrum Peters, Chad Kahale, Lyle Castro, Tony Akpan, Jeff Rhode, Matt Manauma, Houston Ala, Ryan Santos, Jeremiah Cockerahn and a few others in my class. I also remembered meeting Ikaika Curran when I used to work at the UH dorms. None of them acted in a "thuggish" manner!
Due to their size and in some cases, their race, the UH football players are easy to stereotype! And their critics stereotype too easily!
4) This is the 1st year of the Coach Mack (Gregg McMackin) era at UH. So far, he's known for emphasizing restraint among his players when it comes to behavior!
Maybe at the end of tomorrow's game, all the players from both teams will shake hands and the audience will applaud!
--
PS: I hope I didn't sound like someone who glorifies violence when describing how some local people reacted to the fight! Someone could've died in the fight! My intention was to explain what people felt after the infamous game! Some sounded like they glorified fights and the "tough guy mentality", but that's what many people were saying after the game!
Friday, November 28, 2008
Attacks on Mumbai
Several thoughts on the shooting rampage, hostage taking and other acts on terror in Mumbai (formerly known as Bombay), India.
1) These days, any important landmarks need armed guards 24/7! They might need to be armed with AK-47's or other similar weapons!
Police, while necessary, can't be around at every moment. Their job is to patrol the whole city! They can't be everywhere all at once!
Someone needs to be right there to protect at all times!
Some gun-control fanatics claim that having armed guards at schools, malls, etc. is "crazy". WRONG! Leaving public places undefended is the real insanity!
Once the bullets start, time for negotiation is over! Every second that passes is an eternity in those situations!
You can't stop those people with singing "give peace a chance". It's too late!
It's also too late to confiscate guns from people! Guns are already invited, and someone will find a way to get them!
The good guys need to win the arms race against the bad guys! That's reality! The bad guys ain't gonna give up their weapons without a fight! Why should the good guys!
If a good citizen has a gun and shoots the terrorists on a rampage -- that's good! That's taking initiative!
The police can't be there all the time!
Remember the LA riots in 1992? The police backed down in the 1st few hours! They were outnumbered and they left the scene! That sent a message to everyone -- "it's all yours, enjoy the vandalism". Those who were the wrong race were brutally attacked, and the police were NOWHERE to be found!
Remember New Orleans after Katrina! Some cops left town, some committed suicide, some even joined in the looting! There weren't enough cops to stop the looting
Yes, we need a good police force, but we also need citizens to take initiative! The citizens need to be the first line of defense!
2) Common Dreams had an article blaming poverty, capitalism, etc for the terrorism in Mumbai!
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2008/11/27-10
The recent attacks in India are morally repugnant, but the debate on how to curb terrorism needs to consider why people engage in such desperate acts in the first place. The perpetrators of yesterday's violence targeted two of Mumbai's most luxurious hotels: Taj Mahal and the Oberioi Trident. One night at either of these hotels costs, on average, Rupees 17,500 (US $ 355) in a country where the annual salary is Rupees 29,069 (US $590)
The article also had statistics on how much in India are living in poverty, as well as description of life in Indian ghettoes!
While India has been growing economically within the past decade, it is still recovering from centuries from extreme poverty!
However, what the writer left out ON PURPOSE, was that this incident has NOTHING to do with rebelling against poverty!
If India is 80% Hindu, 13% Muslim, 7% other --- you would think among the millions in India still living in poverty, many would be Hindu, right? And they would doing most of the rebelling against poverty, right?
But all signs are pointing to Islamic extremists!
It's got nothing to do with Indian poverty!
It's probably got more to do with feeling left out as a religious minority, and possibly over the disputed area of Kashmir (which is split between India & Pakistan)!
Some say the terrorists were from Pakistan, but it's unconfirmed so far!
But as conflicts in Africa, Middle East, South & South-East Asia, as well as attacks in Europe & North America has shown, there is a tendency on Islamic extremists to use terrorism as way to make non-Muslims afraid & submissive! They believe that violence is neccessary to get everyone to conform to ultra-conservative form of Islam! That's the politically incorrect fact!
Now, it should be common sense by now that there's millions of Muslims are NOT involved in terrorism or any other extremist activities!
But it is dangerous to pretend that there isn't a disturbing sign of violent extremism within the Muslim world!
Also, it should be common sense by now that criticism of Islamic extremism isn't always racist! Islam is a religion, NOT a race! Any blond-haired Caucasian can convert to Islam anytime, and any Middle Eastern person can quit Islam anytime!
3) It is still unconfirmed that the terrorist had ties to Pakistan!
India & Pakistan had wars over Kashmir in the past!
Those were in the past before both nations got nuclear weapons!
If they ever go to war, billions of people can die in seconds!
It's more important that the US have a missle defense system! Any arguments against a missle defense is DANGEROUSLY NAIVE in the age of nuclear weapons!
Even more so, if Iran, which has ties to anti-American terrorist groups, has nuclear weapons!
I already worry about North Korean missles hitting Hawaii! Let's hope it doesn't go that way!
4) While the following got nothing to do with the Mumbai incident, it's still related to India in some way. I want to clear up some things on the use of the word "Indians"!
People are still referring to Native Americans as "Indians"
While Christopher Columbus landed in the Carribean islands, he noticed dark, reddish-brown skinned people, so he thought he landed in India. So he called the people he saw "Indians".
But this is the 21st Century, we should already know that Native Americans (including all the natives of all the Americas, not just USA) and the people of India are very different from each other!
Yet, even within my family, when the girls were wearing the Native American style hats, people were saying "you look like an Indian", even though no one in India is wearing those hats (unless they're imitating Native Americans)
When I use the word "Indian", I'm only referring to people from India! When I am talking about the native people of the Americas, I use the word "Native Americans". That way there is no confusion over who we're talking about!
It's even more important now that we clear with confusion, especially with increased immigration from India. Even in Hawaii, I'm seeing more Indians here than before!
So let's reserve the use of the word "Indians" for those with roots in India, and "Native Americans" for those with native roots in the Americas!
India & Pakistan had wars over Kashmir in the past!
Those were in the past before both nations got nuclear weapons!
If they ever go to war, billions of people can die in seconds!
It's more important that the US have a missle defense system! Any arguments against a missle defense is DANGEROUSLY NAIVE in the age of nuclear weapons!
Even more so, if Iran, which has ties to anti-American terrorist groups, has nuclear weapons!
I already worry about North Korean missles hitting Hawaii! Let's hope it doesn't go that way!
4) While the following got nothing to do with the Mumbai incident, it's still related to India in some way. I want to clear up some things on the use of the word "Indians"!
People are still referring to Native Americans as "Indians"
While Christopher Columbus landed in the Carribean islands, he noticed dark, reddish-brown skinned people, so he thought he landed in India. So he called the people he saw "Indians".
But this is the 21st Century, we should already know that Native Americans (including all the natives of all the Americas, not just USA) and the people of India are very different from each other!
Yet, even within my family, when the girls were wearing the Native American style hats, people were saying "you look like an Indian", even though no one in India is wearing those hats (unless they're imitating Native Americans)
When I use the word "Indian", I'm only referring to people from India! When I am talking about the native people of the Americas, I use the word "Native Americans". That way there is no confusion over who we're talking about!
It's even more important now that we clear with confusion, especially with increased immigration from India. Even in Hawaii, I'm seeing more Indians here than before!
So let's reserve the use of the word "Indians" for those with roots in India, and "Native Americans" for those with native roots in the Americas!
And NO, this is NOT political correctness, it's FACTUAL CORRECTNESS!
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