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In the wake of the shooting in San Bernardino, we get into the “thoughts and prayers” debate that broke out last night after the NY Daily News published its provocative front page.
Then, Dinesh D’Souza joins to discuss his new book Stealing America: What My Experience with Criminal Gangs Taught Me about Obama, Hillary, and the Democratic Party and get into detail about his experiences while incarcerated in a halfway house in Texas. But that’s not all — the great Garry Kasparov calls in to talk about his book Winter Is Coming: Why Vladimir Putin and the Enemies of the Free World Must Be Stopped. His comments on Putin and Russia’s place in the world are not to be missed. Finally, a meditation of Chick-fil-A courtesy of Ricochet member Olive and her post The Roaring Success of Chick-fil-A in New York City.
Music from this week’s episode:
Dear God by XTC
The opening sequence for the Ricochet Podcast was composed and produced by James Lileks.
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That Stephen Hawking/ astrophysics segue had me totally fooled- I thought it was heading for a Harry’s Shave reference, but no…
Interesting to consider D’Souza’s observations on the criminals he met and Kasparov’ observations on Putin in combination with Kotkin’s observations on Stalin in his book (and in the video interview on Uncommon Knowlegde by Peter) and Saul Alinsky’s Rules for Radicals. Kotkin was surprised to discover Stalin really believed he was building a better society and not the cynical thug the West took him to be, though every bit as cold and brutal. Putin is the guy we thought Stalin was – pure power and control with no grand philosophy; using “higher goals” just to manipulate.
D’Souza was exposed to the “small fry” who got caught while the power players remain untouched. But Saul Alinsky’s rules were developed based on his study of Al Capone and how the mob infiltrated and took control of organizations, setting up “fall guys”, claiming to be there to help when actually undermining the natural leaders and seizing control but obscuring who was really in control. Not that different from the high-minded ideals shrouding efforts designed entirely to centralize control and funds. This explains why the willingness to ignore contrary evidence and facts. It is not a battle of ideas. It is whatever gains traction to gain more control. It is, quite literally, a criminal mindset.
I think the Daily News headline is a reference to what the Dalai Lama said in a recent interview:
(Then again, the Dalai Lama also identifies as a Marxist…)
That’s a fine point. I’ve been rethinking about Stalin since I listened to Kotkin’s podcast. What if every horrible dictator believes their own hype? Thatwould means that Putin believes his own hype. He genuinely believes invading Ukraine is a decent and just thing.
In the West we view that aggression as naked self-interest. And it is, but the main point is the self-justification.
I grew up in NY in the 1960’s and 70’s. Back then the NY Post was a very liberal paper and the NY Daily News was the conservative NY paper. They also screwed Gerald Ford by printing on front page “Ford to NY:Drop Dead”, which might have cost him election as race in NY between him and Carter was surprisingly close. They had nerve to endorse Ford after that headline.
While the left bangs their spoons on their highchairs thy seem to have forgotten that humanity has been slaughtering each other by the millions for all of recorded history. What makes them thing that eliminating one tool of mayhem is going to fundamentally change this?
Further, with a decent couple of shop tools guns aren’t that hard to make. With the advent of 3D printing it’s even easier. Heck, I bet in a few years consumer grade electronics will make home made railguns possible.
Kasparov is one of my admittedly few heroes. Enjoyed hearing him.
Lileks’ rant on “The Gun Scourge” was spot-on.
My question: What do we really do- im Ernst- if the Obamoids actually, truly decide to confiscate guns?
“It forced me to revise my thinking.”- The ability to do this is the key distinction between conservatives (who can do this) and leftists (who cannot).
“Modern American academics are Confederate dirt farmers”- terrific!
And Dinesh D’Souza also makes a great point about the Democrats being responsible for the evils that they want to pen on America as a whole. I will use it the next opportunity I get.