THE TYGRRRR EXPRESS

When a relative of mine told me they were going to Detroit en route to China, they expressed a concern to me about arriving to an unknown place filled with crime, lawlessness and danger. When I replied that China is the most capitalist communist country around, my relative shot back “I am not talking about China, I am talking about Detroit. We will feel safe once we get to China.”

When I look at Detroit, I see a city that represents successes and failures that are directly related to the human condition. As a Jewish person, I see Detroit as a city filled with Arabs. It is impossible for me to see Arabs without seeing the Arab-Israeli conflict. My religion is a powerful lens that I look through. No viewing glasses on the world stage are rose colored. I say this because like many, I want to know why Arabs in the Middle East are such a colossal failure, when their brethren in Detroit are such an overwhelming success. In seeing why Arabs are a Detroit success story, a parallel can be made to Detroit’s biggest spectacular failure…a once proud success…the automobile industry.

In the 1980s, the Japanese were supposedly buying everything in sight. Despite the fact that American Television shows such as “Dallas” and “Dynasty” reflected an American mentality that was often mimicked on Wall Street by Michael Milken and Ivan Boesky, somehow Japanese people were not supposed to have the same desire to buy, sell and spend as we Americans were. As GM, Ford and Chrysler began bleeding dollars, Toyota and other Japanese carmakers began thriving. Politicians spoke of tariffs, quotas and other protectionist measures. As a 14 year old I enraged a room when I meekly asked a simple question…”Why don’t Americans just make better cars?”

That was a day where the idea of “free speech” was a myth. I had said the unthinkable. I have never thought that Americans were stupid, lazy or slackers. We are not French. We never will be. Yet if we are consistently losing in a battle we used to win, isn’t it healthy to reevaluate where we slipped off track?

This brings us to the Middle East. Arabs are at the bottom of many world categories, and they used to be at the top. They were the best and brightest. They made valuable contributions to mathematics, science, medicine and literature. They had the strongest military. Then everything changed. The Arab empire fell. Why? Well for one reason, all empires fail. The Crusades happened. The European Christians beat the Arabs, and beat them decisively. The Arabs were humiliated. They then had 2 choices. 1) How can we fix ourselves and get back to # 1 again? 2) Who can we blame?

Regrettably, the Arabs chose option 2. For the last 1000 years, they have blamed others. America is the “Great Satan.” Israel is “Little Satan.” Some Arab nations treat beating their women as a spectator sport. Non-Arab Muslims are “Infidels.” Education is reserved for the rich and powerful, and almost never for women. Beheadings are practiced on a routine basis.

Which brings us back to Detroit. The Arabs in Detroit are the best and brightest. They are educated, and they are successful. They have strong thriving communities, and they are gaining political influence. Spencer Abraham, a proud Arab-American, became a U.S. Senator before becoming the U.S. Secretary of Energy. They prefer living under U.S. law to Sharia law because they see the difference in results.

Which brings us to football. Football works because it is based on results. No one cares what race, religion or ethnic background you have. The bottom line is winning on Sunday. The NFL has 32 mini-empires, and they rise and fall as all empires do. In 2002, the Oakland Raiders were in the Super Bowl, and the Chicago Bears were near the bottom of the barrel. By 2006, the Bears were in the Super Bowl, and the Raiders were in ruins. Most teams make adjustments. Yet the Detroit Lions are consistently NFL cellar-dwellers. Is there something in the uniforms that makes them significantly worse? They play by the same rules as the other teams. Yet year after year, the losses mount.

I do not know, nor do I care how, to fix the Detroit Lions. What I do know is that if everyone around you is doing better under the same system, then you are doing something wrong. Admitting weaknesses and flaws is not weak…it is a sign of strength, which leads to prosperity and growth.

If we combine the best of Detroit with the best of the Arabs, we see that anything is possible. Middle Easterners are not inferior to Americans. Americans are not inferior to the Japanese. Once people stop focusing on excuses and start focusing on results, positive change can occur.

The Arabs have a billion spots of human capital. India and China have leveraged theirs, and improved their world standing. If the blame game would stop, Arab Muslims in the Middle East could join the family of Nations. The United States can be #1 again in the global automobile market.

Dare I say it…the Detroit Lions could…well, one dream at a time.

eric

One of the benefits of being politically liberal is never having to apologize for being hateful.

First of all, I know several liberals who are good people who express principled (usually wrong, but principled) opinions based on a noble belief system and a deep love of the USA. Having said that, this reasoned approach that allowed Douglas to debate Lincoln and Kennedy to outpoint Nixon is not the norm for 21st century political liberalism.

Conservatives look at liberals and say “I disagree with you.” Too many liberals look at conservatives and say “You are a bad person.” When people are demonized for having differing opinions, we as a society are losing our way. Someone has every right to question my beliefs, whether it be Coke vs Pepsi, the Whopper vs the Big Mac, or Leno vs Letterman (full disclosure: Coke, Big Mac, Letterman). What someone does not have the right to do is question what is in my heart.

Questioning the legality of gay marriage does not make one a homophobe. Wanting to privatize social security does not mean I wish to see seniors bleeding to death on the streets. Questioning whether affirmative action succeeds in making things better does not make one a racist. Supporting the Iraq war does not make one an imperialist, a war-monger, or a Muslim-hater.

Are there people who express these viewpoints who are racists, sexists, homphobes, etc? Absolutely. However, most conservatives condemn those on our side that throw bombs. Liberals embrace their most hateful element.

Michelle Malkin refers to these hateful individuals as “Moonbats.” Now I have my issues with Michelle Malkin. For one, she is a happily married woman to someone who is not me. Also, she is too dignified and classy to do a Playboy spread, insisting on dazzling us with her fine mind, gorgeous smile, flowing black hair, angelic…(gimme a few minutes)…

Ok, back to my point. Michelle Malkin calls them “Moonbats.” John Podhoretz refers to a disease known as “Bush Derangement Syndrome.” I personally created the term “Ideological Bigotry” to explain these people.

Right wing bombthrowers such as Ann Coulter get criticized by liberals as an example of all conservatives, even as conservatives are criticizing them for allowing liberals to do this. Left wing bombthrowers, which pretty much includes most activist groups and most democratic politicians, get invited to wine and cheese parties in places such as Boston, Malibu, San Francisco, and other areas where wealthy celebrities get to rail on about the evils of American capitalism and wealth.

It is one thing for private citizens to lob grenades. It is one thing for Hollywood celebrities to speak their empty minds. It is another for leaders of an entire political movement to resort to such discourse. Here are some great quotes:

“This election is a choice between good and evil. Do we want to be part of the forces of good, or the forces of evil?”

“He betrayed his country.”

“The President is a loser and a liar.”

“Republicans are basically a white Christian party. I hate everything they stand for.”

“This war is unconscionable.”

“This President misled us into war.”

“The republicans ran the house like a plantation, and you know what I’m talking about.”

The first two quotes are Al Gore, accusing President Bush of treason and calling Bush supporters evil. Harry Reid, currently involved in a scandal in Nevada involving boxing tickets, insulted the President. Howard Dean attacked all republicans. Robert “KKK” Byrd claims to be the conscience of the senate democrats. John Kerry and Hillary Clinton round out the quotes with slurs of lying and racism.

This is hate speech. President Bush and Vice President Cheney simply do not act this way. Class and dignity are not archaic concepts. They are values. It is possible to disagree with people without impugning them as human beings. Conservatives, especially those in leadership positions, understand this.

I say this because as the son of a Holocaust survivor, I am shocked at how liberals do not see how dangerous the verbal hatred train can become when it rolls down the track. Once you dehumanize your political opponent, they are fair game for violence. This is how cars get keyed, newspapers get burned, and good individuals get destroyed. A black person who becomes politically conservative is referred to as an “Uncle Tom,” and must duck Oreo cookies being thrown his or her way. A Jewish Republican at a Jewish party is forced to hide their opinions in fear of verbal and physical attacks. Gay people are out of the closet, but Jewish Conservatives live with “Don’t ask, don’t tell.”

One Jewish liberal at a dinner party I recently attended expressed that she wished President Bush and his supporters were “Flammable.” Flammable! Advocating setting people on fire is called lynching. Except for Robert Byrd, I do not know anyone that has ever belonged to an organization that supported lynching people. Replace “Bush” with “Jesse Jackson,” and riots develop in the streets. Advocating the lynching of republicans is treated as a “joke,” followed by sips of wine and a prayer service containing words such as “peace” and “tolerance.”

Until mainstream liberals, which actually do exist, loudly condemn such ideological bigotry, they will be lumped in with all bigoted liberals, and rightfully so.

Disagree with me. Disagree with my President. Heck, disagree with Michelle Malkin (day-dreamy siggghhhhhh) if you have to do so. Calling republicans “evil” or “moronic” (which are totally contradictory, but then again hate speech is not logical) is pointless. Attacking Rush Limbaugh for being overweight, Michelle Malkin for being Asian, or President Bush for being an Evangelical Christian goes against the betterment of society.

The goal is to make the world a better place. Until liberals see conservatives as a noble opposition, they will continue to live in the intellectual, ethical, and political wilderness reserved for those who prefer rage, hatred and anger to rolling up sleeves and creating solutions to improve the quality of life.

If it truly does take a village, then people should avoid the incendiary verbal devices that burn the village down, eventually emotionally killing those starting the fires.

I remain a happy, dedicated conservative, and I ask all liberals and conservatives to help me in fighting the scourge of ideological bigotry. Conservatives have already agreed.

Well liberals? What say ye?

eric