Reflections From a Murky Pond

Admiral (Ret) James Lyons has spoken some sad truth about America’s decades-long track record of failure in defeating or even ameliorating the Muslim threat and, more specifically, the threat that the Islamic rulers of Iran pose to Mankind.

NOTE: A H/T goes out to Icbabod for this one. I’m just expanding upon- and amplifying the signal.

The sad part is that, insofar I can see, Adm. Lyons is right. Since the 1970s America has unfortunately been forced into many situations when and where we could have acted to ameliorate or contain the Muslim, especially Iranian Muslim, threat to Mankind, but in each instance there’s been someone there to block those actions.

It’s pretty easy and fairly rational, given their normative behaviors, rhetoric, and attitudes, to believe that the Blacks as a whole hate America – or, as many of them are fond of saying, “Amerikkka” or “Ameriklan.” This is, however, a too simplistic and dualistic position. The Blacks aren’t completely monolithic and they don’t all hate us.

As you can see and hopefully enjoy, not all the Blacks hate us and some have no issues with draping themselves in our symbols and the trappings of Americana.

It occurred to me that not all of us can easily make it to the beach. Therefor, this bikini interlude feature bikini-wearing babes elsewhere than the beach. It’s also twice as long as usual because of the lack of requisite travel time. 😛

I’ve been a lot places across the globe and many of those places haven’t been the sort that one goes to for a vacation. Frankly, many of them have been quite horrific by the gentrified standards of the West. Hence, I see things that others miss – such as the actual state policing in the ghettos.

Periodically and with growing frequency Americans are beset by complaints and rantings from Liberals, Progressives, and Blacktivists about how the police operate in the various and normally crime-ridden Black-controlled municipalities. Such jabberings shouldn’t be given the handout of too much credence but they should be listened to and processed because they’re part of the situation and help fuel the problem.

Yes, there are some behaviors on the part of the police that in the context of normal civilian law enforcement can be described as excessive. Similarly, there are policies in place by law enforcement that in the context of normal civilian policing seem a bit draconian. However, that is all inherently in the context of normal civilian situations and do not believe that context is truly applicable to the ghettos.

I can’t really see anything more than superficial differences and differences of magnitude – for now – between what our soldiers have gone through when they had boots on the ground in places like Fallujah or Lashkar Gah and what the police go through when they have boots on the ground in places like Ferguson and Compton. And the law enforcement policies and the behaviors of the police are similar too to those of soldiers in such benighted places.

True, there’s a happy dearth – so far – of snipers in the ghetto and a total absence – again, so far – of IEDs and roadside bombs in the ghettos. There is, however, other forms and levels of threat to the police and there is the same sort of hate-filled indigenous populations who are uncooperative to the extreme and who view the police as enemy occupiers, enforcing foreign law and control over their lands. And, just like Fallujah or Lashkar Gah, there’s always the credible threat of mass violence lurking just under the surface, ready to hit flashpoint without even a moment’s notice.

Yes, it’s sad to say but boots on the ground are boots on the ground and there’s no intrinsic difference to the situations based solely upon national borders and which uniforms the men and women wear.  The same measures need to be taken; the same mistakes will be made; and the same attitudes will grow and fester.

As this year’s Dragon*Con starts tomorrow and both my wives will be there working – transporting the celebrity guests to and from the airport and generally being their handlers while there – and in costume part of the time, here’s a simple PSA for you all…

Let me reiterate and expand upon this message. No matter how sexy the babes’ costumes are – and many are and will be very sexy – it is not a indication of consent.

Yes! They have given consent to be looked at. Indeed, if you can exhibit some level of manners and discretion, looking is wanted and actively encouraged. In many cases, even a bit of ogling is desired – that is why they’re dressed that way and that is the sort of attention they’re seeking. And yes, they’ve tacitly consented to be photographed if and when and only if and when it doesn’t require they’re involvement in the process.

They have NOT, however, consented to any of the following behaviors:

• Being touched in any manner;
• Catcalled or otherwise verbally assaulted;
• Followed around, especially into elevators and such;
• Stopped to be photographed, either on their own or with you.

If you want to do any of the above – and some of that you shouldn’t want to do – ask politely, showing at least as much courtesy as you would show towards a woman not in costume. Play it cool and respectfully, gentlemen, and you might just be surprised at what these babes will consent to. Play it otherwise and you you might just be painfully shocked by what they, the other con goers, and convention security do by way of reprisal.