The Sharia Bake Sale.

Waking up the university students:

Before getting a crack at the brownies, potential customers are quizzed about their religious beliefs. Inquiries about matters of conscience may offend hungry passers-by who take for granted the freedoms enshrined in Western constitutions — and this is precisely the point. Such objections afford an opportunity to explain that in nations governed by sharia, the personal is political and one’s faith is the chief determinant of social status.

To this end, those who wish to play along are divided according to religion. Muslims — actually, Muslim men — are sold brownies at the price of one dollar each. Christians and Jews, so-called “People of the Book,” are instructed to line up at a small, adjoining table and wait. All others are declined service, with organizers citing limited supplies. These provisions mimic sharia’s treatment of dhimmis, the term for Christians and Jews who are granted official protection under Islamic law but enjoy far fewer rights than their Muslim neighbors. Other non-Muslims enjoy fewer still.

Expanding on this theme, people on the dhimmi line are charged two dollars for their treats. The added fee represents the jizya, the tax imposed on non-Muslims in conformity with Koran 9:29 and Sahih Muslim 19:4294. These customers also receive poor service and smaller-than-average portions, thereby satisfying the Koranic requirement that they “feel themselves subdued.”

Finally, brownies are sold to Muslim women at a cost of three dollars, a nod to the institutionalized oppression that Phyllis Chesler has aptly labeled “gender apartheid.”

sharia Islam jihad terrorism

‘We should not be reluctant to assert the superiority of Western values’ ...

This was the motion presented for debate by Ibn Warraq in London last Tuesday. Tariq Ramadan opposed it. Read all about it here and here.

The results:
Before:
For the motion 313; Against the motion 221; Don’t Know 207
After:
For the motion 465; Against the motion 264; Don’t Know 18

Quote of the day: ‘I don’t want to live in a society where I get stoned for committing adultery. I want to live in a society where I get stoned. And then commit adultery.’ Ibn Warraq

Ibn Warraq Islam Tariq Ramadan Western values debate

My job's giving me a heart attack!

"When Helen Smith had a heart attack at age 37, she was in shock. She was young, healthy and in tip-top shape. There'd been no warning signs. She had no family history of heart disease.

It was no little heart attack, either. It was a big one, she says, that forced her to take drugs and wear a pacemaker for the rest of her life. What in the world, Smith wondered, had caused the heart attack? And, more important, what could she do to make sure she didn't have another one?"

Read more about it here.

Stress does harm your heart, so beware (especially women, who seem to be more vulnerable to the effects of stress!). By the way, blogging may be beneficial to your health!!!!

heart attack stress Helen Smith benefits of blogging

EU demographics.

"There are currently more elderly people than children living in the EU, as Europe's young population has decreased by 21 percent - or 23 million -- in 25 years, 10 percent of which in the last ten years alone. ... Despite these figures, the EU population has grown by 8.2% over the last 27 years, now reaching almost 500 million. This paradox can mostly be explained by an ever increasing number of immigrants coming to the EU. Last year alone, 75% of the population growth was the result of immigration flows, says the report." Read the whole article.

Europe demographics dying Europe immigration

The Christian-Muslim dialog.

The Pope pursued his attempts for a Christian-Muslim dialog and he just got a reply from 138 leading Muslim scholars: "As Muslims, we say to Christians that we are not against them and that Islam is not against them - so long as they do not wage war against Muslims on account of their religion, oppress them and drive them out of their homes."

Read the letter here.

global war on terror Islam Christianity jihad Muslim

EUrocrats not happy with Poland.

"The Poles are used to being lectured by the Eurocrats in Brussels. Last April, the European Parliament accused Poland of 'homophobia' because it does not want to include homosexuality in the school curriculum. Last May, the European Court of Human Rights found Poland guilty of violating human rights because it banned a "gay pride" parade in Warsaw. Last year, the European Commission threatened to deprive Warsaw of its voting rights in the European institutions if it remained in "serious breach of its obligations on human rights." Read the whole editorial.

Poland European Union Christianity open society

Wajda's Katyn, continued.

Every Polish soldier is expected to see Andrzej Wajda's movie "Katyń" by December 15.

Minister of National Defense Aleksander Szczygło: "I would like the soldiers to see the movie on duty and in their uniforms. They have to see what their colleagues, who served in the Polish Army of the independent Republic of Poland, died for – that they died for wearing a Polish uniform.”

Aleksander Szczygło Wajda Katyn Polish soldier Poland

On Afghanistan, "the Germans are eager to distance themselves from the United States in public debates

...insisting that, unlike the Americans, the Germans are mainly involved in civilian reconstruction assistance. But this is precisely where Germany has failed miserably -- in developing the Afghan police force (more...), for example, for which Berlin has assumed primary responsibility. After visiting Afghanistan in the summer, a delegation of members of the Bundestag concluded that the work of the German contingent has been disastrous." Read the whole article.

global war on terror Afghanistan Germany

Death and destruction.

Islamists damage giant rock Buddha.

global war on terror Islam jihadists Pakistan Buddha

Fumbling victory: allow the enemy one last great blow before the end.

Excerpt from J.R. Dunn's The Problems of Victory:

Consider the Jihadis. They opened up this conflict through a surprise blow designed as much to make an impression as to cause damage. With two strikes at the very centers of American power, the Jihadis succeeded where the Soviets, Chinese, and North Koreans failed, despite all their bombers and ICBMs. The Jihadis have attempted to duplicate or even surpass these strikes since, with no real success, though they have struck serious blows in London, Madrid, and Bali.

Now consider the situation, from the viewpoint of an Islamist mujahaddin. Until even as late as six months ago, the Jihadis had Iraq in the bag. They had stymied all attempts to provide security to the Iraqi people. They killed where they wanted, when they wanted, and as many as they wanted, and as often as not, got clean away with it. Through a series of carefully measured atrocities, including the attack on the Golden Temple, they came very close to triggering an ethnic civil war in Iraq, a development which would have given them their victory by default.

Now all that is ended. They are being turned out of the same country where, only months ago, they proclaimed their new "caliphate". Their erstwhile Iraqi allies have turned on them. The infidels are about to hand them a humiliation even greater than that meted out to the Taliban in December 2001.

How likely are they to take that sitting down? And what would they do if they decided not to?

The next move on the Iraq chessboard may occur continents away. The Jihadis cannot take a public whipping in the Middle East without responding, and responding as ferociously and brutally as they know how.

The question of where they'll strike is one easily answered: wherever they find a soft target. One that in some way represents America and will cause the maximum amount of damage and uproar. It could be in Europe, in could be in Asia, it could be down the street from where you're reading this.

global war on terror Iraq World War IV Long War jihadists

Today is General Pulaski Memorial Day in the US.

General Pulaski Memorial Day, 2007
A Proclamation by the President of the United States of America

White House News

More than two hundred years after the death of General Casimir Pulaski, we honor the life and legacy of a Polish patriot and American Revolutionary War soldier who made the ultimate sacrifice for freedom.

Casimir Pulaski first demonstrated his devotion to the cause of liberty while defending his native Poland and earned a reputation for courage and resolve. He later met Benjamin Franklin in Paris and learned of America's struggle for independence. Inspired by freedom's call, Pulaski joined General George Washington in the American Revolution in 1777 and was soon commissioned as a Brigadier General. General Pulaski recruited and trained a special corps of American, Polish, Irish, French, and German troops, and he became known as "the Father of the American Cavalry." Although he was mortally wounded at the siege of Savannah in 1779, his legacy lives on.

As we celebrate General Pulaski Memorial Day, we honor a son of Poland who stood with our country at the dawn of our independence. Casimir Pulaski's determined efforts in Poland and America remind us of the great contributions Polish Americans have made to our country. Today, we recognize the enduring bond between the Polish and American people, and we are grateful for Poland's efforts in support of freedom and democracy in Afghanistan and Iraq and in the global war on terror.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim October 11, 2007, as General Pulaski Memorial Day. I urge Americans to commemorate this occasion with appropriate activities and ceremonies honoring General Casimir Pulaski and all those who defend our freedom.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this tenth day of October, in the year of our Lord two thousand seven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-second.

GEORGE W. BUSH

American Revolution Casimir Pulaski General Pulaski Memorial Day Poland

The First Lady speaks...

It is 2 a.m. in Rangoon, Burma. In the middle of the tropical night, army troops pour into the neighborhood surrounding a peaceful Buddhist monastery. The soldiers occupy nearby homes, so that residents will not peek through their windows or go outside to witness the raid. Troops then storm the monastery, brutalizing, terrorizing and arresting the monks inside.

Eventually the monks are imprisoned inside Rangoon's former Government Technical Institute. According to one eyewitness, hundreds are crammed into each room. They have no access to toilets or sanitary facilities. Many of the monks refuse food from their military jailers. There is no space to lie down and sleep.

These are the stories of Burma's "Saffron Revolution." The protests that started a few weeks ago with a 500% spike in regime-controlled gas prices have now unleashed 19 years of pent-up national anger. As the demonstrations play out on front pages, computer monitors, and TV screens across the globe, millions of people have been inspired by the sea of orange-robed Buddhist monks standing up to the military dictatorship.

Millions have also been stunned by the junta's shameful response: nonviolent demonstrators struck down with batons, tear gas, smoke grenades and bullets; civilians, including children, seized at random; innocent men and women slain.

The generals' reign of fear has subdued the protests--for now. But while the streets of Burma may be eerily quiet, the hearts of the Burmese people are not: 2007 is not 1988, when the regime's last major anti-democracy crackdown killed 3,000 and left the junta intact. Today, people everywhere know about the regime's atrocities. They are disgusted by the junta's abuses of human rights. This swelling outrage presents the generals with an urgent choice: Be part of Burma's peaceful transition to democracy, or get out of the way for a government of the Burmese people's choosing.
Whatever last shred of legitimacy the junta had among its own citizens has vanished. The regime's stranglehold on information is slipping; thanks to new technologies, people throughout Burma know about the junta's assaults. The public mood is said to be "a mixture of fear, depression, hopelessness, and seething anger." According to reports from Rangoon, "The regime's heavy-handed tactics against the revered clergy and peaceful demonstrators have turned many of the politically neutral in favor of the recent demonstrators."

The international community, too, is distancing itself. On Saturday, during a "Global Day of Action for Burma," thousands of people marched through dozens of cities--from Kuala Lumpur to London, Sydney to Paris--in solidarity with the monks. Spiritual leaders, including Pope Benedict XVI and the Dalai Lama, have enlisted millions of faithful to pray for peace and justice in Burma.

Governments from Spain to Estonia to Panama to Australia have voiced their disapproval. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations has denounced the generals' actions as "repulsive." Burma's neighbor, Malaysia, has urged the regime to hold "unconditional" talks with Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of Burma's popularly elected National League for Democracy party. India, one of Burma's closest trading partners, has called for an inquiry into the regime's crackdown, and encouraged the junta to hasten the process of political reform.

On Friday, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon described the regime's violent repression as "abhorrent and unacceptable." Yesterday, Mr. Ban called me to say that he will send the U.N.'s special envoy to Burma, Ibrahim Gambari, back to the region "as soon as possible." Mr. Gambari will coordinate with Burma's neighboring governments, encouraging them to use their influence with the junta to bring about a transfer of power.

And last week, the United States led an effort to put Burma, for the first time in history, on the agenda of the U.N. Security Council. The United States expects that the Security Council--especially permanent members Russia and China, who typically support Burma's military dictatorship--will keep pressure on the regime.

The junta has also shut itself off economically. Money talks--and we know it speaks to those who rule the country, Gen. Than Shwe and his deputies. One of last week's more promising developments was the general's statement indicating, for the first time, his willingness to meet with Ms. Suu Kyi--but on the condition that she "stop calling for economic sanctions." The junta is feeling the financial squeeze.

The economic pressure will only grow more intense. Last week, the European Union tightened its sanctions against the regime; over the weekend, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown called for harsher measures. Amid growing outrage over the murder of a Japanese journalist, Japan--one of the largest providers of aid to Burma--is likely to suspend assistance.

President Bush has directed the U.S. Treasury Department to freeze the assets of 14 senior members of the Burmese junta. Our State Department has identified top junta officials and their immediate families--more than 200 people--as subject to a ban on entry into the U.S., and President Bush is preparing further U.S. sanctions against the dictatorship.

Gen. Than Shwe and his deputies are a friendless regime. They should step aside to make way for a unified Burma governed by legitimate leaders. The rest of the armed forces should not fear this transition--there is room for a professional military in a democratic Burma. In fact, one of Burma's military heroes was also a beloved champion of Burmese freedom: General Aung San, the late father of Aung San Suu Kyi.
As part of a peaceful transition process, the generals must immediately stop their terror campaigns against their own people. They must commit to a meaningful, unrestricted dialogue with Aung San Suu Kyi and other opposition leaders--including the demonstrating monks, the 88 Generation Students and members of Ms. Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party. The junta has taken a small, promising first step by appointing its deputy labor minister as a liaison to Ms. Suu Kyi. Now, the regime must release her--and all members of the political opposition--so they can meet and plan a strategy for Burma's transition to democracy.

Meanwhile, the world watches--and waits. We know that Gen. Than Shwe and his deputies have the advantage of violent force. But Ms. Suu Kyi and other opposition leaders have moral legitimacy, the support of the Burmese people and the support of the world. The regime's position grows weaker by the day. The generals' choice is clear: The time for a free Burma is now.

UPDATE:

"When the first lady speaks, apparently not just her husband listens. Tuesday, she received a call from U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, urging her to continue her efforts. He also promised that he would send the U.N.'s special envoy back to the region as soon as possible and would encourage neighboring countries to pressure Burmese leaders to shift power to a democratic form of government.

President Bush, meanwhile, has increased economic pressure on Burma, directing the U.S. Treasury Department to freeze assets of 14 senior members of the Burmese junta. Europe also has tightened sanctions.

Hating juntas and demanding freedom for monks and women warriors for democracy may not be the riskiest political move in American history. But Mrs. Bush's voice has hit the right note and telegraphs to those in danger and despair that through her they have the ear of the world's most powerful leader."

Here's the whole article.

Burma Laura Bush

Salman Rushdie and Sam Harris on Ayaan Hirsi Ali: the first refugee from Western Europe since the Holocaust.

As someone pointed out, Hirsi Ali is not the first refugee from Europe post-Holocaust (how about those fleeing the Iron Curtain?). Still, shame on the Dutch! Sam Harris and Salman Rushdie write:

It is important to realize that Ms. Hirsi Ali may be the first refugee from Western Europe since the Holocaust. As such, she is a unique and indispensable witness to both the strength and weakness of the West: to the splendor of open society, and to the boundless energy of its antagonists. She knows the challenges we face in our struggle to contain the misogyny and religious fanaticism of the Muslim world, and she lives with the consequences of our failure each day. There is no one in a better position to remind us that tolerance of intolerance is cowardice.

Having recapitulated the Enlightenment for herself in a few short years, Hirsi Ali has surveyed every inch of the path leading out of the moral and intellectual wasteland that is traditional Islam. She has written two luminous books describing her journey, the most recent of which, “Infidel,” has been an international bestseller for months. It is difficult to exaggerate her courage. As Christopher Caldwell wrote in The New York Times, “Voltaire did not risk, with his every utterance, making a billion enemies who recognized his face and could, via the Internet, share information instantaneously with people who aspired to assassinate him.”

The Dutch parliament will be debating Hirsi Ali’s case this week. As it stands, the government’s decision to protect her only within the borders of the Netherlands is genuinely perverse. While the Dutch have complained about the cost of protecting Hirsi Ali in the United States, it is actually far more expensive for them to protect her in the Netherlands, as the risk to her is greatest there.

There is also the matter of broken promises: Ms. Hirsi Ali was persuaded to run for parliament, and to become the world’s most visible and imperiled spokeswoman for the rights of Muslim women, on the understanding that she would be provided security for as long as she needed it. Gerrit Zalm, in his capacity as both the deputy prime minister and the minister of finance, promised her such security without qualification. Most shamefully, Jan Peter Balkenende, the Dutch prime minister, has recommended that Hirsi Ali simply quit the Netherlands, while refusing to grant her even a week’s protection outside the country during which she might raise funds to hire security of her own. Is this a craven attempt to placate local Muslim fanatics? A warning to other Dutch dissidents not to stir up trouble by speaking too frankly about Islam? Or just pure thoughtlessness?

The Dutch government should recognize a scandal in the making and rediscover its obligation to provide Ms. Hirsi Ali with the protection she was promised.

There is not a person alive more deserving of the freedoms of speech and conscience we take for granted in the West, nor is there anyone making a more courageous effort to defend them.

global war on terror Islam Muslim fanatics Ayaan Hirsi Ali Salman Rushdie Sam Harris The Netherlands

Documenting the murder of 1.5 million Ukrainian Jews.

Father Patrick Debois is helping document the Holocaust in Ukraine:

His subjects were mostly children and teenagers at the time, terrified witnesses to mass slaughter. Some were forced to work at the bottom rung of the Nazi Germany killing machine - as the diggers of mass graves, as cooks who fed Nazi soldiers, as seamstresses who mended clothes stripped from the Jews before execution.

The witnesses live today in rural poverty, many without running water or heat, nearing the end of their lives. So Patrick Desbois has been quietly seeking them out, roaming the back roads and forgotten fields of Ukraine, hearing their stories and searching for the unmarked common graves. He knows that they are an unparalleled source to document the murder of 1.5 million Ukrainian Jews, shot dead and buried throughout Ukraine.
...
The Nazis began killing the Jews in Ukraine following the German invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941. But with few exceptions, most notably the 1941 slaughter of nearly 34,000 Jews in the Babi Yar ravine in Kiev, much of that history has gone untold.

Unlike Poland and Germany, where the Holocaust remains visible through the searing symbols of the extermination camps, the horror in Ukraine was hidden away, first by the Nazis, then by the Soviets.

Holocaust Ukrainian Jews Ukraine Nazi Germany Patrick Desbois

A Palestinian prayer for the killing of Americans...

"ALLAH, SCATTER THEM!”

“AND TURN THEIR WIVES INTO WIDOWS!”
“AND TURN THEIR CHILDREN INTO ORPHANS!”
“AND GIVE US VICTORY OVER THEM!”

Go visit PMW.

global war on terror anti-Americanism Palestinian Fatah Al-Qadr

So the Pope is continuing his attempts for a Christian-Muslim dialogue...

PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE

MESSAGE FOR THE END OF RAMADAN
‘Id al-Fitr 1428 H. / 2007 a.d.

Christians and Muslims:
called to promote a culture of peace

Dear Muslim Friends,

1. It gives me special pleasure to send you for the first time friendly and warmest greetings from the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue on the occasion of your joyful feast of ‘Id al-Fitr, with which the month-long fasting and prayer of Ramadan ends. This month is always an important time for the Muslim community and gives to each individual member a new strength for their personal, family and social existence. It matters that all of us witness to our religious beliefs with a life increasingly integrated and in conformity with the Creator’s plan, a life concerned with serving our brothers and sisters in ever increasing solidarity and fraternity with members of other religions and all men of good will, in the desire to work together for the common good.

2. In the troubled times we are passing through, religious believers have, as servants of the Almighty, a duty above all to work in favour of peace, by showing respect for the convictions of individuals and communities everywhere through freedom of religious practice. Religious freedom, which must not be reduced to mere freedom of worship, is one of the essential aspects of freedom of conscience, which is the right of every individual and a cornerstone of human rights. It takes into account the requirement that a culture of peace and solidarity between men can be built in which everybody can be firmly engaged in the construction of an increasingly fraternal society, doing everything one can to reject, denounce and refuse every recourse to violence which can never be motivated by religion, since it wounds the very image of God in man. We know that violence, especially terrorism which strikes blindly and claims countless innocent victims, is incapable of resolving conflicts and leads only to a deadly chain of destructive hatred, to the detriment of mankind and of societies.

3. As religious believers, it’s up to us all to be educators of peace, of human rights, of a freedom which respects each person, but also to ensure increasingly strong social bonds, because man must take care of his human brothers and sisters without discrimination. No individual in the national community should be excluded on the grounds of his or her race, religion, or any other personal characteristic. Together, as members of different religious traditions, we are called to spread a teaching which honours all human creatures, a message of love between individuals and peoples. We are particularly responsible for ensuring that our young people, who will be in charge of tomorrow’s world, are formed in this spirit. It is above all the responsibility of families and then of those involved in the educational world, and of civic and religious authorities, all of whom have a duty to pay attention to the spread of a just teaching. They must provide everyone an education appropriate to his or her particular circumstances, especially a civic education which invites each young person to respect those around him or her, and to consider them as brothers and sisters with whom he or she is daily called to live, not in indifference, but in fraternal care. It is thus more urgent than ever to teach to the younger generations, those fundamental human, moral and civic values which are necessary to both personal and community life. All instances of incivility must be made use of to remind the young of what is waiting for them in social life. It is the common good of every society and of the entire world which is at stake.

4. In this spirit, the pursuit and intensification of dialogue between Christians and Muslims must be considered important, in both educational and cultural dimensions. Thus all forces can be mobilised in the service of mankind and humanity so that the younger generations do not become cultural or religious blocs opposed to one another, but genuine brothers and sisters in humanity. Dialogue is the tool which can help us to escape from the endless spiral of conflict and multiple tensions which mark our societies, so that all peoples can live in serenity and peace and with mutual respect and harmony among their component groups.

To achieve this, I appeal to you with all my heart to heed my words, so that, by means of encounters and exchanges, Christians and Muslims will work together in mutual respect for peace and for a better future for all people; it will provide an example for the young people of today to follow and imitate. They will then have a renewed confidence in society and will see the advantage in belonging and taking part in its transformation. Education and example will also be a source of hope in the future for them.

5. This is the ardent hope I share with you: that Christians and Muslims continue to develop increasingly friendly and constructive relationships in order to share their specific riches, and that they will pay particular attention to the quality of the witness of their believers.

Dear Muslim Friends, once again I give you my warmest greetings on the occasion of your festival and I ask the God of Peace and Mercy to give you all, good health, serenity and prosperity.

Jean-Louis Cardinal Tauran
President

Archbishop Pier Luigi Celata
Secretary

Christians Islam Muslims Vatican end of Ramadan

Islamophobia revisited...

Lies and provocation.

This poster was attributed to one group at the George Washington Unversity in Washington, DC, causing a furor. But it was all lies... the culprits were: Adam Kokesh, freshman Yong Kwon, senior Brian Tierny, freshman Ned Goodwin, Maxine Nwigwe, Lara Masri and Amal Rammah. Students for Conservativo-Facism Awareness hung the posters in opposition to Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week, an event being held beginning Oct. 22 at the University.

global war on terror Islam fake poster George Washington Unversity Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week Conservativo-Facism Awareness terrorism

Islamophobia is on the rise...

according to the AFP. Methinks thou protesteth too much...

CORDOBA, Spain (AFP) - Islamophobia gathered pace in the West with the end of the Cold War, long before the September 11, 2001 attacks against the US, participants at a two-day OSCE conference that began in Spain Tuesday said.

"After the end of the Cold War, certain people took Muslims and Islam to be the new scapegoat and enemy," Mustapha Cherif, an expert on Islam at the University of Algiers, told AFP on the sidelines of the gathering.

"But after the senseless act of September 11, this has been amplified," added Cherif, who is known for his commitment to battling religious hatred.

global war on terror Islam Islamophobia jihad terrorism Muslims

Like the kiwi which lost its ability to fly in the absence of predators...

"...young New Zealanders have lost the important roles defense and patriotism play in their own nation's health and security.
...
For millions of years the kiwi thrived in its isolation. However today it is endangered by introduced predators including stoats, dogs, cats, weasels - and just about anything else that is fast enough to catch it. Only human intervention has saved the flightless bird from extinction. Likewise New Zealand has thrived under the global security umbrella provided by the United States and its neighbor Australia. While radical Islam hasn't caught hold in the nation yet, the support of jihadis in Iraq by some in New Zealand along with the nation's anti-American bigotry should give New Zealanders pause for one important reason:

The weasel is a greater threat to the kiwi than to the eagle."

Read it all at Dean's World.

Hat tip: Instapundit.

anti-Americanism New Zealand the kiwi and the eagle

Peter R. Loewenguth
October 05, 2007

Peter R. Loewenguth, of Boston, MA and Thousand Island Park, NY, formerly, of Rochester, NY and Prague, Czech Republic, died peacefully after a long battle with cancer on Friday, October 5th, 2007.

Peter was very creative and entrepreneurial. Through his vision and leadership, he formed alliances with US schools of business, merging two schools in Prague to build CMC into a world-class graduate business school with a campus in the Czech Republic. A graduate of Aquinas Institute and Niagara University, Peter was an extraordinary man and led an extraordinary life filled with dear friends and adventure. A former Vincentian priest, he worked as Vice President at St. John’s University, later as Senior Account Manager at Metlife and, most recently, President, CMC Graduate School Business, Prague, Czech Republic. He was dedicated to Thousand Island Park in the St. Lawrence waterway between the US and Canada and made many significant contributions to life on the River at TI Park.

Devoted and beloved husband of Jeanne L. Hilsinger; proud and loving father of Charles and William. Loving son of Joan M. Loewenguth, and the late, Richard G. Loewenguth. The brother of Mary (Dan) Corbitt, David, Mark (Sabrina), Tom (Gina), Eric (Tracey). Son-in-law of Arthur (Barbara Janson) Hilsinger and Petie Hilsinger. Brother-in-law of Lyn (Ray) Genereux, Toni Goerss. Beloved uncle of Brian, Aidan, Claire, Carl, Jack, Mae, David, Olivia, Maddie, Sophia, Chloe, Lily, Sam, Grayson, Tanya & Matthew.

Calling hours will be Thursday, October 11 from 4:00 – 8:00 PM Eaton & Mackay Funeral Home, 465 Centre Street, Newton, Massachusetts. Mass of Christian Burial on Fri at 3 PM in St. Mary – St. Catherine of Siena Parish, 55 Warren Street, Charlestown, Mass. Remembrances in Peter’s honor may be made to: Sisters of Mercy/Andrews Center, c/o Sr. Kathleen Kolmer, 123 Whittington, Road, Rochester, NY 14609. St. Andrews offers a stable, nurturing and loving environment for special-needs children. For directions, obit or to send a note of condolence www.eatonfuneralhomes.com.

Peter R. Loewenguth

The Perfect Day.

When the Beslan terror siege happened 3 years ago, Osama bin Laden told the US to expect the same at our schools, but 100 times worse.

We should all watch hese videos to learn and prepare ourselves.









global war on terror Islam Beslan jihad terrorism schools

Do you know who Rikke Hvilshøj is?

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

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

Go here to read Susan MacAllen's article: Salute the Danish Flag! - It’s a Symbol of Western Freedom.

global war on terror Islam Hvilshoj Denmark immigration

American Humor

Putin Russia

'The Holocaust Won't Disappear'

Israeli historian Saul Friedländer -- winner of the 2007 Peace Prize of the German Book Trade to be presented this week at the Frankfurt Book Fair -- spoke to SPIEGEL about the importance of victims' accounts in researching the Holocaust and the failure of efforts in Germany to draw a line under the issue.

Very interesting interview. But I have a hard time believing Mr. Friedländer's last comments:

"... some of my students in Los Angeles don't even know who Lenin was. ... the vast majority of Americans don't have a clue about German history..."

Holocaust Germany Saul Friedländer Israel

Che Guevara ... he just won't go away!

Who knew that Cuba has a Harley-Davidson motorcycle club?

che guevara Cuba nomenklatura harley-Davidson