How Low Can You Go?

By William L. Garvin

 

In the Sixties, a Trinidad dance craze briefly captured an American audience.  In it, a bar was progressively lowered to see who could navigate beneath it without the use of hands.  Chubby Checker, who popularized “The Twist,” also popularized the limbo catch phrase “How low can you go?”  Today’s political activists are plumbing depths that would make limbo enthusiasts walk away shaking their heads.

 For instance, how low can American foreign policy sink?  Russia thumbs their nose at us; China goes their own international power base building way; North Korea rattles their nuclear saber in our face; and Iran pursues their nuclear ambitions with no U.S. speed bump in its path.  In 2011, Iraq forced our troops out with the willing compliance of the Obama administration.  However, in July of this year, more than 1,000 Iraqis were killed in terror-related attacks, the “deadliest month since 2008.”  Now they are begging for our assistance.

 The Obama administration orchestrated the ousting of Libya’s Muammar Qadaffi and what do we have to show for it?  A year ago, our ambassador and three other Americans were killed in Benghazi and our embassy was bombed again just last weekend.  In Syria, the Obama administration decrees that President Bassar al-Assad must go and is providing “humanitarian relief” to the rebels.  Apparently, they are also providing small arms assistance to the rebels, many of whom are al Qaeda affiliates.  In Egypt, Mubarak had to go so the Muslim Brotherhood came in.  The Egyptian military kicked Morsi and the Brotherhood out but the administration denies that it was a coup and continues to provide aid.  The Muslim Brotherhood and the military are engaged in much violence and many people are dying so this administration is now “deeply concerned.”  The “Arab Spring” turns out to be “1001 Arabian Nightmares.”

 On the home front, the “defend Islam at all costs and hate America” crowd beats their perpetual persecution drum in spite of the facts.  Where would you rather be?  If you’re homosexual in Lebanon, it’s a year in prison.  In Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Dubai, Yemen or Oman, it’s life in prison if you’re not given the death penalty.  In Kuwait, it’s okay to be a lesbian but it’s illegal to be a male homosexual.  In Nigeria and other parts of Africa, you can have your hands and maybe your feet cut off if you steal a goat or a television set.  That’s better than South Africa where you can be shot on the spot for stealing a diamond.  In Afghanistan, rape victims are often jailed for adultery!  You face the death penalty in Iran just for being a Christian!  Would you rather be a Christian pastor in Iran or a Muslim Imam in America?

 Another low in civility was set by the pro-abortion protestors in Texas who chanted “Hail Satan” and wore tampon earrings, carried Maxi-pads, jars of urine and feces to advance their cause.  This is all because the Texas legislature placed restrictions on abortions after 20 weeks.  If only we were more enlightened…like Europe.  In Portugal, the “no fault” abortion right ends at 10 weeks.  In Greece, Norway, France and Germany, it’s 12 weeks; in Italy, it’s 13; in Spain it’s 14.  Only England (24 weeks) exceeds the Texas legislation.  In several European countries, abortion beyond the designated limits may only be considered if there is an immediate medical threat to the woman’s health or there will be serious or lethal fetal anomalies.   In Norway, her request must go to a committee!

But the winner in the “How Low Can You Go” category has to be the Democrat Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.  “It’s been obvious that they’re doing everything they can to make him (Obama) fail.  And I hope, I hope — and I say this seriously — I hope that’s based on substance and not the fact that he’s African-American.”  Keep in mind that only 35% of Americans approve of how the president is handling the economy and his overall rating is down to 44%.  Is Harry insinuating that the 62% of Americans who disapprove of the Obama economy and the 55% who disapprove of his overall performance are ignorant of his policies and therefore, de facto racists?  Could it just as easily have been said “I hope, I hope—and I say this seriously—I hope that those who support the President do so on the basis of substance and not the fact that he’s African-American.”  Until Democrats of Harry Reid’s ilk stop dealing the race card from the bottom of a marked, media deck, there is no lower low on their side of the aisle.