Posts Tagged andrew breitbart

My speech at the Defending the American Dream Summit

I had the pleasure of speaking at the Defending the American Dream Summit, hosted by AFP.  It was a conversation about values, and the willingness to fight for them.  Enjoy.

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Tony on BigPeace.com – ThinkProgress, Sen. McCain get it wrong on Libya

This is my latest article on BigPeace.com.  While the left called FOX News and others scare-mongers for discussing the Libyan draft constitution (and its adherence to Sharia law,) it turns out that the truth was starting everyone in the face since August.

Big Peace Outhinks Think Progress, Sen. McCain on Libya, Sharia

At the end of August, the great minds at Think Progress were horrified at the prospect that Libya, if Gadhafi lost power, would end up being an Islamist nation utilizing Sharia Law as the foundation for its political and legal system.  More to the point, Think Progress was feigning horror at those on the political right who referenced a blog from The Heritage Foundation that highlighted a draft constitution, and made the case for this possibility.  From the blog: (emphasis mine)

Much of the document describes political institutions that will sound familiar to citizens of Western liberal democracies, including rule of law, freedom of speech and religious practice, and a multi-party electoral system.

But despite the Lockean tenor of much of the constitution, the inescapable clause lies right in Part 1, Article 1: “Islam is the Religion of the State, and the principal source of legislation is Islamic Jurisprudence (Sharia).”Under this constitution, in other words, Islam is law. That makes other phrases such as “there shall be no crime or penalty except by virtue of the law” and “Judges shall be independent, subject to no other authority but law and conscience” a bit more ominous.

Think Progress thought this was such a good way to go after the political right (in attempt to demonize them as scare-mongers and anti-Muslim) that they made a video attacking FOX News reporting the draft constitution, and highlighting Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) as the voice of reason:

embedded by Embedded Video

YouTube Direkt

The clip involves numerous interviews on FOX programs, where McCain spends time praising the interim government, including a statement that these are people “…he knows well.”  In one segment during an interview with Steve Doocy on FOX AND FRIENDS, McCain sounded very sure about the situation with the Constitution in Libya:

 

Doocy: They can be talking about Sharia Law as the basis of their new constitution, and so what we might wind up with over there is something closer to a radical islamic government.  And that’s not what we want.

McCain: Well, first of all, that’s not going to happen, and this business

Doocy: I hope you’re right.

McCain: about a constitution, I mean Sharia Law.  They made a statement last March where  they specifically stated that it is their mission that the rights of women and the equality of women are insured.

Two days after the Heritage blog came out, BigPeace.com contributor Clare Lopez stated: (emphasis mine)

By dealing preferentially with the Muslim Brotherhood and other shariah-adherents in both Egypt and Syria, U.S. leadership is enabling the substitution of secular tyranny with Islamic tyranny in both places.  If the U.S. does the same thing in Libya and fails to provide strong, visible support to the genuine democrats, liberals, and reformers that do still exist in Libya, the outcome there will not be the one dreamy-eyed groupies of the Arab Spring envisioned, butanother new regime, founded on Islamic law, that is hostile to American interests and those of our remaining friends and allies

And just days after the killing of Gadhafi by rebel forces, reports have surfaced that, indeed, Libya will use Sharia Law as its foundation.  As reported by The Times of India:

Islamic sharia law will prevail in Libya and any existing laws that contradict this will be repealed, National Transitional Council leader Mustafa Abdel Jalil said on Monday.  ”As an Islamic country, we have adopted Sharia as the principal law….As an example is the law on divorce and marriage … This law is contrary to Sharia and it has been scrapped.”

For those keeping score: +1 for FOX News, +1 for BigPeace.com, -1 for Sen. McCain, -1 for Think Progress.  The big losers, however, are the people of Libya who will now go from bad to unthinkably worse.  -2 for President Obama, for leading from behind, and, as Lopez described, for failing to provide the “strong, visible support” needed to bring about a better result for the Libyans, and the world.

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Tony on Big Government – Occupy Wall Street wants Violent Overthrow of Republic

Here is my article about Occupy Wall Street, as originally posted on BigGovernment.com.  In it, I discuss my appearance on RT.com’s program CrossTalk, where two OWS supporters stated clearly that the desire is to transform America into a direct democracy.  Also, when the show was put on YouTube, it received over 900 comments – many of them violent and anti-Semitic in nature.  Some of them are listed in the article.  Reader, be warned:

#OccupyWallStreet Wants to Violently Remake the Republic, Not Achieve Economic Justice

In the beginning, I was willing to accept that a group of unhappy citizens utilized their First Amendment rights to protest what they believe to be an injustice (as I have written here and here):  the picking of winners and losers by government with a weak coverup attempt via cronyism.  I accepted, at first, their claims of being a “non-violent” group wanting to have their grievances heard.

Yet, as the “movement” began to grow, it became obvious that being “non-violent” is “non-correct.” Quickly, the OWS protesters were co-opted by those who believe in violence as a legitimate means of achieving their objectives:  Van Jones, who wants to see an “American Autumn” emulating the Arab Spring (which was, and still is, very violent), Michael Moore — who has stated publicly that the “rich” can give up their money now, peacefully, or later (though he doesn’t elaborate on what happens to get the money later, one can imagine), and even Roseanne Barr got into the mix. Barr actually said she longed for the return of the guillotine and re-education camps for those who don’t give up their wealth willingly.

In my appearance on CrossTalk, I was joined by Jason Del Gandio – assistant professor of rhetoric at Temple University and author of “Rhetoric for Radicals,” (a handbook for 21st century activists) and Kevin Zeese, organizer of October 2011.org and activist.  In that program a few things came to the surface:

Both Del Gandio and Zeese pushed the meme that the organizations across the nation were non-violent. Zeese made it clear that they were not allowing themselves to be co-opted by Jones, Moore, the Democrat party or anyone else, claiming:

Van Jones is not part of the Occupy movement…he’s a Democrat…if Obama and the Democrats embrace us, they gonna be very sad to see that we will be protesting them as well…we see them as part of the crony capitalist corrupt economy that has resulted in 400 people having as much wealth as 154 million, not because they are smarter or work harder, but because they are politically connected and essentially bribing through campaign donations…

I pointed out that Democrats have both embraced and have co-opted the movement.  How else could you explain the petition on the DCCC website asking people to support the OWS crowd?  I then pointed out that the issue is not “crony capitalism.”  Who wouldn’t be opposed to people who break the law to get ahead? Rather, the issue is that OWS is opposed to Capitalism and people being able to keep what they earn. The conversation went south from there:

Me : “You’re opposed to Capitalism. That’s the problem.  You’re opposed to the idea of people working for what they earn…you think it should just be given to them.  This is what you believe.”

Zeese: “That is not true. That’s not true.  You’re absolutely wrong about that.  You’re absolutely wrong about that, Tony.”

Me: “I’m not wrong about that.  Take a look at your own words and your own actions. Take a look at the video by Andrew Breitbart where people are booing Capitalism.”

Zeese: “Tony is a loudmouth who makes up stuff.  Tony is a loudmouth who makes up stuff….puts out false information.”

Let’s take a look at the video tape – courtesy of Mr. Breitbart:

People. Booing. Capitalism.  It’s not made up.  It’s not false information.

While there is much more in the video, the most frightening moment appears towards the end, when Del Gandio pushed the idea of “direct democracy” (emphasis mine):

Lavalle (Host): “Is this really a test of democracy in the United States?  Because we talked about Capitalism but its about participation, isn’t it?”

Del Gandio: “…it’s about direct democracy.  about reclaiming our democracy, redefining our democracy, repracticing our democracy in a way that is responsive to each of our wants, needs and desires.”

Me: “….we are not a direct democracy, and the Founding Fathers knew better.  We’re a Constitutional Republic, that way we don’t have mob rule.”

Del Gandio: “Well, we can change it. Let’s change it.”

Me: “And from the outside looking in, that’s exactly what you have in Occupy Wall Street. You guys gotta figure that one out.”

Del Gandio: “Let’s change the system.  Change the system.”

There can be no more doubt that Occupy Wall Street is NOT in favor of reforming the system but rather dismantling the system.  The brazen desire of “change the system,” if uttered by a member of the Tea Party, would be front page news for weeks in the mainstream press.  It would be followed up by the usual suspects claiming that the Tea Party is in favor of violent overthrow of the government.

The Tea Party believes in government, just less of it.  Occupy Wall Street has shown that it does not favor free markets, nor our Constitutional foundation.  They wish to change both.

When the clip of my appearance was posted to the RT YouTube channel, the commenters went on a violent, homophobic, anti-Semitic rant about my appearance.  While not every comment is crude, below is a sampling of those who favor the OWS movement:

Yeah, bring back the guillotine and start with the tea party bastards! –theHoundsofDoom

Tony makes me with I could punch people over TCP/IP.- HWGuyEG

tony katz is a fat pussy – cornsnakedk

HAs tony ever been punched? Id like to be the first. – MrMrEvin

The only acts of violence are by the police! don’t listen to that Jew! – murmur6666

lol, just what i expected from a tea party douche. Pull the string, get the pre-programmed ideas. Sheesh. – ForestSongUnLTD

The guillotine needs to make a comeback. – bamboo4tameshigiri

T. Katz needs a bitch slappin’. Pick me! Pick me! – phillisthebarbarian

Teabaggers need to be put in re-education camps! Roseanne Barr was right! –petersz98

Tony’s face would look good arguing from the bottom of a basket. – Will224000

What a fat fuck – arturro666

tony should be wearing a white hood… – SHACKTRESS

What a dumb Zionist tool in the bottom right corner – megamogx

will someone please violently obliterate the man on the bottom right – humanboy1221

Who is this stupid Tea Party guy. Make me want to stand up and punch his face. What a dick head!!! – nhu111

Tony do the world a favour and choke yourself, you ignorant pawn/pig of the establishment!!!! – karveljay

OHHHHH I get it, tony must affiliate with the 1% – What a fag – RoyalW1979

FUCK TONY KATZ I WORK MY FUCKING ASS OFF AND GET PAID DIRT W NO BENEFITS FUCK YOU! YOU STUPID FAGGOT COME TO WALL STREET AND COME SEE ME YOU FUCKING HOMO – fucuts

With similar anti-Semitic statements and calls for violence amongst the rank and file of the OWS crowd, this kind of vitriol is completely unsurprising. Occupy Wall Street has begun to clearly reveal exactly what it stands for–envy, hatred, and destruction.

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My latest article on BigPeace.com

As seen on Andrew Breitbart’s BigPeace.com:

The Obama Doctrine: Only I Can Decide, Only If I Want To

The President spoke recently about the kinetic military action in Libya. He proceeded to use 3,300 words to give a speech that gave – at first glance – no understanding for the use of force. No regard for military might. No strategy for the pursuit of Freedom and Liberty.

As I stated in a previous article, the President’s worldview is predicated on a multi-culturaist view point, and a desire for rapid government growth. Obama waited for the United Nations to act, and spoke with the Arab League, but not Congress. In Obama’s mind, the world must act, and the US can not be the leader. We don’t deserve to be the leader, and if we lead, we do more harm than good. Better that we just provide the majority of the intelligence, weaponry, manpower and money to make the project work, then give the credit to other nations.

For the rest of the article – Click Here

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Moderating a Health Care Panel

I’ll be moderating a public forum on healthcare at UCLA on Friday, August 21st at noon.  The forum is being sponsored by Ari David, who is running for congress in the CA-30th, against incumbent Henry Waxman (D-CA).

This forum is open to the public, and to the voters in the 30th.  It is meant to provide an actual, honest debate, where people get to ask questions that are unfiltered, and get answers that are not rooted in obfuscation.

Here is the story that Ari wrote for Andrew Breitbart’s Big Hollywood.  All of the information about the event is there, just scroll down.  Here is the information for those who want a quick glance.

ARI DAVID

Ari will be holding a town hall discussion for the public and the constituents of the 30th district on the issue of health care reform.
Friday, August 21st
Noon – 1:30 pm
Humanities Building room 169
UCLA Campus
405 Hilgard Ave, Los Angeles
Enter UCLA Campus off of Hilgard and park in lots #1, #3 or A

See you all there.

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