Basically, what they’re training to do is disperse, incapacitate, and arrest protesters.

Thoughts after the jump.

The reason this concerns me is because normally, such jobs fall to the police and in extreme cases the National Guard. Instead, we’re going to have soldiers who have trained and taken part in urban warfare, ready to be deployed on American streets in the event that protesters become too unruly for the liking of the federal government. This is not policing; this is not crowd control; this is the beginnings of martial law. This is the beginning of a coup. This is the beginning of fascism.

I realize that this more than likely sounds paranoid to some. But the fact is, no government lasts forever. To say that a military coup, or a fascist regime, can’t happen here because we’re a democracy is to invite those who would infringe upon our freedom for their personal gain. As Americans, it is our duty to vigilantly protect our Constitutional freedoms from all enemies–foreign and domestic.

I don’t know what’s going to happen in the coming months. But there’s a very real possibility that this will not end well, that the rights we hold as entitlements will be threatened. I suggest all who are concerned take steps to prepare themselves. Buy guns, buy ammunition, buy canned food and bottled water. The worst thing that will happen is you’ll be prepared for a natural disaster. But we may need to be prepared for something far more insidious, and I’d rather be called paranoid for worrying about a totalitarianism that never comes, than be unprepared for one that does.

It’s beyond me how the Chinese government and its apologists can possibly claim that they believe in anything resembling freedom.

There are a number of fanatics, in all religions. What about the “Army of God,” the Christian group that condones the assassination of doctors who perform abortions? What about Catholic and Protestant fanatics in Northern Ireland, bombing each others’ kids because of centuries-old hatred? What about Jewish hardliners in Israel who see no problem with murdering Arabs because of some idea of divine inspiration? Or atheists like Stalin, Mao, and Pol Pot, who put millions to death because they disagreed with the regime? And those are just the most visible examples. There’s also people like Ann Coulter, who advocates “invading [Arab] nations, killing their leaders, and converting them to Christianity.” A sentiment Jesus would have approved of, certainly. There’s also people like George W. Bush, speaking of a “new crusade” to the holy lands, either ignorant of or (more frightening) accepting of the genocidal fanaticism that the term “Crusade” has come to describe.

Yes, Islam has some seriously bad people claiming to act in its name, and unfortunately some of them are in positions of power–just as atheist and “Christian” dictators caused most of the bloodshed of the 20th century, so too will fanatical “Muslims” violate the teachings of their own professed religion and likely dominate the violence of the 21st. But that doesn’t make non-fanatical Muslims guilty of mass murder or the support thereof, any more than all Christians, Jews, or atheists are responsible for the crimes of Hitler or Baruch Goldstein or the Khmer Rouge.

I understand that Ace’s post doesn’t make the unfortunate argument (or at least, doesn’t do so directly) that so many of its contemporaries do; that is, Islam is somehow more prone to violent fanaticism than other religions. Nonetheless, it attempts to paint all Muslims–even those living happily in the Western world and as far from fanaticism as possible–as at least complacent with regard to the abuses by Islamic dictators, solely by virtue of their religion. It also creates unnecessary distinctions between one tyrant and another. It promotes the idea that those who choose to abuse the teachings of Islam in pursuit of power and violence are somehow any different from those who choose the teachings of Jesus Christ or Karl Marx as their platform. A tyrant is a tyrant is a tyrant, no matter what their clothing, and they generally have supporters keeping dissenters in line regardless of their justification for doing so. No person should have to apologize for the actions of another, simply because of a few shared characteristics or basic beliefs. Sure, hold bin Laden and the Taliban and Hamas, as well as those who support and aid them, responsible for their actions. But don’t force anyone who shares their religion to choose between making constant public denunciations of every single one of their actions, or being labeled a supporter.

While this is not the first time that the Olympics have been a venue for political statements, it is easily the most egregious offense since the end of the Cold War, and the first time since the end of apartheid that a gold medalist has been barred from attending by the host country rather than their own government. The Olympics are supposed to symbolize international unity and friendly competition, not the host government’s unwillingness to be called out on its (direct or indirect) support of genocide.

China is within their rights to keep whoever they want from entering their country. But it’s hard to take their propagandistic claims of openness and freedom, pushed by the government for the benefit of visiting journalists, seriously when they have no qualms whatsoever about squelching freedom of speech and activism.

How to Rock Cocaine (for those who don’t know, to “Rock” cocaine means to cook it into crack)
How to Roll a Joint Youtube
How to Roll a Blunt youtube
How to Roll a J
How to roll a doobie
How to be emo
How to be a ninja
How to be a gangster (“We’re such nerds, we’re looking up ‘money laundering’ in the dictionary” –Office Space)
How to deep throat
How to do a kickflip
How to do an ollie (Apparently a lot of skaters use Google)
How to eat a woman (I really hope this one refers to oral sex)
How to fight
How to finger a lady (This is a prime example of why I tend to use the word “lady” when referring to a woman. It gives even the most tasteless statement a certain air of class)
How to get a divorce
How to hack a school server
How to join the freemasons
How to kiss
How to kiss someone passionately
How to kiss a guy
How to kiss a girl in the movies (Interestingly specific)
How to kiss really good
How to kiss amazingly (the sheer number of search variants on “How to kiss” is a little depressing, but I have to say “How to kiss really good” is my favorite)
How to love (Well that’s just sad)
How to lick out
How to make a grilled cheese sandwich (Dude, really? Make cheese sandwich. Grill as desired. Even I can do that. Jesus)
How to make brown (Not sure I want to know)
How to make out video (In case text instructions of how to make out just don’t cut it)
How to not be scared
How to not look old
How to not get a hangover
How to not get a girl pregnant (…)
How to poop (Honestly, I would have thought you’d pretty much figured that out before you were able to use Google effectively)
How to quit vi (vi is a Unix/Linux word processing and file editing program. I assume they’re looking for commands, but I like to think of it as someone looking for help with a shell script addiction)
How to smoke (Just to provide a fair counterpoint to everyone searching “how to quit smoking”)
How to touch a girl (This really raises more questions than it answers)

And there you have it. Google, we salute you, and your ability to teach us how to smoke, poop, finger a lady, and rock cocaine.

For the last installment of Booze Reviews Platinum, I have saved the best (and most expensive) of my beers–the St. Bernardus Abt. 12. This is a Trappist abbey ale brewed in the small monastery town of Watou, Belgium. This is a dark, rich beer that has a full flavor (and clocks in at over 10% ABV) without the overbearing molasses taste of something like the SBC Russian Imperial Stout. It’s much smoother and easier to drink than most beers in its class. In fact, I enjoyed it even more than Spaten Optimator, my previous favorite high-alcohol beer. It should be poured into a goblet-style glass and consumed slowly (especially if you’re planning on driving anywhere for a while). Also, it comes in a bitchin’ 750ml bottle with a champagne-style cork and cage and a smiling monk on the front.

The only problem with this beer is its price. At $11 for the 750ml bottle, it is for most of us a rare splurge. But if you happen to have an extra few bucks, and a liquor store where this is available, give the St. Bernardus Abt. 12 a try. It’s one of the best beers I’ve ever tasted, and worth the money.

The Sacramento Brewing Company is a pretty solid microbrewery in, you guessed it, Sacramento, California. Their Russian Imperial Stout, according to the label, has won a couple of awards at various brewing competitions. Personally, though? Not my thing. It certainly lives up to its name–this is a hell of a beer, clocking in at 8.1% ABV and pouring like molasses, with a dark brown head. I made the mistake of pouring it cold at first. When cold, this beer tastes utterly too sweet, like a Spaten Optimator with a cup of corn syrup dumped in. But allowing it to warm up a bit, to about 50-55 degrees, made it quite a bit better. It’s a good beer to sit and sip, and since it comes in a 22 oz. bottle you’ll be sipping for a while. Served at the proper temperature, I’d drink it again if it happened to be available, but it’s not something I’d order on a regular basis or pay a whole lot of money for. If you’re into extremely rich, stout beers, give it a try, for the sweet-looking label if nothing else. Otherwise, let this one be.

Tomorrow: The final installment of my expensive-ass beer reviews.

Now this is a good dark wheat beer! Similar in style to the Ayinger reviewed earlier this week, but slightly darker in color and with a fuller flavor. Still smooth, as good wheat beers usually are, but it tastes more like a real beer. Also, at $2 for a 500ml bottle, this was the cheapest of the beers currently under review. This one should not be missed. Whether you’re a novice beer drinker looking to move away from Corona and Heinekin, or a beer lover in the mood for a good wheat beer, the Franziskaner Hefe-Weisse Dunkel will suit you wonderfully. Enjoy!

Downtown Brown is a light brown ale created by the Lost Coast Brewery of Eureka, California. It’s quite smooth, but also has a full taste–similar in some ways to Newcastle and other more well-known brown ales. It’s got hops, but not so much that a novice beer drinker would find it too bitter. All in all, an excellent, well-round microbrewed ale. And the bottle art is pretty awesome, too. Pick some up if you can find it where you are.