Men In Tunis Joining IS

    Tunisia reportedly has a high standard of living, but men are joining the Islamic State at two to three times the rate of other African nations that have a much lower standard of living, the WSJ reported today. Isn't this a paradox? Only if you believe the "root cause" of terrorism is only poverty. I was having coffee with a beautiful Ph.D. in English at MacDonald's one night when I objected to only that reason. Indeed, I stated the liberal heresy that the root cause was ideology. That earned me an intolerant and ignorant response of "What do you know about the Koran? I doubt if you've read any of it!" Then she put on her coat and walked out of MacDonald's. In that moment, she had lost a lot of her beauty which is good because I won't miss her so much.
    As I read the WSJ article, I learned that Tunisia's Arab Spring hadn't changed anything. One citizen commented that the cops still walked up to people and slapped them in the face, just as before. Money can't assuage getting slapped in the face by cops. So you have this situation in Tunisia: You are a young man full of testosterone, and you are getting slapped around by Tunisia's finest. Or you have this situatin: You are the same young man, but you are in the Islamic State being treated like a man, a heroic man to boot, and being given good food, a rifle, a knive, a weight room, military training, and sexual access to the women and children the Islamic State has as sex slaves. If you do well, you might even be awarded a "wife" sex slave. Tunisia or the Islamic State? What, in the name of reality, do you expect a lot of young testosterone-driven young men to choose?
    Peter Nickerson, Philosophy Major, Class of '68, William and Mary

Cruz, You Lie

    So Cruz's latest dirty trick that we know about is that he altered information to make it appear that Rubio was dissing the Bible. Author Gregory Peck wrote that some of the most evil people are very active volunteers in the church. Cruz hides behind the cross and faith-based versus evidence-based people. It was repugnant to see some hard-faced talking head on a news channel saying the American people- the government- didn't mind lying done on campaigns. They expected it. I beg to differ. Cruz was lying to us- the government- while he was campaigning. That means that if he is elected, he will lie to us as the president. Who but Cruz, his buddies, and crazy people would want that?
    Peter Nickerson, Philosophy Major, Class of '68, William and Mary

Pope! Then Tear Down Your Walls!

    So the Pope doesn't like Americans for wanting walls and declares Trump not a Christian becuase he supports international walls. But what does the Pope have around his little 110 acre country in Italy? Of course, walls. Is this not the age of hypocrisy? In fact, since the Islamic State said it was going to destroy the Vatican, the walls have been fortified with more shooters. How stupid does Pope Francis think we are that he says such a thing? Also, after pontificating that the Vatican was open to refugees, all I can find is that one family of four has entered the Christian See. So much for his Chrisitanity if letting refugees overrun your country is the criterion for Christianity now.
    I'd also like to know if the Pope's salary and the salaries of the rest of the employees at the Vatican are going to be taxed to reflect the services that the
Sharia-inclined Muslim refugees are going to get in his little country -all four of them!
    Good for you in standing up to the Pope, Trump. But do you really believe Bush knew specifically that 9-11 was going to happen, and that he deliberately misled us about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq because he was a cowboy who had run out of Indians to fight in Texas? You're loosing me, man! And I think you're the only one strong enough to take on Hillary, toe to toe, if the Democrats are so corrupt they nominate her over Bernie or my black lab, Maverick.
    Peter Nickerson, Philosophy Major, Classs of '68, William and Mary.

Trump: A Real Man?

    I was amused by the New York Times editorial yesterday sniffing that Trump's appeal was in the Appalachian Mountains as if only hillbillies who impregnated their daughters and anally raped out-of-town bowhunters were his supporters. Trump has come to the edge of cleaning the tables across America. Only as his statements are being analyzed for truthfulness is it becoming worrisome that he is not the real deal, not a strong man, but an impositor. The real deal does not lie over and over again like a Hillary Clinton nor does the strong man rely on lies. I had supported Trump as a protest against the corruption of America, but now I worry that a Trump might be worse than our present corruption. I am not alone in this. I just wish there was a more manly man running, someone strong who could attack Hillary, expose her, and a better vision. Peter Nickerson