The Hollow Echo of 'Never Again': America's Belated Acknowledgment of Genocide

Russian dictator Joseph Stalin once remarked that the death of a single individual was a shame. The death of millions was statistic. He should know. Joseph Stalin was responsible for the murders of between 20 and 30 million men, women and children. Some were ordinary factory workers. Some were simple peasant farmers while others bureaucrats who kept the machine functioning. Many were intellectuals---teachers, professors, lawyers, doctors, scientists---while others were professional military men; senior officers with decades of experience. Several were old comrades from the days of the revolution. A few were friends of Lenin. They especially had to go, and particularly if they may have been pry to "the secret"---the "Last Political Will and Testament of Lenin" wherein the great revolutionary warned that Stalin should never be allowed leadership of the party and state.

Lenin felt that while Stalin was useful during the revolution and subsequent Civil War which followed, those unique skills which he cultivated would not serve "Socialist Russia" . Lenin thought that Stalin was too brutal; too dangerous. He was right. Even at the time of his death, Stalin had already put in motion plans for a new purge. This time it would be specifically the Jews, although he never really spared them before. This time, however, they were to be his focus, especially the professionals. The papers had been signed and distributed for the roundups to begin. Only his death and unwillingness of the Secret Police to act without direct authorization prevented the murder of tens of thousands.

Hitler, at least tacitly approved, the roundup and execution of some 6 million Jews (although to this day, no signed documentation by Hitler has ever been found). Another 2 or 3 million homosexuals, mentally handicapped, political opponents, Jehovah Witnesses, Catholics, pacifists, Slavs, and gypsies were also imprisoned. Many were executed just as the Jews were. In fact, the majority of gypsies were Roma, and as a percentage of population, more of them died than of Jews, though this fact is often ignored (some estimates put the figure at a minimum of 25% of the entire Roma population). The Japanese military were just a brutal when it came to the Chinese, especially the "Rape of Manchuria" where thousands upon thousands were sacrificed to the Emperor and the Rising Sun.

Pol Pot did his share of murder too; mostly fellow Cambodians, but Thais, Vietnamese, or individuals from Laos, died just as well. We really don't know how many people perished in these "killing fields", but the number is certainly well into the millions. During World War I, the Turkish army massacred tens of thousands of Armenian men, women, and children with equal zeal. While a precise number may never be known, the Turkish government still refuses to apologize or even acknowledge this Armenian genocide. Perhaps if they pretend it never happened, history will forget.

These are by no means all. Not even close. There have many more acts of genocide, from the Sudan in Africa to the Kurds in northern Iraq and eastern Turkey and Serbia against the peoples of Croatia, Bosnia, and Kosovo; many of whom were Moslem. Each and every time we promise there will be no more. We promise "Never Again" in sympathetic echo with the survivors of the Holocaust, and yet it does. Over and over again. This time it's the Syriac/Assyrian Christians, the Yazidis, and the Kurds at the hands of ISIS and we, as a nation, sit on our hands and do nothing. Perhaps this is because "our" government has refused to acknowledge the atrocities, and yet it's common knowledge. We know who is perpetrating it because they open brag about it. The film it and post the video on social media for all to see. The victims speak out to whomever will listen---international non-government organizations (NGOs), religious groups, the news media, humanitarian aid organizations, and bloggers. They film what's happening and post it themselves on social media sites. Whatever they can do to make the world aware, and yet other than the usual verbal condemnations and feigned expressions of anger, nothing becomes of it.

ISIS, as most everyone knows, happened on President Obama's watch, as did Boko Harem, Al Shabaab, and other terrorist groups who thought Al Qaeda wasn't extreme enough. Now I can see some Left leaning zealot wagging their finger at me and claiming that it wasn't Obama's fault; we should blame George W. Bush who opened the Iraqi "Pandora's Box", or maybe his old man, George H. Bush, who, along with a Arab and Western coalition, invaded Iraq in order to liberate Shell and BP Oil...err...I mean the Kuwaiti People. That might be true, but it also goes further back than that and includes just as many Democrats as Republicans. Money and power knows no party loyalty.

However, it has been during the Obama Administration, the ISIS was formed, albeit allegedly with US assistance to combat Al Qaeda which spun off on its own (remember, at its core Al Qaeda was originally formed with US help to bog down the Russian military's invasion of Afghanistan). It was also under Obama that US combat troops were reduced without a stable governmental infrastructure or national military and police force (of course too, the invasion of Iraq was done without any post-war planning). It was also under Obama that the situation in Syria deteriorated so badly (one might argue that it was due to US efforts that the situation in Syria deteriorated so badly while Russia's assistance to their old regional ally has kept the Syria from collapsing into utter anarchy amid the likelihood that the terrorist organizations emerging as the strongest players. ISIS has already claimed large swaths of eastern Syria as part of their new Islamic state.

It has been this regional turmoil which has created the situation in Europe with the so-called "refugees". Millions of individuals have fled their homes for Europe (although UN guidelines say that refugees can sanctuary only in the closest non-combatant nation, not cross through those countries), with millions to follow. Germany agreed to take up to six million, with Austria, Norway, Sweden, Demark, the UK, France, and other regions in both western and eastern Europe agreeing to take millions more. What has resulted is chaos, and not just with the disorderly logistics, but with a clash of cultures as many of the refugees seemed to be under the misimpression that Europe was going to adopt their customs, traditions and Sharia law instead of them adapting to the laws and traditions of their host countries. This has resulted in hundreds of attacks on women, including gang rapes and murders, plus demands that women change their behavior and dress, demands that festivals stop, that certain foods and beverages be removed from menus, no ringing of church bells, businesses cease work during Moslem prayer times, and so on.

A number of Moslem refugees claim they were promised "free" food, "free" education, jobs---if they want them, "free" medical care, and much more before leaving. In fact, German citizens living in public housing have been evicted to make room for their new occupants. German women have been asked to modify their dress and activities while German students were instructed to "volunteer" to work in refugee camps; to clean, wash, pick up trash, and whatever other duties the Moslems themselves don't want to do. Meanwhile, German school girls have been asked not to wear short dresses, short pants, or "revealing" tops in order not to "offend" any Moslems girls. There are stories too of a water park in England amending their dress policy to be "Sharia acceptable". Several police chiefs throughout Scandinavia have complained that they've lost control of their communities to these "refugees".

While all of this is terrible, there is another story I want to talk about. Despite the millions of Moslem "refugees" crossing into Europe, there are thousands of Kurds, Syriac/Assyrian Christians, and Yazidis who are being denied permission to cross Turkish or Syrian borders. Meanwhile, ISIS has been doing its best to exterminate everyone of them they come across. This is perhaps the most systematic genocide since World War II. ISIS has brazenly boasted that they will murder every single one, though several hundred young girls have been sold into slavery. After the fall of Egypt's Hosni Mubarak, which sprung the from pro-democratic "Arab Spring" movement, the extremist Muslim Brotherhood, which is anything but democratic, somehow was voted into power, went on a unofficial anti-Christian bent.

Approximately 10% of the Egypt's 90 million are Coptic Christians, which are a part of the Eastern Orthodox Church like the Syriac Christians. A few hundred were murdered or beaten while dozens of businesses, homes and churches were destroyed; not to mention reports of young children, mostly girls, being kidnapped by Moslem mobs and either sold or given away to be forcefully converted and raised by strangers. This ended when the Muslim Brotherhood were ousted from power by the Egyptian military. The Syriac/Assyrian Christians, which are the oldest Christian sect in the Middle East---since at least the first century--- have largely been left alone until just recently. In the city of Mosel, which has had a Christian presence since the first century and thousands once lived, there are now zero Christians left. None.

The Kurds have faced persecution for centuries by everyone from the Ottomans to the Turks to the Iranians and Iraqis. Thousands have been killed or wounded since fighting began between them and ISIS. However, the Kurds have proven to be very effective fighters and have more than held their own against ISIS, but their daily lives remain precarious. The Yazidis too have faced persecution off and on centuries, but generally have been left alone, again, until recently. Since the rise of ISIS, all three groups, along with other, smaller sects such as those of the Zoroaster faith (perhaps the oldest religion in the world) and Buddhists have faced unrelenting attacks, which usually including beheadings, crucifixions, burying alive, drowning, burning, hangings, throwing off rooftops (a favorite for the murdering gays) and so much more that even Stalin would have smiled. ISIS makes no distinction between any of the faiths in their choice of victims, nor is there any consideration for seniors, the handicapped, women, children.

With the rise of ISIS, the world has watched this multiple genocide and has done nothing. Although numbers are hard to come by, it is estimated that some 5000 Yazidis have been killed and at least 300 women have been sold into sex slavery over the past three years. An estimated 7000 have been forced to convert and between 50,000 and 70,000 have become refugees, fleeing to Northern Iraq and the protection of the Kurds or to Jordan and Lebanon. At one point, Christians numbered 12 million in the Middle East. That number is now but a fraction of its former figure. In fact, ISIS has made it point of making Christians "Enemy Number One". Approximately close to 100,000 have been murdered according to a October 2014 report Father Gabriel Nadaf, an Israeli Christian Arab leader, gave to the UN Human Right Council. That's including the tens of thousands made homeless or the hundreds of churches destroyed, not to mention historical artifacts blown to bits or burned.

What this is is nothing short of calculated genocide of peoples based on their ethnicity in the case of the Kurds and Yazidis and religion in the case of everyone. This isn't new. It's been going on for years if not for a decade. It's perpetrator has been ISIS. It's been no secret. It's been reported on by several media outlets. It's been denounced by a few governments and NGOs, and yet, just today, March 17, 2016, John Kerry, the US Secretary of State "officially" called it "genocide". What I find hardest to understand isn't the timid accusation of ISIS or the "better-late-than-never" response of the Obama Regime. It's the fact that we've known about this for years but have and continued to reject refugee status to the Syriac Christians, the Yazidis, or Kurds into the United States, yet we have no problem approving Moslems---at least 40,000--- from the same areas being heavily recruited by ISIS into the US. Naturally, we're promised they'd be "thoroughly vetted" but as we've seen, that haven't worked out to well. In Europe, these same three groups have been stopped at the borders (mainly Turkey) and denied refugee status.

Yet millions of Moslems pour into Europe; some from even areas under not affected by the conflict, with dozens if not hundreds of ISIS fighters crossing with them. Those who have managed to make it into Europe and the refugee camps have been beaten and robbed with the women and young girls reportedly being assaulted or raped. Why is that? Do you think that if the Obama Regime had made a request or applied pressure they would have still been denied access? Probably not. There's a pretty good chance they would have been allowed refugee status, not to mention the next to zero probability they were covert terrorists which can't be said of the Moslems now occupying European towns and cities. What has caused a mostly Christian Europe to refuse fellow Christians, and a minority, sanctuary? Fear of being called some name? I sure hope not.

What we have here is the classic example of denial in the face of overwhelming evidence. Not much different from the Jews or gypsies of WWII Europe really. Yet, we've lacked the courage to step up and do anything, until now, and then it's mostly empty words. I guess I would be more interested in knowing why, after insurmountable evidence and the condemnation of NGOs, religions organizations, leading international politicians, is the US just now willing to acknowledge the obvious? America has already been forced to endure treasonous acts by government officials with nothing but delays, lies, word games, and blatant displays of arrogance to show for it not to mention countless acts of incompetence. If you want an example of what's wrong with our government, I think this would be a good example.



ISIS Has Committed Genocide, Obama Administration Declares
http://abcnews.go.com/US/secretary-state-john-kerry-declare-isis-committed-genocide/story?id=37713938


ISIS "Declares War on Christians"
http://virtualjerusalem.com/news.php?Itemid=14593


Some 100,000 Christians killed per year over faith, Vatican says
http://virtualjerusalem.com/news.php?Itemid=14593


The Fight of Their Lives
http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/09/29/fight-lives


Persecution of the Yazidis by ISIL
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persecution_of_Yazidis_by_ISIL


UN Investigators Accuse ISIS of Genocide Over Attacks on Yazidis
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/20/world/middleeast/isis-genocide-yazidis-iraq-un-panel.html?_r=0


Yazidi refugees flee ISIS but find door to US asylum closed
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2015/08/12/yazidi-refugees-flee-isis-but-find-door-to-us-asylum-closed.html

How to Make Nations Disappear

I've always like magicians. Seriously, who doesn't? Be it clowns and card tricks or making 747's disappear. While I appreciate the illusions and the showmanship which goes into each performance, I've always found myself drawn to the act of the illusion itself. Perhaps it's the sleight of hand tricks that I enjoy the most---creating a believable situation, stating a "problem" and then presto chango, the "problem" re-manifest itself into some other form; be it a flower, coin, different card, or simply vanishes into thin

air. I think we, as spectators, are complicit in the illusion just as much as the magician. After all, we know it's a trick, yet we allow ourselves to believe by suspending our logic and reason and step, albeit briefly, into a world of make believe.

I think politics is a bit like magic too. We all see the problem. We know what our logic and reason tells us, yet, we are subtly drawn into a world of make believe by a media which manipulates the truth into something which sounds reasonable to many of us. The politicians use a verbal form of "sleight of hand" to lead us along a path where the roses have no thorns. Together, they create a world of illusion which promises one thing but delivers another while trying to convince us that it's the same as what we desire. I don't think we're to blame, at least not entirely. There's a part of us which wants to believe. We want to think that the individuals in office are looking out for us; that they have our best interests at heart, and yet, the logical portion of our brain tells us that we've just been hoodwinked in the way a magician seems to magically move coins from one pocket to another.

One of the tricks used most often by the media and politicians is misdirection. Have you ever noticed how we seem to go from crisis to crisis? We seem to always be jumping from one fire into another. The media treats each as if it's some earth shattering event given the "overkill" they devote to each; creating this feeding frenzy where they start citing each other's opinions and comments as if it's actually part of the story. Of course, there's the opposing pundits doing the same thing. Eventually, the public grows mind numbingly confused and loses interest out of frustration. Mission accomplished. But don't fret! We're soon off to the next big thing before we know it and the cycle repeats itself. Naturally, the politicians and their handlers are busy putting out their own spin. They're just as much a part of the media spin cycle as any of the talking heads.

Right now, we're being bombarded with stories about the poor refugees coming by makeshift boat or foot from war torn areas of the Middle East in search for a better and safer life (the majority are single young men not whole families). At least that's the storyline. We see pictures and video of these battered refugees confronting various military and police units who are either impeding their travels or herding them through like cattle. We are told, if the media mentions it at all, that most of these individuals are from Syria, Afghanistan and the East African nation of Eritrea. It's true that that most of the refugees are in fact coming from these areas, but many more are coming from surrounding areas not affected the hostilities. They're simply looking for an easy way out of the region.

We're also not being told that overwhelmingly these migrants are Moslem. Some are hoping to escape persecution by fellow Moslems (Sunni vs. Shiite, moderate or secular vs conservative or extremist). What we're not hearing much about are the Coptic Christians and Yazidis who are trying to get out of harm's way. These groups, along with the Kurds, are the region's most persecuted. While the media doesn't mention it, these groups are more likely to be murdered by extremists like ISIS than any of the other groups, who are at least Moslem. We also don't hear about the Christians, Yazidis, or Kurds who do make it to the refugee camps. Far from safe, they are often attacked and robbed by other refugees (who happen to be Moslem) and unfortunately, the authorities are much too busy to deal with it. Their attention is focused on being understaffed, a lack of housing, fresh water, food and ample sanitation (not to mention disease).

The media and politicians have been silent on the violence Europe is experiencing too. Since this mass exodus into places like Austria, Germany, France, Belgium, and Scandinavia, there are been several violent encounters with police over what is seen as "non-Sharia" compliance; from women's clothing to ringing church bells to food; a few Moslems have recently petitioned the Mayor of Munich and the City Council to end Oktoberfest and stop serving beer (alcoholic beverages are forbidden under Sharia law). No doubt they'll also demand that Germans stop eating pork which has been a staple of the German diet (along with beer) for centuries. German girls have been asked not to wear short skirts to school as not to "offend" the newly arrived Moslem children and their parents. Schools have been asked to remove crosses and other religious items as well. In addition, there has been outbreaks of violence between Moslems sects with centuries old hatreds, battling each other with rocks, bottles, and fists with the police seemingly powerless to combat it. Many admit they are heading for Europe because of promises of free housing, food, medical treatment, and yes, "willing blue eyed blonde women needing strong men" as one advertisement put it...I kid you not.

These are the tip of an iceberg which has collided with Europe. Not since the end of World War II has there been such a mass movement of people from one region to another, but I can take it one step further when I say that it's been since 1511, the last attempted invasion of Europe by Islam, has there been an influx of this many Moslems on European soil. At that, nearly all of Christendom had fallen under the banner of the Crescent Moon. To be fair, the chaos in the Middle East is largely the fault of the West; especially the United States. Yes, this cesspool of religious and ethnic hatred has been going on for centuries. However, it has generally remained localized. However, this time it was the blundering of Washington working hand-in-hand with corporate interests that has reopened Pandora's Box. This then is the sleight of hand orchestrated by politicians sitting in the United Nations and in the EU Parliament working hand-in-pocket with the media to portray an image that is only partially true while attempting to cover up the real truth---that Europe has been sold out.

Take a look at the US. For over 25 years we've been demanding an end to illegal immigration. We've been demanding a secure Southern border. We've been demanding an increase in border patrol agents and funding. We've been demanding stiffer penalties for employers and churches who smuggle and protect illegal immigrants. We've been demanding an increase in ICE funding and deportations. We've demanded widespread application of E-Verify. And what have we gotten for all those years? Well, we've gotten a partial amnesty courtesy of Ronald Reagan.

We've gotten lip service about building a wall and clamping down on employers of illegal immigrants. We've gotten a half hearted effort at applying E-Verify. We got a federal lawsuit against Arizona for enforcing existing federal immigration laws (and the unprecedented approval by the DOJ to allow a foreign government to interplead against a US State). We got an illegal gun deal ("Fast and Furious") perpetrated by the US Justice Department which resulted in the murders of US agents. We got so-called "sanctuary cities" which can pick and choose what federal laws to ignore, including refusal to cooperate with ICE agents. We got border patrol agents who were told to "stand down" and not do their jobs, resulting in agents being killed. We got states having to pick up the financial tab for medical treatment of illegals, of providing translators for schools and taxpayer based services. We got the re-introduction of long eradicated diseases. We got an increase in drug gangs and cartels. We got an end to deportations short of violent criminals (who simply re-enter a few days later). We got in-state tuition rates for illegals going to school (plus access to grants, housing, and taxpayer subsidized loans). Of course, we also got funerals as several---mostly women---were murdered not to mention other violent crimes.

You may also note that in nearly every instance when public outrage reached the boiling point, "something" always happened to divert the public's attention away. The greater the outrage, the longer the media focused on whatever that something was. Sometimes is was domestic like the economy and at other times its some manufactured "crisis" overseas. This is in essence the same diversion used by magicians in their sleight of hand acts; get the people to look somewhere else while hiding what you don't want them to see.

So who gains from this? Well, domestically, employers gain the most. They get individuals who are willing to work hard for sub-standard pay and little chance they'll complain. Employers can avoid taxes and having to offer benefits. There's no chance of unionization. Working conditions aren't a concern and neither are other niceties such as mandatory restroom or hourly breaks, limitation of hours, vacations, or even lunch breaks. In short, employees are barely a step up from slaves. Churches and other groups benefit by expanding their level of influence over the illegal immigrants (and perhaps a financial kickback down the road). In addition, these institutions benefit by making broader connections with those who'll partner with them in breaking the law through housing, medical treatment, and employment. Even in the case of legal immigration, employers expect to pay lower wages with few if any benefits. This influx of potential employees drives down wages as competition for jobs increase. Meanwhile, higher paying jobs are outsourced to lower paying companies overseas. Unions support amnesty for illegal immigration in the hopes they will fill the mostly lower paying jobs and fill empty union coffers. Plus the increase in union membership will, hopefully, restore at least a measure of organized labor's former clout.

Lastly, the foreign countries benefit. Most are struggling economically; limited to primarily an agricultural base, few ever developed a middle class thanks to a combination of limited education, a repressive Church hierarchy which discouraged economic self-improvement, and an upper class which controls the levers of power. Women are largely considered to be second class citizens, whose primary purpose is to marry, have children, and stay home. Many are "discouraged" from even voting. Of course, there's always the military and police which serve as enforcers of the status quo. Whenever there's been an attempt to reverse the trend, it's often brutally put down. On those rare occasions when a "Man of the People" has succeeded, they've been ousted by a coup and a military junta installed (mostly with the active support of the US Government coupled with sweetheart deals for a select few corporations). Such has been "democracy" corporate style!

As for Europe, I don't see who benefits from the overthrow of centuries of culture and tradition while disrupting the economies. Perhaps surrendering Europe is the price the West has to pay for access to oil, yet oil is available elsewhere. Perhaps subjugation of Europeans is better than a nuclear war; better a few hundred thousand die than millions and collapse the economies of the world. Certainly an eventual world war would eliminate what the elites call an "excess" global population given the decline in available fresh drinking water and high yield farm land. Not to mention a weakening of the West's resolve, declining population, and strong political leadership. Maybe too this is payback for the intervention of Western (mostly US) military forces at the behest of corporations into the Middle East to seize direct control of the oil fields and shipping lanes, not to mention expanding access to markets.

There's no doubt that the US is in decline as well. It lacks the full support of most countries, including former and current allies who note that the US has been unable to match its actions with its promises. American political leadership has become something between a global joke and a global embarrassment. The American People are fed up with Washington and the rumblings of fundamental change are growing ever louder. The economy has deep fissures and the crisis with illegal immigration is making them worse. Russia and China, on the other hand, have showed a willingness to step up and fill the gap being left by the US. Neither have any patience with Moslem extremists and have shown they are more than willing to use the same level of brutality. Perhaps that's what it will take. Imagine the irony of our Cold War arch-enemy Russia coming not just to the rescue of the West, but to ours as well. Talk about your sleight of hand. That would be the slickest trick of them all.

The Suicide of Nations

Recent events in the Middle East have resulted in the largest mass exodus of refugees since the end of World War II. The vast majority of these are Muslims from Syria. The White House announced on September 11th that the United States will take in another 10,000 over the next year. With the US limiting the number of refugees to 70,000 annually, that's still a significant number. Nevertheless, Germany has agreed to accept some 800,000 while tiny isolated Iceland has offered to take in some 100,000. The US State Department has been working the Catholic Counsel of Bishops and the Lutheran Church (which alone has settled over 7600 Somalis in Minnesota while both have become experts on immigration---legal and illegal) to resettle these individuals. States like Kentucky, Vermont, Arizona, Nebraska, Idaho, Michigan, Utah, and both North and South Dakota will get the bulk while South Carolina, Arkansas, Mississippi, West Virginia, Montana, and Wyoming will get the least. Of course, this will put increased pressure on these states, several of which that are struggling to meet current levels of need, to provide housing and employment, not to mention an additional drain on social and health services. In terms of jobs, many of these individuals are low skilled with little knowledge of English, making re-education a first priority. However, their low skill levels will also create a potential conflict with other, mostly illegal, immigrates, who are now holding many of those jobs.

In Europe, this potential for conflict has already come to a head. As I mentioned above, Germany is taking in some 800,000 of these fleeing immigrants. France has agreed to take in around 100,000 despite its already heavily Moslem immigrant population. In total, some 300,000 have already fled Syria and surrounding areas, with approximately 200,000 overwhelming the financially struggling Greece along and around 100,000 making their way into Italy. According to some sources, just over 13 million souls have been displaced in

Syria alone (Afghanistan and Eritrea round out the top three nations most impacted by the violence). Two million, mostly Syrian refugees are holed up along and just in the Turkish border.

While many are calling for a return, or at least an ouster of the refugees from their countries, the 1951 UN "Refugee Convention" requires nations to accept individuals who are fleeing countries where their lives are endangered. In addition, the EU has mandated an open immigration policy, which has already heavily burden nations like Sweden and Norway and has nearly collapsed their once highly successful democratic socialist economic systems. Nevertheless, countries like Sweden have already accepted just under 68,000 refugees (Germany has thus far taken in close to 100,000). Other countries such as Hungary and Macedonia, have closed their borders to the refugees, despite the onslaught. Thus far, the Hungarian Government has been, albeit reluctantly, allowing refugees to pass through the country as they make their way to Austria (which is accepting 80,000 refugees), Germany, and other Western European nations, including the US which has agree to accept up to 10,000. The International Rescue Committee and United Nations has expressed their dismay and anger at the United States for agree to accept 100,000; apparently without consideration of the thousands the US has already accepted and the illegal immigration crisis (unlike Europe, the US is not bound by the same laws mandating acceptance of illegal immigrants---at least not yet).

Nevertheless, things have been unraveling quickly. Refugees and immigrants have been pouring in at higher than expected rates, overwhelming relief efforts with some refugee centers running low on food, water, medicine, and tents (and this doesn't take into consideration clothing, transportation, emergency needs, or sanitation needs). In addition, thousands more from Africa having been

attempting to enter Europe through Spain and southern France. These have typically been the immigrants which have been coming for years since the EU's open door policy has been in effect and have overloaded the social safety networks in many of the host countries. The result has been Germany's efforts to "reinstate" border controls (Germany's Merkel has been urging other frontline European nations to do likewise).

It also looks like many of these refugees and migrants have brought their ethnic and religious hatreds with them. Germany, Italy, and Greece have all reported violent assaults as various opposing groups have come in contact with each other. Other countries, including France and the UK are bracing for similar violent outbreaks. There is little doubt European authorities are ill equipped to handle the level of hatred and open violence that is coming their way. Also, approximately 12 ISIS operatives have been caught crossing into some of the hosts nations so far (in one instance, the suspect was carrying dozens of fake Syrian passports). How many have crossed undetected is anybody's guess, but I think we'll soon get a good idea firsthand.

Lastly, but perhaps more significantly, the overwhelming majority of the refugees entering Europe are Moslem (as have been a significant number of the Africans mentioned earlier). Yet, the most persecuted of the all those in the Middle East has been the Coptic, Assyrian, Chaldean and Syrian Christians. These were the ones whom ISIS attempted to surround and capture as they fled into the mountains with the Kurds. Meanwhile, hundreds, if not more, have been captured, tortured, and ultimately murdered in the most gruesome ways imaginable---men, women, children (including babies), the handicapped, and seniors. Even family pets weren't spared. A few young girls and women have been sold off to become sex slaves before finally being decapitated. However, these Christians seem to be having the hardest time finding sanctuary.

Some towns and communities have expressed a willingness to accept refugees or migrant families, provided they were Christian in order to preserve their local character and culture (and some have mentioned to lessen the likelihood of terrorists).The country of Slovakia, for instance, said it would accept Christian refugees only. Cyprus too has expressed an interest in Christian only refugees. Not unexpectedly, politicians all the way around have condemned this as being "racist" or "discriminatory"; claiming that Christians aren't any less persecuted than other minorities. Hogwash. Of those few Christian families who've at least made it to the refugee camps, many are intimidated, attacked and beaten by their fellow refugees who happen also to be Moslems.

I think the Europe we've always known is vanishing before our eyes. Europe has been inundated for decades by individuals who have little or no education not to mention poor work skills. Some, however, have taken the opportunities afforded them by their hosts countries to educate themselves and learn viable employment skills. However, those have been the minority. Most seem more interested to live in their homogenous enclaves while drawing on the already strained social nets instead of trying to integrate themselves into their new homeland. The once highly successful economic systems of Scandinavia---the socialist democracies so much hated by the corporate capitalists for defying their economics of greed---are failing; not because of ideological flaws, but because these new immigrants lack the education, work skills and yes, the work ethic needed to sustain a system which requires everyone to pitch in equally in order to reap the benefits equally.

With the decline in religious observance throughout Europe and a birthrate which has been in decline since the end of the Second World War, whole sections of cities, like London, Manchester, York, Paris, Marseille, Hamburg, Dusseldorf, Solingen, and Lisbon have become unwelcoming Moslem enclaves thanks to higher than average birthrates as well as the recent immigration, where Sharia law is enforced. Even non-Moslem women simply walking through are harassed if their heads are uncovered or if they're unaccompanied by a male adult. Pets, especially dogs, are very much unwelcome ("unclean"). Government authorities pretend they maintain control, but in reality they can do little more than lodge complaints with the local ruling council. Meanwhile, churches are being converted into Mosques. Local traditions, foods, and customs are being supplanted. In Germany recently, girls have been instructed not to wear short skirts to schools as to avoid "offending" Moslem students and their parents. School curriculums are being changed to fit with acceptable classes for Moslems. Being overwhelming Christian for centuries, most European schools, hospitals, and so forth often display a Christian cross. Well, that too is changing as they are being asking to remove them. Why? I think you why.

While it's unlikely that any European nation will face a Moslem majority, they will see significant increases in Moslem populations and can expect a ramping up of demands for change as they seek to increase their economic and political influence. Smaller countries like Belgium, the Netherlands, Iceland, as well as Sweden, Norway and Denmark will likely be the most impacted. Nevertheless, the demographics will change. There will be less of the stereotypical fair skinned blond hair blue eyed Northern European or the rosie cheeked English or the freckled red-haired Scot. Even the French will see change. Gone too will much of Europe's culture and traditions I suspect, along with its scandalous "liberal" social attitudes. In place of ringing church bells there will be calls to

prayers from converted Cathedrals. Its economy will likely struggle along while some may fail altogether as Europe will face a steep re-education and training curve while bearing a crushing influx on its social safety net. Europe may also face a healthcare crisis as possible old diseases are re-introduced into society.

Lastly, I think Americans need to pay more attention. While much of what's happening some 5000 miles away, many of these changes will be---and are---on our shores too. We are, as the Greeks are saying, becoming an "occupied" country. We have at least 12 million illegal immigrants here; many if not most of whom having no interest whatsoever of integrating into society. This influx has and will continue to drive down wages and evaporate benefits as we cope with excess demand versus availability of jobs while higher paying jobs are exported to lower pay countries. It has already strained our social net to the max. We will see an even greater entrenchment of ethnic communities as well as an increase in racial, religious, and ethnic conflicts as centuries old hatreds are brought here and the shrinking tax dollar for social services pits one group against the other while a few attempt to goad the more successful into feeling "guilty" for grievances not of their making; assuming that it's better to live off public handouts than accept responsibility for their own lack of effort as others have, starting with taking education seriously. Meanwhile, we have a government that is no longer "ours". So perhaps we are "occupied" after all.

As Bob Dylan once sang, "you don't need a Weatherman to know which way the wind blows" and I'm feeling a chill in the air.


Why Europe's refugee crisis has reached a tipping point
http://news.yahoo.com/asylum-in-europe--the-difference-between-migrants-and-refugees-and-what-s-at-stake-183639355.html


Why is the EU struggling with migrants and asylum?
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-24583286

Archbishop of Canterbury: UK plans to take in 20,000 Syrians discriminates against Christians
https://refugeeresettlementwatch.wordpress.com/category/christian-refugees/

Pew Research Report: The Future Of The Global Moslem Population
http://www.pewforum.org/2011/01/27/future-of-the-global-muslim-population-regional-europe/