I had thought about making a YouTube video or a Periscope to give my response to actor Mandy Patinkin concerning his comments on ISIS and Ted Cruz, but this is probably my better forum. Public speaking has never been my strongest area, so I know I could never hope to speak as eloquently as Mr. Patinkin did in his video clip, nor would my goatee match up to the awesome beard he is expertly sporting, so keeping myself off-camera is probably a good move. For those of you who may not have seen the clip to which I am referring, I will link to it here: http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/mandy-patinkin-suggests-a-princess-bride-quote-for-ted-cruz/ and I will also retweet the link on my Twitter page (follow me @nBoEnforcer).
I am a fan of Mr. Patinkin's, especially his role as Inigo Montoya in "The Princess Bride", and I would be lying if I said I was shocked at his comments (Hollywood is well-known for its left-leaning liberal bias). But I will say that the video was well done. None of it was inflammatory by any means. In fact, it was very respectful. But the views it contains are seen through rose-colored glasses, a vision we unfortunately can't afford at this time.
No one (not even those of us on the evil conservative right) wants an unnecessary war despite what the left and the news media would have you believe. The problem is that war has been declared on us by ISIS, Al Qaeda, and other organizations that fall under the umbrella of radical Islam. We didn't ask for it, yet it is here. As much as we would like to believe it hasn't reached our shores, we know from intelligence that our country is already infiltrated with operatives ready to strike when the time is right. Those who have been recruited by these organizations and have not grown up knowing the greatness that is America will not be won over by extending a hand of friendship. They've been raised to believe that we are infidels, that we are Satan and that we must be converted or destroyed. Hundreds of years of aggression towards anyone who does not follow this brand of Islam has been ingrained in these people to levels that are impossible to reverse by having a conversation. It's been tried and it has failed. I wish there was another way, but, as I've said before in other blogs, we are at a point of "us or them". My family and friends are too important to me to risk being on the losing side of this issue. I'm sure, Mr. Patinkin, you have friends and family that you would stop at nothing to protect in much the same way.
For those who have joined ISIS that were once American citizens, it becomes an even sadder case. As Mr. Patinkin mentioned, I wish it was as simple as providing these people with a better opportunity or showing them another way, but I don't think that can help these individuals. We've become immersed in a culture of entitlement where everyone feels that they're owed something. To simply GIVE these people a better education, a better job, and a better life would not be doing them any service. America has always been about the success stories that happen through hard work. Entitlements ruin that sense of accomplishment and self-worth which accompany the success. The old adage about teaching a man to fish most definitely applies in this situation. Those who join ISIS thinking they are accomplishing something or are getting back at someone because life isn't fair just don't understand how this country is supposed to work. They obviously didn't have anyone along the way to guide them, to show them that there is no such thing as a free ride, and to stress the importance in a job well done by your own two hands. If these deserters cannot see the error of their ways, they will unfortunately fall into the same category as the other radical Islamists. We simply cannot let our guard down to the point where we get the rug pulled out from underneath us.
Unfortunately for us, we've been experiencing years of a president who cannot make the tough decisions. Instead of acknowledging the enemy and doing what it takes to ensure we survive, we have been made more vulnerable and have been demonized in the process. There are plenty of presidential candidates who understand what is at stake and what must be done to give us a victory in this unfortunate war, but one of the most outspoken and determined of those is Ted Cruz. He has been unafraid to mention radical Islamists as foes that must be eliminated and what he would do to make that happen, which is what we need if we are to make it out of this mess alive. We do not need someone that constantly apologizes to the world for what makes us a great country. Instead, we need a president that points out our strengths and how the rest of the world can follow our lead towards prosperity. I'm not saying Ted Cruz is necessarily THE person, but he's at least closer than what we have in office now.
A quote from "The Princess Bride" was mentioned at the end of the Mandy Patinkin clip which he uses to point out to Ted Cruz that maybe it's best if we step back from the war business and find another way to deal with ISIS. I would have chosen a different quote to be highlighted. To consider dealing with radicalized Islam in any way other than from a position of strength or without a desire to survive is "INCONCEIVABLE!" And yes, Inigo, it does mean what I think it means.
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