The hurdle over which most people cannot jump is the belief that government means well, that it acts so harmfully only because it chooses inappropriate means for the attainment of its laudable objectives.
Tag: action
Defining Anti-Semitism, Threatening Free Speech
In May the benign-sounding Anti-Semitism Awareness Act appeared before the U.S Congress “to provide for consideration a definition of anti-Semitism for the enforcement of Federal antidiscrimination laws concerning education programs or activities.” No big deal? Let us see. S. 2940 is sponsored by Republican Sen. Tim Scott and has four co-sponsors: Republican Lindsey Graham and…
On Voter ID Discrimination
Well, obviously, blacks and other minorities are less capable of obtaining official identification due to them being poorer, or dumber, or darker, than whites. That goes without saying. However, the discrimination that occurs due to fewer “people of color” having identification does not begin and end at the ballot box.
How to Be Mindful All the Time
I often get asked about how to remember to be mindful more of the time — how can we remember to not only be present more, but to be compassionate, to drop into our bodies when we’re feeling difficult emotions, to have a beginner’s mind, to relax into the chaos of the moment?
“Not All Cops…”
Some police are racists. Some police aren’t. Some police like to bully. Maybe some don’t. Some police rape. Some police don’t. Some police are looking for opportunities to shoot people. Some police aren’t. For any individual belief, some police hold it, and some don’t. For any individual action, some police take part and some don’t.…
On the Media
Trump recently declared on Twitter that “the FAKE NEWS media” is “the enemy of the American people!” He’s not wrong, but neither was the pot calling the kettle black.
On Selfishness II
I recently listened to the Soho Forum debate on the virtues of selfishness between libertarian Gene Epstein and Randian objectivist Yaron Brook. It was my impression that Epstein believes the word “selfishness” is too morally tainted in both historical and contemporary usage to be useful to free market enthusiasts, while Brook believes the word can and must be redeemed as a counter to the morally bankrupt idea of “selflessness”. I believe that both debaters were correct.
For the Love of Reason
Far be it from me to divide humankind in two, but were I so inclined, I’d divide it into those who love reason and those who are indifferent if not outright hostile to it. Members of the first group adore the reasoning process and their own reasoning faculties. The others find the process burdensome and discomforting, something that threatens long-held beliefs and intuitions.
New Haven Overdoses: It’s Time for Indictments
Together, Dhillon and Gottlieb oversee the “scheduling” of drugs under federal law. And, like their predecessors, they have conspired to create a market for “synthetic marijuana” by putting REAL marijuana on Schedule I, fraudulently claiming that it has a “high potential for abuse,” “no currently acceptable medial use,” and a “lack of accepted safety.”
The World is a Theme Park
As we cross from one part of a park to another, we leave behind medieval knights and come upon space aliens. In theme parks, we are heroes, and we are surrounded by opportunities for adventure. Theme parks – from the mundane parks of today to the Westworlds of tomorrow – offer us access to romance of the kind most of us don’t see in our everyday lives.