One runs a risk whenever one cites the 20th century’s great terror states while discussing current ominous developments in the western democracies. Apparent comparisons of the United States or western and central European countries to Nazi Germany or Soviet Russia will inevitably be hooted down with accusations of alarmist conspiracy-mongering and worse, shameful ahistoricity. Nevertheless, that must not keep us from noticing and pointing to contemporary events that bear an eerie resemblance, however slight, to things that went on in those totalitarian terror states.
Tag: defense
A Critique and a Defense of Mythologizing the Past
Was Abraham Lincoln really a moral leader who saved the United States and ended slavery? Did George Washington really save the Continental Army and win the American revolution? Was Thomas Jefferson really a forward-thinking liberalizer?
Trump, Spinoza, and the Palestinian Refugees
Trump’s die-hard supporters like to say his extreme measures and tweets are merely opening moves in his art of deal-making. So let’s go with that: he’s holding five million desperate people hostage in order to convince the corrupt Palestinian Authority to take his deal. That’s reassuring.
4 More Charges Dismissed in New York
Four charges, one that started as a felony, dismissed in New York. A big congrats and thanks for letting me post this. It is redacted because the defendant asked me, and the file is sealed.
On the Social Contract
What is the best way to tell if someone’s defense of the so-called “social contract” is complete and utter bullshit? The defense is made after a people have been violently conquered.
You Can Solve Problems, or Play Politics
I can’t respect those who believe your rights and liberty are subject to their opinions (which they’ll call laws), and who back their opinions with threats of violence (known as law enforcement). I don’t understand this type of thinking.
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 “The Implication”
In Season 6, Episode 3 of “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”, Dennis unknowingly explains the source of government authority. Mac and Dennis just bought a boat and are purchasing supplies. Dennis mentions the need for a mattress, which causes Mac to wonder why. It was Dennis’s intention in buying the boat to use it to attract and bed women.
A Utilitarian Case for Incompetent Traffic Cops
Thank your lucky stars for inefficient law enforcement. When toleration fails, you’ll always be able to count on some room for social innovation. But when inefficiency fails, we’ll be in a much tighter spot.
Be All, End All
There is no entity that can do defense, imperialism, law enforcement, infrastructure, pharmaceutical, diplomacy, security, education, politics, travel, migration, housing, care for the aged, care for the disabled, economics, finance, agriculture, stewardship, and so forth, and so on.