Right As Usual

From young conservatives.

I have to believe that it started with Thomas Sowell's Basic Economics .  If you have NOT read it, I beg you, get a copy.  I absolutely HATED Economics in college, found it boring (it takes a special talent to make money - something we all want - boring).  Sowell's special talent is to make his explanation of the basic mechanisms of economics READABLE, entertaining, and fun.  When you finish this book, you will be well qualified to follow the public debate on taxes, business, government spending, and policy. There's a new campaign to "explain" economics to the average person - look for distillations of this wretched thinking - which thinks lack of a large social state that controls everything - is the cause of all the ills of the USA.  I'm REAL sure that teachers will be indoctrinated with this at workshops, given curriculum that draws upon it, and encouraged to be "socially responsible", and teach it to their kids (in this context, "teaching...

...who must be CRUSHED if they cross the line. He/she is a HUMAN BEING - made in the image of God.  They are not perfect; some may use sharp language in arguing their beliefs.  They may delight in the foibles of their political opponents - laugh at their pratfalls, enjoy the scandals, and gloat over their defeat. That doesn't excuse you from doing the same. We're SUPPOSED to follow the Christian example - turn the other cheek, return abuse with a gentle smile, act decently, even when reviled. Yeah.  That's NOT easy.  For me, I have to work - HARD - to avoid using intemperate language when insulted.  My natural inclination is to give it back - with some extra spin on the ball.  Particularly aiming at the face. Sometimes, you might argue, it's not possible to respond without some venom.  That opponent, you say, has EARNED the biting retort through their nasty speech. Really? Let's examine one such case, and consider the FULL story. Forbes Magazine had a recent look a...

She's being called "the bravest woman in the world". She is Meriam Yahia Ibrahim, a Sudanese Christian who refuses to convert to Islam. Her father was Muslim; he abandoned the family when she was 6, and her Ethiopean Christian mother raised her.  She married a Christian in her church, gave birth to one child, and is currently pregnant with another - in jail. Her brother brought the attention of the authorities to the "problem" (guess holiday dinners will be strained).  If your father is/was Muslim, ALL his children HAVE to be, as well.  And, for women, there's another trial - they CANNOT marry a Christian, as Meriam has. She has been sentenced to flogging, then execution. She could stop it - IF she converted. This, she refuses to do. Let me see - the media is FILLED with "scandals": An elderly owner of a sports team made disparaging remarks about Blacks - no one's life is in jeopardy An athlete made mild remarks about a public, STAGED kiss ...

There is a thread that looks at the Power of Myths - it started with an article on Why Myth Matters . To the scientific man a myth is a curious but valueless cultural artifact from a superstitious age. The worthlessness of myth is rooted in the work of several academics from the turn of the twentieth century. I tried to snip excerpts from the article, but couldn't without ruthlessly violating copyright - I strongly suggest you read the whole thing.  I grew up on myths - as a kid, Superman was almost as real to me as my neighbors.  It wasn't just the popular TV show of the time - the costumes were cheesy, even to my eyes, the plots weren't as well-crafted as the comics, and the lack of color made it, in retrospect, as exciting as a Soviet documentary. But the comics! They engaged me.  They guided my developing sense of right and wrong, instilled my belief that the weak and poor were to be protected (which later led me to youthful Liberal ideas), and were a powerful source o...