Gene Edward Veith Jr.'s Blog, page 237
July 3, 2015
“There are not two sides.”
As the nation’s media openly joined in the celebrations of the Supreme Court’s decision on gay marriage, some are saying, as we blogged about, that they will not cover opposition to the issue anymore. Ben Smith, editor-in-chief of Buzzfeed, said this: “We firmly believe that for a number of issues, including civil rights, women’s rights, [Read More...]
The euro and the fall of Greece
The people of Greece will vote Sunday on a referendum on whether or not to accept the austerity measures that would accompany a bailout from the rest of the Eurozone. The Greek government is recommending voting “no” and just letting the economy collapse. Catherine Rampell explains how Greece–and Europe–got into this mess, making use of [Read More...]
Jim Webb makes Democrat #5
Jim Webb has announced that he is running for the Democratic nomination for president, the fourth candidate challenging Hillary Clinton. Webb may be one of the most interesting and complex candidates in the race: Secretary of the Navy for Ronald Reagan, former Senator from Virginia, a Viet Nam War hero, a novelist, a scholar. Webb [Read More...]
July 2, 2015
Government approved churches?
Conservative churches are troubled with the gay marriage decision and feel threatened lest the government punish them for teaching that homosexuality is sinful. But liberal churches are celebrating the ruling and will have no problem with discrimination statutes. If conservative congregations lose their tax exempt status, liberal congregations wouldn’t. Indeed, some denominations would presumably include [Read More...]
Euthansia for the depressed
Belgium, having legalized euthanasia, keeps extending it to more and more people: to terminally ill children too young to request it; and now to physically healthy folks who suffer from depression. Doctors have recently approved euthanasia for a healthy 24-year-old woman who has been struggling with “suicidal thoughts.” From Healthy 24-Year-Old Granted Right to Die [Read More...]
Defaulting Puerto Rico is “America’s Greece”
The world’s attention as been on Greece, as Europe hopes its collapsing economy and its rejection of austerity measures will not pull down the rest of the Eurozone. But what happened to Greece is also happening to the American territory of Puerto Rico, whose imminent default on its $72 billion debt–most of which is owed [Read More...]
July 1, 2015
Will marriage wreck the gay identity?
The New York Times reports that some gays are worrying that legalized marriage and their new social acceptance will mean a loss for gay identity and gay culture. Some telling quotes in the article: “The thing I miss is the specialness of being gay.” “There is something wonderful about being part of an oppressed community.” [Read More...]
Changing language taboos
Some words are taboo, so that when they are used they constitute the “bad language” of socially inappropriate “swearing.” Those taboo words used to consist of the irreverent use of religious language. Then words about sex and “bodily functions” became taboo swear words. Now, profanity (words that profane what is sacred) and obscenity (words about [Read More...]
Marva Collins, who brought classical education to the poor, dies
A pioneer in the rediscovery of classical education died last week. Marva Collins was an inner-city school teacher who rebelled against the failures of the educational establishment by teaching her students Shakespeare, Socrates, and other challenging–but inspiring–subjects. The obituary excerpted after the jump is illuminating but it calls her method “back-to-basics,” as if Shakespeare and [Read More...]
Chris Christie is running for president
New Jersey governor Chris Christie announced that he is running for the Republican presidential nomination. He makes #14. Are any of you for him? If so, state the case for why he would be a good nominee and a good president. From Chris Christie: I mean what I say, and I’m running for president – [Read More...]
