We recently discussed the protests over Anthropology professor Lawrence Rosen using the word “ni**er” in a class on offensive terms to discuss the free speech issues surrounding language. I supported his right to use such terms and questioned where the line would be drawn in university classes. Some faculty however supported the students and now Rosen has cancelled the class. It is a worrisome development for those concerned about academic freedom.
Category: Society
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has shocked the world with his blood-soaked reign including his orders to police to murder drug suspects and his bragging about his own murders. Thousands of suspected drug dealers have been killed under Duterte. Duterte has mocked those who object to the extrajudicial murders, including teenagers found dead. Now Duterte has found a way to shock the world again after telling soldiers to shoot female rebels in their genitals. Many of us were alarmed by President Donald Trump’s praise of Duterte as “a good man” and praising his crackdown on drugs. Duterte however shows no ability to control himself any more than his son (who has been implicated in drugs and corruption) or his henchman . . . or his mouth. However, this not just some clown in office. Duterte is actively encouraging extrajudicial murders as a policy of this close allied nation.
Continue reading “Duterte Tells Soldiers To Shoot Female Rebels In Their Genitals”
We recently saw a national outcry over a teacher dragged from a school board meeting for raising concerns over school policies. Now, the West Virginia House of Delegates is under scrutiny for the treatment of a woman, Lissa Lucas, who appeared at a hearing over a drilling bill and attempted to list the contributions accepted by both Democrats and Republicans from the gas and oil industries. She also raised an event the night before where the members wined and dined with industry lobbyists. She was forciably removed from the hearing after Chairman, John Shott (R-Mercer) ruled her comments as non-germane and personal. Many voters would likely disagree and say that the extent of corporate-related money is not relevant to the legislation.
Below is my column on the ongoing controversy over the majority and minority memos from the House Intelligence Committee. President Donald Trump has sent the Democratic memo — which is much longer and detailed — back to the Committee for revisions. He accused of the Democrats of intentionally loading up the memos with classified information to argue that the White House was withholding embarrassing information. This column below argues for disclosure of not just as much of these memos as possible but underlying material.
Continue reading “In The Case Of The FISA Memos, Transparency Is National Security”
Princeton Professor Lawrence Rosen is facing protests after various students accused him racist language in a recent class. What is different about this controversy is that the class was on racist language and oppressive symbolism. In an effort to discuss the limits of free speech, Rosen used the n-word and asked if it is protected speech. Some students answered that question by walking out and protesting to the university. It is concerning that even a discussion of this word in a relevant class is now viewed as worthy of discipline by some faculty and students. This controversy is occurring after more schools have banned Huckleberry Finn due to the use of the n-word.
There could be a ticket war starting after the Milwaukee Brewers moved to reduce the number of Cubs fans at Miller Park. In recent years, the park has sounded like Wrigley with large numbers of people driving the two hours to Milwaukee. Not only do Cubs fans want to cheer for their team but the tickets are generally cheaper. However, that could be a thing of the past after the team opened early tickets to Wisconsin residents only. Of course, entrepreneurial Brewers fans could easily circumvent the plans and resell the tickets to Cubbie fans. The question is whether this will spark a ticket war. 
Southern New Hampshire University is one of the burgeoning online universities that promises faster and cheaper degrees than the traditional colleges. While there are considerable questions raised over content of these courses and the value of the degrees, SNHU insists that it is reaching a population that would not otherwise be able to attain degrees. Ashley Arnold, 27, however, had to educate her professor that Australia is not just a continent but also a country. Update: SNHU has fired the professor. This type of story is particularly harmful for online universities given their perception as diploma mills.
It is like a broken record in politics. A powerful man is accused of a despicable and criminal act toward women. He emphatically denies the allegation and then . . . crickets. President Donald Trump cited Rod Porter’s claim of innocence and praised him and is now facing criticism over his failure to express concern for the women in the scandal.
In the meantime, Porter has not done the obvious thing if his two prior wives are indeed lying about his being a vile abuser of women . . . he has not threatened, let alone promised, a defamation action.
A Tennessee widow is suing White County Sheriff Oddie Shoupe after the disclosure of a body camera recording in which Shoupe ordered the shooting of her husband so not to “tear up” the cars of his deputies. Michael Dial was unarmed and moving at only around 50 miles an hour in his truck (which was pulling a trailer). Shoupe’s orders and comments on the tape are highly disturbing.
Spirit Airlines has been long criticized for its treatment of passengers and added charges for even carry on luggage. However, Texas State University student Belen Aldecosea, 21, has raised a truly shocking allegation by any measure. She is thinking of suing the airline for allegedly forcing her to flush her emotional support hamster down the toilet after Spirit Airlines refused to let the pet on the flight despite her doctor’s letter. The conflicting accounts could lead to cross filings. Update: her lawyer says that Aldecosea now has a new comfort hamster. Presumably, she did not tell it what happened to the prior comfort animal.
Below is my column in USA Today on the increasing talk of treason by both Democrats and Trump in recent weeks. President Donald Trump has indicated that his comments about Democrats being traitors was only a joke. That is hardly compelling in a speech that also denounced the Democrats as “unAmerican.” Clearly, many in the audience do not take such comments as a joke. At the same time, many Democrats have been calling Trump or his family traitors in the actual rather than rhetorical sense. There is no basis on the existing evidence to charge Trump with treason. These comments are equally reckless and unfounded. The Framers sought to remove this charge from the political discourse by not just adopting a narrow definition but incorporating that definition into the Constitution.
Here is the column:
The University of Washington has been sued by the schools College Republicans after it demanded the payment of $17,000 in security fees for the planned speech of Oregon activist Joey Gibson of the Patriot Prayer group. The lawsuit raises an important free speech question in whether schools can effectively bar conservative speakers by insisting that free speech is not free in a financial sense. The imposition of prohibitive costs on groups like the College Republicans is facially neutral but potentially discriminatory in practice based on the content of speech. It also creates a system that indirectly supports “the heckler’s veto.”
The United States has long rejected the holding of military parades featuring tanks, missiles and other heavy weapons as a symbol of authoritarian regimes like the Soviet Union, North Korea and other countries. We commonly have parades with marching military and military bands in Washington. What we generally have not done is add heavy weaponry — the signature display of so many of the history authoritarian enemies of this country (though, as some have pointed out on this blog, there have been exceptions where tanks or missiles were present in inaugurations). Trump’s desire for military equipment at the presidential inauguration was reportedly rejected by the Pentagon as running counter to the long traditions of the country. Now Trump appears to be close to getting such a parade, modeled on the Bastille Day parade. A military official told The Washington Post is quoted as saying“The marching orders were: I want a parade like the one in France.” (The current results show 77 percent against such parades with around 800 polled. The Army-Navy Times is reported opposition at 89 percent). Opposition is also coming from Republicans who are calling it “cheesy” and “wasteful.” The Navy Seal who killed Osama Bin Laden has called it “third world bulls**t.”
Ironically, as many on this blog know, I am a military history buff and love to review both vintage and modern weaponry. However, I like our tradition in not holding such military parades. Our military has long maintained its apolitical and professional distance in our system. We celebrate and honor our military but do not use heavy weapons as props. We also avoid the high costs associated with such parades. However, people of good faith can disagree and I wanted to ask the blog about the consensus (if any) on this issue below.
Continue reading “Poll: Do You Think We Should Have A Military Parade In Washington?”
Below is my column in the Hill newspaper on the recent tweets from former Director James Comey attacking allegations that he (and others) abused the secret FISA surveillance system. It is an ironic twist for Comey who is now acting in the same fashion as Trump in commenting on pending investigations and compromising himself as a potential witness or even target in future investigations.
Here is the column:
Continue reading “Twitter War: Comey Drops Pseudonym and Judgment In Social Media Attacks”
Gloria Copeland is the co-founder of the Kenneth Copeland Ministries (with her husband) in Texas and cited as a spiritual advisor to President Donald Trump. She and her husband serve on Trump’s evangelical advisory board. This week Copeland is in the center of a firestorm after telling her followers that you may not need flu shots if you “inoculate yourself with the word of God.”