Category: Society

Swiss Man Found Guilty Of Defamation For “Liking” Facebook Postings

200px-Facebook.svgWe have yet another example of how free speech is being eviscerated in Europe through an assortment of different legal standards.  An unnamed 45-year-old Swiss man is an example of how the defamation laws can have the same impact on free speech. He was convicted of defamation after simply “liking” posts on Facebook that said bad things about Erwin Kessler, the leader of Swiss vegan group Vereins gegen Tierfabriken.

Continue reading “Swiss Man Found Guilty Of Defamation For “Liking” Facebook Postings”

Portland Mayor Demands Feds Bar Conservative Group From Speaking

Ted Wheeler, mayor of Portland, Oregon, has joined a growing list of liberals curtailing free speech and seeking exceptions for speech that they deem to be hateful or offensive.  We saw recently Howard Dean espousing the false premise that there is a hate speech exception to the First Amendment.  We also saw politicians in California seeking to curtail anything that they deem to be “fake news.”  Now Wheeler is espousing the same anti-speech nonsense in seeking to ban a conservative demonstration by a group called Patriot Prayer.

Continue reading “Portland Mayor Demands Feds Bar Conservative Group From Speaking”

Kathy Griffin Channels Her Inner ISIS [Updated]

kathygriffintweet

As some on this blog know, I have never been a fan of comedian Kathy Griffin.  I have found her crude humor to be juvenile and never understood why CNN and Anderson Cooper continued to use her during New Year’s Eve programming.   As I previously stated, Griffin often seems to substitute an increasingly obvious lack of comedic talent with a rising level of obscenity.  Now, she has shocked even many of her many enablers with a picture holding the bloody severed head of President Donald Trump.  Griffin clearly must have known that a firestorm would result from the disgusting and deeply disturbing image.  That buzz however seems to be turning into a buzz saw with even her former supporters are expressing outrage at the image. Update: CNN finally cut Griffin after two days of fierce criticism.

Continue reading “Kathy Griffin Channels Her Inner ISIS [Updated]”

Paris Mayor Calls For Banning Of Black Only Event In Paris

Anne_Hidalgo,_février_2014With Harvard holding its first black-only graduation this year and various schools creating black only dorms and safe spaces, “separate but equal” seems to be on the resurgence in America (something I wrote about ten years ago).  However, Paris mayor, Anne Hidalgo, has stood firm against all forms of discrimination and barred the black feminist festival in the French capital because it is “prohibited to white people.”  She said that racial discrimination in any form or for any purpose will not be tolerated.

Continue reading “Paris Mayor Calls For Banning Of Black Only Event In Paris”

The Rise and Fall of H.R. McMaster

H.R._McMaster_ARCIC_2014One of the most damaged individuals from the various controversies surrounding President Donald Trump has been his National Security Adviser, General H.R. McMaster.  McMaster of course replaced the most damaged individual, General Michael Flynn who is now the subject of multiple investigations.  McMaster was brought in to bring professional and credibility to the position.  He was an excellent choice.  However, the use of McMaster to try (unsuccessfully) to deflect concerns of Trump’s disclosure of highly classified information to the Russians destroyed much of his reputation in Washington.  Now, what remains of that reputation seems to be rapidly evaporating with McMaster’s dismissive “not concerned” response to a high-level advisor (Jared Kushner) reportedly asking the Russians to create a secret, secure communications line  through their embassy or other location.  While that allegation does not appear a criminal violation in and of itself, it would a highly disturbing addition to an already troubling story on the close relations between the Trump officials and the Russians.  The former head of the NSA and CIA under Bush said that such a back channel would be both uncommon and dangerous.

Continue reading “The Rise and Fall of H.R. McMaster”

Washington Post: Kushner Tried To Set Up Secret Communications Channel With Russians

Hotline_VHS_coverThe Washington Post released a bombshell story on Friday that alleges that senior White House aide (and presidential son-in-law) Jared Kushner met withSergei Kislyak, the Russian ambassador to Washington to set up a private communications channel with the Kremlin.  The channel reportedly was sought for secret and secure and direct communications with the Russians.  Once again, there is nothing on its face unlawful about either the meeting or the desire for a secure communications line. However, the allegation (if true) would deepen the unease over the associations between the Trump camp and the Russians.  The increasing number of meetings has raised questions over why Trump officials were so solicitous to the Russians — a concern that reached its apex with Trump’s bizarre decision to entertain Kislyak and the Russian Foreign Minister in the Oval Office the day after firing former FBI Director James Comey.  Update:  After two days, the White House has been conspicuously silent.

Continue reading “Washington Post: Kushner Tried To Set Up Secret Communications Channel With Russians”

College Professor Objects To Exclusion of Whites From Campus For “Day of Absence” . . . Students Denounce Him As Racist and Call For His Termination

theevergreenstate640_c0-0-640-373_s885x516There is another controversy on an American campus after a professor objected to a plan that involved excluding whites from campus.  Evergreen State College biology professor Bret Weinstein made a reasoned objection to the plan for this year’s “Day of Absence” on campus. In prior years, people of color would leave the campus to highlight their contribution to the school. This year, it was proposed that whites should leave campus and Weinstein objected to the obvious unfairness of such a race-based exclusion.  The result, as shown in the videotape below, was a mob scene around Weinstein as students called him a racist and called for his resignation.  Protests have denounced his “anti-blackness” and demanded his removal from teaching.

Continue reading “College Professor Objects To Exclusion of Whites From Campus For “Day of Absence” . . . Students Denounce Him As Racist and Call For His Termination”

Trump Reportedly Denounced Germans At EU Meeting As “Bad, Very Bad” and Threatened To Curtail German Car Sales — White House Partially Denies Story [UPDATED]

donald_trump_president-elect_portrait_croppedPresident Donald Trump is being widely quoted by European allies as making a rather disturbing statements about Germany to EU Commissioner Jean-Claude Juncker and European Council president Donald Tusk.   German news magazine Der Spiegel is quoting multiple sources that Trump went off on Germany over the trade surplus and said that “The Germans are evil, very evil.”  (Other translations have “bad, very bad”).  If true, it would not exactly be a diplomatic or even comprehensible approach. Trump also reportedly said that he would end the German car sales in the United States behind the surplus.  Der Spiegel is a widely respected publication.  However, this would be as big a story if the statement was not made.  The article describes almost open hostility and shock toward Trump. If the statement was not made (and Juncker has not denied it), it would be evidence of an open effort by top European diplomats to portray Trump as unhinged and unstable.  The White House, of course, should be able to confirm or deny the story.  I truly hope that this is a fake news story because the alternative would be unnerving. [Update: The White House denies that Trump made the statement]  However, the White House does not deny the car statement and only says that Trump was referring to “bad” trade policies.  That would be a considerable “lost in translation” moment.

Continue reading “Trump Reportedly Denounced Germans At EU Meeting As “Bad, Very Bad” and Threatened To Curtail German Car Sales — White House Partially Denies Story [UPDATED]”

“They Just Blabbermouth It”: British Police Cut Off Sharing Intelligence With Trump Administration on Manchester Bombing [UPDATED]

loose-lips-sink-shipsWe previously discussed the alarming breach of an intelligence sharing agreement with the U.K. after U.S. officials released details given to them from British intelligence on the Manchester bombing, including the identity of the bomber.  Now, British police have stopped sharing information with U.S. authorities after a series of leaks to American media.  In the meantime, after Trump’s rational odd denial that he mentioned Israel in his giving highly classified intelligence to the Russians, Israel has acknowledged it was indeed their intelligence and they had to implement a “fix” and “clarify” their position with the U.S. on intelligence sharing after Trump’s disclosure. Update:  Trump denounced the leaking of the information.   Some have noted that the statement was rather belated and others have noted that it is equally ironic (given Trump’s personal disclosure of the highly classified Israeli intelligence to the Russians).  Nevertheless, Trump is right to call for the FBI to investigate the leaking of the shared intelligence.

Continue reading ““They Just Blabbermouth It”: British Police Cut Off Sharing Intelligence With Trump Administration on Manchester Bombing [UPDATED]”

Student Groups Demand UChicago Change Curriculum, Housing, and Departments Along Racial Lines

university of chicagoI previously praised the position of my alma mater, The University of Chicago, in refusing to limit free speech with the creation of safe spaces and speech codes. Indeed, the courageous position of UChicago stood in sharp contrast to the troubling position of my other alma mater, Northwestern University (which has only grown more hostile to both free speech and academic freedom).  Now the university faces another test of academic principles after a coalition of student groups called “UChicago United” has given the Administration of list of 50 demands. Most troubling are demands that seek decisions impacting the academic integrity of the curriculum and school as a whole.

Continue reading “Student Groups Demand UChicago Change Curriculum, Housing, and Departments Along Racial Lines”

“I Am History”: New Orleans Principal Forced Out Of Post For Merely Being Photographed Near Confederate Flag

5924a2da24d49.imageThere has been a roaring debate over the decision of the New Orleans city council to tear down all Confederate era statues, which many have argued is wiping out history rather than dealing with it.  The most controversial decision is the removal of the iconic statue of Robert E. Lee in the downtown.  One casualty of that debate is Nicholas Dean, principal of Crescent Leadership Academy, who was forced out of his post merely because he went to see the historic change and was pictured with a Confederate flag in the background. Not his flag, mind you. Just a Confederate flag held by a protester.

Continue reading ““I Am History”: New Orleans Principal Forced Out Of Post For Merely Being Photographed Near Confederate Flag”

White Owners Of Mexican Food Truck Shut Down After Being Accused Of Cultural Appropriation

Papa_chevos_burrito
Photo: Ernesto Andrade

Kali Wilgus and Liz “LC” Connelly thought that they had realized their dream when they opened Kooks Burritos in Portland Oregon.  They were even more excited when the local newspaper Williamette Week decided to do a feature article on their new business.  The two women recounted how they watched Mexican women making tortillas on a trip to Baja California and adopted what they saw.  That admission however led to furious accusations that the two white women were guilty of “cultural appropriation.”  They eventually shutdown their food truck.

Continue reading “White Owners Of Mexican Food Truck Shut Down After Being Accused Of Cultural Appropriation”

“You Are A Good Man”: Trump Praised Philippine President Duterte For His Blood-Soaked Crackdown On Drugs

We have previously discussed the worrisome affinity that President Donald Trump has appeared to show toward authoritarian figures like Turkish strongman Recep Tayyip Erdogan.  Now the Department of Foreign Affairs has reportedly released a transcript of the call between Trump and its blood-soaked president Rodrigo Duterte.  The transcript shows Trump heaping praise on Duterte specifically for his crackdown on drugs — the very program that has made him an international pariah over its extrajudicial murders of suspects. Thousands have been reported murdered under Duterte’s reign of terror for criminal suspects.  The White House has not denied the accuracy of the transcript.  Duterte is now threatening to remove any semblance of a democratic system and declare martial law over the entire island.

Continue reading ““You Are A Good Man”: Trump Praised Philippine President Duterte For His Blood-Soaked Crackdown On Drugs”

Advice To Pregnant Women To Avoid Alcohol Denounced As “Sexist”

We have often discussed how controversial views or positions are often expressed in terms of discrimination as opposed to good-faith disagreements.  A case in point is found in a debate over the consumption of alcohol by pregnant women. The view of the medical profession has certainly changed where some doctors are suggesting that moderate alcohol consumption might not be harmful to a baby.  However, when Chief Medical Officer, Dame Sally Davies, stated that the rule against any alcohol consumption was still advised, she was denounced as “sexist” and “alarmist.”

Continue reading “Advice To Pregnant Women To Avoid Alcohol Denounced As “Sexist””

UCLA Black Student Group Demands $40 Million Endowment And Mandatory Cultural Awareness Training

Ucla_logoWe have been following the demands made by students as part of Black Lives Matter and other groups calling for racial justice.  Few would top the demands of the Afrikan Student Union at the University of California which has issued a list of demands including a $40 million endowment.  The group claims a pattern of “racial attacks” on campus.

Continue reading “UCLA Black Student Group Demands $40 Million Endowment And Mandatory Cultural Awareness Training”