Yesterday, the Supreme Court struck down limits on corporate and individual donation limits to political campaigns. Many pundits have proclaimed this action “the end of democracy”. The cries are quite shrill—perhaps to distract people from the recent election results in New England. They claim that the corporations will buy candidates, flood the market with ads and thereby overwhelm the will of the people. Some it seems want to put a wall around Washington D.C., limit the amount of money flowing into the city, and keep, thereby, Congressmen free from the influence of the corporations. They desire a government that represents the will of the people rather than the interests of the corporations. I agree with this goal, although I think that the Campaign Finance Reform people have located the problem in the wrong place. One would have to admit that there is ample recent evidence that our country and its people have become simply a colony and slaves of the corporations. Here are a few parcels of evidence:
Archive for January, 2010
The Death of Democracy?
Wednesday, January 27th, 2010Haiti and Helplessness
Tuesday, January 19th, 2010All of us have been grieved by the pictures, stories and reports coming in from Haiti . The sheer scope of the disaster is breathtaking. Our teachers at school are being reminded to pray for those suffering incredible loss in this horribly impoverished area. There are a few things, however, that need some examination and that I would like to hear more about . . . .
Security and Freedom, Part 2
Monday, January 11th, 2010The quest for security continues as we endlessly roll around the ball bearings that we had in our collective pockets trying to discern how we could have failed to “connect the dots.” I see a connection between this security gaffe and why we are compelled towards classical and Christian education. (more…)
Security and Freedom
Friday, January 8th, 2010On Christmas Day, a Nigerian, trained in Yemen whose own father had warned us about his danger named Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab almost blew up a Northwest airliner above Detroit. He bought a one way ticket. He paid in cash. He boarded the plane without any luggage—he was going to Detroit in December (!!!). We let him get on the plane. He brought explosives onto the plane in his underwear. He failed to blow the plane up, but as President Obama said, “We dodged a bullet.” Now, many are scrambling to come up with new security procedures that will “keep us safe.” Of course, we must do what is reasonable.
Most of what is being recommended now, however, seems sort both invasive (horribly) and fruitless. Again, we will punish the obviously harmless and the dangerous will, I fear, slip past our nets. Some experts have already pointed out ways that most of our security measures can be overcome. We need to get comfortable with this conclusion—if we have a free society, we will be vulnerable to attacks of cruel, violent men intent on our destruction. We can only be safe from men like this by ceasing to be what we are—free. Any rational system of security can be overcome by time and rationality.
This goes for more than airlines, however, it goes for all of life. We cannot be financially free and secure. We cannot love freely without risking that our hearts will be broken. There is no way around it, but we really want one.
I have always been attracted to the freedom side of this equation (although like any parent I have an appreciation for the security side of the equation as well). It risks more, but it presents the possibility for the deeper more consistent joy. It also presents the haters of freedom with a real and winsome alternative to their embrace of death.
This is one of the reasons that I love classical Christian education so much. It can build a foundation for deep loves and for consistent, abiding joys.
Top Ten Reads of 2009
Thursday, January 7th, 2010As I sped through the Christmas Holidays, I was showered with numerous Top Ten Lists—from top ten Lancaster news stories to top ten NFL plays of the decade. Here are my Top 10 books and movies you should read or watch in 2009 (they are not in an order):
10. Anthony Esolen’s version of The Divine Comedy
9. How the Scots Invented the Modern World by Arthur Herman
8. The Search for God and Guinness by Stephen Mansfield
7. The Body and the Earth by Wendell Berry
6. Margins by Wendell Berry
5. The Memory of Old Jack by Wendell Berry
4. Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi
3. An Innocent Man by John Grisham
2. The Blind Side
1. Gran Torino
The most shocking of these—if you have to read only one—is Berry’s essay called Margins which is an immensely convincing argument that modern farming is destroying farming, rural communities, our health (both body and soul), and the planet. The most fun read is How the Scots Invented the Modern World. I can not decide which movie is best. I just watched the Blind Side—it got me. Gran Torino was the perfection and redemption of the Eastwoodian form. Hard call. Enjoy them all if you can.
Merry Christmas?
Tuesday, January 5th, 2010In the paper today—near the back of the Faith and Values Insert of the Lancaster Intelligencer Journal—I read one of the funniest stories I have seen in a while. It is an article about atheist whining during the Christmas Season. Here is the article if you want to read it:
There is a certain quality to the ridiculousness of the article that warms my Christian heart.
