Logic is optional...
Wednesday, March 02, 2005
John Mark Reynolds rips to shreds Bill Maher's assertion that Christians have a neurological disorder.
East Phillips Alien
A blog about inner-city Minneapolis.
Faith.
Politics.
Ministry.
Life.
God save the court
Today's Wall Street Journal offers a scathing review of yesterday's U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Roper v. Simmons, which outlawed the execution of criminals under the age of 18. In his majority opionion, Justice Anthony Kennedy referenced a "growing national consensus" apparently of his mind's own making, as well as international laws and treaties to which the United States is not a signatory.
Disturbing as this ruling is, the long-term effects may prove positive. It underscores once again the growing problem of activist judges substituting their will for that of our country's citizens expressed through elected representatives and jury decisions. As Justice Scalia put it in his dissent, "the court thus proclaims itself sole arbiter of our nation's moral standards."
Changing the American judicial landscape will take years, possibly decades, but it must be done. And it can only start with Republican Senators taking the necessary steps to ensure an up or down vote on all of President Bush's judicial nominations.
UPDATE: Commentary from Powerline
and Tony Blankley in the Washington Times.
Disturbing as this ruling is, the long-term effects may prove positive. It underscores once again the growing problem of activist judges substituting their will for that of our country's citizens expressed through elected representatives and jury decisions. As Justice Scalia put it in his dissent, "the court thus proclaims itself sole arbiter of our nation's moral standards."
Changing the American judicial landscape will take years, possibly decades, but it must be done. And it can only start with Republican Senators taking the necessary steps to ensure an up or down vote on all of President Bush's judicial nominations.
UPDATE: Commentary from Powerline
and Tony Blankley in the Washington Times.
Don't forget to flush
Joe Carter on why visual art is in the toilet and whether Christians can save it.
Having recently "experienced" the latest Christos defacement in Central Park, I concur with Carter that visual art in our culture is well on its way to total irrelevance. As Joe pointed out earlier this month, the current state of "Christian" visual art is not much better. Can Christians pull art from the toilet? I think so, but it will require a different way of thinking about art. Today's Christian subculture reveres explicit art, regardless of whether it's any good or not. The result: Christian "art" is a joke, far cry from centuries past when Michaelangelo and Bach were defining artistry for the rest of the world. If we want our art to have an influence on the broader culture, we need to stop thinking "sacred or secular" and start thinking "redemptive or needing redemption." $0.02.
Having recently "experienced" the latest Christos defacement in Central Park, I concur with Carter that visual art in our culture is well on its way to total irrelevance. As Joe pointed out earlier this month, the current state of "Christian" visual art is not much better. Can Christians pull art from the toilet? I think so, but it will require a different way of thinking about art. Today's Christian subculture reveres explicit art, regardless of whether it's any good or not. The result: Christian "art" is a joke, far cry from centuries past when Michaelangelo and Bach were defining artistry for the rest of the world. If we want our art to have an influence on the broader culture, we need to stop thinking "sacred or secular" and start thinking "redemptive or needing redemption." $0.02.
Medicaid for the 21st Century
Newt Gingrich offers good ideas on reforming the Medicaid system. The current, outdated model discourages preventive care, savings and family involvement while trying to serve two distinctly different groups of people - the poor and the elderly. Newt's best suggestion:
Poor individuals should be offered vouchers for health savings accounts that sensitize them to the benefits of prevention, wellness and early detection. This would also encourage a more rational use of health care; prenatal care, for example, is far cheaper than neonatal intensive care. Similarly, a visit to a health clinic or doctor's office rather than to an emergency room will save a significant amount of money. But the rules currently allow for payment for expensive emergency room visits despite the lack of an urgent health care need.
Blogroll updated
Spent some time this morning re-organizing the blogroll. Blogs and news sites I use are now separated, hopefully making the thing easier to use.
Professor Gates
Tuesday, March 01, 2005
Bill Gates on what's wrong with America's high schools, and what we ought to do about it:
"We have to do away with the outdated idea that only some students need to be ready for college and that the others can walk away from higher education and still thrive in our 21st century society. We need a new design that realizes that all students can do rigorous work."
Amen. He sounds positively conservative, pushing for higher standards, better testing methods and maybe even (gasp) a voucher system.
"We have to do away with the outdated idea that only some students need to be ready for college and that the others can walk away from higher education and still thrive in our 21st century society. We need a new design that realizes that all students can do rigorous work."
Amen. He sounds positively conservative, pushing for higher standards, better testing methods and maybe even (gasp) a voucher system.
Triumph of Ignorance and Vulgarity
La Shawn Barber on Chris Rock's "performance" (if you can call it that) at the Academy Awards on Sunday night. Best line of her post:
Not mine either. More:
Criticism of this kind will only have an effect if it comes from within the black community. Kudos to La Sawn, Cos and William Raspberry for going out on a limb. Hopefully more will follow.
Ignorant and vulgar men are considered funny in some circles. Not mine.
Not mine either. More:
They couldn’t find a dignified black person, one who exuded grace and charm, for the occasion? Or one who wouldn’t dream of playing to the stereotype of the ignorant Negro in a monkey suit, loud and obnoxious, profanity spewing out of his mouth?
How fortunate we are that better men built this country and better men keep it going.
Criticism of this kind will only have an effect if it comes from within the black community. Kudos to La Sawn, Cos and William Raspberry for going out on a limb. Hopefully more will follow.
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