The Old Guard
Saturday, May 23, 2020
A Contrast with Carrie Lam
in ideals and governance only. Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen 蔡英文 still has the appearance and demeanor of an older Chinese (or in this case Taiwanese) woman, like Carrie Lam. It appears that those who backed Taiwan independence were right all along, though it is not obvious that they will be able to defend themselves from China. A nuclear attack sub or two, or some missiles with warheads would be useful, but receiving any from the US may be judged to be too provocative and leading to instant war. An announcement after the fact on the other hand...
She is the first unmarried president of Taiwan. Understandable?
The singing at the beginning of the second part of the ceremony reminded me of the PLA and patriotic music that is sung over on the Mainland. Two different sort of "modern" Chinese cultures, heavily influenced by the West. Very little recovery of anything "traditional" in the pomp surrounding the two governments, except maybe the authoritarian mindset.
She is the first unmarried president of Taiwan. Understandable?
The singing at the beginning of the second part of the ceremony reminded me of the PLA and patriotic music that is sung over on the Mainland. Two different sort of "modern" Chinese cultures, heavily influenced by the West. Very little recovery of anything "traditional" in the pomp surrounding the two governments, except maybe the authoritarian mindset.
Still Fighting the Reformation
Crisis: Reflections on the Protestant Revolution by Marek Jan Chodakiewicz
"Revolution" instead of "Reformation." I have heard Latin traditionalists and even some conservative Latins advocate the same thing before. Even if such rhetoric might be effective, its effectiveness would have been 500 years ago, not now, and I don't think the rhetoric would have been effective with the reformers nor with the Christians who thought they had a point. Pope Francis doesn't talk about the Protestant Revolution, and some may be critical of his overtures to Protestants. Certainly there may be excesses in his sort of ecumenism, such as meeting with female "bishops" like Antje Jackelén, the Lutheran archbishop of Uppsala in the Church of Sweden, who said of Pope Francis, “Living in a single-sex environment may not make it so easy to in all aspects achieve a balanced view of humankind.”
Now his defenders will say that as the leader of the Church who is interested in ecumenism, he must maintain relations with the Lutherans, and this includes meeting with their leaders, regardless of their gender identity. The original protestors against Rome would probably be shocked by the deviations from the primitive Gospel that their various confessions have undergone. What, then, is the point of an aimless ecumenism that seeks to be friendly with all, while reconciling none? Benedict XVI was able to restore communion with traditional Anglicans, and some were hoping that there would be similar overtures to traditional Lutherans. Apostolic Christians, especially Latins, can reach out to traditional Protestants who have not traded in the Gospel for heretical liberalism, and those who are not traditional need to be evangelized or be left behind in their "town." What other action is possible? Whether the "Christian" believes in feminism, the liceity of homosexuality or same-sex marriage, abortion, fornication, or a host of other errors pertaining to the Divine Law, I don't see how they cannot be corrected. Is it an act of mercy to leave them in ignorance? But what if their ignorance is culpable?
Back to Chodakiewicz's polemic -- I don't believe the Protestants were completely wrong in their protests, and Louis Bouyer points to the fundamental intuitions which were correct in his The Spirit and Forms of Protestantism. If the Latins had not been estranged from the rest of the Church Universal, would they have been in an intellectually better state to dialogue with the Protestants, instead of enshrining scholastic theology as dogma? I do think the separation that the Apostolic Churches suffered and maintained did weaken all of them, and we should take care to heal those divisions.
Related:
Address of His Holiness Pope Francis to the World Communion of Reformed Churches
[B]but in the 19th century, when the study of history became professionalized, it was mostly Protestant scholars in Germany who led the way. They got to name names, including “Protestant Reformation.” The British picked it up automatically, and so did the Americans. Now it is applied universally.
And it makes sense to many. The Catholic Church is allegedly retrograde, reactionary, and incapable of change. It is only fit to launch a Counter-Reformation. Really? What of the Cluniac Reform? If we agree about the truth of this Catholic reformation, on the one hand, and the Protestant revolution on the other, we will be mentally equipped to acknowledge that what we were dealing with was not a “Catholic Counter-Reformation” but, rather, a Catholic counter-revolution. Let’s get it straight.
This is an uphill battle, but someone’s got to do it.
"Revolution" instead of "Reformation." I have heard Latin traditionalists and even some conservative Latins advocate the same thing before. Even if such rhetoric might be effective, its effectiveness would have been 500 years ago, not now, and I don't think the rhetoric would have been effective with the reformers nor with the Christians who thought they had a point. Pope Francis doesn't talk about the Protestant Revolution, and some may be critical of his overtures to Protestants. Certainly there may be excesses in his sort of ecumenism, such as meeting with female "bishops" like Antje Jackelén, the Lutheran archbishop of Uppsala in the Church of Sweden, who said of Pope Francis, “Living in a single-sex environment may not make it so easy to in all aspects achieve a balanced view of humankind.”
Now his defenders will say that as the leader of the Church who is interested in ecumenism, he must maintain relations with the Lutherans, and this includes meeting with their leaders, regardless of their gender identity. The original protestors against Rome would probably be shocked by the deviations from the primitive Gospel that their various confessions have undergone. What, then, is the point of an aimless ecumenism that seeks to be friendly with all, while reconciling none? Benedict XVI was able to restore communion with traditional Anglicans, and some were hoping that there would be similar overtures to traditional Lutherans. Apostolic Christians, especially Latins, can reach out to traditional Protestants who have not traded in the Gospel for heretical liberalism, and those who are not traditional need to be evangelized or be left behind in their "town." What other action is possible? Whether the "Christian" believes in feminism, the liceity of homosexuality or same-sex marriage, abortion, fornication, or a host of other errors pertaining to the Divine Law, I don't see how they cannot be corrected. Is it an act of mercy to leave them in ignorance? But what if their ignorance is culpable?
Back to Chodakiewicz's polemic -- I don't believe the Protestants were completely wrong in their protests, and Louis Bouyer points to the fundamental intuitions which were correct in his The Spirit and Forms of Protestantism. If the Latins had not been estranged from the rest of the Church Universal, would they have been in an intellectually better state to dialogue with the Protestants, instead of enshrining scholastic theology as dogma? I do think the separation that the Apostolic Churches suffered and maintained did weaken all of them, and we should take care to heal those divisions.
Related:
Address of His Holiness Pope Francis to the World Communion of Reformed Churches
Freedom of Association
Freedom of association is important, but this essay strikes me as a typical libertarian/liberal exposition of that freedom. We can agree that there is a freedom of association, or a right of association, which cannot be infringed upon by some [higher] political authority.
Public Discourse: Reviving the Freedom of Association by Nathanael Blake
Blake builds upon this book from Kansas University Press: Why Associations Matter: The Case for First Amendment Pluralism by Luke C. Sheahan.
Public Discourse: Reviving the Freedom of Association by Nathanael Blake
Blake builds upon this book from Kansas University Press: Why Associations Matter: The Case for First Amendment Pluralism by Luke C. Sheahan.
Korps Mariniers
Korps Mariniers Frogmen
— Heckler & Koch (@HecklerAndKoch) May 21, 2020
Video by: @korpsmariniers pic.twitter.com/M8CKhkETld
werkenbijdefense
defensie.nl
Friday, May 22, 2020
A Federal Bailout for Catholic Schools?
If Catholic schools should get a Federal bailout, how about public schools? Private schools? Are there any organizations that shouldn't get a bailout? How about non-profit organizations or charitable organizations?
We should be asking what purposes schools serve. Too many Catholic primary and secondary schools have reoriented themselves to giving their students the sort of education they need in order to be "prepared for college or university." What sort of "religious" education are they providing for their students? How many students have left a Catholic school only to become a "none" later in life?As far as I'm concerned, those schools that failed to anticipate and adapt for collapse should go out of business; if it doesn't happen now, it will definitely happen later as the economy shrivels up.
If having a sustainable Catholic education system were that important to them, Catholics shouldn't have immigrated and voluntarily become wage slaves in a non-Catholic land to industrialized and urbanized economies that have become increasingly fragile. They should have either stayed in their native lands and worked for reform (even if the authoritarianism of the state and the Church made that difficult) or they should have moved to rural areas where they could have set up their own communities and economies (as some Catholic immigrants did). Now they must accept the consequences of the poor decisions they and their forebears have made. There is no easy remedy to that lack of foresight.
First Things: The Idea of the Catholic School by C. C. Pecknold
The Catholic school is a proven, powerful civilizing force — yet many face closure in the wake of the pandemic. In this great moment of shared economic hardship, Catholic school families deserve federal assistance too.— C.C. Pecknold (@ccpecknold) May 22, 2020
My latest. https://t.co/FIjrTywGeI
Catholic schools are a powerful force for civilization.https://t.co/wDHONvQiZ2— First Things (@firstthingsmag) May 22, 2020
Another Manifestation of the Gospel of "Niceness"
Do some commit acts of incivility or offend charity in their interactions with others, especially online? Perhaps. But some divisions cannot be reduced, nor can one pretend that they do not exist without being unjust or violating the order of charity, and sometimes justice or the order of charity require confrontation. Some divisions are so serious that separation is required, or mere "co-existence."
Better advice would be to avoid unncessary and/or unconstructive conversation or "debate" with others, especially online, and to focus on doing what one can to build up one's self and others within one's community.
CWR Dispatch: A remedy for divisions with adversaries by Thomas M. Doran
We cannot practice daily self examination, an examination of conscience, without growing as human beings and reducing divisions with others, even those we dislike and resent.
Better advice would be to avoid unncessary and/or unconstructive conversation or "debate" with others, especially online, and to focus on doing what one can to build up one's self and others within one's community.
CWR Dispatch: A remedy for divisions with adversaries by Thomas M. Doran
We cannot practice daily self examination, an examination of conscience, without growing as human beings and reducing divisions with others, even those we dislike and resent.
A Postliberal on the Varieties of Liberalism
Thank God for this man’s energy, he drives home the post-liberal cause on an almost hourly basis and his remarks have the additional merit of being very funny https://t.co/DroYYbCnLT
— Phillip Blond (@Phillip_Blond) May 22, 2020
The Tory Socialist: Thick Liberalism: Understanding the Opponents of Postliberalism
Toxic Femininity
Is the desire to rule over men feminine? Or a female vice? How about the desire to have the honors due to a man but none of the responsibility required for those honors?
Lana Del Rey doesn't disavow feminism; she wants space so that she can express her femininity, but she's going to have to decide what her priorities in life are. Unfortunately for her, her career choices militate against her coming to an honest appraisal of the importance of femininity, especially with the threat of cancel culture.
Bazaar
Pitchfork
Maybe she should watch this video.
Lana Del Rey doesn't disavow feminism; she wants space so that she can express her femininity, but she's going to have to decide what her priorities in life are. Unfortunately for her, her career choices militate against her coming to an honest appraisal of the importance of femininity, especially with the threat of cancel culture.
.@emilyjashinsky asked me some great Qs about why I think Lana Del Rey’s Instagram rant yesterday has substance.
— Inez Stepman (@InezFeltscher) May 22, 2020
“The left-wing feminist movement might be constantly whining about “toxic masculinity,” but it actually has a deep hostility to femininity.” https://t.co/mcJN4C5hDg
Bazaar
Pitchfork
Maybe she should watch this video.
"How Do I Find a Man?"
— Aaron Clarey (@aaron_clarey) May 21, 2020
1. Be thin
2. Be nice
3. Have long hair
4. Do not nag
5. No Debt
6. Have sexhttps://t.co/lCpV5jSKKB
Playing the Moderate
Despite their differences the hardest core Bidenites and Trumpists are very much alike. They will tolerate no truth-telling about the faults, delinquencies, or hypocrisies of their man. Any criticism must be squelched, any critic defamed, lest aid & comfort be given to the enemy.
— Robert P. George (@McCormickProf) May 11, 2020
Do red MAGA hat-wearing partisan fans of Trump who gloss over his faults even know who Robert George is? I doubt it. What's the point of a tweet such as this, then? Biden is just a placeholder for the party, and he may not even be the nominee. The story is not Trump or Biden, but the divisions that exist between red and blue, and identity politics is just making those divisions worse. Does George have a plan for red America to save itself?
Music Across the Balconies
Difficult times call for new ideas. Musicians from around the world have responded, including #TafelmusikTogether. @MBalconies is a great hub of online performances, so let's spend a Sunday connecting with others while we're physically isolated.https://t.co/158Ch6wYUo
— Tafelmusik (@Tafelmusik) May 17, 2020
website
Sustainable Agriculture
"We have to co-create the food systems which will replace the industrial model that we’ve seen for most of my farming lifetime. It’s like a map without any features, so we have to draw something." —Patrick Holden, @SusFoodTrust
— FoodTank (@foodtank) May 22, 2020
Q6: #BiodiversityChathttps://t.co/9WceQVnrWK
Ultramontanist When It's Your Guy Who's Pope, Part 2
My latest for @americamag.
— Bill McCormick, SJ (@BMcCSJ) May 22, 2020
"The office [of the papacy] is not a platform from which to carry out an agenda: It is itself an agenda." https://t.co/mJ8TaTtiQ9
Industrial Capitalism Has Played a Role
But what about addressing feminism?
US fertility rate is at a 35-year low, below replacement rate for our population.
— Lila Rose (@LilaGraceRose) May 21, 2020
We need to fight for children & marriage more.
Instead, our society promotes sex outside of marriage, contraception & abortion. We create our own misery.
We need a revolution to put family first.
Don't Give Neocons Any Ideas
If mutually assured destruction no longer seems effective in dealing with the threat of nuclear attack by North Korea and Iran, what military options remain and what moral principles can guide their employment? https://t.co/u4rY4tRNPS
— Public Discourse (@PublicDiscourse) May 22, 2020
Providing intellectual or moral cover tor neocons or the deep state or the imperialists? Why?
But Conservatives Who Create Must Have Respectable Associations, Right?
.@ubookman: "Most people need to be moved imaginatively as much as (or even more than) they need to be moved rationally."https://t.co/s79Do6LRmU
— Intercollegiate Studies Institute (@ISI) May 22, 2020
I don't see ISI or other bowtie conservatives advertising Castalia House or other independent creators if they are associated with anything deemed "alt-right."
《Do you hear the people sing 試問誰還未發聲》管弦樂+合唱團版 - 廣東話
'Saddest day in Hong Kong's history': China pushes controversial security laws – video https://t.co/DBhGDu76K7
— Guardian news (@guardiannews) May 22, 2020
The Lying Witch Carrie Lam
“Hong Kong will remain to be a very free society where freedoms of protests, freedom of journalism will stay,” Lam said, flanked by top officials.https://t.co/2ePlJOcXv0
— Hong Kong Free Press HKFP (@HongKongFP) May 22, 2020
She said Friday's stock market dive was part of the "ups and downs." pic.twitter.com/S5YAsLyzT8
TMHK
香港大紀元新唐人聯合新聞頻道
香江望神州
Carrie Lam plays down security law concerns https://t.co/W5sADGMsax
— RTHK English News (@rthk_enews) May 22, 2020
My new op-ed, just out#HongKong #StandwithHK #DemocracyforHK
— Benedict Rogers 羅傑斯 (@benedictrogers) May 22, 2020
Hong Kong's 'one country, two systems' is over https://t.co/BDKVYGyFrB via @spectator
'The idea that this law will protect HK is nonsense. HK already has national security legislation. This law introduces draconian charges which mean that all of Beijing's political opponents will be vulnerable to prosecution,' says @Johnny_HKWatch https://t.co/kItQvmky7k
— Hong Kong Watch (@hk_watch) May 22, 2020
This statement by Carrie Lam in response to the national security mess reads just like it was dictated by Beijing. Oh, hang on...https://t.co/DiOfMzea5w
— Antony Dapiran (@antd) May 22, 2020
Mozambique Drill
What drills are you running? Join Dan Brokos as he practices the Mozambique drill.#HDXRNightSights #Practice pic.twitter.com/kbr8jNQMwb
— Trijicon, Inc. (@Trijicon) May 21, 2020
Thursday, May 21, 2020
One Detail of the CCP Security Law
The most worrying is, under the new security law, #ccp will setup its national security secret police directly in #hongkong
— Studio Incendo (@studioincendo) May 22, 2020
最值得注意第四條，解讀就是「國安」直接在香港成立機構。也就是港澳辦、中聯辦、外交部特派員公署以外，香港會再出現一個強力部門。
via @simonshen_glos pic.twitter.com/b80JdByWk0
The Pretensions of Constantinople
As Orthodox Christians, without regard to one’s ethnic or linguistic background, the City of Constantine and the Ecumenical Patriarchate remain to this moment the source and wellspring from which our Holy Orthodox Faith flows. https://t.co/Ut4xqjR6Oi pic.twitter.com/nF5YUnEisr
— Elpidophoros (@Elpidophoros) May 21, 2020
Not unrelated, perhaps...
This beautiful icon of St. Constantine the Great hangs on the wall of the Ecumenical Patriarchate at the Phanar in Constantinople.
— Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Canada (@GO_Metropolis) May 21, 2020
Αυτή η όμορφη εικόνα του Αγίου Κωνσταντίνου του Μεγάλου κρέμεται στον τοίχο του Οικουμενικού Πατριαρχείου στο Φανάρι της Κωνσταντινούπολης. pic.twitter.com/ajTQ8w1qFp
Liberalism as Christianity
If you want something more substantial from our co-directors about the legacy of Constantine for Christianity. Check out this award-winning book they published a few years ago with @FordhamPress.https://t.co/3zUkASUJ4P
— Fordham OCSC (@FordhamOrthodox) May 21, 2020
Everyone should take note of this on the Feast of Sts. Constantine and Helen--Orthodoxy hymnography advocating social justice! https://t.co/HoD6szUJoe
— George Demacopoulos (@GDemacopoulos) May 21, 2020
Affirmative action, too.
@FordhamOrthodox has developed new webinar series that will highlight the insights of women scholars of Orthodox Christian Studies. Dr. Susan Harvey of Brown University will be the first scholar featured. Next Wednesday, May 27, 4:00pm EST. Register here:https://t.co/G3bs0K3h79
— George Demacopoulos (@GDemacopoulos) May 21, 2020
Of Course Those in the Orbit of the MP Wouldn't Like This
Catholics, Uniates, Ukrainian schismatic plant “unity” tree at Catholic seminaryhttps://t.co/2ykCW30OFA
— Orthodox Christianity (@Orthodoxy2019) May 21, 2020
All the churches of the Lvov Province in Ukraine must unite in order to counter the global coronavirus pandemic, representatives of the of the Catholic church, the Uniate ... pic.twitter.com/Z4vV6Sjf0e
What Does "Christian" Mean?
The disciples of Christ were first called Christians by the Jews of Antioch who spoke the Greek language#orthodox_times https://t.co/y5pQT6V8Z1
— Orthodox Times (@orthodox_times) May 21, 2020
Mossberg Glock Copycat
Are you in the market for a compact pistol? The MC2 features a flat faced trigger for a more consistent purchase on the trigger, front cocking serrations for easy slide manipulation, and aDLC coated slide & barrel. An excellent choice for a concealed carry weapon. #Mossberg pic.twitter.com/jeNm7vBmLw
— Mossberg (@MossbergCorp) May 21, 2020
Related:
Dreaming of the range.
— Trijicon, Inc. (@Trijicon) May 21, 2020
📷: @GemtechSilencer@GLOCKInc#RMR #Trijicon2020 #GunsDaily pic.twitter.com/3nVp0inglD
Can't Have These in California
Announcement!!! We can finally ship ‘Fully Automatic Knives’ to most States!!!
— SOG Knives (@SOGKnives) May 21, 2020
https://t.co/AqEatpu9zd pic.twitter.com/tpxTDRCieL
Jack Carr with John Najarian
Jack Carr, Navy SEAL team platoon commander joins me at the top of the hour to discuss discipline, his service to our great country and his fantastic best selling books! 4 pm ET today @JackCarrUSA @MarketRebels pic.twitter.com/kIr7f1FoEv
— Jon Najarian (@jonnajarian) May 21, 2020
Jon Najarian Live https://t.co/ozIcxV5o1A
— Jon Najarian (@jonnajarian) May 21, 2020
The Light That Failed
Pegasus Books: The Light That Failed: Why the West Is Losing the Fight for Democracy by Ivan Krastev and Stephen Holmes
From the publisher's description:
Western ideal? Hardly. The ideal of certain "intellectuals" and philosophes, but not the only Western political ideal. Modern "Democracy" in the West is a sham, an instrument of control of the masses more than an instrumental of control by the masses. That liberals would this show how naive they are.
Maybe the two authors will have an interesting account of why liberal democracy failed, or maybe they'll make excuses for liberalism and ignore human nature. I don't think I'd spend money on an analysis by liberals.
From the publisher's description:
Written by two pre-eminent intellectuals bridging the East/West divide, The Light That Failed is a landmark book that sheds light on the extraordinary history of the fall of the Western ideal.
Western ideal? Hardly. The ideal of certain "intellectuals" and philosophes, but not the only Western political ideal. Modern "Democracy" in the West is a sham, an instrument of control of the masses more than an instrumental of control by the masses. That liberals would this show how naive they are.
Maybe the two authors will have an interesting account of why liberal democracy failed, or maybe they'll make excuses for liberalism and ignore human nature. I don't think I'd spend money on an analysis by liberals.
I think Krastev is just about the best liberal thinker who sees the problems with liberalism - nobody else comes close his After Europe is a masterwork https://t.co/LXWFnan8UA— Phillip Blond (@Phillip_Blond) May 20, 2020
The Last Governor on the Proposed Security Law
WATCH: BBC News - Chris Patten: UK should tell China this is outrageous.
— Hong Kong Watch (@hk_watch) May 21, 2020
"The Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary should make that absolutely clear."
https://t.co/54EM5FMFGI
This Is What Passes for the "Intellectual Dark Web"
Being an useful idiot for the oligarchs.
I've said before but I'll say it again: the point of globalisation was not simply to make people rich, it was supposed to export liberal values to the world. If trade with China requires us to sacrifice our principles for economics, then something has gone badly wrong.
— Claire Lehmann (@clairlemon) May 21, 2020
Brian Czech on Planet of the Humans
Watch CASSE Executive Director Brian Czech take the big #environmental NGOs to task for their “green growth” rhetoric.
— CASSE (@SteadyStateEcon) May 21, 2020
On the other hand, Czech commends The @WildlifeSociety , @USSEE , and American Society of @Mammalogists for their integrity.https://t.co/GKVbgnCkEw
Tony Blauer with Frank Grillo
I had been a fan, Frank Grillo, for many years from his movies. I could tell he was a real athlete from the way he threw punches in his films, I knew he was a real boxer, what I didn't know was how deep and thoughtful Frank was as a dad and as a human. https://t.co/WwtJpIfmPx
— tonyblauer (@tonyblauer) May 20, 2020
KNOW FEAR with Tony Blauer
Heinberg on Renewal Energy
My newest piece on the @postcarbon blog:https://t.co/Rn7W2qI41D
— Richard Heinberg (@richardheinberg) May 21, 2020
PCI
Throwing Tomahawks
Perfect Father’s Day gift? Throwing tomahawks! Use the code “jackcarr15” at checkout for 15% off. I hear they pair well with personalized signed copies of SAVAGE SON from @DollysBookstore. https://t.co/wowhNXVzir pic.twitter.com/Xjeaa14vXf
— Jack Carr (@JackCarrUSA) May 21, 2020
Grant Havers Reviews Ancient Greece and American Conservatism: Classical Influence on the Modern Right
Bloomsbury: Ancient Greece and American Conservatism: Classical Influence on the Modern Right by John Bloxham
Kirk Center
Kirk Center
"In general, Bloxham faults Strauss and his contemporaries or successors for the same glaring defect, namely, their determination to selectively use Athens (its history and philosophy) for utterly modern purposes." @ibtauris @BloomsburyAcad https://t.co/N0lv085ImJ
— Russell Kirk Center (@KirkCenter) May 20, 2020
Goodies
Happy New Merch Monday! It took us some time, but we’re excited to now offer a full range of soft-goods and accessories! Head over to https://t.co/wCi1q66sp3 and treat yo ‘self! pic.twitter.com/AxAgnRe1Sx
— Daniel Defense (@DanielDefense) May 18, 2020
What Is Needed for the Development of Republican Virtue
A decent essay on what is actually required for republican virtue -- and in a system that doesn't allow for the full development of all 4 aspects is something that must be worked around. Find your tribe.
Imaginative Conservative: A Jeffersonian Model of Citizenship by Ralph Ketcham
Imaginative Conservative: A Jeffersonian Model of Citizenship by Ralph Ketcham
America's Revolutionary Mind
America’s Revolutionary Mind: A Moral History of the American Revolution and the Declaration That Defined It by C. Bradley Thompson
JMP lecture with video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
"Thompson says, mocking critical reviewer Brian Smith, 'Presumably he wants an America that is based on intense religious belief and Christian sacrifice and love.' An America based on intense religious belief and Christian sacrifice and love. How awful!" https://t.co/SJefJUKXqV
— The American Conservative (@amconmag) May 20, 2020
“Thompson ... wishes to restate that, ‘America’s revolutionary mind is virtually synonymous with John Locke’s mind.’ It’s as if Thompson is trying to get today’s younger right-wingers to reject the inheritance of the Founding Fathers ...” https://t.co/tisGotQvwc
— Adrian Vermeule (@Vermeullarmine) May 20, 2020
JMP lecture with video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
Wednesday, May 20, 2020
Fempowerment Nonsense in Full Swing in S. Korea
John Paul II Was a Libertarian!
Samuel Gregg doesn't make this actual claim but he wants to appropriate John Paul II for liberalism.
Economics is a practical science; academics need to take shortcuts and make assumptions about human behavior in order to have predictive models because the system with which they deal is too big.
How John Paul II reminded us that liberty and truth are inseparable – Acton Institute PowerBlog— Bradley J. Birzer (@bradleybirzer) May 21, 2020
@DrSamuelGregg for the internet win of the day! https://t.co/ARyJe49lBD
Centesimus Annus is often praised—rightly, in my view—for being the modern social encyclical most attentive to economics as a social science. This owed much to John Paul II’s willingness to meet and have serious discussions with prominent economists who themselves occupied a variety of positions on the economic policy spectrum while the encyclical was being drafted.
Economics is a practical science; academics need to take shortcuts and make assumptions about human behavior in order to have predictive models because the system with which they deal is too big.
"Catholic Feminism"
Erika Bachiochi
Related:
Meet the First Enlisted Female Guard Soldiers to Graduate Army Ranger School
Related:
Meet the First Enlisted Female Guard Soldiers to Graduate Army Ranger School
This could potentially be Sony's first female-focused #Marvel movie https://t.co/9hfmtzvtWu
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) May 20, 2020
Humor
Aspiring hobbits and Tolkienesque Latin academics, learn something from this.
When the pipe comes out you know things are about to get serious. #brownells #guns #ar15 pic.twitter.com/iuquXFLnm1
— Brownells, Inc. (@BrownellsInc) May 19, 2020
HK Ad
Jumped
— Heckler & Koch (@HecklerAndKoch) May 20, 2020
pc: @hillejames pic.twitter.com/wiqkxBgcLz
Track Your Flat-Range Performance
That latest Field Notes is LIVE with Bill Blowers of Tap-Rack Tactical. In this episode he discusses how to track performance to improve. Don't miss out, some real solid knowledge in here. #SureFire https://t.co/XV2i3jERgI
— SureFire (@SureFireLLC) May 20, 2020
The Soulmate Myth
"In most marriages, knowing that you and your spouse are deeply committed to one another [...] fosters many other marital goods: more trust, more emotional security [...] more fidelity, and a clearer vision for a joint future." @FamStudies https://t.co/xrH19azbxR
— NC Family (@ncfamilyorg) May 20, 2020
Who's more likely to stay idealistic about "soulmates" even through a failed relationship/marriage or two? Men or women? And is the women's "soulmate" ideal anything more than an alpha male? Who's more likely to initiatie divorce because they are no longer satisfied by their spouse? Wilcox isn't going to talk about the problem of feminism and unrestrained hypergamy - female and male feminist donors would stop financially supporting him.
I Could See Blue Marin Activists Objecting to The Former
and clamoring for the liberation of all livestock animals.
Marin County Livestock & Wildlife Protection Program- https://t.co/Y0NsHZg0Hu
— Defending Beef (@DefendingBeef) May 20, 2020
A Contrast Between a Saint and a Scoundrel
CLJ: The Unhidden Lives of Jean Vanier and Franz Jägerstätter by John O'Callaghan
But how many of the rich or those looking to create paid work for themselves use philanthropy to cover up for their private lives, or to exploit philanthropy for their private sins?
How many people live this truth quietly, by taking care of their disabled children or relatives? If mass population centers at large do not live according to this principle, then those mass population centers need to be evangelized and reformed, and not have its conscience assuaged by con-men using "charity" for their own ends.
The Unhidden Lives of Jean Vanier and Franz Jägerstätter https://t.co/Ddr2XJTIHV#wednesdaywisdom #CatholicTwitter #WednesdayMorning #Catholic #WednesdayMotivation #religion #WednesdayThoughts #theology #WednesdayVibes
— Church Life Journal (@ChurchLifeND) May 20, 2020
In the midst of our anguish over Vanier’s abusive behavior, we need to keep in mind that nonetheless Vanier stated a profound truth: persons with disabilities are not objects of our charity but should be treated as friends among whom we live and share a common life. The irony of the L’Arche communities is that they exist at all, for if we all took that profound truth to heart, if we lived it, there would be no L’Arche, or rather we would all be L’Arche in our homes, neighborhoods, towns, and cities. Jean Vanier’s hidden life cannot destroy that truth.
But how many of the rich or those looking to create paid work for themselves use philanthropy to cover up for their private lives, or to exploit philanthropy for their private sins?
How many people live this truth quietly, by taking care of their disabled children or relatives? If mass population centers at large do not live according to this principle, then those mass population centers need to be evangelized and reformed, and not have its conscience assuaged by con-men using "charity" for their own ends.
Libs Gonna Lib
At first glance, archbishop #Vigano's latest manifesto seems less outlandish than his previous anti-Francis messages – but make no mistake, writes @MassimoFaggioli, it advocates for neo-Christendom, even amid the deadly #COVID19 #pandemic.https://t.co/kgsFmQ14yc
— Commonweal Magazine (@commonwealmag) May 20, 2020
"Terror Charges"
A new category of hate crime?
Canada lays first ever terror charges in murder linked to ‘incel’ movement https://t.co/1loCwaS1A7
— SCMP News (@SCMPNews) May 20, 2020
Weigel on Latin Integralism
First Things: Games Intellectuals Play (CWR)
And that's about it. The first question, which pertains to historical links between integralists and various European political movements and regimes, doesn't address the substance of their arguments. The second, about the link between Obergefell and the Declaration of Independence, does touch upon how the Constitution is to be interpreted, and can't be simply dismissed as the replacement of Leo XIII with Hegel. As for the third question, it's just an appeal to authority, as if an appeal to the private opinions of John Paul II and Benedict XVI but made public by them are sufficient answers to Latin integralism. But that's how one sort of ultramontanist thinks.
Then again, were you expecting a substantive theological critique?
The more sober of the new integralists admit that they’re not offering a practical program for here-and-now.https://t.co/L0w6FQ8dsj— First Things (@firstthingsmag) May 20, 2020
And that's about it. The first question, which pertains to historical links between integralists and various European political movements and regimes, doesn't address the substance of their arguments. The second, about the link between Obergefell and the Declaration of Independence, does touch upon how the Constitution is to be interpreted, and can't be simply dismissed as the replacement of Leo XIII with Hegel. As for the third question, it's just an appeal to authority, as if an appeal to the private opinions of John Paul II and Benedict XVI but made public by them are sufficient answers to Latin integralism. But that's how one sort of ultramontanist thinks.
Then again, were you expecting a substantive theological critique?
MIC Success
F-35 stealth fighter jet worth $90m crashes at Florida air force base https://t.co/YHEQMwHy6N
— Daily Mail US (@DailyMail) May 20, 2020
Mass Culture Facilitates Decadence and Soyness
Inspired by well-groomed #Bollywood actors and cricket stars, more Indian men are proving “it’s a massive misconception that skincare is just for girls” pic.twitter.com/4uGaaAQxjS
— SCMP News (@SCMPNews) May 20, 2020
Justice Now
This is a child from Barrow in the UK.
— Miss Jo (@therealmissjo) May 20, 2020
Last night she was taken by a group of Pakistani men and sexually abused and raped. She was told she “owed” them because she had not been around for 7 weeks because of the coronavirus.
She is a child.
This is still happening @pritipatel pic.twitter.com/y2anZGAe8l
*UK: Home Office will release grooming gang report after public outcryhttps://t.co/hwVKl2XYCZ
— Voice of Europe 🌍 (@V_of_Europe) May 20, 2020
A Resource for Soy Millenials, Too
his father left when he was 12, now he has a YT channel called “Dad, how do I?” to help kids who’re growing up without dads. teaching them basic tasks that you’d usually ask your dad for help on. this is the purest thing 😭 pic.twitter.com/JMKXM541xd
— Mother Moon (@earthygissel) May 19, 2020
The Work of Ryan Redcorn
National Geographic: For this Native community, photography has harmed—and healed
— Osage News (@OsageNews) May 20, 2020
In rural Oklahoma, an Osage photographer creates portraits of resilience.https://t.co/FKMnpfzL6g
Rocking the Spanish Clerical Look
Lord have mercy.
With the death of Fr Nicolás, the Society of Jesus now has no living former superior generals. The Society had two living former generals 3 Oct - 26 Nov 2016, after Nicolás stepped down and before Fr Peter Hans Kolvenbach died, and then one (Nicolás) 26 Nov 2016 - 20 May 2020. pic.twitter.com/Jd0inKbXqe
— Bill McCormick, SJ (@BMcCSJ) May 20, 2020
Jesuit.
— Society of Jesus (@TheJesuits) May 20, 2020
Teacher.
Priest.
General.
...
Friend.
RIP dear brother. pic.twitter.com/h1g5v1Vz0P
The Point is a Serious One and a Good One
But the photo is still amusing.
“GDP gives us a false sense of security. An outdated economy equates success with growth and production.” #SayWhatWednesday: @RickeyGDiamond asks economist Crystal Arnold to define a @postgrowth economy @MsMagazine. https://t.co/8NTMZs8avw pic.twitter.com/3JPGtz7yxa
— An Economy of Our Own (@economyofourown) May 20, 2020
I Like That She's Anti-CCP
But the first photo is ridiculous and undermines, not bolsters, claims about the possibility of fempowerment and egquality.
As @ChingteLai & I prepared to take the oath of office, I reflected on the responsibilities of my second term & the urgency of our mission. I am more determined than ever to fulfill that mission, & lead #Taiwan on the path to greater democracy, prosperity, peace & security. pic.twitter.com/6jUE1jasYD
— 蔡英文 Tsai Ing-wen (@iingwen) May 20, 2020
The Sugar Weasel
Another rifle by Q, which Garand Thumb actually recommends over the Honey Badger.
Rock City Tactical video
Garand Thumb on the Fieldcraft Survival Podcast:
Rock City Tactical video
Garand Thumb on the Fieldcraft Survival Podcast:
Arkham on the Loose
Sandro Magister: The Synod of the German Church Under the Analyst's Lens. A Revolution That Self-destructs
Should the be some sort of election of clergy, presbyters and bishops? That might be the ancient practice in one form or another. Is it a subversion of the foundational structure of the Catholic Church? No. God may be the source of authority, but He has left the determination of who is suited to hold authority to us, and sometimes mistakes are made. Still, even if the German Catholic "reformers" are correct about having popular or quasi-popular election of clergy, that doesn't mean their motives are correct or their implementation.
The first of the three documents represents a genuine revolution, a “democratization” of the Church with elective access to the leading roles and with the subseqent duty of the elected to respond not only to other “democratically chosen bodies” but also to “an independent jurisdiction.”
But isn't this a subversion of the foundational structure of the Catholic Church?
Should the be some sort of election of clergy, presbyters and bishops? That might be the ancient practice in one form or another. Is it a subversion of the foundational structure of the Catholic Church? No. God may be the source of authority, but He has left the determination of who is suited to hold authority to us, and sometimes mistakes are made. Still, even if the German Catholic "reformers" are correct about having popular or quasi-popular election of clergy, that doesn't mean their motives are correct or their implementation.
Tuesday, May 19, 2020
Where's the Authenticity?
Better than what I expected, and better than anything else I've read on American Mind recently. "The Last Men of modernity are looking for a leader to show a better way, and today’s generation of liberals don’t seem to have what it takes to provide the leadership that this generation needs." Can academic illiberals can provide that leadership? I doubt it.
He doesn't say it, but perhaps the author would agree: those posing as leaders of "illiberalism" need to back their words up with action and proof that they are living the life they think others should live. Being an academic is not enough, nor is it an excuse for not doing more. And the author at least doesn't claim the mantle of leadership.
Inside the Very Online War on Liberalism by Benjamin L. Mabry
He doesn't say it, but perhaps the author would agree: those posing as leaders of "illiberalism" need to back their words up with action and proof that they are living the life they think others should live. Being an academic is not enough, nor is it an excuse for not doing more. And the author at least doesn't claim the mantle of leadership.
Inside the Very Online War on Liberalism by Benjamin L. Mabry
As elite illusions collapse, new identities arise.https://t.co/ofYhTrzWjJ
— The American Mind (@theammind) May 20, 2020
A Conservative Application of Roman Catholic Social Teaching
It's not bad as far as it goes, and of course enumerates the main principles of Catholic Social Teaching, the common good, social justice, solidarity, and subsidiarity. Should the authors be citing Michael Novak's interpretation? No, but I don't think the essay itself mandates or depends upon Novak's interpretation.
It all looks good on paper, but writing is much easier than making it a reality. Would the state (and I am applying this term to the American states, not to the National Government) be willing to concede authority and autonomy to local communities? When it happens, I will be one of the first to celebrate, but I think it also requires a replacement of the state constitution with some other form of political arrangement that is codified in a document.
Public Discourse: Reclaiming Social Justice by Andy Smarick and Bruno V. Manno
First, there must be a community. (1) needs to lead to the creation of community; some mass aggregate is not a community, nor should it dominate "voluntary associations" that are actually communities in their own right.
Skipping to the end:
Without the authority for a group or community to determine who its members are and to exclude, this is meaningless.
It all looks good on paper, but writing is much easier than making it a reality. Would the state (and I am applying this term to the American states, not to the National Government) be willing to concede authority and autonomy to local communities? When it happens, I will be one of the first to celebrate, but I think it also requires a replacement of the state constitution with some other form of political arrangement that is codified in a document.
Public Discourse: Reclaiming Social Justice by Andy Smarick and Bruno V. Manno
"Today, the term 'social justice' is invoked almost exclusively by those on the political left. Those on the right seldom even engage in these debates. This shouldn’t be the case," @smarick and Bruno V. Manno write. https://t.co/5cRpv4qGb5
— Public Discourse (@PublicDiscourse) May 20, 2020
This gives those on the political right, in particular, a way to think about engaging with domestic policy issues. First, it encourages individuals to join with others in forming voluntary associations and other types of mediating institutions, so that citizens can solve common challenges together. This view doesn’t look first for large, impersonal, faraway public or private bodies to define and solve problems. Instead, it affirms that citizens can and should collaborate with their family members, friends, and neighbors to address the challenges of the day.Find your tribe.
Second, it aims to achieve the common good first and foremost at the community level, not just at the national or international level. It directs collective efforts toward shared, local goals—not private interests. It respects individuals and allows societies, and the institutions on which they rely, to thrive.
First, there must be a community. (1) needs to lead to the creation of community; some mass aggregate is not a community, nor should it dominate "voluntary associations" that are actually communities in their own right.
Skipping to the end:
By way of conclusion, four points seem essential: to appreciate the value of individual agency and voluntary associations; to recognize the danger of investing too much authority in distant, powerful bodies; to protect the right of groups to take distinctive forms and pursue different activities, while also holding such groups responsible for meeting their obligations; finally, especially today, to commit to civic participation, temperance, and collaboration.
Without the authority for a group or community to determine who its members are and to exclude, this is meaningless.
Unrealistic Civic Nationalism
Something from 2018: A civic nationalist throws his hands up in the air because he knows he cannot give a solution to immigration upon which the future identity politics depends.
Can't support secession or separation because it's -ist, -ist, -ist! Just as Nativism is bad because it's bigotry and -ist!
Immigration: A Troubled History by Mark Malvasi
Can't support secession or separation because it's -ist, -ist, -ist! Just as Nativism is bad because it's bigotry and -ist!
Immigration: A Troubled History by Mark Malvasi
Immigration: A Troubled History (essay by Mark Malvasi) https://t.co/S5EAqPcZCH— Winston Elliott III (@WinstonElliott3) May 19, 2020
Restoration of Authority?
American Mind: Restore Authority to Education by John Peterson
There can be no restoration or proper exercise of authority without trust, and there can be no trust without a real community. Figure out the community problem first.
"To solve the crisis of higher education, we must confront the rot in our primary and secondary schools. To do that, our communities must bring back authority to our schools at a time when that authority has all but disappeared." https://t.co/AUOnISZ0YG
— The American Mind (@theammind) May 19, 2020
To solve the crisis of higher education, we must confront the rot in our primary and secondary schools. To do that, our communities must bring back authority to our schools at a time when that authority has all but disappeared. Where can that authority come from? Only from our fundamental—and natural—laws.
There can be no restoration or proper exercise of authority without trust, and there can be no trust without a real community. Figure out the community problem first.
Varieties of the British Right
Kirk Center review by James Baresel.
Bloomsbury: Neo-Tories: The Revolt of British Conservatives against Democracy and Political Modernity (1929–1939) by Bernhard Dietz.
James Baresel reviews a new book exploring the varieties of the English right during the interwar years from Bernhard Dietz: https://t.co/pyvNqbmh6U— Russell Kirk Center (@KirkCenter) May 19, 2020
Bloomsbury: Neo-Tories: The Revolt of British Conservatives against Democracy and Political Modernity (1929–1939) by Bernhard Dietz.
The Republican Party and Henry Clay as "Conservatism"
Imaginative Conservative: The Forgotten American System by Thomas Maino
Everyone's Talking about Community and the Common Good
Do we have a problem with the lack of community in mass population centers? Yes. Do conflict-averse "conservatives" have a solution? No. Punditry is not engaging in personal conflict, not even when one is supposedly "communicating" with one's opponents through articles and the like. Let them do it in person and see what their response is.
The lockdown has given me more time to respond to various articles and postings on the blog, but it's not something that I will continue for much longer, as it gets repetitive, and various "conservative" intellectuals are probably not going to realize their errors and change. It may be time to focus completely on other projects, or to do some real writing.
Law Liberty: Plagues, Ancient and Modern by Pavlos Papadopoulos
There are encouraging signs that the coronavirus is forcing us to rethink the conditions of human flourishing. https://t.co/NsfZF9ras8— Law & Liberty (@LawLiberty) May 19, 2020
The terror of a deadly virus for which we have no cure has reminded us that we are not gods; so, too, in a subtler way, has the isolation into which it has forced us. It is up to us to decide, now, to rise above the level of the bestial and recall the proper means and ends of human life, to be found in restored and re-embraced community.The author is a member of the faculty at WCC so he should use the school as a basis for understanding what community requires, and how the school falls short of being a full, i.e. political, community.
MSM Attention and Scrutiny of the FSSPX
KBI is investigating priests in Kansas town that draws parishioners from across U.S.
Rod Dreher: SSPX Abuse Scandal Hits Mainstream Media
Rod Dreher: SSPX Abuse Scandal Hits Mainstream Media
It has not escaped my notice that St. Marys is the kind of place that could be fairly identified as a Benedict Option community. To be sure, I have never, ever claimed, nor would I ever claim, that you can escape sin. Still, even though I’m no longer Catholic, I do find it particularly painful that this is going on within a community that really is trying to live by traditional standards. It doesn’t negate their aspirations to holiness, including communal holiness, but it does make it harder for people to trust the leadership.It may be a cult, but I have doubts as to whether it is a community. A community polices itself and its leadership justly and effectively.
More on Planet of the Humans
#Degrowth gets a shout-out by Mark Cramer (France) in the comments at...https://t.co/EBv4THaZBV @R_Degrowth @ADecroissance @degrowusa @Degrowth_info @club4degrowth @degrowth_india @decresita @g_kallis @Brototi @DECRECE @EnaBanda @DrGiuseppeFeola, @r_mastini @Degrowth_infouts
— CASSE (@SteadyStateEcon) May 12, 2020
Don’t miss this live podcast TODAY as Growthbusters @growthbusters interviews Kristine Mattis and CASSE executive director Brian Czech to explore the pros and cons of the controversial documentary Planet of the Humans.https://t.co/U4clwrb9Zr
— CASSE (@SteadyStateEcon) May 19, 2020
No Preferential Treatment in This Way
This should not be U.S. policy toward any country: "[Biden] would not tie military assistance to Israel to any political decisions that it makes. Period. Full stop." https://t.co/e8n4Lp3mem
— Stephen Wertheim (@stephenwertheim) May 19, 2020
Not Quite a Scold
Chalk has a point, but Hollywood movies aren't made for just men. One might as well wish for Hollywood to stop generating so much garbage. iirc, it was the female viewers who were more dissatisfied with the "monogamous" Timothy Dalton Bond then the men. For women, Brad Pitt's character can get away with showing restraint because he's Brad Pitt. Hollywood isn't going to ignore female purchasing power, and what they desire in an alpha, and what they want is an alpha hero who is capable of attracting many women, even if he doesn't bed them all.
Soldiers in an actual war also will make use of the services of prostitutes because apparently the sexual impulse becomes even stronger in the face of death. If soldiers, then why not Bond, who knows he is expendable while he serves in Her Majesty's secret service? This was probably true of the Roman army, too, and if not with the women in the camp followers, then prostitutes in town.
Christians can make movies about stoic or Christian men (like A Hidden Life) but these will not have wide-scale appeal. Movies like Ford v. Ferrari, in which Christian Bale plays a good dad and maybe good husband, are the best social conservatives can hope for. There is no movie about heroic single men who also resist "sexual temptation" that will be satisfactory to both social conservatives and those who have the Red Pill.
AmConMag: The Horny Hero in American Film by Casey Chalk
It’s time for Hollywood to champion better male heroes.
Soldiers in an actual war also will make use of the services of prostitutes because apparently the sexual impulse becomes even stronger in the face of death. If soldiers, then why not Bond, who knows he is expendable while he serves in Her Majesty's secret service? This was probably true of the Roman army, too, and if not with the women in the camp followers, then prostitutes in town.
Christians can make movies about stoic or Christian men (like A Hidden Life) but these will not have wide-scale appeal. Movies like Ford v. Ferrari, in which Christian Bale plays a good dad and maybe good husband, are the best social conservatives can hope for. There is no movie about heroic single men who also resist "sexual temptation" that will be satisfactory to both social conservatives and those who have the Red Pill.
AmConMag: The Horny Hero in American Film by Casey Chalk
It’s time for Hollywood to champion better male heroes.
James Bond's casual womanizing is neither realistic nor heroic. https://t.co/4CiNK4NwPA
— The American Conservative (@amconmag) May 19, 2020
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