Electric Megaphone

Virginia Tech Strawmen

2007-04-18T10:02:00.000-04:00

I think that people talking about “we shouldn’t arm all these young and foolish college students” are setting up a straw man argument - no one is suggesting such a thing (except for the sarcastic ones who say that colleges should issue M-16’s to all incoming freshmen).

The suggestion is that students and teachers who ALREADY HAVE concealed carry permits be allowed to carry on campus. This is a small sub-group of people that are over 21 and have taken the time, trouble, and expense to obtain both a weapon and a permit - and in most cases, training and practice to go with it.

These are the kind of people you WANT to be armed when something like this happens - and in places that are NOT ‘gun-free’ zones, they provide far more security than risk.

So, you can just spare me the visions of routine raging shoot-outs in Chem 201, O.K.?

Michelle Malkin Comment from Balloon Juice

2006-10-20T07:20:00.000-04:00

After reading a comment thread on Balloon Juice where the blogger had grudgingly credited Malkin with getting some thing right, I posted this after the commentary had gone into the usual 'unsupported bashing' mode:

I guess I’m out of step – I think Malkin speaks and writes in good faith from sincerely held beliefs.
She may be wrong, in some cases perhaps tragically wrong, but she does work to support her claims and points of view, and offers evidence as she sees it.

In looking over this thread, I have not seen any support for the idea that she is personally horrible, harmful, and generally mistaken – just the unsupported assertions, mixed in with the occasional ad hominem (always a sign of classy disputation).

I did see a mention of her ‘outing’ some people’s private information – without any note that, as I understand it, this was information that had been published in a press release, as well as being posted on web sites that were more in tune with the views of the people involved.
She is well known, energetic, intelligent, and speaks to a significant audience. I think she is open to reasoned argument – it would seem more fruitful to engage her than to reflexively attack her.

People without the ability to present reasoned and supported points of view could not do this, though. After a while, even the noisiest echo chamber ends up sounding hollow and empty.

Of course, a snarky comment followed asking if I was talking about Michelle Malkin - which sort of proved my point, I think.

Happy New Year

2006-01-15T13:23:00.000-05:00

In the words of Monty Python:

"I'm not dead! I think I'll go for a walk!"

I'm not fooling anyone, you know...

Stem Cell Research - Embryonic and Otherwise

2005-05-28T09:24:00.000-05:00

I hope that we find a way to get the (hoped for) good effects without the aspects that trouble some people of good conscience.

I think your stand on this depends on your beliefs about where life begins and how lives should be valued.

What I am not convinced of is that any of these beliefs has been proven correct - which means the argument is ultimately based on beliefs rather than on facts.

Such facts as there are get used selectively - and a lot of misstatements and conjecture get presented as fact on both sides.

I don't see a way to resolve this argument objectively.

That said, I also don't see why people who object to this research should be compelled to pay for it.

And, I am troubled by so many people's willingness to deeply offend and harshly attack others on the basis of speculation.

Many of the arguments in favor of embryonic stem cell research would seem equally applicable to human vivesection, and I don't see anyone seriously arguing for that. Yet.

What's the record?

2005-05-13T14:20:00.000-05:00

How long can you go between posts, before someone declares 'blog death'?

I keep thinking that someday I will get active here - but I saw a picture of Glen Reynolds, and he did not look worried.

heH.

(I spell it backwards, to differentiate myself - confusion is so likely, otherwise.)

CBS and the 'CART' Program - Current Score

2005-01-12T15:40:00.000-05:00

I have advocated the 'CART ' program for CBS:

C - Confess the documents were fabricated
A - Apologize to all concerned
R - Retract the story
T - Terminate those involved

Now that the long awaited report is out, let's check their current score!

Confess the documents were fabricated

Nope - interesting, since their own exhibits prove this beyond reasonable doubt.

Apologize to all concerned

Not a bit of it - everything they say boils down to "we're sorry we got caught, but we could have made it real if we had more time!"

The president and the public (among many others) deserve direct apologies that acknowledge wrongdoing.

Retract the story

Nope - a lot of hand waving, but no clear statement that the underlying story is not true.

Terminate those involved

Partial score - credit for Mapes (who continues in her delusions) and those 'invited to resign' - but Rather and Heyward should have been kicked to the curb months ago.

Update: Wizbang's web edition of the report and supporting documents.

Points of Disgruntlement

2004-10-07T13:49:00.000-05:00

A point to remember - anything the federal government funds, it does so with money collected from the citizenry. I'm tired of reading things that can be taken to mean that our government is a magic money machine, and you just have to open the spout.

Another point - 'separation of church and state' is an extra-constitutional phrase. The two mentions of religion in the basic document say that (1) you can't impose a religious test for holding office and (2) congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.

I've always taken the establishment clause to mean the feds can't set up a state church.

Hearing people squawk the phrase 'separation of church and state' like a mynah bird, with no understanding of the history behind it, makes my teeth itch. Most especially when it is applied as a club against Christianity, as it most often seems to be.

Love God, and love your neighbor as yourself - and please don't throw the misdeeds of self-professed 'Christians' in my face - you shall know them by their deeds, not their words.

I'm trying to have my actions be informed by love - given my current state, a more-than-lifetime job, I fear.

The 'CART' program for CBS and Rathergate

2004-10-07T08:32:00.000-05:00

I advocate what I call the 'CART ' program for CBS -

C - Confess the documents were fabricated

A - Apologize to all concerned

R - Retract the story

T - Terminate those involved

To date, CBS has done none of these things, although they try to present the appearance of having done the first three.

Instead, they talk about 'not being able to authenticate the documents'.

This is like saying 'we're not able to find General Franco's pulse'. An insult to the public's intelligence, and an indelible stain on their own credibility.

2004-10-05T16:05:00.000-05:00

James Lileks Rules!

Blogger Envy

2004-10-05T14:42:00.000-05:00

Bad journalists resent bloggers for the same reasons that hookers resent nymphomaniacs.

The amateurs are more enthusiastic, often better, and they give it away for free!

Welcome, visitors from Instapundit!

2004-09-23T15:19:00.000-05:00

No, it is not really true...

(I wish!)

Sandy Berger - Pantsmaster

2004-07-23T11:21:00.000-05:00

Going up against someone defending Berger must be the easiest debate assignment there is.

All you need do is occasionally say, in incredulous tones, "Pants!" or "Socks!", all with an amazed, unbelieving look on your face.

"Pants" is a funny word.

When committing a crime, try not to involve your pants, or people will laugh at you. A lot. Forever.

The Second Pillar - The Rule of Law

2004-06-12T10:46:00.000-05:00

One of the ways the first pillar, property rights, is guaranteed is through the Rule of Law. To the extent that the power of society will be used to guarantee your right to property, it makes that right meaningful.

Rule of law serves other purposes, as well.

It helps to set common expectations of what you must do, what you may do, and what you may not do. In setting these expectations, it serves as an codified expression of societal values, and helps define the relationship between the state and the individual, and illustrates the society's attitudes toward both liberty and responsibility. The law's scope and extent in a society reflect a great deal about its culture and beliefs.

'Good' rule of law requires well considered meta-law - what are the rules for how laws will be made, enforced, administered, and changed?

If rule of law is truly in effect, then actions can be evaluated against known objective standards, rather than by the whims of individuals with personal power and influence. The more reliably you can tell prospectively whether a considered action will be 'lawful', rather than needing the judgement of a court after the fact, the more effective is the rule of law.

Rule of law can be effective (or ineffective) in a wide variety of societies, using a variety of systems of government - but much of a government's effectiveness can be judged by its attitude toward the law.

The First Pillar - Property Rights

2004-05-20T08:26:00.000-05:00

How a society regards private property rights and how they seek to guarantee such rights speaks volumes about that society's regard for the rights of the individual.

Societies that have tried to deny private property rights have a bad history. The pilgrims in this country nearly died from a failed attempt at communal living. So-called "communism" in recent and current times is mostly associated with poverty, repression, famine, and the murder of 100 million people.

Some claim that 'true communism' has never been tried. Well, people have tried to get there, but it seems that communism on any large scale is so contrary to human nature that a society simply can't practice it. Ants and termites, maybe, but not people.

Individual liberty includes the right to assert "This is mine!" in the context of a society that will protect this right.

And if you don't agree with the idea of property rights, don't complain if I bop you on the head and take your wallet and watch. You were just holding them, after all - its not like they were yours.

The Three Pillars

2004-05-19T08:48:00.000-05:00

I believe that the three fundamental characteristics of a society I would want to live in are found in how it deals with the following three concepts:

I. Property Rights

II. The Rule Of Law

III. Education of the Young

[Yes, derivative of P.j. O'Rourke - don't know where he got it, but he only steals from the best...]

Note that you can have a wide variety of governmental structures that handle all of these admirably - and that no form of government guarantees that any of them will be handled well.

More later...

Are we at war?

2004-05-16T16:04:00.000-05:00

Someone in bible study raised the question of whether we are still at war in Iraq, in a nearly dismissive way.

I think I was able to explain to them that we were indeed still at war, and might well be at war for the next 20 years.

Or, until we surrender to people who think that murdering civilians is viewed favorably by God, and should be rewarded by the state.

All cultures are NOT created equal - this is indeed a cultural conflict, and I want ours to win.

Sometimes I think I'm worth listening to...

2004-05-14T15:41:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the new blog - a place for me to comment on what I care about, and a chance to join in the electronic dance.

Conservative or liberal? I like to think my opinions are complex enough that they can't be simulated by a light switch - but feel free to judge for yourself. I do like to joke about being to the right of Ghengis Khan, so that may be a clue...