Culture Warriors category archive
Alienable Rights 0
Michael Paul Williams reminds us that the United States and its Supreme Court have a history of granting, then retracting rights. Here’s just one of the examples he cites (emphasis added):
“Every 15 years, the status of Black people changed according to the Supreme Court,” Perry* said. “Our rights are as firm as the people who vote to protect them.”
The battle is never over.
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*Howard University political science professor Ravi Perry.
Republican Family Values 0
Aside:
When I was a young ‘un, back in the olden days, my mother subscribed to Lady’s Home Journal and McCall’s Magazine (both of which are now defunct). I read them, because I read everything I could get my hands on, even my father’s issues of U. S. News and World Report, which he subscribed to after Time Magazine ticked him off for some reason.
Those ladies’ magazines were not just about fashion and make-up. The death toll from back-alley abortions was a frequent topic. Because I was a young ‘un, I can’t say that I understood the physiology, at least not until later when I was not quite such a young ‘un, but I certainly understood the psychology: frightened women in crisis, feeling imperiled, futures and reputations endangered, desperately taking dangerous chances to protect themselves, their futures, and sometimes their families.
And today’s Republican Party would bring those days back.
The Authoritarian Appeal 0
At Psychology Today Blogs, Daniel F. Seidman compares and contrast democracy, authorianism, and laissez faire approaches to making decisions, with particular attention the the first two. Along the way, he discusses what attracts persons to authoritarianism. Much of what he says sounds eerily familiar . . . .
Here’s a tiny little bit:
“A Republic, If You Keep It” 0
Michael in Norfolk points out that that seems to have become very big if.
And I share his qualms.
I can’t shake the feeling that we are in the midst of a slow-motion cour d’etat.
Originalist Sin 0
At Psychology Today Blogs, Ira Hyman explores what he refers to as the “The Cognitive Illusion of Constitutional Originalism.” Here’s a tiny little bit of his article (emphasis added):
I commend his article to your attention as a valuable and timely–especially timely–read.
The Rule of Flaw 0
Badtux has a theory about the Supreme Court’s radical disregard of precedent in the two big decisions rendered last week.
Frankly, I don’t think that much planning went into those decisions. I think the conservatives right-wing radicals on the Court were taking advantage of opportunities as they came along. But, as regard the long-term results, I think that Badtux may well be onto something.
We are a failing state.
School Daze, Futile Fortification Dept. 0
Sam and Emma talk with a caller, an architect, who discusses how architects feel about hardening schools from mass shootings.
The Back Story 0
At AL.com, Frances Coleman, who believes that abortion is wrong, struggles with why she finds the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade disturbing. It’s a powerful article worth your while. Here’s a bit (emphasis added):
It may be immoral to gamble away your paycheck, but it’s not illegal. And it is, in my and many others’ view, immoral to strap a person to a gurney and kill him, but it’s perfectly legal.
There was a time when the members of the U.S. Supreme Court seemed above partisan politics. But that’s only a memory now, as this most recent decision clearly shows.
On a related issue, Badtux reports that one of his friends is fed up with the purists, those self-proclaimed “progressives” who refuse to vote if they don’t find a candidate perfect in every way. Here’s a snippet from that article:
A Tune for the Times 0
Mangy comments at the Youtube page:
Lauren Boebert’s recent empty-headed comments about Jesus and guns makes it clear that the reason many fundamentalist Christians profess to love Jesus is because they are convinced that, for all intents and purposes, THEY are Jesus. Their entire concept of Jesus is totally based on their own biases, fears, animosities, prejudices and desires. Forget what the Bible says. Their ‘gut’ tells them what the REAL Jesus was like, and he was EXACTLY like them. If they would like to shoot some people, Jesus would have wanted to shoot the same people. If they hate gay people, Jesus would have hated them too. If they hate feeding the poor, THEIR Jesus would be happy to have let those folks starve. Mangy Fetlocks decided to write a little song to summarize this egocentric religious viewpoint.
A Question of Identity 0
Rebecca Watson takes a look at right-wing provocateur Matt Walsh’s recent efforts demonize LGBTQ persons. It is a timely video in the context of the current Republican war on transgender school kids (which is, again, a very small number of persons). (Warning: language.)
Transcript here.
Precedented 0
Will Bunch sees a disturbing precedent for the Republican Party’s escalation demonization of LGBTQ persons. Here’s a bit of his article; follow the link for his evidence.
That word is fascism.
Fundamentals of Fundamentalism 0
At Psychology Today Blogs, Araya Baker explores religious fundamentalism, which he refers to as a “political-religious” movement, as distinct from a purely religious one. He notes that
I commend his piece to your attention, particularly for the list of characteristics that he suggests is common to fundamentalist movements, whether they be Christian, Muslim, Hindu, or Buddhist.