Category Archives: Political Commentary

First Amendment Confusion

I think that the latest William Bennett kerfuffle is a tempest in a teapot, but his response irritates me a little:

A thought experiment about public policy, on national radio, should not have received the condemnations it has. Anyone paying attention to this debate should be offended by those who have selectively quoted me, distorted my meaning, and taken out of context the dialogue I engaged in this week. Such distortions from ‘leaders’ of organizations and parties is a disgrace not only to the organizations and institutions they serve, but to the First Amendment.

Sorry, but this has nothing to do with the First Amendment. I get just as annoyed when people on the so-called right wrap themselves in the First Amendment as a rhetorical barrier against criticism as I do when people on the left do.

There is nothing in the First Amendment that protects anyone from having their speech criticized. Such criticism is itself protected by the First Amendment. All that the amendment says is that “Congress shall pass no law…” Unless there was a legislative move afoot today to outlaw Bill Bennett from putting his foot in his mouth of which I was previously unaware, I don’t know to what he’s referring here.

Chief Roberts

We have a new (in more than one sense of the word–it’s depressing when the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court is younger than me) Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

[Update at 12:25 PM EDT]

Whew, that’s a relief. I knew he was born in 1955, but I assumed that it was after I was, since I have a January birthday. But it turns out he’s one day older than me…

Albion’s Seedling

Jim Bennett, author of the Anglosphere Challenge (among other things), has started a group blog on issues relating to the Anglosphere, both its past and its future. Among his co-bloggers there is “Lexington Green,” of the Chicago Boyz.

There are several interesting posts up already. In one, he asks who might be the UK’s Lincoln with a long interview with Liam Fox, who he thinks might be a potential candidate for the role. In another, he offers some advice for assimilation in the UK from America’s own history.

Go check it out, and bookmark or blogroll it. I suspect it will have some interesting commentary in future.

Albion’s Seedling

Jim Bennett, author of the Anglosphere Challenge (among other things), has started a group blog on issues relating to the Anglosphere, both its past and its future. Among his co-bloggers there is “Lexington Green,” of the Chicago Boyz.

There are several interesting posts up already. In one, he asks who might be the UK’s Lincoln with a long interview with Liam Fox, who he thinks might be a potential candidate for the role. In another, he offers some advice for assimilation in the UK from America’s own history.

Go check it out, and bookmark or blogroll it. I suspect it will have some interesting commentary in future.