Iconoclastic controversy

Last updated on: February 5, 2006 at 5:39 pm By Fred Clark

Shakespeare's Sister asks for, and gets, an interesting discussion on "the whole Danish-cartoon-that-insults-Mohammed thing." A quick review of the abstract principles involved. Freedom of Speech: Good. Bigotry/Deliberate Disrespect: Bad. Wanton Rioting/Violence: Bad. The first doesn't excuse the second, and the second doesn't excuse the third. But we're not talking about an abstract, hypothetical situation here, we're talking about a particular series of events, the particulars of which are much more complicated. Julia provides some much-needed context and insight: The talking... Read more

Bad bankers lose money, Part I

Last updated on: February 5, 2006 at 3:52 pm By Fred Clark

8 Comments

The discussion of odious debt in comments below reminded me of this story: Back when I was interning as a religious corporate gadfly, I got to tag along with the Sisters of Mercy to the annual meeting of a prominent investment bank. The bank's board seemed to think that the sisters were misnamed. They had been lobbying the bank for years to forgive millions of dollars of loans made to various authoritarian governments in Latin America, and the sisters had... Read more

L.B.: The real sin of the Rev. Bruce Barnes

Last updated on: February 4, 2006 at 4:46 pm By Fred Clark

90 Comments

Left Behind, pp. 195-197 To put meaning in one’s life may end in madness, But life without meaning is the torture Of restlessness and vague desire — It is a boat longing for the sea and yet afraid. — Edgar Lee Masters, from "Spoon River Anthology" Rayford Steele's wife, Irene, was snatched away by God because she was a Real True Christian. She had learned to be an RTC at the New Hope Village Church. Looking for answers, Rayford drives... Read more

I have held the hand of the devil

Last updated on: February 3, 2006 at 3:53 pm By Fred Clark

53 Comments

In comments below, Jeffrey Overstreet LN provided an excerpt (via Jeffrey Overstreet) from the text of Bono's "homily" at the National Prayer Breakfast yesterday. It's too good to leave hidden in comments. DATA, Bono's advocacy nonprofit, has the full text of his remarks here. Bush got his photo op, but it was a bit like King David posing for photos with Nathan. Speaking truth to power is the task of the prophet, and also, perhaps, of the rock star, and... Read more

Random 10

Last updated on: February 3, 2006 at 1:13 pm By Fred Clark

3 Comments

As he walked by Billy stuck his knife into his pocket Took a breath and let him pass Brother Danielson, "Daughters Will Tune You" Trashcan Sinatras, "Carried Away" Jeff Buckley, "Eternal Life" Matthew Sweet, "Your Sweet Voice" Sarah McLachlan, "The Rainbow Connection" Daniel Amos, "(What's Come) Over Me" Radiohead, "Climbing up the Walls" G. Love, "I-76" Bruce Springsteen, "Galveston Bay" Emmylou Harris, "Pancho and Lefty" I'm a huge fan of Paul Williams' "The Rainbow Connection" or, as I like to... Read more

In God’s Country

Last updated on: February 2, 2006 at 5:07 pm By Fred Clark

34 Comments

Irish philanthropist and singer Bono (right) pauses for a photograph with a fan at the 54th Annual National Prayer Breakfast. "This is really, really fucking brilliant," the U2 frontman said. In his introduction, President Bush said: In millions of acts of kindness, we have seen the good heart of America. Bono, the true strength of this country is not in our military might or in the size of our wallet, it is in the hearts and souls of the American... Read more

Longtime leader in city school reform

Last updated on: February 1, 2006 at 1:14 pm By Fred Clark

13 Comments

G. Alfred Hess Jr. died Friday of pancreatic cancer, one day after his 68th birthday. The obituaries in both The Chicago Sun-Times and Chicago Tribune note that he was a scholar, activist, Methodist minister, educator and champion of Chicago's public schools. Here is the Sun-Times: Mr. Hess was a respected researcher and author, a school budget watchdog, an anthropologist and an ordained Methodist minister who marched for social justice with the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. And here is the... Read more

Two peanuts walk into a bar …

Last updated on: January 31, 2006 at 2:35 pm By Fred Clark

39 Comments

This kind of creepy Newsweek article offers further evidence that many evangelicals, like many Americans, have lost the map and are more interested in winning the argument than in seeking the truth. "Ye shall learn debate tactics and rhetorical strategems, and the tactics and strategems shall set you free." But I'm linking here mainly because of this hilarious correction from Newsweek: In the original version of this report, Newsweek misquoted [the Rev. Jerry] Falwell as referring to "assault ministry." In... Read more

Taking up the slack

Last updated on: January 30, 2006 at 3:56 pm By Fred Clark

15 Comments

Sleeping in the dark My hours have switched again, this time in a more human direction. Two huge benefits to getting off work at 4 (a.m.) instead of 8: 1) no longer driving home during the morning rush hour; 2) getting to sleep while it's still dark. I can't tell you how giddily happy this last point makes me. With what I'll be saving on Red Bull, this almost counts as a raise. Nocturnal living is still a bit unnatural,... Read more

Hometown News

Last updated on: January 29, 2006 at 5:55 pm By Fred Clark

8 Comments

Everybody's hometown, and mine, Media, Pa., enjoys a moment of national infamy thanks to Ken Silverstein of The Los Angeles Times, who reports on "A Small-Town Lobbyist and Her Big Connection." (If you're not registered with the LAT, try this link.) It seems one of my fellow Medians, Cecelia Grimes, is a close warm personal friend of Rep. Curt Weldon. Weldon, poster-child for Delaware County's GOP machine, has been our representative in Congress since 1987. And that machine ensures he... Read more