Anybody who knows me knows I’m not an anti-war type by design. As noted in my earlier piece, while war is a Bad Thing©, it is also occasionally necessary (see also, Harbor, Pearl). I do not, however, agree that the current “Showdown with Saddam” (“Hoedown with Hussein”?) presents us with a satisfactory case for the application of those principles. My
Read moreThis, on CNN.com this morning: Feds consider adding another terror risk level. According to the story, “U.S. government officials are discussing the current five-color terror threat alert system to determine whether a higher level of risk should be added before a possible war with Iraq.” “The debate is not over whether to add a new color, sources said.
Read moreAs I was telling a friend in an e-mail the other day, I started out being not terribly opposed to the forthcoming Operation Whaq Iraq, as there is no real case to be made against ushering Saddam directly to Hell. Do not pass Go, do not collect $200, etc. If ever a man needing killing, as we say back home,
Read moreI’m reading over a Federal Judge’s finding that the government can detain accused “dirty bomber” Jose Padilla indefinitely because the president “is authorized under the Constitution and by law to direct the military to detain enemy combatants.” And it brings me back to a question that has nagged at me ever since we declared war on terrorism after 9/11. For
Read moreA couple folks, responding to my last little missive on the whole church/state debacle, wrote to point out that the Framers never mentioned “separation of church and state” in the Constitution, and to explain that the now-hallowed phrase came from a letter Thomas Jefferson wrote to the Danbury Baptists in 1802. In that letter he stated that the Constitution created
Read moreIn a bit of satire over on the Daedalnexus, Brian Angliss tries desperately to make the case that “Rather than fight[ing] faith-based programs for the poor just because they’re faith-based, we should all be signing up!” Which is all in good fun, and makes a good point. But if you really wanted to have some fun with the faith-based bozos
Read moreThe following is reconstructed out of a running e-mail discussion I had with Greg Stene (my old roommate) the other day. Smith: I’ve been thinking about the question of freedom versus security a bit lately. 9.11 is obviously the impetus for a lot of what drives my pondering, but the fact is that 9.11 really has only coalesced and sped-up
Read moreMy fiancée, Angela, was talking about our genius governor earlier today, and she made a really good point about his widely reported comments on the current wildfires. Let me elaborate on her thoughts in my own brief open letter to the Honorable Bill Owens. Dear Governor Owens, On behalf of all the citizens of Colorado, I’d just like to say
Read moreIt’s Tuesday, March 5, and I just returned from the polls, where I cast my ballot for Pat Buchanan. Let’s set the record straight: I’m an independent who affiliated with the Republican party for the express purpose of voting in this GOP presidential primary. Tomorrow, it’s back to being an independent. More importantly, I feel about Pat Buchanan like I
Read moreNote: This article originally appeared in the Winston-Salem Journal, May 21, 1992: p 32 You may have noticed some changes up and down your radio dial lately. WKZL (FM 107.5), for several years the Triad’s top-rated contemporary hit station, has become 107.5, The Eagle; the new, lighter sound is essentially mainstream Top 40 minus the rap and heavier rock and
Read more
lullaby pit 