Coming soon to an area outside a “free-speech zone” near you, official policing of “racism” and intolerance, as determined by…airline officials, speech police, and people who just feel wronged. In the UK, for instance, some things are just not said: David Jones, the creator of the popular, animated children’s character Fireman Sam, was recently accused of racism and held by Gatwick Airport (United Kingdom) security for an hour. The situation,
language / intentionalism
February 27, 2012
Racism is how you made me feel. At least, for an hour or so. Or until I’m satisfied that you are good and cowed, and maybe embarrassed
November 30, 2011
a small observation to begin the day
A prominent conservative on Twitter, playing to the whole right-side Twittersphere, writes, “Time for Cain to go away. Continuous smoke is nearly as bad as fire.” Without getting into the specifics of Cain accusations, let me start by saying this is simply not so — and in fact is precisely the kind of dangerous thinking that will determine our ideological fate.* “Continuous smoke” may prove nearly as bad as fire
November 17, 2011
"North Texas Dad Says Unnoticed Racial Slur Slipped In 'Fraggle Rock' Cartoon"
This is precisely how we lose the language: A North Texas father is fuming mad. He says a cartoon slipped a racial slur into an episode and it’s gone decades without notice. His daughter, two-year-old Zariyah, loves to watch Fraggle Rock reruns. “It is her favorite show, period,” said father Keith White. But, White says he recently heard a disturbing racial slur on the show. “My reaction was to keep
November 16, 2011
Oops!
“Another ObamaCare Glitch”: Even if ObamaCare survives Supreme Court scrutiny next spring, its trials will be far from over. That’s because the law has a major glitch that threatens its basic functioning. It’s so problematic, in fact, that the Obama administration is now brazenly trying to rewrite the law without involving Congress. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act offers “premium assistance”—tax credits and subsidies—to households purchasing coverage through new
August 30, 2011
Originalism, intentionalism, and the rule of law
Several people have sent me the link to this piece in the American Interest, so let me quote from it and provide my gloss, given that this site has long trafficked in precisely the kinds of arguments being attributed to Justice Thomas (not unsurprisingly, a man I have described over the years as the SCOTUS Justice I most often agree with): Toobin, who disagrees strongly with [Justice Clarence] Thomas about
March 31, 2011
Yet another textualism v. intentionalism examination, this time using foodstuffs rather than egret tracks to drive home the lesson. Which is a fundamentally unserious examination, anyway. That teaches a fundamentally unserious lesson.
Jesus reveals himself in an trinity-cheese pizza! Allah speaks through a Scottish spud, after having earlier materialized in a tomato (a miracle!) and on the lid of a Burger King Swirly Cone (the work of the Devil)! And just this morning, a chubby kid I once went to Jewish summer camp with grew a full-on Lincoln beard and totally gave me the finger from inside a bowl of Fruity Pebbles.
March 28, 2011
cease and desist letter for serial harassment and unhinged rantings, state of receipt (update 10)
I thought for sure today was the day. Really. Okay, not really really. But for our purposes…
March 26, 2011
cease and desist letter for serial harassment and unhinged rantings, state of receipt (update 9)
Nothing still. Whaddya think? Maybe locusts?
March 25, 2011
cease and desist letter for serial harassment and unhinged rantings, state of receipt (update 8)
Still nothing. I blame Bush.
March 24, 2011
cease and desist letter for serial harassment and unhinged rantings,* state of receipt (update 7)
Not yet. But to be fair, we just went through nuclear armageddon. And I hear radioactive fallout is particularly hell on stamps. So.