Zachary Latif recently wrote against democracy in the Muslim world: In fact one remains hopefully that there will be no significant upheaval within the Islamic Crescent since autocracy, in a convoluted way, is the one redeeming aspect of the Islamic Crescent. There is no need to consider the popular sentiment thus demagogues do not arise… Continue reading Democracy or Dictatorship
Category: Politics
Japanese American Internment
Representative Howard Coble (R-NC), chairman of the Judiciary subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security, agrees with the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II (“for their own protection”). Rep. Howard Coble, R-N.C., made the remark Tuesday on WKZL-FM when a caller suggested Arabs in the United States should be confined. Another congressman who… Continue reading Japanese American Internment
Marijuana
I don’t discuss drug policy since I don’t know much about it and also because I am a little conflicted about soft drugs like marijuana. The drug war is probably a bad idea in my opinion, but I don’t agree with my libertarian friends that making drugs legal would be an improvement. Free markets and… Continue reading Marijuana
Evolution Controversy
When I came to the US, I was very surprised to find out that a lot of people here consider the theory of evolution to be wrong of “just a theory” (the word “theory” as used by laymen is very different from its scientific use.) I come from a country (Pakistan) where most people do… Continue reading Evolution Controversy
Better than Hitler, Stalin and Castro
Add any other of your favorite dictators, thugs or murderers. Is this a good slogan for a country that is proud of its democratic tradition? Unqualified Offerings has a new tongue-in-cheek (I think) version of the pledge of allegiance: I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic… Continue reading Better than Hitler, Stalin and Castro
Race
Eve Tushnet has a series of thoughtful posts on race (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 6a, 7, 8, 8a, 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d, 9e). She discusses the employment study that I talked about earlier (1, 2, 3, 4). I don’t agree with all of Eve’s ideas but they are interesting nevertheless.
Democracy and the Middle East
Here is something to chew on: Journal of Democracy’s special issue on the Middle East Oxblog’s earlier debate about the issue. David Adesnik on Algeria vs Iran Found via David Adesnik of Oxblog. I’ll be reading these in the next few days and will comment later.
Affirmative Action
This post by Matthew Yglesias mirrors my views about affirmative action.
States’ Rights and Slavery
Patrick Nielsen Hayden notes how the South in the 19th century paid only lip service to states’ rights when it came to fugitive slaves: But claiming to be coerced while actually practicing coercion is a dark art that Southern racists have refined on for over 150 years. The Confederacy’s central claim was that the North… Continue reading States’ Rights and Slavery
Bush on Lott
Finally, a condemnation from President Bush: We must also rise to a second challenge facing our country. This great and prosperous land must become a single nation of justice and opportunity. We must continue our advance toward full equality for every citizen, which demands the guarantee of civil rights for all. Any suggestion that the… Continue reading Bush on Lott