Should courts excuse Muslim men who beat up their wives on account of freedom of religious practices and beliefs? Do religious and cultural “sensitivity” count more than individual rights? It seems incredible that we even must consider such questions, but … Continue reading
President Barack Obama praised the new Sept. 11 museum … as “a sacred place of healing and of hope” that captures both the story and the spirit of heroism and helpfulness that followed the attacks. “It’s an honor to join … Continue reading
I need help understanding a few things. It has to do with smoking cigarettes and legalizing marijuana. Take the case of Maryland. Just this last week, I learned two things about Maryland. One, they’re decriminalizing marijuana possession — not just … Continue reading
The leading indicators of insanity involve arbitrary claims and magical thinking. For examples of both, consider this recent story: A proposal by University of California Santa Barbara (UCSB) junior Bailey Loverin would force professors to issue “trigger warnings” before teaching … Continue reading
U.S. Senator Ed Markey from Massachusetts says yes. From the 4/24/14 Boston Herald: U.S. Sen. Ed Markey wants to empower an obscure federal agency to begin scouring the Internet, TV and radio for speech it finds threatening — a plan … Continue reading
People I know who attended Catholic school in the 1950s and 1960s (or sometimes 1970s, as I did) will tell you about old-style nuns who used to tell children, “Finish your lunch. Don’t throw out that food. There’s a starving … Continue reading
The New York Police Department said Tuesday it would disband a special unit charged with detecting possible terrorist threats by carrying out secret surveillance of Muslim groups. The squad that conducted the surveillance, known as the Demographics Unit, was formed … Continue reading
The principles of responsible driving are the same principles as those required for living your everyday life — or at least they should be. In this 8-minute commentary, Dr. Hurd explores the prevailing theories of psychological/moral development and shows where … Continue reading
Brandeis University has announced reversal of its decision to award an honorary degree to Ayaan Hirsi Ali, following complaints from faculty, an online petition, and pressure from the Council on American-Islamic Relations. Hirsi Ali is a Somali-born American (formerly Dutch) … Continue reading
If you do what you’re told, you will celebrate Earth Hour on Saturday, March 29 from 8:30 pm – 9:30 pm (in your local time zone). Earth Hour advocates describe it as “a global movement uniting people to protect the … Continue reading
One of the expressions people use that concerns me is “do something.” It’s not that I’m against doing something. Quite the contrary: Following up rational, constructive thought with constructive action is crucial. Most people who feel stuck or depressed end … Continue reading
Regarding your article against government regulation of movie volume levels (3/9/14): You assume that a person will not be permanently damaged by an unexpected experience. I went to a restaurant once and was served food that was so hot that … Continue reading