Eye on the Watcher’s Council

As you may know the members of the Watcher’s Council each nominate one of his or her own posts and one non-Council post for consideration by the whole Council. The complete list of this week’s Council nominations is here.

The Glittering Eye, “Gripes About Public Discourse”

In my submission for this week I gripe about the illogic of the way we communicate or, possibly, obfuscate these days.

The Colossus of Rhodey, “Proof: The News Journal Is Politically Correct”

Hube continues to tear into the News Journal for failing to mention in an article with the headline “Attacks on Hispanics Mounting” that the assailants in the cases have been black. Is it actually an instance of political correctness or one of being reluctant to blame perpetrators for their crimes? The discussion does bring a question to mind: can one reasonably support the idea of hate crimes on the basis of race if one rejects the idea of race as a category? Interest group politics is a minefield.

Soccer Dad, “One Year”

I join with Soccer Dad in rejoicing at the first birthday of his daughter. May she have many more!

Cheat Seeking Missiles, “Our Crumbling Civilization: Flat Buns Edition”

Well, yes, Laer, sex sells. And business is business. Perhaps it’s a sign of maturity but I don’t find flat buns that attractive. Using human buttocks to sell patty melts does sound a little strange, though.

Done With Mirrors, “Contemptible”

I’m very glad that Callimachus nominated his post castigating Brian De Palma’s recent Iraq war hate film since it gives me the opportunity to vote for it. I wish that nominating another Council member’s post were allowed. I’d’ve nominated it myself.

Bookworm Room, “Why I Support Israel”

Bookworm contrasts the Israelis and the Palestinians and, not surprisingly, the Palestinians come up short. I would hasten to add that, even acknowledging what Bookworm has to say, I think that the Palestinians should still have our sympathy and concern. How that manifests itself is another question.

Big Lizards, “Civilian Deaths in Iraq Are Up, But They’re Really Down”

I would digest Dafydd ab Hugh’s analysis of the latest statistics in Iraq with the following phrase of his:

the situation is complex and you cannot use a simplistic metric

I’ve pretty much had it with metrics. When you drive from Denver (elevation: 5,280 feet) to Salt Lake City (elevation: 4,327 feet), do you go up or down? Ascend or descend? Answer: you ascend, then you descend. That’s how the road goes.

‘Okie’ on the Lam, “Thoughts On Mother Teresa and Religion Bashing By the MSM”

‘Okie’ reflects on the revelation from Mother Theresa’s letters that she suffered an ongoing crisis of faith and how that’s been covered in the press. My reaction to this story is that it demonstrates how unseemly the rush to beatify Mother Theresa was. The conventional processes of sanctification are prudent.

Rhymes With Right, “Shocking Decision In Douchbag Case”

I agree with Greg that the student free speech case he reports on is troubling. I’m no lawyer but the decision sounds overly broad to me.

The Education Wonks, “More Zero-Tolerance Lunacy?”

I’m glad that EdWonk dealt with the story of an eighth grader suspended for drawing a picture of a gun under a zero-tolerance policy. It takes adults to make distinctions; bureaucrats are unable to do so.

Joshuapundit, “Natan Sharansky: Where Bush Went Wrong”

Freedom Fighter analyze Natan Sharansky’s recent grading of Bush’s implementation of his ideas. I saw this article and must say that I disagree with the notion that there was some way to handle post-Saddam Iraq correctly. Could it have been handled better? Sure. But there are some tasks in which the choice is between doing them poorly or not doing them at all and I think the invasion of Iraq and the subseqent occupation which cannot be reasonably divided from the invasion was one of them.

Right Wing Nut House, “The War To Remember 9/11”

Rick Moran is not happy with the eagerness of some to pave over our memories of September 11, 2001.

Well, I’ve decided which posts I’ll vote for. Which posts would get your votes?