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.
Skimming quickly over the titles, I think I see references to Ronald Reagan, the Bible, and G. K. Chesterton. Let’s see how I do.
Rhymes With Right, “WWRD?”
First, the Reagan reference. Greg wonders what would Reagan do? Specifically, with respect to supporting John McCain as the Republican candidate for the presidency.
Done With Mirrors, “Re-Wiring the Problem”
My best description of Callimachus’s post would be a Biblical reference of my own: anybody who thinks we need to remove the mote from own (collective) eye before we can complain about the beam in somebody else’s (collective) eye is out of his or her ever-loving mind. As I’ve said before that’s not hypocrisy, it’s proportion. An inability to distinguish between categories of evil is the inability to distinguish between good and evil.
The Glittering Eye, “Le Figaro on the Upcoming American Presidential Election”
In my submission I consider an article on the U. S. presidential race in the French daily, Le Figaro—where it’s right and where it’s wrong.
Wolf Howling, “Iraqi Political Progress Leaves Few Places For The Left To Move The Target”
GW traces the arguments that have been used over time to argue for withdrawing our forces from Iraq. I continue to think that there’s a disconnect between the rhetoric of the opposition and what they actually plan on doing and continue to believe that, should a Democrat be elected in November, he or she will do very much as George Bush or John McCain would since he or she wouldn’t want to be blamed for the consequences of withdrawal.
I also think there are some sound arguments for immediate withdrawal that are harder to support post-Surge, e.g. that the negative consequences of U. S. forces in Iraq outweigh the good they’ve done. My question remains as it has been for some time how can domestic support for the inevitable longterm military commitment to Iraq be built while we’re talking out of both sides of our mouth on the subject?
Big Lizards, “When a Man Stops Believing in God…”
Dafydd ab Hugh paraphrases G. K. Chesterton for the title of his post, a lengthy critique of Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury, occasioned by his comments about Sharia in the United Kingdom last week. I think a standard Roman Catholic critique of Anglicanism bears mentioning at this point: the Church of England abandoned systematic theology for aesthetics more than a century ago. Further, there is a general confusion among well-meaning Christians of charity with kindness. The latter is necessary but it is not nearly enough. Christians are not simply called to be kind.
Soccer Dad, “Anti-Terror Fantasies”
Did the Israelis kill terrorist Imad Mughniyeh? Soccer Dad considers the evidence. And the accusers.
The Colossus of Rhodey, “Why You Should Roll Your Eyes and Laugh at Democrats Who “Want Every Vote Counted””
Hube is amused by the consternation about the role of the superdelegates in the Democratic presidential nomination process.
Cheat Seeking Missiles, “On The Mountaintop With Obama”
Laer considers the Obama candidacy. The title is, of course, a Biblical reference.
Joshuapundit, “Muslims and the Right Not To Be Offended”
Freedom Fighter wonders about the ongoing (ongoing!) outrage of some Muslims over the cartoons of Mohammed they’ve found so offensive. Is it really an assertion of a right not to be offended or a demand that things be just like they were at home, that things be done their way?
Bookworm Room, “Dumb Question”
Bookworm asks a series of questions about the Viet Nam War and the Viet Nam War era. I’ve already answered one. The American Left opposed entry into World War II until Germany invaded the Soviet Union, at which time the conflict became a war to preserve socialism. Most of what she’s asking about had been long-standing critiques of the United States from the Left. You may have noted that you very rarely read the words “the Left” or ”the Right” here on The Glittering Eye. That’s because I mean something very specific by each of those terms and IMO the overwhelming preponderance of people in the United States, including nearly everybody in the Congress, doesn’t fit into either category.
The Education Wonks, “The Disastrous D.C. School System”
One of these days I need to write a post on why local government in Washington, DC is so awful. EdWonk’s plaint about the DC school system is just one aspect of that mess.
Right Wing Nut House, “Make Washington’s Birthday a National Holiday Again”
Rick Moran re-posts his argument for restoring Washington’s Birthday. Sign me up.
Well, I’ve decided which posts I’ll vote for this week. Which posts would get your votes?
