Roderick T. Long
At the last Austrian Scholars Conference several of the faculty, including myself, were brutally conscripted into performing a musical skit based on the songs that Ludwig von Mises and the other members of the Mises Circle back in 1920s Vienna used to sing at dinner after meetings of Mises' Privatseminar. (The lyrics were written by philosopher Felix Kaufmann, a member of both the Mises and Vienna Circles.)
For this performance Jeff Tucker actually did most of the singing while we drank wine, scarfed down chocolate creams, and read our lines off notes. Guido Hülsmann played Mises (appropriately, since in the songs Mises is about to abandon Vienna for Geneva, just as in real life Guido is abandoning Auburn, the Vienna of the South, for Angers); Walter Block played Hayek ('cause you need a moderate to play a moderate …); and so on. I was cast as the villainous Hans Mayer, a follower of Max Weber who later ditched Austrian economics for National Socialism.
This painfully unrehearsed performance is now available in online video format. Don't say I didn’t warn you.
Mark Brady
To read what Massad has to say, go here. To read one of his recent articles, go here. And for a recent article in the Columbia Spectator, go here. For another, very different, take on the question, go here and here. I encourage readers to peruse these stories and to consider signing the petition.
Chris Matthew Sciabarra
I've been writing about the rise of the religious right for quite a while now, most recently in connection with the re-election of George W. Bush. Starting with my essay,"Caught Up in the Rapture," I have argued that the political impact of the religious right is second only to its cultural and economic impact, which is growing significantly:
Christian merchandising is a $4.2 billion industry, which includes a $100 million video game business. The Christian book market is particularly lucrative: Evangelist Rick Warren has sold 15 million copies of his book, The Purpose-Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? There are even Christian diet books that sit alongside Atkins and South Beach manuals: The Maker’s Diet helps you to lose weight by eating just like Jesus. From number one best-selling books such as The Da Vinci Code to"Joan of Arcadia" on television and"Bruce Almighty" on the silver screen, God is Hip and Hot. ... A blockbuster film such as"The Passion of the Christ"—which was condemned initially as"anti-Semitic" by some critics—has now grossed nearly $400 million. That figure does not include director Mel Gibson’s cross-promotional merchandising efforts—sales on such items as metal replica crucifixion nails and thorn-adorned necklaces and bracelets. ... [And the] 12-volume LaHaye-Jenkins work—from its first installment, Left Behind, to its action-packed finale, Glorious Appearing: The End of Days—now qualifies as the best-selling Christian fiction book series of all time[, having] sold in excess of 60 million copies in the past nine years.
Ultimately, the Left Behind series is not simply a religious narrative. It is a political one. Glenn W. Shuck, author of Marks of the Beast: The Left Behind Novels and the Struggle for Evangelical Identity, argues persuasively that"the novels have less to do with escaping and more to do with remaking the modern world" (emphasis added). It is the kind of"remaking" that Friedrich Hayek would have characterized as thoroughly rationalist or" constructivist" in its political implications.
Except that in this instance, the"Left Behind-ers" are praying that God will be the ultimate constructivist, and fix things for good. The fact that so many of them voted for George W. Bush as His messenger is not a comforting thought.
Well, God makes a prime-time appearance on NBC in a major network mini-series that begins this Wednesday, April 13, 2005. As Frank Rich puts it (hat-tip to Arthur Silber):"It's all too fitting that 'Revelations,' which downsizes lay government in favor of the clerical, is hijacking the regular time slot of 'The West Wing'" (the show aired its season finale on April 6th). Fitting indeed. The typically liberal"West Wing" is being replaced by a Left Behind knock-off that will merge an"X-Files" sensibility, an Omen-like horror quotient, and an apocalyptic scenario worthy of the Millennium Group.
In the end, of course, the Apocalypse is not the most disturbing prospect; it's the fact that the Apocalypse has become so marketable in this culture.
Jason Kuznicki
Roderick T. Long
1. Can you believe I'm posting this before Chris did? He's getting slow .... :-)
2. Looks like Greaves has already received her copy. How come I haven't gotten my copy? >:-(
Keith Halderman
What we are seeing in Michigan from the chair of the Ottawa County GOP, Professor Paul Leidig, demonstrates the bankruptcy of the above strategy. David Beito and Charles Nuckolls have posts directly below ( here, here, here ) which describe the controversy over an affirmative action bake sale held by the Grand View State College Republicans. When judicial referrals were filed against students involved with the sale, despite the administration having allowed a feminist group to have a pay equity bake sale, group advisor Leidig behaved disgracefully by engineering the ouster of the student leader who planned the event and having the College Republicans apologize.
It has been suggested and I agree with the notion that Leidig took the actions he did with an eye towards protecting his political prospects. So my question to Randy Barnett is, how are self respecting libertarians supposed to work within a party where abandoning the principle of free speech, personally betraying a student, worshipping at the altar of identity politics, and telling transparent lies are seen as means of advancement?
David T. Beito
Keith Halderman
Now, my question for Mr. Westcott is; why is it offensive to charge someone an extra dollar for a cupcake because of the color of their skin but it is not offensive to deny someone a place at a university because of the color of their skin?
Sheldon Richman
If that is so, then why does Bowden, in the same article, endorse the assisted-suicide law in Oregon (and the proposed law in Vermont), which, in his words,"permits physicians to prescribe a lethal dose of drugs to a mentally competent, terminally ill patient who makes written and oral requests, consults two doctors, and endures a mandatory waiting period"?
That sounds like the"right" to ask permission to commit suicide, rather than the right to end one's own life. That" contradict[s] the right to life at its root." A consistent advocate of the right to commit suicide would oppose"assisted-suicide" laws and endorse full self-determination, which of course includes repeal of professional licensing, prescription laws, and the ban on forbidden drugs.
Cross-posted at The Szasz Blog.
David T. Beito
Leidig is the faculty advisor to the College Republicans at Grand Valley State University in Michigan and also the chair of the Ottawa County GOP. Rather than defend the right of the College Republicans to have an affirmative action bake sale, Leidig immediately caved in and helped remove, Kyle Rausch, the head of the chapter who had supported the sale.
Here is what King said:
In a bizarre turn of the series of stories we've seen on"affirmative action bake sales", David Beito reports that this one takes the cake. A faculty advisor decides to go Quisling against his advisees, the Grand Valley State University College Republicans. The students who tried to organize the bake sale were dismissed from their posts in the CRs, and have been sent to Turkey to join Trotsky. The putschists say"There was outside advice, but the group made the decision on its own," and that the group wants to"apologize for offending and move on."
Here is more on the story:
The group's faculty advisor, Professor Paul Leidig, happens to also be the chair of the county Republican Party. And the deposed student leader of the CRs, Kyle Rausch, clearly fingers him as the guilty party.
Leidig said he advised the students to consider a leadership change to acknowledge they respect the fact people were offended by the bake sale.
King suggests that we write in protest not only to Leidig but to the Republican leadership in Michigan.
UPDATE: Good news. FIRE is mobilizing. SECOND UPDATE: Peter Gordon has now blogged on this.
David T. Beito
"The Times admits and Columbia confirms that the University gave the newspaper a privileged one day advance release of its report on its Middle Eastern studies program in return for a commitment by the Times reporter not to ask critics of the program for their reaction. Great Institutions may expect one hand washing the other treatment from Great Institutions, but they do so to their mutual embarrassment."Much as I would like to single out The Times, it is not the only newspaper which has a much too cozy relationship with large and powerful institutions of higher learning. In Tuscaloosa, for example, The Tuscaloosa News is the major de facto public relations arm of the University of Alabama. By contrast, it does not hesitate to run negative stories on smaller, less politically and financially powerful, institutions in the area such as Stillman College of Tuscaloosa.
David T. Beito
After reading this, I wrote this email to Professor Leidig:
If the story is true, your actions are deplorable and deserve the strongest
criticism from those of us who believe in academic freedom.
As a member of the history department at the University of Alabama, I too am
an advisor for a student organization. When I accepted that position, I took
on the moral obligation to defend the academic freedom of the students I
supervised. By all indications, you have failed completely in this obligation.
Free speech is under attack on campuses throughout the United States.
Usually, this attack is led by administrators. For this reason, it is
especially unfortunate that a member of the faculty has not only failed to
fight back but has joined the front ranks of this attack.
You not only owe Mr. Rausch an unqualified and public apology but you have a
obligation to immediately urge his reinstatement as head of the College
Republicans. I just read the story in the Grand Rapids Press about your apparent failure
to defend the free speech rights of the College Republicans on your campus.
If others want to do the same, Professor Leidig's address is Leidig@gvsu.edu
Charles W. Nuckolls
I have read of your action supporting the removal of the president of the campus young Republicans. His only"offense" as I understand it, was to defend his right to free speech -- a value one would think you would support.
Instead, you caved in to those who lead the fight against freedom of speech under the guise of protecting people from"being offended." I can assure you that as the sponsor of a student organization myself, I would have acted in entirely the opposite way. You bring no credit on yourself or the Republican Party when you sacrifice basic principles to political convenience.
You owe the offended student an immediate (and public) apology, which should be tendered with your own letter of resignation as faculty sponsor of the Young Republicans.
Sincerely,
Charles W. Nuckolls, Ph.D. Professor Department of Anthropolgy Brigham Young University
Charles W. Nuckolls
The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education is helping the students to fight back.
Aeon J. Skoble
Wendy McElroy
Jason Kuznicki
Aeon J. Skoble
Mark Brady
I’m sure few if any readers of Liberty & Power need reminding that the government of the United Kingdom depends upon majority support in the House of Commons. If the composition of the Commons changes sufficiently, the government will change. Thus next month’s election will indirectly determine the administration for the next four or five years—unless, of course, no party received an overall majority, in which case another election might well occur sooner rather than later.
The number of Scottish parliamentary constituencies has been reduced from 72 to 59 (and their boundaries redrawn) to reflect the devolution of power to the Scottish Assembly. This means the new parliament will have 646 MPs instead of 659.
Many bills currently before Parliament will lapse, including the government's plans to introduce compulsory ID cards.
Useful sites include the BBC News and several sites dedicated to British elections and this one in particular. Go here for forecasts, including one which shows how even if the Conservatives were to receive eight per cent more votes than Labour, Labour would nonetheless win a plurality of seats. Go here and here for polls. Go here to follow the betting. (Over there you can bet on the election results by visiting your local betting shop and millions of Britons do.) And go here to read details of past elections.
What is not generally known is that in 1997, when Labour swept the Conservatives from power, Labour received 575,096 votes fewer than had the Conservatives in 1992, when the Tories narrowly retained power under John Major. Even more striking is that in 2001 Labour received 835,531 votes fewer than Labour had gotten under Neil Kinnock when they lost in 1992. The outcome of the 1997 and 2001 elections reflected differential falls in turnout (the Tory vote slumped in 1997 and both Labour and Tories lost millions more votes in 2001). And now it looks as if the result of next month’s election will turn not only on a moderate Conservative recovery under Michael Howard but also on a further huge slump in the Labour vote thanks to the disillusionment of Labour voters with Tony Blair.
