In my latest National Post column I say the Canadian state has become so profoundly incapable that when politicians and bureaucrats don’t do something they claimed they were going to, it’s nearly impossible to tell whether they didn’t want to, couldn’t, or both.
“Give respect to those who earn it, but not those who do not. There is no point in encouraging fools.”
NFA President David Tomlinson in Point Blank February 1998
“Even though I, Bruce Lee, may die some day without fulfilling all of my ambitions, I will have no regrets. I did what I wanted to do and what I’ve done, I’ve done with sincerity and to the best of my ability. You can’t expect much more from life.”
Bruce Lee, Striking Thoughts
“The modern humanitarian began by saying, ‘The Gospel according to St. Charles Dickens is good enough for me; I do not need to go to Bethlehem if I can go to Bob Cratchit’s home and see Tiny Tim enjoy the turkey; or to Dingley Dell and drink punch with men of real goodwill like Pickwick and Wardle.’ I quite understand that and even sympathize with it up to a point. Anyhow, the modern humanitarian sympathised with it and said it; and then immediately went off to put up a placard threatening to jail anybody who drank punch in prohibited hours and to join a society for proving that it is cruel to kill turkeys for food. In other words, he first boasted that he preferred the Pagan part of Christmas to the Christian part; and then he himself started furiously abusing and abolishing the Pagan part.”
G.K. Chesterton “A Question about Christmas” reprinted in Gilbert: the Magazine of the Society of G.K. Chesterton Vol. 28 #2 (Nov./Dec. 2024)
“Sorry for driving so close in front of you.”
Bumper sticker on car ahead of me May 12, 2025 (and of course I pulled up close to be able to read it)
“the sort of story in which Jane is just like Tarzan, but with cleavage.”
J. Budziszewski in the Underground Thomist May 5, 2025 [https://www.undergroundthomist.org/in-defense-of-a-stereotype].
“Never in human history were there writers who so sacrificed their humour and human dignity and hope of heaven, in order to be shocking. And never, in human history, were there readers who were so little shocked. There is no time or space for any shock to take effect.”
G.K. Chesterton in G.K.’s Weekly August 22, 1935, quoted in “Chesterton for Today” in Gilbert: the Magazine of the Society of G.K. Chesterton Vol. 28 #3 (Jan./Feb. 2025)
“Instead of giving a politician the keys to the city, it might be better to change the locks.”
“Doug Larson (English middle-distance runner who won gold medals at the 1924 Olympic Games)”, emailed without further attribution by a friend