What is government for? Where does it get its powers? What can’t it do? Such questions are often scorned as “academic” by the brisk pragmatists who rush about the corridors of power concocting hare-brained schemes to offend and annoy the public at great cost. But unless you answer them, correctly, your policies and statements are likely to be terribly confused. Click here to read the rest.
How did Egyptians get from celebrating the military departure from politics to celebrating its return in just two years? By not appreciating that self-government in the political sense depends on self-government in the personal sense. Click here to read the rest.
Next Canada Day, a year from now, Canadians will be gearing up for the 100th anniversary of the First World War and our nation's glorious contributions to saving freedom in that dreadful conflict. Or not. It's one of many parts of our history we don't hear much about lest it cause controversy. Click here to read the rest.
When a British soldier was slaughtered in London in broad daylight by people shouting Allahu Akbar, the British government typically threatened to crack down on illegal hate speech that is, in fact, already punished from anyone except Muslim extremists, while insisting there is no problem of Muslim extremism. It will not do. Click here to read the rest.
For Christians Easter Sunday is an eerie pause between Good Friday’s tumult and the even greater upheaval of Easter Monday, so quiet, C.S. Lewis says in the Narnia Chronicles, “you feel as if nothing was ever going to happen again.” For non-Christians it’s a chance to hunt coloured eggs and wonder idly whether trading a cosmic message of redemption for a bunny made of bad-tasting chocolate was quite the deal it seemed at the time. And whether there isn’t something to be said for the occasional unnaturally quiet day. Click here to read the rest.
[Correction: This column contains a stupid mistake. Christians of course believe the Resurrection occurred on Sunday not Monday. Mea culpa.]
The Supreme Court's latest howler subordinating free speech to imaginary group rights prompted a vigorous outcry from journalists. But from politicians we heard eerie silence. Click here to read the rest.
Wherever the hidden imam may be hiding, it doesn’t seem to be the pages of Canadian newspapers. Which won’t bother Iran’s president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad much since he despises Canada. But it should concern readers. Click here to read the rest.