A Sad Loss

I just learned that one of my colleagues was one of the victims of a shooting in Athens, GA today. Tom Tanner was a really cool guy and a brilliant economist. He and I had a similar sense of humor (frighteningly enough), and he was one of the few people that always caught on to my obscure Star Trek references. I am deeply saddened by his loss, and I ask for everyone to join me in offering prayers for his family during this tragic time.

Miss CA Brouhaha Emblematic of Liberal Culture

Carrie Prejean, Miss California USA, has taken a lot of heat for her answer to a judge's question at the Miss USA pageant regarding whether states should institute gay marriage, with some speculation that her answer may have lost her the crown. Normally, I wouldn't give a second thought about who won or lost Miss USA or pretty much any other pageant unless I actually knew one of the contestants, but the rancor surrounding Miss Prejean's statement that, according to her beliefs, marriage should consist of one man and one woman, along with the judge's ensuing video blog rant in which he referred to the contestant with some rather unflattering epitaphs, has caught my attention for the following reasons.

First of all, the negative reaction to her answer demonstrates one feature of the political correctness advanced by liberal extremists and that has permeated our culture: According to them, you have a right to hold and express your opinion unfettered in the public arena; it's your sacred First Amendment right.... but only if you agree with them! If you dare hold an opinion that has not been deemed acceptable by the liberal establishment, then you are branded as either "mean spirited", "intolerant", and/or just plain stupid. Clearly, none of these descriptions apply to Miss Prejean, as her answer was very respectful in its tone, and in subsequent interviews, she has proven herself to be a thoughtful and intelligent individual. This trend is not only patently antithetical to American political culture, it quashes the free exchange of ideas that the Framers saw as integral to a free society, and, as John Stuart Mill so eloquently put it, to "the clearer perception and livelier impression of truth".

Finally, if the judge was so sensitive about hearing an answer with which he did not agree, perhaps he should have not asked the question. In fact, that question should have not been allowed to begin with, because, regardless of the answer given, it would have politicized the event. They should have just stuck with "world peace".

What Now: Toxic Drywall?!

Okay, seriously, why are we buying anything from China anymore? What more exactly do they have to do to sufficiently alienate consumers?

Chinese Drywall Poses Potential Risks...