The Council on Foreign Relations has provided the transcript of a fascinating and enlightening discussion with Columbia economist Jeffrey Sachs on the question, “Can We End Global Poverty?” Sachs is particularly forthright on how out of step the American position on African aid really is: SACHS: Most of us that have looked at this in…
I am no fan of “realism” as a doctrine–either in foreign policy, or in terms of the Nieburhrian project for public theology. However, I must say that in wake of neocon idealism, a little dose of even realism is a welcome relief! This is clearly articulated in an excellent NYT editorial today from Gideon Rose,…
Just a pointer to a little piece of mine on the so-called “just war” challenge to risk “dirty hands” for the sake of justice: https://www.perspectivesjournal.org/2005/06/seeit-hands.php.
I finally got a chance to watch “I Heart Huckabees” last night: a fun-enough pop-existential film a couple of notches up from “Garden State.” It probably tries to be a bit too smart (the film centers around a couple of “existential detectives” well-played by Dustin Hoffman and Lili Tomlin), but at least it doesn’t resort…
Just want to point readers to Jason Byassee’s excellent piece on Joel Osteen. Jason is remarkably charitable to Osteen, but in the end–and because of that–offers a stinging critique of Osteen’s version of what Rodney Clapp once called “Winnie-the-Pooh” theology. Pooh bear reasons as follows: If I hear buzzing, there must be bees about; if…
In 1984, George Orwell carefully describes the way that a state of “permanent war” is employed to solidify a people by getting them committed not just to national defense, but the more elusive “national security.” The former requires a response in the face of hostility; the latter requires a pervasive and exhaustive attempt to eliminate…