In 2005, editors at the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten were concerned about a seeming climate of self-censorship on the subject of Islam. To assess the extent of that climate, they commissioned and published cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad. The ensuing political crisis and violent protests around the world — the so-called cartoons crisis — underscored that the principle of freedom … Continue reading Jacob Mchangama on Free Speech in Europe
Blog
On the 2020 campaign trail, opposition toward the Iraq war has become a litmus test of moral stature. Witness Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren (who “never believed what Dick Cheney and George W. Bush said about Iraq”) signaling her virtue and shaming former Vice President Joe Biden (and President Trump), who supported it. And Trump denies … Continue reading Presidential Candidates — Including Trump — Are Wrong On Iraq
“Petrograd smelt of carbolic acid.” The reek of that powerful disinfectant — used to abate the spread of lice-borne diseases — hints at the squalor that defines Petrograd. The city, in the years after the Communist revolution, is a study in filth, poverty, quiet despair. Returning to Petrograd by train is a young woman, whose … Continue reading The Timeless Power of We the Living, Ayn Rand’s First, But Least Known, Novel
Well before the Islamic State declared itself a “caliphate,” its leaders announced their aim plainly. But few took them seriously. “Our objective,” stated one of its spokesmen, “is the formation of an Islamic state on the prophetic model that acknowledges no boundaries, distinguishes not between Arab and non-Arab, easterner and westerner, but on the basis … Continue reading A Blind Spot Obscuring the Islamist Menace
The issue of compromise comes up all the time, everywhere. To have healthy, meaningful relationships, we’re advised to seek out a middle ground. In the workplace, we hear, it’s vital that we compromise. Even as some people insist that compromise is a guiding principle of social life, it’s clear that not every compromise leads to … Continue reading Does Success in Life Require Compromise?
On September 13, Elan Journo appeared on Clearcut + on i24 News to discuss claims of Israeli spying, the impact on US-Israeli relations, and the Israeli elections.
Ayn Rand held that self-esteem is not simply desirable, but an essential value in human life. It is no less important, no less necessary, than food and physical health. And on her view it is something within your direct control to achieve: each of us can attain it. Yet many people find it difficult. Why? … Continue reading Why So Many People Struggle to Gain Self-Esteem
Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, like so many of us, is rightly alarmed at President Trump’s “authoritarian bullying of the media.” Trump’s demonization of the media as the “enemy of the people,” Sanders writes, amounts to a “deliberate attempt to destroy the very idea of a free press.” Positioning himself as the anti-Trump on this issue, … Continue reading Bernie Sanders, Like Donald Trump, Is Hostile To A Free Press
Elan Journo 