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Yearly Archives: 2005
Taking Christ out of Christmas
Should we be saying Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays? Or whatever we please? the issue involves antisemitism and multicultural issues but is basically trivial. Continue reading
Posted in Topical Issues
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Parallel Systems
In which two countries do we find a rightwing minority running roughshod over a confused majority, each marching in symbiotic lockstep with the other, toward catastrophe? Israel and the US? Continue reading
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Madness in the Middle East, An Iranian Nuke?
We have a credible news report that the Israelis are gearing up for a preemptive military strike next March at Iranian nuclear processing facilities. I think we should tell them to knock it off, and give my reasons. Continue reading
Posted in Topical Issues
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You Don’t Have To Buy It, If It’s Already Broken
Iraq exit strategy: the argument that we have a moral obligation to stay on to prevent a bloodbath is not very persuasive. Continue reading
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After Katrina
Katrina unmasked the Bush administration; the emperor has no clothes. Now we need to debate where we go from here, not just play the blame game. The broad areas are international, domestic, and environmental. We need leaders with specific ideas for each. Continue reading
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The Attraction of Opposites
The Israeli rightwing fanatics and the Palestinian terrorists need each other. Likewise the Chriistian rightwing fanatics in our country and al-Qaeda. Moderates in each country need to figure out how to keep the extremists from imposing their agendas on the rest of us. Continue reading
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Humanism and Race
The humanist deplores all discrimination based on racial differences. But to go beyond that and insist that race doesn’t exist as a biological reality is to violate humanism’s preference for the scientific method. Continue reading
Posted in Progressive Humanism
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Memo to Condi about the assignment of John Bolton
I’ve done a memo to the Secretary of State citing precedents for future problems if Bolton goes to the UN. Continue reading
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Human Social Evolution
We need an explanation of how complex human societies have evolved to match the more comprehensive one we alredy have for the evolution of biological life. Here is the script for a talk I gave May 6 in Albuquerqe at an AHA conference. Continue reading
Posted in Progressive Humanism
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Levels of Knowledge
Knowledge need not be information within a single human brain. It can be a body of information shared by a cooperating group of people, which evolves as it is transmitted from one generation to the next. This obvious concept refutes those who claim there is no group selection among human populations. Continue reading
Posted in Progressive Humanism
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The Value of a Human Life
Conservatives use the Schiavo case to argue that they have the high moral ground, maintaining a “bright line” between human life and death. In practice this is an expedient doctrine that applies only to their own group. Continue reading
Posted in Topical Issues
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Playing at Dominoes in the Middle East
Is democracy on the march in the Middle East? The Bush administration is playing with fire and is more likely to blow the region up than to usher in a new era. Continue reading
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Let Our Conscience Be the Guide
Conscience is the hardwired instinct to cooperate with other members of the group. Conflict between groups can override this instinct. With war between the superpowers no longer feasible, a world at peace is attainable. Continue reading
Posted in Progressive Humanism
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