Several things might strike you as strange. First, with the exception of Simon, they have Greek names. That is not uncommon in Galilee and Judaea, but one might have expected the followers of one or another religious fanatic to bear Jewish names. Secondly, none of them appears to be at all distinguished by birth, wealth or learning
I can’t find the film I once saw – I think it was with David Niven, playing lawn tennis and a jovial conman – but I remember that it reminded me of a similar scene in Thomas Mann’s last novel, Confessions of Felix Krull, Confidence Man.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion. Behind each word is a “woke” criticism of American culture, a culture that confesses two genders only; a culture that believes its duty to its citizens is discharged when they are afforded the opportunity to succeed, ignoring the fact that generation after generation certain groups are less successful than others;
Conquests and revolutions almost inevitably entail massive looting such as took place during and, especially, after the America War Between the States, and the demolition of the existing legal order provides a legal justification for despoiling the natives.
I hasten to advise the gentle reader that any association with Friedrich Dürrenmatt’s play of the same name as this post would be almost entirely spurious, except that the visitor due in Palermo tomorrow is as intelligent a lady as Frau Claire, the Swiss playwright’s heroine.
When an Old Order is overturned by conquering aliens or revolutionized by an alienated segment of the population, any legal principle or institution that affords protection to the former dominant people will have to be reconstructed, undermined, or destroyed.
Democrats are gloating over the Republican turmoil over picking a House Speaker. The opposite is true. Everyone talks about preserving “democracy.” But this is Democracy in Action.
I’ve been reading about Charles Ponzi. What a man. In some vague way his story continues the argument of last week’s post about Donald Trump, but in this instance there’s no need to dot the i’s. This time round I invite the gentle reader to come up with his own farfetched interpretations and fanciful allusions.
New Year’s Day has not always been January 1, for during the long Middle Ages it was the Feast of the Annunciation on March twenty-fifth that marked the New Year. On that date the Angel Gabriel visited the Blessed Virgin Mary with the good news that, enwrapped by the Holy Spirit, she would become the mother of him whose name is Emmanuel….
Along with law, a legitimate government will preserve custom, and well nigh universal social traits of the human race, like distinctive sex roles, marriage, parenthood, etc., would only be trifled with by a tyrannical government.
