The Fleming Foundation Cultural Commentary
The New Index: Montaigne
We are going to launch the New Year by taking nominations for the New Index of classic books to ban. To be eligible the book and writer must be either included in some Great Books series or, at least, be a staple of the postmodern curriculum, e.g., The Diary of Ann Frank or The Handmaid’s Tale or The Awakening.
Wednesday’s Child: A Rare Occasion
Zionism is much in the news these days, as are its many antipodes, and for reasons that are, lamentably, all too clear, the whole subject is a journalistic minefield. Rather than treading lightly, however, I seek forgiveness of the gentle reader in advance should an inadvertent explosion disturb his otherwise placid Wednesday afternoon.
Ban a Book
In this land of bogus holidays, I hereby assume the authority to declare this day the OFFICIAL BAN A BOOK DAY!
You Can’t Lose A Generation You Never Had
I woke up today with this happy thought. Born in April 1945, I am a 8 months too old to be a Boomer. That means I enjoy the rare privilege of not belonging to some stereotyped identity created by sociologists and exploited by marketing geniuses to enslave the minds of anyone dumb enough to call himself a Boomer, Gen Xer, Millennial, etc. Don’t Trust Anyone Under 78!
Westerns Episode 12: The Shootist (1976)
Dr. Fleming and Stephen discuss this worthy send-off for The Duke, and for this segment of our Westerns discussion. Your homework for next episode: Dances with Wolves.
Biden Blowing Up the World
So it’s really all about more profits for the merchants of death who fund political campaigns and hire generals like SecDef Lloyd Austin, recently of Raytheon.
No Exceptions: The Machiavellian Way of Truth
Several commenters have been kind enough to say they liked our recent pieces on the Middle East. I am grateful for the kind words. I am no expert on Middle Eastern affairs, though I flatter myself I know a few things about the history of the region. If my way of thinking has any distinctive merit, it is because I have followed a line of thought you can find in such diverse political thinkers as Thucydides, Machiavelli, the Marquis of Halifax, Gaetano Mosca, Roberto Michels, and Sam Francis
Wednesday’s Child: Between Two Worlds
In the wake of that dinner party in Brussels the other week, a couple of images haunt me. Well, haunt is perhaps too dramatic a way of putting it, but they have certainly stuck in my mind.
TERROR IN THE STREETS!!
I am afraid to go to sleep at night. What if Hamas decided to stage an attack on my house in Rockford. My cynical friend Jeremy Chiaroscuro tried to reassure me.



