'My War On Indifference' by David W. Aubrey

The Top 20 Tracks from 2010

2010-12-23T15:19:00.000-06:00

The Top Twenty Tracks of 2010:

Some great albums were released this past year, with offerings from new faces as well as much-anticipated albums by old favorites. Below is my Top 20 favorite tracks from this past year. For the most part the music should speak for itself, however, I've added my comments as needed. Also, Sufjan gets two songs on the list, which I will explain. In addition, its worth noting that the last two tracks are covers rather than original recordings.

1. "Impossible Soul," by Sufjan Stevens

There should be no surprise here. Sufjan hasn't given us a full album in years, then suddenly this year he released an EP & a full-length album. The EP reflected his previous style from other albums, such as Seven Swans, but The Age of Adz was a shocking change in direction. "Impossible Soul" captures this best, probably because its the longest track.

He continues in the minimalist style of Phillip Glass & Steve Reich, but this time the album is darker. & it has auto-tuning. Also notably, Sufjan used the artwork of a crazy man from Louisiana for the album, which was perfect.

Note, buy this album if you like Sufjan's music. He has previously expressed apathy about making albums because they are so easily stolen via internet piracy. Support artists like Sufjan.

2. "Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)," by Arcade Fire

The Suburbs displayed Arcade Fire's ability to refine & mature their talents. This album is far less theatrical than previous records, but just as good. There are many great tracks on the album, but "Sprawl II" stands out as one of the best.

3. "Have One On Me," by Joanna Newsom

"Have One on Me" creates a bizarre musical world where Joanna Newsom captures your attention and holds it with unexpected key changes, tempo shifts, and whimsical lyrics. I listened to this song on repeat.

4. "Conversation 16," by The National

"Conversation 16" distilles that somber, sober quality of Matt Beringer's baritone vocals, which made "Boxer" a great album. Sit back, listen at dusk, pour a coffee stout, and enjoy the richness of The National's talents, even while Beringer sings, "I was afraid I'd eat your brains, 'cuz I'm evil."

5. "Excuses," by The Morning Benders

Catchy hooks & great harmony made this tune one of the best, from a great album by a newcomer to the indie scene. There's something grand about this melodies, a quality that seems to fill the room—plus the vocals are almost Beatle-esque at moments.

6. "Cards and Quarters," by Local Natives

The vocal skills of this group really are the most striking. From Silverlake, Los Angeles, Local Natives writes great music that you'll sing along to. Really great stuff. I'm looking to forward to hearing more of their music down the road. Check out their acoustic set at Daytrotter, from Rock Island, Illinois.

7. "Catholic Pagans," by Surfer Blood

This song is one of my favorites & probably was most played while I was driving across Illinois this past summer. Its surf rock for contemporary times. My friend Dan Fawell introduced them to me & we both said, "Wow, I didn't think good indie rock came from Florida!" Of course, its surf rock.

8. "All You Need Is a Wall," by The Books

I really was looking forward to this new album by The Books. This is the best track in my view & my Last.fm will show that it was heavily played.

9. "Do the Astral Plane," by Flying Lotus

Flying Lotus has been of my favorites for a few years now. This track is one of their first that stands out individually. Previously, I enjoyed their albums as a whole of continuous noise. This is very accessible stuff.

10. "Greenwich Mean Time," by Charlotte Gainsbourg

This song is weird, but I liked it right away. Go figure. Its pretty catchy & reminds me of the "Brazilian Girls."

11. "Baptism," by Crystal Castles

I've like Crystal Castles for a few years. Their electronic music still has a nintendo like sound, but this track has more intensity.

12. "From The Mouth Of Gabriel," by Sufjan Stevens

I really enjoyed this track. Its from Sufjan's most recent EP, which was released prior to the full album. It reminds me of a more traditional style by Sufjan, like that from Seven Swans. Its a great track.

13. "More or Less," by The Soft Pack

More surf rock. Simple melodies, fast tempo, and nice guitar solos.

14. "Innundir Skinni," by Ólöf Arnalds

An artist from Iceland, who sings in her native tongue, which sounds beautiful. A great folk song. Ólöf has worked with Müm and Bjork previously.

15. "Never Follow Suit," by The Radio Dept

The Radio Dept is from Sweden and continues to make dreamy pop. They are becoming increasingly political and fighting to keep capitalism from ruining pop music. That's a good fight & they are winning.

16. "Run the Heart," Sleigh Bells

This is great noise pop. Alexis Krauss's vocals act as a synth sound, layered on top of a wave of electronic sound. This is a great new group worth checking out if you haven't heard.

17. "Rope and Summit," by Junip

Junip is basically more great music by José Gonzalez, the Argentine musician from Sweden. This song has the familiar vocals and guitar that make his music so great. It's more of the old, but it's good.

18. "Power," by Kanye West

Kanye West continues to blend soulful singing with his great rap. This track blends rock, soul, gospel, and rap. I'm just glad that he's not trying to sing himself anymore.

19. "I thought I saw St. Augustine," by The Dirty Projectors

A great cover by Dirty Projectors

20. "Tonight, Tonight," by Passion Pit

A great cover by Passion Pit.

Heureux l'homme

2010-07-02T19:51:00.001-05:00

Heureux l'homme qui ne marche pas selon le conseil des méchants,

Qui ne s'arrête pas sur la voie de pécheurs,

Et qui ne s'assied pas en compagnie des moqueurs,

Mais qui trouve son plaisir dans la loi de l'Éternel,

Et qui la médite jour et nuit!

Reading List - Summer 2010

2010-06-06T10:19:00.004-05:00

Now that school is out I've been able to spend a significant amount of time reading books. Some of these are older one's that I've intended to read and others are new ones. Its a long list, all checked out from SIU's library, but I chip away at them all, a chapter a day. Here they are, listed In no particular order:

- Magenta Soul Whip by Lisa Robertson

- Sick: The Untold Story of America's Healthcare Crisis-And the People Who Pay The Price by Jonathan Cohn

- Anti-Intellecutalism in American Life by Richard Hofstadter

- Concept of A Legal System by Joseph Raz

- An Unbroken Agony by Randall Robinson

- America's Reconstruction: People and Politics After the Civil War by Eric Foner and Olivia Mahoney

- Postwar by Tony Judt; and

- Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann

Of course, let me know if you have any suggestions. I'm also listening to The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky, a download from audible.com, as I commute to work this summer in Edwardsville. I realize that is cheating, however, I just don't have time to sit and read Russian Literature. At least not during this season in my life.

The Earth Passed Around the Sun 467 Times

2010-06-05T14:45:00.009-05:00

This was perhaps a strange coincidence in the timing of the two events. On Saturday, March 22, 2010, Copernicus was re-buried in Poland after laying in an unmarked grave, as a heretic, for 467 years. Of course, his chief crime was publishing a treatise titled, On The Revolutions of The Heavenly Spheres. That work was contrary to interpretations of scripture during that time.

Two days later, on March 24, 2010 a video was released of Dr. Bruce Waltke advocating the acceptance of theistic evolution in an interview from 2009. Unfortunately, the response (or backlash) to these views within the Reformed faith led to Dr. Waltke offering RTS Orlando his letter of resignation this past April.

I cannot find the quotation, so I'll try my best to give it its original effect, but the President of RTS Orlando said something like the following to explain the Seminary's view: Scientific conclusions are a moving target, whereas Revelation [Scripture] is fixed.

Of course, what is missing in that logic is the same piece missing 467 years ago, the role of the interpreter & the fallibility of human readers.

Its true that Science is moving, malleable, and that Revelation is fixed. It is also true, however, that interpretation of the text is moving; with developments in archeology, better translations of the texts, which are more faithful to the original languages, and other advancements in biblical scholarship.

Some Christians react very strongly against evolution and biology, which appears to be a reaction arising from weakness rather than strength. Its is from fear & lack of confidence in Revelation, rather than from faith. This type of reaction really needs to stop. What these people are doing is fighting for revisionism, to protect themselves from reality.

I, for one, am glad that Copernicus is finally resting in peace.

Moral Psychology & Slavery

2010-02-25T20:02:00.004-06:00

I'm doing research for a paper I'm writing on Haiti. While reading the book, "Haiti And The United States: 1714-1938" by Ludwell Lee Montague, one recurring discussion is the debate, which occurred in our Senate as to whether our nation should recognize Haiti as a nation and enter diplomatic relations with them. Some Senators from the antebellum South in particular opposed this proposal for fear that their own slaves would be inspired to follow the example of the Haitians. The North supported full recognition for a mixture of moral reasons and economic reasons (apparently Haitians had a voracious appetite for New England textiles, no joke). This debate lasted from the beginning of the Haitian Revolution in 1794 until 1862, when our country finally recognized Haiti.

In any case, while reading Montague's book I stumbled about this quote at page 72, which leapt out at me,

"Slavery, once held to be an evil difficult to remove, then accepted as an irrevocable fact, was finally exalted as a positive good, the foundation of Southern prosperity, a boon to the slave himself, and the only guarantee of order in a mixed society."

Unfortunately, Montague did not provide any citations to support this proposition; apparently this statement was self-evident in 1940, at the time of publication.

What the proposition displays, is the moral decay that follows immoral acts. One does not begin by committing atrocious acts, instead, they make small decisions over the course of a period of time that decay their conscience. Thus, it is fair to say that you or I could not commit the acts that war criminals commit, however, we could become someone who would do such.

Of course, Montague's assertion shows that committing evil acts as an entire society, via structure of law, becomes even more deceptively degrading than an individual's decisions. Structural immorality degrades on a mass-scale.

The take away is to watch one's habits or prejudices. But also, it is disturbing for me as I watch the emergence of evil in our own society on positions that I had always assumed were settled moral matters. In particular, the use of torture or abusive treatment of helpless individuals. What's worse, is that the torturers still live & walk among us. Can you imagine what their conscience has become? Ribbons, no doubt.

I wonder the same thing about executioners actually. I wouldn't live next door to one if I knew their occupation.

The degrading of their moral psychology has already occurred. They are capable of worse now than before. As such, its seems critical that we uphold the structure (the law) that explicitly condemns this acts. It is for our whole society, because little evils have the tendency to grow.

"Ace of Cups," Cairo, IL

2010-02-14T15:00:00.004-06:00

At the very bottom of Illinois the Ohio River joins with the Mississippi. Just a minute north of that point sits the town of Cairo. It is kinda the end of the midwest, the beginning of the south. I had never been there before, but had heard bits and pieces about the town. I heard about turmoil during the civil rights era and about shoddy infrastructure. I planned to visit, but it wasn't until this week when I read an article in Time Magazine, while I was at the laundromat, that I decided to go.

So, I drove down.

I took a few pictures of the old bridges crossing the Ohio & Mississippi, which are only a few hundred feet apart. The town is really quiet. I really like what these guys are doing by committing to be part of a community. The coffee was good and the music playlist was nice too. I left feeling pleased.

.

over-reactions & their accomplices

2010-01-14T10:01:00.005-06:00

I've been realizing lately how dangerous over-reactions are. For example, I was listening to the White Horse Inn last week and they were discussing the so-called "emergent church." One commentator, speaking of Brian McLaren, said, "Who hurt you so deeply that you've reacted so strongly?"

Its a good thought. True in theology, i.e., the Council of Trent reacting to the Reformation, and also is true in macroeconomics. This is why understanding the historical context of ideas is important.

(Marx, above, goofily wearing the lampshade at a "communist party.)

For example, communism, is a reaction to a particular pain. That is, the Dickensian conditions of England at the beginning of the industrial revolution and in parts of continental Europe. Communism fails, however, because those grave inequalities actually were addressed through the Democratic process. Of course, this leaves communism as an entire system that is fighting a straw man.

(Ludwig Von Mises, above)

The same is true of extreme libertarianism, which originated in Austria as a reaction to the banking crisis in Germany in the 1930's. It is an overreaction in the same way that communism was, but unfortunately libertarianism persists today in a much more robust form today than communism. It is not inherently more dangerous than communism, I view them equally pugnacious. But we are yet to see whether Democracy has the ability to address the inconsistencies of libertarianism; especially now that it has become a strange mixture of corporate power, dressed in populist clothing. The banking crisis of last year, that was in large part caused by libertarian movements that gained power in England and in the United States, did not end the popularity of libertarianism (as it should have) but only emboldened the movement.

The human ability to self-deceive is both remarkable and terrifying.

Both make me shiver, as they replace the actual groupings of society, such as the family with other forms. In communism the preferred relationship is collective to the state; whereas in libertarianism, the ideal relationships are between individual actors through contract.

Both fail because they are fighting straw men.

My conclusion is that Edmond Burke should be heard when he warns societies to be suspicious of ideologies. This persistent pattern or over-reaction, particularly to straw-men, is what make ideologies so dangerous.

Robert Frost

2009-12-07T11:28:00.004-06:00

Nothing Gold Can Stay

Robert Frost, New Hampshire, The Yale Review (October 1923).

Natureʼs first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leafʼs a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.

Keeping on the Tracks

2009-12-05T14:37:00.005-06:00

While preparing for my corporations final exam yesterday, I was reading a treatise on the subject. Under the topic of corporate takeovers, I found an interesting explanation of an aspect of the law and economics theorists from the University of Chicago.

According to the author, these economists believed that economic rules should be determined ex ante rather than ex post. That is, rule should be determined before situations arise rather than after. This is a common idea in law generally, particularly in criminal law.

The same principle seems appropriate for ethics. In fact, this principle avoids the most troublesome ethical "dilemmas." (I use quotes because granting the existence of an "ethical dilemma" begs the question; rather it is better to say that ethics exist and the fallible human actor has difficulty applying them.) In any case, calcuations made in a moment might be the reaction of emotions rather than reasoned understandings of the good. By making ethical decisions ex ante this problem is avoided.

This seems right.

Top 25 Tracks of 2009

2009-11-22T19:54:00.011-06:00

1. Two - The Antlers

This album is really well done and the Antlers are tackling serious topics as well. Its about death, cancer, health-care; situations every human will face some time. These unavoidable, painful subjects. When I stop & listen to the lyrics I am struck by the rawness of the emotion and loss that permeate the record. This isn't the only great track on the disc, but it was the first one to jump out at me. Its great music, but that greatness was amplified within such meaningful reflections.

2. Two Doves - Dirty Projectors

I really like this track, it was nearly the number one. I debated my one & two the most. The vocal tricks of the Dirty Projectors are stunning; their mastery of technical aspects of the human voice alone command respect, but they write really good music as well. "Two Doves" happened to be my favorite track on one of my favorite albums. They are making the vocal techniques used by people like Steve Reich mainstream.

3. Priority - Mos Def

Responsibility. That's what's happening here. Working with Otis Jackson Jr., Mos Def merged hip hop with soulful backgrounds, merging a laid-back rap sound with jazz & soul. Add to the music lyrics that reflect both his social activism & faith and you've got a great track. That's exactly what "Priority" is.

4. Big Red Machine - Justin Vernon & Aaron Dessner

Um, lets get this straight, Justin Vernon, a.k.a. Bon Iver collaborates with Aaron Dessner of the National. nuff said. oh but wait, there's more: it was for charity.

5. Too Many Birds - Bill Callahan

By far the most timeless song on this list. Unpretentious, understated, soft & the lyrics are good to. My mother said it should have been number one on my list.

6. Lost at Sea - The Fiery Furnaces

This track is such a "feel good" song for me. It played on repeat many times while I was cooped up in my apartment working on my appellate briefs this semester. Its good to see that the Fiery Furnaces are still the crowd pleasers they've always been. Ah, I should re-visit Blueberry Boat again soon.

7. Wet Wings - Dan Deacon

What a wild tune! It seems like it is coming out of a Bayou somewhere, rising over the water as the sun rises. It could almost be part of "O Brother Where Art Thou"; it sounds like the Sirens. Singing in strange tongues, building layers of harmony as they sing in a round--Incredible.

8. A Day To God Is 1000 Years - Wu Tang Clan (DJ Messiah)

DJ Messiah's mixtape with RZA: still on a swarm.

9. Going Once, Going Twice - Ramona Falls

Brent Knopf of Menomena released this album. A solid side-project, mainly, because its sounds so much like Menomena.

10. Weed Demon - Wavvves

Wavvves, took surf-rock into a whole new---fantastic, direction. Great band from San Diego, this is another wild tune. Its like the Beach Boys, but darker & with vocals singing falsetto in unison.

11. Be The One - Jack Peñate

I have no doubt in my mind that when they make the next "Rocky" movie, this track will be used. I listen to this album when I go running around SIU's campus lake & it fits perfectly. Fun stuff.

12. Knotty Pine - Dirty Projectors & David Byrne

If you can't dance to this song, you probably can't read this list either; that's because you clearly don't have a pulse. No matter, music probably isn't too significant anymore, its probably time to get those metaphysical issues straightened out--no time left for dancing.

13. Young Adult Friction - The Pains of Being Pure At Heart

The sugariest pop ever made. I still feel good after seeing them play last summer.

14. No Hay Nada Mas - Mos Def

Everything great that I wrote about Mos Def above + in spanish! Hah!

15. Lovers Carving - Bibio

Starts instrumental, then the vocals come in after two minutes. Stephen Wilkinson is taking electronica to where it always should have been.

16. Armistice - Phoenix

What can I say? Does anybody else see the irony in a French band making the music for Cadillac commercials? I do.

17. On To the Next One - Jay-Z

I like Jay-Z and all, but between you & me, on this track he's riding Swizz Beatz's coat-tails. But seriously, if I ever hear auto-tune again... (except for: these guys.)

18. Cool Knowledge - Volcano Choir

It sounds like Justin Vernon teamed up with a Mongolian Throat-Singer.

19. Ezekiel 7 & the Permanent Efficacy Of Grace - The Mountain Goats

There's alot that could be written about this song & this album, so I'm not going to write it.

20. Cello Song - The Books & José González

I'm a little mad at the Books. They promised a new album would be out in October, using their aleatoric style to make music with hypno-therapy recordings. Its still not released yet.

21. Attic Lights - Atlas Sound

Two great albums; two years in a row. I liked la blogotheque's video of this track: VOILA.

22. The Afterlife - Yacht

Its like the B-52's are back. & that's a good thing, until she yells, "tin roof---rusted."

23. Shelter - The xx

It really isn't a suprise that I like this song, & in fact the whole album. Keeping with what seems to be a trend, the xx is re-incarnation of many of my favorite artist, i.e., four tet, burial, & hot chip. The vocals are spacey, but dreamy.

24. The Hold - Woods

Trippy folk music.

25. Foreground - Grizzly Bear

Somehow, this track doesn't deserve to be 25, it shows how great the music of 2009 has been. Veckatimest is my top choice by Grizzly Bear yet. & this track creates a haunting atmosphere,

this fall

2009-08-20T19:03:00.008-05:00

for me, the thought of fall brings to mind so many good things. college football games. law school tailgate parties. nice cool weather & beautiful trees. riding in critical mass in Carbondale. the return to school in southern Illinois. going to Cobden for some of the best mexican food in Illinois & the evenings chilling at Fuzzy's. without a doubt, wherever i've lived, fall has been my favorite season.

but, this fall in particular should be especially great. that is because of the fantastic music that's coming down the pipeline.

The Books will be finally releasing a new album in October, based on samplings of answer machine recordings, hypnotherapy recordings, and recordings from the Talkboy found in a Salvation Army store. also, I'll be going to see them play in St. Louis at the Luminary Center for the Arts with Lymbyc Systym. that should be a soothing show. if you haven't yet listened to The Books, you really should. Grab "The Lemon of Pink" today. It will change all of your thoughts about music.

In October, Sufjan Stevens will be releasing a version of his orchestra piece, The Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. He is probably my favorite musician. As chaotic as the books can be, to that extent Sufjan's music is polished and perfected. His abilities as a composer are really what make his albums and performances so great. Add to that very good writing and you have great folk music.

So there it is, two of my favorite artists finally make a splash again this fall. Neither has released new material since 2005. What a great year for music 2005 was. "Come on Feel the Illinoise" and "Lost and Safe" both were released that year. The Books released a short group of tracks, all based on music made for a hotel in France and Sufjan released a song on Dark was the Night, but those nice tidbits can't compare to full length albums. There's a lot of great music being made each year, but 2005 seemed especially nice. I never would have imagined that the same stars would re-align for 2009.

Hang on tight folks. Its going to be a fun ride.

things i like # 22: staying @ my parents' house

2009-08-19T02:10:00.003-05:00

it's quite relaxing. there is great music here. homemade food from fresh vegetables too. come stay awhile.

things i like no. 371: minhas havaianas

2009-08-17T01:28:00.009-05:00

i never was much a flip flops guy.

my brother mike always wore them. even climbing. once, we climbed up the fire escape of the Tip Top Tap in Chicago. up more than 300 fee above michigan avenue. & it was raining. we climbed on top of the neon sign. mike was wearing flip flops the whole time. i thought that was a crazy moment for the little guy.

& i still think mike is crazy, but for other reasons.

the first pair of flip flops that i wore, since like being six, where havaianas.

Anacarolina had written about them in an email while she was living in Switzerland. but i didn't know what they were & i didn't ask.

when i stepped off the plane in fortaleza, we drove to the beach at cumbuco. but on the way we stopped at a small shop and she said, "you must wear these", pointing to a pair of flip flops. "pick a color, what is your size?" i grabbed a few black pairs. i found a pair that fit. she bought them and we were off to the beach.

& just like that, i decided that i would wear flip flops once in a while. now that i have a pair bearing the brasilian flag & from a brasilian friend.

Darfur

2009-08-15T22:46:00.021-05:00

By writing this post, I admit culpability.

The charge? Indifference. Evidenced by inaction.

I've grown up watching a genocide & until recently didn't realize how strange that is. Its always been easy to scoff at the Americans of the past, who waited far too long before stopping the holocaust. It seems so obvious that had we been alive then, the response would have been so much quicker and focused. Yet, Sudan has opened up like a wound before the world's eyes. And no one is moving to stop the bleeding.

Perhaps there is (was) very little that I could have done to stop this event from happening. Honestly, what was happening wasn't even on my radar until summer of 2007 when I was studying in Strasbourg, France.

What is condemning is that this is a genocide that I, and people my age, have grown up with. It has been with us during our formative years. If you mention Darfur, most people my age have a clear understanding that something very ugly happened there. Many will be able to tell you the nation has witnessed a genocide. And many others in my generation will be able to identify the ethno/religious roots of the aggression. We are not uninformed. Ignorance does not excuse our lack of movement. Nor the stillness of our hearts.

I read a piece by Richard Just* on The New Republic's online version a few weeks ago. The quote below made me feel absolutely sick to my stomach:

"[T]his gives Darfur a morbid sort of distinction. No genocide has ever been so thoroughly documented while it was taking place. There were certainly no independent film-makers in Auschwitz in 1942, and the best-known Holocaust memoirs did not achieve a wide audience until years after the war. The world more or less looked the other way as genocide unfolded in Cambodia during the 1970s, and the slaughter in Rwanda happened so quickly--a mere hundred days--that by the time the public grasped the extent of the horror, the killing was done. But here is Darfur, whose torments are known to all. The sheer volume of historical, anthropological, and narrative detail available to the public about the genocide is staggering. In the case of the genocide in Darfur, ignorance has never been possible. But the genocide continues. We document what we do not stop. The truth does not set anybody free."

Richard Just, The Truth Will Not Set You Free, The New Republic, http://www.tnr.com/story_print.html?id=36975a7c-224c-438a-9538-130b9e5cdd91 (accessed August 15, 2009).

I heard a homily at Redeemer Presbyterian in Newport Beach, CA in the fall of 2007 about poverty and wealth. Part of the pastor's thoughts included the observation our age is increasingly complicated due to the availability of information. Today we are a mouse-click away from witnessing the most degrading poverty in the world via our computers screens and internet accessibility. Google images can take you to the slums in moments. How much more indifferent we will likely become than generation before. We are on track to becoming one of the least empathic generations in history.

Overexposed in every way. Bombarded. Able to change the channel quickly. Autonomous. Overfed. Under-read.

There is just so much that we have to dull, shut-out, in order to continue our own lives. That is because a crisis like Darfur demands urgent action. Even by a college student who was saving up for a motorcycle. And while Darfur is certainly the most gruesome example at present, there are also atrocities taking the lives of the innocent throughout the globe: Zimbabwe, East Timor, North Korea, Tibet, Afghanistan, Burma, and on.

One other complication that arises when thinking about how to respond (or how we ought to have responded) to Darfur is the question: OK, now that we know what is happening how to stop it?

The activists have done a great job making documentaries or writing books. But their own assumptions about the use of force undermine their goals, Richard Just captures this reality as well:

" "Many of us peace and human rights advocates are rightly reluctant about the use of force. We need to get over it. There is such a thing as evil in this world, and sometimes the only way to confront evil is through the judicious use of military force." Amen, as long as "judicious" also means effective."

Id.

I had a similar reaction. Now, being a Calvinist, I'm not a pacifist. I'm entirely against violence--but I believe that the use of just force to protect the innocence is anything but violent. Yet, the notion of sending troops to Darfur was a difficult concept.

But to stop the killing, it is the only answer. Bush's dilemna was much like Clinton's at the time of Rwanda. Clinton was feeling too politically vulnerable after the failure in Somolia to sanction any type of action. Likewise, as the situation in Darfur worsened, Bush was bearing intense criticism for the conflict in Iraq. It would be easy to blame Bush, but the truth is that Germany, France, and China all had plenty of able bodied troops available, all of whom could have ended the killing. In fact, they still do.

And then there is President Obama. He is a President who wears the liberal mantle of idealism and respect for human rights. Further, he enjoys unprecedented popularity internationally. It would seem obvious that he would have already done something to intervene in this situation. Yet, nothing. Granted, he faces numerous challenges domestically, but really the priority of stopping the genocide and the delivery of Omar Bashir to the Hague, trump even the most serious domestic issues.

Simply, its time to move forward. We must immediately sign and ratify the Statute of Rome, adding to the strength of the International Criminal Court. Further, we must coordinate with China. China is the largest trading partner on the African continent. A coordinated action by these two governments would be a powerful movement. After all, the purposes of government, more than any other tasks, are to restrain evil and promote the good.

Most importantly, we need to push aside the asinine domestic debates, which define the political spectrum of the U.S. Its time to start fighting for things that matter, that is, innocent human beings. There are still many things which can and must be done to protect many people.

But nothing we do now can change who we are. A generation that grew up watching a genocide and did little. A generation that must trade indifference for guilt.

*Read that article here

The Law & Gospel Distinction

2009-08-15T09:54:00.006-05:00

Yesterday I was reading John Calvin's letter to the King of France, which was a plea on behalf of the Huguenots who were being persecuted in France. In that letter I discovered a real gem, which is useful both for understanding the distinction between law and gospel; and for hermeneutics:

"When Paul declared that all prophecy ought to be according to the analogy of faith (Rom. xii. 6), he laid down the surest rule for determining the meaning of Scripture. Let our doctrine be tested by this rule and our victory is secure. For what accords better and more aptly with faith than to acknowledge ourselves divested of all virtue that we may be clothed by God, devoid of all goodness that we may be filled by Him, the slaves of sin that he may give us freedom, blind that he may enlighten, lame that he may cure, and feeble that he may sustain us; to strip ourselves of all ground of glorying that he alone may shine forth glorious, and we be glorified in him?"

John Calvin, Institutes of Christian Religion, trans. Henry Beveridge, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids, 1989.

Calendars

2009-08-09T18:27:00.004-05:00

"thou hast put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound." psalm 4:7 (rsv)

i was thinking about professions. how great it is for teachers. their professional calendars are still attuned to the agrarian calender, that is, the summer/growing months are left open so that students and faculty equally, might grow the food needed to survive pending winter.

this practice remains with us from another era. one before the non-teamster truckers made low food prices possible. one before supermarkets. before globalization. in fact, its safe to say, one before the modern capitalist state. this practice is truly a relic of another world.

so, even as a professional student, for some time i have argued that the practice ought to be discarded. but more and more, as i reflect on the value of subsistence agricultural and the need to move to a more sustainable society, i realized that this policy should not be jettisoned, it should not be buried.

no! it should be expanded!

even professions which cannot pause, such as emergency room physicians, policemen, and firefighters should benefit from such a calendar--just perhaps on a rotation of some sort from year to year.

such an expansion would restore much needed margins to life of those who work in America.

such an expansion would promote learning how to grow food, real food--not the processed dross which coats our veins.

indeed. farming is good. it should be respected. & we all should have the space and ability to do so. such a refinement of our society would return us to reality. it would return us to the real environment. to real labor, sweat, & fruit. it would give meaning to harvest, patience, and an appreciation for the exquisite design of creation.

may we pattern our calender accordingly.

things i like # 148 & #51: "hospice" by the antlers & seersucker pants.

2009-08-08T00:36:00.007-05:00

no. 148

i heard the antlers for the first time this summer at pitchfork. i was waiting to meet up with my friend dan and for "the pains of being pure at heart" to play & i wandered over to the stage were the antlers had begun playing their set.

the crowd was getting larger. i kept moving closer to the stage since i was still by myself at that point. right away i liked their music, great use of falsetto vocals, bright pop melodies, and fun piano jangles. it reminds me of cyhsy, but without the strained voice.

fun stuff. [download "Two"]

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no. 51

i love wearing seersucker pants. i bought my first pair a few weeks ago. i was unsure at first about getting them, but received enough encouragement to go for it. i wore them today when i biked to logan square. they are so light and comfortable. they work great for cycling in the summer. it was pretty humid this morning before the rain began & it couldn't have been a better choice for slacks.

my next post is going to be on my reflections on Judge Sotomayor's appointment. thus, a nice light hearted post seemed ap-ro-po for the mean time.

Freedom

2009-07-05T21:34:00.004-05:00

Galatians 5:13~14

"For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters, only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another. For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." If, however, you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another."

I've always been partial to deontological ethics, to wit, normative theories which seek to ascertain the duties which we owe others, creation, & our creator. Of course, I find Immanuel Kant's writings to be spectacular mind-bending treatments of these issues, but there are others who have added to the discourse in a significant manner. Mainly, I am attracted to the theory because of its coherence with Christian Scripture. First, when Christ summarized the entire Jewish law, he did so by stating a deontological duty, "Love the Lord with all your heart and your neighbor as yourself". Second, I believe that because man is created in the Image of God, consequentialist theories of ethics cannot be compatible with Christian theology. At some point, consequentialist theories, will force actors to weigh the value of humans against another. (A great recent example was the debate on water-boarding, where many of the proponents argued based on the utility, rather than morality of the act.)

This topic came to mind in church today during the first lesson, which was drawn from the above passage from Galatians. It struck me to see the great commandment placed in such an interesting context. I like the political implications of Paul's thought, given that so many have made freedom the only end, which they seek in their political philosophy. Were the modern conservative movement to listen to the Apostle Paul, they would find little approval to their view, for the purpose of freedom is that we might act as slaves to one another as a response of deep Christian love.

That's something that isn't seen too often.

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Also, above I posted a picture of a statute commemorating Roger Williams. Williams of course was the founder of Rhode Island. What is interesting is how Williams ended up in Rhode Island. (My thoughts come from research on Williams by Martha Nussbaum.) Williams left the Massachusetts colony because of the persecution of the Native Americans there by the colonists, who considered themselves Christians. It was a John Smyth in particular that spurred William's ire, leading Williams to write his book entitled:

"The Bloody Tenent yet more Bloody: by Mr. Cotton's Endeavor to wash it white in the Blood of the Lamb; of whose precious Blood, spilt in the Bloud of his Servants; and of the Blood of Millions spilt in former and later Wars for Conscience sake, that most Bloody Tenent of Persecution for cause of Conscience, upon, a second Tryal is found more apparently and more notoriously guilty, etc." (London, 1652)

William's book, predates John Locke's "Essay on Toleration", but is remarkably similar in his conclusions. I think that the title of William's book shows us that history has favored Locke, mainly because of Locke's superior writing skills. Williams was a bit wordy.

Williams basically responds to the plight of the Native Americans with empathy. I would say that the trait of empathy is that which is most akin to the heart of the horizontal portion of the Great Commandment, "love your neighbor as yourself". Basically, Williams concludes with a deontological theory, realizing that the Native Americans were humans, just as he and ought to be treated as he would.

What is most interesting is a statement he makes about the moral psychology of the persecutors, or the Massachusetts colonists. Williams wrote that in persecuting the Native Americans, the colonists believed themselves to be righteous in killing those who did not believe in the Church of Christ. But the colonists were acting out naracissm, not righteousness, for what they persecuted, they persecuted because it was different from them selves. In this way, they displayed their own self love, rather than righteousness.

What is righteousness is described in Paul's words, that we be slaves to one another in love, loving the other as we love ourselves.

Selfishness & its fruit: Disorder & Wickedness

2009-06-05T11:25:00.007-05:00

James 3:13~18

"Who is wise and understanding among you? Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom. Bus you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not be boastful and false to the truth. Such wisdom does not come down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish. For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace."

My observation is that when Christians think of political issues too often they debate the conclusions of varying theories rather than the underlying content. Instead, one ought to go to depths of the theories, to its philosophical foundations and attempt to determine what scripture says about those ideas.

I read one commentator last fall on the collapse of Lehman Brothers note describe that event as the shattering of an entire worldview. That worldview has posited that markets are self regulatory. In the past recessions came as the result of outside forces like wars or natural disasters, rather than from the market itself. The collapse of Lehman Brothers marked the end of this view of self-regulation because the collapse was the result, not of outside forces, but was entirely the result of Wall Street regulating itself and getting exactly what it wanted since the Reagan Administration.

Anybody who still believes that markets are self-regulating is not intellectually honest. Their faith proves that for them egoism is a religion, not a rational theory.

The man behind these policies was Alan Greenspan. On October 24 it was reported that he said, “Yes, I’ve found a flaw. I don’t know how significant or permanent it is. But I’ve been very distressed by that fact.”

But the worldview is the offspring of Greenspan's mentor, Ayn Rand. It is a neoclassical economic model and a normative ethical theory. It was first espoused in 1964 in the book, "The Virtue of Selfishness". The theory is called "Rational Egoism" and is part of a broader philosophy called "Objectivism".

Simply, Rand concluded that to act against one's one interests is irrational and immoral. She provided many different scenarios, such as examples of rescuing a drowning man and so forth.

And it is a popular theory today by many, even though its most prominent disciple has recanted. The presidential candidate, Dr. Ron Paul is a vigorous adherent. The libertarian think tank in Irvine, California is called, the Ayn Rand Institute. Republicans have adopted these views as a core part of their platform. Turn on FOX News and you'll receive a healthy dose of this doctrine. Even on MSNBC, one can listen to Joe Scarborough make arguments that are right off the pages of "Atlas Shrugged".

All this is fine. But only if you reject the Christian worldview.

If you claim to be a Christian, you've missed a fundamental teaching on the nature of self-interest if you accept these views. & a lot of Christian's have. I visited a Christian Reformed Church in Carbondale & was disturbed to find a parking lot full of "Ron Paul" stickers.

Selfishness produces disorder. Selfishness produces wickedness of every kind. & a cumulative group of self-interested actors doe not produce an invisible hand of efficiency in markets.

Its a lie. & its a demonic one.

The Social Gospel, Poverty, & Eschatology

2009-05-07T17:45:00.004-05:00

Often while I was a student at Moody Bible Institute, I would hear a particular argument made during discussions about politics.

More likely than not, during those days, these discussions focused on what a Christian response to the Iraq War should be or how Christians should address the issue of poverty.

During discussions on the issue of poverty I would hear two arguments. First, someone would ask, as a conclusion, “Isn’t that the Social Gospel?” No doubt in their minds simply asking this question had placed me in political-theological checkmate.

No. Believing that part of a Christian definition of “the good” is fighting to alleviate poverty, is not the Social Gospel. The Social Gospel was a specific argument that occurred in the 19th & 20th Centuries, which was naturalistic & humanistic. It was a reduction of the gospel to social action. It was also wrong--being inaccurate theology.

A second issue that would arise during these debates was that of eschatology. I would hear something like, “Poverty is terrible, but it will only be eliminated during the Kingdom of God.”

To me this is the worst cop-out. It is used as an excuse to adhere to economic, libertarian theories of laissez-faire economics that contradict how Christians should treat the poor.

This argument takes a theological truth, i.e., poverty won’t be entirely eradicated until the Kingdom of God, and distorts it in order to avoid the direct commands of our Lord to work towards relieving the suffering of the poor. It is convenient & superficial exegesis.

Let me draw an analogy. I could say the same thing to fellow Christians who have visceral reactions to states allowing gay marriage. I could argue that there won’t be a government based on God’s law until the Kingdom of God. Thus, we should not worry about what laws are instituted at this time. I would make this argument by arguing from a civil, libertarian theory of egalitarianism.

In both instances, the good which is being denied is being done on the basis that perfection of that good is not for this time. This is a classic error of making the perfect a reason to reject the good. both seek a good: allowing humans to live in dignity as image bearers or having positive law aligned to the natural law.

Christians fight vigorously to protect the poor. Their voting habits should reflect this priority. There needs to be a complete rejection of supply side economics & a rejection of any policy that breaks the backs of the lowest earners in our society. I support capitalism, but only if there is a safety net. This is necessary, because in a system based on competition for resources there are winners & losers. The losers are still human. Some efficiency should be sacrificed to care for those who struggle to compete.

There is no excuse for ignoring the mandate found in scripture, none except a conscience that is seared by worldly distrust in altruism. And such is inexcusable.

# 67

2009-05-06T14:38:00.006-05:00

This year my recreation has become more limited. Even though its the first years in many that I haven't been working & have been a full time student, I've found less time to give to things which I used to enjoy.

My reading of philosophy has declined sharply. My magazine subscriptions have not been renewed. I have not been writing.

But, a burgeoning interest has been in documentaries. Such as, reading the stories of everyday people and listening to This American Life.

What a fantastic production. I first discovered it a few years ago, accidently, when I heard the story "81 Words". It was the story of the personal/political forces which changed the Diagnostic & Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. I was struck by the production, because it was provocative, simple, & honest.

Truly, listening to the program has proved to me that Mark Twain was entirely correct when he famously said that truth is stranger than fiction.

One show, of many, was particularly fascinating: The Enforcers.

It tells the story of how a few computer hackers took on the nigerian email scammers & beat them at their own game.

& took that game to a whole new level.

You can subscribe to their free podcast here.

Thoughts on Ethics & the modern State

2009-04-30T12:26:00.005-05:00

So I have been reading on two thinkers. One was a liberal who became a Calvinist and the other a Calvinist who became a liberal. The former is Abraham Kuyper & the latter John Rawls.

I was struck by Kuyper's notion of the state. Like many Calvinists he saw different spheres in this life and believed that they should be kept separate and distinct. One of those is the state.

Kuyper based his view of the state on the Christian doctrine of the fall. In his view, the state exists as a product of the fall. If the fall had not occurred, there would be no need for government, because human relationships would properly exist between family & neighbor. The fall caused deep alienation & fissure in these critical relationships, and human government is the product. As such, the state is a form of common grace. Laws operate to restrain the evil that man inflicts on his brother & neighbor. Of course, when Christ returns, the state will be unnecessary as the alienation of men will be healed.

It is this foundational notion of the state, based on Scripture, that makes Kuyper's thinking so helpful. He recognized that libertarian ideals push humans to anarchy, because human freedom is a destructive in a fallen world. On the other hand, the temporary notion of the state prevents a believer from excepting statism, because such a concentration of power itself can produce great evil. Thus, Government is not social contract, nor is it a necessary evil. Instead it is a form of grace given during evil days.

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Now to John Rawls. What strikes me about Rawls is his notion that in ethical philosophy, merit is unethical. Men use merit as an excuse for unethical, immoral acts. This idea is strangely consistent with the Christian notion of grace. Merit is not entirely a bad thing in itself, but as an end merit can produce both reliance on self & xenophobia. Merit focuses on what is deserved as a result of labor, rather than what is owed because of ontological realities. Of course, Rawls attended old Princeton and even wrote his undergraduate thesis on the doctrine of original sin. Thus, despite his latter lapse in faith, there is little doubt that Rawls ethical theories were the product of Calvinist presuppositions about human nature & grace.

I need to read more on these two.

A little nonsense

2009-04-22T17:20:00.004-05:00

Yesterday, I received my copy of RAT Magazine (Riders Association of Triumph). I get it for free since I bought a Triumph. Thumbing through the magazine I was blown away by how nice their bikes are. Seriously, they just look right. These guys do great work. The bikes have fantastic styling, either modern or retro, are built very well, and are a blast to drive. I've now used a motorcycle as my only means of transportation since 2004. I can't tell you how happy I feel when I am riding my motorcycle. Of course, because Triumph is a British Company all their stories were about riding in Britain & about continental Europe.

That's where my present (pleasant) reality ends & day dreaming begins.

After I become a licensed attorney, hopefully starting off in Chicago, there are three bikes in particular that I would like to add to my garage. all three have retro styling cues & I believe each will be classic, at least among bikers.

first is the the thruxton 900. like my current bike, a speed four, i first saw the thruxton at old town motorcycles in chicago. when it came time to purchase a new bike i went with the speed four because i prefer a sport bike for daily driving. but the thruxton was always in the back of my mind. what a great shop old town cycles is. i remember the first day they rented the space and put out a sign saying "coming soon". the day it finally did open, it was pouring rain. sarah jane & i road up there, in the rain, on a 50cc scooter. i was so stoked walking around that store. & actually it was at old town that we said aloha before she moved to L.A., but i digress. all that to say, a black thruxton has to be in my garage.

second, is the harley davidson nightster. now, i just discovered this bike about a week ago. & i'm not really a harley guy, but to me, this is what a harley sportster should look like. dark flat black, only a little chrome & a way retro style. another must have.

third is the ducati sport 1000s. wow, this whole line of flat back cafe racers is fantastic. i like the model with the full fairing the most, but the naked bike is good too. these came out in 2005 (i think) and i've known i would pick one up ever since.

so there you go. that's part of my plan/fantasy. i can just see it. i'll get a place in east garfield park or the ukrainian village. a single flat and a garage. in the garage i can play records, keep a fridge full of union-made beer, & work on the bikes. pretty glorious vision, eh? i like it.

of course, somedays, i think that there is more out there than chicago. (hard to believe right?) but to move to Cardiff, Wales or Brussels, Belgium wouldn't be too bad either. In the UK I'd have easy access to London, the Isle of Mann, great sports, great beer, great universities. & the continent is a single ferry away. & from there Africa is another ferry away. in either case, motorcycling in the alps would be the best way to spend a holiday.

these are all good thoughts. they make law school a little less dull. of course, southern illinois is fine. the roads are twisty, there are plenty of hills, the mississippi river, & memphis isn't too far away.

on two wheels, its all good.

Human Rights & the Academy Awards

2009-03-11T01:52:00.007-05:00

OK, perhaps hypocrisy at some level is part of our common human character.

None of us are exempt from it. It is a mistake we all make & in part might be due to our inability to see objects from other perspectives at the same time. Often we all miss the nuances & inter-connections that constantly conflict with our perceptions of reality.

As such, it is probably wise to go forward, collectively, with a sense of our own smallness & to attempt to exercise humility.

That said, I think Sean Penn's actions in the last year have been particularly outrageous.

Perhaps they were unpardonable.

Last November, Penn wrote an editorial in the Nation about his trip to Venezuela to meet with Hugo Chavez & his trip to Cuba to meet with Raul Castro. You can read that glowing summary here

While I agree with Penn that we need to normalize our relationship with Cuba & we should have done so at the time of the fall of the Soviet Union, his writing is obtuse & flowery that I can't help but feel annoyed, for example, writing of Chavez:

"By now, October 2008, I [Sean Penn] had digested my earlier visits to Venezuela and Cuba and time spent with Chávez and Fidel Castro. I had grown increasingly intolerant of the propaganda. Though Chávez himself has a penchant for rhetoric, never has it been a cause for war. In hopes of demythologizing this "dictator," I decided to pay him another visit. By this time I had come to say to friends in private, "It's true, Chávez may not be a good man. But he may well be a great one."

Note, to Penn's credit, the article contains a single paragraph that addresses the fact that Cuba represses political dissent more than any other American country. This paragraph comes at the end after line after line of hollow praise of the greatness of both Chavez & Castro.

So Sean Penn, how dare you?

I'm wondering how he is getting away with this. At the the Academy Awards he condemned the proposition 8 as an offense against humanity. He took an award for his role as Harvey Milk. Milk of course battled the John Birch Society to move forward with civil liberties for gays.

But I'm wondering how Penn can write so adoringly of Raul & Fidel Castro while ignoring how Cubans would have treated the people who live on San Francisco's Castro, had they been in Cuba?

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Cuba has imprisoned people for being gay. Cuban police have terrorized people for being gay, labeling them "maricones" and agents of imperialism. Fidel openly opposed them & illegalized homosexuality.

Proposition 8 certainly denied Californian gays the ability to marry. But even that, doesn't compare to the violence, imprisonment, & indignity suffered by those in Cuba.

Violence, imprisonment, & indignity which they suffered even as Penn sat with Castro in his hacienda.

For which, they & all political dissidents suffer even at this moment.

For this reason, I don't think Penn has the moral authority to talk down to anyone. He really ought to apologize: To the gay community, to the family of Harvey Milk, & even to the supporters of Proposition 8, whom he demonized.

& the academy should apologize too. They booed Michael Moore for his critique of an unjust war, yet they applauded Sean Penn while looking past a serious human rights issue? Unbelievable.

Justice, truth, & equality are all wholes, when in parts, they cease to exist.

don't forget your fiber

2009-03-07T10:46:00.003-06:00

CONSUMERISM & THE ENVIRONMENT

Consumed product --> Waste, i.e. paper, cardboard, etc. --> Exported to China ( which has very limited natural fiber resources available) --> 16 months of global RECESSION--> Sharp decline in U.S. Consumer Spending --> Rejection of Exported Fiber @ Chinese port --> Fiber returns to U.S. --> Exported post-consumer waste goes to the landfill.

Yeah, no joke.