One escapes into reminiscence as one escapes into gin or sodium amytal.
Aldous Huxley, The Genius and the Goddess (1955).
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Aldous Huxley
Author: Redactor
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Will Rogers
On November 4, 1879, American humorist Will Rogers was born. Aside from his cowboy act, and his work as an actor in Hollywood, he gained much fame for being a topical comedian “just reporting what’s in the papers.” Among his most famous quips? “Be thankful we’re not getting all the government we’re paying for.”
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Joseph Addison
I have indeed heard of heedless, inconsiderate writers that, without any malice, have sacrificed the reputation of their friends and acquaintance to a certain levity of temper, and a silly ambition of distinguishing themselves by a spirit of raillery and satire; as if it were not infinitely more honourable to be a good-natured man than a wit. Where there is this little petulant humour in an author, he is often very mischievous without designing to be so. For which reason I always lay it down as a rule that an indiscreet man is more hurtful than an ill-natured one; for as the one will only attack his enemies, and those he wishes ill to, the other injures indifferently both friends and foes.
Joseph Addison, Essays and Tales (Henry Morley, editor; 1888).
Depending on the constitutional provision we’re talking about, probably every state is (or is at risk of becoming) a “Constitution-free zone.”
The present case: a court ruling that a dissident judge says is turning Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi into Constitution-free zones with respect to the crimes of federal officers.
On February 2, 2019, Texas mechanic Kevin Byrd was almost shot at by Ray Lamb, a Homeland Security agent. Lamb was not acting in self-defense. Byrd had been asking questions about a car accident in which the mother of his child was injured. A drunk driver was involved: Lamb’s son.
Called in by Byrd, the police initially detained Byrd, not Lamb. Fortunately, the assault had been videotaped, and Lamb was soon arrested instead. Unfortunately, the police let the matter drop.
Byrd sued in federal court. But he was stymied by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which ruled that federal officials like Lamb have absolute immunity, not merely qualified immunity, from prosecution for things like shooting at innocent people.
The Institute for Justice is now representing Kevin Byrd in the litigation. The hope is to get the U.S. Supreme Court to accept the case for review and then determine that, no, federal officers are not entitled to terrorize at will and without legal consequences just because they’re feds.
Fingers crossed.
The Supreme Court hasn’t exactly covered itself in glory lately when it comes to holding police and other officials accountable for wrongdoing.
This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.
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Army Disbands
On November 3, 1783, the American Continental Army — its mission fulfilled — was disbanded.
On November 3, 1969, U.S. President Richard M. Nixon made a television and radio appearance, asking the “silent majority” to join him in solidarity on the Vietnam War effort.
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Hang Up on Corporate Racism
AT&T is one of a growing number of corporations demanding that employees become “antiracist” hair-shirt-wearers.
“Antiracist” is the now-familiar code adjective for a racist agenda with whites as the targeted group.
What do AT&T’s “antiracist” programs inculcate? Christopher Rufo has the scoop in a post for City Journal, based on documents and testimony provided by an AT&T employee.
According to the whistleblower, managers are now assessed with respect to dedication to “diversity” and must attend training where white employees tacitly admit complicity in things like “white privilege” and “systemic racism.” The training materials aver that “American racism is a uniquely white trait” and — tiredly, vexingly, preposterously — that “Black people cannot be racist.”
AT&T employees are supposed to periodically perform an action that helps them better grasp “power, privilege, supremacy, oppression, and equity.” Etc.
No use asking what all this has to do with improving the quality of phone calls. No use asking whether it’s kind of racist to assume that skin color determines ideas and attitudes. The reality of moral choices and the utility of common sense have nothing to do with this reeducation-camp agenda.
What to do?
Refuse to sanction such travesties. Employees should quit en masse in protest. Granted, not everybody is in a position to just up and quit his job. But if you work for AT&T and switching to a less toxic workplace is at all possible, do so.
There’s no barbed-wire-topped Berlin Wall to prevent it. You can just walk away.
Or, alternatively, unite with like-minded co-workers and sue the pants off of the Ma Bell relic — on grounds amply allowed by “toxic work environment” and anti-discrimination laws.
This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.
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Henry David Thoreau
Unjust laws exist: shall we be content to obey them, or shall we endeavor to amend them, and obey them until we have succeeded, or shall we transgress them at once?
Henry David Thoreau, On the Duty of Civil Disobedience (1849).
Scott Jensen is a family physician and a candidate for governor of Minnesota who opposes counterproductive lockdown measures.
His medical license is being officially investigated — for the fifth time — because of complaints about . . . well, what, exactly?
He has produced a video on the theme of “if it can happen to me, it can happen to you.” Here’s the kind of complaints that instigated the latest fake investigation:
- Dr. Jensen challenged the validity of President Biden’s national vaccine mandate. Guilty as charged, he says.
- Dr. Jensen is not vaccinated. “I’m not. I have a plethora of antibodies, because I have recovered from COVID.”
- Dr. Jensen has opposed mandatory masks for school children. “Last I checked, school boards are making those decisions. I have my opinion, and I’m entitled to it.”
- Dr. Jensen has promoted the use of ivermectin. “That’s a decision between a patient and a doctor.”
- Dr. Jensen has “inappropriately” promoted the benefits of natural immunity. “I can run for office if I so choose.”
On the other hand, all this is pretty damning, isn’t it? Dr. Jensen has done perhaps the worst thing that any American can do: uttered opinions.
Publicly.
I hope, Gentle Reader, that you yourself have never articulated an opinion in mixed company while also being licensed to do whatever it is you do to earn a living. Apparently, in the eyes of some people, these two things don’t mix.
This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.
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Joseph Addison
The hours of a wise man are lengthened by his ideas, as those of a fool are by his passions.
Joseph Addison (1672–1719), “Spare Time” (Essays and Tales, 1888), Part Two.
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The French Revolution
On November 1, 1790, Edmund Burke published his Reflections on the Revolution in France, predicting that the French Revolution would end in disaster. Though many have disputed his premises and reasoning, few dispute his prophecy, which proved spot on.