Category Archives: Civil Liberties

Cowards With Guns

Posted on March 31, 2013 by

I’ve dealt with the attempts to intimidate others by gun nuts before, but it’s worth reminding people that they’re still at it (boldface mine): Several men with assault rifles and hand guns crashed a Mayor’s Against Illegal Guns National Day … Continue reading →

Posted in BANG! BANG!, Civil Liberties, Fucking Morons | 9 Comments

An Armed Society Is an Uncivil One

Posted on March 20, 2013 by

And much more importantly, not a free one. Because nothing says freedom like this (boldface mine): Ginny Burdick, 65, a veteran state legislator, is probably the fiercest gun control advocate in the Oregon State Senate. In recent years, however, as … Continue reading →

Posted in BANG! BANG!, Civil Liberties, Fucking Morons | 2 Comments

The Political Cowardice of Open Gun Demonstrations

Posted on February 16, 2013 by

A while ago, I argued that guns make urban areas dysfunctional: Last week, I attended a public hearing about Boston’s Green Line (which is always fucked). For those who haven’t been to public meetings in cities, it’s always a tough … Continue reading →

Posted in Civil Liberties | 2 Comments

Guns, Honor, and the Dubious Freedom to Be an Asshole

Posted on January 22, 2013 by

Josh Marshall makes a good point about the ‘non-gun’ culture (boldface mine): In the current rhetorical climate people seem not to want to say: I think guns are kind of scary and don’t want to be around them. Yes, plenty … Continue reading →

Posted in BANG! BANG!, Civil Liberties, Civility Trolls | 8 Comments

On Militias and the ‘Freedom’ to Hunt Your Slaves

Posted on January 20, 2013 by

Thom Hartmann points out the origin of the militia clause–to defend Southern slave patrols (boldface mine): The real reason the Second Amendment was ratified, and why it says “State” instead of “Country” (the Framers knew the difference – see the … Continue reading →

Posted in BANG! BANG!, Civil Liberties, Racism | 9 Comments

Marijuana: Arrests Versus Jail Time

Posted on January 3, 2013 by

While the number of people who go to prison for marijuana possession is quite small (and make up a very small fraction of prisoners), it’s worth noting that the number of arrests for possession, if New York City is any … Continue reading →

Posted in Civil Liberties, Drugs | 2 Comments

“Solidarity Isn’t a Purely Altruistic Concept”: On the ‘Right-to-Work’ Canard

Posted on December 13, 2012 by

So if you haven’t heard, Michigan’s Republican-controlled House and Senate, along with its Republican governor have turned Michigan into a ‘right-to-work’ state, which means that employees who benefit from union-based collective bargaining are not required to pay union dues. That’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Civil Liberties, Unions | 2 Comments

So Remind Me Again Why We Spend All That Money on ‘Homeland’ Security

Posted on October 28, 2012 by

Oh yeah, getting rid of civil liberties too. After eleven years, you would think the Orwellian-named Department of Homeland Security would be able to keep people banned from entering the country from entering the country. You would be wrong (boldface … Continue reading →

Posted in Civil Liberties, Conservatives, Fucking Morons, Terrorism, The Rule of Law | 1 Comment

Thoughts on Labor Day: Paternalism Versus the Liberties of Workers

Posted on September 3, 2012 by

If you follow education policy and the pseudo-policy known as education ‘reform’, you’ll often hear something along the lines of “I support teachers, I just don’t support teachers unions.” This is an arrogant canard that assumes you know what’s best … Continue reading →

Posted in Civil Liberties, Education, Unions | 3 Comments

A Nation United Under Fear: We Are All “F-ucking Deafies”

Posted on July 12, 2012 by

A student returning from the National Association of the Deaf conference in Louisville had this lovely run-in with the TSA: While I was going through the TSA, some of them started laughing in my direction. I thought it might’ve been … Continue reading →

Posted in Basic Human Decency, Civil Liberties, Transportation | 8 Comments