Kendrick Macdowell

I’ve steered clear of the “Ground Zero mosque” story because, I thought, it’s both (1) a misnomer (neither actually at “Ground Zero” nor technically a “mosque”); and (2) so much of it has been a tempestuous belaboring of the obvious.  Of course private property owners in Manhattan have a legal right, subject to zoning laws and building codes, to build whatever they wish on their property, and of course erecting a 13-story Muslim cultural center two blocks away from Ground Zero is insensitive.  Let the games conclude please. (more)

Venerable historian Garry Wills recently posted a piece revealing his role at an off-the-record meeting President Obama convened with nine professional historians over a year ago.  Though a frequent critic of President Obama's policies, I reacted to Wills' piece with a kind of tingling cognitive dissonance: sympathy for the President and, frankly, disdain for the profession I admire enormously. (more)

The debate on both sides of the Atlantic about Islamism and terrorism is robust -- but interestingly distinct.  Both debates occur within rich cultural traditions of free speech, but the way the debates are framed reveals much about the difference between Europe and America. (more)

Judge Susan Bolton ruled on the federal government's motion to enjoin enforcement of the Arizona immigration law, commonly known as S.B. 1070.  She split the baby -- most of the law will still go into effect, but its most controversial provisions will be enjoined.  She concluded that these controversial provisions are likely to be preempted by federal law. (more)

If it were ever in doubt that one can be very talented and very stupid (or possibly simply venal), Oliver Stone's recent interview with The Sunday Times surely settles the matter.  Stone is planning a 10-part documentary about Stalin and Hitler that will put them "in context."  And heaven knows we need a dollop of "context" for the planet's top two pathological murderers with 8-figure victims (well, top three, you have to include Mao). (more)

A Palestinian man, Sabbar Kashur, was recently sentenced to 18 months in jail for rape.  He met a woman in downtown Jerusalem, they started talking, they felt a mutual attraction, they went to a nearby building, and had sex.  Rape?  Imprudent, sure; reckless, probably; stupid, works for me -- but... rape? (more)

President Obama's nominee for the Supreme Court, Elena Kagan, gets a thumbs-up from the Senate Judiciary Committee, with South Carolina Republican Lindsey Graham joining the Democrats in voting for her.  The Washington Post's Dana Milbank praises Senator Lindsey Graham's vote, prompting a fierce denunciation from Ed Whelan and others. (more)

A Washington Post report makes it official.  The Department of Justice lawsuit against Arizona, as I suggested in wondering what could possibly be motivating the administration, is a cynical bid for the Hispanic vote, a strategy to turn red border states purple.  How very pre-post-racial. (more)

The United Nations refuses to condemn North Korea for deliberately sinking a South Korean ship and killing 46 South Koreans, but erupts, along with the rest of the European and American Left, over Israel killing nine people who attacked Israeli commandoes. (more)

Some impressive commentators are weighing in about whether promotion of small government versus big government is ideologically or practically driven.  Ezra Klein makes an interesting, but misdirected, point that small government proponents see small government as an end in itself -- i.e., they are ideologically driven -- whereas proponents of more government simply want "larger government in certain areas where it seems to make sense." (more)

Now let me get this straight.  (1) The federal government abdicates its responsibility with respect to immigration enforcement. (2) Arizona enacts a law narrowly requiring state enforcement of federal immigration law. (3) The federal government sues Arizona for enacting that law?! (more)

Charles Krauthammer has a characteristically excellent column on the weirdness -- and mischief -- of this Administration's awkwardly truncated lexicon of terror -- "jihadists," "Islamism," and "Islamic terrorism" no longer exist.  (And of course, terms such as "Islamo-fascism" are consigned to virtual profanity.)  Bizarrely, the terms are no longer permitted. (more)

When I read the wonderful debate between Kerry Howley, Todd Seavey and Daniel McCarthey about whether or not libertarians have an obligation to stake out opposition to social and cultural oppression, rather than only to governmental oppression, I was fascinated. Hooked. All three were articulate and I commend to you the link, again. (more)

“For a long time now, there’s been too much secrecy in this city,” President Obama said at the beginning of his administration. And much rhetoric followed about transparency and open government. It didn’t happen. (more)