Beauty, n. The power by which a woman charms a lover and terrifies a husband. –Ambrose Bierce My Imprimis arrived today. It is “The Unity and Beauty of the Declaration and the Constitution,” an interview of Dr. Larry Arnn, President of Hillsdale College, by Peter Robinson of the Hoover Institution. The full interview can be viewed here. It is a remarkable [...]
Most of the readers of this site know by now that one of the truly great historians of my generation (people born 1933-46, the “no-name” generation), George H. Nash, has recently published Freedom Betrayed: Herbert Hoover’s Secret History of the Second World War and Its Aftermath (Stanford: Hoover Institution Press, 2011). Every conservative has held [...]
I try to think about interesting things as often as I can, so I don’t pay much attention to American politics. Except when I need a good laugh. Our Imperial Leader gave us one the other day by flying off to Osawatomie, Kansas, to beat up on the Wall Street guys and gals who are [...]
“Shoeless” Joe Jackson “I am going to meet the greatest umpire of all–and He knows I’m innocent.” –“Shoeless” Joe Jackson “Those whom the splendor of their rank, or the extent of their capacity, have placed upon the summit of human life have not often given any just occasion to envy in those who [...]
(part I, part II) Part III: Western Civilization (1946-1964) Hayes said in his presidential address before the American Historical Association that it was important for Americans to avoid a messianic triumphalism in the aftermath of the war. “The American Frontier–Frontier of What?” was on one level a lament that Americans had forgotten that they were Europeans. [...]
Carlton Hayes Part II: Spain (part 1), (part 3) When the Brits flew Francisco Franco home from Morocco to take command of what would become known as the “Nationalist” forces to fight against the “Loyalists” who supported the constituted government, Hayes probably thought he was the last person who would get caught up [...]
(This is the first part in a three part essay. See essays two and three. The American Historical Association, which once was a guild of pretentious professionals and is now a massive organization dedicated to political correctness, has had only one serious presidential election in its century and a quarter of existence. In 1945 young [...]
“Ike’s not a communist, he’s a golfer.” —Russell Kirk I haven’t been able to verify the source of this quotation (maybe there is a Kirk scholar who reads this site and who can), but a cottage industry has grown in recent months using it to bash President Obama in one way or another. Ike, it [...]
Alas, liberalism is not doomed, at least not for the near future. It’s been around in one variant or another since the serpent said to Eve, “then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.” (Gen.3:5) The Devil of course is a liberal—the eternal “I,” the manipulator of [...]
The National Review published an article in the early 70s by an aspiring young writer who advocated the invasion and permanent occupation of Libya. His argument had nothing to do with regime change or the health and welfare of the Libyan people; rather, he wanted to change the balance of power in the middle east permanently in [...]
Just a quick note, to be followed up later, and inspired by Barbara Elliott’s interest. I started reading Hassler’s novels a couple of years ago, on the insistence of Mark Maier, a good friend and former student. He gave me “North of Hope,” which I would suggest that you not read first. There is no [...]
[Posting anonymous on the internet—one of the most unvirtuous things a person can do, in my opinion—sparked the idea for this piece.] Executive Lies The American celebrations surrounding Osama Bin Laden’s death have been startling, to say the least. That he was a murderer and an enemy of humanity cannot be denied. That we should [...]
Political assassination is as old as recorded history, which means it is probably much older. The first that we know about is when Cain offed his brother Abel to remove him from God’s favor, and thus putting civilization on an interesting course. We have lived somewhere to the East of Eden ever since. Among warrior [...]
Behold, one of the most important articles for Americans to read, right now, and holler to the heavens about the monster it portrays. Even those of us who pay relatively close attention to the mess that is American foreign policy are probably unaware of the influence Samantha Power has in an increasingly pathetic administration. It [...]