A Journal for Western Man :  Issue XLVIII

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Cartoons

Danish Cartoons of Mohammed:
February 9, 2006:
Jyllands Posten Denmark is a newspaper, whose editors and cartoonists have understood the seriousness of the Islamist fanatics' threat to our essential liberties. In support of their plight against militant intolerance, The Rational Argumentator has reprinted their cartoons. Only when it becomes safe to depict and satirize Mohammed as we please will we have a free society.

See The Autonomist's section of commentary and further images pertaining to the Danish cartoons and the Islamist fanatics' reaction to them. The "Blasphemous Danish Cartoons" thread chronicles both the ludicrous and the horrific facets of the fundamentalist savages. 

Economics

Mises and Hayek: Champions of Economic Liberty:
February 7, 2006:
G. Stolyarov II discusses the role of two illustrious twentieth-century economists-- Ludwig von Mises and Friedrich Hayek-- in defending the free market and proving the futility of government economic regulation.

The Gas-Line Quagmire in Iraq:
February 7, 2006:
Dr. Robert Murphy criticizes the economic ignorance of the popular media's coverage of massive gas shortages in post-war Iraq-- which are caused by government price controls rather than any fictitious "problems with the free market."

Why Rothbard Makes Sense:
February 12, 2006:
Dr. Robert P. Murphy discusses the life of Murray Rothbard-- a remarkable economist, historian, filosofer, political activist, and defender of free markets--who managed to accomplish impressive cross-disciplinary feats in an age of hyper-specialization.

Filosofy

The Evil of Islamist Intolerance:
February 7, 2006:
G. Stolyarov II issues an urgent call to condemn the Islamic fundamentalist savages who are willing to kill over a few cartoons that displease them. This short article defends the Danish cartoonists' freedom of speech to satirize and criticize the ideas of Islam-- which deserve to be dethroned from their current sacrosanct status. 

A Different Look at Betty Friedan's Legacy:
February 12, 2006:
Contrary to mainstream eulogizing on the recent death of Betty Friedan, Wendy McElroy contends that Friedan did not fairly represent the views of women, was elitist and demeaning toward homemakers, and was crucial to the unfortunate social devaluation of that vital profession.

Music

Rodney Rawlings: Gerri:
February 7, 2006:
This composition by Rodney Rawlings is a tribute to his wife Gerri. It embodies Mr. Rawlings's ideas about the importance of original, well-formed melody.

Politics

Toss Out the New Orleans "Toxic Soup" Myth:
February 7, 2006:
Michael Fumento debunks environmentalist fears that Hurricane Katrina has contaminated the waters around New Orleans with highly toxic substances. Quite the contrary, multiple thorough examinations have shown that no such contamination exists; the environmentalists are merely engaged in their usual scaremongering.

Making the Minions Marionettes:
February 7, 2006:
Governments in Britain and Canada have actively considered implementing a mandatory GPS system in every car to force it to stay within arbitrary state-mandated speed limits. This, writes Selwyn Duke, is but one more indicator of a disturbing trend in leftist politics: the desire to punish and restrict everybody's freedom because of the misdeeds of a few.

Religion, Science, and Blarney: 
February 12, 2006:
Paul Driessen writes that the recent Evangelical Climate Initiative (ECI) in favor of environmentalist policies is not representative of the Evangelical Christian community and only offers mass suffering in the form of raised costs for consumers and an enormous hindrance to economic progress and prosperity.

When Hatred Burns Unseen:
February 12, 2006:
Why have officials refrained from calling the recent string of Alabama church burnings "hate-crimes"? Because, writes Selwyn Duke, a "hate-crime" can only be committed against politically-favored minorities-- and Christians are neither. This shows the hypocrisy behind the entire designation of "hate-crimes," a concept meant to advance leftist agendas by stifling anything deviating from the politically fashionable. 

A Corporation Does the Right Thing... For the Right Reasons:
February 12, 2006:
Tom DeWeese commends BB&T Corporation's courageous refusal to lend money to developers who have benefited from government invocation of eminent domain. This type of free-market leadership is essential to denying evil government policies the money they need to thrive and spread.

 

"Just as a man who will eat anything so long as and only if it is green will fail to differentiate lettuce from poison ivy, so will the traditionalist fail to separate good from evil."

~ G. Stolyarov II