Despite the mission statement in this blog’s motto, I never write about firearms. My interest in them, and my belief in the legality of private ownership, sets me apart from many people who share my other interests. It was no surprise that the Roberts Supreme Court struck down the Washington, D.C. law prohibiting private ownership or possession of handguns within the district limits. While I’m no fan of this court, I support this decision. I’m going to borrow some quotes from Eugene Robinson‘s op-ed in the Washington Post to illustrate my points. Robinson is pro-Constitution, but not pro-gun.
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Florida environmentalists are understandably happy about Gov. Crist’s plans to buy 187,000 acres from U.S. Sugar. The purchase covers much of the land between Lake Okeechobee and the remaining Everglades. This land was once part of the “River of Grass,” a sheet of slow-moving water that flowed from the lake to the southern tip of Florida.

From an environmental standpoint, the restoration of huge tracts of wetlands is cause for celebration. Several species of all types, found only in Florida, are on the brink of extinction. Habitat restoration is essential for their survival. But there are human benefits as well. (more…)

… and pollution, a corrupt political system, 37 million of our fellow citizens in poverty, and all the other solvable problems facing this country:
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Better start carrying your passport when you go out. Don’t have a passport? Stay out of Phoenix. Unless, of course, you’re white. Then you’re covered by the Constitution. For now, at least.
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Racism is another of those words we aren’t supposed to say in America anymore. Everyone knows we’ve put all that behind us. Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) gave a speech last Wednesday (June 11) that should have been a wake-up call for anyone who pretends to believe in the Constitution.
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President Bush is determined to finish his work before his administration is finished. Not only winning the War on Terror, whatever that entails. No, his greater ambition is to lead us into finally wreaking irreversible damage on the planet.
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Something to, uh, think about. From the London Times Higher Education Supplement:

Belief in God is much lower among academics than among the general population because scholars have higher IQs, a controversial academic claimed this week.

In a forthcoming paper for the journal Intelligence, Richard Lynn, emeritus professor of psychology at the University of Ulster, will argue that there is a strong correlation between high IQ and lack of religious belief and that average intelligence predicts atheism rates across 137 countries.

Our over-reliance on fairness is a consequence of cultural growth, a desire to make our society more inclusive. Unfortunately, Creationists are trying to manipulate us by confusing science with social justice. (more…)

According to a recent CNN poll, 54-percent of Democrats think Barack Obama should choose Hillary Clinton as his running mate. Forty-three-percent disapprove, so not all Democrats are crazy or on drugs. According to the poll, 60-percent of women want her on the ballot.

All right, I can understand women wanting a woman on the ticket. But you have to choose your battles. Clinton was the first woman to run for president on a major party’s ticket in this country’s history. (Alternative parties have run women over the years, of course, but we’ve been trained to ignore them.) The next woman who runs for president can thank Clinton for helping pave the way.

What this country decidedly does not need now is Hillary Clinton anywhere near the White House. (more…)

In an an appeasement compromise worthy of Neville Chamberlain, a national Democratic Party committee has agreed to give Hillary Clinton 87 delegates from Florida and Michigan, while Barack Obama — who never campaigned in either state, nor was his name on the ballots — got 63. John McCain must be cheering.

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