A round up of recent posts by a few centrist, moderate, and independent bloggers.
In Chicago with my family, I picked up a copy of the Sun-Times this morning, and thoroughly enjoyed this extended essay by Steven Pinker, “In defense of dangerous ideas.” An excerpt:
… Since ideas are connected to other ideas, sometimes in circuitous and unpredictable ways, choosing to believe something that may not be true, or even maintaining walls of ignorance around some topic, can corrupt all of intellectual life, proliferating error far and wide. In our everyday lives, would we want to be lied to, or kept in the dark by paternalistic “protectors,” when it comes to our health or finances or even the weather? In public life, imagine someone saying that we should not do research into global warming or energy shortages because if it found that they were serious the consequences for the economy would be extremely unpleasant. Today’s leaders who tacitly take this position are rightly condemned by intellectually responsible people. But why should other unpleasant ideas be treated differently?
Earlier at TMV, Shaun Mullen wrote a thoughtful challenge to Republicans about their relationship with African-Americans. In contrast, Shay offers this “Quote of the Day” from conservative Republican commentator Angela McGlowan. I include it as a counterbalance only, another perspective, not an endorsement of her view over Shaun’s. (In fact, if you were to ask me, I would likely reside, on this spectrum of debate, closer to Shaun’s thinking, namely that the Republicans cannot blame anyone but themselves for their reputation among African-Americans, nor can they rest on the Party’s past achievements.)
In another notable quote, Andrew Sullivan highlights the poignant voice of “a military wife, whose husband is on his third deployment to Iraq.”
Meanwhile, Amba excerpts an essay by WaPo book critic Ron Charles on why “Harry Potter is part of the death of reading, not its resurrection.”
At Donklephant, sideways answers what Michael Gerson, writing in the WaPO, suggests “atheists can’t answer.”
McQ wants the Democratic candidates for President to do their homework on what taxes do to the economy.
At Stubborn Facts, Tully throws the spotlight on a “cool idea.”