First Thoughts » Mark Misulia

Orwell and Paterno

Mark Misulia — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 16:15:55 +0000

Gary Alan Fine at the New York Times finds Penn State’s “vacating” of victories from the sports history of the school from 1998 to 2011 a move Orwell might have written about, had horse and porker not been serviceable for his purposes. His conclusion:

Social institutions, like the N.C.A.A., have an absolute right and a moral obligation to respond forcefully to crimes and infractions that occur in areas of their responsibility. The N.C.A.A. properly recognized that Penn State should be sanctioned, but it should not create a fantasized history. Men in suits should not undo what boys in uniforms have achieved.

While the shame of honoring flawed people in a record book is understandable, covering up what happened is never the solution. Building a false history is the wrong way to recall the past. True and detailed histories always work better.

More here.

Part of the Deal

Mark Misulia — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 14:15:13 +0000

As of yesterday, doctors in South Dakota must advise patients seeking abortions of the increased risk of suicidal thoughts and actions that come with it. Obviously contested, we’re told by Planned Parenthood CEO Sarah Stoesz that the statue would “burden abortion rights and violate physicians’ First Amendment right to be free from compelling speech.”

The court acknowledged “medical and scientific uncertainty” about the link between abortion and suicide, but said that because the link has not been ruled out, advising about an “increased risk” is not constitutionally misleading and would be relevant to a patient’s decision.

“The bottom line is that women don’t turn to politicians for advice about mammograms, prenatal care, or cancer treatments,” said Sarah Stoesz, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota in a statement. “Politicians should not be involved in a woman’s personal medical decisions about her pregnancy.”

More here.

Therefore, It Is the Most Philosophical Town

Mark Misulia — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 15:53:29 +0000

The tiny township of Corigliano d’Otranto, a small village on Italy’s heel, believes itself to be the country’s most philosophical hamlet. It might have something to do with the town’s mayor, Ada Fiore, who is also a philosophy teacher. Speculation aside, the town is drawing attention—and criticism—for appointing its very own municipal philosopher, who will be available for weekly consultations:

Resolution No 72, which cited the aforementioned thinkers, created the new post of municipal philosopher, stipulating that the first holder of the office, Graziella Lupo, would be available for consultation at the town hall “between 15.00 and 19.00 on Fridays”.

Religion, the New Pornography

Mark Misulia — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 19:14:04 +0000

Writing for cityArts, Maureen Mullarkey reviews a new exhibition at the DC Moore Gallery, American (ir)religiosity:

Censorship battles over sexually explicit imagery have been won. That old X-rated thrill is gone. Nowadays, organs and orifices are as transgressive as your parish bulletin. Only demon blasphemy has enough life left to pinch-hit for beaver shots and bull whips—or so the gallery wants to think.

On one level, Beasts of Revelation is a standard publicity caper, the kind that banks on the Catholic League to rise to the bait. Nothing boosts box office like a picket line of retired Knights of Columbus at the gallery door. Moreover, this is an election year, as civic minds at DC Moore remind us. The gallery is primed for Nov. 6 with latter-day riffs on Christian iconography, stand-ins for the social conservatism identified with a Republican candidacy. To underscore the point, two LDS-raised artists are showcased for their upbringing, not talent.

First Links – 7.12.12

Mark Misulia — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 13:00:07 +0000

Reparative Therapy Renounced
Erik Eckholm, New York Times

Even More About NFIB v. Sebelius
Tom Christina, Library of Law & Liberty

David Oderberg’s New Location
Via Edward Feser, David S. Soderberg

Front Porched Avengers
David Masciotra, Front Porch Republic

William Gilpin’s Picturesque Beauty
Brandon, Siris

First Links – 7.11.12

Mark Misulia — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 13:00:41 +0000

Herbert Hoover’s American Exceptionalism
John Hendrickson, Library of Law and Liberty

Same-Sex Marriage and the Revolt Against Metropolitan Jonah
Fr. Johannes Jacobse, American Orthodox Institute

What’s in a Name, or “The Individual Mandate is a Unicorn”
Bruce P. Frohman, Imaginative Conservative

At Least On Average, a Human Life is Good
Alexander Pruss, Alexander Pruss’s Blog

In Defense of John Roberts
Carson Holloway, Public Discourse

First Links — 7.10.12

Mark Misulia — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 13:00:58 +0000

Chief Justice Roberts and the Changing Conservative Movement
Joe Alicea, Public Discourse

Does Quantum Physics Make It Easier to Believe in God?
Stephen M. Barr, Big Questions Online

Paint-by-Number Hymns
Anthony Esolen, Catholic World Report

Atheist Teleology
Edward Feser, Edward Feser

National Closing Mass of Fortnight for Freedom
Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap., Catholic Education Resource

Anna Williams, New Junior Fellow

Mark Misulia — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 20:26:16 +0000

First Things warmly welcomes a new Junior Fellow, Anna Williams, who flew in to New York City just yesterday evening. A brief bio:

Anna Williams is a recent graduate of Hillsdale College and a former Collegiate Network fellow on USA TODAY’s editorial board. At Hillsdale, she studied English and Spanish, edited the independent campus newspaper The Hillsdale Forum, and was active in the college’s Catholic and pro-life groups. Following her graduation, she spent a year working at USA TODAY, where she wrote several op-eds and assisted with research, fact-checking, and editing. She also blogs for Ignitum Today.

We’re looking forward to the good work she’ll be doing for the magazine and the website, and know that the time spent with USA TODAY will have her producing material sure to stir conversation in the blog forum.

First Links – 7.6.12

Mark Misulia — Fri, 06 Jul 2012 14:03:52 +0000

Sex Abuse and the Study of Religion
Kathryn Lofton, Immanent Frame

RJN and the HHS “Catholic Moment”
C.J. McCloskey III, Catholic Thing

“Only Liberty?”
Patrick Brennen, Mirror of Justice

The Ideal Economy of Wilhelm Roepke
Ralph E. Ancil, Imaginative Conservative

Cheer Up, San Diego
Mary Forgione, Los Angeles Times

First Links – 7.5.12

Mark Misulia — Thu, 05 Jul 2012 14:00:15 +0000

The Varieties of Nihilistic Experience, Part II
Anthony Distefano, Catholic Phoenix

Elusive God Particle: Found
Steve O’Connor, Belfast Telegraph

Romney’s Ceasefire on Obamacare?
Bryon York, The Examiner

The New Context for the Contraceptive Mandate
Br. Thomas More Garrett, O.P., Dominica

Immigration: Who is Without Sin
John B. Londregan, Public Discourse