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Progress At Last

From First Thoughts

Who says the animosity of the Culture Wars has made it impossible for us to find common ground? As “Diogenes” at Catholic World News observes , publications like the New York Times and the Boston Globe have lately become intensely worried about teenage pregnancy and even nervous about . . . . Continue Reading »

Sarah Palin It Is

From First Thoughts

Well, McCain has chosen, and our editor won’t be the only one relieved to see that the nod has gone to the staunchly pro-life Governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin . A former beauty-queen with a passion for grueling outdoor sports and an unembarrassed attachment to family and religion, Mrs. Palin . . . . Continue Reading »

Brooks For President!

From First Thoughts

In the wake of Senator Obama’s acceptance speech last night, readers of First Things will enjoy David Brooks’ delightful satire . A sample: My fellow Americans, it is an honor to address the Democratic National Convention at this defining moment in history. We stand at a crossroads at a . . . . Continue Reading »

Newman on St. Monica

From First Thoughts

Yesterday was the Feast of St. Monica, the mother of St. Augustine. This feast was the occasion on which the the Venerable (soon to be Blessed) John Henry Cardinal Newman preached a characteristically brilliant sermon called “Intellect, the Instrument of Religious Training.” The whole thing is . . . . Continue Reading »

Pelosi Pinned By Bishops

From First Thoughts

This past Sunday on Meet the Press , Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi claimed that, having studied the matter carefully as a “fervent, practicing” Catholic, she had learned that doctors of the Church have historically had no fixed position on when human life begins; therefore, one . . . . Continue Reading »

The “Beauty of Holiness”?

From First Thoughts

OK, I understand the desire to make the consecrated life look attractive, but a religious sisters’ beauty pageant is going too far. There couldn’t be much harm in, say, profiling young and joyful nuns, but surely a beauty contest , no matter how modest and unobjectionable the operative . . . . Continue Reading »

Immigration: The American Difference

From First Thoughts

There is no question that illegal immigration into the United States is a serious problem, but looking at Western Europe, where the massive influx of even fully legal immigrants has raised great difficulties, helps put that problem in perspective. One of the most nuanced treatments of the topic is . . . . Continue Reading »

Bush=Truman?

From First Thoughts

Vigorous criticism of President Bush in conservative circles stopped seeming heretical a long time ago. That Bush’s foreign policy has been disastrous is one of the ‘facts’ that many conservatives feel they must grudgingly grant to their liberal antagonists. No doubt many . . . . Continue Reading »

Liquor and Legalism

From First Thoughts

Two days ago, Amanda linked to Harvey Mansfield’s appreciative discussion of Solzhenitsyn’s Harvard speech . Mansfield endorses Solzhenitsyn’s claim that “Legalism is [the West’s] substitute for virtue: You don’t have to distinguish good from evil and do good . . . . Continue Reading »