Written by Eric Plourde | 23 May 2008

Compulsory Patriotism

Flag Burning and Other Issues

By Eric Plourde

In the United States the issue of flag burning has created much controversy between those who believe that it is a form of free speech and those who believe that it should be outlawed. Many claim that because of the amount of people who have sacrificed and died for the freedom that Americans enjoy, it should be a crime to intentionally and defiantly damage the flag. Veterans and patriots cry out that allowing for such anti-American actions disrespects their service and their belief in this country.

Written by Troy Camplin, Ph.D. | 21 May 2008

The Government Makes Easy Things Complicated

And other observations

By Troy Camplin, Ph.D.

How often do we hear that this or that problem is “too complex”? We hear that climate change is a “complex problem,” that the environment is a “complex problem,” that oil or food prices are “complex problems.” The people who identify these problems as being complex then typically go on to explaining how government will fix the problem – but does it make sense to advocate a government solution to a complex problem? And how many of these problems are even truly complex? Is it possible that some of these problems are not complex, but have simply been complicated?

Before we answer this, we need to recognize that complexity and being complicated are two different things. “Complex” means “folded,” while “complicated” means “knotted.” If something is complex, you can uncover layers, but if something is complicated, when you unknot it, you simply discover that what looked 3-dimensional is in fact 1-dimensional. If you complicate something, you make it worse than it originally was; if you complexify something, you add layers of meaning or value – you add depth.

Written by Eric Plourde | 16 May 2008

Liberty in Marriage

What the California Supreme Court Ruling Means for the Liberty Movement

By Eric Plourde

California recently became the second state in the union to legalize gay marriage. The victory for gay rights advocates was handed down from the Republican-controlled California Supreme Court in the form of a 4-3 vote in favor of homosexual marriage, and in about a month any of the state’s estimated 92,000 gay couples could be eligible to obtain marriage licenses.

Written by Matt Fay | 14 May 2008

Why the WWE Sucks!

Why the total victory of the WWF over WCW in the “Monday Night Wars” ruined professional wrestling

By: Matt Fay

As a kid, in the 1980s, I remember watching the Saturday morning cartoon that featured Hulk Hogan, Hillbilly Jim, Rowdy Roddy Piper, Captain Lou Albano, and many others. Later in the morning WWF Superstars would show my other favorites like the Ultimate Warrior, Andre the Giant, the Legion of Doom, and the Hart Foundation. I loved the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). As the 90s began, though, the Warrior disappeared, Andre died, and Hulk Hogan moved on to something called World Championship Wrestling (WCW). By the mid-90s I had lost interest, except for occasionally when I’d be channel surfing – or when Monday Night Football was not on.

Written by Dr. Troy Camplin | 13 May 2008

Once upon a time there was a great democracy...

By Dr. Troy Camplin

Once upon a time there was a great and powerful democracy. The people ruled, and ruled themselves, because they were educated — about inner things as well as external things, which is to say, they knew themselves as well as about nature and the arts. What mattered to them was the truth, and that every person was true to himself.

But then there came two kinds of men — both of the same mind — the sophist and the demagogue. What kind of men were these who came into this great democracy? They were two sides of the same soul.