Quick Roundup 60

New Age Loon Still Singing

Sam Harris, author of The End of Faith (reviewed here), appeared in an interview over at Alter Net recently. The piece starts off with the following.

Sam Harris is not your grandfather's atheist. The award-winning writer practices Zen meditation and believes in the value of mystical experiences. But he's adamant in his belief that religion does more harm than good in the world, and has sparked controversy by suggesting that when it comes to faith-based violence, religious moderates are part of the problem, not the solution.

On the one hand, they obviously think that Zen makes Sam Harris a cut above other atheists. On the other, at least more particular readers have been forewarned. I blogged about Sam Harris's looniness in more detail here.

Boulder Rolling Over Freedom of Speech

Via Molten Eagle, I have learned that the Boulder City Council considered funding for a "hate hotline" yesterday. Unfortunately, funding for a trial run of this direct attack on freedom of speech was approved.

The hotline, which the council approved 7-2, would give people who feel they are victims of discrimination or harassment that does not rise to the level of a crime a place to report the incidents.

Vigilis quoted the ACLU's weak-kneed response to this proposal.

"Our concern - and there are many - is that there is no confidentiality, no legal confidentiality," explains Judd Golden, chairman of the Boulder American Civil Liberties Union, which has not yet taken an official position on the hate-line. "So it's potentially chilling if people think they are providing this information in confidence and then that information were provided to the government or the government sought access to it. That would chill free speech."

Chill? That's all they have to say about this? Their demand that the FBI to release documents regarding any surveillance of Southern California mosques sounds more sincere. Without principled, unstinting government protection, there is no freedom of speech! This is an alarming development indeed! It is hard to say which I find more inexcusable, the 7-2 vote or the ACLU's tepid response to this whole idea.

I recently said that there would not be any intellectuals making a stand for reason coming from the left any time soon. Ditto for political activists defending freedom of speech.

Another Good Soccer Movie?

Via The Charlotte Capitalist is this Scott Holloran review of Goal! The Dream Begins.

That touch of multiculturalism over assimilation is the exception in this inspirational movie. Santiago is proud, he does not seek the unearned and he is the lone beneficiary of his pursuit of happiness. In other words, he is more American than most native-born Americans -- especially those whining that immigrants are what's wrong with America.

While it doesn't sound nearly as good as Bend It Like Beckham, it might be worth another look given that there has been much more famine than feast at the cinema lately.

-- CAV

Updates

5-19-06: Updated link to Molten Eagle post.