Posts in "equality"

By Alan Brooks at 9:59AM

Jul 25, 2011

Social Justice in the Classroom

I once took a required course in college called National Government. The book for the class is titled: "The Struggle of Democracy." The book lists the functions of government: maintaining order, providing government services, and promoting equality.

The book defines equality as one vote per person and freedom for all equally (i.e. fair trials, freedom of speech etc.) -- but it goes on to say that if money is taken from a rich man is given to a poor man then they both win since the rich man still has plenty of money and the poor man is given the money he needs.

The professor agreed with the “social justice” argument in the book and I piped up.

"Well, let's test that out in this class." I said.

"What do you mean?" asked the professor.

"Well, the people who get A's in the class don't really need all those points. Let's give some of them to the people who get F's. Then everyone ends up with a C and we're all equal." The class laughed and the professor looked chagrined.

"We can't do that." He said.

"Why not?" I asked. "It's only fair. Unless you think that the people who work hard deserve the grade they get in this class."

My professor replied: "Well, the college won't let us," and then he quickly changed the subject.

Woman grabs TSA agent's breast at security checkpoint

Forgive the PG-13 topic, but this one was too good to pass up. Heroic 61-year-old Yukari Mihamae admits to squeezing and twisting a TSA agent's breast at a Phoenix, Arizona airport security checkpoint. The civilian is now facing a felony charge.

TSA checkpoint warning sign

Who isn't facing charges? The government agent who grabbed a 94-year-old woman's breast and crotch area in Raleigh, NC, or the ones who singled out a 6-year-old boy for two separate "enhanced pat-downs" and a video game search in Seattle, WA. Speaking of Seattle, how about the racists who searched a woman's hair because it was too large and poofy? No, they won't face charges, either. That's three separate instances of obvious felonies going unaddressed just in the past two weeks.

As if it's not shocking enough that government agents are repeatedly sexually assaulting innocent civilians in the name of "security," it's also a known fact that these security procedures don't work -- not at all.

French Equality Veils Liberty

I thought I'd mention this post that I added to my personal blog earlier today on the French proposing to ban the public wearing of veils by Muslim women:

The recent refocus on the immigration issue here in the United States displays how segments in our society view newcomers and their place in our society. France, likewise, has been dealing with issues of immigration. Whereas the influx of Mexican immigrants has concerned Americans, the French have been dealing with the influx of various Muslim groups for quite a while now. Lately, the French have been concerned with the public religious practices of the Muslim subculture, which seem to threaten the country’s persistent emphasis on secularism and egalitarianism.

At issue is competing values of liberty and equality. The Muslims wearing the religious symbols banned in public schools in the country several years ago and those wearing the veils that may be soon be banned if French President Sarkozy has his way see such religious garb as an expression of their individual religious liberty. Those French opposed to that expression view the garb as symbolic of a Muslim counter-culture hostile to equality for women.

Read the rest here.

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By Matthew Malkus at 6:07AM

Apr 29, 2010

The Left Protects Civil Rights (Except When They Don't)

In the two-party charade that is American politics, our choices are limited. You're either for the wars that exist, or you're for the wars that exist plus a couple that don't yet. You're either for an increase in spending domestically, or an increase in spending abroad. You either want the Fed to increase the debt, or you want the Fed to monetize it. However, even in the few instances where the media and the party leadership tilt the fun house mirror to make the two sides look different, the truth is that they differ in execution – in which rights to usurp – rather than fundamental philosophy.

A shining example of a major party with phony principles is the “defense” of civil rights in America by the Democrats. You see, the Democrats want to protect civil rights. Countless party leaders have spoken out in outrage over the discrimination against minority groups. The Democrats of today support the right of marriage for all people, regardless of their sexuality. They want equal pay and equal opportunity for people of all backgrounds when it comes to employment or housing. In fact, according to their website: “Democrats will fight to end discrimination based on race, sex, ethnicity, national origin, language, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, and disability in every corner of our country, because that's the America we believe in.” Few Americans would argue with the underlying principle: equal opportunity for all, and discrimination against none.

Imagine a World Where Everyone is Equal...

I received word of this through the Independent Institute's weekly email and I thought it would pertain to this blog.

The film's website states:

A short film adaptation of Kurt Vonnegut's Harrison Bergeron, 2081 depicts a dystopian future in which, thanks to the 212th Amendment to the Constitution and the unceasing vigilance of the United States Handicapper General, everyone is "finally equal...." The strong wear weights, the beautiful wear masks and the intelligent wear earpieces that fire off loud noises to keep them from taking unfair advantage of their brains. It is a poetic tale of triumph and tragedy about a broken family, a brutal government, and an act of defiance that changes everything.

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By Taylor Byerly at 8:58AM

Dec 20, 2008

What does "equality" mean to you?

Does it mean an even playing field, or a pedestal? Unfortunately, our country seems to be leaning torwards the pedestal idea these days. As we are all aware, the Clinton Senate seat is up for grabs. Women's advocacy groups are calling on Gov. Paterson to specifically appoint a woman (Article). As a young woman myself (perhaps particularly because of it), I'm outraged. This is not equality, and I don't appreciate these arguements being carried out in my name.
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By Zachary Kurtz at 10:21PM

Dec 17, 2008

Liberty vs. the collectivist mindset

This is something I've been thinking about for a while, inspired of course by FA Hayek's Road to Serfdom. A liberal friend told me, in a discussion about liberty and freedom, that the type of liberty she is most interesting in is preserving women's rights... understandable given her gender. However, the typical justification of the progressive liberal (increasing the role of government to improve "social equality") is backwards to the very ideals that they are trying to promote. My counterargument is that any type of racism, sexism or other biases which lingers on through the generations is most probability institutional in origin. From the Jim Crow laws, Nazi Germany's treatment of Jews, anti-Gay legislation... you name the civil rights abuse, and it all stems from a history of institutionalized, government-supported bigotry, usually to trick a disenfranchised, frustrated populace into giving up their freedoms, and handing power to an elite class, which blames a scapegoat under the guise of national unity and patriotism.
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