No Role for Wisdom in American Jurisprudence

An edited portion of this article was published by Technorati on 25 March 2010. To see all my Technorati articles, click Lifestyle in the Contents listing on the sidebar.

Back in Solomon's day, judges were lauded for their wisdom. Not so today.

Take the lesbian prom case out of Itawamba County, Mississippi, for example. School officials canceled this years soiree when they learned that lesbian Constance McMillen and her girlfriend intended to attend as a couple.

Tolle on Don't Ask Don't Tell

The New York Times, among other sources, is reporting that General Colin Powell has finally come out . . . in support of the Obama administrations proposal to end the 17-year ban on military service by openly gay men and women, that is; the policy known as "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

Citing a change in societal circumstance, Powell has reversed his position from way back when as the sitting Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to side with the present one, Admiral Mike Mullen and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates.

In times like these I always wonder what Oprah's favorite spiritual teacher, Eckhart Tolle might have to say on the subject. It seems clear that Tolle would be in favor of removing Don't Ask Don't Tell but his reasoning might surprise you. Indeed, his support may be a double-edged sword for the gay community.

Texas School Board Demonstrates Need for Guiding Principles in Education

This article was originally published by Technorati on 16 March 2010.

In a preliminary round of voting, a conservative majority of the Texas School Board voted on Friday to make decidedly right-leaning changes to requirements for social studies textbooks to be used state-wide over the next ten years, to the chagrin of the board's more liberal members. After a public comment period, the standards will be voted on by the full board in May.

As power-buying Texas goes, so go many smaller textbook markets across the country. This decision has repercussions for smaller states, regardless of their politics.

Proposed changes tentatively approved include discussion of the decline of the dollar and the abandonment of the gold standard; use of the term "free market" over the less friendly "capitalism"; highlighting of the founding fathers' Judeo-Christian beliefs; mention of country and western music as an important aspect of American culture (I'm not making this up); Newt Gingrich's Contract with America; and many other darlings of the right.