The vote is in. Boris survived—or did he? The 359 members of the Parliamentary Conservative Party voted by 211 to 148 that they had confidence in Boris Johnson as the leader of the party and prime minister of the United Kingdom. Continue Reading… Read more at The Acton Institute
Why Nineteen Eighty-Four still matters
June 8 marks the anniversary of George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four. That a greater gap separates us from 1984 than 1984 from Nineteen-Eighty Four’s 1949 publication staggers. The book, at least in terms of pundits’ invoking it, seems so very 2022 even if the script dictated that its peak as a cultural touchstone would occur in 1984. Continue Reading… Read more at The Acton Institute
Ukraine brinkmanship, handgun freeze, Arbour’s report and more
UKRAINE UPDATE: BIDEN BRINKMANSHIP INCREASING In The American Prospect, the self-described “independent voice for liberal thought,” editor at large Harold Meyerson wrote a 2 June 2022 commentary on the concept of brinkmanship. Referencing the stated American policy to boost Ukraine’s capacity to defend itself against Russia but not to the point of Visit the Rideau Institute for the complete article
‘A Catholic Pilgrimage Through American History’ worth taking
Kevin Schmiesing’s A Catholic Pilgrimage Through American History: People and Places that Shaped the Church in the United States is a surprisingly enjoyable book. Surprising, not because I expected his writing to be bad, because I had no idea who he was when I started reading. Continue Reading… Read more at The Acton Institute
Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness reminds us who really is in control: Disney
I want to put before you three facts of importance for storytelling today, and for our self-understanding, which is what we want out of it. First, fantasy stories now dominate entertainment in Hollywood and beyond. Continue Reading… Read more at The Acton Institute
‘What Shall Men Remember?’: Relearning the forgotten history of Memorial Day
Memorial Day has historically been a day set aside to commemorate the millions of Americans fallen in war. Although the day now involves celebrating America’s war dead regardless of color or creed, what many may not know is that Memorial Day’s origins are actually deeply linked to America’s struggle with racism. Continue Reading… Read more at The Acton Institute
American democratic backsliding, Huawei ban reaction, Ukraine group think and NATO old think
USA DEMOCRATIC “BACKSLIDE” CONTINUES “the most appalling gun violence of any advanced economy” – Lawrence Martin It seems appropriate to start our comment on the continuing unraveling of American democracy — and the increasingly dire implications for Canada — with an update to our post last week on the shocking mass shooting Visit the Rideau Institute for the complete article
What G.K. Chesterton can teach us about rational discourse
This Sunday, May 29, marks 148 years since the birth of English author G.K. Chesterton. Although he was baptized into the Church of England, Chesterton’s family was not particularly devout and his faith didn’t develop until later in life. Continue Reading… Read more at The Acton Institute
Finland is the bellwether for religious liberty in Europe
At the end of March 2022, Finnish member of Parliament Päivi Räsänen and Bishop Juhana Pohjola of the Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland were acquitted on charges of hate crimes—the apparent end to a trial that had drawn widespread international attention and expressions of concern over the erosion of religious freedom in Finland. Continue Reading… Read more at The Acton Institute
The Awakening of Jennifer Van Arsdale: A novel take on conservative ideas
The year 2016 brought the progressive extreme of American politics into national discussion. Bernie Sanders and Democratic socialism became familiar phrases; Elizabeth Warren promised free daycare and free college; Andrew Yang’s one-issue focus made universal basic income seem plausible. Continue Reading… Read more at The Acton Institute
With the arrest of a Catholic bishop, is Hong Kong now a police state?
In less than two years, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has asserted almost complete control in Hong Kong. Other than possessing a generally open internet, the “special administrative region” is now like any other Chinese city. Continue Reading… Read more at The Acton Institute
Israeli aggression, arms control, Huawei ban, Ukraine update and more
THE MURDER OF AL JAZEERA JOURNALIST SHIREEN ABU AKLEH Further to our 14 May blog post discussion of the murder by Israeli forces of beloved and respected Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh and the subsequent brutal attack by Israeli police on peaceful mourners, including pallbearers, in her funeral procession, we now Visit the Rideau Institute for the complete article
