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False Pretences: For and Against the Singing of Canada’s Anthem in Government Proceedings

May 23, 2015 by · Comments Off on False Pretences: For and Against the Singing of Canada’s Anthem in Government Proceedings 

2015-05-23.god-keep-our-landRebel Media reports that “On May 11th, Richmond Hill’s town council voted 5 to 4 against singing [Canada’s national anthem] O Canada to start council meetings.” Apparently, council says it was responding to a lawyer’s opinion that the line “God keep our land glorious and free”, in the anthem, makes it a violation of our constitution to sing the anthem as part of the official council meeting. Rebel Media has started an online petition that reads: “We the undersigned Canadians demand that the town council of Richmond Hill reverse their outrageous decision, passed by a 5 to 4 vote on May 11, 2015, against singing O Canada to start council meetings.”

I’m happy to be Canadian, and I’ve got nothing against singing a country’s anthem within its official ceremonies (e.g., lawmaking institutions). However, I’m not as upset about this as some, and I won’t be signing the petition. Read more

Ontario’s Teacher Strike Blame Game Masks Real Problem: Funding Education with Taxes

May 21, 2015 by · Comments Off on Ontario’s Teacher Strike Blame Game Masks Real Problem: Funding Education with Taxes 

2015-05-21.Hobbes-Leviathan{A letter I sent to Toronto Sun columnist Christina Blizzard on May 20, 2015 in response to one of her columns about a teacher strike in Ontario that – where I live – is now in its fifth week.}

Christina:

Re: Vulnerable students hurt most in teacher-government struggle (Toronto Sun online, May 20, 2015)

You write “While it’s easy to wrangle over who’s to blame in this strike — teachers or government…”

I invite you to consider that that’s a distinction without a difference. Read more

Sticks and Stones: A Short Note on Verbally Baiting Theocratic Murderers

May 9, 2015 by · Comments Off on Sticks and Stones: A Short Note on Verbally Baiting Theocratic Murderers 

2015-05-09.draw-muhammadOn May 3, 2015, a group of people assembled at the Curtis Culwell Centre in Garland, Texas to watch the announcement of the winner of a “Draw Muhammad” Contest. The organizers knew that some if not all Muslims believe that no person ever should draw Muhammad, and knew that some Muslims have murdered cartoonists in the past who have drawn or otherwise depicted Muhammad (see here, and here, as examples). Accordingly, the organizers spent something in the order of $10,000.00 on security for he event, which was closed to the public. Two men from out-of-state approached the Centre, shot a security guard in the ankle, and were promptly shot dead by a police officer. In the days that followed, most of the media thought the event to be an irresponsible, provocative, “baiting” of Muslims, and they actually expected the organizers of the event to be repentant for what happened. Read more

Against Cannabis Prohibition?: Why You Should Oppose Minimum Wage Laws Too

May 3, 2015 by · Comments Off on Against Cannabis Prohibition?: Why You Should Oppose Minimum Wage Laws Too 

2015-05-03.minimum-wage-laws-signRecently, on facebook.com, I quipped that “Behind every minimum wage increase, there’s an overpaid, uncompetitive (probably government-funded) venture looking to eliminate (private sector) price competitors.” One of my acquaintances, who I know to be an active opponent of cannabis prohibition, replied by posting an article titled “The 3 Biggest Myths About Raising the Minimum Wage“. The three alleged myths were that:

1. Minimum wage jobs are primarily for teenagers or part-time workers who are just trying to score some extra cash.

2. Raising the minimum wage will raise prices.

3. Raising the wage kills jobs.

The reader will notice that each of these arguments is an argument about economic effects, not about ethics (i.e., not about right and wrong). Yet, as with every question about the use of government force, one cannot judge minimum wages simply by the facts – whatever the facts might be. One also has to take the next step: determining whether minimum wage laws are politically right or wrong (i.e., whether they are consistent with the goal of ensuring that no person takes your life, liberty, or property without your consent). Accordingly, I replied to my fellow anti-prohibitionist as follows: Read more