Steve Kelman on Politics, Culture, and Life, 7.5.2022
Steve Kelman, Harvard Kennedy School prof, moderate Dem, pro free speech/anti cancel culture, pro tax rich, pro-Israel. Research improving gov performance, China interest. Blog reprints Facebook posts
The left and the word “woman”
An op ed in The Times today notes that some groups on the left refuse to use the word "women," for reasons that I do not fully understand having to deal with this showing disrespect for transgender people. NARAL has used the words "birthing people" instead of "women." The ACLU, in a statement opposing the overturning of roe v wade, said that the decision was a threat to several groups such as people of color, the LGBTQ community, and so forth, leaving out women as a group that was under attack. I now understand better the unfortunate incident at the confirmation hearings for Justice Katanji Brown Jackson where she hesitated to answer a question about whether she was a woman. This is worse than unfortunate, it is totally bizarre and something that is deeply damaging American liberalism.
“Sky now clear” in China
A line in a song written by a well known Taiwanese pop star was changed when it was sung on a national TV show in China. The original line was, "The sky is now dirty, and the stars cannot be seen anymore." It was changed to, "The sky now looks clear, and the stars can always be seen." These folks are something else.
Trump going on floor of Congress during insurrection?
Peter Baker reports today in The Times there was some discussion within Trump world of trump himself entering the floor of Congress as part of the efforts to prevent the vote from taking place.
Fourth volume of Xi’s The Governance of China published!!!
A momentous announcement: the 4th volume of Xi Jinping's The Governance of China has just been published!
General Flynn takes the Fifth
An article on Liz Cheney in the Globe today noted that when former trump national security adviser Mike Flynn was asked whether he believed in the peaceful transition of power, he took the 5th amendment. Even by the incredibly depraved standards of the trump administration, this statement was amazing. This man is a former army general!
Sweden and Switzerland
Apparently, in a press conference Biden referred to Magdalena Andersson as the Prime Minister of Switzerland not Sweden. He did correct himself.
Asian-style mourning customs in Romania
When the grandfather dies in the novel I am reading about Romania, 'Black cloths hung over the mirrors and their shiny surfaces in our apartment to ensure that his spirit wouldn't become lost or caught in a reflection. Doors remained unlocked to allow him to exit as he pleased." This custom seems unusual to me for a European country. It seems more Chinese, any thoughts?