I thought I would share with my Southern Catholic friends some interesting information I came across recently. Father Abram Ryan was a Catholic priest that served as a chaplain in the Confederate Army. After the war he wrote several poems memorializing the Confederate soldier and his cause. His poems were widely read throughout the country and he was ultimately referred to as the Poet Priest of the South. You can read about him here. Below are some of my favorite lines from some of his poems.

“C.S.A”

Ah! fearless on many a day for us,
They stood in front of the fray for us,
And held the foeman at bay for us;
And tears should fall
Fore’er o’er all
Who fell while wearing the Gray for us.

“The Conquered Banner”

And that Banner – it is trailing!
While around it sounds the wailing
Of its people in their woe.
For, though conquered, they adore it!
Love the cold, dead hands that bore it!
Weep for those that fell before it!
Pardon those who trailed and tore it!
But, oh! wildly they deplore it,
Now who furl it and fold it so.

I am loathe to post an editorial from Glenn Beck here. It’s sort of like serving Vienna Sausages (pronounced “Vi-in-ah” where I come from) and Saltines to a bunch of food critics. That said, I was stunned to discover that of all the bright lights in DC, Beck is the one who gets it. My fav:

Although I am a “conservative,” I’m not a “Republican,” and there’s a big difference. A true Republican, or a true Democrat, is someone who puts their party above their principles and their candidate above their conscience.

Bonus: Beck does a fair job of defining conservatism.

Feddie’s analysis is dead solid perfect. Kennedy’s decision in the child-rape case is an absolute abomination. Kennedy is a would-be Caesar, handing down rulings as if he considers himself a god. His ego is out of control; his integrity nil.

It’s also worth noting that feddie’s response is the absolute epitome of what good conservative jurisprudence is about: Putting the text and history of the Constitution and laws above one’s own policy preferences. For somebody who so opposes the death penalty, as feddie does, to nevertheless recognize unambiguously that the Constitution does not prohibit it in such cases is to demonstrate a high degree of the very integrity that Justice Kennedy lacks. Nobody, and I mean nobody, on the judicial left would so separate their policy preferences from their objective judgment about the actual meaning of the Constitution. Hail to feddie, and hail to all conservatives whose standards of judgment are likewise unspoiled by their personal preferences.

Yes, the same Doug Kmiec who has endorsed Barack Obama for President went on the talk-show, op-ed circuit in October 2005 to support President Bush’s nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court, Harriet Miers. This is what Professor Kmiec wrote in a 2005 Washington Post piece:

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Join their new Readers Club for the low, low price of $15 and you get

Mary Anastasia O’Grady worries about the similarities.  In the accompanying video, beginning at 2:42, she explains what happened when Argentina abandoned the ideals of private property and limited government, and why that should matter to American voters.

I just want to bring to your attention two conservative movie blogs I’ve recently discovered –

God, Man and Hollywood — Based on the book of the same name, it is dribbling out descriptions of “100 politically incorrect movies.”

Dirty Harry’s Place — Nuff said.

Check out “The Great Seal of Obamaland” — from the NYT, believe it or not!  (Although you’ve got to wonder what this blog post will do for Mr. Broder’s career prospects there.)

Nice to see some fortitude from a GOP Congressman.  In other words, right on, brutha:

h/t RWN

This column of mine should be of interest to anybody who followed the nomination saga of this site’s patron saint, Judge Bill Pryor — and, as this is a site also with a healthy distrust of centralized national government power, the topic should be of interest even to those who didn’t follow the Pryor battle. What I write about is something the good people at the Heritage Foundation are spotlighting, namely the increasing trend towards federalizing crime that ought to be handled at the state and local levels. Not only is it a violation of the proper vertical separation of powers, and of the principle of federalism (small “f”) in general, but it is actually harmful on a practical level to boot. Do read the column.

Now, as for the Pryor connection: (more…)

On the top of the third hour, that’s 8-9 pm (EDT) and 5-6 pm (PDT). 

A new feature at William Katz’s Urgent Agenda begins today and will run for, well, 100 days.  You might as well practice smiling through the apocalypse.

It took place on 6-17, the numbers of Russell and Havlicek. The basketball universe is now aligned properly.

[Cross-posted on What's Wrong With the World]

Pepperdine Law Professor and prolife legal scholar, Doug Kmiec, has announced that he is endorsing Senator Barack Obama for the U. S. presidency. I have learned so much from Professor Kmiec’s clear and persuasive academic writings, and very much appreciate his contributions to the study of jurisprudence. For this reason, I have been disappointed by his less than compelling apologetic for his presidential endorsement. Consider, for example, these recent comments by Kmiec about a meeting he and others had with the Illinois Senator (HT: Carl Olson, Insight Scoop):

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This will be a continuing story throughout the election. Don’t hold your breath to see any of these campaigners in your neighborhood.

Sen. Obama has just released some vague information on his economic plans, and it comes as no shock to discover that his promise of “change” is a warmed over return to FDR’s Keynesian nightmare. Like always, his “plan” is long on rhetoric and short on specifics, but all the moldy oldies are there: ending current tax “cuts,” massive increases in government spending, raising the capital gains tax, and generally taxing the hell out of the rich (or as I like to refer to it, shifting resources from the productive to the counterproductive).

I particularly enjoyed when Sen. Obama responded to McCain’s push for tax cuts by stating, “I’ve seen no evidence that…would actually boost the economic growth and productivity.” How nice for him, then, that the WSJ took the time to profile a new study showing that small government works.

For those who don’t want to read the whole piece, here’s the money shot:

The early supply-siders were right. My findings firmly reject the widely held view that lower taxes inevitably result in cuts in public services, slower growth and widening income inequalities. Today’s policy makers should take note of how tax cuts and the pruning of inefficient government programs can stimulate sluggish economies.

Reagan 1, FDR 0

Senator McCain has announced his support for offshore drilling.  As I was driving home from my parents’  home this weekend, I noticed an SUV with the words “Start Drilling Now” written on the back windshield with shoe polish.  I suspect that is a sentiment shared by many.

Andy Griffith’s 1957 masterpiece, A Face in the Crowd, is on Turner Classic Movies this evening at 7:00 Central Time.  (Sorry about the short notice.)  The political message — that folks in flyover country are dangerously susceptible to right-wingers’ manipulation via television – is tedious, but Griffith’s performance is inspired. 

You should get a smile from R.S. Gwynn’s “Fried Beauty” , a riff on G.M. Hopkins’ “Pied Beauty.”  (You can brush up on your Hopkins here.)

In case you missed it, it’s doubly patriotic day: Flag Day and the 233rd birthday of the US Army.

The GOP nominee delivered a populist rant against Big Oil, nefarious “speculators,” and “so-called economists” at an appearance in New York on Thursday.  The NY Sun editorial page scorched him for it yesterday.  This man desperately needs some help and advice in this area.

This seems an appropriate spot to recommend Stuart Rothenberg’s gloomy meditation on the possible meaning of a McCain win for the rest of the GOP.

Sometimes prosecutors are just plain wrong.

I’ve been in Grand Rapids, Michigan attending Acton University, which is a large conference put on by the Acton Institute.  There are a few hundred participants, almost all of whom have been flown here by the institute.  Many of my fellow attendees are from Africa.

The crux of the program has to do with faith and economics.  So far, the programming I’ve seen has been impressive.  Jennifer Roback Morse’s presentation on learning to think in economic terms was brilliantly articulated.  Jay Richards talked about myths of the market and showed signs of being an emerging think tank rock star.

Acton is influencing “influencers” like graduate students, professors, and clergy and producing impeccable content.  Last night I saw their new film The Birth of Freedom, which explored the impact of Christianity on the West.  The production values were high.  The narrative and visuals were compelling.  It could easily be aired on The History Channel or PBS and expect to receive a strong rating.

The Acton Institute is The Christian Think Tank 2.0.  I expect to see them develop greater influence and budget very quickly in the years ahead.  Check out their blog here.

Feddie, you gotta link these guys!

I audaciously hope that you click this link.

I am sure everyone is familiar with the old bromide, “A Conservative is a Liberal who has been mugged.” The obvious thought behind the platitude is that Conservatives are more concerned with “law and order” issues than our Liberal kith, at least when it comes to stopping crime. The assumption is that a Liberal’s concern for the individual rights of accused citizens goes out the window when weighed against the very real experience of a terrifying crime. (more…)

Will someone in the McCain campaign please read this article and forward it to whoever is in charge of formulating the senator’s economic policy!

Senator – You advocate increasing taxes on oil companies.  What would be the economic impact of your proposal on the various pension plans and individual investors who either purchased shares or have an interest in mutual funds who have purchased shares in these companies?  What would be the cost of your proposal in terms of the loss of the value of the stock and/or a decrease in dividends?  How is this going to lower gasoline prices?  If the proposal doesn’t lower prices and it decreases the income/assets of many Americans, how is it going to help?       

Smith was born this date, 1723, in Kirkcaldy, Scotland.  The unveiling of a new statue of Smith in Edinburgh is scheduled for July 4.

I can’t recommend strongly enough that you read this remarkable essay by Alan Charles Kors, originally published in the May issue of The New Criterion.   If my recommendation is insufficient, read the last two sentences:

The academic world that I entered is gone. I teach for my students, whom I love, and I fight for intellectual pluralism, for legal equality and for fairness simply because it is my duty to bear witness to the values I cherish, with no expectation of success.

I am apparently about 15 years younger than Kors and my academic interests were different from his, so I’m probably not as melancholy about all this as he is, but I know where he’s coming from.  Maybe you will, too.

Incidentally, Kors received a “Bradley Award” Wednesday night, along with Gary Becker, Victor Davis Hanson, and Robert L. Woodson, Sr.  Pretty nice company.

Representatives of the UN Security Council are in Darfur and hearing that aid rations might have to be cut yet again due to rampant insecurity while the head of the UN-AU mission says that there will be no increase in security until the force can get all the soldiers and equipment it needs. At the same time, the chief prosecutor of the ICC is scheduled to tell the UN that Khartoum is protecting the two men wanted for war crimes, to which the government predictably responded by accusing the ICC of damaging the peace process:
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