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2024-03-30
Tu ne cede malis, sed contra audentior ito
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“Humanitarianism” as an Excuse for Colonialism and Imperialism
2024-01-21
Spreading civilization and human rights has long been used as an excuse for state-building through colonialism and imperialism. This idea dates back at least to early Spanish and colonial efforts in the New World, and the rationale was initially employed as just one of many. The importance of the conquest-spreads-civilization claim increased, however, as liberalism gained ground in Europe in the nineteenth century. Liberals were more skeptical of the benefits of imperialism, so, as political scientist Lea Ypi notes: "During the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century, the purpose of colonial rule was declared to be the ‘civilizing mission’ of the West to educate barbarian peoples ." The residents of these colonies were deemed to be "unsuited to setting up or administering a
The Oregon Problem: It’s Not Drugs! It’s the Socialistic Political Culture
2024-01-16
Not many people know that Oregon decriminalized all drugs through a ballot initiative. The Wall Street Journal recently ran an article: “Oregon Decriminalized Hard Drugs: It Is Not Working.” The question here is, why not?
In 2020, the State of Oregon decriminalized all drugs, including hard drugs such as heroin, crystal meth, which you will remember as the centerpiece of the hit series Breaking Bad, and fentanyl, a highly dangerous synthetic opiate. Fentanyl is another example, really the latest step-product, of the war on drugs.
Prior to decriminalization, if you were caught possessing one of these drugs you would be arrested for possession. Oregon was also on the forefront of legalizing cannabis for medical reasons in 1998 and for recreational purposes in 2014. Under the new