Wednesday, November 22, 2006

Right wing war on the Constitution?

The ACS is sponsoring an event next Monday which promises to be both wildly amusing and mildly instructive -- a screening of a film called the "Quiet Revolution" followed by a panel discussion featuring Nan Aron (Alliance for Justice) and William Talbott (Philosophy Prof, at the UW).

The blurb for the event is beyond risible, accusing the "far right" of waging a sustained war on "the Constitution as we know it." Apparently ultra-conservative politicians, professors (all three of them) and judges are on the prowl, attempting to "shred the fabric of popular laws" protecting workers and expanding exective power while trampling on civil liberties. And Nan Aaron is going to instruct the UW student body on how to identify and slay the beast: "Learn more about this movement - its goals, its supporters, its tactics - and what you can do to take action."

I would n't miss this event for the world. I yearn to learn more about the "Constitution as we know it," and how it differs from the regular old Constitution; I'm especially keen on hearing more about the identifying characteristics and habits of this sinister sodality of "far right" vivisectionists, and the tactics for its extermination ...

Hope to see you'll there : Mon, Nov 27, Room 138 at 12:30.

4 comments:

Juvenal said...

For those of you who like a good laugh, check out Nan Aaron's plug for this film (Quiet Revolution) on the Huffington Post

Anonymous said...

Because I cannot see the screening on Monday I decided to watch it online instead. While there was some mischaracterizations of the cases cited, I did think some of the film's arguments were worth considering. So, what I am trying to say is, that I am not sure I would characterize the film as risable.

Juvenal said...

The movie may well be serious, but the blurb, was how do you say -- a little over the top?

Orrin Johnson said...

Don't you guys understand? The Constitution exists to magically right every perceived (liberal) sense of "unfairness." How? It doesn't matter - it just DOES. Duh! If the Constitution doesn't mandate government subsidized Jesuses soaking in urine, abortion on demand for 13 year olds, gay marriage, or complete governmental control over all medical procedures, then it's not the Constitution I was taught to respect in grade school!

(Since the Constitution has never - or only recently - done any of those things in its entire history, what "Constitution" do they think we're declaring war on?)

These liberals attached to this movie claim to want to preserve freedom, yet they insist that the way to do that is by insisting judges usurp the legeslative function to remedy unenlightened policy of the neanderthal legislatures elected by the drooling masses. No matter how much you may like the policy outcome, that's not freedom, that's (at best) benevolent tyranny.