opinion
Opinion pieces from the left, right, and everyone in between.
Freedom is not a simple issue
Freedom is a double edged weapon. Is anyone “Free”? Freedom is such a simple sounding idea yet it is actually rare to find anyone who can be said to be 100% free. Once we have children we have responsibilities and so a curtailment of freedom. Even earlier in our lives, once we enter a meaningful relationship the same thing applies, we become responsible for another persons happiness and well-begin and so we choose to curtain our own freedom. Yet freedom is still a desirable condition, a condition rather than a life style. In a democratic nation we assume freedom to choose our leaders, we also choose to accept the idea that if the majority choose differently from ourselves then we have to accept it. We are limiting our freedom. Freedom of thought is taken for granted in most democratized nations, the freedom to disagree and the freedom to protest are assumed. Yet these are fragile freedoms, the modern trend to curtail other peoples freedom to offend anyone, is a step towards removing freedom. The double standards that seem to have been adopted in many universities, which seeks to “cancel” the expression of some opinions, yet promotes others. Universities have for centuries been places where debate was unlimited, where ideas could be explored and expressed. Places where political ideals could be constructed by the exploration of all alternatives; yet now only “acceptable” views may be heard.
By Peter Rose4 years ago in The Swamp
Hitler, Trump, Putin
In the past few years, leaders ranging from Donald Trump to Vladimir Putin have been compared to Adolf Hitler. I think the comparisons are valid. But Hitler had more than a decade-long career as the authoritarian leader of Germany, and it might be useful to sharpen the comparisons by specifying where and when in Hitler's career the comparisons most accurately apply.
By Paul Levinson4 years ago in The Swamp
"Freedom"
History is being made today. We're living in a future child's history book... What an odd concept to think about. I can't say I ever expected to go through a pandemic and the possible start of a 3rd world war before I even turn 20. I'm not really a political person, but I've never felt so in the dark. There's so much going on and I have no idea what's going to happen next. Gas prices are rising daily, the economy is crashing, we're on the verge of World War 3, and inflation is striking us fast.
By The Grim Weeper4 years ago in The Swamp
War Can’t Make Discrimination Okay
Statistically, you’re never more safe from a violent attack than you are right after a violent attack. The nuance that is often loss is this is only really true for those attacked. Survivors of a terrorist attack are safer, but hate-crimes skyrocket after these events, as though attacking someone is ever justifiable because they had the same skin colour or beliefs of the terrorists in question.
By Conor Matthews4 years ago in The Swamp
Hatred: Economics of War
There is a famous quote by Erich Hartman, “War is a place where young people who don’t know each other and don’t hate each other, kill each other, by the decision of old people who know each other and hate each other, but don’t kill each other.”
By Kishenjit Sinha4 years ago in The Swamp
We Can Learn From The Past To Strike Back At Our Biggest Problems In The World
Remember when you were young and in school. Think about the lessons your teachers, instructors, and professors tried to teach you. Whether you were a studious youngster or the wildest of boys and girls, you probably remember someone that taught you much of what you learned in school. Perhaps you even had a favorite teacher, someone you look back on fondly and wish you’d listened to more when they spoke. What we’ve all grown up to learn is that our favorite teachers weren’t our best teachers at all.
By Jason Ray Morton 4 years ago in The Swamp
10 Lessons Learned from the Russian Attack on Ukraine
No one expected this to happen. Not the experts, not the pundits, and certainly not the average person on the street. But it did happen, and there are plenty of important lessons to be learned from it—for Ukraine, the United States, Europe, and the rest of the world. It’s in the best interest of all parties to learn those lessons now before they ever need to apply them again...if they ever do at all.
By Carl Brisko4 years ago in The Swamp
World War I Highlights
A Fresh Start: A war that left its impact on quadrillions of souls and the planet they inhabited. The stage on which this act of conflict was performed, got destroyed by its own act leaving the audience dazzled by their participation in the act of warfare.
By Syeda Ayesha Arshad4 years ago in The Swamp
