Over on Alas, a Blog, in a thread where the comments are limited to “feminists and feminist allies,” Barry Deutsch (Ampersand) deconstructs a speech by Christina Hoff Sommers, a leading critic of feminist orthodoxies (and a good friend of mine, though there are certainly times when we disagree). In particular, he takes her to task for saying that many feminists are anti-male.
Last month, I wrote about a proposed law in Russia that would make the definition of “treason” disturbing broad and vague, and reminiscent of Soviet-era statutes that outlawed dissent. As I explained, Russian law currently defines treason as “hostile actions intended to damage the security of the Russian Federation from foreign threats.” The bill, proposed by the government (i.e. the cabinet headed by Vladimir Putin), amended that definition to include “rendering financial, material, consultative, or other assistance to a foreign state, a foreign or international organization, or representatives thereof in activities directed against the security of the Russian Federation, including its constitutional system, its sovereignty, its territorial integrity and statehood.” The definition of espionage was also broadened to include broad categories of passing potentially sensitive information to foreigners even with no intent to commit espionage, giving rise to concern that the new law would drastically inhibit scientific contacts between Russia and the West.
A final brief report, for now, from the past weekend’s NAS conference.
On “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” Silver replied that “it’s not a compromise, it’s a question of political reality. It’s impossible to bring ROTC back to campuses without these changes, and if it was brought back by fiat, it would be illegitimate.” Next came the truly interesting part.
There has been some discussion of whether Obama will repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” At least judging by the NAS panel, such a move won’t meet much opposition from the military.
There was another fascinating question from the audience about whether the disconnect between the military and large segments of American culture — the fact that the career military is now strongly Southern and overwhelmingly politically conservative — should create a concern about “standing armies” as understood by the Founders. (In other words, an army that does not represent the population.) It seems to me that, in this sense, the absence of ROTC from campus should be more of a concern to the liberals but to conservatives.