India: Mother Nature Can Sue And Be Sued

Posted on May 10, 2022 by The Political Hat

Meanwhile, at a courthouse in Madras, India…

     The bizarre notion of treating “Mother Nature” as a person with inalienable human rights can be easily laughed at, but it is increasingly being not only pushed but also implemented, most lately by the High Court of Madras in India:

“The Madras High Court has invoked the ‘parens patriae jurisdiction’ to declare Mother Nature as a Living Being with all corresponding rights, duties and liabilities of a living person, in order to preserve and conserve them.

“The Madurai bench of the HC in its recent order placed immense importance on conserving nature, while dealing with a petition from a former Tahsildar-level official who sought to quash the disciplinary proceedings against him for allegedly granting patta (land deed) for government land classified as ‘Forest Poramboke Land’ to certain individuals.

“…

“She said the past generations have handed over Mother Earth in its pristine glory and that we are morally bound to hand over the same to the next generation.

“‘It is right time to declare/confer juristic status to the “Mother Nature”. Therefore this Court by invoking “parens patriae jurisdiction” is hereby declaring the ‘Mother Nature’ as a ‘Living Being’ having legal entity/legal person/juristic person/juridical person/moral person/artificial person having the status of a legal person, with all corresponding rights, duties and liabilities of a living person, in order to preserve and conserve them.’

“‘They are also accorded the rights akin to fundamental rights/legal rights/constitutional rights for their survival, safety, sustenance and resurgence in order to maintain its status and also to promote their health and wellbeing. The State Government and the Central Government are directed to protect the “Mother Nature” and take appropriate steps to protect Mother Nature in all possible ways,’ the court said.”

     So, just how does a court enforce violations by nature? How will it be enjoined against natural disasters? How will it compensate the injured or dead? How to you imprison the planted itself?

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News of the Week (May 8th, 2022)

Posted on May 8, 2022 by The Political Hat

 

News of the Week for May 8th, 2022


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Firing Line Friday: Radical Chic

Posted on May 6, 2022 by The Political Hat

     In the hopes of encouraging a more civil, and illuminating, discourse, here is another episode of William F. Buckley, Jr.’s “Firing Line”.

     Once upon a time, journalists’ jobs were to communicate facts and inform the public about public affairs. Even in the “yellow journalism” era, the journalism wasn’t about the journalists. This began to change about half a century ago. William F. Buckley, Jr. examines this phenomena of radical chic journalism with Tom Wolfe.

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Quick Takes – Pronoun Gender Madness: Woke Irish; Punishing “Misgenering”; Suspended For Asserting There Are Two Genders

Posted on May 5, 2022 by The Political Hat

     Another “quick takes” on items where there is too little to say to make a complete article, but is still important enough to comment on.

     The focus this time: All genders are valid… except for the real ones.

     First, a little mood music:

     Carrying on…

     Most people think of Ireland as being ultra-Catholic and religious when in reality is is secular and so woke you will be forced to use “preferred” pronouns or get culled.

“[An] indicator of this vice-like grip was illustrated this week with the promotion of ‘pledge packs‘ by both the current Lord Mayor of Dublin, Alison Gilliland, as well as

“Designed to cull transphobic attitudes at a classroom level, the pledge involves students promising to refrain from endorsing intolerant attitudes on ‘queerfolk’, including the improper use of pronouns. Students are also encouraged to share their endeavours on social media with certain students volunteering to send out ‘pledge packs’ to Irish schools.

“In essence it’s an institutional flex by the trans mafia, who while barely existing a decade ago have wormed their way into every educational nook and cranny. We’ve documented before the corporate slush money that keeps the well-oiled lobbying machine running, while the morbid reality of what the industry does to children manifests itself with various horror stories in schools and eventually in prisons.”

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Fight, But For What?

Posted on May 4, 2022 by The Political Hat

     “But he fights” was a common refrain from many of the decibilically vociferous calls in the MAGA movement, and it is a sentiment raucously championed by many on the “new right”, or as some call themselves, the “common good conservatives”, “national conservatives”, or simply those who aren’t the so-called “conservatives”. Indeed many, if not most, of these individuals bemoan “principles” (a word they treat as a pejorative) and blame people who hold them in the current political climate for being the “surrender caucus” who insist on “fighting with one hand tied behind their back”, assuming they are not outright accused of treason and only wanting to “go to cocktail parties”.   That this is shortsighted will become evident, if it isn’t already, but it is also historically illiterate, and while ignorance is never an excuse, that some know better but repeat the “fighting” trope does them no favor. When you hear what their fighting plan is, it usually involves the “underpants gnomes” logic (without the manifest sensibility):

  1. Fight!!1!
  2. ???
  3. Hear the lamentations of their women (or some transgender/feminist variation thereof).

     This, of course, ignores the question, for which your humble author begs, so as to speak, of “what then”?   This is the question that seems perpetually side-stepped. Yes, you fight for victory, but what is that victory beyond the defeat of the enemy a la mode?

     Much of the argument that justifies “fighting” by tossing aside all rules and principles, is that they will be able to fight with full force against an enemy who is not bound by the rules that the “fighters” seem to want to break. First of all, this is fallacious on its face. The actual rule of law, even if bent, bruised, ignored, avoided, or poked to sieve still stands, and not only provides a way back from those on the Left would erase, but a perpetual obstacle to them that clarifies what we must protect and why it is so important to protect it, but also who we must defend it against. The enemy wants those principles destroyed. Indeed, that is their main goal, and those disdained principles now face a co-belligerent against them, abet in the name of the policy or cultural consequences that those principles birthed, or at least midwifed. Why, if you defend principles, you’d almost be accused of siding with the devil…

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A Veritable Commentary On Conservatism

Posted on May 3, 2022 by The Political Hat

     With much hullabaloo about what is or is not conservatism, a rationally stated view is rare these days, but not unknown, as this Twitter thread demonstrates.

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Victims of Communism Day, 2022

Posted on May 1, 2022 by The Political Hat

     Today is Victims of Communism Day. It is also “May Day,” where “useful idiots” march and demonstrate in free countries, while those who have to actually live under Communism are made to march lest they face dire consequences.

     Though the Soviet Union fell over thirty years ago, genocide at the hands of the Communist Chinese is happening now. Here is first hand testimony of the torture, and worse, that goes on there..

     In Pace, Requiescat.

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News of the Week (April 30th, 2022)

Posted on April 30, 2022 by The Political Hat

 

News of the Week for April 30th, 2022


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Firing Line Friday: Heredity, IQ, and Social Issues

Posted on April 29, 2022 by The Political Hat

     In the hopes of encouraging a more civil, and illuminating, discourse, here is another episode of William F. Buckley, Jr.’s “Firing Line”.

     The book “The Bell Curve” raised a massive ruckus when it came out, but the debate of “nature vs. nurture” when it came to intelligence had already been a vigorous one, as seen by this discussion on the question of heredity, IQ, and social issues between William F. Buckley Jr. and guests Elisabeth Clark, Thomas G. Bever, Harvey Grill, Richard J. Herrnstein and Adrea Glass.

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Quick Takes – Euthanasia: Kill The Anorexic; Kill The Healthy; Just Kill ‘Em All

Posted on April 28, 2022 by The Political Hat

Another “quick takes” on items where there is too little to say to make a complete article, but is still important enough to comment on.

     The focus this time: Ain’t no more equitable medical outcome than death to all!

     First, a little mood music:

     Carrying on…

Death, Rx

     Remember when euthanasia was just a “dignified” way for the terminally ill to pass on?   Well apparently anorexia is “terminal” and cured by making sure you never get fat… ever.

“The push is now on to allow assisted suicide for psychiatric patients. The Journal of Eating Disorders has published a piece urging that psychiatrists be allowed to assist the suicides of patients afflicted with anorexia who want to die rather than continue to struggle against their mental illness.

“Think about this. Seriously. Assisted suicide is being pushed as a ‘treatment’ for serious psychiatric disorders in a respected medical journal. Awful.

“…

“The idea expressed is that some cases of anorexia are so severe, they should be considered terminal, like cancer. But mental illness is not like an implacable biological disease process. The person with severe mental illness can be kept going. It might be very difficult. It might require even involuntary hospitalization. With anorexia, if the patient was compelled to receive nutrition, she wouldn’t die. We might not want to do that, but we could. That is not true of diseases like terminal cancer (which should also not qualify for assisted suicide).

“Never mind all that. The authors want patients with “terminal” anorexia to have access to assisted suicide:

“‘Acknowledging the considerable controversies surrounding MAID for patients with mental disorders, we also submit that patients with terminal AN who are severely physiologically compromised, and whose end-of life suffering results from both psychological and physical pain, should be afforded access to medical aid in dying in locations where such assistance has been legalized—just like other patients with terminal conditions.’

“That’s abandonment, no matter how well-meaning. Sometimes, the only thing standing between a severely mentally ill patient and death is a dedicated psychiatrist or psychologist.”

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