Stephen Harris
Recent Activity
Stephen Harris commented on Laurence Tribe on Law and Globalization on April 6, 2008, 5:15 AM
This raises the question about why the USA or any other nation should work in concert with the global community, and the answer is this: Countries that strive for a common set of ethics are countries that are committed to the one value we all share: humanism. And this is a value that encompasses fairness, the humane treatment of people, respect for the sovereignty of other nations, etc. The USA gives lips service to these but *the rulers* utlimately do not want to sign their names on the dotted line because they want to be able to play the American Exceptionalism card when it's convenient: e.g. interventions into other nations, giving wholesale support to Israel, etc. As a consequence, Americans live within a dichotomy, ostensibly supporting a humanist philosophy but actually living an imperialist, egocentric existence. The latter always seems to trump the former.
Stephen Harris commented on Wyclef Jean Contemplates Pop Music Misogyny on April 5, 2008, 6:58 AM
Very unimpressive. In response to the question "Is pop music culture disrespectful to women?" he claims that there is no disrespect to women because there are in fact women who want to be portrayed that way. Huh? Then he starts to preach about wanting to be respectful because he has a momma, so he's going to not drop champagne on a woman's head but instead show her to be a fiiiiine lady. Yeesh.
Stephen Harris commented on Wyclef Jean Contemplates Pop Music Misogyny on April 5, 2008, 2:58 AM
Very unimpressive. In response to the question "Is pop music culture disrespectful to women?" he claims that there is no disrespect to women because there are in fact women who want to be portrayed that way. Huh? Then he starts to preach about wanting to be respectful because he has a momma, so he's going to not drop champagne on a woman's head but instead show her to be a fiiiiine lady. Yeesh.
Stephen Harris commented on Kenji Yoshino on Gay Rights on April 4, 2008, 10:39 PM
A very empowering perspective, Professor Yoshino. Thanks for those sage words. The quest for equality starts with the particular minority group coalescing into a more powerful entity -- hence the birth of identity politics. There is power in numbers, so that's where legacy starts and I guess that's where it can end up mired.
Stephen Harris commented on Laurence Tribe on Law and Globalization on April 6, 2008, 9:15 AM
This raises the question about why the USA or any other nation should work in concert with the global community, and the answer is this: Countries that strive for a common set of ethics are countries that are committed to the one value we all share: humanism. And this is a value that encompasses fairness, the humane treatment of people, respect for the sovereignty of other nations, etc. The USA gives lips service to these but *the rulers* utlimately do not want to sign their names on the dotted line because they want to be able to play the American Exceptionalism card when it's convenient: e.g. interventions into other nations, giving wholesale support to Israel, etc. As a consequence, Americans live within a dichotomy, ostensibly supporting a humanist philosophy but actually living an imperialist, egocentric existence. The latter always seems to trump the former.