Trump Nominee Accused of Sexual Assault, Fraud, and Hate Speech & LA Times Owner Wants to Use AI as "Bias Meter"
What I’m Discussing Today:
Kareem’s Daily Quote: The hardest choice of all isn’t between right and wrong.
Trump Nominee Pete Hegseth Faces Serious Accusations of Sexual Assault, Fraud, and Hate Speech: This frat bro is indicative of Trump’s team-building inadequacies. And that is very scary for our safety.
Los Angeles Times Owner Plans to Launch Tech-Driven “Bias Meter” On Articles Next Year: Another blow to journalism—and democracy—by another billionaire with a conservative agenda that serves his wealth.
Kareem’s Video Break: This is the kind of spontaneous expression of love that makes life worthwhile.
Formaldehyde Causes More Cancer Than Any Other Toxic Air Pollutant. Little Is Being Done to Curb the Risk.: It’s everywhere, poisoning us in our homes and our water. And the chemical industry is winning in keeping the EPA from stopping it.
After only 8 months, the Golden Gate Bridge’s anti-suicide nets have saved a lot of lives: What kind of society is willing to spend over $200 million to prevent suicides? The kind I want to live in.
Kareem’s Sports Moments: The hand-eye coordination leaves me breathless. But then, so does a long walk.
Neil Young Sings “After the Gold Rush”: Young sang this ecological warning 55 years ago. And it’s all coming true.
Kareem’s Daily Quote
Genuine tragedies in the world are not conflicts between right and wrong. They are conflicts between two rights.
Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770-1831), German philosopher
In last week’s newsletter, I stated that, despite my sympathy toward his decision, President Biden did the wrong thing in pardoning his son, Hunter. Many of the comments posted by subscribers disagreed with me, citing the threat of Trump’s minions in unfairly persecuting Hunter Biden, seeking unprecedented punishment that far outweighs the crime. They’re not wrong.
Here’s the rub: Had I been in Joe Biden’s position, I’m pretty sure I would have done the same thing he did. I would have weighed the political ethics versus my fatherly love and chosen fatherly love. That would make me a good father—but a not-so-good president. As president, I would have taken an oath to put the country before, even my family, and making this decision would have broken that oath because it encourages others to break their oath whenever they can justify it (and people can find justification for anything). Knowing all that, I would still pardon him, which is why I’d be a lousy president.
We all live in the gray area of wanting to be moral in a world that doesn’t always share our enthusiasm for doing the right thing. Our frustration when injustice flourishes makes us want to step outside moral teachings, established laws, and official rules to seek justice. That explains the popularity of hero vigilantes like Batman, The Equalizer, The Punisher, John Wick, and many, many others. We know they’re morally and legally wrong—they choose to live outside the law, just like the criminals they chase—yet we cheer them on, justifying our support by claiming they’re doing it for justice beyond our laws. Unfortunately, that’s the same excuse most people use who commit crimes that harm innocent people. Terrorists, rapists, murderers, scam artists, they all justify their actions somehow: “I was raised this way.” “The world is corrupt so why shouldn’t I be.” Blah, blah, blah.
Rational people draw lines they try not to cross, even when there’s a good excuse because that does weaken those lines for everyone. When The Punisher blows up a bunch of murdering criminals without any arrest or trial, I feel good. But I only allow myself to feel good because it’s a fantasy. In reality, we’re better off trying to find ways to improve our justice system, to prosecute corrupt politicians, and to lock away the evil. Is society better off when we turn a blind eye to those who abandon their duty for selfish gain? The cops who killed George Floyd had reasons. In their minds, they were heroes defending society.
Damn that gray area. Sure, I fantasize about a Punisher/Batman type who eliminates the horrible people in the world, but I don’t really want that person to exist anywhere except in my mind. Because if I encourage him to exist, I’m encouraging the destruction of our justice system.
I wish Biden hadn’t pardoned his son, yet I’m secretly glad he did. If he hadn’t, I would have praised him and admired his stance, but also felt sad. I have to live with that nagging and gnawing duality within me, like most of us. That doesn’t mean I won’t support doing one’s duty, even when it has a cost. Even if it saddens me. In today’s quote, Hegel understood the torturous anxiety that comes with choosing between two rights. So do we all.
[Thank you all for sharing your comments. It’s exactly the robust, intelligent, and respectful exchange of ideas I’d expected from this wonderful community.]