Much noise that political philosophy not equipped for realities of oligarchic rule (too utopian, aspirational etc). But don't forget (cf Tocqueville) that bones of liberal and republican thought were all sketched out under Ancien Regime conditions. All seemed hopelessly utopian until they weren't

Around the neighborhood this morning.

"Obey in advance" is now official Harvard policy. www.nytimes.com/2025/01/24/o...

A Harvard undergraduate outlines some of the things wrong with the recent speech codes imposed on the University. That campus-wide speech codes could be imposed as part of settling a civil lawsuit is outrageous enough. www.thecrimson.com/article/2025...

Yesterday, in protest of Harvard University's response to the genocide in Gaza and deepening repression of campus activism against it, I submitted a letter of resignation from my job there. Here is that letter.

College freshmen saying "from the river to the sea" is an existential threat to Jewish people. America's shadow president giving Nazi salutes at a rally is not. by Bret Stephens and Bill Ackman

Whatever happens to my family, know this: No pardons were offered or discussed. I cannot begin to describe the level of betrayal and hurt I feel.

big victory for Indigenous activists

Dr. King saw that Du Bois “did not content himself with hurling invectives for emotional release & then retire into smug, passive satisfaction.” “It is not enough for people to be angry,” he argued; “the supreme task is to organize & unite people so that their anger becomes a transforming force.”