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CATEGORY: POLITICS (6 MIN)
The overturning of Roe v. Wade marked the culmination of years of work from the pro-life movement to eliminate abortion as a federal constitutional right. Activists celebrated this achievement as a great success for millions of unborn babies. But in many ways, Roe’s death was the beginning of a new battle, as people across the country clashed over statewide policy.
Ross Douthat, writing in his New York Times column, describes the political situation for pro-lifers as a strange one. Douthat, an ISI alumnus, points out that although Roe fell as a result of continuous legal work, it did not coincide with a sweeping change in public opinion. Public support for abortion stayed fairly steady throughout the 21st century, and it rose after the end of Roe.
Douthat reviews the strategies possible for the pro-life movement in light of this substantial public opposition. He cites opinions from thinkers across the conservative spectrum on this dilemma.
Douthat highlights the possibility of a combination between support for a state-by-state “abortion federalism” and a financial effort to reduce abortion rates. Douthat thinks this could include national policies like increased child tax credits and state-level policies that monetarily support pregnant women, especially those in difficult situations.
What do you think? Read more here with our NYT guest link.
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Weekly Poll
Would you support a national abortion ban?
[A] Yes
[B] No
[C] Not sure
RESULTS: 9/12/2024
Who won the first presidential debate?
[A] Kamala Harris - 46.1%
[B] Donald Trump - 21.33%
[C] Tie - 6.7%
[D] Didn't watch - 25.8%
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CATEGORY: POLITICS (3 MIN)
For many years, the transgender portion of the LGBT movement did not take center stage. In fact, left-wing activists battled each other over whether people claiming to have transitioned should be as visible as other groups. But in recent times, the transgender movement has become far more overt and acceptable in mainstream culture, leading to substantial consequences for parents hoping to oppose it.
For The American Mind, Taylor Hunt discusses the drastic and dangerous effects she sees that could result from Democrats’ embracing of transgender politics. Hunt begins by talking about her own experience as a girl who once mentioned to her mother that she wanted to be a boy. Back in the day, Hunt says, this tomboy phase was normal for many girls. Now, it might lead to irreversible medical procedures.
Hunt points to examples from several states where children have gotten medical transitions without their parents’ approval. She cites an incident from Montana where a couple said the state’s CPS took their daughter without a warrant after “they opposed her transition.”
Hunt impacts these stories by pointing to the policy positions of national Democratic politicians like Tim Walz. She notes Walz’s efforts to make his home state of Minnesota a “sanctuary” for children seeking these procedures. Hunt argues that Republicans should focus at least in part on attacking this connection.
Read her piece here.
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CATEGORY: VIDEO
In this insightful lecture delivered at ISI's Annual Student Honors Conference, Dr. Andrew Willard Jones explores the medieval roots of limited government, delving into how freedom and power were balanced in the feudal world. Drawing on his deep expertise in medieval history, Dr. Jones challenges modern assumptions about the Middle Ages, revealing how the concepts of personal liberty and localized authority laid the groundwork for Western political traditions.
Dr. Jones argues that the medieval system, often misunderstood as oppressive, actually fostered a dynamic interplay between lords, vassals, and the Church, creating a society where authority was distributed, and freedom was negotiated within a framework of mutual obligations. He traces how these medieval ideas of governance, rooted in Christian thought and feudal practice, contributed to the development of limited government and the protection of individual rights.
Join us as Dr. Jones takes us on a journey back to the feudal world, offering a fresh perspective on how the medieval past continues to shape our understanding of freedom and government today. Whether you're a student of history, politics, or philosophy, this lecture provides a compelling look at the origins of concepts that remain central to contemporary debates.
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ISI's Annual
Homecoming Weekend
Join ISI on September 20-21, 2024, for a garden party that’ll welcome students, professors, alumni, and friends of ISI from across the country.
Every year, we host ISI’s annual Homecoming festivities right on our 20-acre campus tucked away into a bucolic pocket of Wilmington, DE. Our Homecoming sets the tone for the new school year and is an opportunity to celebrate and network with our impressive community of students, teachers, alumni, and professionals from a variety of backgrounds.
Official Homecoming Schedule:
Friday, September 20 (6:30 pm – 11 pm)
Guests will gather at ISI’s campus for a reception, bonfire, and open house
Saturday, September 21
Guests will gather at ISI's Campus for an 8:00 am breakfast
9:00 – 10:00 am: Reagan and Nixon Revisited
10:30 am: The Democratization of American Christianity
Top 20 under 30 Awards Ceremony
12:00 – 1:15 pm: God and Man at Yale 2024
1:15 pm: Lunch and festivities begin
Reserve your ticket>>>
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Because our student editors and writers are bravely bringing conservative ideas to their campuses, we’re highlighting their efforts here.
Former Planned Parenthood Executive Featured in Inauguration Keynote via The Irish Rover
“Former Planned Parenthood executive Sanda Ojiambo spoke in a September 12 keynote event during the presidential inauguration events of Father Robert Dowd, C.S.C. Her livestreamed conversation, titled “Business as a Global Force For Good,” was part of the annual Notre Dame Forum, a speaker series For the theme of this year’s forum, Fr. Dowd chose “What Do We Owe Each Other?” From 2002 to 2008, Ojiambo worked in Planned Parenthood’s international operations in several capacities. Ojiambo worked as the Senior Programme Officer of Planned Parenthood Federation of America – International from 2002 to 2004, where she directed “reproductive health Programmes in selected African countries, with a focus on youth and advocacy.” Ojiambo also served as Director of Programmes for International
Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) in the Africa Regional Office (ARO) from 2004 to 2008. IPPF is “a global healthcare provider and a leading advocate of sexual and reproductive health and rights for all,” according to their website. Their work is “wide-ranging” and includes “comprehensive sex education, provision of contraceptive, safe abortion, and maternal care and responding to humanitarian crises.”
Four Takeaways from Flagstock via The Carolina Review
“Labor Day was the appropriately chosen date for the much-anticipated celebration of the UNC-Chapel Hill fraternity brothers who protected the American flag last spring during a pro-Palestine protest. Titled “Flagstock 2024,” the event featured country artists such as Lee Greenwood, Big and Rich, and Cowboy Troy. The live music was accompanied with food trucks and was held in a large field at the American Legion chapter of Chapel Hill. The party’s occurrence marks the end of a story that has captured the interest of Americans for months. The inciting incident came on April 30th when pro-Palestine protesters tore down the American flag that sits at the center of the campus quad. Members of various fraternities held up the flag and made sure it didn’t touch the ground- an image of the scene went viral on social media and it quickly became a symbol of nationwide discussion
about protests on college campuses.”
UT Austin to Drop Automatic Admission Threshold to 5% via The Texas Horn
“Starting in the fall 2026 semester, Texas high schoolers must be ranked in the top 5% of their graduating class to be guaranteed a spot at the Forty Acres. The current rule states that the top 6% of graduates are granted automatic admission. Texas’ automatic admission rule started in 1997, when the state legislature passed a law, signed by then-Governor George W. Bush, mandating public colleges and universities to admit all students who graduate within the top 10% of their class. In response to increasing competitiveness, UT Austin would later lower the threshold to 7%, and then down to 6% in 2017. In a statement given to KUT, a UT spokesperson said, “We see no signs that our demand will substantially fall, and revising our auto-admit percentage to 5% will allow us to continue to meet the state’s requirement that 75% of the Texas residents in each freshman class are
admitted based on high-school class rank.”
Allegations of Misconduct Rattle UVA Health System via The Jefferson Independent
“On September 5th, 128 faculty from the UVA Physicians Group—consisting of personnel that tend to patients and educate students—drafted a letter of no confidence in UVA Health CEO Craig Kent and School of Medicine Dean, Melina Kibbe. This letter, delivered to the Board of Visitors, raised concerns for one of the top-rated medical schools in the nation, challenging their administrative practices and the quality of care provided to patients at the UVA hospital. “Culture of Fear and Retaliation” The five-page letter alleges serious misconduct in patient care paired with a toxic system of management. The accusations detailed can generally be described as falling into three main categories: care, finance, and education. Kent and Kibbe are implicated directly and have been accused of fostering “culture of fear and retaliation” which contributes to “an ongoing exodus of
experience” and damages “excellent-and safe-patient care.” |
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CATEGORY: POLITICS (20 MIN)
The Founders famously created a system of government with power divided between the legislative, executive, and judicial branches—a “three-ring circus,” as Schoolhouse Rock called it. Part of their aim was avoiding tyranny, especially from an overbearing legislature (Parliament) or executive despot. They hoped designed mechanisms would serve as checks and balances, using fallen human nature to protect against fallen human nature.
But has the game changed too much? For this week’s article from the Modern Age website, F.H. Buckley warns that separation of powers has weakened and that the executive branch has become powerful enough to change the face of American political strategy. Buckley traces this in part to the poor incentives of individual legislators to defend their power.
One impact of the presidential power gain has been a reduced willingness to compromise, according to Buckley. The president “makes and unmakes laws without the consent of Congress, spends trillions of government dollars, and the greatest of decisions, whether to commit his country to war, is made by him alone.” With that kind of control in the White House, Buckley says many have decided they can “do without” cooperation.
Buckley notes the arguments of thinkers like Yuval Levin, who, in his recent American Covenant, hope for the reclaiming of civic virtue and compromise. Buckley, though, thinks that virtue may have become “a thing of the past.”
Read Buckley’s article right here on the Modern Age website.
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Thought of the Day:
“Men and women aren't the same. And they won't be the same. That doesn't mean that they can't be treated fairly.”
- Jordan Peterson
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Join ISI’s new Alumni Giving Club
It’s never been easier for you to support our mission—and stay part of our community—with ISI’s new Alumni Giving Club!
For just $19.53 a month, you can join the fight and “pay it forward” by educating the next generation for ordered liberty.
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