Do the ends justify the means? This familiar question produces strong feelings precisely because its answer is necessarily complicated. Just about all of us admit to a scenario, such as the proverbial ticking time-bomb, in which we would countenance unsavory means if required to save lives. In general, however, most religious and ethical traditions teach that we are not permitted to use injurious or unethical means to accomplish even noble ends.
A leaked syllabus of a class called “Global Whiteness” at the University of North Carolina reads like a parody of today’s campus race obsession and radicalism. Campus Reform published a copy that includes topics like “White Trash,” “Enlightenment or Enwhitenment?” and “How is Trump racist?” Perhaps most laughable is the course appears to blame America and the West in the Pacific Theater during World War II instead of on Japan’s racist imperialism and aggression.
In an astonishing and unprecedented power grab that will overturn 200 years of case law and prior precedents, Democrats on the state Supreme Court are preparing to disqualify and remove two duly-elected Republican Supreme Court justices from a case so they can nullify voters’ decision to amend the Constitution.
When North Carolinians are free to trade with whomever they choose, be it South Carolinians or South Koreans, some local businesses may lose sales. The case for markets isn’t based on promises of cost-free benefits or perfect outcomes. No such promises could ever be honored in the real world.
Family members and lawmakers, in Washington, D.C., and Raleigh, representing N.C. residents are mourning the deaths of a Marine and soldier who died in a terrorist attack while helping Americans and others evacuate from Afghanistan. Thirteen service members, including a Fort Bragg soldier and Camp Lejuene Marine, died while supporting Operation Freedom’s Sentinel, the Department of Defense announced Saturday, Aug. 28.
I’ve long thought the North Carolina General Assembly should reform our state’s archaic and anti-competitive requirement for certificates-of-need. In the post-COVID world we are entering, however, CON reform is no longer just a good idea. It’s an imperative.
Benjamin Franklin gave us many great words of wisdom. One of his best lines is that we should “do well by doing good.” While this ideal may have worked in the politics and government of early American history in the 1700’s, we don’t see much of that sentiment in today’s public policy. People of all political stripes (right, middle, left and those not involved at all) are tired of the fighting and looking to support policies that exemplify the words of Mr. Franklin.
The University of North Carolina systemically discriminates by race and ethnicity in student admissions and faculty hiring. Arguably such behavior is already forbidden by federal and state law. Now a group of state lawmakers has proposed an amendment to the state constitution that would eliminate all doubt on the matter.