Associate Editor at Law & Liberty, Contributing Writer at America Magazine, Contributor at National Review.
Catholic, Minnesota lake-dweller, mother of five.
Son: So what happened in France after all the Revolution stuff?
Me: Napoleon.
Son: Wait. I thought the Revolution was all about equality and stuff. Then they get this strongman dictator?
Yeah. You'll find utopian ideology doesn't always take you where you meant to go.
@kalliend3
Right, if you're finding you need to execute people by the thousands to keep the smile train running, might've taken a wrong turn somewhere.
A younger son asked me, earnestly, why I'm so anti- Trump. The older boys know, but he was tiny in 2016.
I started with
@jaynordlinger
@NRO
. So many things to say here, but the first point to stress to a boy is that Trump is a man utterly without honor.
Just learned that Dick Miller, of Cornell's philosophy dept, has died.
Dick was an atheist with (I think) broadly Marxist commitments. As his TA, I once asked to move my section so I could attend a Good Friday service; he offered to pay a sub out of pocket. Never forgot that.
This from
@NoahCRothman
is roughly where I would land, which is why I saw the news yesterday, put my phone away, and took my son sailing (as planned).
There are no heroes here, lots of villains. America is beautiful, but we’re not taking care of her.
With their schools closed, millions of kids have just dropped out of sight. They might be playing video games 16 hours a day and living on licorice. Who knows.
If this isn’t a social justice concern, not sure what is.
It often seems to me that Christianity’s greatest rival in contemporary times is not Islam, atheism, materialism, certainly not liberalism, but rather political religion. Today the most virulent heresies, or false faiths, tend to appear in political garb.
Around town you now see a lot of “Black Owned” and “BLM” signs on stores and small businesses. It seems Twin Cities business owners, at least, do not see white supremacists as the primary threat.
This isn’t a silly concern, but you have to bear in mind that nobody ever converts for *fully adequate reasons*. The tent feels much bigger from the inside. At some point a convert looks back and thinks, well, I was an idiot obviously, but thankfully grace led me here.
I do not wish to move to Hungary. I do not wish to turn America into Hungary.
However, that whole thing about moms of 4 (or more) never paying taxes again? I could go for that.
If you haven't yet seen
@RadioFreeTom
's New Screwtape Letters at
@BulwarkOnline
, don't miss out. Very amusing, very pithy. I've just spent the better part of my evening enjoying it.
I can’t stop laughing at this post. I’m just imagining Hanania walking into the rent-a-car and sweeping the scene for the noble criminal so he can get top-notch service.
Often the nicest and most helpful person in a service job is a guy who has tattoos all over his head and neck and looks like he probably has spent time in jail. It shows that there’s often something noble in the criminal, he’s more alive than others around him.
Interviewed my MIL this morning about her life. For family history purposes. Born in ‘38 in a small Taiwanese village, she ended up working seven years in Kai-shek’s household before coming to America in the 60s.
Her story is remarkable. Grateful she let me get it on record.
As a former Mormon, I have a high appreciation of Trinity Sunday. Orthodoxy and orthopraxy are connected, and we should never take either for granted.
“God Immortal, be adored!”
Last night’s family movie: The Fugitive.
My 14yo commented, “I think this movie really played to Harrison Ford’s greatest strength: being chased.”
Han Solo, Indiana Jones, the cop in Witness. He’s got a point there.
A child was instructed to draw pictures of "things your mom likes" as part of a present. He came up with two things: Aristotle, and fitness.
I mean, yeah. No arguments.
@xan_desanctis
After my first was born, I got tired of people wanting me to “admit” that the things I’d done before (doctoral program, traveling world etc) were mostly silly diversions prior to discovering True Bliss. Actually those things were great. Which takes nothing away from my kids.
Started working for Liberty Fund two years ago today.
So, things may not look great for liberty across the globe, but I’m sure it would’ve been much worse if I hadn’t joined the cause.
Professor Steven Smith of
@USanDiegoLaw
will receive our 2022 Religious Liberty Scholarship Award tonight at the Notre Dame Religious Liberty Summit’s awards gala in Rome, Italy.
#ReligiousLiberty2022
Even when it’s supportive, I’m not really a fan of pro-natalist rhetoric that makes parenthood sound like a personal project or lifestyle choice.
It’s more of a vocation, and you do it mainly for other people, not because family life is your jam.
I love going to Dick’s Sporting Goods, because the salesmen refer to me as an “athlete”. Thanks for seeing my inner potential, Dick’s. Nobody else ever did.
Got to this one late, but if you haven't read
@McGillPatterson
on "Protestant Franco," you shouldn't miss it. Is it just me, or does it feel like things are unraveling in some corners of the right? From
@LawLiberty
It's been a good spring for family-related books, but
@CRPakaluk
's stands out even so. Instead of telling us why people don't have kids, she tells us why they do.
Here's my review of Hannah's Children,
@LawLiberty
:
This is the clearest and most appalling example of how Trump is actively offended by self-sacrifice. It honestly seems to infuriate him to be reminded that there are people in this world with a sense of honor. From
@NRO
:
Went on a date with my husband, suggested to tween son he might rustle up some dinner for his brothers. (He does cook breakfast sometimes.)
Returned home, asked the brothers what he’d done. “At six pm, he gave us each a protein bar.”
Excellent. Dinner and dessert all in one.
Here's something many people don't know about me. I actually have some pretty strong anti-liberal sympathies/sensibilities. MacIntyre and my dad (law professor Steven D. Smith) were major intellectual influences. At 25 I became a Catholic at an FSSP (Latin traditionalist parish.
My son reports that a wondrous thing was served in the cafeteria at lunch. He describes it. “Ah,” I say. “It’s a walking taco.”
He’d brought cold lunch. “I hope,” he rhapsodizes, “I get to try one someday.”
Made walking tacos for dinner. If only heroism were always so easy.
Politics would be more interesting right now if we spent less time on Joe Biden, and more on Andrew Yang.
@xan_desanctis
contributes to this effort here:
Lee is a fantastic colleague, and for selfish reasons I’m quite sad that he’s leaving us
@LawLiberty
. But very happy for him.
@AssumptionUMA
is fortunate indeed!
It has been a privilege to lead such a fantastic department at
@SamfordU
. While I depart with sadness, I am looking forward with excitement to join the
@AssumptionUMA
family on July 1 to contribute to its mission of a Catholic liberal arts education.
Our
@LawLiberty
symposium on
@kvallier
's new book on integralism is up! This was a fun one to edit. It explores the theoretical interest of integralism, while acknowledging the impracticality. Contributions from
@ThomasDHowes
@StMichael71
and Kai Weiss.
"Mr. Dunning-Kruger, your table is ready."
Even if you already believed the central claim, this is kind of devastating. It's odd how much nostalgia I feel today for GWB, simply on the grounds that he wasn't an awful person. From
@charlescwcooke
@NRO
:
Gave a lecture at U Madison Monday (as part of series on Conservative Thought) on feminism & anti-feminism. It was fun; students were engaged & curious.
Was especially pleased that I could answer so many questions in part by recommending books from fellow
@FairerSexFD
writers.
It’s getting lonely in the pews with four of five sons vesting to serve, and my husband lectoring.
On the bright side, my covert plan to take over the Church and run it through my menfolk, is proceeding swimmingly.
Here’s my day. I woke up at six and worked for five hours. Then went to Target Field to see a double header, first the Twins, then our high school boys. (Both Twins and Aggies won!) Now off to see La Boheme.
I’ll be honest: I haven’t lived a lot of days quite like this one.
I like Benedictine College. I know a lot of people there, and it seems like a vibrant Catholic community. I expect winning a reputation as the Heart of Catholic Darkness will be good for their enrollment; I hope it speaks to a bright future!
The Lus are writing an alternative Opening Ceremony. Ours features Charlemagne, the Carolingian Renaissance, Otto the Great, the Normans, and a lengthy ode to Scholastics. Entering on hot air balloons.
Followed by Joan of Arc and the Vendée counterrevolution. Dieu, Le Roi!
Jason Riley
@jasonrileywsj
is no great fan of Trump, but he is a fan of the economic gains Black Americans made during his presidency.
@LibertyEthics
reviews his latest here for
@LawLiberty
:
When I was a kid, it was just Black Friday. Then came Cyber Monday, now Giving Tuesday. So, can I propose “just go buy yourself what you really want” Wednesday? I mean, we might as well at this point.
Finally, Bankruptcy Thursday will round out the week.
14 years ago this weekend,
@mathewlu
asked me out for the first time. One year after that he asked me to marry him. 5 sons, 4 cars, 3 houses, and 2 interstate moves later, the ring still fits, so I guess it's just as well I said "yes".
So interesting to talk to
@Yascha_Mounk
about his new book on identity politics, here on the
@LawLiberty
podcast.
If you’ve read Mitchell, Hanania, Caldwell etc on this general subject, you should read Mounk’s book too, for balance.
This is clearly a very complex issue but I must strenuously reject the claim that "when you privatize Christianity, it dies." God is above the state! Grace does not require the government's sanction to do its work.
Liberals spent three generations telling us you could privatize Christianity and the result would be good for everyone.
We’ll, it wasn’t good for everyone.
1 It was bad for Christians because when you privatize Christianity, it dies.
2 It was bad for liberals, because
"Working with writers must be a pain. The most famous ones especially, I bet."
Now and then. But you know, it's easier to build a writing career if you let editors help you instead of antagonizing them. You'd be surprised how many talented people have actually figured that out.
It’s been really delightful to attend and speak at the
@ISI
@ClaremontInst
Summit this week. This was truly the full spectrum of right-wing personalities. I have much to chew on now, and offer sincere thanks to
@Heritage
for inviting me down.
Our new editor
@JohnGGrove1
opens a new era
@LawLiberty
with this insightful essay on the misguided paradigm that makes our politics so dysfunctional today.
8yo son: I keep seeing commercials telling people to vote. But really, if you need a TV commercial to persuade you, should you be voting anyway?
Score. Already following in my elitist ways.
Though I'm not fully decided, there's plenty of ground to argue that Imane Khelif
1) Is (or can reasonably be seen as) a woman
2) Has done no wrong here but
3) Should not have been permitted to compete.
My latest
@LawLiberty
is uncharacteristically harsh. The book was so absurd that I could not critique it evenly; I put the author on the couch instead. I am aiming at a serious point, though, about social justice and integrity.
As a new mom I learned something about myself: I'm miserable if I'm not writing something.
Not everyone has those compulsions, but some do, and they may be mothers. Sounds like a beautiful book by
@cat_ricketts
, reviewed by
@HootenWilson
@FairerSexFD
:
Gave a local talk last night on Catholic political thought, tracing a thread from John Ireland through Maritain and Murray. It was fun, audience seemed engaged.
I think there may now be a receptive audience for a message other than “despair, withdraw, break all the furniture.”
I know a great many people who have jumped straight from "Trump is the ideal person to reform our politics" to "our politics/nation are beyond reform."
I would invite you to consider a middle position. Trump was not the ideal person to reform our politics.
Drive carefully. The life you save may be your own.
Reading Flannery O’Connor with my teenager, who expected a writer beloved of so many nice Catholics to be… not like this.
Pretty good from
@NRO
.
I woke up this morning thinking, “it’s time to return to the seamless garment!” It was once prudent to isolate the abortion issue, but now connecting abortion to other dehumanizing trends (like MAID) may be the right approach.
A bit of professional news today. I’m extremely honored and excited to take the wheel at L&L, with gratitude to
@Reinsch84
and
@briansmith1980
, for all they’ve done to build it into such a great magazine.
This, from
@EsotericCD
@NRO
, echoes many of my own thoughts these days. I can’t even tell people Trump definitely won’t win. Many other Republicans would have a better chance, but he *might* just pull it off and… heaven help us. What a disaster.
Thinking on the past 20 years, and why the right can't seem to decide how much (or whether?) it cares about freedom.
True story: I'm a "zombie Reaganite" who originally read Hayek because angry right-wing populists insisted that I must.
@LawLiberty
My husband and I were married in a Tridentine nuptial Mass. Every member of our family was baptized in the Tridentine form. So much Latin in our family history! And chant! Gregorian chant at every turn!
I’m just mentioning in case anyone’s making a watch list. That’s Lu, L-U.
@DLingist
@StevenReilly20
The boys like military history. An older brother was assigned a paper last year on whether Napoleon was a great man, which was discussed at the dinner table. It’s not really weird.
Once upon a time, I wanted to become an intellectual historian. Life took me in other directions, but Samuel Gregg’s lovely little book on faith and reason,
reminded me why the dream was so sweet. Read my review
@LawLiberty
:
Reading the story of Fr Damien and the Molokai leper colony, with my kids. They ask when events transpired. Around 150 years ago, I say
“Oh,” says my 6-year-old. “So not that long ago.”
Score one for classical education.
I’ve taken my kids to countless festivals and fairs featuring giveaways marked with corporate logos. Most of them are in the trash within 2 weeks. You know what stays? Socks. We might go on wearing the socks for years.
Just an FYI in case you’re trying to pick a giveaway item.
Pro-lifers need to take advantage of short-term gains to prove to the world (but especially women) that a pro-life culture can be good for them. My latest
@TheWeek
:
Son: Are you one of the best editors at
@LawLiberty
, do you think?
Me: Oh, I’m totally top 5.
Son (appreciatively): Wow!
(There are only four of us. Don’t tell him.)
It's perfectly reasonable to hold both that:
1) The political right today is grappling with real and important questions, and even some of the mistakes are probably necessary/inevitable, and
2) Some existing currents are very bad, dehumanizing, and maybe kind of fascist.
My oldest 3 boys (aged 9, 6, 5) are doing a wrestling mini-camp at school. I mainly wanted to channel their cabin fever into an activity, but imagine my shock when 6yo asked last night, "Do you have any chores for us tonight? Coach says we're supposed to ask."
I love this sport.
As a fusionist/FreeCon/conservatarian, I've been accused of hubristic attachment to failed principles/institutions. To me, these critics seem like the ones lacking in epistemic modesty. Is it reasonable to launch aggressive reforms to problems we've barely begun to understand?
Some Catholic thinkers today argue that we must reject liberal norms for the sake of securing the common good. But can illiberalism achieve the common good?
@StMichael71
thinks otherwise. From
@LawLiberty
:
Went to a concert tonight. The Emperor Concerto. We used to go to classical concerts before we had kids, but this was the first one since, well, the birth of our eldest. (He’s 13 now.) Took two of the boys.
It was wonderful. Apparently I still enjoy this.
I have to agree with
@JonahDispatch
that Liz Magill's smirking is the part of the exchange you can't forget.
Both Gay and Magill were incompetent, disingenuous, and offensive in many ways, but the smirk is the jaw-dropping "what's wrong with you" moment.
@DominicJPino
And cars are especially great at expanding access for those who might otherwise be marginalized: the sick, disabled, elderly, or caretakers of small children. If you're young and fit, maybe you do pretty well with a bicycle, but when that's the norm, many are just stuck at home.
Went sprawling yesterday while playing backyard football. Feet got tangled up with my son's when I was going for a pass.
Today my husband notices a big bruise. "How'd you do that?"
It's... a football injury! I have a football injury!
In your 40s, you gotta milk these things.
I was halfway through this column when I realized that the policy approach I was recommending was largely a Reformocon redux. So I shrugged, and made the column about that.
It’s still worth trying. From
@LawLiberty
:
Amazing! All three of my boys won today. The Lu crew collectively is 7-0 on this baseball season!
Not sure what to do with this; I think of baseball as fundamentally an exercise in coping with failure.