Walk a Mile in Charlie Manson's Shoes

 

The Church of England technically owns a stake in some of the world's biggest songs, including Rihanna's "Umbrella," Justin Timberlake's "SexyBack," and Beyoncé's "Single Ladies." The church is one of several investors in Hipgnosis, a company that has spent over $1 billion to acquire the rights to songs.

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I wouldn’t trust these folks to run a lemonade stand. They would organize middle schoolers via collective bargaining, freeze prices, institute $25-an-hour “fair” wages, cap sugar levels, place tariffs on “flavored drinks” from other neighborhoods and then tax parents to subsidize the inevitable losses.--Kessler on government investments

 

Walk a Mile in Charlie Manson's Shoes

There may be a human right to free speech but there is no right to be listened to. 

A while ago, some news agency felt it reasonable to interview Charles Manson, learn his political opinions, and publish them. This abuse of the public space cannot be dismissed by simply saying "If you don't want to hear what he has to say then don't listen." Interviewing a bedwetting, fire-starting, animal-torturing homicidal maniac for his opinion on anything is simply insane. 

But underlying this abuse is a philosophy: The philosophy of non-judgment. It is everywhere. It allows a school principal to avoid the decision of whether or not to suspend a nine-year-old with a water pistol, it allows a judge not to judge, instead using mandatory sentencing, it confounds a people trying to assess a threat or a deviation by demanding respect for all cultures regardless of its seriousness or pathology, it prevents a sensible people from dismissing anything. 

So, Manson speaks, genital mutilation has a historical and cultural value, a pyramid of Aztec hearts is an architectural marvel. One has more and more respect for the plight of the modern artist who has been robbed of art's historical right to teach; when nothing is true, everything must be taken as it is, isolated, and without context or judgment.