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The Foundations of Freedom

One of the projects I worked on this year was to produce a series of brief videos on "the Foundations of Freedom." If you missed one, check them out at the main "Foundations of Freedom" page.

The virtue of pride

In the latest Goldwater Institute "Foundations of Freedom" video, I explore what I consider an even more important basis of political liberty than all the economic and historical and philosophical arguments: the virtue of personal pride.

The sculpture in the video, by the way, is Zenos Frudakis's marvelous Freedom. You can learn more about it here.

Two more observations on Originalism

First: Yesterday I suggested that musical "originalism" provides a poor reinforcement for the arguments of constitutional Originalism, and pointed out that much of what we consider canonical and definitive about musical pieces today is not to be found in the "originals." This morning, I see an intriguing example in The Carolina Journal, where John Hood writes of a folk song called "I Wonder As I Wander." It includes a line that refers to "ornery" sinners...which apparently was not the "original meaning":

Musical “Originalism”? Not so fast

Heritage Foundation legal scholar GianCarlo Canaparo argues at the Federalist Society’s blog that the orchestral technique known as “Historically Informed Performance” (HIP) offers a helpful guide in interpreting the Constitution. And anyone who has attended an HIP performance, as I have, can attest that it’s an interesting and rewarding way to experience a piece of music. But as far as a defense of Originalism goes, I think this attempted analogy falls short; in fact, I think it actually helps us see some of the problems with Originalism.

In reality, much of what we take for granted in the world of music is not “original” at all. In legal parlance, it’s “underdetermined.” Handel’s Water Music, for example: we don’t actually know in what order the pieces are supposed to be played. That’s obviously a pretty important consideration when performing a piece of music. Although a general consensus has emerged, there is still no canonical rule about whether one section comes before another. What is an “originalist” about the Water Music supposed to do?

Hanging out with Armstrong & Getty

I got to sit in on the Armstrong & Getty Show this morning (actually, sitting in for Joe, who's out of town) to talk about all sortsa stuff--everything from the Texas anti-illegal immigration law to my washing of a rhinoceros. If you missed it, here's part one:

...and here's part two:

Economic freedom and democratic participation

I spoke at Arizona State University a few weeks ago about the relationship between democracy and economic freedom. I argue that restrictions on private property and economic liberty undermine people's willingness to believe in democracy. But along the way, I have a few kind words to say about not being civil. What do I mean? Check it out:

What I read in 2023 and what I thought of it

Best book I read this year:

1. Yes, I Can by Sammy Davis, Jr.*

This was a magnificently inspiring, moving, and fascinating book. Without a doubt, one of the Great American Autobiographies, which deserves a place alongside Ben Franklin's and Frederick Douglass's. True, it was "as told to," but nobody doubts its authenticity. And it's also a bit long. But it is an astonishing story of a man who combined some truly heroic qualities with some devastatingly self-destructive ones. Davis has been called the greatest entertainer of all time, and that's probably right. But he was born poor, in Harlem, and worked his way up from a very young age, with no schooling; he was illiterate until he was drafted into the Army during World War II, and his time in the Army was miserable, thanks to the racist thuggishness of his fellow soldiers. Davis's struggles with racism, and his triumphant and courageous rise to fame and success are powerfully detailed here, in sometimes startling candor. Davis is also remarkably candid about his own flaws, especially his absolute addiction to approval from others, which drove him millions and millions of dollars into debt, and only got worse after this book came out. One of the great tragedies of the book, too, is that it ends on a note of triumph with his marriage to actress May Britt, whom it's quite clear he loved intensely. But only two years after this book came out, she divorced him due to his infidelity, itself a product of his need for approval. He never really recovered from losing her.

Now, a word of warning about the audio book. It's read by coauthor, the late Burt Boyar, who gets so moved by some parts of the manuscript that he starts to cry in some of the more dramatic moments. Now, it's understandable, because these moments really are quite moving. But it's pretty darn distracting to be listening to an audio book in which the narrator is actually crying while reading.... Nonetheless, I give this book my highest recommendation. (Incidentally, Davis wrote a sequel in the 1990s, but I have not yet read it.)

2. The Nuremberg Trial by John & Ann Tusa*

This extraordinary book does something that is immensely admirable: the Tusas manage to discuss both the horrendous crimes of the Nazis, as revealed during the trials, and also the more abstract legal and philosophical complexities of holding the Nuremberg trials at all--and they manage to do this in a way that is compulsively readable. I mean, like a novel. It's a triumph of historiography, over and aside from the innate drama and fascination of the story itself. A book simultaneously horrifying and fascinating.

Honorable Mentions:

Foundations of Freedom: What about slavery?

In the newest Goldwater Institute "Foundations of Freedom" video, I discuss the "original sin" of slavery in the United States: