I spent nearly two years in the political weeds monitoring the blathering of professional lunatics, and the experience nearly drove me mad. I learned many things during this time, but one lesson stands out above all others: Partisanship makes you stupid. Partisanship demands total devotion to the … [Read more...]
About Paul Wilson
Paul Wilson is a media analyst at the Culture and Media Institute, who is also seeking his master’s degree in history at the Catholic University of America. You can follow him on Twitter at @PaulWilson34.
A Renegade Student’s Spotlight on School Prayer
Paul Wilson | June 25, 2013
Roy Costner IV, the 2013 valedictorian at Liberty High School in South Carolina, recently made headlines for reciting the Lord's Prayer at his graduation. His prayer was effectively a finger in the eyes of atheist activists and highlighted the thorny issues of free speech and school prayer. Here’s … [Read more...]
Say What? Linguistic High Ground in Political Debates
Paul Wilson | June 11, 2013
The development of debating skills is vital for advocates of liberty, as political discussions are a primary method of influencing others’ opinions. However, debates have a nasty habit of getting bogged down in squabbles over the definitions of particular words. Fights over the definition of a … [Read more...]
Abortion and Gun Control: Any Hope for Change?
Paul Wilson | May 8, 2013
The shocking trial of abortion provider Kermit Gosnell, who allegedly snipped the necks of babies in a filthy clinic, has stirred outrage even among abortion supporters. Meanwhile, following the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newton, CT, in December 2012, the Senate recently rejected a … [Read more...]
Should Religion Influence Government?
Paul Wilson | March 13, 2013
As a Catholic social conservative, my ideological opponents often accuse me of “forcing my religious views on others.” Of course, my opponents are wrong, since I don’t seek to make Catholic teachings the laws of the land. After all, according to the First Amendment such an imposition would be … [Read more...]
Hell or Horsewhipping? Religious Authority versus Government Force
In the United States, critics of such religious authorities as Catholic leaders often accuse religious authorities of “forcing” their followers to obey religious rules. For instance, the New York Times editorial board recently claimed that, by opposing the Obama administration’s … [Read more...]
Old versus New Freedoms
Paul Wilson | July 31, 2012
Conservatives and liberals in America believe the federal government and state governments are violating citizens' basic freedoms. For instance, conservatives argue the Obama administration is violating Catholic business owners’ religious freedom by forcing the owners to provide their employees … [Read more...]
Linking Economic Freedom and Moral Obedience
Paul Wilson | July 5, 2012
Most Americans vote according to economic considerations and not such social issues as protecting the unborn and marriage. The famous 1992 campaign slogan “It’s the economy, stupid!” still accurately describes most Americans’ voting habits. However, what most Americans fail to realize is that … [Read more...]
Forced to Be Free
Paul Wilson | June 8, 2012
Over 200 years ago, the French Enlightenment’s political philosopher Jean Jacques Rousseau posited that humans must be “forced to be free.” Rousseau’s counterintuitive principle held that there was a so-called general will, which he roughly defined as “one will which is directed towards their common … [Read more...]
