John Allen Gay

Without legitimacy, we can have no notion of abuse of authority, and thus the implicit critique of police uses of force loses much of its vigor.

Without these ideas, there can be no basis for critique of authority, no objective definition of tyranny, and thus no possibility of building a better political order. Politics is reduced to Lenin’s “who, whom.”

Right authority and just laws are not unlimited, either: they must be guided by well-informed reason and oriented to the common good.

…that there can be people responsible for the common good of a community and authorized to act in its defense, including by force, and that violence outside that authority is, in most circumstances, wrong.

Hence, we are all caught in a big swirl of undifferentiated violence by various political actors. Such a view ignores the idea of legitimacy (or right authority, in the Just War tradition), namely…

Seeing some argue that political violence is everywhere and thus the assassination of a public figure is not really an aberration, but an expansion of scope. Typically this view sees assassination in continuity with things like police using force while carrying out their duties (1/…)

I happened to be dining there last night. Wanded on the way in before he arrived, wanded again when going back downstairs (the floor where he was) several hours later. There were easily dozens of Secret Service agents around, including many in front of the door.

Iran’s Deterrence Dilemma Tehran’s old answers to its problems with America and Israel just don’t work anymore.

How Iranian deterrence used to work - and how it fell apart, leading Iran to consider the bomb. Me for the National Interest, first part of a two part series on Iran’s deterrence.
nationalinterest.org/blog/middle-...

Maintaining Acceptable Water Pressure in Showerheads By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered: Section 1.  Purpose.

Folks are steamed that the administration repealed a lengthy regulation of showerheads. Critics say they should have better things to do. Too few ask why regulating showerheads is federal business. We’ve been conditioned to see such overstretch as normal (to oily)

www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...

Ex-hostage Tal Shoham describes captivity to UN: ‘Sadistic guards tortured us daily’ Released captive tells officials he was held with 'human skeletons' Guy Gilboa-Dalal, Evyatar David; describes starvation, extreme thirst, beatings as terrorists enjoyed 'plentiful food'

Ex-hostage Tal Shoham describes captivity to UN: ‘Sadistic guards tortured us daily’ https://www.timesofisrael.com/ex-hostage-tal-shoham-describes-captivity-to-un-sadistic-guards-tortured-us-daily/

The EU can hardly claim it does not attempt to apply its rules beyond its borders, as anyone who has clicked a GDPR-derived tracking cookie banner can attest. The United States government is free to choose which foreign companies it does business with.

YouTube video by CRESCENT Research Center What awaits US-Iran relations? | John Allen Gay

I spoke with the Crescent Center’s Zaka Jafarli on what may be ahead in the U.S.-Iran confrontation: youtu.be/pl1GPdbHnJ0

“Conversion is the matter of a moment. Sanctification is the work of a lifetime.”
- St. Josemaria Escrivá