Inequality

I just got back from one of those echo-chamber "panel discussions" that make the square circle and non-mammalian whale seem plausible. Hosted by a student group with some name roughly like "The Society for Human Rights," this panel consisted of three intellectuals who might have been mistaken for each other. It was sort of a trinity of dull agreement. "I hate the death penalty" followed "The death penalty is barbaric" followed "I am fighting to get death row inmates out of prison;" naturally, you can see how their views absolutely ran the gamut of intelligent discourse on capital punishment. Several students made painfully sophomoric declarations of the injustice of administering the death penalty, and all I could do to stem the tide was speak rather awkwardly and airily about Kantianism, unfortunately. What comes out beautifully on paper does not come out of my mouth so well.

In sharp contrast to the anti-rationality of the afternoon will be a speaking affair by none other than Chief Justice John Roberts, to be given in less than four hours on campus. Though it means an extra four miles on foot, I am nevertheless braving the pavement to hear our leading jurist speak intelligently on...whatever he's speaking on.

I guess the balance is kept.