Author Archives: James J Heaney

Papa Benny on Animal Rights

by James J Heaney Posted on 15 October 2013

Matthew Scully’s opus longum on abortion and animal rights at National Review featured a brief quote from Pope Benedict XVI (among other Catholic thinkers) on Man’s relationship with beasts. I looked up the full quote for context, and thought it was compelling enough … Continue reading →

Posted in Faith & Morals, Reads & Reactions | Tagged Animal Rights, Benedict XVI, Green Thomism, Meat is Murder, PETA, Pope Benedict | Comments Off

Pope Thoughts

by James J Heaney Posted on 8 October 2013

Today, someone, pointing with concern at a couple of pieces in the American Spectator, asked me what I thought about the Pope. This is what I said: I think that the majority of living Catholics have become very used to living … Continue reading →

Posted in Faith & Morals | Tagged Catholic, Pope Benedict, Pope Francis | Comments Off

I Hate Banned Books Week

by James J Heaney Posted on 30 September 2013

Every year, the American Library Association, pious lover of books, freedom, and openness to sharing absolutely all ideas regardless of their content (unless you live in Cuba or your particular set of crazy ideas doesn’t follow rigid leftist doctrine), runs a weeklong event called “Banned … Continue reading →

Posted in Mere Opinion | Tagged Banned Books, Culture, Polemics, Progressivism | Comments Off

Fetal Legal Eagle: Personhood FAQ

by James J Heaney Posted on 27 September 2013

Next year, North Dakota will vote on a state constitutional amendment that defines the beginning of human life as the beginning of human rights. This is also known as a Personhood amendment. I have written about Personhood before, but, in … Continue reading →

Posted in Abolitionism, Mere Opinion | 1 Comment

Just War Theory Tested in Syria

by James J Heaney Posted on 4 September 2013

The Just War Theory is a framework for analyzing the exceptional cases where war — that is, the deliberate use of potentially deadly force on a mass scale against a legitimate, sovereign authority — might possibly be something other than … Continue reading →

Posted in Analysis, Politics | 58 Comments

An Old-New Republican Platform

by James J Heaney Posted on 16 July 2013

I was digging around the dusty corners of the Documents folder on my computer today when I found, in a rarely-visited folder, a document from 2009 called “A New Party Platform.” I opened it up and was fairly delighted by … Continue reading →

Posted in Declarations, Law, Politics | 850 Comments

Life, Death, and Lies in the El Salvador Anencephaly Case

by James J Heaney Posted on 5 June 2013

RH Reality Check is being transparently dishonest — one might even call it lying — in the case of Beatriz and Rachel, the El Salvadorean duo that’s been making headlines this week. In other news, water is wet and Monday … Continue reading →

Posted in Abolitionism | 852 Comments

Abortion Restriction is Still a Winning Issue

by James J Heaney Posted on 20 March 2013

Last night, I was having some discussions about the future of the GOP (I mentioned these in my post yesterday), and I was asked whether we need to give up on abortion, moot it as an issue, and focus on … Continue reading →

Posted in Abolitionism, Analysis | 1,479 Comments

Why Republicans Will Always Lose, by Douglas Adams

by James J Heaney Posted on 19 March 2013

Reading the much-talked-about GOP “autopsy” today, trying to put together some impromptu thoughts about it for a Senate District meeting tonight, I find myself reminded of a passage from Douglas Adams’ novel Life, The Universe, and Everything. Slartibartfast, a hapless … Continue reading →

Posted in Mere Opinion, Politics | 1,803 Comments

No, It Is Not Illegal To Marry A Virgin In Guam

by James J Heaney Posted on 13 March 2013

This is hardly how I wanted to break a two-month absence from my blogging work. I was hoping for some notes on the new Pope Francis, or that I’d finally finish my thought experiment on rape and rebuttable presumption, or … Continue reading →

Posted in Law, Mere Opinion | 1,496 Comments

Author Archives: James J Heaney

Papa Benny on Animal Rights

Pope Thoughts

I Hate Banned Books Week

Fetal Legal Eagle: Personhood FAQ

Just War Theory Tested in Syria

An Old-New Republican Platform

Life, Death, and Lies in the El Salvador Anencephaly Case

Abortion Restriction is Still a Winning Issue

Why Republicans Will Always Lose, by Douglas Adams

No, It Is Not Illegal To Marry A Virgin In Guam

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