News vs philosophizing
Why do I not analyze very many "news" stories in these columns? Because I'd rather help you learn to use the tool between your ears which will allow you to do the analyzing yourself. Plus, the news is just the same old thing, day after day: authoritarians against those they can push around.
Pick just about any news story and you will see the same. The players are interchangeable in most cases. Sometimes it is strong authoritarian types going up against weak authoritarian types, such as in the G-20 protests. Rarely it is people who really understand freedom going against authoritarians in "high places". Often it is just authoritarians attacking or planning an attack against people who have done nothing wrong, but who only want to live their lives unmolested. The rest of the time it is freelance thugs who commit the same acts as their governmental brethren, but without the silly hat of government as a protective talisman.
I could pick apart a particular news item each day, missing hundreds of local, national, or global events in the process, or I can try to help you see how to analyze and weigh the things you run across on your own. I have chosen the latter. There are plenty of extremely capable individuals doing the former. Give them a visit.
