Focus on banks is a “giant displacement activity”
Last night Rob Killick spoke in a debate in London on whether the big banks should be broken up, along with Kitty Ussher of Demos and Philip Blond of Res Publica, and he has posted the text of his sharp speech on his blog (here).
Killick argues that the focus on banking misses ...
For America, stability trumps freedom
In echoing Mubarak’s call for an “orderly transition”, the US is undermining the fight for democratic rights.
Read my spiked article in full here.
Protesters only in Square for the Kentucky Fried Chicken
The Mubarak regime has spread a ridiculous rumor that the only reason the protesters are staying in Tahrir Square is because foreign powers are providing them with free Kentucky Fried Chicken, reports Robert Mackey in The New York Times. The other rumor spread ...
It’s the US against Egypt’s protesters now
As The New York Times reports , on Saturday the US and other Western powers “threw their weight behind” Omar Suleiman, Egypt’s vice-president, and his efforts to end the protests.
US secretary of state Hillary Clinton yesterday urged patience, saying that reform “takes some time,” and adding “there are certain things that ...
This week’s articles of note
“How Cairo, U.S. were blindsided by revolution,” Wall Street Journal, by Charles Levinson, Margaret Coker and Jay Solomon
“How democracy can work in the Middle East,” Time, by Fareed Zakaria
“The West Wing, Season II,” New York, by John Heilemann
“When Irish eyes are crying,” Vanity Fair, by Michael ...
Nanny strikes again: NYC bans smoking in parks and beaches
With backing from Mayor Michael Bloomberg, the New York City Council yesterday banned smoking in city parks and beaches.
Bloomberg is known for introducing nannying measures to control personal behavior. This latest ban is an extension of his ban on smoking in restaurants and bars imposed in 2002.
The main reason given for the ban is to prevent ...
Egypt – it’s not about religion
This is a photo of non-Muslims protecting Muslims at prayer in Cairo, according to this site.
Message to America: Hands off Egypt!
After decades of backing autocrats, the best thing Washington can do for the cause of Egyptian democracy is to butt out.
Read my spiked article in full here.
The reality of Obama’s interference in Egypt
Here’s President Obama’s statement in response to Mubarak’s announcement that he will not stand in the elections planned for September.
As I mentioned in my post yesterday, there is a contrast between Obama’s rhetoric of support for Egyptian self-determination and the ...
Gary V: Finger Lakes wines due respect
I first wrote about Gary Vaynerchuk here. In this segment of his internet show, Gary bigs ...
ABOUT SEAN COLLINS
I write about American current affairs for Spiked, the online magazine. I am a native New Yorker, and I divide my time between New York City and upstate New York.
In addition to articles for Spiked, The Australian and other publications, I contributed an essay, "BDS: Demonizing Israel, Destroying Free Speech," for the book Unsafe Space: The Crisis of Free Speech on Campus (2016). I also wrote a chapter on New York City's economy for the book London After Recession: A Fictitious Capital? (2012).
My writings have been cited in American Conservative, Arts & Letters Daily, the Financial Times, Fox News, the Huffington Post, the New York Daily News, the New York Post, the New York Times, Real Clear Politics, and the Times of London, among other media.
For more about The American Situation site, go here.
