logo
episode-header-image
Jan 2024
1h 36m

What Fr. Sirico Saw at Jimmy Lai’s Trial...

ACTON INSTITUTE
About this episode

This week, to start the show, Eric is joined by Fr. Robert Sirico, Acton’s co-founder and president emeritus, who just returned from a quasi-secret trip to Hong Kong, where he attended a day of Jimmy Lai’s National Security Law trial. What did he see in Hong Kong and at the trial? How has the “feel” of Hong Kong changed since he last visited? Then Eric is joined by Dan Hugger and Dylan Pahman for a discussion of how universities are reappraising standardized tests like the SAT and ACT. What have we learned since some schools dropped these tests as admissions criteria during COVID and after years of a campaign to reduce their use because of their “inherent bias”? Next, SCOTUS will decide the constitutionality of the right of cities to ban homeless encampments. Aside from the legal questions, is allowing homeless camps advisable in regard to public health and safety? How should we approach the issue of homelessness? And finally, President Joe Biden spoke in the pulpit of South Carolina’s Mother Emanuel AME Church in what was widely regarded as a campaign speech. How should we think about politics from the pulpit?

Subscribe to our podcasts 

The Hong Konger: Jimmy Lai’s Extraordinary Struggle for Freedom

The Misleading SAT Debate | David Leonhardt, New York Times

Supreme Court to Decide If Homeless-Camping Bans Violate Constitution | National Review

NYC HS principal lashes out at parents who bashed decision to force students to go remote as migrants sheltered at school | New York Post

The Great Unlearning | Acton Line

Biden condemns white supremacy in a campaign speech at a church where Black people were killed | Associated Press

Up next
Sep 3
Subscribe to Acton Line!
Subscribe to our podcasts Watch Acton Line here Acton On-Demand 
1m 15s
Nov 2024
The 2024 United States Presidential Election
This week, host Dan Hugger is joined by John Pinheiro, Anthony Bradley, and Dylan Pahman to discuss the results of the 2024 U.S. elections. What do the results say about American society, its politics, its parties, and its future? A wide-ranging conversation from pre-election pol ... Show More
1h 7m
Sep 2024
How to Do Politics in Church
This week, host Dan Hugger is joined by Dylan Pahman and Anthony Bradley to ask, what should politics look like in church? A highly polarizing election season is upon us and debates about church involvement in politics and how difficult political questions are discussed in church ... Show More
1h 8m
Recommended Episodes
Apr 2024
Trump’s criminal trial takes center stage
The embattled leadership of the Republican Party came together in a show of solidarity this week. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump was joined by House Speaker Mike Johnson for a press conference at Trump’s Mar-A-Lago compound. Trump backed the speaker in the face of ... Show More
50m 30s
Sep 2022
Trump Charges, Racist Laws, Gay Rights vs Religion
<p>Bloomberg News Reporter Chris Strohm discusses why we’re not likely to see any charges against former President Donald Trump until after the mid-term elections. </p> <p>Bloomberg Law Legal Reporter Holly Barker joins to talk about when old, racists laws can be wiped off the bo ... Show More
32m 27s
Apr 2024
The Supreme Court Takes Up Homelessness
<p>Debates over homeless encampments in the United States have intensified as their number has surged. To tackle the problem, some cities have enforced bans on public camping.</p><p>As the Supreme Court prepares to hear arguments about whether such actions are legal, Abbie VanSic ... Show More
29m 46s
Aug 2021
Ask Me Anything #17
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In this episode of the podcast, Sam takes your questions. He begins by addressing the blowback that followed his previous podcast on "vaccine hesitancy" with Eric Topol. And then he answers the following questions:</span></p> <p><span style="fon ... Show More
24m 16s
Mar 2018
Culkin Missed Out, Facebook Fraud? & Wayne's World - 3/20/18
Hour 1: Another school shooting in Maryland leaves one dead – but it was the shooter himself …Hogg and Kasky change their tune, say vast media coverage is due to their school’s “white privilege” …The student gun control advocates extend a half-hearted olive branch to Kyle Kashuv ... Show More
2h 25m