There’s been a diverting conversation over at NRO about the influence of Nietzsche on modern conservatives. Pejman fingers Richard Posner as a Nietzschean. There’s not much doubt that Allan Bloom was, as well. (I’ve often marveled at all those true-believers who read the thoroughly atheist “The Closing of the American Mind,” and didn’t notice a thing.) But if you include the category “influenced by Nietzsche” the answer has to be anyone worth reading. Nietzsche’s central role in our understanding of modernity means that no serious thumb-sucker, conservative, liberal or label-free, can fail to be influenced by him. A more interesting issue in the current moment, of course, is who among leading conservatives are atheists. Leo Strauss was, with a big dose of skepticism. Which is why, of course, when you think of the fact that Paul Wolfowitz owes his power to creationist voters, you can’t help but crack a smile. But who else is an atheist among the conservative punditariat? Or are they all keeping their heads down? Any atheists at National Review or the Weekly Standard? Just asking.
GONZALES AND TORTURE: The new revelations from the Red Cross about Guantanamo certainly add to the questions that need to be posed to Alberto Gonzales in his Senate confirmation hearings. If you want to pile on by emailing your senators, here’s a handy site from “End Torture Now.” If we are going to have an attorney general who devised new legal ways to abuse prisoners and besmirch the reputation of the United States, he should at least be grilled about it first.
FABRICATED DISSENT: An anti-Bush clothing company apologizes to the French.
The Dish 