The Supreme Court of the United States has handed down a 6-3 ruling upholding an Indiana law requiring individuals to show a photo ID in order to vote. Those challenging the law have argued that it is to burdensome on the poor, minorities, and the elderly, who are less likely to have driver’s licenses or […]
In watching some of the material on Dr. Jeremiah Wright today, I’m reminded of the potential problem of tolerance–getting it above its proper rank as a value. I have been confronted numerous times in face to face discussions with the statement that I cannot be truly tolerant, because to be tolerant, I must tolerate […]
Unfortunately, over the last several years, Christians have allowed ourselves to simply become another “voting block” within the Democratic or Republican parties. We have allowed partisan politics to divide the Church into Red (conservative Republican) Christians and Blue (progressive Democratic) Christians, with each condemning and mistrusting the other. Sadly, many Christians have allowed their political […]
For those who follow Star Trek, the words “Kobayashi Maru” have a special significance. For those that don’t know, this is the name of a ship in a Star Fleet Academy exercise. It is an exercise to determine how potential Star Fleet officers will respond to situations; in this case, a situation that is a […]
It has always annoyed me that we, as a country, do not know our neighbor’s languages. I am horrible with languages, yes even English. I was in Germany in 2003 and I was talking with some college students in Cologne. They are taught has children four or five different languages, German, English, […]
I cannot help but to wonder exactly what the real issue is behind the legal raid at the FLDS compound in west Texas that has led to the removal of over 400 children who will presumably be placed in foster care pending a thorough investigation of what was really happening inside this enclosed community of […]
As a follow up to this post, you might check out "Clueless in America", Bob Herbert Op-Ed piece in the April 22, 2008 issue of The New York Times.
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If someone were to ask me what my favorite television shows were, I would have to list “The Rogues” and “Banacek”. But number one on this list […]
If you are a regular reader of my blog, you know that I have a concern for education and the direction it is headed.
There is a thread or discussion going on the Chemistry Education Discussion List (or CHEM-ED list for short) about the nature of education today. It started with some questions about when classes […]
I saw two stories on the same day that I can’t help but relate:
The first: “The U.S. Supreme Court this week hears arguments about whether the death penalty can be imposed for child rape…”
The second: “A 49-year-old man who spent nearly 23 years in prison for a rape he did not commit has been set […]
When I read about the abrupt raid on the the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints’ ranch compound in Angelo, Texas, the barbaric burning raid of the David Koresh Waco compound came immediately to my mind. The burning of women and children. Sounds strong I know, and I guess it is meant […]
Before anyone votes for a presidential candidate in 2008 they must first read the book Where Does The Money Go? Your Guided Tour To The Federal Budget Crisis by Scott Bittle & Jean Johnson of the Public Agenda.
With all the tantalizing sound-bite spending and new program promises being thrown around like red meat to hungry […]
Over the weekend there was a "Compassion Forum" held at Messiah College in Grantham, PA. Both Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton were there to address people of faith in Pennsylvania before the upcoming April 22 primary in that state.
The forum covered several topics including abortion.
Clinton was asked whether life begins at conception — which […]
President Bush is envious of those fighting in the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. At least that is according to the quote by Reuters in the President’s videoconference to those serving in Afghanistan on March 13th. Our President’s said, “I must say, I’m a little envious. If I were slightly younger and not […]
I like to think of myself as a patriot, but then there are times when I shy away from the term because of some things that are done in the name of patriotism. I served my country in uniform, even while disagreeing with many of the policies of my government. Despite any disagreements, […]
I am traveling through Turkey for the next several months, and I have not had internet access for the last few weeks so I have not been able to post. As I travel and interact with the Turkish people, I am attempting to do a lot of listening about their lives, and especially about their […]
Voters often feel that they have to choose between their economic interests and moral or social concerns. Some politicians assume that people will choose their economic interests unless they feel that cause is hopeless.
I don’t think that’s true. Moreover, I don’t think that would be appropriate.
Ask yourself which of these worlds you’d like to pass […]
As we slog our way through the final months of primary elections and prepare for the upcoming conventions and then endure the fall campaign and everything that it promises to be and not be, I wonder if we haven’t seen or are now seeing the end of our two major political parties.
To be honest, […]
At the end of every fiscal quarter when the oil companies publish their profits, there is a firestorm of talking heads, politicians, and others who bemoan the greedy ways of corporate America as exemplified by the big oil companies. It is certainly simplistic to lay the rising cost of gasoline solely at the feet of […]
Chuck Colson, the founder of Prison Fellowship and Mark Earley, it’s current president outline, in a four part Break Point commentary series, a crisis that we are seeing in our criminal justice system and what the Church can do about it.
Colson paints a picture of the crisis that we now face:
Most systems are operating […]
It was not so long ago when President Bush decided to spend some of his “political capital” getting the Congress to engage in a conversation with him about how to shore up Social Security. Today, however, there are upwardly spiraling fuel prices putting the squeeze on transportation, there is a home mortgage crisis about […]
To capitalize on the growing market for biofuels, farmers are transforming their crops to cash in. In Time Magazine’s article about this transformation, found here, they ask some pertinent questions. Not only are farmers in our own country doing this but so are many others around the world. In Brazil the rainforest […]
Yes, the title comes from the Pete Seeger song of the same name, but it is not necessarily an anti-war piece. War is fought in ignorance and misunderstanding; leaders use the ignorance of the people to justify their actions. Sometimes it is a long held ignorance; other times, it is an ignorance that comes through […]
I watched Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and John McCain question General David Petraeus yesterday, who testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Capitol Hill.
Now I realize that I could be reading too much into it, but the tone and demeanor of Hillary Clinton in contrast to Barack Obama was, I thought, quite revealing.
Video of […]
On this day, April 4th, 1968, the world changed. Some would have us say that the world is a better place; others will say that it is not. For a while in my life, I thought the promise of the world was going to be fulfilled. But this singular day in my […]
The Arkansas General Assembly convenes every two years in odd numbered years for the legislative sessions. To be fair to the Legislature, it must certainly be a challenge to set spending priorities based on existing forecasts for the proceeding two years. And because so much work has to be crammed into a relatively […]
John McCain is in the midst of his Service to America Tour. There is no doubt that McCain is an American hero in the truest definition of the term. With his service in Vietnam and subsequent imprisonment for five years, and then his public service in government, only the most cynical partisans would take issue […]
I have been watching the debates about the Michigan and Florida votes with some interest, not because the issue is of great importance to me personally (I’m registered independent in a closed primary state), but because so many people are unwilling to take responsibility for their part of the action.
Here are a few responsible parties:
The […]
IMPORTANT UPDATE!!!! -
Wal-Mart has announced that it is withdrawing it’s suit against the family that they sued (from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch - link).
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The phrase "do no harm" does not appear to be in the Hippocratic Oath, though it does appear in Hippocrates writings. Hippocrates wrote that a physician, when treating a patient, must […]
Apparently it has been reported by the politico.com that Pat Robertson and Al Sharpton will appear in TV commercial together as part of former Vice President Al Gore’s $300 million campaign to bring awareness to the issue of climate change. In the ad, which is set to appear tomorrow, Robertson and Sharpton say that although […]
The Congress has once again summoned the chiefs of some of the world’s largest and profitable energy companies, demanding to know why energy prices – especially oil – are so high and show signs of continuing to rise even higher. While I am as frustrated as the next consumer, perhaps even more so because […]
The Iowa General Assembly has been controlled by Democrats since January 2007. They have pushed through a number of horrible bills from changing our Civil Rights Code to funding ESCR. They are also seeking to mandate school curriculum in Iowa. Not just for public schools, which they do have the right to do since they […]
