Recent events in the United States of America have prompted a great deal of reflection upon the whole notion of being united. Merriam-Webster defines united as "made one: COMBINED; relating to or produced by joint action; being in agreement: HARMONIOUS.” One ancient spiritual text teaches that a house divided against itself cannot stand. Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “Pit race … [Read more...] about No Longer United: The Slow Descent of the United States of America
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From Republican Fanboy to Blue Dog Democrat: The Reasons I Left the GOP
My father's parents were Yellow Dog Democrats in Texas. As the decades went on, however, dad increasingly couldn't make sense of this. He believed they remained obstinately loyal to the party despite seismic shifts in its political beliefs. Each time I heard this come up dad used the same anecdote about how JFK would've been a Republican in subsequent decades with his economic … [Read more...] about From Republican Fanboy to Blue Dog Democrat: The Reasons I Left the GOP
The COVID-19 Pandemic as an Unexpected Return to a Healthy Normalcy
Many Americans are feeling cooped up by four months of COVID-19 pandemic. As someone who has been strictly quarantined since mid-March, I get it. Much digital ink has been spilled on social media about how folks miss eating out, going dancing, seeing new movies, and watching live sports. Personally, I love watching pro sports, and eagerly look forward to the NBA's return in 11 … [Read more...] about The COVID-19 Pandemic as an Unexpected Return to a Healthy Normalcy
The Exorbitant Cost of War: A Son’s Reflection on His Father’s Passing
I got that phone call no one ever wants; yet, I had been expecting it for a while. The police found my father dead in his home when they stopped by for a wellness check requested by his neighbor. He had passed of a stroke on the couch and it was at least two weeks before they found him. I hadn't talked with or seen him for about eight years. Dad suffered from clinical … [Read more...] about The Exorbitant Cost of War: A Son’s Reflection on His Father’s Passing
Jesse Ventura & the Problem of Third Parties in American Political Life
Why don’t I support third party candidates? The short answer is because my home state elected a professional wrestler as its governor with little more than one in three Minnesotans voting for him. The long answer is that all throughout American history third parties have served to split the vote and harm the very causes they seek to promote. This happened in 1912 when … [Read more...] about Jesse Ventura & the Problem of Third Parties in American Political Life
