Justice - Compelled to Move Forward

January 28, 2022January 28, 2022

What Patriotism Means To Me

While most of us have strong feelings about patriotism, its exact meaning seems nebulous and elusive. Perhaps that is why many of us practice patriotism so differently. Some exercise what may be the pinnacle of patriotism by enlisting in our military and putting themselves in harm’s way to defend our country. For most of us though, simply standing respectfully at the playing of our national anthem is our clearest expression of patriotism. Given the growing speed and strength of rebuke toward anyone who doesn’t conform to traditional patriotic practices and the way a number of politicians have used less traditional ways of practicing patriotism to advance their own political ambitions, perhaps it would be of some value to take a step back to reflect on the meaning of patriotism.

October 24, 2021December 11, 2021

DUPLICITY AND ITS DESTRUCTIVE CONSEQUENCES

While visiting Yale with my son 15 years ago, our tour guide said something that has challenged me since. Near the end of the tour, I inquired about on-campus church services. Our tour guide half-jokingly replied, “Oh yea, if you’re one of those hate-mongering Christians, we have several church services here on campus”. While our tour guide tried to take back his words, churning inside my brain was the question: “How could such an extraordinarily intelligent, perceptive and otherwise gracious young man, call Christians “hate-mongering”? “Hate-mongering!” It didn’t take more than a moment to recall news a few days earlier of Christians protesting outside the funeral of a fallen soldier returned from the war in Iraq. Against the backdrop of a grieving family was a small group of protesters, oblivious not only to their own callousness, but the far-reaching consequences of their hypocrisy. Hypocrisy and its consequences have always been with us, but far more troubling lately is the scope of disinformation and duplicity spewing from the mouths of political “leaders”. Few things are more dangerous and destructive than lies masquerading as truth, and the wholesaling of incongruent beliefs by shrewd and powerful people.

June 1, 2021August 26, 2021

RECONSTRUCTING CAPITALISM IN AMERICA

Given that income and wealth inequality in America has reached record highs, only 52% of Americans view capitalism positively, and the fact that the Federal Reserve had to rescue us from economic collapse twice in just the last 13 years, I submit that capitalism in America has morphed into a system that no longer serves us well and must be restructured. While America’s brand of capitalism has enabled our growth into an economic and technological behemoth, it has also left us far from the egalitarian society our founding fathers wished for us and encouraged an accumulation of debt and a concentration of business that have left us far from secure. Given our current relative stability, we are ripe, right now, to begin restructuring in ways that enhance freedom, build dignity, advance competitiveness and improve the stability of our economy.

March 5, 2021April 29, 2021

WHERE DO CONSERVATIVES GO FROM HERE?

Given the disaster of the last four years and an unfolding fratricide within the Republican Party, many fellow conservatives are probably wondering: Where do we go from here? The conduct of Trump and his enablers have produced incalculable damage to America and every aspect of American life, and pervasive political loses. While we have time before the next election cycle, daily we have a choice of what to believe and whom to support. These choices are not just political questions but reflect deeper questions of our moral identity and who we want to be.

January 23, 2021April 28, 2021

ELEVATING EDUCATION TO A STRATEGIC PRIORITY

Given the turmoil of the last few years, including near record income and wealth inequality, and all the derivative effects, if we truly want to build a more just, egalitarian America, we need to elevate public education to a strategic priority and resource it appropriately. With public school funding still highly imbalanced, and unemployment, under-employment, and poverty still running high, three specific areas of focus are recommended for all levels of government: further increase our focus and funding of primary grade reading programs, further increase the promotion and availability of skilled trades training programs, and reduce interest rates on all federal and state college loans.

December 2, 2020July 12, 2021

ALWAYS BUILD DIGNITY

Early in my career, a mentor provided me with a piece of wise counsel: “Always build dignity”. Over the last 40 years, those words have challenged me often. Given the ease with which we can spout critical words, particularly within the tattered fabric of our country, perhaps those three little words, can provide a meaningful balm to what ails us. A conscious effort to building dignity, I submit, is a most worthy goal in both our personal lives and as well in the governance of our country.

November 30, 2020December 30, 2020

MACHIAVELLIAN TO THE CORE

In 1513 Niccolo Machiavelli wrote a short book titled The Prince. In it he counsels a young prince who unexpectedly ascends to the throne on how to handle himself and the affairs of state. The essence of Machiavelli’s counsel is do whatever you must to accumulate power, stay in power, and no matter how dastardly your plans and deeds, always try to look virtuous. Tragically, a wealth of evidence suggests that President Trump has been Machiavellian to the core. He has masterfully employed deception, manipulation and deceit to appear virtuous and have the best interest of the American people at heart, while acting in his own self-interest.

November 25, 2020July 12, 2021

TO WHAT SHALL I LIKEN THE KINGDOM OF GOD

Sometimes it seems helpful to codify what we really believe about God. While God’s Word provides us with numerous descriptions of His Kingdom, over the years I’ve found it helpful to define what I believe in the form of images that come to mind as I reflect on my experience, what I’ve truly taken to heart, and live within. So, for whatever its worth, for whatever you may glean from it, below is a set of five images or stories that answer: To what shall I liken the Kingdom of God? Who is this God? How do I relate to Him? What is the paradigm within which my life is couched?

October 11, 2020October 11, 2020

TAKING A BROAD PROLIFE PERSPECTIVE WITH US TO THE POLLS

For those of us who want to significantly reduce abortions and find the conduct of many traditionally ProLife candidates antithetical to our Biblical values, let me suggest a way forward out of the voting conundrum we now face. As a conservative and a Republican for over 40 years, I submit that being ProLife means not only protecting unborn children but protecting and building up the lives of those already born. If we believe in this broader definition of being ProLife, our concern for protecting life should extend beyond reducing abortions, to enabling healthy and fruitful lives for all children. Valuing the life of innocent children should therefore include supporting policies that provide all children with healthcare, a quality education, protection from harmful pollutants, keeping them with their parents, reducing racial tensions, and keeping them out poverty.

August 23, 2020August 23, 2020

A PROLIFE VOTING ALTERNATIVE

For those of us who are ProLife and find some candidates who purport to be “ProLife” but behave in ways contrary to our Biblical values, let me suggest a way out of the voting conundrum we now face. As a conservative and a Republican for over 40 years, instead of voting for an incumbent whose conduct we find appalling, let me suggest we withhold supporting them and focus on living out our faith by providing additional support to programs that have been successful at reducing unwanted pregnancies and abortions.