Intellectually Entertaining. Socially Relevant.
Certain concepts are so ingrained in the American character that we rarely question them. Among them is the idea that we’re tops in everything. We’re “the greatest country in the world.” But the truth is that, in many ways, we’re far from the greatest. When it comes to education, for example, we’re average at best. Read More
So I recently watched the horror-comedy Attack the Block, a British movie about an alien invasion of the inner-city projects. Yes, it’s as preposterous as it sounds, and while far from brilliant, it’s a fun ninety minutes. However, I made a classic internet mistake after I saw the movie: I read other people’s comments on Read More
Two recent polls caught my attention. The first was taken at the height of Tebow-mania, when many otherwise rational adults believed that a mediocre quarterback could actually win the Super Bowl. According to the survey, 43 percent of Americans “believed divine intervention was at least partly responsible” for Tim Tebow’s success. But most shocking was Read More
The New York Times recently reported on a small rural townwhere longtime residents complain about “young Mexican men working construction and driving down wages, the children of laborers flooding crowded schools…and strip clubs springing up on roads that used to be dark and quiet.” Is the town in Wisconsin, Kansas, Alabama, or even (shudder) Arizona? Read More
As we all know, there are few absolutes in life. Yes, water freezes at thirty-two degrees, inertia affects all objects in motion, and the Chicago Cubs will find a way to lose. But most other things are open to exceptions and nuance. However, let’s add another axiom to that short list of truisms – there Read More
Iraq isn’t our problem anymore. Who cares. Good riddance. —Internet commentator USA! USA! USA! —The same guy, nine years ago. Future generations will never confuse it with VJ Day. This time, there were no jubilant crowds in Times Square or iconic photographs of sailors kissing nurses or a cross-continental outpouring of relief and exuberance. Instead, Read More
Recently, I wrote about affirmative action and its (presumably short) future. As I stated, one can object to the program without being racist. There are legitimate questions about constitutionality, legal principles, and unintended consequences. However, one argument irks many ethnic minorities. That is whenever a white conservative insists that his opposition to affirmative action is Read More
If anyone kills a person, the murderer shall be put to death. The Bible — Numbers 35:30 The dignity of human life must never be taken away, even in the case of someone who has done great evil. – Pope John Paul II Each of us has, to some degree, an unhealthy capacity for revenge. Read More
Twenty years ago, I had my only direct experience with racial set-asides. I won a hundred dollars in an essay contest for Latino teens. Of course, kids of any race could enter, but it was clearly aimed at Latinos. I can’t recall ever being part of another social program that was, whether stated or implied, Read More