News & Articles
O Canada
Donald Trump could have avoided a lot of frustration and embarrassment if he had asked me about Canadians. In the early to mid-seventies, while pursuing doctoral studies in Scotland, I knew a number of Canadians who were also studying there. In fact, my wife and I shared living accommodations with one Canadian couple, and I…
The Lives We Live
As I have aged, my view of obituaries has changed. When I was younger, I usually ignored obituaries. Many young people find death a morbid preoccupation unless circumstances force them to pay attention. Given that most obituaries pertain to older people, perhaps ignoring death when a person is young makes a kind of sense. I…
Curiosity is a Two Way Street
Last week while channel-surfing, I stumbled upon a short documentary about the Amish. Many people would likely ignore the program, but I have always been curious about all things religious. This wasn’t the first program I’ve watched about the Amish, but this one’s title, “The Amish Dilemma,” grabbed my attention. A distinctive element of this…
Learning From the Romans
Roman generals and emperors offer important lessons about the dangers of authoritarian rule. In an attempt to always appear strong, or even to be a god, Roman rulers surrounded themselves with weak advisors and servants. These fawning flatterers are best called sycophants or toadies. To help my students understand what these words mean, I encouraged…
Remembering Malcolm
Last week, I received an invitation to participate in a panel discussion that I immediately accepted. The panel discussion will take place on May 17th, the hundredth anniversary of Malcolm X’s birth. The topic will be the influence that Malcolm has on America and on our personal lives. I won’t be offended if you’re questioning…
On the Streets Where We Live
One of my favorite surprises in life is when someone invites me to see something I’ve taken for granted or not thought much about. This happened recently when I was reading a collection of short essays written by a monk, Jeremy Driscoll. Father Jeremy’s essay pointed me to something right in front of my eyes,…