Many authors have compared a living being with a machine to show the contrast between an organic society and an individualistic or mechanistic society. Indeed, compare the two. A living being grows and develops at its own speed according to its own inner dynamism and force that comes from the life of each cell. A … Read more
A review of Catholicism and the Shaping of Nineteenth Century America by John Gjerde, edited by S. Deborah Kang, Cambridge University Press, New York, 2012. Part of the fascination of history is its ability to explain why things are the way they are. History goes beneath the surface of events and manages to unearth all … Read more
Education and religion are often seen to be incompatible. There is an underlying notion inside the liberal education establishment that religious belief is backwards and contrary to enlightenment. Schools have long been viewed as gateways to a glorious secular and technological future, free of religious superstition. After all, the purpose of education is to make … Read more
Dear young friend, I have watched your protests against gun violence and could not help but recall my own youth. As a child of the Sixties, I was born of a generation that also had protests. I recall my desires to change the world and make it a better place by challenging everything. I remember … Read more
Sometimes there is no explanation for some actions. It can’t be a question of ignorance. It can’t be a mistake in judgment. It’s plain wrong, and the person does it anyway. Such is the case of Prof. Tat-Siong Benny Liew. He is chair of New Testament Studies at the Jesuit-run College of the Holy Cross … Read more
It is paradoxical that super-progressive California would have recourse to a concept of medieval law to support its revolt against federal immigration law enforcement. It is even more bizarre that the super-secular Golden State would consider itself a kind of Church with authority higher than that of the government and declare itself a holy and … Read more
A colleague told me of an intriguing incident at a conference of accountants that were studying recent changes in tax regulations. One speaker gave a talk on recruiting new staff and how to deal with turnover. An attendee then asked a question remarking that from the context of her presentation, it seemed companies were facing … Read more
It is official; the national debt has now exceeded $21 trillion. The tragic news comes just six months after it hit $20 trillion last September 8. This problem is obviously not going away. By voting to suspend the debt ceiling, Congress has allowed the government to borrow as much as it needs until March 1, 2019. Based … Read more
In the marches, walkouts and debates over gun violence, young people claim to be victims. Some even say they are the only valid, even prophetic voice speaking out. However, one question goes unanswered: Why are young people killing other young people? There is so much talk about the responsibility of bad politicians, National Rifle Association … Read more
This article was originally published in 2012 to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the destruction of the Dong Ha Bridge to honor Colonel John Ripley, the man at the center of the story. Norman Fulkerson, author of An American Knight, reflects on what made Ripley such a larger-than-life figure — and why we should emulate … Read more
