I spent the summer of 1993 in Syria as a Malcolm Kerr Scholar with the National Council on U.S.-Arab relations. My time there was spent learning about the Syrian people, their government and the many reasons I was glad to live in a free republic and not under the cruel Assad regime. It did not … Continue reading We must speak, and act, before it is too late
Declaring independence from mythological America
On July 2, 1776, the Continental Congress declared independence from Britain. Two days later, they approved the draft we know as the Declaration of Independence. The document was first presented to the public on July 8, and it wasn’t until Aug. 2 that most of the signatories put their names to the document. We lump … Continue reading Declaring independence from mythological America
The great honor of being a threat to this president
For journalists, angry calls, thinly veiled threats, even outright threats, are a perverse kind of compliment. It’s not that we want to receive vitriolic, often drunken, screeds or threats. And, FYI — threatening people is illegal. But, when someone is opposed enough to the free expression of a free press to get hammered and leave … Continue reading The great honor of being a threat to this president
Black Lives Matter and the Power of Mary’s Song
I had the opportunity to attend a beautiful and inspiring Black Lives Matter rally at Government Springs Park in Enid, Okla., on Saturday, with my wife Tammy. We have attended several of these events in recent weeks -- a youth march, an NAACP-sponsored march and rally, and a grassroots protest at city hall. All of … Continue reading Black Lives Matter and the Power of Mary’s Song
It’s time to realize the promises of Juneteenth
Juneteenth is a day of celebration, and should be for all Americans. But, for white Americans, Juneteenth also should be a day of penitence, of commitment to change, and of reaching out in empathy and love to those who have been marginalized and oppressed to enable our privilege. Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery, and … Continue reading It’s time to realize the promises of Juneteenth
Listen to the voices of pain, anger and grief — Or, continue to be part of the problem
Last weekend, we all had the opportunity to attend two protests for racial equality and social justice in Enid, America. I attended both, with the understanding I would not cover either for the news section to maintain separation between news coverage and opinion writing. On Saturday, the Enid chapter of the NAACP hosted a march … Continue reading Listen to the voices of pain, anger and grief — Or, continue to be part of the problem
If we want peace, we must listen to the peaceful cries of the oppressed
When violence boils over as the inevitable response to systemic racism and injustice, white Americans rush to dust off quotes and images of Martin Luther King Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi. “Look at King and Gandhi!” cries white America. “They were nonviolent and they changed the world!” There is some truth in that — but only … Continue reading If we want peace, we must listen to the peaceful cries of the oppressed
Riots are the evil fruit of America’s systemic racism
There are prayers we pray and forget, the words falling from our memory faster than incense can rise and dissipate. And then, there are the prayers that stick with us for a lifetime. Sometimes these prayers stick with us because they are connected to trauma, loss or grief. And sometimes prayers stick with us because … Continue reading Riots are the evil fruit of America’s systemic racism
We must protect faith from the state, not by it
New Haven Colony Puritans hang a man for "crimes against the faith." As the presidential race prepares to jump into high gear, and as influential segments of American Christianity seek to ingratiate themselves with and guide — you could say manipulate — our civil government, it is worth pausing to consider the history of intermingling … Continue reading We must protect faith from the state, not by it
The Wisdom of Grandmom’s Dinner Table
When I was a boy, one of my favorite destinations was my Grandmom Parker’s house in southern New Jersey. You could never step foot into Grandmom’s house without being asked: “Would you like something to eat?” At that point the answer was superfluous, and the question of whether or not you were hungry was not … Continue reading The Wisdom of Grandmom’s Dinner Table
