Politics and Public Life
Postcolonial theory is something most Americans haven’t heard of. It is almost never mentioned by activists or media personalities. Yet, for decades it has shaped the thinking of America’s cultural elite and today pervades the thinking of everyday Americans. It plays a vital role in today’s politics. Here is what everyone should know about postcolonialism [ Read More ]
During the past several decades, the American political scene has morphed so significantly that the politics of the mid-twentieth century are now unrecognizable. One of the reasons for the shift in political thinking—and the subsequent unrest and polarization we now see—is a shift in the way people think about truth and morality. We can call [ Read More ]
One June 17, 1972, five perpetrators broke into the Democratic National headquarters in Washington, DC. Eventually, investigators discovered that then-President Nixon had approved plans to cover up his administration’s involvement in the break-in. In the end, 69 people were indicted and 48 persons convicted for clandestine and illegal activities on behalf of the Nixon administration [ Read More ]
Americans have long debated gun rights and gun control, but the discussion seems to have taken on a renewed intensity over the past couple of years. The debate is complex and multi-faceted. It has legal, ethical, and pragmatic dimensions; there is no consensus on any of the dimensions, and a person’s stance on the issue [ Read More ]
Over the past few decades, American politics has become something like the combination of a war, a carnival, and a Hollywood movie. It has been reduced to little more than theatrics and partisan combat. Because of this, many Americans have a negative view of the political sphere even as they participate in it through party [ Read More ]
It was my privilege to live in Russia from 1998-2000, where I met Vladimir Putin and spoke with him briefly. He was campaigning for President. I knew my Russian friends were excited out of their minds about his candidacy, but I didn’t pay much attention to the encounter; I figured I’d just met a relatively [ Read More ]
Although political discourse often frames Roe v. Wade in terms of women’s reproductive rights, the famous 1973 ruling has nothing to do with women’s rights. Pro-choice intellectuals and activists use any one of three scientifically-implausible arguments to support their view that Roe v. Wade protects women. Each argument involves an errant perspective on the unborn [ Read More ]
Because of Roe v. Wade, the gains of the civil rights movement were undone in an instant. A few Ivy League lawyers decided that an entire class of human beings—unborn beings—would be denied justice and equality. Those unborn beings now have far fewer rights than many species of birds, and the body count of Roe-enabled [ Read More ]
What hath Christian progressivism to do with Christian conservatism? Little to nothing, the authors of a new study argue. In One Faith No Longer: The Transformation of Christianity in Red and Blue America, sociologists George Yancey and Ashlee Quosigk contend that the differences between these two groups are so significant that it is time to regard [ Read More ]
As a political opinion writer and speechwriter, I am generally amused by many of the critical comments people leave on my website or my Fox News Opinion pieces; sometimes I am amused because the comments are insults, other times because they are patently inane. Yet, other times, the critical comments should be taken seriously because [ Read More ]