In one of his sermons, St. Bernardine of Siena told a story of St. Francis’s encounter with a demon. The demon asked Francis what was the worst sin in the world. Francis replied that murder was the worst. However, the demon said the one sin worse than murder was theft. “It is this sin, which… Keep Reading
In 1965, after visiting poverty-stricken Chicago, Illinois, Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Nothing is so much needed as a secure family life for a people to pull themselves out of poverty.” Last week, Liam McGurl wrote a passionate response to an article I had written about Black Lives Matter. Among his many arguments, he insinuated… Keep Reading
The Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement has a severe image problem. Between riots in Ferguson, Missouri, Baltimore and most recently Milwaukee, Wisconsin, violence dominates the image of BLM. Some may argue that BLM is a virtuous movement and that those truly responsible for its bad reputation are a small minority of radical supporters. Yet the… Keep Reading
I was at dinner the other day when my friend told me something his father use to say. “If someone tells you that he is a Republican and Catholic, you know one of those statements is a lie.” As a registered Independent, I can’t say I was greatly offended. However, this insinuation that Catholics can’t… Keep Reading
During last week’s 12th Republican debate, Ohio Governor John Kasich did the extraordinary by confessing the ordinary. “I do believe we contribute to climate change.” Now for someone who has gone through middle school science, this might not seem like much of a story. “Presidential candidate professes belief in science,” said no news headline ever.… Keep Reading
“The police are damn thugs.” That is, according to a recent episode of ABC’s family sitcom, “Blackish.” The episode focuses on the Johnson family watching a fictional court case unfold on CNN which involved police brutality and an unarmed black teenager. When a grand jury decides not to indict the police officers involved, “violent” protests,… Keep Reading
Political disputes are never pretty, but in South Dakota a new controversial beast is rearing its ugly head. Last week, a bill was passed through the state Senate which requires students in public schools (K-12) to use the restrooms and locker rooms which correspond to the sex that they were assigned at birth. The bill… Keep Reading
I often wonder, as an economic conservative, if Donald Trump can even understand the words coming out of his mouth. Trump has been known for saying things without thinking. In fact it has become a key strategy in his presidential campaign. During last week’s GOP debate, Trump defended his plan for a 35 percent tariff… Keep Reading
Recently there has been some fuss over in Hollywood about the diversity, or lack thereof, in the Academy Awards. This is the second year in a row that all 20 actors and actresses who were nominated for lead and supporting roles have been white. This has sparked great controversy within the black community, causing trends… Keep Reading
There’s an old proverb that says “the road to hell is paved with good intentions.” The policies recommended by the Democratic presidential candidates during Monday’s town hall forum were very much like this proverb; well-intended but disastrous in practice. Although, I’m not even sure they were well-intended in the first place. Democrats like Sanders and… Keep Reading