They say all politics is local, but this is easy to forget amidst the incessant frenzy of a 24-hour news cycle that tends to focus exclusively on national politics. For many people, particularly those residing in sprawling suburban bedroom communities or bustling urban centers, it is easy to overlook the local in favor of the […]
“We fear a civil war. If the various different opposing internal parties do not succeed in finding an agreement, then we must expect the worst. Another war would mean the end, especially for us Christians.” This was the message from Chaldean Auxiliary Bishop Saad Syroub of Baghdad, speaking to Catholic charity Aid to the Church […]
Long, long ago, when Anne’s parents were in college (sorry, mom and dad), demographers made an observation: they saw that for most of human history, even though couples were having far more than two children, mortality was also very high. The result was that populations either stayed the same or grew very slowly. Then, with […]
[Editor’s note: we know that there are very strong opinions on the other side and we are willing to publish the contrary view] Diversionary foreign policy, and/or wars intended for diversion, are old tactics instigated by governments to distract people from domestic problems. Recent Western policy in promoting the overthrow of the elected Ukrainian President, […]
There’s a conflict between non-discrimination laws and religious freedom. Where religious freedom exists to limit government’s intrusion into matters of conscience, non-discrimination laws invite government into private dealings and empower them to force people to do things they otherwise would be unwilling to do in the name of ending discrimination. As non-discrimination laws become stronger, religious freedom becomes […]
Many people, when they hear talk of the growing “war on Christianity,” roll their eyes and dismiss the charges as mere political hyperbole designed to fire up the values voters come election time. While it’s true that one’s Christian identity is currently not grounds for explicit political or legal persecution, there is a subtler process […]
To recommend any book, I should at least be able to say to you that it is a pleasure to read. This book is a pleasure indeed! But saying the least is not my problem with reviewing Chesterton’s America: A Distributist History of the United States. My problem is having the space to say all […]
New possibilities opened up for plaintiff lawyers last week when a U.N. committee told the Vatican that clergy sex abuse is torture. Whether an instance of clergy sex abuse is torture “is a factual determination to be made on a case by case basis,” said a member of the U.N. committee against torture on Friday. […]
In a powerful profile of his son Jamie, a young man with Down syndrome, Michael Be?rube? explores some of the key challenges that those with disabilities face when trying to enter the workforce: The first time I talked to Jamie about getting a job, he was only 13. But I thought it was a good idea to […]
During hearings that one participant described as “surreal,” United Nations representatives this week suggested that the Catholic Church’s opposition to abortion in the case of rape and incest constitute a violation of the UN Charter Against Torture. The Vatican was called before a two-day hearing in Geneva so a UN committee could question whether its […]
American education is in trouble—that much seems to be a given. Our public schools and colleges are getting poor results, our young people are drowning in debt, new graduates can’t find jobs, and our overall rankings in the world are pretty dismal. We are greatly in need of a transformation, but we need to think […]
American political debates can focus on any number of things, from abortion to religious freedom to foreign policy. On some issues there are great differences between the parties, and on others there seems to be a broad consensus, at least among the political class if not the American electorate. Few policy areas have attracted amore […]
Several years ago, in 2007, I wrote an account of my visit to Shanghai which focused, primarily, on the city’s and China’s astounding economic boom, then achieving 11 percent growth in GDP for the third straight quarter. This torrid pace has throttled back a bit to 7.4 percent. I noted that, with the economic growth, “A lot of pollution […]
I’ve noticed a curious tic in my circle of friends. We’ve known each other for years, we share the faith, a worldview, and a trail of conversations on almost every subject, and yet, there are moments where we stop mid-sentence to adjust our words, the delivery, or the approach to a topic that is currently […]
Ring. Ring. “Hello, this is Tom.” “We know who you are, Tom. In the digital age, you will be shocked by what we know about you.” “Who is this? The National Security Agency? I thought President Obama issued orders to rein you in!” “That’s a good one, Tom. Obama told the NSA to stop storing […]
Many analyses have been published following the oral arguments delivered last Tuesday to the United States Supreme Court on the two cases Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby Stores and Conestoga Wood Specialties v. Sebelius. The cases revolve around the fundamental question of whether or not a Christian company/business may or may not reflect Christian principles in its employment and other business practices. The […]
Last week, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc case. As virtually everyone is aware, the CEO of Hobby Lobby is contesting the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act’s contraception mandate. The company’s refusal to comply with the mandate stems from a religious objection to birth control and […]
Earth Hour: dumbest idea ever?
Do you think government today can’t get anything done? Check out James Fallows’s piece in The Atlantic this month. He writes a great article on a pair of Mayors who are doing big things in their cities. It’s exciting: efficient, local, credible political action – actual change you can believe in! Forget placing your hope […]
Beer companies want gay pride on display at St. Patrick’s Day Parades. Coca-Cola wants to save polar bears. Hobby Lobby Stores wants to protect unborn children. While each is exercising corporate social conscience, the one motivated by religious beliefs may be fined $1.3 million per day. President Obama’s contraception mandate, a provision in his health […]
Activists from around the country, from pro-life groups to Tea Party Patriots, plan to be on-hand on Tuesday for a rally opposing the HHS mandate as the Supreme Court begins to hear arguments in Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc. and Conestoga Wood Specialties Corp. v. Sebelius. “This case has always been about religious liberty. […]
Faith and freedom reinforce one another, each making the other possible.
If this was a hijacking, time is critical.
Fiscally responsible force. I like the sound of that.
