Prayer for America

Last updated on: July 4, 2007 at 6:59 pm By voxnovablog

As I mentioned previously, I take patriotism to be a virtue that is opposed to any sort of idolatrous nationalism that exalts one’s nation above all others. I think a robust patriotism appreciates national patrimony but also includes maintaining a critical perspective of national history. I also think that U.S. holidays designated to celebrate, among other things, wars can be properly or improperly commemorated depending on how sober one’s look at history is. That said, I re-present a video I... Read more

Wasthington, D.C., A city of evil?

Last updated on: July 4, 2007 at 6:08 pm By Policraticus

How about some Fourth of July conspiracy fun? Ever been to Washington, D.C.? It’s an interesting microcosm of America. A capital city that is well ordered and remarkably clean in its center, yet is surrounded by embarrassing economic and social poverty. A city whose citizens are well taxed, but are without political representation in federal government. No shortage of affluent and predominantly white neighborhoods lie on the circumference of the city, extending into Virginia and Maryland. This is my nation’s... Read more

“We are Un-American: We are Catholics” by Dorothy Day

Last updated on: July 4, 2007 at 6:06 am By voxnovablog

Is it Soviet Russia who is the threat to the world? Is it indeed? Then may we quote from Scott Nearing’s THE WAY OF THE TRANSGRESSOR? “What nation today has a navy bigger than all other navies combined? The U. S. A. What nation today is steadily adding to the only known stockpile of atom bombs? The U. S. A. What nation today is tops in the development of buzz bombs, jet planes, bacterial poisons and death rays? The U.... Read more

4th of July Post

Last updated on: July 4, 2007 at 2:30 am By M.Z.

To further the reputation of this blog of having unique commentary around national holidays, I will offer the Declaration of Independence. For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies This was cited as one of the offenses against the colonists. What this refers to is the... Read more

Patriotic songs at Mass

Last updated on: July 3, 2007 at 6:27 pm By voxnovablog

Anna Nussbaum at the Commonweal blog poses a question to her readers that I have been thinking and writing about for a while now: whether patriotic songs should be sung at Mass. Anyone who has been reading my blog or my contributions to Vox Nova knows my thoughts on the matter, but I did weigh in over in the post’s combox. I would say that there is a good discussion going on there, but surprisingly, most of the readers offering... Read more

Bush and Clemency

Last updated on: July 3, 2007 at 4:19 pm By voxnovablog

“I don’t believe my role is to replace the verdict of a jury with my own” — George W. Bush, on why he refused to issue pardons or commutations for the 152 people be executed in Texas. “I respect the jury’s verdict. But I have concluded that the prison sentence given to Mr. Libby is excessive.” — George W. Bush, yesterday. The fact that death may have been excessive never once crossed his mind. And then there’s this: ‘Please,'” Bush... Read more

Keys to a successful marriage

Last updated on: July 3, 2007 at 1:48 pm By voxnovablog

I asked Michael on the phone this morning what he thought was key to a successful marriage. He responded: “faith in God.” I fully agreed with him, of course, but I inquired further: “hmm… think in more secular terms…” The reason why I raised this question was because a new survey by the The Pew Research Center on marriage and parenting indicates that the percentage of Americans who consider children as being a “very important” factor in a successful marriage... Read more

Sicko is Healthy

Last updated on: July 2, 2007 at 4:06 pm By Morning's Minion

There is a lot of knee-jerk reaction against Michael Moore’s latest indictment of the US health care system, Sicko. But, overall, the experts pretty much agree that he gets the big picture right. Here’s the New Republic’s Jonathan Cohn, who writes extensively on health care: “As Sicko rolled, it did little to allay my fears. I spotted plenty of intellectual dishonesties and arguments without context–enough, surely, to keep right-wing truth squads (and some left-wing ones) busy for weeks… Still, by... Read more