Yo-yos and boomerangs head off in one direction and swiftly return in the opposite direction. I’ve decided that analogy is a very fitting one for Donald Trump, the “Yo-yo/Boomerang President.” It’s hard to keep track of where Trump stands from one day to the next. This has been true from the outset, when he was campaigning on the promise of “The Wall.” Who could forget his blustery boasts of not only building the wall, but getting Mexico to pay for... Read more
There is a well-worn phrase that conservative Christians like to use as a way to justify the way they treat those whose actions they disapprove of: Love the sinner, hate the sin. It sounds nice, but it’s not. It’s really nothing more than a way to keep pointing out the perceived sins of others; a way to continue to be self-righteous and judgmental while cloaking yourself in a ready-made excuse so that you can still claim to be loving. It doesn’t work... Read more
Well, Christian Trump supporter, I think I finally understand you. That’s not particularly comforting but it’s something, I guess. I’ve been holding out hope for you for a couple years now. As I continue watching Trump fall deeper and deeper into a mind-numbingly deep well of national embarrassment and shame, I keep waiting for you to finally wash your hands of him. Instead, you keep doubling down on your support and it’s been quite vexing to me. Now I realize... Read more
I don’t like the term “assault weapon.” In fact, I hate it. It’s vague, ominous, and contentious. It does nothing to define what it is supposed to be referencing. And, quite frankly, it hurts the cause of sensible gun control. An assault weapon is anything you can use to assault someone. It can be a bazooka, a flame thrower, a machete, a pocket knife, or a good stout bust of Thomas Jefferson. Nobody is calling for a ban on pocket... Read more
I’ve had it. I’ve absolutely, freaking, had it. I’ve had it with the mass shootings. I’ve had it with the hateful, racist, and bigoted narrative coming from the White House. I’ve had it with the Tweets. I’ve had it with the lies. I’ve had it with the fact that so many of these gunmen are heeding the dog whistles of the president and using his language and messages as the cornerstones of their sick, twisted manifestos. I hate that, if... Read more
Trump has the whole country in a tizzy again. When the master distractor resurrected the well-worn racist mantra “go back where you came from” in reference to four women of color in Congress because they have been outspoken and critical of his administration, the nation seemed instantly to become even more divided. Trump’s supporters loved it because they’ve never heard a president so plainly speak the way they speak and think the way they think. The Christian Right loved it... Read more
Just when you think the Trump circus couldn’t get worse, he ramps it up another notch, or two, or three. In what could arguably be considered a new low point in a presidency chock full of them, Trump has once again poured fuel onto the fire of racism and bigotry. When the president chose to do battle with four new representatives in Congress, all women of color, who have been outspoken and critical of his administration, he further polarized a... Read more
It’s high time for me to come out of the closet. No, I’m not gay, but as a recovering conservative Christian, I’ve been too closeted in my support of LGBT rights. It’s not that I have not publicly supported the LGBT community, I have and have written many times about my frustrations with the way conservative Christians treat the topic of homosexuality. However, I’ve been too wishy-washy in attacking the idea that homosexuality is a sin. I’ve always waffled, saying... Read more
It is amazing what kinds of fireworks people can now obtain for personal use. We’ve come a long way from the sparklers, bottle rockets, and firecrackers of my youth. Today, you can have fireworks displays in your own back yard that would rival the displays towns put on for the fourths of July of my youth. This past Independence Day, my wife and I were driving back home from an afternoon visiting my parents. The drive takes about an hour... Read more
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We Will Never Be What We Claim to Be Until We Face Who We Really Are
Have you heard about the brouhaha over “The 1619 Project” from the New York Times? This week’s latest big deal has me a little worked up. I am a historian. I’ve taught U.S. history for 19 years. I’ve read a multitude of books on our history from every imaginable perspective and I’ve even written one. Before I type another word, let me assure you that I love my country. But like all countries, we have plenty of warts. I try... Read more