Few can name which groups the Godspeed and the Arabella brought to America. They were the Jamestown colonists in 1607 and the Puritans to Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1630, respectively. But the Mayflower, which brought the Pilgrims to Plymouth in … Continue reading
American History & Presidents
Court Packing—Destabilizing and Unnecessary
The idea of expanding the size of the U.S. Supreme Court, also known as “court packing,” has surfaced once again, as it did after the Brett Kavanaugh appointment. Often mentioned is a proposal by Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of University of … Continue reading
VIDEO – Election 2016 vs. 2020: The Woman Who Called the 2016 Presidential Race
Election 2016 vs. 2020: The Woman Who Called the 2016 Presidential Race with Paul Kengor & Salena Zito Salena Zito joined the Washington Examiner in 2016 as a Pittsburgh-based columnist and reporter, and is also a columnist at the New … Continue reading
I Like Ike
As other statues and monuments are being removed or criticized throughout our nation, a new $150 million memorial located near the U.S. Capitol will be dedicated Thursday honoring the general who helped defeat the Axis Powers in World War II … Continue reading
Friends of Flight 93 Speaker Series Featuring Hon. Paul J. McNulty
Hon. Paul J. McNulty, president of Grove City College, discusses his experience as the lead prosecutor in the Zacarias Moussaoui trial and later his role as deputy attorney general under President George W. Bush. Watch it on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlPLqQZiJlw&feature=youtu.be … Continue reading
September 11: Nineteen Years On, A Remembrance
A late summer, early morning dawn greeted me as I pulled into the faculty parking lot at Grove City College, a small, Christian liberal arts school in northwestern Pennsylvania. As I walked to my office, I marveled at the bright … Continue reading
Remembering and Teaching 9/11
Editor’s note: This first appeared in the Pittsburgh Tribune Review in 2018. This year’s remembrances of September 11, 2001 were odd for me. Consider: Did you ever think you’d live to see a time when the new generation doesn’t remember … Continue reading
The Call to Sacrifice and Commitment: The Letters of a WWII Sailor
Since my dad’s passing, I have carried his dog tag on my key chain. I wanted a daily reminder of my dad and his sacrificial service to our nation in World War II. My dad was the classic WWII vet … Continue reading
Confessions of a Draft Dodger
“And we know that to them who love God all things work together for good to them that are called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28 Next month I turn 75. The ubiquitous “they” tell me I’m on a COVID-19 … Continue reading
Abraham Lincoln and the Meaning of the 4th of July
When we think of the Fourth of July, we often think of backyard barbecues with friends, baseball, and maybe a beer or two. This year, with COVID-19, maybe we can at least have the beer. But Independence Day was originally … Continue reading
The Call to Do and Act Justly
As I approached the county courthouse for jury duty, my unfocused mind was in many different places, including being sincerely burdened by the state of our nation. I had filled out the eligibility questionnaire, made arrangements with my employer, and … Continue reading
Astronauts, Riots, and Pandemics: 2020 vs. 1969
Editor’s note: A version of this article first appeared at National Catholic Register. In July 1969, three American astronauts landed on the moon. It wasn’t just a great technical triumph. It was a much-needed respite amid social and political chaos. … Continue reading
What is Wrong with Minneapolis?
Earlier this week during a routine arrest Minneapolis police officers knelt on George Floyd’s neck for several minutes, finally killing him. This act fits a long and too-frequent pattern of incidents where police use substantial and often lethal force for … Continue reading
Burying Memorial Day 2020
The streets were empty. No one marching. The bands weren’t playing. No music, no 21-gun salutes. Where were the old-timers hobbling along in their military uniforms? The flags flew at the courthouse and lined the streets, but the sidewalks weren’t … Continue reading
1918: When Another Pandemic Struck Close to Home
Editor’s note: This article first appeared in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. In 1998, the eightieth anniversary of the Spanish Flu pandemic, I was fortunate to hear two survivors relate their indelible experiences. Marian McConkey and Lois Monahan were schoolgirls then, old … Continue reading
Afghan Imbroglio in Context
Last weekend, U.S. Special Representative Zalmay Khalilzad and Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, representing a Taliban delegation, signed an agreement that could lead to substantive peace negotiations between all parties involved in what has become America’s longest war. In October 2001, … Continue reading
Big-Time Big Spenders: How Money Influences Presidential Campaigns
Editor’s note: This article first appeared at the Washington Examiner. Michael Bloomberg is spending loads of money to win the Democratic nomination. Financial disclosures made by the Bloomberg campaign indicated that as of Dec. 31, he had sunk more than … Continue reading
The Character and Convictions of Washington and Lincoln
In the aftermath of President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial and in light of the scathing attacks on both Trump and potential Democratic candidates as the 2020 election approaches, the celebration of Presidents Day is a good time to rise above … Continue reading
Getting Reagan Right
Editor’s note: This review first appeared at Law & Liberty. Marcus Witcher’s Getting Right with Reagan: The Struggle for Conservatism, 1980-2016 is an impressive work but also one that at times frustrates and confuses. To be sure, I would … Continue reading
How Martin Luther King, Jr. Changed Hearts
My father was a Presbyterian minister in rural northwest Alabama from 1961 to 1965. I came of age there, then left the University of Alabama with an M.A. in history in 1969. Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. and Governor George … Continue reading