Many years ago, I overheard a coworker reflecting on parenting. She had 13 children—an astonishing 10 of them adopted. She said that the parent-child relationship was “everything.” She said that if all else failed, parents should focus on maintaining a … Continue reading
Media & Culture
Trump’s Excellent Speech in Poland, on Poland, and about Poland
Editor’s note: A version of this article first appeared at The American Spectator. Before I write this defense of Donald Trump in Poland, let me remind readers—from the right and the left—that I come to this subject with some credibility. … Continue reading
Life is Worth Fighting For
The story of Charlie Gard is sparking outrage throughout the world. As the Wall Street Journal put it, the doctors who are caring for 11-month-old Charlie Gard “have won judges’ permission to discontinue life support despite his parents’ objections, saying … Continue reading
Marking Natural Law with Mark Levin
Editor’s note: A version of this article first appeared at American Spectator. Take in something lasting and satisfying this summer. Take a look at Mark Levin’s new book, Rediscovering Americanism and the Tyranny of Progressivism. The latter half of the … Continue reading
Remembering Three Great Athletes (and the Way Sports Used To Be)
May was a poignant month for those of us who were avid Detroit sports fans in the late ‘50s and early ‘60s. Three of our heroes passed on within two weeks of each other: five-time All-NFL and Hall of Famer … Continue reading
Mark Zuckerberg’s Call for a “Universal Basic Income”
Facebook founder and billionaire Mark Zuckerberg’s Commencement speech at Harvard made a big splash. It was a warm-hearted, encouraging, interesting address, enriched by some endearing personal vignettes. It was also politically progressive to the core: It included the obligatory (for … Continue reading
Calling All Unemployed College Grads
Well, your college career has come to an end. You have walked the aisle, received your diploma, hung up the cap and gown, but have no job. You have cleared out your apartment or dorm room and moved home. You … Continue reading
Will Christians Survive in Today’s Secular World? A Review of The Benedict Option
Rod Dreher’s new book “The Benedict Option: A Strategy for Christians in A Post-Christian Nation” (Sentinel, 2017) is an account of how, he says, America’s “culture wars” have ended. He thus suggests a way Christians can live in a post-Christian … Continue reading
VIDEO — The Twisted Gospel with Chelsen Vicari
On April 4, 2017, Grove City College professor of political science and the executive director of the Center for Vision & Values, Dr. Paul Kengor, sat down with author Chelsen Vicari. Vicari serves as the evangelical program director for the … Continue reading
Socialism Attacks the Family, Just as Its Inventors Intended
Editor’s note: This article first appeared at Stream.org. Last year, “socialism” was the most looked-up word at Merriam-Webster.com. That is hardly a surprise. It clearly reflects growing interest, especially with the remarkable surge of lifetime socialist Bernie Sanders, who won … Continue reading
The Legacy of Lent: Don’t Give Up Something, Do Something
During Lent, the 46 days from Ash Wednesday to the day before Easter, many Christians focus on giving up or doing without something. Not eating a favorite food or drinking a preferred beverage is common. So is not participating in … Continue reading
The Political Center Is (Almost) Dead
Last month, while interviewing former senator Jim Webb, “Meet the Press” host Chuck Todd labeled Webb “a rare and dying breed. A centrist and a moderate.” Todd also suggested that “The center’s been hollowed out.” Intense emotions are pervasive on … Continue reading
How to Make America’s Elites More Responsible
Observing Hollywood’s posturing poseurs deliver their goods at the Oscars, as they ooze self-righteousness and narcissism, triggers a pesky thought that no doubt erupts in the minds of normal people. That is, few of those luminaries strutting across the stage … Continue reading
Going Red for International Women’s Day
Editor’s note: This article first appeared at The American Spectator. The ability of the communist left to consistently mislead and use an ever-wider group of people never ceases to amaze. I wrote a few weeks ago about the Women’s March, … Continue reading
Panhandling and the Pope: A Better Strategy to Help the Poor
Have you ever struggled with what to do when you encounter a person on the sidewalk of a major city or standing at a busy traffic intersection with a cup in hand? Have you given such individuals money or been … Continue reading
Who was David Rittenhouse? Setting the Record Straight on a Forgotten American Founder
In fictionalized accounts of historical events, writers inevitably project incomplete portraits of characters or recast the characters for dramatic purposes. Historical fiction can be a creative and rewarding means of storytelling and thought-provoking historical commentary. One recent case in which … Continue reading
My Church as a Social Club
Don’t get me wrong. Churches are much more than just social clubs. Yet the evidence suggests that our churches need to be social clubs. One of our concerns as Christian leaders and role models is the secularization of America. We … Continue reading
Rating the Presidents—and Obama
Editor’s note: This article first appeared at The American Spectator. I’ve been getting emails from bewildered colleagues asking about a survey of presidential scholars that determined that Barack Obama is the 12th best president in the history of the United … Continue reading
Boy Scouts: Kind No More
The Boy Scouts have announced that children who are biologically female but identify as male may now be scouts. By so doing they have joined a movement whose understanding of gender would make perfect sense to a typical 3-year-old, but … Continue reading
Fake News, Executive Orders, and Immigration
The controversy over so-called “fake news” does not seem to be going away. However, the press’s frustration about it is increasingly misplaced. After the presidential election the media fixated for months on a handful of fictitious headlines from suspect websites … Continue reading