With the current state of our government, we have witnessed a corresponding rise in thuggish behavior. Our diversity, which in good times is recognized as a strength, is portrayed by opportunistic barkers as something to be afraid of. There are several ways to counter this, including two things we see now: public protest at major […]
Getting lost in the aftermath of the elections is the continual struggle with violence in our nation. To be specific, the urge to kill the unsuspecting in a blaze of self-loathing and hatred before killing oneself. The Midtown yoga killing was such a callous act, I do not mention the name of the shooter. One […]
I remember the term usury being used growing up, yet I hardly every hear it discussed anymore. Unfair enrichment is how some would define it. It is spoken of in almost every world religion on the practice of lending money at high rates. In its simplest form, it is taking advantage of people for monetary […]
In my lifetime, I do not remember a funeral like we saw with Senator John McCain’s. The pomp and circumstance displayed over several days gave witness to a nation mourning much like it would the death of a President. That has intrigued me. Are we mourning just the man, or is it the loss of […]
There is very little demanded of us in the United States. There is no mandatory public service, and most obligations, even paying taxes and serving on a jury, are full of loopholes and wiggle room. We complain of the things we are expected to do, and we are free to do as little or as […]
Within one week, the greatness of America has included pipe bombs mailed from Florida, talk of blackface, the mass execution of people going to pray, and racist robocalls to influence our state elections. What is it in ourselves that we sense the need to separate to experience wholeness, or is it this: when we don’t […]
There is no other amendment to the United States Constitution with more worldwide appeal than the first amendment. Sensing potential problems with keeping the new country afloat, and not wanting to repeat the mistakes of the past, the first amendment addressed problems associated with being under English control: a freedom from state religion and a […]
As we head into a political transition, Floridians would do themselves well by considering the several economic and equality measures going in the wrong direction. Take a sampling of the people you know, and include a few that you don’t. I work with individuals who travel 60 to 120 miles every work day because their […]
When Jeb Bush was governor, he talked about having Big Hairy Audacious Goals (BHAGs). He’s the one that banked himself as the education governor and had his portrait done holding his BlackBerry (go see that painting before the blackberry gets airbrushed). That was near twenty years ago and the most consistent effort since then has […]