Commentary
Stoicism and spirituality: Americans’ search for meaning is turning them toward the classics
Stoicism may be having a renaissance. For centuries, the ancient philosophy that originated in Greece and spread across the Roman Empire was more or less treated as extinct – with the word “stoic” hanging on as shorthand for someone unemotional. But today, with the help of the internet, it’s gaining ground: One of the biggest […]
Climate grief and the stark choice that confronts us
If the five stages of grief are denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance, Americans can be found at all points along the continuum when it comes to global climate change and the environmental crisis that accompanies it. Like many who’ve contemplated a grim healthcare diagnosis that seems to belie of how they feel in the moment, millions […]
Youngstown State appointing MAGA election denier Bill Johnson as its president is appalling
Appalling. No other word fits what Youngstown State University did recently by secretly anointing a MAGA Republican, with a shameful congressional history, as its next president. The abrupt announcement of Ohio Congressman Bill Johnson, R-Marietta, to the top post was met with dismay by university stakeholders — students, faculty, staff, alumni, community — left in […]
Who can defend voting rights? A ruling sharply limiting lawsuits likely heading to Supreme Court
A federal appeals court in Arkansas ruled on Monday, Nov. 20, 2023, that only the federal government – not private citizens or civil rights groups – could sue to enforce the 1965 Voting Rights Act. This decision will likely be appealed to the Supreme Court – but if it stands, it could gut individual people’s […]
Security and compassion can help us write a different immigration story
As a pastor, I feel the call to welcome the stranger and support people in need. Regarding migration, I appreciate the efforts of city leaders and many others who see, in migrants, fellow travelers created in God’s image and deserving of dignity. At the same time, immigration has been and will continue to be an […]
What would it take for a cease-fire to happen in Gaza?
Calls for a cease-fire and other limits on military operations and violence were made by governments, advocacy groups and political leaders around the world almost immediately after the Oct. 7, 2023, massacre of 1,200 Israeli civilians by Hamas. Israel immediately declared war on Hamas and began shelling and then invaded Gaza, leading to more than […]
From anti-trans bills to attacks on education, gerrymandered Ohio lawmakers push more extremist laws
Even after the year we’ve had with corrupt state politicians trying to con us out of our most fundamental rights, they continue their devious streak. I know you’re exhausted with Ohio politics under gerrymandered authoritarians, but knowledge is power so pay attention. The same scoundrels who blew $18 million in taxpayer money to wrest majority […]
What happens if legislators rewrite Issue 2?
Earlier this month, Ohio became the 24th state to legalize the sale and purchase of marijuana for recreational use. Even before Issue 2 was passed by the voters, leaders in the Ohio General Assembly were signaling their intentions to change the law after its passage. Unlike Issue 1, which was a constitutional amendment, Issue 2 […]
Fewer U.S. college students studying foreign language, spelling trouble for national security
When the Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1, the first artificial Earth satellite, on Oct. 4, 1957, it did more than spark fears about America’s ability to compete technologically. It also raised concerns that the U.S. had a shortage of Russian speakers capable of monitoring Soviet scientific and military activities. In 1958, the National Defense Education […]
Like an island, Indiana is surrounded, and it’s gonna cost us
With a few vital exceptions across America, the 2023 election was scheduled to deal with local government. Tip O’Neill famously coined the phrase, “all politics is local.” Oh, if the former Speaker of the House, who held the gavel for virtually all of the 1980’s, could see the America we are living in today. O’Neill’s […]
Democracy and constitutional government is under assault in Ohio. What are we going to do about it?
If you’re worried about the state of the nation, welcome to the club. For at least a decade, a number of troubling signs have emerged which raise questions about the health of the American republic. Make no mistake. The warning indicator sensor light is indeed flashing red. The most telling indicators of stress on the […]
In America, the people are sovereign. But gerrymandered Ohio GOP lawmakers won’t respect that
Members of Ohio’s domineering political party have forgotten that we the people are sovereign. The ultimate power in the state rests with us, not them. Ohioans overwhelmingly endorsed enshrining reproductive freedom in the state constitution and legalizing marijuana in a new state law. That should have been the last word on two popular statewide issues […]