In a recent LA Times poll, 48% of Republicans said that California was “not really American.”  The poll stood out to me because it contrasts so sharply with the observation offered by Ronald Reagan (a California Republican, incidentally) in his last speech as president, about what it means to be an American: You can go to live in France, but you cannot become a Frenchman.  You can go to live in Germany or Turkey or Japan, but you cannot become a German, a Turk, or a Japanese.  But anyone, from any corner of the Earth, can come to live in America and become an American. Reagan ..read more

I’m normally a pretty positive person. Pretty optimistic. I work hard to see things in their most favorable light. But, friends. I found this hard to watch. And we need to talk about it. View this post on Instagram A post shared by U.S. Army JAG Corps (@usarmyjag) If you watched that and you have served in the military, maybe you’re wondering… how do I sign up for the military these folks have joined? We discussed just that in a group text I have with folks I served with for several years—incredible, experienced Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines. We wondered what it might look like had w ..read more

My latest, in today’s Nebraska Examiner… November was a pretty rough month for truth. TikTok had to pull down a hashtag associated with viral videos sympathetic to, of all people, Osama bin Laden.  Renewed interest in his “Letter to America” led many Americans — especially young Americans — to view bin Laden and his cause in a new light.  Perhaps you thought bin Laden was a pretty terrible guy for killing 2,977 Americans (mostly civilians) in the deadliest terrorist attack in world history and hiding behind his young wife when justice came for him.  Well, a lot of people are not ..read more

Early on the morning of Saturday, October 7, 2023, on the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah, 1,500 members of the terrorist groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad breached the barriers that separate Israel from the Gaza strip.  The so-called “smart wall” which was supposed to prevent just this sort of surprise attack was ineffective, and the unknowing and unprepared military defense was quickly overwhelmed.  By nightfall, the attackers had killed 1,100 civilians and taken 229 others back to Gaza as hostages.  Israel has responded forcefully, including air and artillery strikes on more th ..read more

There’s a memorial on Farnam Street, just in front of the Douglas County Courthouse.  In spite of its prominence, I walked by hundreds of times, mindlessly lost in the hustle of the day, before finally noticing it one day late this summer.  It’s called “Among the Valiant,” and it honors Omaha Medal of Honor recipients from World War II to Vietnam. It’s worth reflecting on the heroes whose names are on the memorial. View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize Read the rest in today’s Omaha World-Herald ..read more

My latest, in today’s Nebraska Examiner… One of the first moral lessons Americans learn as children is the golden rule—some version of “treat others the way you want to be treated.”  Many of us may have learned the principle from Jesus’ “Sermon on the Mount,” but the value exists everywhere from Islam (“as you would have people do to you, do to them”) to Confucianism (“what you do not wish for yourself, do not do to others”), and the idea has worked its way into purely humanist ethics for centuries. “a leader doing the right thing” - generated using artificial intelligence And it’s no wo ..read more

My latest, in today’s Nebraska Examiner… A few weeks back I came across some alarming data from a group called More in Common, a nonprofit whose core mission is identifying and overcoming “the underlying drivers of fracturing and polarization” in our communities.  In a 2019 study they call the “Perception Gap,” More in Common explored Americans’ distorted understanding of those on the other side of the political aisle. The results were startling.  Democrats overestimate the percentage of Republicans who believe “properly controlled immigration can be good for America” by about 35%.&n ..read more

Let me tell you a story about a dog named Mellow. Last week, a flyer went around to neighbors in a little town in northeastern Pennsylvania. “Mellow’s Last Walk Around Dupont” was a letter, apparently written in the hand (or paw) of Mellow the rescue dog, full of gratitude for neighbors that had pet him or given him treats over the years. But the flyer also had a more sobering purpose: Mellow had recently been diagnosed with lymphoma “and will be leaving for doggie heaven in June.” On the evening of Saturday, June 3rd, Mellow would take his last walk around the neighborhood. You can probably ..read more

by James Madison  The Same Subject Continued: The Union as a Safeguard Against Domestic Faction and Insurrection Welcome to another Federalist Friday! In Federalist No. 10, Madison tries to identify the causes and methods of removing factions, which he defines as “a number of citizens, whether amounting to a majority or a minority of the whole, who are united and actuated by some common impulse of passion, or of interest, adversed to the rights of other citizens, or to the permanent and aggregate interests of the community.” That’s just not an 18th century thing is it? What passions, inte ..read more

by John Jay The same Subject continued I think it’s useful this week to pick up Federalist No. 3 at its very end.  Jay is explaining why it would be to his readers’ advantage to reside in a “strong united nation,” as opposed to a confederacy of smaller nation-states.  As an example of what the young nation should not aspire to, Jay uses the example of the Republic of Genoa—once a sovereign maritime republic and major commercial power: In the year 1685, the state of Genoa having offended Louis XIV, endeavored to appease him.  He demanded that they should send their Doge, or chie ..read more