Recent Commentaries

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Speaking of Compassion
One of the most compelling stories of compassion comes from Peter Westbrook. An Olympic medal-winning fencer, Westbrook sees an inextricable connection between being your best and being compassionate. His journey through anger and pain to compassion is a remarkable example for all of us to strive to demonstrate in our own lives. “I stand foremost for serving the Creator. I...
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November 29, 2013
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Reaching Beyond Ourselves
I’ve written about the significance of faith before. Although it is not an ethical value, its importance in driving ethical conduct should not be underestimated. In fact, the word faith comes from the Latin fidere meaning ‘to trust.’ Trusting can sometimes be difficult, but it can uplift and strengthen our resolve to reach beyond ourselves and become considerate and compassionate of others....
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November 27, 2013
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Hubris vs. Wisdom
Last week a decision was made that could lead to important changes in Iran’s nuclear enrichment program. The first-step in A Joint Plan of Action on Iran’s Nuclear Program appears to have been agreed to. As stated in the preamble to that agreement: “The goal for these negotiations is to reach a mutually-agreed long-term comprehensive solution that would ensure Iran’s nuclear...
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November 25, 2013
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Friday, November 22, 1963
Here’s what I remember about that day. There was snow on the ground when I walked to catch the bus to school that morning. All I kept thinking about, however, was the Algebra exam that afternoon, and that if I were lucky, I’d score a solid 65 percent. (Finding an image of JFK’s high school report card, I was shocked to discover that...
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November 22, 2013
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November 20, 1963
“Students,” Mr. Morales said in his unmistakable Chilean Spanish accent, “…take out a neat, clean, leaf of paper.” As a freshman high school student in New York, those words clearly meant that we were about to receive a snap Spanish quiz. But I know what you’re thinking. Why does he say “leaf” instead of “sheet” of paper? I asked that question once....
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November 20, 2013
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November 18, 1963
Fifty years ago no one had a clue how the week would end and how it would change us forever. Fifty years later, the mythology surrounding President John F. Kennedy has only grown. In a recent Gallup Poll (Nov. 15), Americans gave Kennedy their highest approval rating, 74 percent, over any of the last 11 presidents since Eisenhower. “That includes,” Gallup writes,...
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November 18, 2013
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Pass the Hot Wings, Coach
You are the athletic director of a middle school whose football team just finished a winning season. You just learned that the coach wants to celebrate by taking the entire team to… the local Hooters restaurant to celebrate. What do you do? Well, if you’re Corbett School District Athletic Director Jean-Paul Soulagnet, you send a letter to parents informing them that...
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November 15, 2013
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Blowback
Two stories returned to the news recently. Both surprised me in different ways. Richie Incognito, the Miami Dolphins football player accused of bullying fellow player Jonathan Martin, broke his silence recently to talk about a series of incidents that Martin deemed offensive and harassing. David Cornwell, Martin’s attorney, said in a statement, that his client “endured a malicious physical attack...
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November 13, 2013
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Still the Gold Standard
All of us make mistakes, but the test of an ethical individual and organization is how they handle the aftermath of those mistakes. Last Friday (Nov. 8), CBS News reporter Lara Logan went on CBS This Morning show with an admission. “The most important thing to every person at 60 Minutes is the truth, and today the truth is that we made a...
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November 11, 2013
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The Ethical Take
The president earns 4 Pinocchios; Thank you, Michael Bloomberg; Incognito no longer and a Pope for the ages! Obama’s Drama – The Washington Post’s Glenn Kessler is persnickety about facts. His weekly column, The Fact Checker checks the reality behind the spin of most politicians. President Obama gained notoriety recently (Oct. 30) by receiving a full, 4 Pinocchios for this oft repeated promise from June...
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November 8, 2013