Recent Commentaries

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Moral Duty v. Military Duty
Updates at the end of this commentary. Military heroes are known for their immediate courage on the battlefield, but for some, ethical courage can be just as urgent. Just ask Captain Brett Crozier. As the commander of the aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt, with a crew of 4,000 sailors, Capt. Crozier faced a challenge he never expected when he reported to...
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April 6, 2020
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Elephant in the Room
“The Fake News Media and their partner, the Democrat Party, is doing everything within its semi-considerable power (it used to be greater!) to inflame the CoronaVirus situation, far beyond what the facts would warrant.” – Donald J. Trump March 9, 2020 The day before that tweet, the CDC confirmed 537 cases of coronavirus and 21 deaths. Five days later, there...
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April 3, 2020
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Hero Story
Heroes come in all forms: fire, police, paramedics, even everyday citizens. During this worldwide pandemic afflicting millions, we need heroes more than ever. As the top expert on infectious disease, Dr. Anthony Fauci has been praised as the most trusted man in the country due to his straight talk about the spread of the coronavirus which has now infected more...
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April 1, 2020
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How Do They Make That Call? – Conclusion
On Friday I wrote about the painful decision-making confronting physicians throughout the world who are not only facing a tsunami of coronavirus patients, but a shortage of critical supplies including ventilators, devices that provide air to those who are unable to breathe on their own. Ethical decision-making goes back as far as Chinese philosopher Confucius, who advised, “What you do...
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March 30, 2020
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How Do They Make That Call? Part 1
In a press briefing on Tuesday, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo summarized the stark reality facing New York residents who are gravely ill with the coronavirus. In a message aimed at Trump administration officials, Cuomo said, “You pick the 26,000 people who are going to die because you only sent 400 ventilators.” Wednesday, Louisiana Governor John Edward warned that New...
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March 27, 2020
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Through a Lens, Clearly
“If [the people are] given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crisis. The great point is to bring them the real facts.” – Abraham Lincoln Every day this health crisis grows more critical. Every day we hear conflicting information. Every day people are dying for lack of medical support, some of which is sitting in...
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March 25, 2020
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Remembering a Friend
Considering the skill and dedication of thousands of doctors, nurses and emergency workers battling a virus that continues to expand throughout the world, this story is yet another remarkable example such individuals perform every day. It’s a story worth reading. U.S. Army Major John N. Baldwin (Ret.) was one example of someone who has contributed to my life. As a...
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March 23, 2020
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Updates
Tonight, California Gov. Gavin Newsom took the extraordinary step in issuing a statewide “stay at home” executive order effective Thursday evening. Newsom called on residents to “recognize the reality” of the coronavirus pandemic. As this critical health crisis continues to spread throughout the U.S., I thought it would be important to update readers about the individual steps we can all...
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March 19, 2020
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Character
“Crisis doesn’t change people; it reveals them.” – Eric Walters, Canadian author Character is not something we’re born with. It’s a combination of our highest attributes developed throughout our lives. Time and again, we see remarkable demonstrations of character in small and large ways. Many of them don’t make the news. Here are three that did. Last Wednesday, actor Tom...
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March 18, 2020
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It’s Not Just Irresponsible; It’s Dangerous
At a February 28 political rally, President Trump said, “The Democrats are politicizing the coronavirus. … This is their new hoax.” In attempting to correct his meaning, Trump later said, “The ‘hoax’ was used with respect to Democrats and what they were saying. It was a ‘hoax,’ what they were saying.” No one is clear on what Trump was saying....
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March 16, 2020