Recent Character Commentaries

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No Place for Haters
“We must never remain silent in the face of bigotry. We must condemn those who seek to divide us. In all quarters and at all times, we must teach tolerance and denounce racism, anti-Semitism, and all ethnic or religious bigotry wherever they exist as unacceptable evils. We have no place for haters in America — none, whatsoever.” – Ronald Reagan,...
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July 25, 2018
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“Never, Never Give Up”
“I will never give up. I will keep fighting till the end.” – Jim Kelly, honoree of the Jimmy V Award at the annual ESPY Awards. Near the end of his career, Sir Winston Churchill – the most quoted individual along with Lincoln – was asked to address his old English boys school, Harrow. Churchill stands to receive unanimous acclamation...
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July 23, 2018
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“He’s Our Role Model”
When a twenty-year old college student’s car broke down the night before he was to begin work at a new job, he immediately contacted friends for help, but no one was available. After checking the mileage, Walter Carr realized it would take him about 7 hours from his house in Homewood, Alabama to Pelham where Bellhops moving company was located....
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July 20, 2018
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Go and Do Likewise
“ ‘Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbor unto him that fell among the thieves?’ “And he said, ‘He that showed mercy on him.’ Then said Jesus unto him, ‘Go and do thou likewise.’ ” – Luke 10:36-38, 21st Century King James Bible We start the month with two stories of good Samaritans. As reported by Michelle Miller...
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July 2, 2018
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Gentleman Tom
How do you handle an emergency? What do you if you’re in the middle of a stage performance, medical staff are treating an audience member who has fallen ill, and the audience may be getting a little restless? If you’re Tom Hanks, performing as the redoubtable rogue Sir John Falstaff in Henry IV, you grab your rapier wit and assault...
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June 22, 2018
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Character and Commitment
During a 2008 presidential campaign town hall held for John McCain, a woman in the audience looked the senior senator from Arizona in the eye and said, ‘I can’t trust Obama. I have read about him, and he’s not, — he’s an Arab.” McCain respectfully took the microphone away from her, shook his head and responded, “No ma’am. He’s a...
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May 28, 2018
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The Ethical Take: Good News (for a change)
Even though the turmoil in Washington tends to suck all the oxygen out of the news cycle each week, there are positive stories that deserve our attention and appreciation. Here are three. Waffle House Hero – Last month, James Shaw, Jr., who, at the risk to his own life, prevented a gunman from taking more lives by wrestling the gun...
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May 14, 2018
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James Comey, Conclusion
Much has been debated about former FBI Director James Comey’s book, A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership, regrettably most of it focused on Comey’s interactions with Donald Trump, which amounts to 64 pages out of 277, only 23 percent. At the Trump Tower meeting, Comey, along with the other heads of the intelligence community, meet the president-elect to brief...
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May 11, 2018
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James Comey, Part 3
With last month’s release of former FBI Director James Comey’s book, A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership, much has been parsed, dissected and run through the echo chamber of cable news. The question partisan critics continue to rail on: how many lies does Comey tell in his book? The answer: none. Throughout the 277 pages that cover Comey’s life...
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May 10, 2018
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James Comey, Part 2
Continuing my look at the interviews of James Comey on the release of his book, Higher Loyalty, Truth, Lies and Leadership. By far, the most interesting Q&A came between the former FBI director and students from William and Mary College in a Town Hall format broadcast by CNN. This exchange offers more discussion covering the legality of the release of...
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May 8, 2018