Recent Character Commentaries

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…Which Gives to Bigotry no Sanction
Over the last several years, I have usually talked about Lincoln on Presidents’ Day. So, here’s to little equal time to our nation’s first president, George Washington. It’s interesting to note that unlike others running for office, Washington never went looking for the job. In fact, in August 1788, he was quite content in the role of retired gentleman farmer...
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February 20, 2017
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Stand tall; Never quit; Drive on!
Heroes are hard to come by. With the death of Lt. General Hal Moore last Friday, the loss is particularly acute given his extraordinary leadership skills. There are two types of heroes, those who demonstrate physical courage in the face of extreme danger, and those who reveal moral courage – the fortitude to stand by your principles no matter the...
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February 15, 2017
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The Attachment of All Good Men
From time to time I receive private e-mails from readers who wish to offer opinions without posting them directly to a story. Recently, I was asked why so many of my commentaries over the past year have veered from ethics into politics. The simple reality is that politics and ethics are constantly intersecting. When it comes to issues of accountability...
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February 13, 2017
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More Like Alex
Last August, the world was shocked and outraged at the tragedy that has become Alepo, Syria. However, it was the image of a dust and blood-covered Syrian boy, Omran Daqneesh, that crystallized the true cost of war. Although Omran’s older brother Ali died of his injuries, the rest of his immediate family survived an airstrike that turned their home and...
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November 30, 2016
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Why Trump is Dangerous: The Final Pitch
I have written about Republican Presidential Nominee Donald J. Trump for more than a year now. Why? His disdain for people and institutions is beyond anything ever seen before. As CEO of Conspiracy Central, his statements range from the bizarre, “…what was [Ted Cruz’s father] doing with Lee Harvey Oswald shortly before the… shooting?,” to the bizarrer: “The concept of...
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November 4, 2016
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How/Why/What is the Appeal of Donald Trump?
These are, without a doubt, the Holy Grail of cultural and political questions of the moment: How does Trump appeal to his supporters? Why do supporters continue to stand by him when he lies – even when confronted with the facts – more than any candidate in modern history? What is it about this man that continues to attract both...
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October 21, 2016
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“Rigged!”
Citizen Kane follows the life and political campaign of an arrogant, populist millionaire who runs for governor on promises to help the “the working man,” only to be defeated by a sex scandal. Is art reflecting reality or is reality affecting art? Director Orson Wells took his inspiration from real-life newspaper publisher and “yellow journalist” William Randolph Hearst. Like his...
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October 19, 2016
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The Willfully Ignorant Led by the Willfully Blind
The political earth has had a few seismic shifts over the past 7 days. First, the discovery of a video exposing Donald Trump’s penchant for trash-talking women, and the requisite 24/7 news coverage of that; followed by the Sunday debate where Trump paced around behind Hillary Clinton like an alpha-male lion. The week ended with another round of Republicans abandoning...
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October 14, 2016
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If The Election Were Held Today, For Whom Would You Vote?
John Zogby is a pollster and author who has the ability to write analysis in a way most of us can understand. Recently, John sent me the following political conundrum: In the election of 2016, the candidates for President are: Republican, The Emperor Nero of Rome, narcissistic, extravagant, and tyrannical. He felt the burn almost 2000 years ago. Democrat, Catherine...
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October 7, 2016
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Mr. Cool
Since the announcement of his death last week (Sept. 25), lots of photos have been posted of golf legend Arnold Palmer. However, this is how I remember him – the total professional standing off to the side, cool, collected, waiting to wallop that little white ball straight down the fairway. (I went out and bought a golf sweater just like...
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September 30, 2016

Read Some of the Most Recent Articles
The Latest... And Often Greatest
What Kennedy Asked of Us
“We observe today not a victory of party but a celebration of freedom.” On January 20, 1961, I was in seventh grade, watching John F....
October 1962
“I would like to say again that the United States is very much interested in reducing tensions and halting the arms race.” —President John F....
The Speech That Never Happened
On November 22, 1963, President John F. Kennedy was scheduled to address Texas Democratic leaders and supporters at a fundraising dinner in Austin honoring him...
It Doesn’t Take a Rocket Genius to Recognize the Danger
Remember how everyone was talking about the dangers of AI just a month ago? “Is There Really a 10% Chance AI Could Kill Us All.”—The...
November 4, 2026
On March 4, 1865, a tall, tired man stood before a crowd gathered at the United States Capitol to deliver what would become one of...
Has America Lost Its Way?
I’ve spent much of my life thinking and writing about ethics. About honesty. About responsibility. About integrity—not simply when doing the right thing is easy,...