Recent Character Commentaries

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The Frankl Factor
Drawing from his harrowing experience in a Nazi concentration camp, psychiatrist Viktor Frankl crafted a work of timeless insight, “Man’s Search for Meaning.” One message stands out: Forces beyond your control can take away everything you possess—except one thing, your freedom to choose how you will respond to the situation. It’s a brilliant reminder—one we all need to hold onto...
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November 8, 2024
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The Day After Today
After all the votes are counted, will the country stand united, committed to overcoming our differences, or will we continue to let division define us? This is a moment to reflect and decide who we want to be and what kind of country we want to build. We can’t allow ourselves to be drawn into anger, to see one another...
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November 5, 2024
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America’s Character
In the winter of 1777, twelve thousand soldiers, along with four hundred women and children, huddled in 1,500 log huts, faced a defining moment of adversity at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. Battling bitter cold, hunger, and a lack of supplies, the Continental Army’s morale was dwindling, and many were ready to abandon the fight for independence. George Washington, as commander-in-chief, understood...
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November 1, 2024
Friday’s Commentary
Tomorrow, I’ll be posting a brief commentary—a 3 minute read—that I encourage everyone to review. It’s about adversity; it’s about courage; it’s about character. If it resonates with you or holds value, please consider sharing it. It will also be posted on X (formally Twitter): https://twitter.com/jimlichtman And Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jim.lichtman.75/ Respectfully, Jim Lichtman    » Read more about: Friday’s Commentary  »...
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October 31, 2024
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To Serve the Common Good
Twentieth-century journalist Walter Lippmann’s enduring appeal lies in his staunch commitment to the common good—the idea that society can function in a way that benefits everyone, not just individuals or specific groups. It’s a concept that is as essential today as it was when he first explored it nearly a century ago. Lippmann—whose insights on democracy, media, and morality helped...
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October 28, 2024
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Fear Is the Enemy Within, Not Each Other
Fed by misinformation and half-truths, fear pushes us to distrust others, retreat into ourselves, see threats where there are none. Fear convinces us the world is more hostile than it truly is, seeing things through the lens of “Us vs. Them,” cutting us off from the compassion, understanding, and cooperation that can bring us together. Fear has always been present,...
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October 16, 2024
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When Was the Last Time Something Like This Happened in U.S. History?
In a public letter, 111 former top Republican officials have put aside party loyalty for the sake of national security and the future of our democracy. Republican Former National Security Leaders Statement of Support for Vice President Harris We are former national security and foreign policy officials who served in the administrations of Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, George...
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October 15, 2024
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Right v. Wrong
Here are some of the most recognizable figures who have worked with or opposed Donald Trump. Their quotes provide a firsthand look into why prominent military leaders, former Trump officials, and Republican figures have spoken out against the former president, citing concerns about his leadership, honesty, divisiveness, and threat to democracy. What have these individuals, many of whom experienced it...
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October 11, 2024
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What Do We Look for in a President?
In a 2016 poll entitled “What Voters Want in a President Today,” Pew Research reported that “more than a year before the first primaries, more voters valued a hypothetical candidate with ‘experience and a proven record’ (50%) than one who had ‘new ideas and a different approach’ (43%). Six months later, those numbers had flipped – 55% said it was...
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September 26, 2024
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The Great and the Regrettable
The Presidential Greatness Project, led by Professors Brandon Rottinghaus and Justin Vaughn, is a research effort that evaluates U.S. presidents through the lens of expert scholars in the field of presidential politics. Every few years, these scholars weigh in on which presidents exemplify greatness based on their leadership, historical significance, and legacy. In 2024, not surprisingly, Abraham Lincoln still holds...
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September 24, 2024

Read Some of the Most Recent Articles
The Latest... And Often Greatest
If It Looks Like a Duck…
Donald Trump has never hidden his disdain for anyone or any institution he believes stands in his way. Near the top of that list is...
A Tale of Two Voices
Two voices, both alike in reach and power, Speak into a divided world. One feeds grievance. The other calls for grace. Influence still carries power....
How Do We Manage Division?
Recently, I found myself returning to a question I’ve asked in different forms for years: what does it actually take to hold a country together...
The Supreme Court is Broken. How Do We Fix It?
As distilled from an email update from Michael Waldman, President and CEO of the Brennan Center for Justice. On Wednesday, the Supreme Court struck down...
Leadership as a Moral Act
Britain’s King Charles III spoke to a chamber that, for a moment, set aside party labels—Democrat and Republican—and listened not as factions, but as participants...
Unity is Not a Declaration. It’s a Discipline.
How does a country move from argument to action? The shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner is not an isolated event. It is part...