Recent Compassion Commentaries

Featured image for “A Conspiracy of Decency”
A Conspiracy of Decency
I first met David Krieger at a talk he gave in 2000. What impressed me was his passion, commitment and soft-spoken approach to ending nuclear weapons, worldwide, (and I thought getting people to live more ethically was difficult!) Founded in 1982, The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation’s mission “is to educate, advocate, and inspire action for a just and peaceful world,...
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November 7, 2019
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No Ordinary Joe
These days, Washington is loaded with bad news, cynicism, corruption, and perhaps more division than we have all seen in our lifetimes. But at Thirteenth Street and Potomac Avenue, the kindness of strangers still exists and … so does gratitude. As reported by WUSA, channel 9 in D.C. (Aug. 22), “The notes appeared mysteriously overnight. “A mysterious heart attack victim...
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October 30, 2019
Featured image for “One Final Piece of Wisdom From Elijah”
One Final Piece of Wisdom From Elijah
In the midst of trouble and turmoil in our nation’s Capitol, a giant of a man, a fervent spokesman of equality for all and a representative of the state of Maryland quietly passed from this world. And the divisive infighting in Congress paused for a moment to honor a man who fought all his life for the best interests of...
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October 28, 2019
Featured image for “This Man Deserves a Nobel Peace Prize, <em>Period!</em>”
This Man Deserves a Nobel Peace Prize, Period!
José Andrés is the celebrity chef known round the world, not just for his popular cuisines, but as commander-in-chef and founder of World Central Kitchen. Not only does he go to countries ravaged by hurricanes and floods, he literally feeds millions. “Nearly two years ago,” The Washington Post writes (Sept. 3), “José Andrés and World Central Kitchen found themselves battling...
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October 16, 2019
Featured image for “Two Uplifting Stories”
Two Uplifting Stories
Two recent stories prove two things: first that there is much more to the news than what happens in Washington; second, that sportsmanship and compassion are alive and well. In the 5000-meter race of the Track and Field World Championships in Doha, Qatar, Jonathan Busby of Aruba, near exhaustion, was helped by another competitor in the race. “…it was so...
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October 7, 2019
Featured image for “What’s Missing Today”
What’s Missing Today
I’ve been fortunate enough to call Peace Studies scholar and teacher Colman McCarthy a friend for a number of years now. Last month, he wrote a commentary on singer, songwriter and activist Joan Baez. In the piece, Baez reflects on the fact that today, we are missing the “glue” that connects us to others with struggles similar to our own....
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September 9, 2019
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T.G.I.V.
Thank God It’s Vacation time! While the media continues to give this President the attention he craves, I’m unplugging from it all. In the meantime, I’ve selected some of the most popular commentaries. From the Philippines to Saudi Arabia; from the Netherlands to the United States, all continue to receive strong interest. I’ll return after Labor Day. The Mueller Report,...
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July 26, 2019
Featured image for “A Little Bit of Heaven”
A Little Bit of Heaven
While in office, President Harry Truman was well-known by his fans for not suffering fools lightly, politicians or military. A frequent chant from supporters was, Give’em Hell, Harry! Looking toward the brighter side, a good friend of mine signs his e-mails, Give’em Heaven. With that thought in mind I thought this commentary appropriate. I’m a tennis fan. Grew up watching...
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July 8, 2019
Featured image for “This is What Civic Virtue Looks Like”
This is What Civic Virtue Looks Like
Earlier this month, Warwick Public Schools in Rhode Island announced that it would ban any student from the school’s hot meal service if they had not paid any outstanding balance owed. Their only choice at lunchtime: a sandwich made from “sun butter and jelly,” (sun butter?). The unpaid amounted to $77,000. After word quickly spread on Facebook, outrage built against...
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May 29, 2019
Featured image for “That Night in Vietnam… And Those That Followed”
That Night in Vietnam… And Those That Followed
One night in December 1968, SP4 Dennis E. Haines’ life changed literally in a flash. “Our mission was to encircle a village,” his buddy John Miller recalls. “It was on this path that Dennis and I were sent to act as a listening post, waiting for darkness until the rest of the company would join us. “There was a problem....
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May 27, 2019