Recent Extremism Commentaries

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What Are We Willing to Do?
Among the Super Bowl ads that aired last Sunday, the one that moved me most was sponsored by the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism. While it specifically highlighted attacks against Jews, its message resonates far beyond any group targeted by hate. The ad features Snoop Dogg and Tom Brady trading insults, making its point in a mere 15 seconds. But it...
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February 17, 2025
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Dispatches From the Front
Let me get this straight: … the Senate will vote to approve a woman with ties to authoritarian leaders, a man who has pushed vaccine conspiracy theories for years, and a man on the bubble who openly plans to fire thousands of career FBI agents who investigated Trump’s role on January 6, and have the White House oversee the agency....
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February 5, 2025
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Godfather, Part Now
“I don’t feel I have to wipe everyone out, Tom, just my enemies.”—Michael Corleone, The Godfather Note: I must pause my earlier commentary suggesting how to reduce Trump’s influence on our minds. Some things can’t be ignored. The president had a busy week in his “March-to-the-Sea” agenda. Last week, President Trump issued an executive order pausing all federal spending on...
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February 3, 2025
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Good Night, and Good Luck
“You tried to destroy Trump; you tried to imprison Trump; you tried to break Trump. He’s not breakable. You couldn’t destroy him, and now he has turned on you.” That’s Trump’s favorite loyal lieutenant, Steve Bannon, from the former president’s first administration. This time around, he’s playing Lady Macbeth who’s role is fluffer to Donald Trump, making sure he feeds...
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November 18, 2024
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American Apocalypse
It doesn’t take the biblical Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse to unleash widespread chaos and destruction—just one . . . and they’re all rolled into Donald Trump: Cynicism, Contempt, Deceit, and Retribution. Trump’s dark prophetic vision—as South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem framed it—is that “this election is a battle between good and evil.” With 15 days left to the election,...
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October 21, 2024
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Is Truth Dead?
In the political landscape crafted by Donald Trump, “Truth is dead.” Trump’s domination of fear and panic squarely aimed at his supporters has not only diminished American democracy, but morality, itself. This is not the case with most Americans, only those who have been drawn into his Chautauqua tent of lies, and manipulation. Headline, The Colorado Sun: “I will rescue...
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October 14, 2024
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Fueled by Fear, Guided by Solutions
In America’s deeply polarized political landscape, we’ve become engulfed by lies, hateful rhetoric, and now, escalating violence. The most recent example is an assassination attempt on the former president. Stoked by fear, this toxic combination has infiltrated every aspect of our society—from public discourse to personal relationships—fostering a climate where truth feels optional and outrage thrives. When hateful rhetoric drives...
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September 20, 2024
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This is Why I Have Lost All Faith in the Ability of Republicans to Govern
This is Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff of Georgia addressing his Senate colleagues regarding the proposed Senate Border Security Bill.  » Read more about: This is Why I Have Lost All Faith in the Ability of Republicans to Govern  »...
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September 8, 2024
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The Ghost and The Darkness
Last week left us gasping after the first presidential debate and apprehensive about what to expect from the Supreme Court this morning about Trump’s total immunity case. (Now we know the answer to the second issue.) Let’s begin with the obvious. Joe Biden did not have a good debate night. He had a disastrous debate night. Despite the rah, rah...
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July 1, 2024
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Say it Ain’t So, Joe
Yesterday, during a nap, I had a dream. In the dream, a young boy looked up at a man whom he admired, a man who stood for the right thing, a man who persevered during the toughest of times. But when that same man was overwhelmed by an avalanche of lies, bowed his head and . . . gave up....
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June 28, 2024

Read Some of the Most Recent Articles
The Latest... And Often Greatest
It Was Important Then. It is Important Today
Freedom of speech in America is under attack, not only when people are denied the right to speak, but when lies, intimidation and the deliberate...
When Political Identity Replaces Ethical Judgment
The political and cultural landscape has become a minefield of conflicting beliefs, many now rooted less in public policy than in personal identity. One of...
Principles Matter.
A few nights ago, I was watching The Way We Were, a film I’ve seen more times than I can count. This time, a single...
All the President’s Men 2.0
“Politics had infiltrated every corner of government—a strong-arm takeover of the agencies by the Nixon White House.” —Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, All the President’s...
The Threat to November Is Already Here
“Cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government.”—George Washington’s...
Jon Ossoff and the Conscience of Atticus Finch
I’ve written about Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff before, but after watching his questioning of Jay Clayton, President Trump’s nominee for director of national intelligence (DNI),...