Harvard University now stands at an ethical crossroads—not just for itself, but for every educational entity in the country. While I never attended Harvard, you don’t need a Harvard degree to see the deadly sword hanging over all of education. The moment universities start compromising their core values to appease an administration obsessed with control, they surrender more than autonomy—they...

As President Donald Trump celebrated the 250th anniversary of the U.S. military, one soldier was under attack. At Fort Drum, New York, Maj. Erica Vandal glanced at her phone. A message from her mother: “Just heard about the Supreme Court ruling. That totally stinks! How are you doing?” The court had just allowed Trump’s ban on transgender troops to take...

It begins subtly. A shrug at a cruel remark. A laugh at behavior once considered beneath the dignity of the office. A dismissal of a fact, a bending of the truth. “It’s just rhetoric,” they say. “He’s just being himself.” Norms don’t break overnight. They erode—quietly, steadily—until what was once outrageous becomes routine. But the temperature keeps rising. In April,...

When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross.—Derived from “It Can’t Happen Here” by Sinclair Lewis This is the most prescient book I have ever read.  In 1935, Sinclair Lewis published a novel with a title that felt more like comfort than warning: It Can’t Happen Here. But the real message behind...

Former Defense Secretary and retired Marine Corps General James Mattis has something to say. I have watched this week’s unfolding events, angry and appalled. The words “Equal Justice Under Law” are carved in the pediment of the United States Supreme Court. This is precisely what protesters are rightly demanding. It is a wholesome and unifying demand—one that all of us...

In 2012, Justice David Souter—long retired, rarely seen—offered a quiet but powerful warning during a talk in New Hampshire. Reflecting on the erosion of civic understanding, he said: “What I worry about is that when problems are not addressed, people will not know who is responsible. And when the problems get bad enough—as they might—some one person will come forward...

Beginning Monday, I’ll be highlighting five U.S. Presidents who–when confronted with defining choices–led with integrity instead of expedience. These presidents didn’t just occupy the Oval Office; they embodied the values that give leadership its true meaning. Their choices remind us that integrity is not a political strategy—it’s a standard. Today, however, I begin with a new global leader—one who speaks...

I usually keep my focus on issues here at home—challenges that affect us as Americans. But with the world now turning its attention to the Catholic Church and the anticipation of a new Pope, I’ve been reading and reflecting on the legacy of Pope Francis—and what his message might mean for all of us, especially in this divided moment. Pope...

For all our progress as a nation, one obstacle remains stubbornly front and center: prejudice. Basketball star Blair Stevens—a trans athlete—is a reminder of how change still challenges us. I struggle to understand it, too. But when I saw it in the broader context of America’s long history of prejudice, my resistance to change…changed. Watching an old Charlie Chan movie...

I liked Francis—a lot. How could you not? He spoke plainly, with sincerity and purpose—and people listened. His words weren’t wrapped in rhetoric; they were rooted in truth. In a time when power is too often confused with principle, Pope Francis led with something far more enduring… character. From the start, Francis made it clear that his papacy would be...