Editor’s Note: The “V&V Q&A” is a monthly e-publication from The Center for Vision & Values at Grove City College.  Each issue will present an interview with an intriguing thinker or opinion-maker that we hope will prove illuminating to readers … More>

Fifty years ago this week Soviet tanks under order from the Kremlin rolled into the Communist bloc nation of Hungary and killed upwards of 30,000 citizens—brutally dashing the aspirations of a reformer named Imre Nagy, and viciously informing the Hungarian … More>

Editor’s Note: Bob O’Connor, the 58th mayor of Pittsburgh, PA, died of brain cancer this past Friday, September 1, at the age of 61.

In the fall of 1994, I drove my tiny Toyota Tercel into downtown Pittsburgh for a … More>

I was awakened this morning at 4:45 a.m. by a ringing telephone. A call that early in the morning often brings bad news—sometimes news of a death. I braced myself. The call was indeed about a death, but the news … More>

The following dinner lecture was delivered by Dr. Paul Kengor on the evening of April 6, 2006.
(Location: Pew Fine Arts Center – Pew Memorial Room)

Paul Kengor is the executive director of The Center for Vision & Values at … More>

On Monday evening, March 27, I spoke to students in my “Modern Civilization” course here at Grove City College. I was lecturing on the origins of the Cold War. I began talking about the Berlin Wall, going through the date … More>

I get angry emails anytime I accuse the dominant press of hostility toward religion, and specifically toward the religious right, as opposed to the religious left. The press is silent (or at least not hostile) when a liberal preacher denounces … More>

Several weeks ago I wrote an article  that addressed the allegation that George W. Bush lied about Iraqi weapons of mass destruction. I noted that this charge doesn’t make sense, even when granting it for the sake of argument, and … More>

In recent weeks, Judge Samuel Alito Jr. has been portrayed as everything from “anti-woman” to a racial bigot. His confirmation hearings got so ugly that his wife, in the most regrettable image of the hearings, left the room in tears. … More>

There is something quite sad happening in modern politics. There is a hatred of George W. Bush so consuming that it has left many otherwise sensible people with an inability to deal with questions concerning the man and his policies.… More>

We all remember Hillary Rodham Clinton’s charge of a “vast right-wing conspiracy”: the allegation that there were a bunch of right-wingers out to get her husband, hoping to impeach him and dance on his grave. Admittedly, there were many such … More>

When George W. Bush insisted that Iraqis, like Afghans before them, would go to the polls to elect their leaders, many of us were skeptical, and not unreasonably.

After all, the term “Muslim democracy” has seemed an oxymoron. Of all … More>

Of the hundreds of articles I’ve written, I’ve never done a piece on the issue of gay adoption. However, I was recently so struck by a particular court case that I feel compelled to weigh in.

Jennifer Roback Morse, a … More>

What a spectacle! This week Congress heard testimony from oil executives, who, along with the companies they run, are allegedly making too much money. As such, “Big Oil,” or—more specifically—those rapacious, robber-baron CEOs who stand atop that heaping mass of … More>

Conservatives are blowing it. In Harriet Miers, George W. Bush designated a nominee to the Supreme Court who, without conservative opposition and digging, particularly by the diligent Wall Street Journal, would almost surely have sailed through Senate confirmation. By all … More>

By now everyone knows that a California judge has ruled the pledge of allegiance unconstitutional. Specifically, Senior District Court Judge Lawrence Karlton has ruled that the pledge’s reference to one nation “under God” violates the right of school children to … More>

On Wednesday, July 20, Paul Kengor, executive director of The Center for Vision & Values at Grove City College, will do a booksigning and lecture at the Ronald Reagan Library in Simi Valley, California. His lecture will be titled, “The … More>

A giant of the 20th century died on Thursday, March 17. George F. Kennan lived for 101 years. Many things will be said of Kennan this week: He was a leading thinker of our time, the founding father of containment, … More>

“We’re going to lead the world to fight for freedom.” — George W. Bush, exchange with reporters, September 19, 2001

“I truly believe that out of this [September 11] will come more order in the world—real progress to peace in … More>

Editor’s note: This article first appeared in National Review.

George W. Bush will soon be delivering his second inaugural address. Will he mention God? Or, perhaps the better question is: Will any mention of God by Bush be tolerated … More>

While liberals complain about the religious vote that went for George W. Bush, they refuse to discuss—and perhaps happily accept—the non-religious vote that went for John F. Kerry. Which ought to be considered a greater liability for an American president: … More>

The influence of President Bush’s faith on his foreign policy has been greatly exaggerated by both friends and foes. Enthusiasts proudly call the president’s foreign policy “faith based.” Detractors angrily assert that the president invaded Iraq and removed Saddam Hussein … More>

The Bush administration’s twin pillars for going to war in Iraq were weapons of mass destruction and terrorism. Critics have seized upon the lack of WMD stockpiles as a means to de-legitimize the war. Yet, in their zealousness to discredit … More>

The Bush administration’s twin pillars for going to war in Iraq were weapons of mass destruction and terrorism. Critics have seized upon the lack of WMD stockpiles as a means to de-legitimize the war. Yet, in their zealousness to discredit … More>

We’re being told by Democrats that the Bush administration’s war against Saddam was illegitimate because it allegedly lacked United Nations approval and sufficient multilateral support. What Democrats are not saying is that the previous presidential administration—a Democratic one—did not meet … More>

Over the last week, something enormously important has happened — something deserving of much more than the routine news-cycle coverage. To put it bluntly, the presidential election in Afghanistan is a seminal event, and those who don’t understand how or … More>

I’m still searching for the political fallout—for the outrage. It has been a week since Senator John F. Kerry, before a … More>

Introduction
Of all the things that rankle the critics of George W. Bush, few anger them more than his willingness to apply the word evil. Like President Ronald Reagan two decades before him, Bush operates from a Christian worldview that … More>

This week marks the fifth anniversary of one of the worst weeks in the history of Fort Worth, Texas. What happened that week was a demonstration of evil and good, of a mad killer at work and a kind community … More>

This week marks the fifth anniversary of one of the worst weeks in the history of Fort Worth, Texas. What happened that week was a demonstration of evil and good, of a mad killer at work and a kind community … More>

One of the most contentious debates in education — sex education, contraceptives vs. abstinence — has become more important. At least four studies have found that there is a meaningful number of adolescent women who desire to become pregnant in … More>

It was quite telling that the strongest religious statement made at the Republican convention came not from a Republican but from a Democrat, Georgia Senator Zell Miller, who claimed, among other things, that the current President is the same person … More>

Though he clearly has his failings, there’s something impressive about McGreevey: He has the integrity to discipline himself for moral misconduct; in this case, he is resigning. Yet, one of the more impressive displays by McGreevey took place weeks ago, … More>

With tributes to Ronald Reagan now off the front pages, the left is trying to reshape the man in its own image. Surely, liberals inform us, Reagan would have supported the use of human embryos for research.

I would strongly … More>

When we open our newspapers on Father’s Day, we expect to find an article on dads. These are often tributes to heroic dads. Yet, for every boy or girl whose father was a fireman, a doctor, or Marine who stormed … More>

Over the last week, I’ve been asked many questions about Ronald Reagan’s faith. A particularly interesting exchange took place this morning. I told a radio talk-show host that Reagan’s faith was fundamental to nearly everything he did in the Cold … More>

Ronald Reagan was a man who had it all. It is difficult to identify an American who lived a fuller, or greater, life—what he understatedly called “An American Life.” In nearly everything he did, Reagan succeeded wildly. When he left … More>

While being a mother has never been easy, the task today is particularly daunting. My wife, who is the mother of my 8-year-old and 6-year-old sons and 2-year-old daughter, learned a few months ago that she couldn’t even let her … More>

On Tuesday, Pennsylvania Republicans like myself will cast a ballot for either long-time senator Arlen Specter or three-term congressman Pat Toomey. The winner will secure the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate and take on the Democratic nominee in November. … More>

A few weeks ago I wrote an article describing Ronald Reagan’s views on Jesus Christ and the crucifixion. While most of the response was positive, I did receive some negative email. One writer complained that I rekindled the same “divisive” … More>

It’s a curious thing for any biographer: When you write a book on a historical figure — particularly an unappreciated aspect of a historical … More>

Long before the editorial pages of the New York Times flogged Mel Gibson for his film or denounced George W. Bush for citing Jesus Christ as his favorite philosopher, they assailed Ronald Reagan for his thoughts on the Nazarene Carpenter.… More>

It would seem difficult to find a negative in the capture of Saddam Hussein. Yet, a number of commentators argue that Saddam’s capture, and particularly his disheveled, pathetic appearance at the hands of his captors—he looked like a wino who … More>

There is a time-honored tradition in American politics — a gentlemen’s agreement of sorts: Former presidents do not openly criticize current presidents, particularly on sensitive foreign-policy matters. Ex-presidents know intimately the difficulty of the job; they understand how much more … More>

More than two years ago on Sept. 11, 2001, America’s sense of security was shattered by brutal terrorist attacks. The Bush administration responded with a War on Terror. As a result, if you ask the typical American when the War … More>

There is a sickness that continues to afflict Pennsylvania education – from kindergarten all the way up through the state’s colleges. No, I’m not talking about the usual suspects we cite for our troubles. I have in mind two computer … More>

I was channel surfing on my car radio when I encountered the latest ad for the Pennsylvania lottery. These ads tend to be clever. This is true in many states. For instance, the ads for the Virginia state lottery are … More>

Editor’s note: This article first appeared in the National Review Online and was reprinted in its entirety by the United Nations Environment Programme.

A few months ago, prior to the liberation of Iraq, we ran a piece on Saddam Hussein’s … More>

I don’t know which is more shocking: the revelation that conservative icon William J. Bennett has a serious gambling problem, which resulted in his loss of millions of dollars in casinos around the country, or the furious (even scary) reaction … More>

The date is now historic for the people of Iraq, and possibly for the Middle East generally, especially if freedom and democracy take root and spread elsewhere in the region — a big “if” that only time will tell.

We … More>

The slogans of the antiwar movement are by now quite familiar: No blood for oil. Wage peace, not war. Drop Bush not bombs. It is … More>

With an American-led invasion of Iraq now imminent, and maybe even underway by the time this article goes to print, we continue to hear the claim that there is no proof of a connection between Saddam Hussein and Al-Qaeda. The … More>

Editor’s note: This article first appeared in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

This week marks the 50th anniversary of the death of Joseph Stalin, dictator of the Soviet Union from the 1920s to the early 1950s. Historians will judge it an appropriate … More>

When he became governor a few weeks ago, Ed Rendell announced that he was suddenly surprised by the unanticipated size of the state budget deficit. His administration insists that that gap must be closed. Now, in a likely related matter, … More>

I was quite saddened when I woke up on Thursday morning, turned on Channel 4 and learned that Fred Rogers had died. Mr. Rogers had always evoked sentimentality from me, though never as he did that morning.

I’ll always have … More>

In his presentation to the United Nations this morning, Secretary of State Colin Powell cited an expected list of Iraqi crimes. Among them, he made reference to a group called the Ma’dan, or Marsh Arabs of southern Iraq. Sadly, most … More>

It was the late 1980s in America. The Soviet empire was approaching the ash-heap of history. Not only were communists taking it on the chin but so were some of their Cold Warrior adversaries in the United States. It was … More>

The scene was my parents’ house on Fourth of July weekend. It was 10 months after Sept. 11. The tragedy was still on the minds of many, particularly during this time of patriotic reflection. Apparently, it was on the minds … More>