Recently, a self-proclaimed Christian instructor at Florida Atlantic University asked his students to write “Jesus” on a piece of paper and step on it. The exercise was from a textbook manual and was designed to teach that “even though symbols … More>

Editor’s note: A version of this article first appeared at Investor’s Business Daily.

Maybe it’s a measure of progressives’ refusal to look back, to always move “forward.” Otherwise, they should be celebrating right now. In fact, President Obama … More>

Editor’s note: A version of this article first appeared at Forbes.com.

Republicans are flailing about these days, trying to rebrand themselves before the next election cycle. A certain amount of introspection and internecine debate is inevitable after suffering a stinging … More>

Editor’s note: A version of this article first appeared at American Spectator.

The gushing, almost angelic praise for Hugo Chavez by the left in America and around the world has been shocking to behold, but hardly surprising. I will not … More>

Editor’s note: A version of this article first appeared at American Spectator.

There’s an old joke from the Cold War. It went like this: Hardline East German communist Walter Ulbricht (who erected the Berlin Wall) died and went to hell… More>

Editor’s note: A longer version of this article first appeared at American Thinker.

A wise man once told me that when any tax-levying entity operates at a deficit, the possible causes number precisely two. Either it is taxing too little … More>

Editor’s note: A version of this article first appeared at Forbes.com.

The Pentagon’s budget occupies center stage in the sequestration drama. Defense spending comprises approximately 18 percent of the 2013 federal budget, but accounts for 50 percent of federal … More>

Editor’s note: A version of this article first appeared at The Guardian.

Suddenly, everyone in Washington seems to agree on the need for immigration reform, and they may even agree on most of the details. That’s because nobody has … More>

 Editor’s note: A longer version of this article first appeared at American Spectator.

February is the month of presidents. It includes Washington’s birthday, Lincoln’s birthday, Ronald Reagan’s birthday, and, of course, Presidents Day. Given that I … More>

Editor’s note: A version of this article first appeared at RealClearMarkets.com.

The current global debt accumulations are unprecedented. In fact, it can be observed that at no time in the history of the human race, other than during periods of … More>

Editor’s note: A longer version of this article first appeared at American Spectator.

Liberals are apoplectic over remarks by Dr. Ben Carson at the National Prayer Breakfast. Carson, a prominent pediatric surgeon from Johns Hopkins University, dared to weigh in … More>

Editor’s note: A version of this article first appeared at Forbes.com.

The prospect of four more years of Barack Obama in the White House has caused several conservative voices (among them, The Wall Street Journal’s Daniel Henninger, Fox News commentator … More>

One of the most widely employed metaphors in today’s American political discourse is that the United States is a “city on a hill.” Especially popularized by Ronald Reagan, this phrase (taken from Matthew chapter 5) has been used by … More>

President Obama routinely promotes his firearms policies with the adjectives “reasonable” or “sensible,” and he probably believes quite sincerely that his proposals are just that. Implicit in such adjectives, however, is that those who disagree with him (including, I suppose, … More>

Having just viewed Steven Spielberg’s “Lincoln,” and knowing that Lincoln’s birthday is approaching, it seemed fitting to ponder one of Lincoln’s most famous speeches, and perhaps a lesson for Americans today.

On June 17, 1858, Lincoln gave his famous “House … More>

Editor’s note: A longer version of this article first appeared at American Spectator.

With Barack Obama’s second inauguration, liberals are touting an altogether new epoch: the end of the Reagan era.

Unfortunately, I believe they are largely correct. We … More>

As I wrote this article, my most recent among several on firearms policy, I anticipated the president addressing the nation on the matter at any moment. What I say here preceded his address, so the essay is neither a … More>

One commonly recurring statement from gun-control forces, including in Congress and the White House, is the supposedly reassuring comment: “We will preserve your Second Amendment right to hunt.”

I will be generous here and assume that those who make such … More>

The debate over firearms includes a lot of confusing language and expressions. This is reflective of other forms of confusion in the debate, such as the common—but illogical—notion that reducing the number of firearms would have the effect of reducing … More>

Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan rightly said, “Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts.” He might just have rightly said, “Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to be confusing.”

The discussion of … More>

So how is that New Year’s resolution diet going? Will the long-term results be better than the last diet? For the majority of us, even successful diets are unsuccessful. We may lose weight, but it comes back. Most people can … More>

It has been a couple of weeks since the death of Robert Bork, which occurred shortly before Christmas and didn’t really get the news coverage that Bork merited.

Bork died at age 85. In 1987, he became a national … More>

Editor’s note: This piece was written exclusively for Investor’s Business Daily by a member of the board of advisors for The Center for Vision & Values, a trustee of Grove City College, and president of the Atlas Economic Research Foundation: … More>

On a dark February afternoon in 1988, 25 students in a U.S. Constitutional History class waited expectantly in a little-used dining hall on the campus of Grove City College (in Grove City, Pennsylvania) for a special guest lecturer to arrive. … More>

By Dr. Paul Kengor & Michael Reagan

Editor’s note: A version of this article first appeared at FoxNews.com.

As President Obama and Democrats urge Republicans to increase taxes, some liberals are curiously invoking the name of Ronald Reagan, the ultimate … More>

Editor’s note: A longer version of this article first appeared at American Spectator.

The latest unemployment figures are again depressing, but not for the usual reasons. They provide further confirmation of Barack Obama’s fundamental transformation of America, specifically … More>

Reading post-2012-election news reports can be hazardous to one’s mental health, particularly for the sanity-challenged among us. But perhaps the singularly most prescient comments come from long ago—from the pen of America’s most profound novelist, Herman Melville, whose … More>

Editor’s note: A version of this article first appeared at Forbes.com.

As soon as the elections were over, a wave of commentaries extolling the virtues of compromise appeared in the press. The common theme is that it is time for … More>

Editor’s note: This article first appeared at American Spectator.

Shortly after the November election, I wrote an article titled, “McCain Beats Romney!” The article focused on initial reports showing that Mitt Romney received fewer votes in 2012 … More>

As Christmas approaches, Americans are once again spending a lot of money. With that in mind, here are some thoughts on the importance of self-control in our lives.

Experience, an excellent teacher, has taught me many critical lessons. I learned … More>

Editor’s note: A version of this article first appeared at Forbes.com.

Can the Twinkie and other famous Hostess brands be saved? I hope so, and I’ll offer my own two cents’ on one possible way of doing so. First, though, … More>

Editor’s note: A longer version of this article first appeared at American Spectator.

In a recent interview, Senator Marco Rubio, effectively the Republican front-runner for 2016, was asked, “How old do you think the Earth is?”

It’s a … More>

Mitt Romney lost the presidential race by only two percentage points. If the election had been held just a week earlier, when he was up in the polls, things might have been different. Nonetheless, Mitt Romney lost, and now a … More>

Editor’s note: A version of this piece was written for the American Thinker on January 26, 2011.

We’re at the halfway mark of Barack Obama’s first term as president. I say “first term” because I’m confident that this isn’t his … More>

Timing is everything in politics. For four years, I angered conservatives by insisting Barack Obama would get reelected. I figured that an electorate willing to elect a man with ideas and a record that far to the left in … More>

Editor’s note: A version of this article first appeared at Forbes.com.

The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) has just announced that GDP grew at a rate of 2 percent during the last three months. Keynesians like Paul Krugman should … More>

As a biographer of Ronald Reagan, I’m constantly asked to compare today’s fiscal/economic situation to what Reagan faced in the 1980s. Today’s record debt/deficits remind of the 1980s, though today’s are far worse, with the deficit at least six … More>

Editor’s note: A version of this article first appeared at The American Spectator.

I’d like to share a story on Senator Joe Biden that happened 31 years ago, and may be relevant to Biden’s Thursday evening debate with Paul Ryan. … More>

Editor’s note: On Wednesday, October 10, at 7 p.m., Dr. Craig Columbus will join executive director of The Center for Vision & Values, Dr. Paul Kengor, and successful venture capitalist and radio talk-show host, Glen Meakem, on the campus of … More>

Editor’s note: A version of this article first appeared at Forbes.com.

Two news items about “the rich” recently popped up online within a couple of hours of each other.

Story No. 1: Pew Research Center found that non-rich Americans have … More>

When discussing the possible effects on children of being raised by same-sex parents, I have told my students that the best evidence we have is that there are no negative effects. I also tell them that the best evidence we … More>

Editor’s note: A version of this piece first appeared at FoxNews.com.

“What do you think of this?” So began a phone call from Todd Starnes of FoxNews radio. Starnes asked me for a comment on a shocking story: A … More>

If you listen to America’s political hacks, mainstream media talking heads and their progressive allies, you can’t help but reach the conclusion that the nation’s tax burden is borne by the poor and middleclass while the rich get off scot-free.… More>

Editor’s note: A version of this article first appeared at Forbes.com.

A year ago, opponents attacked Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), claiming that his plan to reform Medicare would kill grandma by taking away her benefits. Mitt Romney, who, of course, … More>

This August 23, 2012 marks the centennial of the birth of Gene Kelly, the great American dancer, actor, singer; a guy’s guy who—along with Fred Astaire—is the only male who ever left me (momentarily) wishing I could dance.

I’ve always … More>

Editor’s note: A version of this article first appeared at Forbes.com.

According to a recent USA Today/Gallup poll, Americans under the age of 30 favor President Barack Obama over Mitt Romney by almost a two-to-one margin. This is a startling … More>

Editor’s note: A version of this article first appeared at Forbes.com.

Thomson Reuters’ latest survey of Wall Street analysts’ expectations about next quarter’s corporate earnings has prompted some to wonder whether the canary in the coal mine is beginning to … More>

“Eco-Tyranny: How the Left’s Green Agenda will Dismantle America” By Brian Sussman | WND Books (April 17, 2012) | 315 pp. | List Price: $25.95

In “Eco-Tyranny,” author Brian Sussman sounds a timely and important warning: The radical “greens” … More>

Editor’s Note: The “V&V Q&A” is an e-publication from The Center for Vision & Values at Grove City College. In this latest edition, we interview the co-authors of ”Getting Jefferson Right: Fact Checking Claims About Our Third President.” Dr. Warren … More>

Best-selling author and controversial social scientist Charles Murray is back in the news. This time it’s because of his new book, “Coming Apart: The State of White America, 1960–2010.”

In “Coming Apart,” Murray deftly wields both statistical data and anecdotal … More>

The case that received more media attention and more consideration by the U.S. Supreme Court than any in recent history has been decided. The 5-4 decision upheld the “individual mandate,” the central feature of the Patient Protection and Affordable … More>

Editor’s note: This article was written for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette by David J. Porter, a trustee of Grove City College and contributor to The Center for Vision & Values.

Click here to read the article at the Post-Gazette’s website»… More>

In light of recent publicity about the U.S-British-Israeli cyber attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities, we might want to consider intelligence lessons from the past.

In the autumn of 1960, with the presidential race between Vice President Richard M. Nixon and … More>

Recently, Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin won a historic recall election sought by unionized government workers and their allies who opposed his bargaining reforms. Because Walker’s margin of victory surpassed that of his first election in a state known for … More>

Our nation is rapidly approaching a point from which there’s little chance to avoid a financial collapse. The heart of our problem can be seen as a tragedy of the commons. That’s a set of circumstances when something is commonly … More>

Editor’s note:A longer version of this article first appeared at American Spectator.

The left-leaning magazine The Nation has published a list of what it deems America’s all-time, most influential progressives. The list, which you can review for yourself, … More>

Economists and pundits alike are going wild over the United Kingdom’s recent “double dip” recession. The 2008-09 recession prompted the election of a conservative coalition led by Prime Minister David Cameron. Cameron decided the best path for economic recovery was … More>

Editor’s note: A longer version of this article first appeared at American Spectator.

Congressman Allen West (R-Fla.) is being heavily criticized for comments alleging that certain Democratic members of Congress are communists, and he is not backing down. West dared … More>

We can’t drill our way to energy independence. Or so proclaims the president and many of his supporters. Here in Pennsylvania, the proclamation rings hollow; we are in the midst of a historic natural gas boom.

Pennsylvania has … More>

The 2012 presidential election is shaping up to be one of the most significant elections in American history. The outcome of major political issues such as Obamacare, carbon regulations, and our looming fiscal calamity hang in the balance.

In … More>

When President Obama made his famous declaration about how he was confident that “that the Supreme Court will not take what would be an unprecedented, extraordinary step of overturning a law that was passed by a strong majority of a … More>

President Obama recently complained about the possibility of the Supreme Court striking down Obamacare. He used the term “unprecedented” and was critical of “judicial activism” engaged in by “unelected” judges. In so doing, he showed his monumental misunderstanding of … More>

There is a widely held view that Congress has virtually unlimited power to legislate, especially concerning economic matters. Consider, for example, the passage of the controversial Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act two years ago. While Congress’ power to regulate … More>

Editor’s note: A version of this article first appeared in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Neither Porter nor his firm are involved in the ACA litigation.

This summer, the Supreme Court will decide whether Congress violated the Constitution when it enacted the … More>

Many Pennsylvanians who follow politics want the Keystone State’s presidential primary to matter. They observe the candidates in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and elsewhere holding rallies, visiting local diners, and kissing babies. They want some of that attention by … More>

Editor’s note: A longer version of this article first appeared at American Spectator.

The question for Republicans right now seems obvious: Would you prefer Rick Santorum or Mitt Romney to run against Barack Obama?

Well, it depends on whether you … More>

Can a viral video on the internet bring the world’s most wanted criminal to justice? This question is at the core of a video viewed more than 77 million times during the last week.

Who is this most wanted … More>

Those of you past a certain age may remember the old Art Linkletter show “Kids Say the Darndest [sic] Things.” The one I still remember was when Linkletter asked a little boy if he looked like his daddy. “No,” replied … More>

My colleague, Paul Kengor, wrote a brilliant article this week saying that Team Obama will try to cast the presidential election either in terms of class warfare—if Romney is the Republican nominee—or a battle over social issues, if … More>

In case you didn’t notice . . . With George W. Bush out of office and a Democrat in the White House, the secular media stopped its handwringing over the president mentioning God. With Rick Santorum’s surge, the hysteria … More>

Editor’s note: A longer version of this article appears at today’s American Spectator.

If Mitt Romney gets the GOP nomination, prepare for a season of class warfare in America unlike any before. Not only has President Obama been pushing class … More>

Editor’s note: Lee Wishing will be a participant in an April 19-20 conference hosted by The Center for Vision & Values at Grove City College on “The Challenge 2012: The Divided Conservative Mind.”

I live in Western Pennsylvania, just across … More>

Have you heard any good news lately? Bad news abounds. It’s been another tough year. Economic woes continue. Greece and Italy are on the verge of bankruptcy. Unemployment is still high in the United States (around 8.6 percent), and … More>

Let’s have a happy debate: What are the five best Christmas movies of all time? Obviously, tastes differ and change over time. Here are my five favorites, the ones I am willing to watch every Christmas season, starting with number … More>

When the world learned of the capture and subsequent death of Muammar Gaddafi on Oct. 20, 2011, academics and pundits and political leaders looked to official responses before framing their own. The United Nations, the U.S. Department of State, and … More>

The ink was barely dry on the asterisk in Jimmy Hoffa Jr.’s rant about taking out those “sons-of-b*tches”—referring to Tea Party members—when the vice president made his own contribution at a Labor Day rally. “This is a fight for the … More>

Editor’s note: This article first appeared at American Thinker.

I got a double shock Thursday morning when I turned on my radio.

“Steve Jobs has passed away,” I heard a DJ remark. “That’s a shame.”

Yes, it is a shame. … More>

Recently, Pat Robertson, chairman of the Christian Broadcasting Network, told his “700 Club” viewers that divorcing a wife with Alzheimer’s disease is justifiable (click here). His statement came in response to a viewer’s question, and one would hope … More>

Professor of Physics at Grove City College, Dr. Glenn Marsch, is interviewed by Lee Wishing, administrative director of The Center for Vision & Values at Grove City College: The New York Times’ Paul Krugman says we should be “terrified” if … More>

Attempting to categorize conservatism in the 21st century runs the risk of plunging into the briar patch of academic labeling or the fever swamp of left-wing vitriol. In the first category, one finds such designations as conservatism, neo-conservatism, and paleo-conservatism, … More>

President Obama’s tour through the Midwest in a coal-black Darth Vader-mobile home begs comparison with past presidential excursions. I’m thinking of those made by presidents Harry Truman and Woodrow Wilson.

First, the president repeated his Trumanesque mantra about his version … More>

To view a streaming video of Dr. Kengor’s recent interview on the Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends,” please click on the link below:

“On Catholics Challenging Speaker Boehner”

For MAC users: If you experience difficulty playing Windows Media files … More>

Editor’s note: A longer version of this article first appeared at American Thinker.

Another round of declassified FBI files on Senator Ted Kennedy has been released (click here and here). Fittingly, in Kennedy’s case, they once again raise … More>

“The current Republican Party, particularly the Tea Party, is fanatically involved in people’s personal lives and very fundamental Christian,” said NPR’s Ron Schiller to two undercover reporters. “I wouldn’t even call it Christian; it’s this weird evangelical kind of [movement].”… More>

Written by the administrative director of The Center for Vision & Values for WORLD Magazine.

Read the article»… More>

Free speech has always been one of our most cherished rights. It has come under attack repeatedly by those who find it to be an inconvenient and unwanted obstacle to the attainment of their political goals. Sometimes, those in positions … More>

Written by the administrative director of The Center for Vision & Values for WORLD Magazine.

Read the article»… More>

Last night, Republican Congressman Paul Ryan of Wisconsin delivered the official “Republican Response” to the State of the Union (SOTU). I wish there were no official response, and that’s not because I didn’t want to hear from a Republican. I’m … More>

Editor’s Note: The “V&V Q&A” is an e-publication from The Center for Vision & Values at Grove City College. This is the final installment in a series of weekly interviews with Dr. Paul Kengor, professor of political science and executive … More>

Editor’s Note: The “V&V Q&A” is an e-publication from The Center for Vision & Values at Grove City College. This is the fourth of five installments in a series of weekly interviews with Dr. Paul Kengor, professor of political science … More>

Editor’s Note: The “V&V Q&A” is an e-publication from The Center for Vision & Values at Grove City College. This is the third in a series of weekly interviews with Dr. Paul Kengor, professor of political science and executive director … More>

Editor’s Note: The “V&V Q&A” is an e-publication from The Center for Vision & Values at Grove City College. This is the second in a series of weekly interviews with Dr. Paul Kengor, professor of political science and executive director … More>

Editor’s Note: The “V&V Q&A” is an e-publication from The Center for Vision & Values at Grove City College. This is the first in a series of weekly interviews with Dr. Paul Kengor, professor of political science and executive director … More>

The Tea Party Movement, otherwise known as the Great Peasant Revolt of 2010, has been greeted by the country’s ruling class with all the sympathy that Voltaire expressed toward the Catholic Church: “Kill the infamous thing!”

Although the American Revolution … More>

An Interview with Dr. Paul Kengor

Editor’s Note: The “V&V Q&A” is an e-publication from The Center for Vision & Values at Grove City College. This is an interview with Dr. Paul Kengor, professor of political science and executive director … More>

This September 12 marks the 50th anniversary of John F. Kennedy’s historic speech to the Greater Houston Ministerial Association in which he countered religious objections to his candidacy and promised to honor the separation of church and state. This speech … More>

New media have shaped our political culture. Some, like talk radio and all-news cable stations, are developments of older, established technologies. Others, like internet blogs, are based on comparatively new technologies. Yet, both venues have provided congenial habitats for that … More>

My favorite section of the paper is still the comics. Lately I have been reading what seems to have become an annual theme in the “Cathy” comic strip. Not only can Cathy not find a suitable bathing suit, she is … More>

As a psychology professor I teach students who plan to be practitioners of social science. They have been moved with compassion by the problems so many people face, such as being in a painful marriage or having a child with … More>

I’m not one to bother with the latest alleged blockbuster buzzing from the salons of Hollywood high culture. Over the course of two valuable hours, I can only take so many car chases, explosions, and run-of-the-mill depravity. Alas, I had a … More>

Editor’s note: This article first appeared through the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, a research and educational institute headquartered in Midland, Mich. Permission to reprint in whole or in part is hereby granted, provided that the author and the Center … More>

This year’s Conservative Political Action Conference was unique. The Tea Party movement burst forth in August 2009 and the tension that this leaderless juggernaut generates among establishment conservatives was palpable at the nation’s largest annual gathering of grassroots conservatives and … More>

“Going Rogue: An American Life” By Sarah Palin | HarperCollins (November 2009) | 432 pp. | List Price: $28.99

Most likely, millions of copies of Going Rogue have been sold in recent months because Sarah Palin inspires either great … More>

Each day, political claims and terminology—astonishing or at least remarkable—pop up in the media. Consider two such current terms: “middle class” and “populism.”

In the wake of the Massachusetts senatorial election, a sudden cascade of speeches and press releases by … More>

“How can ANYONE take this man seriously?” writes Marilyn, a frequent reader of our Center for Vision & Values articles.

Attached to Marilyn’s email was this headline, “Gore compares climate change fight to war against Nazis.” As the accompanying article … More>

Editor’s Note: The “V&V Q&A” is an 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 everywhere. … More>

“Goddess of the Market: Ayn Rand and the American Right” By Jennifer Burns | Oxford University Press, USA (October 2009) | 384 pp. | List Price: $27.95

Prior to the 1990s, few scholarly studies of post-World War II American conservatism … More>

On the Monday morning following the Oscars, U.S. news websites splashed the announcement that the “little film that could,” “Slumdog Millionaire,” had garnered the Best Picture of 2008 award. Buried on many of the same web sites was the news … More>

Ready for some political and economic rock and roll? It’s happening. In 2008, Americans were rocked by the beginnings of a deflationary credit collapse and Uncle Sam’s extraordinary bailout/nationalization agenda. In 2009, Americans will be rolled. If you think 2008 … More>

I first heard it in an email from a professor in Illinois. We were arguing about something I wrote on Barack Obama. I asked if he agreed that the media had been breathlessly, transparently biased in favor of Obama in … More>

As the country considers the inauguration of Barack Obama, I’m mindful of another inauguration that seems a long time ago, and which speaks volumes to the presidential transition we are about to witness.

It was a January day in 1999, … More>

“George Bush is not my neighbor!”
—Howard Dean, January 2004

Five years ago, George W. Bush finished the last good year of his presidency. Things were looking up. The Democratic front-runners seeking their party’s presidential nomination lauded the historic accomplishments … More>

Quick, attempt the following:  Name the three branches of the federal government. Recognize the speech where the words “of the people, by the people, and for the people” come from. Identify the female judge on American Idol.

The Intercollegiate … More>

With the help of Hollywood—though often to its detriment—Mary Shelley’s 19th century … More>

Politics in America is a contact sport. Passions flare and the rhetoric can get heated and nasty. Political parties stoke these fires, playing on people’s fears as a key fund-raising tactic.

Conservative authors have produced books with insulting titles like … More>

Reactions to Governor Palin’s selection as Senator McCain’s running mate ranged from laughter to incredulity and then from alarm to panic. Indeed, editorials on the danger she poses to Senator Obama’s once inevitable coronation in November now radiate furrowed brows … More>

It has taken me a couple of weeks but I think I’ve finally gotten handle on why Sarah Palin’s bravado Republican convention speech was such a smash among conservatives: After nearly eight years of watching President George W. Bush curl … More>

Contrary to a widely circulated report in Tuesday’s Washington Post, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, the Republican vice-presidential nominee, did not slash funding for a program supporting teen mothers.

The Washington Post’s Paul Kane reported that “Palin Slashed Funding for … More>

So powerful are the media that they have been referred to as the fourth branch of government. Indeed, they can make or break reputations. Example: when former Vice President Dan Quayle misspelled “potato” by adding an “e,” the press magnified … More>

Editor’s Note: A longer version of this review is posted at The American Thinker.

Last … More>

“Charlie Wilson’s War” is a fascinating movie for political buffs. Director Mike Nichols, star and co-producer Tom Hanks, and co-star Julia Roberts are well-known liberals. The U.S. support of the Afghan Mujahedin’s fight against the Soviet invaders in the 1980s … More>

“Hairspray”—the film adaptation of the Broadway musical of the same name—is trite and formulaic. Some of its key characters are mere caricatures. I can’t remember the words or melody of any of its songs. And on top of that, I … More>

In 1857 the U.S. Supreme Court handed down what has since been regarded as one of its most notorious decisions. In Dred Scott v. Sandford, Chief Justice Roger Taney delivered the opinion of the court, which, in the words … More>

Amidst the rock concert mania surrounding a post-July 4th global warming consciousness raising, it is important for citizens to understand the difference between reasoned debate about public policy and the verbal pyrotechnics of a crusade. The politics of policy formation … More>

Editor’s Note: The “V&V Q&A” is an 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 everywhere. … More>

This Monday marks one of the most significant dates in the calendar year: Opening Day for Major League Baseball.

There is, of course, no greater sport than baseball—a fact that is one of those indisputable laws of the universe. It … More>

Each morning my local county newspaper shows up late. Speaking with the delivery man and calling the office hasn’t changed things. So, rather than canceling the 20,089 daily circulation paper I continue reading the local news with my coffee … … More>

Many Americans participated in consumerism-gone-wild sales during the Thanksgiving holiday. Should we be thankful for this retail madness these sales generate?

The conversation at my in-laws’ feast was filled with typical Thanksgiving talk: family, God’s blessings and shopping sales. My … More>

A joint book review of Rod Dreher’s Crunchy Cons and Bill Kauffman’s Look Homeward, America

Over a decade has passed since the fall of Soviet Communism, but in America, the two political parties essentially defined by their approach to the … More>

In a fascinating documentary about Dwight Eisenhower, entitled, “Ike: The War Years,” one particularly arresting scene shows the general (superbly played by Robert Duvall) standing before a room filled with reporters, all ravenous to snatch the least lagniappes of hard … More>

Sometimes lack of focus is a good thing. It allows restless eyes to wander across an insane landscape of newspaper headlines that proclaim every absurdity, outrage, and shameless prevarication possible. All of which can leave a stupefied mind to scream … More>

By now, the plot line of Brokeback Mountain  is well known. For those just returning from another planet, here it is: in the early 1960s, two young, male sheep herders, Jack Twist and Ennis Del Mar become sexually involved for … More>

The Muhammad cartoon incident is the latest chapter in the 30-year-old revival of a world-wide jihad—holy war—against Christians and Jews. This revival was inspired by Osama bin Ladin’s friend and mentor Abdullah Azzam. Azzam was a Palestinian born, Cairo educated … More>

Americans joyfully celebrate the holiday season in a variety of ways while tolerating one another’s religious and non-religious traditions. During the rest of the year, many Americans practice a new kind of tolerance that differs from the country’s historical roots.… More>

This Christmas season is just getting stranger as we go.

All over the place people are trying to figure out what to say to each other (“Happy holiday(s),” “Merry Christmas,” “Get out of my way, I want that iPod”) and … More>

While I cannot say I look forward to Christmas, I celebrate it, even if less enthusiastically as time passes. Perhaps it’s the “bah humbug factor” that comes with fading eyesight and the other vicissitudes of what is, however—at least for … More>

Six hundred million and counting. That is the number of dollars that The Passion of the Christ has grossed and the number of reasons why Disney has been marketing its new film, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, to … More>

Summer’s arrival means one thing to Hollywood: money. For decades summer blockbusters have represented both Hollywood’s largest budgets and revenues. Not looking to impress the Academy with thought-provoking scripts or virtuoso acting performances, movie studios offer roller-coasters not Shakespeare-in-the-park.

Perhaps … More>

Are abstinence education programs dangerous’ A recent editorial in the Philadelphia Daily News titled “Real Sex Ed for Real Lives” by ACLU staffers Nancy Hopkins and Louise Melling opines, “If the president gets what he asked for, the federal government … More>

Recently I wrote a column criticizing an event known as “No Name Calling Week.” NNCW is an event created by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Educators Network to address name calling and gay public policy objectives all at once. Since … More>

A little success is a dangerous thing, especially with regard to a political movement fuelled by ideas. Perhaps some sober self-examination at this time of inauguration would be prudent, if only as a healthy antidote to current conservative triumphalism.

Yes, … 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>

First, the background.  In one of the funniest movies ever produced, Blazing Saddles, Mel Brooks managed to spoof both Westerns and racial prejudice by inserting an African-American Sheriff into a town called Rock Ridge, a place saturated with citizens who … More>

The principle culprit of the major media’s latest round of non-stop insipid news coverage is of course CBS News and its Sixty Minutes II report based on what the network claimed was a number of documents that cast doubt on … More>

What can the popular book “The DaVinci Code” teach us at back-to-school time? History and critical thinking are inseparable for a good education. If read merely as fiction, The DaVinci Code would be an interesting mystery story. However, when the … More>

Forty years after we graduated about half the Sheffield High School class of 1964 gathered on a July Saturday night at a local Holiday Inn for our fortieth reunion.  Four decades had passed since I left Sheffield, Alabama.

Located in … More>

José Minaya needs an agent. Labeled the “sex gabber” by the New York Post, Mr. Minaya was fired from his position as a middle school guidance counselor because he talked about sex to students. According to a June 21st Post … More>

Is it hazardous to one’s mental health to change sexual identity from gay to straight? The National Mental Health Association, the nation’s oldest and largest mental health advocacy group made this charge in a recent statement to a gay oriented … More>

What made J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings an Oscar winner? Strangely enough, in an age that purports to be modern and secular, the Lord of the Rings is a success because its structure and vision focus the viewer … More>

Imagine the current members of the White House press corps being transported back in time to the presidency of George Washington. If they were to train their journalistic guns on the “father of our country,” instead of our own George … More>

By now, everyone breathing has heard about Janet Jackson’s flashdance during halftime at the Super Bowl. I didn’t see it. I had checked out to the food table about the time P. Diddy came on. It was a simple choice: … More>

Listening to Sen. John Kerry talk about his new brand of “retail politics” reminded me of the scene in the movie“As Good As It Gets” where Jack Nicholson’s character proclaims to Helen Hunt: “You make me want to be a … More>

I didn’t see it. Alas, I missed the November 11 episode of Law and Order: Special Victim’s Unit (SVU) called “Abomination.” The show upset many of my friends and colleagues. Why were they upset? A look at the description of … More>

A groundbreaking new faith-based resource combining original musical and spoken word tracks for high school students, college students and young adults wrestling with homosexual issues, as well as their counselors, is being released during Marriage Protection Week, October 12-18. The … More>

If you knew me, you might guess that I am excited about the prominent role of spirituality in this fall’s prime time television line-up. I am, after all, a former Baptist minister who teaches in a church-related liberal arts college … More>

Sousa’s “Stars and Stripes Forever” is as commonplace to the Fourth of July as is hearing news about a symphony orchestra that is on the brink of bankruptcy or another museum having to cut its staff.

To rally support for … More>

EDITOR’S NOTE: The following lecture was presented at Grove City College on November 12, 2002.

Introduction
Whenever I am invited to give a talk, I like to remind my audience of Lord Northcliffe’s classic definition of a newspaperman. “It is … More>

Dr. Peter Singer, the Ira W. DeCamp Professor of Bioethics in the University Center for Human Values at Princeton University, speaking to the 2002 Animal Rights Conference held in McLean, Va., earlier this month, gave a talk in which he … More>