As the less offensive saying goes, opinions are like armpits. Everyone has two and they usually stink. Today at the Washington Times Community Pages, I write about the world’s most exclusive fraternity: past presidents and their opinions or lack thereof. The historian I interviewed, Doug Wead, wrote an interesting blog post on the situation. It’s […]
Over a quarter of a million people joined the March on Washington for civil rights, a sight that still inspires. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. gave one of the most famous speeches in history, and probably the most famous of the 20th century, and it was actually partially spontaneous. Typically the sciatica nerve discomfort takes […]
(This post contains affiliated links.) We just finished Carry On, Mr. Bowditch by Jean Lee Latham — an excellent book and highly recommended — and my appetite was whetted. I had never heard of Nathaniel Bowditch in my American history studies. While I’m no history scholar, I’m better read than the average bear. If the fictionalized […]
Over the course of two years, we’re studying American history in our homeschool. We’ve been stuck Lewis and Clark for what seems like forever because of travel and camp and convention. Honestly, I haven’t minded because it’s such a fascinating adventure. A couple of years ago, I read Undaunted Courage by Stephen Ambrose and was […]
Steven Crowder put together this beautiful video on American culture, which pretty much sums up how I feel about the birthday girl. Three things every citizen should do today: First read the Declaration of Independence,the whole thing and not just the “life, liberty and pursuit of happiness.” Read every grievance and the names of those […]
On July 4, 1804, Captains Lewis and Clark and the rest of the Corps of Discovery celebrated the first Independence Day west of the Mississippi by firing off their cannon. They were at the beginning of a grand adventure that was the first steps in opening the West to their countrymen. In addition to this […]
I’m in my hometown this week to help out my parents with some health issues. (Nothing emergency-ish, My mom’s having a knee-replacement surgery. Prayers are much appreciated.) Coming home is always weird and a little scary. Weird, because my hometown has grown and changed so much, I hardly recognize it. Scary because these are the worst, […]
Today, we took the kids to the Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery for the Memorial Day Ceremonies. It was a beautiful service, and it’s such a privilege to witness such observances. My boys, in particular, asked lots of questions and the day was full of teachable moments for them as well as for me. “Why do […]
Today all the world celebrates Cinco de Mayo, marking the Mexican Victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. Well, actually they don’t. Most of Mexico doesn’t even celebrate Cinco de Mayo. (It’s not Mexican Independence Day. That happened on September 16, 1810 — half a century earlier.) Cinco de […]
Today, the world lost a historic figure and remarkable woman. Margaret Thatcher was a chemist, lawyer, mother (of twins!), politician, first and only female Prime Minister of Britain, and part of the group of Western Leaders who lead the fight to end the grip of communism on Eastern Europe. The foreign policy world of my […]