True confession: Being that it’s an election year, I’ve felt the abysmal division in our political system more than ever, but my reaction has been to bolster my beliefs and affiliation while assuming the worst of the other side and stereotyping them as a result.
Well, something unprecedented happened several nights ago that has rocked my world and I believe has the power to shake things up in the intensely polarized environment that we live in. …
Today is the birthday of the man who saw great discrepancy between Declaration of Independence rhetoric and then-contemporary reality of legal slave trade and slave ownership in America. Not only did he acknowledge it, but President Abraham Lincoln was able to do what others before him unsuccessfully attempted–He abolished the vile practice in all states.…
Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. It is the day when my extended family gather at our place in the “country” along the Alabama River for fellowship and feasting, but the most meaningful part of the day occurs before the blessing of the meal when my uncle calls on various family members, young and old alike, to state something that they’re thankful for. Now, this is often lighthearted with children blushing when called upon and responses that we all know as “go-to’s,” such as, “I’m thankful for my family,” but…
Who is America to you? It is important, if not crucial, to evaluate the answer to this question. However, much of the rhetoric in mainstream media and even school books paints her in a negative light. While she’s not perfect, her heartbeat is being veiled by highlighting the wrongdoings of people who have lived and now live within her borders, making it difficult to ascertain a truly informed opinion.
One of my favorite quotes is “It is better to light a candle than curse the darkness.” (Though this quote is difficult to trace exactly, it is most likely a Chinese proverb and was made famous in America when diplomat and politician Aldai Stevenson mentioned it at the passing of Eleanor Roosevelt through the words, “She would rather light candles than curse the darkness and her glow had warmed the world.”) So in this vein, I want to pull on your heartstrings by showing a couple video clips that demand an emotional response.
