Call it whatever you want: “All bark and no bite; All sizzle and no steak; All foam and no beer.” The meaning’s still the same — talk is cheap. The fact is, being all talk amounts to nothing more than hollow words. While some people believe that saying something will make it come true, nothing… [Read More]
Freedom of Speech Carries Responsibility
Freedom of speech is the right to express one’s ideas and opinions without censorship, restraint, or fear of retribution. But with that freedom comes implied responsibility. You have the right to shout obscenities out the window, scream racial slurs in a crowd, or be downright nasty on social media, but why would you? Freedom of… [Read More]
A Political Candidate I Could Vote For (Share If You Agree)
My Candidate Would… Put the country first. Do what’s right. Period. Be fair. Tell it like it is. Be compassionate. Find areas of common ground. Make tough decisions. Follow the law of the land. Keep their promises. Fix more problems than they create. Award contracts based on qualifications. Remain accountable. Honor tradition. Stop “gotcha” politics…. [Read More]
Prejudice: “All” Is an Ugly Word
All cops are _____. All Wall Street bankers are _____. All Mexicans are _____. All liberals are _____. You fill in the blank. Actually, please don’t. “All” is an ugly word. It’s naked prejudice. In the past few years, I’ve seen too many people assign labels to groups and call them derogatory names. It’s easy to… [Read More]
Building Bridges: We’re In This Together
Dear Tax Man,
I don’t mind paying taxes, but I have a bone to pick with you. First let me say, I understand that it costs money to run the government, and we each have a responsibility to contribute to that end. But… I’m not sure that you remember how hard it is to earn a buck. Many… [Read More]
Is It News or Propaganda?
Why is the world so polarized? It might be because it’s hard to reach consensus when people have conflicting priorities and/or opposing values. It’s also difficult, if not impossible, to debate serious issues if our views are shaped by contradictory facts –– facts deliberately distorted by the news media. Ask yourself, “How is it possible… [Read More]