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Yes, war can settle things

Countless protest signs have informed us over the years that "war is not the answer." We hear this message, with varying levels of sophistication and differing underlying worldviews, from institutions and people ranging from Code Pink to Pope LEO. "War does not solve problems," the pontiff said in an Angelus address last year. "On the contrary, it amplifies them and causes deep wounds in the history of peoples — wounds that take generations to heal." Now, there are many things that can be said about the tragedy of warfare without crediting the blatantly ahistorical cliche that ...

Pray for those making critical decisions

President Donald Trump has received a lot of backlash for his recent posts on TruthSocial of himself as a "Christ-like" figure and his criticism of Pope Leo's views on the Iran war. Most people on social media are familiar with the often belligerent nature of Trump's posts, and, for the most part, his devoted supporters defend him. This time, however, was different, as many conservatives thought Trump went too far in his war of words with the pope and his AI-generated image of himself laying his hand on a bedridden man with the American flag, the Statue of Liberty and the ...

Chaos usually sign changes are underway

Here's a scenario from California that would be hard for even a Hollywood screenwriter to come up with. This is a state generally seen to lean heavily to the political left. Its congressional delegation — the largest in the country — stands at 52 House members, of whom 46 are Democrats, and two senators, both Democrats. The state Legislature is decisively controlled by Democrats. Yet there seems a reasonable likelihood that in November's election for governor of California, we'll see two Republicans running against each other. How so? California is an open ...

Some like their electric cars

Gasoline prices have surged to their highest levels since the COVID-19 pandemic and it has me feeling pretty good about my electric vehicle purchase. I know that utility prices are also on the rise, but being able to plug my car in at home instead of paying horrid prices at the pump has still saved our family money. Charging an EV at home costs 40%-65% less than refueling a gas-powered car. Plus, driving an EV is a little gentler on the Earth, and that also feels good as we celebrate Earth Day. Even when factoring in the additional energy required to manufacture an EV's battery, ...

What kind of democracy is this?

When the Bill of Rights was being crafted in the House of Representatives, it was left to James Madison to articulate the values that would provide an insulation between government negating freedom and the inalienable rights of all persons. The right to worship freely, the freedom of speech and of the press and basic fairness from the government were relatively easy to reduce to writing. Even the catch-all Ninth Amendment, which recognized the existence of natural human rights, drew broad support. The drafting occurred in a testy environment. The Federalists — the big ...

Quiet crisis of manhood

We are living through a quiet but consequential redefinition of manhood — one shaped not by wisdom, responsibility or lived experience but increasingly by noise, performance and profit. A growing segment of voices, amplified across social media, promotes a hollow version of masculinity rooted in indulgence, detachment and what can only be described as a kind of party-boy nihilism. It dismisses discipline as outdated, responsibility as optional, and commitment as a trap. It celebrates the illusion of freedom while quietly stripping away meaning. But let us be clear: Much ...