opinion

Jessica Andrews could not believe her eyes. “It was like an ‘Oh my gosh’ type of feeling,” the mother of six from Aiken, South Carolina told me. The item that caused her angst came from her daughter’s school. It was a copy of the Pledge of Allegiance. But the school’s …

In today’s America, I can’t be both an economist and a liberal. Economists should be bound ​by ​facts and reason. And I can’t do that and embrace liberal positions on the minimum wage, climate change and gender discrimination. Raising prices for most anything reduces purchases. Simply put, if beef or …

I’ve covered sports in 5 decades. Almost everyday during this period something has occurred has left me fascinated and amazed by what has taken place on the fields of play. In a unique way, sports is the common tread that can tie our communities and our country together. It enables …

1. When does Passover 2014 begin and how long does it last? Passover 2014 begins at sundown on Monday, April 14th. That is the date, this year, which corresponds to the 15th of Nissan, the day according to the Bible, on which the first Passover occurred and on which all …

The 40 day Christian Olympiad of fasting and good works is upon us. March 5th is “Ash Wednesday,” the first day of Lent. Today will be a day of amazing images across the land. We will see countless citizens rushing through the streets with dark smudges on their foreheads. Some …

After last week’s GOP State of the Union response, it has become undeniable that someone (everyone?) in the Republican machine has no idea what they’re doing, and that is the generous assessment. The other option is that Republican leadership is deliberately sabotaging the midterm elections. For those of us who …

“Convert. Submit to Islam. Or face the sword.” In recent days, the besieged Christian community in Raqqa – a city in northern Syria – has faced those three stark alternatives. The terrorist group known as ISIS – the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant – made their demands after …

A year ago, if you had asked a majority of Americans what the pope’s name was, chances are many wouldn’t have been able to tell you. Now the whole world, Catholics and non-Catholics alike, know exactly who Pope Francis is. Even the younger generation is cheering for our pope. I …

Canadian researchers have concluded that there is no such thing as “healthy obesity,” according to a new report published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. It’s been a debate that has taken center stage for years, and finally there’s proof that being overweight is dangerous regardless if you have low …

The U.S. has been fighting wars for most — if not all — of my children’s lives, yet it doesn’t affect us much at all, so explaining the significance of Veterans Day to my boys (ages 8, 10, and 13) is a challenge. It’s easy to forget there are soldiers …