What shall we sing to America to celebrate our 250th birthday? “This Land is Your Land” is a good one. It’s been a staple for patriotic gatherings; we all know the first verse by heart. It sings the praises of this country’s beautiful landscapes and declares that it belongs to you ...

MECOSTA, Mich.—When this columnist was a newspaper reporter, one of the editors was fond of saying we needed to write in a way that would hold people’s attention when the kids were screaming, the dog was barking, and the television was on. Today’s column doesn’t follow that rule. So ...

Very often the thought arises of how lucky I was to be born and live out my life in the greatest nation that has ever existed on this planet. While we have our faults and we’ve made mistakes; I know that our nation is the major force for good on this planet. What follows is the story of ...

Sunday was opening day at Chautauqua, and like all Sundays during the 9-week season, admission was free. Ginger, my BFF from New York City, is visiting us this week for the holiday. She joined me Sunday as the interim president of Chautauqua Institution opened its 153rd season just before the ...

Hi there! What have I been doing since my last column you ask? It’s been a few years. Covid ran amok and changed countless lives. Cut-backs curtailed my writing, and isolation dampened my enthusiasm. I haven’t been totally idle, however. In 2021 I finished and published my first book, ...

Even having been in one, Vietnam, I cannot say that I am an expert on war. The only thing I know for sure is that it should, if possible, be avoided at all costs. War represents a breakdown in diplomacy and civil discourse—the rule of law is forgotten and the rule of war, destruction, takes ...