In 1689, John Locke wrote “Two Treatises on Government.” His ideas informed the men who drafted the US Constitution. In the second treatise, Locke drew a distinction between liberty and license. It seems to me the founding fathers agreed that Locke was essentially correct – liberty does not mean we can do anything we desire. … Continue reading We Will Have Failed →

I’ve read and heard many complaints about Christians being “persecuted” in the US and I’ve been trying to understand what is behind these feelings. I haven’t noticed that Christians have been forbidden to meet, pray, read the Bible, or share their beliefs here. I’m not aware of Christians being imprisoned, tortured, or killed for their … Continue reading Salt and Light →

An editorial… Lately I’ve been thinking about self-control. And schools. And the doctrine of “in loco parentis” (in the place of parents). It seems to me we are missing a major point in the debate surrounding the Second Amendment. On one side we have some who want to ban and/or confiscate various types of firearms. … Continue reading Good Guys →

Many years ago, I read an article about how to stop students from plagiarizing. All colleges prohibit plagiarism, with various penalties. They say things like, “academic integrity matters, so do your own work, unless the assignment involves collaboration.” As I recall it, the author of the article validated my thinking, with several suggestions. His main … Continue reading Bans and Prohibitions →

My reaction to the horrific mass murder in Buffalo… A person I respect once asked me, “Religious people say they have faith, but when something contrary to that faith happens, then what?” Diagoras of Melos, a 5th Century BC Greek philosopher, warned that survivors should beware of attributing their salvation to the favor of the … Continue reading Wind-up Soldiers →

Thoughts on the importance of teachers. I once had a student in Jazz Ensemble I’ll call, Alice. Alice was in the “back row,” the trumpet section. Early in her Jazz Ensemble career, a few other students came to me to express their concerns about whether Alice ought to be part of the group. They said … Continue reading Alice →

Originally posted on Facebook, August 5, 2020. The law is one thing – human behavior is another. While we might think a policy or law will solve a problem, common practice is often more powerful than written rules. We need to remember the statutes and court decisions that enabled the slave trade, the Jim Crow … Continue reading The Law →

“A man has made at least a start on discovering the meaning of human life when he plants shade trees under which he knows full well he will never sit.” – Elton Trueblood, 1951. Based on an ancient concept. Those who began the construction of the great cathedrals knew they were likely to be dead … Continue reading Looking Ahead →

A few years ago, I was eating a chocolate chip cookie and thought a piece of it had fallen on my shirt. Without further thought, I picked it up and popped it into my mouth. I quickly learned it was not even remotely close to a cookie crumb in texture or taste. The sensation began … Continue reading Never Assume →

When I was working on my master’s degree, one of my friends, a soprano studying opera, invited me to come to a party with her. Upon entering the room, I noticed that something was not “normal,” at least according to my small-town sensibilities. There were many more guys than gals, and a few were in … Continue reading Normalcy →