“Why is it that people come from all over the world to America? Because it’s the freest, most prosperous, safest country on Earth.” So sayeth Ted Cruz of Texas in response to a British journalist asking why the U.S. doesn’t do anything about guns in the light of more and more school shootings that don’t …
“I think that this situation absolutely requires a really futile and stupid gesture be done on somebody’s part.” — ERIC “OTTER” STRATTON Ever since the first time I saw “Animal House” in 1978, it has been one of my two or three favorite movies Friends and acquaintances who know me as a serious, mature adult …
Did you hear about the horrible school shooting in Australia? Or the one in Scotland? What about the one in British Columbia? And of course the massacre in Belgium? If you say you did, you’re either lying or delusional. Kids in those countries and most others have parents who love them enough to make sure …
I was reading a New York Times essay by David Brooks today when I saw a reference to a Gallup Organization survey on religion in America. Brooks was writing about how religion distorts politics these days, and the survey results were fascinating with one exception. There was one question from which we could have learned …
“The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars but in ourselves.” Does anyone ever blame himself or herself for failure to succeed anymore? Or is it too easy to say it’s because of reverse racism and a cockamamie Great Replacement theory? I know someone who has applied for hundreds of jobs he hasn’t gotten. …
“Woke?” “Woke” is a bad thing? If you ask someone on the far right, being “woke” is almost as bad as being a child molester. It’s a lot worse than those peaceful tourists who visited Washington on January 6th, 2010. Being “woke” is … wait for it … un-American. So exactly what is “woke?” So …
Of all the different ways I would describe myself if someone asked me, there is one quality I have that I take no pride in at all. In fact, it’s the one that matters the least to me. Being white. In point of fact, my skin — and the skin of everyone else who isn’t …
“Oh, earth, you’re too wonderful for anybody to realize you.” I think I was about 10 years old the first time I saw a theatrical production of “Our Town.” It was a story of ordinary life in New Hampshire in the early days of the 20th century. an amazing production that left almost everything you …
“Socialism — it starts with democracy. That’s the ticket for the left. They want to push this idea of democracy, which turns into socialism, which turns into communism in every instance.” I had never heard of the guy who said this until I saw it on Facebook today. Ryan Kelley is running for the Republican …
The Louvre, Johann Strauss, Mickey Mouse, Mahatma Gandhi, Fred Astaire, Whistler’s Mother, Dante’s Inferno, Pepsodent … Or how about Jimmy Durante’s nose, the National Gallery, a Bendel bonnet, a Coolidge dollar or Camembert? Those 13 people, places and things were all mentioned in a popular song, back when our popular culture was still a culture. …
