Here in mid-October, we are at or even just past the apogee of that “season of mists and mellow fruitfulness” John Keats celebrated in “To Autumn.” Harvests are arriving everywhere. The “maturing sun” has conspired “to load and bless / With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eves run; / To bend with apples the … Continued
As this most peculiar year wends its petulant and morose way to the end, I find myself returning to some signal apostles of liberty. The unrelenting static of our time can make it difficult to appreciate what those sages of yore had to say. But as we continue to quiver obediently in place, bemasked, shunning … Continued
At the moment, the world seems to be divided into two camps. One camp belongs to those who believe that Joe Biden, notwithstanding some possible election “irregularities,” won the 2020 presidential election fair and square. A corollary of this belief is the conviction that Donald Trump, by refusing to concede and go graciously into the … Continued
I confess that I do not usually read columns by David Axelrod, the former senior advisor and campaign strategist for Barack Obama. But I chanced upon “History will scorn the cowards who fear Trump,” one of his CNN columns that was linked at RealClearPolitics, and I glanced through it. It is the usual partisan anti-Trump … Continued
Many people, including some good friends, believe that Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election fair and square. Many others—and I place myself among them—believe that something is rotten in the state of Denmark, or, to be more specific, in the cities of Milwaukee, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Detroit, not to mention Maricopa County, Arizona. … Continued
Oscar Wilde was such a card. Sitting for his viva voce examination in Greek, he was given a passage to translate from one of the Passion stories in the New Testament. He started in and was barreling along fluently. At some point, one of the examiners interrupted, noting that he was satisfied by Wilde’s performance … Continued
So what is the state of play regarding the 2020 presidential election? There seem to be two main positions. One is that Joe Biden won the election, narrowly but with sufficient latitude that any challenge is bootless. A corollary of that contention is that the adults in the room, be they Republicans or Democrats, should … Continued
I’ve written many times that I thought Donald Trump would win the 2020 election. The question always was whether he would win it beyond the margin of fraud and litigation. Did he? It’s touch and go. Television networks and even some foreign heads of state tell us Joe Biden won the election. The electors have … Continued
I thought of taking my text today from the Gospel of Mark, 6:38-42. It is one telling of the miracle of the loaves and the fishes. Jesus finds himself in the desert attended by some 5,000 followers. They need to eat, but there are only five loaves of bread and two fish. Nevertheless, Jesus bids … Continued
One of the great mysteries surrounding the presidential election of 2020 has now been solved. For months, people on both sides of the aisle noted the huge discrepancy between the campaign styles of Donald Trump and Joe Biden. Trump was a dynamo, sitting for interviews, holding press conferences, participating in an ever-increasing series of rallies … Continued
