current events
thoughts on living
interesting books

Abolish the War on Drugs

I was a victim of the War on Drugs The War on Drugs and the consequences of its immorality had come home to me. One afternoon in 1993 I came home from work and discovered the back door had been kicked in. It was very scary. The police came and fortunately there was no one hiding in the house. I took an inventory of what was taken – some stereo equipment, a portable computer, a steam iron, and my jacket – items that were easily fenced. What I was most upset about was my jacket. It used to be against my skin when I wore it, and I felt so …

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How to have a successful discussion

Key factors I have learned regarding how to have a successful discussion that make sense and that enable communication and understanding include questions, definitions, and some rules. These factors apply to both written and spoken discussions. The context for these factors is that what you are after is TRUTH. That is the goal – not to show that you are right and the others are wrong, but simply to discover and identify the truth. TRUTH is that which corresponds to reality. These suggestions will help you get there. Regarding the truth, we may love it; we may not like it. But truth is independent of our wishes, fears, or feelings. …

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America’s Revolutionary Mind

America’s Revolutionary Mind: A Moral History of the American Revolution and the Declaration That Defined It by C. Bradley Thompson This is my favorite book on the history of the founding of America. It gives the context of where the founders were coming from morally and what writings and experiences influenced them.  Some of the influences came from the writings of Francis Bacon, Issac Newton, and John Locke, among others. They were in uncharted waters, starting a country that, for the first time in human history, recognized individual rights, and that your life belongs to you rather than to the government. The founding of America was called an experiment, and …

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1776

1776 by David McCullough After reading this book I realized that we became America only by the skin of our teeth, and by the integrity and perseverance of George Washington. Luck of the weather and bad decisions by the British were important factors too, but it was Washington who was the driver. From Amazon … America’s beloved and distinguished historian presents, in a book of breathtaking excitement, drama, and narrative force, the stirring story of the year of our nation’s birth, 1776, interweaving, on both sides of the Atlantic, the actions and decisions that led Great Britain to undertake a war against her rebellious colonial subjects and that placed America’s …

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Abortion

One of the most emotionally laden topics in today’s political climate is abortion. Many who would prohibit abortion do not realize that it is misogyny at its worst. “It’s my body,” Angela cried. “Don’t tell me what I can and cannot do with it!” “It’s my body,” she screamed, “and my life. My life belongs to me, and not to you or anybody else, especially the state of Texas!” She was crying now when she was told that the law prohibited her from getting an abortion. She was 20 weeks pregnant, almost destitute, and had been unable to find a clinic within driving distance due to the state of Texas …

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