In the preface to his play, A Man for All Seasons, Robert Bolt explains his motivation for choosing Thomas More as his hero. He describes an inability in the people of his time to answer the question of what and who they are. The individual is dissatisfied with defining himself as a Man because he … Continue reading A Man For Our Season
The Role of a Doctor as Explored by Solzhenitsyn in The Cancer Ward
Dr. Anthony Fauci has become a household name in the past year. Currently Chief Medical Advisor to the president, he's served as the president of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases since 1984. He has been among the leaders of governmental responses to several crises such as the ebola epidemic, SARS, HIV/AIDS, swine … Continue reading The Role of a Doctor as Explored by Solzhenitsyn in The Cancer Ward
Just a Video Game
One of my bad habits is gaming. That habit is intimately connected to the holidays, as it is for many men of my generation. Those born anywhere from the late 70's to the present likely grew up in a household with a game console or pc (usually given at Christmas) which could run games. That … Continue reading Just a Video Game
A Tolerant Library
In today’s day and age we hear a lot about tolerance, how not to be offensive, the evils of racism and sexism. But it wasn’t until I began working at the local public library that I realized just how bad it has gotten. In the past I have worked on crews that in Orwell’s world … Continue reading A Tolerant Library
Edgar Allan Poe
A poem written for my student right before they read "The Cask of Amontillado"
Nature Is Incomplete.
I recently found myself standing in the midst of a forest full of redwoods and feeling oddly uncomfortable. Surrounded by rare giants, some of whom had fallen and some whom were still proudly displaying their two-thousand-year-old glory, I didn't feel quite as I ought to have. At another time of life not so long ago, … Continue reading Nature Is Incomplete.
The Quintessence of Dust
My intent in writing this point is twofold: first, to humbly remind my friends that we are engaged in a brutal war on two different fronts, and second, just to offer some simple thoughts on the nature of the conflict. Political Warfare: We are engaged in a great political war. Donald Trump, the unapologetic nationalist, … Continue reading The Quintessence of Dust
It’s an Old Man’s World
And it has not been a "young man's world" in a very long time. This is generally more of an observation than a profound critique. A friend of mine made this remark to me several months ago and I have not been able to forget it. The beginning of his thesis was the invention and … Continue reading It’s an Old Man’s World
Who Was Charles Carroll?
In his recent address to American Catholics, President Trump began, "From the very beginning of our Republic, Catholics have uplifted and enriched our nation beyond measure. Catholics like Charles Carroll helped secure American Independence." Who was Charles Carroll? Born in 1737, Carroll would become the only Roman Catholic signee of the Declaration of Independence.
C. S. Lewis on Conscience, Reason, and Pacifism
In the midst of the chaos that has erupted in many cities across the U.S., in the midst of the burning of homes, and destruction of businesses, and ruination of lives, and needless violence, many of us are asking, “What do we do now?” Do we pursue the famed Benedict Option and retreat from society, … Continue reading C. S. Lewis on Conscience, Reason, and Pacifism
Lander's Forge 