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The 2nd Amendment & Changing Times

Things have changed between the time of the founding fathers and now. On the one hand, the USA now has an extremely well-armed military force, while most state and local governments have well-armed police forces, and all of those forces are under the control of elected civilian leaders. On the other hand, the USA has a far higher rate of gun deaths and mass shootings than most citizens are willing to accept. Whether and how things should be re-balanced are open questions suitable for respectful debate.

Spite

Would you shoot your chief of police because he arrested your best friend?  Or would you malign his reputation in a very public way?  If you did, could you count on him to help you later?  Don’t cut off your nose to spite your face. 

Hate-Bait: Anthem Kneeling Controversy

Hate-bait is meant to divide us. It appeals to our emotion and prejudices. It over-rides practical thinking as well as our nobler aspirations.  Hate-Bait distracts us from the fundamental importance of the civil liberties our ancestors built into the constitution over time, including the right to speak and debate freely about uncomfortable things.  Our ancestors …

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Are We So Divided?

Are Americans really so divided? Whenever people come together, it’s certainty that they will eventually clash over something. But the truth is that Americans are not really so divided as we are told. There are plenty of reasons to expect Americans can work together to solve their problems.

Contradictions, Ironies, and Choices

If you are an American, regardless of who you voted for, this presidential election was different. We either have a potential savior or the devil himself. Passions have been inflamed on both sides. People want to be heard, understood and respected. I’ve been trying to do some of that listening. I hope you will too. I will continue listening, but I also want to share some early observations that could be worth thinking about.

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