Recent Viewpoints

Kerby Anderson Whenever the Pope speaks, it is worth considering what he says whether you are a Catholic or not. His worldview influence is considerable, and so we should pay attention to his words. That is why I am concerned about his recent address on Muslim terrorism. He argued that: “Christian terrorism does not exist, Jewish terrorism does not exist, and Muslim terrorism does not exist.” If his point was to say that not all Christians and not all Muslims…

Penna Dexter A new study commissioned by the dating service Match.com shines a light on today’s hook-up culture, and it isn’t flattering. Match.com recently announced the results of its survey in which a shocking 34 percent of young adults report having sex before even going on a date with someone. Millennials — people between the ages of 18 and 34 — are 48 percent more likely to have sex before a first date, so they can “see if there’s a…

Kerby Anderson Last week, I received my Yale News email announcing that Calhoun College was going to change its name to honor Grace Murray Hopper. I had two questions. Why did it take so long? And, who is Grace Hopper? Now, you may not really care about the renaming of a college at Yale University, but stick with me for a moment. The college is named for John C. Calhoun, who served a as secretary of war, secretary of state,…

Kerby Anderson We may have three co-equal branches of government, but they aren’t equal in their output. As I have mentioned in previous commentaries, Congress passes a few dozen significant laws each year while the executive branch puts out thousands and thousands of rules and regulations. There are lots of reasons for the difference, including staff, funding, and workload. There are nearly 200 federal agencies with more than four million employees. The federal budget is $3.8 trillion. By contrast, Congress…

Kerby Anderson Tony Perkins asks a good question. “If NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell thinks football unites us, then why is his league taking political sides?” The National Football League has had trouble keeping TV viewers this year. There are many theories for the rating drop ranging from concern about concussions to the ongoing Colin Kaepernick controversy. So, you would think that the NFL would focus on how to attract more viewers for next season. But shortly after the Super Bowl…

Kerby Anderson One of the many dividing lines between progressives and conservatives is their belief in the efficiency and effectiveness of government bureaucracies. Liberals may have some misgivings about how they are treated at the Department of Motor Vehicles or by the TSA at airports. Nevertheless, they tend to believe that government is the solution to most social and political problems. Conservatives are usually more skeptical about government and support the private sector over the public sector. But their reactions…

Kerby Anderson When is a misstatement or an exaggeration an actual lie? This is hardly a hypothetical question. Critics and media organizations have accused the last two presidents and the current one of lying to the American people. You might remember such phrases as: “Bush lied, people died” and “Obama continually lied about Obamacare.” Now critics claim that President Trump and his administration frequently lie. When Kelly Ann Conway talked about the “Bowling Green terrorist massacre,” was it lie? She…

Penna Dexter On cool winter days I often zip on my black Ivanka Trump ankle boots. I got them at Nordstrom about five years ago. They’re still in good shape, still stylish, and look great with pants and skirts of any length. They have a couple of years left in them and it’s a good thing because I wouldn’t know where to replace that brand right now. Certainly not at Nordstrom. The retail chain announced it will no longer sell…

Kerby Anderson Events over the last two months illustrate how difficult it is to argue for unhindered abortion rights. Put another way, if you were in a debate competition and were given the assignment to defend abortion, you would know that you would have a more difficult time than the person who was given the assignment to defend the pro-life position. Last month, for example there was the article in The Atlantic with the provocative title: How Ultrasound Pushed the…

Kerby Anderson Ayaan Hirsi Ali begins her commentary with these words: “I was a Muslim refugee once. I know what it’s like.” She was en route to Canada to consummate a marriage arranged against her will by her father. At the Frankfurt Airport, she fled to the Netherlands. There she learned Dutch and received a master’s degree in political science before coming to America. She has worked as an interpreter for abused Muslim women and understands the Muslim refugee experience….

Kerby Anderson When a new president is elected, he inherits an executive branch that is stocked with government workers from the previous administration. Sometimes the transition is very smooth. Think of the transition from Ronald Reagan to George H.W. Bush. Sometimes the transition is rough. That is what Donald Trump is experiencing. An article in the Washington Post described how federal workers are resisting the executive actions by President Trump and looking for ways to push back against his agenda….