My Tohono O’odham friend introduced me to his tribe’s land (formerly called Papago Indian Reservation) and others in Arizona.  I love the grandeur of their landscapes–the Grand Canyon, the Navajo mesas, sandstone hoodoos,  the White Mountains.  Up close, they are not so pretty.  The junk cars and trash argue against any belief that American Indians [...]

Cairo, Egypt, Feb 28, 2012 Today at 5 am, as usual all over the Muslim world, the mosque loudspeakers blasted out the call for prayer.  Over and over it said: “Allah is great and Mohammed is his only prophet.”  As Christians we believe “God is Love.  You can only come to him through Jesus.” But [...]

The world is so much clearer when we can divide it into us and them.  Republicans and Democrats.  Moslems and unbelievers. Christians and those going to hell.  If you can divide up your world that way, everything becomes clear.  We have the answers and they are the enemy.  This refrain echoes from deep in mankind’s [...]

A sickly, self-hating guilt has become the civil religion of the Western world.  This viewpoint has been gradually, unwittingly accepted by a broad spectrum of well-meaning people. Without any conscious choice, many are stumbling blindly along a path of misery.  Just after Easter of of 2011, we were all given a striking example of where [...]

Being a good politician is not so different  from any Manhattan cocktail party, corporate meeting, baboon fight, or any other test for dominance.   We use the tools we have to beat our opponents.  Of course a black politician will use his race to win.  Just as white politicians would use theirs if he helped them. [...]

August in Arkansas.  If you’ve ever experienced it you don’t want to again.   Kinda like having an out-of-touch President. But it might be useful.  Just as hard exercise hurts but may be useful.  But only if you use the experience wisely. An Arkansas August can help you appreciate the North, but won’t help those [...]

It is not a concept to be taught. It is a talent to be coached. There are good reasons for being critical about specific American policies.  But some Americans denigrate all things American.  If you are one of these, you hate yourself, whether you know it or not.  If you hate yourself, you cannot build [...]

Soccer could only have been created by a monotheistic society.  The referee giveth and the referee taketh away.  In European football, there is one referee.  His word is law.  His decisions are final.  He doesn’t have to explain his decisions.  You have to live with the consequences. Friday, America had a goal taken away by [...]

So many wonderful memories of Africa.  Victoria Falls.  Hippos playing in the river as we drove by.  Buzzing the airstrip to scare off the giraffes before we landed.  I want those experiences  again, so the 2010 World Cup made it awfully tempting to go to Southern Africa. I used to visit Africa regularly, but the [...]

Needing some new puppies, we’re driving down to Sheridan.  It’s a pleasant drive.  First you go through the flat, fertile bottomlands of the Mississippi River.  Then, at Pine Bluff, up a little into the piney woods which stretch all the way to Houston and Port Charles, Louisiana.  We spent the trip down talking about plans [...]