As we have recently commemorated the 20th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, we have been reminded once again of the horror of that day, the lives tragically lost, and the aftermath of the attacks – psychologically, socially, politically, legally and with regard to health concerns of those who worked for months and […]
Present
Blog posts relating to the present such as social justice issues
Archaeological Discoveries and the Pursuit of Social Justice
The mission of the Archaeological Institute of America reads, in part, “The AIA promotes archaeological inquiry and public understanding of the material record of the human past to foster an appreciation of diverse cultures and our shared humanity.” The values of the Archaeological Conservancy, as stated on their website, include the following: “The Archaeological Conservancy […]
Grammar Gripes
Some of us believe – were brought up to believe – that the English language that we speak in the United States has grammatical rules and that following those rules is a good thing. Speaking our language well makes us understandable to each other (at the very least), and it is a positive in many […]
Child Tax Credit Enhancements: New to the US but Not to Our Sister Nations
The Biden-Harris Administration should be congratulated for changing and expanding the rules about the Child Tax Credit (CTC): eligible parents will now receive actual payments to support their children, as opposed to claiming a one-time credit on their taxes during tax season. This change has come about as part of the COVID-19 relief bill, which […]
Inspiring Conversion Stories of Former White Supremacists and How Average Americans can Help Combat Violent Domestic Extremism
Sometimes miracles happen. There are people who, for whatever reason, join groups that promote racism, antisemitism, white supremacy, violence against our government, homophobia and other belief systems that most of us would condemn and disavow. Then, for whatever reason, some of those same people have an “aha moment” and realize that the group to which […]
A Time of Contrasts, A Time for Prayer
We are living in a time of enormous contrasts. On the positive side, we are finally seeing the rates of COVID-19 fall (although there are still warnings of a possible surge), along with rates of vaccination going up (although plateauing in some places). We can be grateful that our vaccines are being shared with people […]
Where the US Stands: A Sampling of Comparative Quality-of-Life Statistics
It is advisable and instructive to periodically take stock of where we as a nation stand when it comes to quality-of-life issues. We have done this off and on over the past five years. Comparing ourselves and how we are doing to our sister nations can and should prompt us to do some self-reflection, to […]
Rounding Out Women’s History Month: Current Women Leaders around the World
How aware are we Americans that many of our sister nations – other advanced democracies – have had the advantage of a woman leader, whether President, Prime Minister or other Head of State, while we have not? Since the 1980s, the following countries have all had female Heads of State: Iceland, Norway, Yugoslavia, Lithuania, East […]
What’s New at the Department of Transportation?
Since Pete Buttigieg was confirmed as Secretary of Transportation and started his new job in early February, he has hit the ground running in promoting the Biden-Harris Administration’s agenda, not only in transportation but in combatting the coronavirus pandemic and racism, creating jobs, and mitigating climate change. While the Department of Transportation is not often […]
Celebrating Women’s History Month
In the United States, March is Women’s History Month. Here is a list of our past blog posts about women – with the caveat that women in antiquity, including women in the early church, have, for better or worse, greatly influenced the status of women worldwide. We will also include posts about goddesses, goddess worship […]