Friday, April 17, 2015
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Cry Baby Cry
For a few decades now, we men have been told that it is okay to cry.
Glad to hear it, because the older I get, the more easily I tear up for
some reason. Manopause? On the other hand, many women apparently feel
that crying is a sign of weakness or dysfunction. But this article suggests it's actually a source of women's strength. I think she's right.
(If you're interested in the Beatles song referenced in the slug, read this. But it has nothing to do with emotions in men or women.)
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A Vote for Principled Democracy
Maureen Mullarkey tells a touching story
of how she was denied a wedding ring inscription because of the
religious scruples of a Jewish jeweler. It puts our national debates
about RFRA (Religious Freedom Restoration Act) into a more humane
perspective. If we're going to live together in a pluralistic society,
we may want to do a better job of encouraging one another to act on
their principles, even when it spoils our plans.
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The Real Lincoln
A century and a half after his assassination, Abraham Lincoln continues
to fascinate us. Biographies of the great President regularly roll off
the presses, each trying to fit Lincoln into a particular frame. This piece talks about Lincoln's first biographer:
The first person to attempt a historical reconstruction of Lincoln was William Herndon, who could fairly claim to have known him best in the Springfield days. His work—provocative and controversial, slapdash and enlightening all at once—triggered a war with the late President's closest friends and family that would deeply influence how Americans remembered the 16th President through time.
If you're in a Lincoln mood, check out this CT classic by historian Mark Noll, who tries to answer the question as to whether Lincoln was a Christian.
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The Solution Gap in the Opportunity Gap
When Robert Putnam writes, America listens. He
isn't just a social scientist who writes books. He's an impresario who kicks off political-social events. . . . He wants to bring attention to "the most important issue in the next presidential election," as he has told interviewers about his latest book. "I want to change America."
So begins this review of his latest book, Our Kids: The American Dream in Crisis.
The crisis is the opportunity gap between rich and poor children. The
reviewer says the book is "politically adept and morally urgent." But
she also suggests its solution might be an overreach:
It's still possible that the money and effort are not sufficient to the scope of the problem. It's also possible that while government efforts may have helped to keep people out of poverty, erasing the opportunity gap is beyond the reach of conventional public policy. | ||
Grace and peace,
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