Author
When major news sources report and promote lies, what is the public to do?
The recent revelation that multiple hosts on Fox News deliberately misled their audience — reporting and promoting the lie that there was rampant voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election when they knew there was none — may not be surprising but is definitely damning. Every American who cares about the role of the press […]
America is the world’s most powerful democracy. Why is it impotent to stop mass gun violence?
Whether in a grocery store, a place of worship, a shopping mall, a community celebration, at work or in school, you are at risk for becoming a victim of senseless gun violence. Why is America the only industrialized nation in the world that is plagued by frequent mass shootings? Has our form of democracy allowed […]
Doesn’t the Missouri legislature have more important issues to deal with?
With just a little more than a month into the new legislative session, there is still time for Missouri lawmakers to change direction and focus on issues that are important to many Missourians. But, will they? The legislature got off to a roaring start proposing bills to limit transgender students’ participation in schools’ sports, and […]
News media literacy is more important than ever
This week has been designated as “National News Literacy Week.” It could not be more important or timely as we continue to be bombarded with misinformation, disinformation and downright lies in all corners of the public square. What is most alarming is the utter disregard and disrespect for facts and truth practiced and tolerated by […]
Our two-party system is broken. Can anything fix it?
While our two-party system of government has never functioned perfectly, in recent years it has become more and more dysfunctional — not only in Washington but in many state houses. Why? Have both the Republican and Democratic parties been weakened and crippled by extreme ideological factions in their ranks? Has each party lost its core […]
During the holiday season, make time to assess, adjust and commit
In the midst of holiday festivities with family and friends — and the anticipation of a new year — it is unlikely we are able to totally escape the sense of unease about our personal situations, or feelings that our nation and the world seem unmoored. While the holiday season offers a brief respite from […]
Civic education and engagement must become higher priorities
The ongoing focus in the public square should not be on former President Donald Trump’s pronouncement that all rules, regulations, laws and articles found in the Constitution of the United States be terminated so he can be reinstated as president. Instead, the concern should be more about what long-term impact such a statement has on […]
Dear elected officials: Stop the infighting and do your jobs
There are any number of takeaways one can glean from the recent midterm elections. But one that should be getting more attention is that the public is sick and tired of bitter bickering and obsession with false issues at the expense of the real ones that need fixing. As Congress and state legislatures around the […]
We must wage war on climate change to save the Earth
When a country’s sovereignty or well-being is threatened, it mobilizes to protect itself even if means going to war. Defeating the threats, dangers and possible annihilation of the earth and life as we know it will require the same. This past week, more than 100 world leaders gathered for the Climate Summit to continue their […]
Vote. The future of our state and nation is riding on it
Voting has never been more important. The future well-being of our state and nation may very well depend on voters making informed decisions on Nov. 8. It is imperative voters know where candidates stand on the issues that matter most. But a candidate’s positions on issues don’t form in a vacuum or emerge out of […]
The destructive power of the ‘fifth estate’
In today’s environment, one could argue that social media has become a primary source of information just as much as the traditional press — regardless of whether the content is reliable or not. The press, free from government control and oversight, has long been referred to as the fourth estate because of its watchdog role […]
Did you ever think you would see book bans in 21st century America?
If you have ignored or had doubts about whether the concern that democracy is in danger in America, just look at the growing movement to ban books in our schools and libraries. There is a history of books being banned in the United States for their subject matter and content. Most notably during the colonial […]