Welcome to Ishmael’s Legacy
How Does America Go Forward?
“America isn’t easy. America is advanced citizenship. You’ve got to want it, ‘cuz it’s gonna put up a fight.” – President Andrew Shepherd (The American President). I sit here starting this blog entry on the evening of July 4th, America’s birthday, having just watched Lin Manuel-Miranda’s brilliant musical “Hamilton” for the second time in as … Continue reading How Does America Go Forward?
The Modern-Day Tower of Babel
The Lord said, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. 7 Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.” – Genesis 11:6-7 I was having lunch with my godfather, a semi-retired Presbyterian minister, recently, and the … Continue reading The Modern-Day Tower of Babel
America in Extreme Overreaction Mode
The first movie I ever saw in theaters was Disney’s Song of the South, a heartwarming tale of Brer Rabbit and how he outsmarts Brer Fox and Brer Bear in their never-ending quest to eat him for dinner. I don’t recall being aware of any racism in the film, though admittedly I was like three … Continue reading America in Extreme Overreaction Mode
Return of the Wild, Wild West?
When white Europeans first made their way across the continent they named North America, one of the first things they did was establish an authority to dispense justice. It was a hazardous job, to be sure, and many of those brave souls who stepped into the space between law and lawlessness lived very short lives. … Continue reading Return of the Wild, Wild West?
America Rioting In All the Wrong Places
“Darkness cannot drive our darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. On January 20, 2009 I was visiting my parents, and I vividly recall standing in their living room watching TV, tears streaming down my face as Barack Obama was … Continue reading America Rioting In All the Wrong Places
COVID-19 and the Fallacy of Dieting
“I tell people diets don’t work, and I don’t care what they say. I have tried them all.” – Sylvester Stallone If you’re like me, your social media pages are full of people complaining about the weight they’ve gained as a result of being shut up at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is so … Continue reading COVID-19 and the Fallacy of Dieting
Why Harrison Ford is Wrong About Han Solo
“As a character, he was not so interesting to me.” – Harrison Ford on Han Solo Harrison Ford was never supposed to play Han Solo in the Star Wars Saga. In fact, he was only on hand for a read-through because he was asked to do some carpentry work at American Zoetrope in San Francisco, … Continue reading Why Harrison Ford is Wrong About Han Solo
COVID-19: America’s IQ Test
When I was a growing up as a child of the 70’s and 80’s, the news was a fairly straightforward thing. There were only a handful of channels on TV, none of them ran for 24 hours, and each of the major networks offered a non-biased, factual evening news program. It didn’t matter too much … Continue reading COVID-19: America’s IQ Test
Star Wars Episode I: The Chosen One
Episode I THE CHOSEN ONE It is a time of peace in the galaxy, watched over and protected by the JEDI KNIGHTS. The guardians of peace and justice for the REPUBLIC work together with the GALACTIC SENATE to assure equal opportunities and an equal voice for all. Both the SENATE and the JEDI COUNCIL use … Continue reading Star Wars Episode I: The Chosen One
Time To Silence Star Wars Critic Trolls
It was the moment we were all waiting for, if we’re honest with ourselves. From the moment the credits started rolling at the end of J.J. Abrams’ fabulous Star Wars reboot, “The Force Awakens,” we all wanted to know that Rey was the daughter of Luke Skywalker. It made perfect sense, too. Luke’s long-missing lightsaber … Continue reading Time To Silence Star Wars Critic Trolls
The Fallacies of the Trump/Biden Election
Earlier this week Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders dropped out of the 2020 Presidential race, leaving former Vice President Joe Biden as the last man standing for the Democrats. Millions of Americans, the enormous grassroots base that Sanders has amassed over the last decade, gave a collective cry of agony. The electoral math was already pretty … Continue reading The Fallacies of the Trump/Biden Election
Ishmael and America’s Pandemic Panic
Full disclosure, I am a white male. I am also fiscally conservative. I am also completely liberal on social issues, and am quite comfortable with feminism, modernity and marriage equality. I do not understand the people who think that any uncertainty is cause to purchase guns…or, you know, more guns. Yes, I am in a … Continue reading Ishmael and America’s Pandemic Panic
Is COVID-19 Part of World War III?
The future of life on Earth depends on our ability to see the sacred where others see only the common. – John Denver Admittedly, as my best friend often loves to point out, I am a tree-hugging liberal. I was raised by divorced parents from opposite sides of the United States, and the only things … Continue reading Is COVID-19 Part of World War III?
Lessons of The Coronavirus (COVID-19)
“I can’t think of a time since social media graced the world with its large-and-in-charge presence that it would be more important to let the actual experts be the experts.” — Author Beth Moore It’s been kind of a crazy week here in the United States of America. The coronavirus has gone from something strange happening in … Continue reading Lessons of The Coronavirus (COVID-19)
The Real Danger Donald Trump Represents
“America isn’t easy. America is advanced citizenship. You’ve gotta want it bad because it’s going to put up a fight.” – President Andrew Shepherd (Michael Douglas) from “The American President” This is not another bash President Trump story; there are plenty of those out there and I do not feel the need to pile on. … Continue reading The Real Danger Donald Trump Represents
A Memo To Bernie Sanders Supporters
I’ve been a fan of Bernie Sanders for years, dating back to his weekly Brunch with Bernie segment on Thom Hartmann’s radio show out of Portland, Oregon. He’s a straight-shooter, he doesn’t change positions on issues, he is a man of extremely high character and he genuinely cares about the plight of the working class … Continue reading A Memo To Bernie Sanders Supporters
Are Smart Phones Making Kids Dumber?
“Cell phones can be toxic to a learning environment.” – Teacher in Ontario, Canada, where cell phones are prohibited. Technology can be a blessing or a curse, and no one knows that better than a typical classroom teacher. Yes, there are cool new apps and websites that allow teachers to have students use their cell … Continue reading Are Smart Phones Making Kids Dumber?
Inside Education’s Must-Pass Test
“If my future were determined just by my performance on a standardized test, I wouldn’t be here. I guarantee you that.” – Michelle Obama It’s never quite what you think. I have been teaching writing, one way or another, for more than 25 years. I’ve taught professional writers, I’ve taught middle school English, high school … Continue reading Inside Education’s Must-Pass Test
When Opinion Becomes Fact
The fewer the facts, the stronger the opinion. – Arnold H. Glasgow The despicable tale of Barrack Obama – a parable. Once upon a time there was a man elected President of the United States whose name was Barrack Obama. He was a democrat and also the first black man ever elected President of a … Continue reading When Opinion Becomes Fact
Perspective: The Big, Scary Word “Socialism!”
Socialism: a political and economic theory of social organization which advocates that the means of production, distribution, and exchange should be owned or regulated by the community as a whole. Democratic socialism: a political philosophy that advocates for political democracy alongside a socially owned economy, with a particular emphasis on workers’ self-management and democratic control … Continue reading Perspective: The Big, Scary Word “Socialism!”
Special Education Isn’t So Special Anymore
I have spent much of my adult life either working or volunteering with special needs kids. There’s something about helping kids that most would prefer to avoid that just appeals to me, and it seems I have a gift for reaching them, as well. Even the most difficult kids seem to relate to me, perhaps … Continue reading Special Education Isn’t So Special Anymore
The Evolution of Fake Star Wars “News”
“The Force will be with you….always.” Obi-Wan Kenobi You would be hard pressed to find a bigger Star Wars fan than Yours Truly. I was five years old when the first one hit theaters and I vividly remember that first viewing. My mind was beyond blown, and I sat there in the theater after the … Continue reading The Evolution of Fake Star Wars “News”
Ishmael and Marriage Equality
A recent social media post which attempted to oversimplify and skew differences between Republicans and Democrats in America inspired today’s post. In fact, it will inspire a whole series of posts in my ongoing effort to dispel myths and take a larger look at our culture in the tradition of Daniel Quinn’s Ishmael. This post … Continue reading Ishmael and Marriage Equality
Ishmael and the Politics of Division
“It is not in numbers, but in unity that our greatest strength lies.” – Thomas Paine When I was a kid the biggest threat to the United States of America seemed to be nuclear war. President Ronald Reagan seemed to be on TV all of the time warning against losing the Cold War, and we … Continue reading Ishmael and the Politics of Division
Ishmael and Jesus
There have been few people in the history of the world who have influenced human culture as much as Jesus of Nazareth. Born some 2000 years ago to what was a minuscule hillside community in Israel, Jesus went on to spend three years offering a ministry that has been analyzed, written about and even worshiped … Continue reading Ishmael and Jesus
Manufactured Anger
“Don’t give in to hate. That leads to the Dark Side.” – Obi-Wan Kenobi The world of media has changed drastically in the last two decades. Instead of journalists getting paid by outlets that sell ad space in a printed medium, they get paid primarily through clicks. What that means is they get paid by … Continue reading Manufactured Anger
Call Me Ishmael….
It is not down on any map; true places never are.” — Herman Melville. Starting a new blog seems an odd play for me. After all, I’ve been published many times in other venues and would have a much larger following right away if I chose to simply resume writing about, say, the NBA. Honestly, … Continue reading Call Me Ishmael….
Ishmael Thinking
What does it mean to think like Ishmael? Why is it a worthwhile pursuit? Thinking like Ishmael, again referring to the protagonist in Daniel Quinn’s book by the same title, means taking a step back. It means looking beyond what’s being presented on the surface to decode what’s really going on. Sometimes this can be … Continue reading Ishmael Thinking
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