Edwin Benson 
Leftists have a disquieting tendency to assert the importance of their untested (and sometimes even disproven) ideas. No body of knowledge avoids being sucked into this vortex. Rocks and Gender Theory? A shocking example is the book Geologic Life: Inhuman Intimacies and the Geophysics of Race. The author, Kathryn Yusoff, is a … Read more
In August 1851, Pope Pius IX elevated Bishop Francis Kenrick from the Diocese of Philadelphia to the Archdiocese of Baltimore. Upon arrival, the new archbishop began going to Father Neumann for confession. The two men were acquainted, but the archbishop grew increasingly impressed with the immigrant priest’s intelligence, ability and energy. When … Read more
The left is unfurling another weapon in the culture war, and it must be disabled before it can do real damage. That weapon is known by a word so new that many word processing programs see it as a spelling error—debanking. Misusing a Legitimate Tool The idea began as a way to … Read more
John Neumann arrived in America on June 2, 1836, and left on June 28 for his first priestly assignment near Buffalo, New York. During the whirlwind month between arrival and assignment, he walked much of the city without a guide or map, met Bishop John Dubois, was accepted as an aspirant to … Read more
Without question, 2024 is a bad year to be a liberal. If you want confirmation, cast your thoughts back fifty years to a bad year to be a conservative, 1974. Even though the U.S. had abandoned the Vietnam War, the anti-war movement still dominated the media. The Watergate Scandal eroded Richard Nixon’s … Read more
In the wake of the 2024 election, many leftists are so distraught that they anticipate leaving the country. Never at a loss for a catchphrase, some in the media call it the “Great Trump Diaspora.” Capitalizing on the demand for leaving, International Living (IL), without mentioning Mr. Trump, sent a promotional offer … Read more
The closing days of the 2024 election focused on the titanic battle for the presidency. However, a set of developments, primarily on the West Coast, may be nearly as important. I am referring to elections for District Attorney in Los Angeles and Alameda Counties in California and Multnomah County, Oregon. In each, … Read more
Only a half-dozen years ago, many so-called experts saw China as the up-and-coming economic superpower and Xi Jinping as its indispensable man. American and European political and business leaders hailed China’s role in the global economy. Today, the vulnerability of China’s intertwined social, industrial and monetary systems is clearly visible. Xi’s failure … Read more
On the day after the 2024 election, the ‘center-left” media outlet CNN headlined, “What Just Happened? It was the Economy, Stupid.” ABC echoed, “Deep Economic Discontent with Biden Drove Voters to Trump.” Economic hardship may have convinced many “undecided” voters to overlook their qualms about Mr. Trump and vote for him. However, … Read more
Some think Western Culture is in its last days, not unlike the crises suffered by ancient Babylonia or Persia. The West is beset by wolves from without—notably China, Russia and Islam. More dangerous are the legions of internal termites undermining the institutions that should buttress the West. Even Holy Mother Church suffers … Read more