On the Merits of Meritocracy

On the Merits of Meritocracy 1

When some 120 wealthy Americans start urging Congress not to repeal estate and gift taxes, something strange is going on somewhere. After all, in the midst of tax-cut euphoria, it is hard not to question a tax-me-please attitude. But these Americans are doing just that – and in a grand style that … Read more

Churchill and Truman: Telling the Aftermath

Churchill and Truman: Telling the Aftermath 1

As World War II slowly fades into history, old veterans are now giving their tales a final telling. Memoirs, books and final recollections fill the bookstores looking back on that great event that so marked and divided the world. In the midst of such a plethora of material on World War II, … Read more

Beyond the Call of Duty

Beyond the Call of Duty 1

Americans love heroes. Something about them grips the American soul. Perhaps the attraction lies precisely in going against the zeitgeist of this hedonistic age. Heroes are outside the box. They do not fare well in a culture where real living has been reduced to pre-packaged experiences and media-generated events. They get lost … Read more

Back to Merry Christmas

Back to Merry Christmas

It’s official. After six years of what has been called a “war on Christmas,” Merry Christmas is coming back. Much of corporate America has conceded defeat on the issue. What most people do not realize is that a conservative cultural victory slipped quietly under the radar and the rumblings of that battle … Read more

The Educational Importance of Manners

The Educational Importance of Manners

At first glance it might seem rather forced to make a connection between education and manners. In our secular society, manners like morals seem to be optional in the formation of youth. It is something relegated to parents to teach children at the dinner table if and when they eat together. Manners … Read more

The Santa Fe Chill

The Santa Fe Chill

Contrary to what many artists claim, protesting against offensive art is never free publicity. Few things hurt the arts community more than when it produces works that lose touch with its supporting community. This is especially evident in the wave of artworks which many consider blasphemous. Nothing attacks the sensibilities of a … Read more

We Came, We Saw, She Conquered!

We Came, We Saw, She Conquered!

The Public Square Rosary campaign began with a discussion about commemorating the 90th anniversary of the last apparition at Fatima when Our Lady performed the Miracle of the Sun. Its organizers tried to think of a special way to make this anniversary something special and relevant. The idea of holding a rosary … Read more

The Return of the Radical Atheists

The Return of the Radical Atheists 6

After decades of ignoring the huge influence of religion in society, journalists and analysts are now discovering the “danger” of religious radicalism. It has become trendy to decry the rise of fundamentalists of any sort and to Talibanize religious groups that affirm anything too categorically. Indeed, atheists have discovered much to their … Read more

Trouble Brewing in China

Trouble Brewing in China

For decades, American businessmen have been outsourcing production and setting up factories in Communist China. They cite a large and industrious work force with minimal labor costs as the reason that supposedly allows them to manufacture a product at the lowest possible costs. American manufacturers employing American workers are hard-pressed to compete. … Read more

Learning to Brave The Storms of History

Learning to Brave The Storms of History 4

Nestled in the foothills of the Austrian Alps stands the historic fourteenth-century Carthusian Charterhouse in Gaming. Since medieval times, the monastery has weathered the storms of history. It has seen good times and bad; stability and revolution; peacetime and war. Thus, the Charterhouse was a fitting site for Seventh International Student Summer … Read more