Is war good or bad? Is it right or wrong? Actually, these are dishonest questions. The questions invite you to accept a false alternative. Either you endorse the horrible, bloody and brutal things that go on in war, or you … Continue reading
Pope Francis had harsh words to describe libertarians Friday, saying they deny the value of the common good in favor of radical selfishness where only the individual matters. “I cannot fail to speak of the grave risks associated with the … Continue reading
With regard to President Trump’s air strike against Syria, there appear to be two general schools of thought. School of thought # 1: It’s the right thing to do. Whenever a dictator crosses a line, especially such a blatant line, … Continue reading
Pope Francis declared Mother Teresa a saint on Sunday, honoring the tiny nun who cared for the world’s most destitute and holding her up as a model for a Catholic Church that goes to the peripheries to find poor, wounded … Continue reading
Whenever a politician or pressure group wants to reduce liberty, expand spending on programs, or otherwise curtail individual rights as embodied by our Constitution, they resort to the word “fairness.” Don’t want higher taxes? That’s not fair. Don’t want free … Continue reading
When we talk of a President installed by an evil force to bring down America, we label such a president a “Manchurian Candidate.” It appears the Catholic Church now has a Manchurian Pope. “If I speak of Islamic violence, I … Continue reading
Evil is on the rise. The bad guys keep winning. No question about it! There’s no sugarcoating this fact. But keep in mind something very important. Evil is, at its root, weakness. Bad people like ISIS, and Hillary Clinton, only … Continue reading
Stealing is not a crime, Italy’s highest court ruled this week — when small amounts of food are taken in desperate need. The ruling was in the case of a homeless man named Roman Ostriakov, who in 2011 was caught … Continue reading
My recent article on the lost virtue of manners resulted in a lot of responses. The overwhelming majority were positive. A particularly insightful reader said this: At the base of any political system is the issue of, “Are we individuals … Continue reading
Inequality, we have to keep in mind, is not the same thing as poverty. When people like Timothy Noah complain that “income distribution in the United States is now more unequal than in Uruguay, Nicaragua, Guyana, and Venezuela,” they act … Continue reading
Dear Dr. Hurd: I am wondering how you got through your social work program (Master’s in Clinical Social Work) not being a stereotypical liberal? I am in a social work program now and I’m having difficulty with this. My reply: … Continue reading
A recent review of Ayn Rand and Objectivism attempted to debunk Rand’s philosophy. The article, “This Is What Happens When You Take Ayn Rand Seriously” was written by a research psychologist. In the article, she bemoans that more students than … Continue reading