my letter to Joe Have you written a note to President Biden recently? I try to do it regularly. Most often it is a letter of thanks and support. Because we all need a pat on the back, don’t we? Today, my letter was a pat on the back and a request – no, a…

For some, there is no shame in racism and slavery Today is Martin Luther King’s birthday. And yet. This is America in 2023 and the “old South” lives on. You can be a fan of Robert E. Lee as a military tactical genius. But if you can’t call him a traitor to this nation, you…

And we pay them poorly. They are fleeing. How important is it to you that American kids be the best educated in the world? Or is it OK that 15 countries rate higher in education than the US – including Russia? Is it OK in your mind that a tiny subset of society is holding…

An Example of “Charismatic Authority” One of the most powerful and inspiring books I have ever read is “Mountains After Mountains” by Tracy Kidder. It is a profile of Dr. Paul Farmer who accomplished what many thought was impossible. He saved thousands of lives with little resources. He did it by respecting local cultures. He…

A BC interview Most of you who subscribe to this Substack letter, read Heather Cox Richardson’s “Letters from an American”. If not, don’t wait any longer. (See the link at the end.) Her understanding of history and how it applies to our current events is stunning and inspirational. Below is an interview by John Wolfson…

An Article by Tom Nichols The following is an article written by Tom Nichols in the Atlantic. Read about Nichols at Wiki if you want to know his background. He was born in our old stomping grounds (Western Massachusetts) of humble origins. Read what he did with himself. He is an example of the “American…

Spats and Internal Struggles are Nothing New We are two days away from the very consequential “Mid-Term” Elections. For some of us it is a referendum on Joe Biden’s presidency and the historic legislation passed in his first year and one half. For many it is a call to preserve democracy itself. Millions of Americans…

A disturbing revelation I am publishing this to correct a misunderstanding and share with you something that seems to be trending lately: The CON. I wrote this piece about Sacheen Littlefeather in August. We felt proud of her. But I have just read that she was a liar. The article below reflects interviews with her…

Some alternate reading Below is a copy and paste (just part of the forward) from Stephen Mitchell’s “interpretation” of the Tao Te Ching. I first read this over 30 years ago. No book has had a greater impact on me than his version. When I find myself in a pool of angst, I pull out…

A surprising video My fellow substack writer, Dave Conant, just posted this video in his letter. He gave me the go ahead to share it. It is a revelation about where and how our water is employed. And it was a big surprise to me. The video is not long. But it is very well…