Thoughts

The musical Miss Saigon is a haunting reminder of the horrors of war and the social conflicts off the battlefield that adversely affect so many people.  One of the most heart-rending songs from Miss Saigon is called “Bui Doi,” referring to the children left behind after war, the American-Asian children fathered by American soldiers, the children often…

I just finished John Kerry’s EVERY DAY IS EXTRA.  It is a remarkable memoir by a decorated veteran, dedicated public servant and enthusiastic citizen of the world. I had the distinct pleasure to hear Mr. Kerry preview this book at the BookExpo America in June in NYC. That night I was restless, composing in my…

The book, In the Shadow of Statues: A White Southerner Confronts History by Mitch Landrieu, is a humbling read.   I found it to be a sobering experience punctuated with introspection–that I have been complicit in the acceptance of Confederate statues. The statues were not erected in an historical nature. They were erected to memorialize men…

Indecent is defined as “offending against generally accepted standards of propriety and good taste.”  I cannot think of a person more suited to that description than our current president. Before I make enemies of all of my friends who are supporters of our current president, let me make one thing clear.  You might like his…

  Dean James Ryan of the Harvard Graduate School of Education (now President of the University of Virginia) recently addressed the graduating class of 2016 and challenged them to ask the right questions in the years to come.   His challenge to them was to ask questions and not look for easy answers.  Indeed, good questions—not the…

[This post is a personal, apolitical statement and does not represent any endorsement by my employer or professional affiliations] Indecent is defined as “offending against generally accepted standards of propriety and good taste.” I cannot think of a person more suited to that description than our current president. Before I make enemies of all of…