Mark T. Mitchell is the co-founder of Front Porch Republic. He is the Dean of Academic Affairs at Patrick Henry College and the author of several books including Plutocratic Socialism, Power and Purity, The Limits of Liberalism, The Politics of Gratitude, and Localism in Mass Age: A Front Porch Republic Manifesto (co-editor).
Mark T. Mitchell
Articles by Mark T. Mitchell
Chipotle ads Promote Humane Animal Husbandry
A couple years ago Chipotle came out with an ad promoting their commitment to using only humanely raised meat products. The Willie Nelson cover of the Cold Play tune The…
FPR Conference. Plus Bookstore
It's still not too late to register for the upcoming FPR conference this Friday and Saturday in Claremont, CA. To whet your appetite, here is a link to books written…
What Do Americans Want?
Quite a bit, actually. From the venerable news source The Onion: In a new report released Wednesday by the Pew Research center, Americans indicated that when it comes to what…
Crunchy Judge: Stegall Confirmed
Congratulations to Caleb Stegall who was confirmed last week to a seat on the Kansas Court of Appeals. Excerpt from an article from a Kansas Newspaper: Legislators discussed his views…
Saving Fish in Montana
Here's an article about a farmer in Montana who has worked tirelessly for years to effect changes to a dam that allows fish to swim up stream to spawn. Here's…
Caleb Stegall Nominated to Appeals Court
Caleb Stegall has been nominated for a seat on the Kansas Court of Appeals. The Kansas City Star calls Stegall "conservative and crunchy." Excerpts: Conservation, a commitment to local communities…
On Killing (Chickens)
Hidden Springs Lane. Last weekend the deed was done. Having acquired 25 chicks in the spring (they were free) it soon became clear that this was, as they say, a…
FPR Conference Program. Register Now.
Here is the program for our upcoming conference titled "City People, Country People: Being a Localist in the Megalopolis." It will be held at Pomona College in Claremont, California. We'll start…
Look At Me!!!
Now a company called Mindflash has a new technology to make sure you pay attention to your computer screen. It is marketed to companies who have on-line training programs. The…
Saying “No” to the NSA
Here's a piece encouraging people and companies to resist encroachments by the NSA. Consider these examples: Already companies are taking their data and communications out of the US. The extreme…
Living Together at the Office
Wendell Berry has written about the salutary effects of living and working in the same place, but I'm not sure this is what he had in mind.... The Wall Street…
Rent a Goat
I recently heard of a guy who was getting nasty letters from his HOA because he was, shall we say, less than dutiful in keeping his large lawn mowed. Rather…
Frankenmeat Coming Soon
Now scientists are working to create meat in a laboratory. To produce the patty, researchers will mix lab-grown beef muscle cells with salt, egg powder and bread crumbs. Beet juice…
Death by Democracy
George Will argues that Detriot was killed by democracy. Detroit, which boomed during World War II when industrial America was “the arsenal of democracy,” died of democracy. Today, among the…
Chicken Palace and Too Many Roosters
Hidden Springs Lane. This spring we got chickens. In preparation for the arrival of the chicks, a coop needed to be built. Being the frugal sort (some mistake that virtue…
The Onion Weighs in on the Virtues of Rootedness
The inimitable Onion once again shows how satire should be done. Title: "Unambitious Loser with Happy, Fulfilling Life Still Lives in Hometown." There is much to pity. Longtime acquaintances confirmed…
The New Warrior Cop
Here's a piece in the WSJ describing the evolution of police tactics and equipment that has resulted in a blurring of lines between policeman and soldier. Excerpt: On Jan. 4…
Against Teaching Literature
The WSJ has a piece by Lee Siegel arguing that studying literature in college is a harmful activity and the decline in students majoring in the humanities (especially English) should…
Register Now for FPR’s Fall Conference
Register here. You will also find a list of speakers and a run-down of the events. It's going to be a great time. I hope to see you there.
A Human Scale Future
Hidden Springs Lane. The notion of scale should be an integral part of the conversation when we consider matters of economic and political import. Unfortunately, this is generally not the…
Manure and Scale
Surprise! Factory farming creates huge piles of manure. And these piles are difficult to keep out of the water system. An editorial from the NYT is critical of the rather…
Free download: Jayber Crow audiobook
Click here for a free download of an audiobook version of Wendell Berry's Jayber Crow.
Hipsters and Old Chickens
Here's a piece describing how some backyard chicken owners are sending their birds to the animal shelter. Despite visions of quaint coops, happy birds and cheap eggs, the growing trend…
George W. Carey: R.I.P.
Long time Georgetown University political theorist (and my mentor) George Carey passed away this week. The American Conservative has just published a symposium highlighting his work and influence. Traditional conservatives…