The Stump

Yellow Vests Run Out of Gas

When asked to share my thoughts on the recent yellow vests protests, I initially demurred, stating that is was simply another case of the...

Embattled: The Story of the O’Hanlon Fresco

Mill Valley, CA. As our country struggles to come to terms with its racist past—and present—a controversy surrounding a 1934 mural at the University...

In Praise of Boredom

G. K. Chesterton reproached the modern experience of boredom. In Heretics, he declares: There is no such thing on earth as an uninteresting subject; the...

On Being Kind

If it keeps us from flying at each other’s throats, I’ll take kindness every time. But if we seek more than survival, kindness is just the beginning.

Organized Leisure and the Construction of American Community 

Was the experience of “community” in an Ohio town during Ervin’s lifetime fundamentally more compelling and authentic than has been possible after the post-war economic boom? Or should Ervin’s passion for organizing and social service be seen as an attempt to compensate for an actual fragility of communal life?

Naming and Seeing our Neighbors

In these movements, we are but a speck of dust in the great desert. But here, where our feet are, we hold a power forgotten.

Dobbs v. Roe: See How They Love One Another

There will be a temptation for many to say: “Good. Roe is gone. Now the rest is none of my business.” It would be wise to remember this disinterest in our communities is what enabled a technocratic judiciary to impose Roe. To perfect our nation and its communities, we must balance the needs of living amongst one another with caring for one another.

The Paradox of American Places

Daniel Elazar was emphatic that a “renewed sense of localism” was essential to America’s future. For Americans, this means renewed intentionality about our local communities, not merely living in one place for a sustained period of time.

A Primer on Digital Thinking: Part 1 Counting and Measuring

The basic distinction between digital and analog is that digital means you count something and analog means you measure something. We can easily count...

Rights and Duties

Our duty is to live lives that conform to what is good, true, and beautiful. Natural rights in general, and the rights enshrined in the Constitution in particular, are means for citizens to fulfill their duties, live good lives, and build up their families and communities.