What were the words of the year for 2014? If one were to believe the Merriam- Webster and Oxford dictionaries respectively, they were "culture" and "vape". Call us skeptical. But, based upon our totally unscientific and non-random survey of the two of us, we think not. In our opinion, there could have been other appropriate choices for 2014. Before we go there, however, let's take a quick look at the Merriam-Webster and Oxford selections. The Oxford Dictionaries defined the verb "vape" … [Read more...]
Race Relations: Forgetting Ferguson, Remembering 1967, Contemplating the Future
Since the shooting and killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson by a police officer and other tragic incidents between African Americans and police in face-to-face encounters and the subsequent protests, a national dialogue on race relations has begun once again. It is definitely necessary. But, unfortunately this dialogue at all levels seems to be a limited one focused primarily on assessing problems between police and African Americans and recommending actions such as more community policing, … [Read more...]
Thanksgiving Thoughts on Our Immigrant Nation (2014)
On this Thanksgiving Day of 2014, we are thankful for the President's executive action on immigration and the resistance to it. It brings the debate about immigration out of the shadows where it has been since the Senate passed its immigration bill on June 27, 2013 almost one year and one-half ago. We are thankful for those citizens who embraced democracy and participated in the mid-term elections. We are hopeful that their example and the results will motivate many more to express themselves … [Read more...]
Our American Quandary: Inequality, Inadequacy and Instability
The word of the year for 2014 could be "inequality." Since the publication of Thomas Piketty's seminal work, Capital in the 21st Century, early in the year, next to immigration - the nature and effects of inequality in the American economy have been written and talked about more than any other topic of social import. That's bad news for the vast majority of Americans who are on the wrong side of the inequality divide. The worse news is that nothing will be done about inequality in 2014 and … [Read more...]
Dueling Dollars Diminish American Democracy
Election Day 2014 is over. The winners have been declared. But the true loser has not. That loser is democracy. For the past week -- and undoubtedly for weeks to come -- story after story will be written about the reasons for and consequences of the Republican landslide, their gaining clear control of the Senate, and having the biggest majority in the House since the 1920s. Only a precious few, however, will be written about the back story which is how money is contaminating our … [Read more...]
The United States of Fear: From Ebullient to Eboliant
The only thing we have to fear is fear itself. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt was right when he said that in his inaugural address in 1933. His pronouncement is even more correct as we muddle toward the end of 2014. The problem is that we as Americans today are confronting fear. And, fear is winning. America used to be the land of the free and the home of the brave. It is becoming a country whose population is increasingly anxious and scared of even those shadows which we cast … [Read more...]
The Compelling Need to Improve the Higher Education Value Equation
In the middle 90's, "value" was the hot new word and every business was trying to improve its value equation -- which we operationally define as "outcomes divided by cost." Now, almost two decades later, it appears that higher education is hearing the message that value is important and matters to its customers (i.e., students). But, unfortunately, higher education in general does not appear to be getting that message. We render that opinion with a sense of disappointment because there has … [Read more...]
Musings on the Purpose of Higher Education
While summer reading is normally light or frothy stuff for the beach, one of the more widely reviewed books of this past summer, Excellent Sheep: The Miseducation of the American Elite and the Way to A Meaningful Life, was nothing of the sort. Excellent Sheep calls the question on the current approach to educating students at America's most elite institutions (e.g., Harvard, Yale and Stanford). It was written by William Deresiewicz, a former Yale professor who was denied tenure. His … [Read more...]
The Critical Need for a Citizens’ Rights Movement
The United States of America is controlled by minorities. Those minorities are not African-Americans, Hispanics or members of any ethnic group. They are the wealthy, elite, lobbyists, special interests, and selected elected representatives and others who exercise a disproportionate influence over public policy and practices. These minorities are disenfranchising tens of millions of Americans. As importantly, they are destroying the faith of the average American in our democracy and its … [Read more...]
Jackie Robinson, Meet Jackie Robinson West. America, Meet Hope.
Where have you gone, Jackie Robinson? Our nation turns its lonely eyes to you. (modified from Simon and Garfunkel lyrics for "Mrs. Robinson.") On Saturday, August 23, Jackie Robinson West, an all African American team from Englewood and other communities on Chicago's South Side, won the U.S. title game in the Little League World Series. On Thursday, August 28, the City held a rally for these youth in Millenium Park, gave them a day at Navy Pier and set off fireworks that evening in their … [Read more...]