Ward on Words

...Plotted and implemented by the White House, apparently one of the most subversive organizations in the country. The president is giving a "back-to-school" speech next week at Wakefield High School in Arlington, Virginia. Here's what the US Department of Education says students can expect from the president: "During this special address, the president will speak directly to the nation’s children and youth about persisting and succeeding in school. The president will challenge students to work hard, set educational goals, and take responsibility for their learning." Here's how Jim Greer, the chairman of the Florida Republican Party, interprets the Dept. of Ed's press release : "As the father of four children, I am absolutely appalled that taxpayer dollars are being used to spread President Obama's socialist ideology. The idea that school children across our nation will be forced to watch the President justify his plans for government-...

It seems we have come a long way since the conversation about the "pube on the coke can" that we all heard about during the confirmation hearing for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. And there seems to be (at least for now) less outrage expressed about Sonia Sotomayor than that which erupted over the Bork nomination for SCOTUS way back in the Reagan era. And though I confess I haven't read obsessively about Obama's pick for the US Supreme Court, I haven't heard the word "abortion" bandied about much over the nominee. No, the buzz that's racing through the blogosphere about Sonia Sotomayor, Obama's first nominee for the Supreme Court, is focused on a single word. Empathy. Though the Republicans have not yet made it known if they're going to "bork" Sotomayer's nomination, we should be heartened, I guess, that much of the chatter swirling about the nomination of Sonia Sotomayer concerns the quality of her "empa...

Today, May 21 2009, we had the unprecedented experience of having two very powerful Americans talk very publicly about their views on the use of torture in keeping America safe. Think about it. At this moment in our history, with the economy in the toilet and our troops deployed in two wars, we're talking about whether or not the United States should continue to torture prisoners of war. We talked about whether we should waterboard enemy combatants. Throw men against the wall in an effort to make them talk. Use state-sanctioned torture to protect the interests of America. President Obama spoke today on the subject of national security at the National Archives. This is where the U.S. Constitution lives. Where the original Declaration of Independence can be found. This is home for the documents that outlined the attempts of a new country to govern in a new way - democratically. Our president spoke at that place on this day to inform the nation of the reasons why w...

"Love your neighbor as yourself," the Bible tells us, but if you're a member of the Catholic hierarchy like Cardinal Francis George of Chicago or Bishop John D'Arcy of Indiana, love means never having your president speak at Notre Dame. Or at least, not having President Obama speak - because he's a pro-choice guy and that doesn't swing with the Catholic pro-life doctrine. I'm sure they love the president like they love themselves - they just don't want to hear him speak on hallowed, Catholic soil. According to the Chicago Tribune , Cardinal George apparently called Obama's selection "an extreme embarrassment." In a statement , Bishop D'Arcy wants Notre Dame to ask itself "if by this decision it has chosen prestige over truth." Thankfully, the president of Notre Dame has not caved to the pressure (yet.) I want President Obama to speak at Notre Dame - I want him to talk about the morality of the pro-life stance. And...