Academic Rants

   Last weekend thousands of Russians were in the streets protesting. They did so in spite of extreme cold and a strong police presence. The protests took place in numerous cities and the protesters realized that their lives were in danger for challenging the authority of President Putin's government. Contrast that scene with recent protests in the United States. Americans are never afraid for their safety for their right to protest is protected by the Constitution. While the Russians knew they were protesting in support of opposition leader Aleksei Navalny and for democracy, often American protesters cannot fully articulate the issues for their anger or frustration. The January Washington protests are a case in point. Thousands of people came to Washington, D.C. for a rally and then afterwards were encouraged by the president to march to the Capitol. After gathering there, protesters decided to storm the building. However, why did they do this? What did they expect to achieve...

  Martin Luther King, Jr. was born in Atlanta, Georgia on January 15, 1929.  He was the second of three children born into a religious family, where his father and grandfather had been educated preachers.  Martin Luther King, Jr. is the first and only private American citizen celebrated with a national holiday. On the eve of his 92nd birthday, it is the right time to look back at his remarkable life.  At fifteen, an age when most youngsters are still playing with toys, Martin Luther King entered Morehouse College.  There under the guidance of its esteemed president, Dr. Benjamin Mays, young King began studies that would guide him for the rest of his life. It was a life of asking questions, seeking answers, and attempting to do what was right. Guided by educational, philosophical and Christian principles, Martin Luther King, Jr. graduated from Morehouse, and then studied at Crozer Theological Seminary and Boston University. At Crozer, a predominately white instit...

Educational organizations often provide statements when important events occur. I wanted to provide the views of several organizations that are associated with my academic disciplines: The American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education issued a statement on the storming of the U.S. Capitol: AACTE President and CEO Lynn M. Gangone issued the following statement today regarding the horrific events that took place yesterday, January 6, 2021, at the U.S. Capitol building: “Our nation experienced a serious threat to our treasured democracy as rioters stormed one of our nation’s sacred buildings, the U.S. Capitol, intending damage and insurrection. We witnessed a challenge to our democracy that none of us could ever have imagined. Generated by our nation’s President, some Members of Congress, and their denial of the results of our free and open electoral process, this unlawful invasion of the Capitol has left us all stunned. Never could we imagine such an event would occur in our nat...

Since 1775, the United States has claimed to stand for democracy and freedom. After the Revolution was won, the newly liberated colonists decided to make Philadelphia and then New York the seats of government. However, they eventually decided to build a new city, a unique capital, not attached to any state. This would be a federal district and it was named in honor of General George Washington.  The District of Columbia honored concepts of liberty while incorporating the best designs of ancient republics. Over time, the circular city has been filled with landmarks that are recognizable to people across the world.  One of those landmarks is the Capitol. Our Capitol is the home of our legislative branch and a shrine to democracy. It is our cathedral, a sacred place that holds all of our virtues and values. And while it has been the scene of tremendous battles, it is also representative of what we, as Americans believe is right and just.   Last week that facility was vi...

Many of the protesters who were engaged in the activities at the Capitol on January 6th see themselves as patriots. Yet, the definition of a "patriot" can be a loaded term. In many respects, yesterday’s marchers want to compare themselves to patriots. However, which patriots are they referring to? Let's focus on those who did damage to property and tried to cease the operation of government. Many fancy themselves like those who protested the British taxes in Boston. If you recall, in the years before the American Revolution, a group, dressed as Native Americans, boarded British ships and threw bales of tea into Boston Harbor (The Boston Tea Party, 1773). The British described these people as a “mob” and considered their deeds acts of vandalism and insurrection. Later, American historians would memorialize them as "patriots". But who were these "Indians" and what were their grievances with the crown? Good American history informs us that they were large...

 January 6, 2021 has become a date associated with a national tragedy. Once again, the nation is restless suffering from unnecessary trauma under the leadership of President Donald J. Trump. At some point during a long day, the entire world watched what was unfolding in the streets of our nation’s capital. What they saw can only be described as disgraceful. The very people who champion liberty and freedom worldwide were denying it within their own nation. They were symbolically trying to overthrow their government. Some protestors became violent and destructive. Some carried weapons and later explosives were found. They entered the Capitol, occupied the offices of members of Congress, and took items as souvenirs. It was the most un-American action of a group trying to make America Great Again! The instigators of the protests and the subsequent mobs are not unknown to the authorities. Their tweets and words, mainly lies and misstatements, were able to rile up thousands at a planned ...

2020 was not a good year, but it has been an amazing year. And like many years, the calendar expands beyond its December terminus. In my mind, 2020 has been one of the longest years on record. Unfortunately, 2020 was a bad soap opera. It started long before January due to the impending presidential election and then the threat of Impeachment. The Democratic House initiated the anticipated impeachment process and Republican Senate delivered the expected acquittal. That event was instantly challenged by the details of a infamous telephone conversation asking for a favor, followed by cruise ship dramas concerning a little known virus. From that point forward the nation was overwhelmed with news about COVID, a corrupted electorate, another phone call, and ultimately a public coup! Although the election has come and gone, we are still debating its legitimacy. January 20th officially begins the Biden administration. As the Trump presidency comes to a close, it is important to take a backward...