June 5, 2019
by Hudson Byblow
Recently, I have noticed an increasing amount of news reports challenging morality clauses in employment contracts for Catholic school teachers. While yet another example of a teacher breaking a morality clause popped up this spring, another one struck my eye in late 2018, a little closer to home. This latter one didn’t only challenge the [...]
January 7, 2019
by Stephen M. Krason
A few months ago, at my university, I was on a panel on the topic of evaluating American liberalism and conservatism in light of Catholic social teaching. The panel was asked what that teaching would say about affirmative action—defined by a leading law dictionary as the conferring of special rights, in hiring or advancement, to ethnic [...]
October 26, 2017
by Regis Nicoll
Probably each of us has had an experience that awakened our conscience, one that changed the way we looked at the world and ourselves, a moment of moral clarity that made us reflect, “I was blind, but now I see.” As a young boy growing up in the rural south, water fountains labeled “White” and [...]
October 4, 2017
by James Kalb
Last month I suggested that white nationalism and certain other views aren’t likely to become practically important. Their proponents want to build on too shaky a base. But there are related topics—identity politics and ethnic loyalties in general—that matter a great deal and should be discussed. What do we say about such things? It’s a complicated [...]
January 16, 2017
by William Kilpatrick
When the planning board of Bernards Township, New Jersey, turned down a plan to build a mosque, the local Islamic society turned around and sued the town for discrimination. Now, a federal judge has ruled that a parking requirement imposed by the township on the mosque was discriminatory. Adeel Mangi, the Islamic society’s lawyer, praised [...]
May 5, 2015
by Stephen M. Krason
The rhetoric of leftist politicians, commentators, and “civil rights spokesmen” after events of the last few years has created a picture of America as a deeply “racist” nation. The impression conveyed is that things are no better, possibly even worse, than they were in the Jim Crow era. This is after decades of civil rights [...]
April 30, 2015
by Benjamin J. Vail
By June of this year, the U.S. Supreme Court, despite having a majority of Catholic justices, appears destined to legalize so-called “same-sex marriage” (SSM). This could be the ultimate victory of a long-term strategy to redefine marriage. Already in individual states which have redefined marriage, Christians have suffered for refusing to support or recognize SSM. [...]
March 5, 2015
by James Kalb
Bigotry looms ever larger as a public concern today. Among the educated, articulate, and well-placed, it’s considered an intolerable moral flaw, a revolting psychological deformity, and a totally unnecessary pathology responsible for most of the world’s evils—war, crime, poverty, suicide—you name it. As bigotry has grown in prominence as an issue, what counts as such [...]
July 4, 2013
by Stephen M. Krason
I was recently on a radio program commenting about the U.S. Supreme Court decision striking down Arizona’s law requiring proof of citizenship when people register to vote. One caller seemed quite happy with the decision because, it seemed, he believed there is widespread racism. I responded that those who make such allegations are bound to [...]
January 12, 2012
by Walter E. Williams
Last week's column started off asking: "What human motivation gets the most wonderful things done?" The answer is that human greed is what gets wonderful things done. I wasn't talking about fraud, theft, dishonesty, special privileges from government or other forms of despicable behavior. I was talking about people trying to get as much [...]
December 22, 2011
by Zac Alstin
Heaven and Earth are ruthless; To them the Ten Thousand things are but as straw dogs. The Sage too is ruthless; To him the people are but as straw dogs. A "straw dog" was a ceremonial object used in place of an actual dog in ancient Chinese sacrifices. Sacrificing a dog made from straw fulfils [...]
September 23, 2011
by Steve Chapman
In his dogged quest to boost employment, President Barack Obama has searched far and wide for new solutions. One provision in his American Jobs Act may very well have a positive impact on hiring. Just not in America. The section consists of a ban on discrimination against the unemployed. Some companies have posted ads that [...]
July 7, 2011
by Michael Barone
It's racially discriminatory to prohibit racial discrimination. That's the bottom line of a decision issued last Friday, just before the Fourth of July weekend, by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. The case was brought by an organization called By Any Means Necessary to overturn a state constitutional amendment passed by a [...]
June 29, 2011
by Linda Chavez
The Supreme Court handed down a big win for American consumers this week, though the case had nothing to do with consumer protection. The court's decision involved the rules for determining what constitutes a proper class of plaintiffs, representing not just those individuals who have come forward to allege illegal behavior but others who have been [...]
March 23, 2011
by Margaret Cabaniss
*Facepalm*: Catholics are more supportive of gay and lesbian rights than the general public and other Christians, according to a new report released today. The new report, which is the most comprehensive portrait of Catholic attitudes on gay and lesbian issues assembled to date, also finds that seven-in-ten Catholics say that messages from America's places of [...]
February 28, 2011
by Margaret Cabaniss
A couple in England lost their right to be foster parents because "they said they could not tell a child a 'homosexual lifestyle' was acceptable": Lord Justice Munby and Mr Justice Beatson ruled that laws protecting people from discrimination because of their sexual orientation "should take precedence" over the right not to be discriminated against [...]
January 24, 2011
by Deal W. Hudson
Bill Donohue at the Catholic League has just issued a press release on a situation brewing at the U.S. Air Force Academy. On February 10, the USAFA will hold a National Prayer Luncheon. Lt. Gen. Michael C. Gould, the superintendent, invited Marine 1st Lt. Clebe McClary to speak. McClary is a decorated Vietnam War veteran [...]
January 5, 2011
by John Zmirak
Friends told me my predictions of January 1 were a teensy tad cynical: "You keep trying to prove you're the Catholic Mencken. Cut it out -- you're depressing the laity," was a comment that came back to me. More feedback: "Thanks! I'll start the new year by slashing my other wrist." Still more: "Why didn't [...]
November 4, 2010
by David R. Carlin Jr.
If we are to have, as Attorney-General Eric Holder suggested more than a year ago, a national "frank conversation about race," the first thing that needs to be said is that such a conversation is virtually impossible. Why? Because those who are on the "conservative" side in this discussion will be accused of either racism [...]
May 27, 2010
by Margaret Cabaniss
Via Danielle Bean at Faith & Family Live comes this story about the flip side of "reproductive choice." Greg Bruell says he had an agreement with his girlfriend that, if she were to become pregnant, she would abort the child -- an agreement that she reneged on when she ultimately did become pregnant and decided [...]