President Donald Trump wants Americans — and Canadians — to start looking at one of the Great Lakes differently. Lake Ontario, he decrees, should become “Lake America.” At first glance, the name itself is not necessarily offensive. In fact, there…
The coat of many colors that covered the world
There are entertainers, there are legends, and then there are those rare human beings whose lives become part of the cultural fabric of a nation. Dolly Rebecca Parton was one of those people. The Tennessee-born country music legend, songwriter, actress,…
Dorie Miller: Give honor where honor is due
There are moments when changing a name is simply administrative. This is not one of them. The U.S. Navy is reportedly considering removing the name of Doris “Dorie” Miller, one of America’s most important World War II heroes, from the…
The White House is a crime scene
The White House is often called “The People’s House.” It is supposed to symbolize public service, sacrifice and stewardship. Yet for many Americans, a troubling question now hangs over Washington: Has the presidency become the most profitable business venture in…
Philadelphia pushes back against whitewashing history
Philadelphia never has been a city known for backing down from a fight. This is the city of Joe Frazier, Bernard Hopkins, Wilt Chamberlain, Kobe Bryant and Benjamin Franklin. It is the city where some of the most important documents…
10 reasons America is not a ‘Christian nation’
For generations, many Americans have described the United States as a “Christian nation.” The phrase appears in political speeches, church sermons, social media debates and campaign rhetoric. Yet history and Scripture raise an important question: If a nation truly sought…
When leaders know better but choose a different path
The death of Sen. Lindsey Graham closes a remarkable chapter in American political history. For more than 20 years, Graham was one of the most influential voices in Washington. He was a military veteran, a respected member of the Senate,…
From the South Side to the South Lawn and back again
The headline itself tells a uniquely American story. From the South Side of Chicago came a young community organizer searching for purpose. He eventually made his way to the South Lawn of the White House as the 44th president of…
Why I will boycott the UFC pay-per-view from the White House
A nation’s birthday should reveal what it values most. As America approaches its 250th anniversary, I find myself reflecting less on fireworks and celebrations and more on the meaning of freedom itself. That reflection has led me to a personal…
From cannabis to marijuana: The racializing of weed
America did not merely criminalize a plant. It criminalized a people. Before “marijuana” became America’s most politically weaponized slang term, the plant was widely known as cannabis — used in medicine, industrial hemp and natural remedies. But in the 1930s,…
The criminalization of the White House
American history has known flawed, scandal-ridden and even disgraced presidents. But no modern American president has accumulated the sheer volume of legal exposure, ethical controversy, civil judgments, criminal proceedings, public deception and democratic instability surrounding one individual quite like Donald…
Malcolm X at 101
If Malcolm X were alive in 2026, he would likely be less shocked by America’s contradictions than many Americans are. Why? Because Malcolm spent his life warning us. Born May 19, 1925, Malcolm X evolved from a street survivor into…