The issue of family values has been a theme of American conservatism and the Republican Party since at least the 1970s. Generally speaking, those values as articulated by the right have come in the form of attacks on LGBTQ rights, the Equal Rights Amendment, sex education in schools, abortion rights, certain government programs, supposed “socialist” […]
gun violence
Thoughts, Prayers and Activism
More gun violence in the United States of America – truly a public health epidemic. There are outcries from liberals and progressives for action – as there should be. There has also been criticism of the pat – almost routine – offering of “thoughts and prayers” in the wake of tragic, unbelievable mass shootings. What […]
Where the US Stands: A Sampling of Comparative Quality-of-Life Statistics
It is advisable and instructive to periodically take stock of where we as a nation stand when it comes to quality-of-life issues. We have done this off and on over the past five years. Comparing ourselves and how we are doing to our sister nations can and should prompt us to do some self-reflection, to […]
Index to the Third Year
Thank you as always for checking in with WisdomWordsPPF! Here is a guide to the past year of blog posts (note that some posts appear in several categories). If you want a guide to the first year (October 2015-October 2016), you can find it here, and a guide to the second year (October 2016-October 2017) […]
States for Gun Safety: New Consortium Formed in Absence of Federal Action
In the reprehensible absence of research on gun violence in the US at the federal level, due to a law passed by Congress in 1993, several states are now banding together to conduct this vital research on their own. Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Delaware and Puerto Rico have formed a consortium […]
Dick’s Sporting Goods, Making a Profit, and Contributing to the Common Good
When a corporation does something that we might consider courageous – taking an action that might hurt their bottom line or invite harsh criticism from previous supporters – we should hold them up, recognize their actions and thank them. At the moment, this applies to Dick’s Sporting Goods, which has recently taken the following steps […]
Gun Laws in Vermont: Actions Taken in the 2018 Legislative Session
Rural Vermont with a culture of hunting, although generally left-leaning politically, has not been in the forefront of gun control legislation or other progressive measures on the gun issue. When he ran for President in 2016, Independent Senator Bernie Sanders came under great scrutiny from Hillary Clinton and others on the left for his stances […]
Reasons for Hope
In the midst of disheartening news in the trying times in which we live, it is important for our national conversation and personal well-being that we bring to mind the positive things that are happening all around us. Here’s a sampling. DACA stays the law of the land! “The Supreme Court on Monday [Feb. 26] […]
Statement by Bishops United Against Gun Violence
Over 70 bishops of the Episcopal Church have organized against the epidemic of gun violence in our country. Following the horrific mass shooting on Valentine’s Day in Parkland, Florida, the bishops issued yet another plea for action; the statement was distributed in our local parishes the following Sunday, February 18, 2018, the First Sunday in […]
Better Reasons to Look at Norway
Now that President Trump has mentioned Norway (!), let us take the opportunity to reiterate some of what we have already discussed about that very progressive nation. It is quite certain, contrary to Trump’s desires, that we will not soon see an influx of Norwegian immigrants to the US: while Trump presumably wants Norwegians primarily […]