Author Archives: Bennett Minton

American exceptionalism and the context of fear

Posted on February 24, 2015 by Bennett Minton

Headlines roar over Rudy Giuliani’s latest personal shot against the president for being unpatriotic and an Oklahoma legislator’s bill to bar high school students from taking AP history. Both actions and reactions concern our image of America. Giuliani gets attention … Continue reading →

Posted in education | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

‘American Sniper’ and the illusion of separation

Posted on February 20, 2015 by Bennett Minton

Two scenes struck me in “American Sniper.” If you’ve been hiding under a rock or are otherwise unaware of the Oscars, the movie is a biopic based on the best-selling memoir of Chris Kyle, a Navy SEAL and Iraq War … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized, War | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Gerrymandering: Politics as situational ethics?

Posted on February 18, 2015 by Bennett Minton

The state senator had an appointment out of town, and all his colleagues knew it. As soon as he left, the other political party, exploiting its temporary one-seat advantage, rushed to the floor a new legislative district map, though the … Continue reading →

Posted in gerrymandering, James Madison, U.S. Constitution | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Gerrymandering: Politics as situational ethics?

Abraham Lincoln and the purpose of government

Posted on February 12, 2015 by Bennett Minton

Abraham Lincoln was born 206 years ago today. Enshrined as our greatest president, he spent his three-decade political career writing and speaking about the framers’ intention, four score and seven years later. This week I visited the Ford’s Theatre Lincoln … Continue reading →

Posted in Abraham Lincoln, U.S. Constitution | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments