Dakota Beacon

Today, a consuming awareness of the immediate and the present without regard for our Christian heritage leaves us with an incomplete appreciation of liberty. Attack and remove the premise of an argument, and the argument cannot stand. In our culture, marginalizing Christianity and replacing the Biblical premise of liberty with a secular premise may well result in reverting once again to imposing external government.

Every generation must determine for itself the precepts by which it will live. Some generations are up to the challenge and some are not.

In this interesting Q&A, Dr. Paul Kengor sits down to talk about his new book “Takedown: From Communists to Progressives, How the Left Has Sabotaged Family and Marriage.” In part one of a series, Kengor discusses the history of the movement to redefine marriage and family. 

THE BIG PUSH; THE BIG TRIGGER; GOODBYE; STUDENT SUSPENSIONS; COLUMNIST LLOYD OMDAHL; MEADOWLARKS; TRI-COLLEGE UNIVERSITY; UNBEARABLE; SUSPICIONS CONFIRMED;  DAKTOIDS

We often hear that a healthy self-esteem is vital to our well-being. But is there something more important than self-esteem? In this fascinating article, Dr. Gary Welton looks at the research and suggests that self-control is more important than self-esteem. Welton writes, “The ability to control one’s activities is more predictive of success than is intelligence.”

Ironically, it is frustration, disappointment and lack of trust in the government process and bureaucracy at all levels that typify the sentiment of many Millenials. On the one hand they are dissatisfied with their lot in life, but on the other hand they do not want to let go of the government security blanket. They don’t like what they see but fail to identify their dissatisfaction with the liberal and progressive policies they grew up with. That is little surprise since they have never been confronted with any meaningful alternative – such as conservatism. The media and public schools have seen to that.

What is this conservatism of which Millenials have been denied knowledge? Conservatism is about everybody's life getting better. Conservatism is about everybody being respected. Conservatism is colorblind. Conservatism has nothing to do with identity politics. Conservatism is rooted in love of people and high expectations of everyone. Conservatism believes that everybody, if things are moved out of their way, can be much better and can accomplish much more than they think they can. It is the freedom for everyone to rise to excellence.

I don’t want to seem unfeeling; I react to worldly horrors much as does everyone else. And it’s understandable: This world is all we know firsthand. The hell we so often create on it we see and hear, as it accosts our senses; we feel it. Heaven is generally just something we try to apprehend intellectually. And the heart has seductions the mind cannot match.

There is something we can do, however. Even if we don’t feel certain truths on an emotional level, we can choose to believe them. That is a proper exercise of free will — one that lends much happiness and meaning to the life God gave us. 

Many sat awkwardly during the speech—almost uncomfortable. Afterward, a vocal minority offered a standing ovation. Was this a pleasant and unexpected surprise? Or was it a mistake? In this fascinating article, Dr. R.B.A. DiMuccio details the recent events from his daughter’s college graduation and defends the commencement address as “a thoughtful, poignant, unabashed, and—in the inimitably dispiriting context of today’s campus discourse—courageous defense of free speech.” 

Leftists are upset about what they view as a double standard with respect to the Baltimore/Ferguson affair and the recent Waco gang shootout. They’re right, too — there sure is a double standard.

And, as usual, it’s their own.

.....

Oh, as for the adjectives, it’s self-evident that the Waco criminals are thugs. The reason why the point had to be made in Baltimore is that politicians, media propagandists and race-baiting activists had euphemized the rioters as “protesters” who cared about Freddie Gray (whom they would have knifed in a second for 50 bucks) and had legitimate grievances. So even Obama, in a rare and fleeting moment of lucidity, pointed out the obvious: get off it — they’re just thugs.

Free enterprise has lost an innovative leader and champion. Dr. John (Jack) Marks Templeton, Jr., president of the John Templeton Foundation, made many contributions as a medical doctor, a foundation president, and as a family man. In this warm tribute, Dr. Alejandro Chafuen remembers his friend whose unique vision was “grounded in a humble spirit to improve human understanding, flourishing, and freedom.” 

Putin now has our uranium.  

In recent years, however, something unhealthy has occurred in Ireland. Massive propaganda campaigns have undermined confidence in the Church by defaming priests and religious women and fostering false versions of the teachings of Vatican II.

Much damage has been done by the worldwide rebellion against sexual and family morality. In particular, enthusiasm has been growing, in Ireland as in most countries, for pornography, unnatural contraception, homosexual practices, abortion, small families, and forms of "marriage," such as same-sex marriage, previously unknown in the Christian world. The Irish social media have engaged in a relentless campaign for legal recognition of same-sex marriage.

These aberrations may do great damage, but they are too self-destructive to be permanent. If, however, they are incorporated into the nation's constitution by a single majority vote, they can do great damage to the nation's rule of law.

STALKING-HORSE; WATCH OUT!; THE TOWER OF POWER; END OF A RUN; SMALL WORLD; PLAYING FAVORITES; GUESS WHAT SHE WAS COOKING?; THE TOP BABY NAME; WHAT’S THAT BUZZING?; A GLIMPSE OF THE FUTURE; FEWER RIGS, FEWER STUDENTS?; THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COIN; ALIENATION; MORE CHARGES; DAKTOIDS

It started with a letter that said, “My mother, Stella Pietkiewicz, had seven sons serve in WW II. She had the honor to christen the plane, Spirit of Poles, because she had the most sons who served in WW II.” In this must-read Memorial Day tribute, Dr. Paul Kengor relates the remarkable story of a Pennsylvania family who had seven sons serve their country in World War II.

To help commemorate Memorial Day 2015, Dr. Mark Hendrickson offers a touching tribute to a man who made the ultimate sacrifice for his country during World War II. Loyce Deen, of Altus, Oklahoma, was a man of “character, courage, loyalty and love.” 

Last week the Supreme Court heard arguments regarding same-sex marriage. The Court’s ruling, which is expected in June, could determine if same-sex marriage is protected under the Constitution and if states must recognize same-sex marriages from other states.

Could one “Irish Catholic boy from Sacramento” hold the future of marriage in his hands? In this must-read article, Dr. Paul Kengor examines Justice Anthony Kennedy’s past decisions and asks: Does religion matter? Of course it does. Kengor argues, “The presence or lack thereof, or level of devoutness, is at the heart of where America—from everyday citizens to justices on the high court—stand on this unprecedented cultural novelty called ‘gay marriage.’” 

Ireland has a referendum on Friday that would add this line to the Irish Constitution: "marriage may be contracted in accordance with law by two persons without distinction as to their sex." FGF columnist, Craig Turner, analyzes some of the arguments being put forward in this debate on marriage.

America is an exceptional nation. America is exceptional not because our people are better than others but because we have created an environment of freedom that allows and encourages Americans to be the best they can be. How else other than American exceptionalism can anyone explain how our nation transitioned to greatness from the American Revolution to placing a man on the moon in less than 250 years? World leadership was our crowning glory!

Conservatism remains the belief that every person contains potential greatness and that everybody can be better than they think they can be.

But, this is not the bottom line. Are Millenials up to the task? There is still more to the story.

ILLINOIS HAS THE WORST RANKING; THE AVIATION SCHOOL IS DIFFERENT; GOOD JOB; THE FORUM GOT IT UPSIDE DOWN; NO PHOTO FINISHES; OIL BOOM BRINGS A DRUG BOOM; THE RIVERSIDE PLAZA HIGHRISES; THE ECONOMIST; THE AMBER LIGHT IS BLINKING; TROUBLE MOVES FROM EAST TO WEST; GOOD LUCK; SHE WAS THE GLUE; DAKTOIDS

As crime rates have fallen across the country, the number of people in prison has increased dramatically. More than 2.2 million people are currently incarcerated in U.S. jails and prisons, a 500 per cent increase over the past 40 years. Although the U.S. accounts for about five per cent of the world's population, it houses nearly 25 per cent of the world's prison population. 

Unrest in Baltimore, and legitimate questions about the death in police custody of Freddie Gray, a young African-American, have produced the usual charges of "white racism" and comparisons with the death of another young black man in Ferguson, Missouri several months ago, as well as similar incidents in North Charleston, South Carolina and Staten Island, New York. Each of these cases is different, and characterizing them as part of a single pattern of police behavior may be missing the reality of what is, in fact, taking place.

Events in Baltimore highlight the crisis being faced in our inner cities -- from a variety of causes, from the de-industrialization of our urban areas due to globalization to the breakdown of the black family and the absence of fathers in the home. No problems can be confronted or resolved if they are misdiagnosed. The charge of "white racism," in reality, is the scapegoat for the problems in Baltimore and other urban areas, not the real culprit.

The Millennial Generation (Generation Y) must not be written off as liberal or otherwise disinterested. Their views are different from those of the Baby Boom Generation of the 1950s or the Generation X of the 1980s. With the Millennials there is still hope.

Political views of Millennials are in flux. They want to have their cake and eat it, too. They want lower taxes. But, they also favor smaller government unless it affects them negatively – like cutting support for student loans. Most Millennials have exorbitant student loan debt and do not want to see federal assistance cut.

Millennials are more likely than any other generation to switch parties. For that reason, Conservatives must do a better job of educating and reaching the Millennial Generation to show them the kind of policies that work. In a sense, their political views are fluid and they have an inherent distrust of the political machine as previous generations knew it.

Last week the Supreme Court heard arguments regarding same-sex marriage. The Court’s ruling, which is expected in June, could determine if same-sex marriage is protected under the Constitution and if states must recognize same-sex marriages from other states.

Could one “Irish Catholic boy from Sacramento” hold the future of marriage in his hands? In this must-read article, Dr. Paul Kengor examines Justice Anthony Kennedy’s past decisions and asks: Does religion matter? Of course it does. Kengor argues, “The presence or lack thereof, or level of devoutness, is at the heart of where America—from everyday citizens to justices on the high court—stand on this unprecedented cultural novelty called ‘gay marriage.’” 

ANOTHER OIL TRAIN FIRE; THE WALL STREET JOURNAL; HERALD COLUMNIST MIKE JACOBS; UND NICKNAME AVALANCHE; NOT HELPFUL; TOWERS CRUMBLE, BUT PEACE DOESN’T; “A ONE-STOP SHOP FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT”;  WATFORD CITY GROWING PAINS; IT WAS BOUND TO HAPPEN; HEALTHY SELFIES; DAKTOIDS

The chief practical result of the theory of evolution is the belief that human life isn't particularly special or sacred. This belief has found expression in mass murder, in the bombing of cities, and in abortion clinics. Today new implications are still being found in it, as witness the career of Dr. Jack Kevorkian.

Some economists are making the argument that raising the minimum wage and increasing the number of workers in labor unions will have a significant impact on income and wealth inequality. Not so fast, writes Dr. Tracy Miller in this interesting article. Miller examines the latest data and cautions: “Unions and minimum wages increase the wages of some workers, but at the expense of others.”  

If I were a cartoonist my feathered friends would provide a never-ending source of material. I would get my ideas observing the antics of the birds at the feeder and bird bath outside my kitchen window.

BETTER LATE THAN NEVER; TIME TO RELAX; JAMAICAN SCAM ARTISTS; GOING DOWN WITH THE SHIP; FERMENT; SUSPENSION OF DISBELIEF REQUIRED; SERIOUS STUFF; “LAND OF 10,000 TERRORISTS”; WANT TO LEARN MORE?; "I DON’T SEE IT REVERSING";  WHAT YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT MINNESOTA; RECRIMINATION; DAKTOIDS

As it happens, the only people we know for sure who didn’t see Reagan as any sort of political Elvis are the Party moderates.  They first insisted only Ford stood a chance against Carter in ’76, and then that anyone other than Reagan was a safer bet in1980.

Earlier this month, Russia lifted a ban on the sale of a sophisticated air-defense system to Iran. What does this mean for the United States and Israel? How will this impact the current talks on a long-term nuclear deal with Iran? In this must-read article, Dr. Earl Tilford asks, “What can be done?” Tilford outlines possible actions and warns, “Time is critical for possible military action by Israel or the United States. However, the gloved hand of diplomacy succeeds best when sheathed in steeled determination.”

Whether attracted to stamps, coins, baseball cards or other items, collectors are not just ordinary hobbyists but gatherers smitten with the thrill of the hunt. They are a special breed unto themselves.

I know. I am one.

Collectors attract collectors. Those who experience the thrill of the hunt know what I mean. I welcome hearing from interested bibliophiles who share similar interests.

And the chase goes on.