Sometimes, it feels as though living right is the wrong thing to do. Our world is full of self-absorbed people who cheat and oppress others with no apparent consequences. Meanwhile, the lives of virtuous people seem to overflow with hardship. God, it appears, looks the other way. If the prosperity of selfish people bothers you, […]
The video feed was anything but pleasant; scores of teenagers mercilessly pummeling each other. It happened recently as fights broke out among a thousand young people who had flooded a mall near Pittsburgh. Employees had to bar and lock storefronts in order to protect themselves and their customers. If you haven’t seen any of the […]
Bullies are not nice people. “Snugene”—as some high school friends and I had not-so-fondly named him—was no exception. I knew Snugene in my pre-Christian days and had little concern for his family life or personal well-being. All I knew was that this bully, like all others, was always looking for opportunities to exploit weakness in […]
The Free Dictionary defines elitism[1] as: 1. The belief that certain persons or members of certain classes or groups deserve favored treatment by virtue of their perceived superiority, as in intellect, social status, or financial resources. 2. a. The sense of entitlement enjoyed by such a group or class. b. Control, rule, or domination by […]
World peace! It is a vision long held by many. Each New Year, it seems, we try to cast off the violence of the previous year like a dog trying to shake off water. Unfortunately, dogs are much more effective in their drying off efforts than we are in our quest to eliminate conflict between […]
Once again the liberal/conservative battle lines have been drawn. Adamant about the need for gun control, many liberals seem to believe that banning all gun ownership would lead to a peaceful and happy society. On the other side of the front, a lot of conservatives give the impression that if every American packed, violence would […]
Trafficking in persons (TIP) is an international crime that involves the acquisition of a human being through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for the purposes of exploiting the individual for profit through forced labor or prostitution. A modern form of slavery, trafficking constitutes a violation of human rights in which individual victims are […]
I wonder if you’ve noticed. We live in a cruel world. From playground bullies to the inner city gangs to oppressive governments, we lack no shortage of people who will not hesitate to inflict pain on others for their own personal pleasure or benefit. What’s the prerequisite for being a recipient of such treatment? Weakness. […]
