Some day a definitive book, perhaps a play or a movie, will be written about this time in our nation’s history. Will it be a “comedy” or a “tragedy”? Presently our country is still being held hostage by President Trump, the deadline for an agreement being February 15. For 35 days, 800,000 federal workers found themselves furloughed or working without pay. This brought to … [Read more...]
Interfaith dialogue, the first perspective
By Aaron Swaaartzentruber Greenleafton, MN The God of the Bible that consists of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit can not be the god of the Qu’ran (Islams holy book) because the god of the Qu’ran did not have a son? In “The Common Word Document” they keep emphasizing that their god is one. In the third chapter of the document they quote their holy book: “and that we shall … [Read more...]
One Moment, Please… Not just for Valentine’s Day
I heard a great story this past week, and it not only coincides with Valentine’s Day but any special occasion. During my travels, I talk to a lot of people and hear a lot of stories. The one that sticks out in my mind from this past week was about a birthday celebration. I was chatting with a gentleman about the real life personal disconnect people have with each other … [Read more...]
Journal Writing Project A lie: I need to change myself for them
By Pailey Gordon Growing up, my mother told me to always be myself and to not let others change who I am or to let people change my morals. I was always circled around making sure I was always being my truest self. Especially in my teen years, I have run across a few people who weren’t true to themselves and tried to be someone they weren’t. They tried to make that impact on … [Read more...]
What great legislators have in common
Each of the great politicians and legislators I’ve known over the course of my career in Congress was very different. They were masters of the rules, or unassailably knowledgeable about a given issue, or supremely watchable orators, or consummate students of people. But they also shared key traits that I wish more elected officials possessed. For starters, the great … [Read more...]
One Moment, Please… Minnesotans could be Martians
There’s no doubt that Minnesotans are a different breed of humans. Ya sure, you betcha, we talk funny according to those who play “Duck, duck, goose.” But, there’s more to our being than long O’s and A’s in our pronunciations. This past week was a perfect example. It was a snot-freezing -60ºF, with the windchill, and we just figured it would pass. And, we know it … [Read more...]
Shut down the evil, shut down the bleeding To the Editor,
Ugly walls succumb to tunnels, ladders, and cutting tools. We have better, much cheaper alternatives to Trump’s racist symbol. I’m tired of the BS. It is an anti-Statue of Liberty; a big “You’re not welcome, Latinos,” blight on our nation. Trump has awakened us to the ugly underbelly of American racism. Now we know that it never really left. About 40% support Trump and about … [Read more...]
How I practice mindfulness
There are many wonderful things about our society: TV, smartphones, tablets, GPS. While those things most certainly make life easier, they can also make life a tad bit more stressful. Staring at screens all day leave us with fatigue, eye strain, and poor posture while indulging in media at our fingertips hours every day leave our cortisol levels sky-rocketing from all the … [Read more...]
Why I love where I live
There have been moments throughout my life when opportunities arose to move to a different part of the state of Minnesota, or even a different part of the country. Anyone who knows me, knows that I love living in southern Minnesota and that there are many reasons why I choose to stay here. As the president of Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF), I can’t imagine a … [Read more...]
One Moment, Please… Entrepreneur is a dangerous word
I recently had a conversation with a parent who said their son, soon to be graduating from high school, wanted to be an entrepreneur some day. Their son had taken an interest in culinary arts, and had expressed interest in owning a restaurant. At age 18, that’s a remarkable vision. I was enlisted for some advice, because I must have been deemed an entrepreneur by the … [Read more...]