The Marines have landed ... this time not in Tripoli, Iwo Jima, or in a thousand other hot spots throughout the world and American history. This time the Marines have landed in Peachtree City, Ga.

From across the state they come and from other locations, too. Some of them are of the Greatest Generation and saw combat in World War II. Some did their duty in Korea and others fought their way through the jungles of Vietnam. Still others did their part in Desert Storm and some were in the most recent sandbox conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Read More»

Lying on my back, I couldn’t comprehend exactly what had happened. Against all rules of after-school fights, three blows to my face had come in quick succession and landed with audible thumps. Shouts from the encircled kids rang in my ears.

The kids, mostly from Old Mrs. Crabtree’s third-grade class, had followed us to the magnolia out in front of Candi’s house. Read More»

When two white newspaper reporters for the Virginian-Pilot were driving through Norfolk, and were set upon and beaten by a mob of young blacks — beaten so badly that they had to take a week off from work — that might seem to have been news that should have been reported, at least by their own newspaper. But it wasn’t.

“The O’Reilly Factor” on Fox News Channel was the first major television program to report this incident. Yet this story is not just a Norfolk story, either in what happened or in how the media and the authorities have tried to sweep it under the rug. Read More»

Former NPR and current Fox News political analyst Juan Williams made an excellent point Monday night on “The O’Reilly Factor.” Williams said the major reason President Obama had not endorsed same-sex marriage is because of the strong opposition to it in the black and Hispanic communities.

Who could have doubted, though, that the president favors expanding the definition of marriage to include gays and lesbians? Read More»

This [past] week a 36-year incumbent, Senator Richard Luger of Indiana, was easily defeated in the Republican primary. An incumbent Republican also lost in Ohio, and another incumbent Democrat lost in Pennsylvania.

To sum it up, 2012 has been a very bad year for establishment politicians in Congress so far. All over the country we see incumbent after incumbent defeated in primary elections

What’s behind this national trend to replace long-time leaders in Congress? Read More»

When the federal government spends $823,000 on a conference for 300 employees (yes, $2,743 per employee) it is more than the fleecing of taxpayers. It is complete and total arrogance. It is failed leadership. It is a waste of tax dollars. It is disgusting.

In October of 2010, the General Services Administration (GSA) held an extravagant 4-day conference at the opulent M Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nev. The conference included such lavish expenses as a $31,000 reception complete with a clown and mind-reader. Read More»

[Editor’s note: A version of this article first appeared at Forbes.com.]

The election of Socialist Party candidate Francois Hollande to the presidency of France epitomizes the sorry state of contemporary democracy. By that, I don’t mean to imply that the French people should have voted for the incumbent, Nicolas Sarkozy. Neither would be capable of solving France’s intractable problems in a way acceptable to French voters, nor are the problems with democracy unique to France. To varying degrees they exist throughout Europe as well as here in the United States. Read More»

It’s been almost 30 years since Debbie and I, as school girls, began the great debate. Over the ensuing years, we have each stood firmly on what we believed to be true. There was no compromising, moving or being reasonable.

One night all those years ago when I was hanging out at her house, which I did a lot in those days, I commented, “Did you know that Solomon was black?” Read More»

Answers to your questions about life, religion and the Bible

Pastors get some of the most interesting questions from people they meet and people in their congregations.  Here are a few that I have received in my ministry over the years and via email for this column.
Read More»

With a Mother’s Day column due Thursday morning and it being only Wednesday, I really wasn’t too concerned that no idea had yet burst forth down onto paper. Besides, in the newspaper business, 24 hours is a lifetime. In the office by 9, I promised to work all day if needed. Mother’s Day was too important not to get it right. Read More»