From the Lawton Constitution Last week, I dedicated my column to the music of the season. This week, I want to add one more essential song to that playlist. In my previous piece, I mentioned that one of my favorite holiday records is “Barenaked for the Holidays” by Barenaked Ladies. While the band is often … Continue reading Hanukkah Blessings
Month: December 2025
Finding the Spirit of Christmas, One Song at a Time
From the Southwest Ledger This Christmas, one of the things I’m most grateful for is technology. As a fan of Christmas music, I love being able to create a playlist filled with all my favorite songs. Over the years, my wife and I have collected a pretty good assortment of CDs, but in the car, … Continue reading Finding the Spirit of Christmas, One Song at a Time
The Bible, the Classroom, and the Boundaries of Scholarly Evidence
From the Southwest Ledger As the story of a University of Oklahoma student receiving a zero on an assignment for citing the Bible has become a major national headline, I wanted to weigh in as both a Christian and a professor. Let me say upfront that I have not read the student’s response, seen the … Continue reading The Bible, the Classroom, and the Boundaries of Scholarly Evidence
Hanukkah Songs
I have an article coming out this week about Christmas songs. I love Christmas and Christmas songs but tonight I want to celebrate a different holiday. I grieve the hatred I am seeing towards our Jewish friends which is turning into violence. Part of Light the World last week was to post a favorite Christmas … Continue reading Hanukkah Songs
From Schenck to today: When political rhetoric edges toward dangerous lines
As a Civil War historian, I’m often asked how close we are to repeating 1860. My answer has always been that we aren’t there yet, but we are edging closer to the 1850s. A recent example of this rising partisanship came last month when six Democrats released a video urging U.S. troops to refuse presidential … Continue reading From Schenck to today: When political rhetoric edges toward dangerous lines
When Mocking Has No Consequences
From Southwest Ledger There has been a lot of discussion lately about shows like “South Park” and whether they push their content too far. This year especially, the show has faced intense scrutiny. Just a month after they aired an episode mocking Charlie Kirk, he was assassinated. On top of that, the current storyline involving … Continue reading When Mocking Has No Consequences
Constitution 101: The Ineligibility and Incompatibility Clauses
From Southwest Ledger When the American colonies first clashed with Britain over taxation, much of their frustration focused on Charles Townshend and later Frederick North. Both men served simultaneously as members of Parliament and as Chancellor of the Exchequer. In American terms, this would be like someone serving as a senator while also acting as … Continue reading Constitution 101: The Ineligibility and Incompatibility Clauses
The cost of misusing history in our political debates
From the Southwest Ledger I had an interesting experience in class last week; one I hope won’t get me in too much trouble. As the semester is winding down, one of my classes was giving presentations on their research projects. Two students happened to present on Nazis. Both did an excellent job; their work was … Continue reading The cost of misusing history in our political debates
Historically Speaking 