From the Lawton Constitution At the end of every year, I like to look back over my columns and reflect on the events significant enough to write about. Given the ups and downs of the past 12 months, it almost feels cliché to say that 2025 was a crazy year. Crazy has become the norm. … Continue reading 2025: A Year in Review
Month: December 2025
Christmas Brings a New and Glorious Morn
“A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices, for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.” What a perfect line for our world today one that often feels so very weary While December 25th is not the actual birth date of Jesus, I’m still grateful that this is when we celebrate it. I’m glad Christmas … Continue reading Christmas Brings a New and Glorious Morn
Light the World campaign reaches Oklahoma
One of my favorite aspects of the Christmas season is how the spirit of Christ makes people just a little bit kinder. People look out for the welfare of their fellow man just that much more. Finding ways to give back is not hard this time of the year as there are angel trees and … Continue reading Light the World campaign reaches Oklahoma
Merit vs. equity in college football
From the Lawton Constitution Now that the playoffs are set, it’s worth taking a moment to understand the flaws and biases built into the college football ranking system.While fairness may be an interesting word, I’m someone who typically values merit over equity. The problem in college football is that fans can’t truly measure merit when … Continue reading Merit vs. equity in college football
Hanukkah Blessings
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
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
Historically Speaking 