Hawkeye and the Birth of the American Myth

From the Lawton Constitution By James Finck, Ph.D. Feb 17, 2026 This year, as we celebrate the 250th anniversary of America, let’s not forget other important events that shaped our nation, not politically, but culturally. Two hundred years ago this week, one of the most important novels in American literature was published: “The Last of … Continue reading Hawkeye and the Birth of the American Myth →

Eliminating tenure would impose dire consequences on Oklahoma’s struggling higher education system

From the Lawton Constitution By James Finck, Ph.D. Feb 15, 2026 I began writing this column for Southwest Ledger in 2023 and for The Lawton Constitution just last year. I have genuinely loved this time. Writing has always been an outlet for me, almost a form of therapy. I’ve been blogging since around 2016, when … Continue reading Eliminating tenure would impose dire consequences on Oklahoma’s struggling higher education system →

Constitution 101: General Welfare Clause

From the Layton Constitution By James Finck, Ph.D. Feb 10, 2026 One of the primary goals of our Founders in writing the Constitution was to limit governmental authority. While they recognized the need for a stronger federal government, they also deeply feared it. To help protect the nation, they created a system that limited the … Continue reading Constitution 101: General Welfare Clause →

The Tree of Liberty and the cost of Revolution

From the Layton Constitution “The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.” This famous line, attributed to Thomas Jefferson, has returned to public discourse amid protests against ICE and Donald Trump. It is not usually spoken by elected leaders, who understandably avoid revolutionary language, but … Continue reading The Tree of Liberty and the cost of Revolution →

The Long Shadow of the Monroe Doctrine

From the Southwest Ledger By James Finck, Ph.d. on Tuesday, January 27, 2026 When it comes to the situation in Venezuela, President Trump made an interesting comment: “If any South American country misbehaves toward any European country let the European country spank it.” While this certainly sounds like something Trump might say the quote actually … Continue reading The Long Shadow of the Monroe Doctrine →

We don’t need more school days, just better days

From the Lawton Constitution By James Finck, Ph.D. Jan 27, 2026 I’m sure you’ve heard the definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. That’s exactly what came to mind when I heard that Oklahoma is considering extending the school year by up to two weeks. I … Continue reading We don’t need more school days, just better days →