Category: Historically Speaking

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 →

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 →

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 →

From Bob Wills to Blake Shelton: Oklahoma’s mark on the first 100 years of the Grand Ole Opry

From Southwest Ledger During the dark days of the Great Depression, one essential piece of technology was the radio. After long hours of trying to put food on the table, families gathered around the radio to listen to news, FDR’s Fireside Chats, radio programs and most importantly, music. With the depression, buying records was difficult … Continue reading From Bob Wills to Blake Shelton: Oklahoma’s mark on the first 100 years of the Grand Ole Opry →