Columns

Is America a Republic or a Democracy?

Benjamin Franklin, one of the Founding Fathers, told us we were given “a republic — if you can keep it.” However, our Attorney General Merrick Garland just told us his Department of Justice was trying to protect our “democracy.”

Local journalists tell stories national media won’t

A lot of people think that the pinnacle of journalism is working for a publication with national exposure, like The New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal or The Chicago Tribune.

When it comes to boys, schools are flunking

I trekked to St. Germaine School every morning in my sturdy Buster Brown shoes. Designed for rough-and-tumble boys, these heavy-duty shoes could take a scuffing and, with a good polishing, keep on shining — pretty much the way rambunctious kids like me were able to do in our elementary school years.

Billy wouldn’t leave his gold

Jean Lafitte left New Orleans and the ruins of his Baratarian kingdom in 1818 to make a new start on Galveston Island, but not all of his band went with him. One of those who stayed behind was known as Billy Bowlegs, and he became almost as notorious as a Gulf of Mexico raider as Lafitte himself.

Raid changes his mind about voting

If you weren’t fearful of government before this week, you should be scared to death by now. This is the United States of America. Not Venezuela. Or is it?

Are you losing sleep over slumber parties?

Are you losing sleep over slumber par“Anxious parents are no longer allowing their kids to go to slumber parties,” announced a blurb in the August 16 “New York Post.”

Forgiving some sinners and castigating others

I was watching an old documentary the other day about classic Hollywood stars. Henry Fonda, a man who epitomized the stalwart, decent American was the narrator, and he walked us through several decades of famous (and sometimes infamous) actors, from Charlie Chaplin to Natalie Wood.

End-of-life challenges in modern times

A long time ago I watched a documentary about poet Emily Dickenson’s life and writings. One thing that I never forgot about that film is that she lived at a time when death was regrettably common — and therefore the subject of many of her poems.

If you can’t beat the heat, join it

East Texas is hot, and not in the way you compliment your wife when she’s mad at you for performing an epic cannonball while she’s lounging by the pool with her laptop.

Do you love state welcome centers?

My family made a recent day trip to a neighboring state, so I decided this week’s column should be a tip of the hat to those oases of the interstate highway system, the state welcome centers.