Who was the first black to play Major League Baseball? Everyone knows, of course. Jackie Robinson. But who was the second? (Larry Doby.) The great Willie Mays, who’s still fourth on the all-time career home runs list, was the seventh African-American to enter the majors. No one focuses on that. The first person to do […]
Read MoreThe people’s pope 0
I enjoy good satire, whether from the right or the left. I think honest debate and cogent criticism are the political lifeblood of our country. But I believe, above all else, that we, individually and collectively, have a spiritual mission to heal the sick, provide for the poor, to civilize the world through acts of […]
Read MoreThe life, legacy and lessons of Nelson Mandela 0
Today, as we mourn the loss of of one of history’s most transformational leaders, let us also pay tribute to his life and legacy. Let us dedicate ourselves to remembering his lessons and continue his efforts to spread Democracy, freedom and equality across the globe. Nelson Mandela was a civil rights activist, teacher, freedom fighter, […]
Read MoreDonna Brazile Talks Her ‘The Good Wife’ Cameo 0
By TIERNEY SNEED Donna Brazile has been the go-to strategist for Democratic politicians like Bill Clinton and Al Gore and a favorite pundit for news shows like “The Situation Room” and “American Morning.” She has also become Hollywood’s one-to-tap for political dramas, with cameos on shows like “House of Cards,” “K Street” and “The Good […]
Read MoreGive thanks with acts of kindness 0
When the Dow Jones Industrial Average topped 16,000 earlier this month, headlines throughout the country trumpeted the milestone as a sign of recovery for the economy. Away from Wall Street, among the working poor in America’s suburbs, small towns and larger metropolitan areas, the trumpets of a thriving economy do not sound. What we too […]
Read MoreA gift of practical idealism 0
I was only 3 when President John F. Kennedy died, but I’ll never forget what happened that day as my grandmother and others cried. You see, we were Catholics living down in the then-segregated Deep South. Kennedy was our hope for a better tomorrow. I was 8 when Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. died, five […]
Read MoreThe way we were 0
I can hear in my mind’s ear Barbra Streisand’s beautifully haunting song “The Way We Were.” It was a nostalgic, wistful song in a movie of the same name. But sometimes, like now, it reminds me of how far we’ve come. I can also see, almost as clearly as a personal memory, Matt Damon in […]
Read MoreProceed With Caution 0
When J.F.K. chose his brother Bobby to be attorney general, many were dismayed – or outraged. It turned out to be a great choice. Elected officials have often turned to family members for advice and support. We expect there to be trust between husband and wife. What kind of marriage is it if there isn’t? […]
Read MoreGOP, be a champion for workplace equality 0
Even from the moment they were set down in the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson’s immortal words “all men are created equal” have always been awkward and challenging. They’re not awkward and challenging because they’re incorrect. On the contrary, they’re some of the truest words ever put to paper. Instead, they’re awkward and challenging because […]
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