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There is an adage that was impressed upon me by my father: let your conscience be your guide. The concept is too simple to be rejected as unreasonable and too beautiful to be rejected as artificial. It is the basis of all morality, a morality that predated and eventually became incorporated into formalized religious belief.

We know what is right or wrong, not by consulting doctrine, but by the inner consultation with our own conscience. Whether or not it conforms to doctrine is a matter of convenience.

The right-wing takeover of our country — make that much of the developed world — has changed the calculus for the individual citizen. And by individual citizen, I also mean all those citizens in law enforcement and the military.

The clamping down has begun. ICE is a first-order tactic. Must we obey? Must law enforcers and the military obey? Even if the orders are illegal? And what does it mean if they are legal? Rulers can always produce lawyers to provide legal justification.

Many people in our communities have begun to resist the terrorist practices of ICE, with precious little to resist with. We need help from people in law enforcement. Their neutrality is not a help to us. We need them to get “in the way,” not “out of the way.”

We need them on our side, if that is what their consciences demand. Contact local and state police, sheriffs, and military asking for help in resisting injustice.

Published Nov. 3, 2025

The term DEI unnecessarily divides us as a people and as a nation. It is an updated version of mom and apple pie, and who could possibly be against either? Well, let me count the ways:

Diversity is a great thing for stock portfolios, jazz bands and genetics, but it is terrible for law or policy. No one is satisfied when you are passed over for promotion or job/college acceptance for reasons not related to qualifications. That said, the best organizations are diverse, but that should be the result of good judgment.

Equity is not a financial stake but a just and fair allowance for differences in abilities and talents. No one thinks Sandy Koufax was less of a player than Mickey Mantle because Koufax couldn't hit. Remember, Koufax caught Mantle looking at a called strike three in the 1963 World Series. Parents face this dilemma all the time: what makes sense for one child is anathema for another. But until we have mom with her good faith and wisdom in charge of our public lives, the imposition of equity can only be a nightmare.

Inclusion is a great thing if we want people to feel welcome at a Thanksgiving dinner but does it really need to be law or policy? An administrator is doing well if his or her subordinates feel they are part of the team, but inclusion as law or policy robs one of the authenticity of one's own values.

I love DEI, and I love mom and apple pie, but we do not need governmental coercion for any of them.

Published Nov. 3, 2025

Reading the article “Schools await guidance for post-Regents exam era,” Sept. 25, I am reminded of events in New York state education in 2010 when the state Department of Education surrendered its own established education standards in favor of the Common Core. This mandate, foisted on us by President Barack Obama’s Race to the Top, emanated out of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. At that time, the resulting chaos was compared to the building of a 747 aircraft while the plane was in flight.

Regents for all mandates, whereby all students utilizing a standardized written assessment must demonstrate at least a minimal proficiency........

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