for a more just, peaceful, participatory, and sustainable world
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Among the many ethical concerns related to AI is the detrimental environmental impact owing to the water and energy use of new AI Data centers, and much of this environmental impact will be felt most acutely by the most vulnerable among us. The climate scientists warned us about more intense heat waves, rising sea levels, […]
If there is something like what we call God as the source of the cosmos, it is extremely difficult to logically hold together the beliefs that such an entity is both all-powerful and all-good. Even defenders of theism recognize this difficulty and wrestle with attempting to understand and explain it. To borrow a famous line […]
When empires are in decline, they often create spectacles and distractions to keep much of the citizenry from seeing the depths of debauchery to which the society has sunk. By keeping the masses fed and entertained, they can more easily be controlled and manipulated by those who are in power. This is the logic of […]
I agree with the climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe who maintains that we need realistic hope in order not to fall into despair and apathy in relation to the climate crisis (See her excellent book, Saving Us). I also agree with climate justice activist Bill McKibben that we have the technical and financial ability to go […]
Democracy cannot survive in a post-truth society. The truth and evidence-based critical thinking matter if we are to develop the shared understanding of reality that makes beloved community possible. Autocrats know that democracy cannot survive in a context where there is no shared truth and no shared valuing of the truth, which is why they […]
Dear Mayor David Holt and Members of the City Council of Oklahoma City, In response to a Threads post opposing a possible ICE detention center in Oklahoma City (dated January 18, 2026) that tagged Mayor David Holt and which stated “We absolutely do not want this and do not need this in OKC,” Mayor Holt […]
(Reflections on MLK Day, 2026) Notice that white Christian nationalists rarely if ever talk about following Jesus. Rather they boast about following Christ, but the Christ concept they have created to support their racist nationalism has nothing to do with the person of Jesus as portrayed by the gospels. In other words, white Christian nationalism, […]
2026, our 250th year as a nation, is the year we must save democracy in the United States. The electoral victory in November 2026 by the Democratic Party must be so decisive and overwhelming that it places real and binding limits on the fascists in our government. If American fascists are somehow able retain control […]
All Souls’ Day is a time to reflect on the lives of all those who have come before us as a way of recognizing their continued presence with us through memory and influence. Those who have gone before us have a kind of ongoing spiritual presence in our lives. Together we can learn from their […]
It is normal and justified to be scared in times like these. Political violence is on the rise, governmental power is being misused and abused, high profile critics of our government are being unjustly prosecuted by a justice department controlled by an autocratic president seeking to punish his political opponents, academic freedom and freedom of […]
