Fairness Doctrine threatens our rights

Even while we are busy defending our Second Amendment rights against efforts to enhance the Brady Law, there is a movement afoot to restrict our First Amendment rights as well … a movement that can make the defense of our liberties much harder.

Shaping policy is hard work

You can interpret the Senate's recent rejection of the immigration reform compromise several ways.

Burying the 'N-word'

I'm sure, by now, many of you have seen it, read it or heard about it.

Learning to identify a xenophobe

I've been getting a ton of mail about my column of last week. My main point: "All the posturing about illegal immigrants is really an attack aimed at everybody whose name ends in 'ez.'"

Civilization tipping toward catastrophe

In the 16th and 17th centuries, the West was convulsed by religious wars that, in the words of historian Paul Johnson, "were without redeeming features and were destructive of the Christian faith itself, as well as human life and material civilization."

Our Dr. Phil goes to war

Congressman Phil Gingrey phoned the other night to tell me and a few dozen other folks the war in Iraq was going a lot better than we had been led to believe.

Structural imbalance of talk radio

Rush Limbaugh, the conservative talk-radio pioneer, has been called many nasty things before, but never a "structural imbalance." That's the fancy term a liberal think tank uses to characterize his success - and to dress up its proposal for counteracting that success through new government regulation.

Xenophobia: Fear of 'the others'

A supposed letter to the editor making the rounds of the Internet compares today's immigrants (bad) with the immigrants of yesteryear (good). A good response to that fantasy is a Teddy Roosevelt quote that several readers have sent me:

Eminent domain protection meek

This month marks the second anniversary of the infamous Kelo v. New London decision, a case where the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the taking of private property (the practice known as eminent domain) from an individual or a group of individuals and giving it to a private entity on the basis of economic development is a legitimate function of government.

LCHS classmates reunite

By Marjory Varnedoe

Inevitability of the auto

Americans have arrived at an answer to high gas prices and concerns about global warming - buy more cars.

Blog: Patronizing local establishments

Our future depends on dialogue

July 4 celebration comes a little early

3rd ID teams up with Iraqi divisions

Shutdown risks making ACA permanent

The Sept. 30 end of the federal fiscal year always entails a messy political battle of some kind in Congress.

Community issues should be topic of forum

Editor, I've been reading the recent back-and-forth debate between Liberty County Commissioner Gary Gilliard and Mr. Bruce A. McCartney. I have some comments.

Ticket ban isn't enough ethics reform

It looks like our legislators are about to lose one of their most cherished perks: free football tickets. Bless their hearts.

Watch where the water goes

We all like to have a clean car, don't we?

Doing my diaper research

I consider myself a pretty eco-conscious mom. Not only do I want to do what's best for our planet, I want to set a good example for my daughter, Reese.

Race discussion deserves public forum

Editor, Having grown up just south of the Mason-Dixon line, my childhood life experiences were fully integrated. Upon reaching the age of majority, I was off to experience the world starting with the civil-rights movement, then several years of war and the associated inhumanity of mankind against their brethren and the pain and poverty it creates. This was followed by many years in different states and countries observing life.

Kingston keeping eye on aging submarines

A good many members of Congress seem to be perfectly content to just sit back and watch the nation's defenses, both domestic and abroad, walk a netless, high-wire tightrope. There is no other way to explain why they continue to let something called "sequestration" continue to blindly whack away at defense programs, military personnel and other vitally important costs. …

Meet Midway's candidates

The present terms for the Midway mayor and city-council members are coming to an end. On Nov. 5, the citizens of Midway will decide who they want to manage the city for the next four years.

Losing a friend does a number on the heart

It seems too many loved ones recently have said good-bye to this vale of grief and sorrow and said hello to sweet eternity. Heaven is blessed, but I am distressed.

A community coming together for the Army

With the use of terms like sequestration, BRAC and budget cuts, it is easy to see and feel the concern in today's Army.

Another tragic shooting will awaken gun debate

Monday's news that a shooting rampage left 12 dead at the Navy Yard in Washington, D.C., was jarring and also left us asking the one question that matters most and yet is hardest to answer.

A tribute to our fire-fighting heroes

In our lives, there are places and things we remember. I remember one event as if it were yesterday.

More points to debate

Editor, I'm not much with back-and-forths, but I never shy away from a good debate, either, so as a rebuttal of sorts, I will address the comments made in Bruce A. McCartney's letter to the editor:

We the Unwashed won't help either side in Syria

Dear Syrian rebels: I thought I'd take a minute to correspond with you as you resume your efforts to overthrow Syrian dictator Bashar Assad.

Author's house can't keep me out forever

In the past several years, I have had as much luck visiting the historically preserved home of iconic Southern writer Eudora Welty as I would have had when she was alive. The front door always is shut to me.