Originally published in Delaware County Daily Times As I look around, I see our youth deteriorating day by day and wonder what the future will be like. School shootings are increasing, teenagers are having babies, teenage violence is rising, the amount of drugs used by our kids is increasing and test scores are falling. What has happened to our youth? Why do our kids look up to Kobe Bryant and...
Originally published in Times Dispatch In 2000, I was an ignorant 18-year-old kid. Upon a visit to South Africa 13 years ago this month, I had no idea who Nelson Mandela was. One morning my father and I visited Robben Island. That day changed my life forever. I learned of a man who spent 27 years in prison only for freedom of conscience. I learned of a man whose prison cell was so small that he...
Originally published in Fox News A recent FoxNews.com op-ed asks, “Where is the Muslim Mandela?” While alleging that such a person does not exist, and that Muslims do not seek such a person, the piece provides a laundry list of injustices done by extremists in the name of Islam — and holds 1.56 billion Muslims responsible. While the piece may have been well intentioned, it has...
Originally published in the Northwestern What do Ted Cruz, Bill Clinton, Newt Gingrich, Oprah Winfrey, Chris Rock, and Bono all have in common? They all supported the late Mr. Nelson Mandela in one way or another sometime during their life. It’s strange to know that such a motley crew would appreciate Mandela but to me his biggest ideals were equal rights irrespective of race, sex, religious...
Originally Published in the Daily Times How could a person celebrate Mandela’s fight against discrimination in his society and condone the same bigotry against a community at home? How can we love the doctor and the disease he fights, at the same time? One of the world’s most celebrated heroes passed away this week. Nelson Mandela was known for his persistent and...