The Kind-Hearted Smart Aleck

I've long said the Republican Party often gets itself into trouble due to its self-branding of the party of God, family values, and morality. This sets them up for ridicule and mockery if and when a member of their party speaks or behaves in a manner which runs contrary to said branding. Sure, any and every politician should face criticism after being caught paying off a hooker, especially if a spouse and/or kids are in the picture. However, this behavior receives even more scrutiny (and deservedly so) when the politician in question has repeatedly labeled himself as a man of God, family values, and morality; has bashed and voted against the LGBT community; and then gets caught paying a man to have sex with him while his wife and kids are at home waiting. Democrats are running into a similar problem when it comes to political correctness. One major reason why I favor the Democratic Party over the Republican Party is their inclusivity. Democrats have essentially branded themselves...

I'm getting a little tired of the us-vs.-them rhetoric we hear so often nowadays, especially with regard to law enforcement and the Black Lives Matter movement. The two aren't mutually exclusive. It's perfectly rational to be both pro-cop and pro-Black Lives Matter.  First off, no matter who we want to pin the blame on, I think many have misunderstood the intent of Black Lives Matter (BLM). BLM activists aren't saying only black lives matter; they're simply saying black lives matter too. Many black-Americans feel like their voices have been ignored and like their lives mean less than those in other demographics (perhaps 3/5 of a person), to the point where they've decided to stand up and say, "Hey, our lives matter too!" So for those who like to counter chants of "Black Lives Matter!" with "All Lives Matter!" while that's technically true, it illustrates your lack of understanding for the BLM movement. Allow me to provide an ...

Like a lot of Americans, I was incredibly fascinated by the O.J. Simpson murder case 20+ years ago. I was 14-years-old at the time, grew up in uber-white suburbia West Omaha, was glued to the television set during the Bronco "chase," yet was ignorant on criminal justice, on race relations (African-Americans and the LAPD in particular), on pretty much everything. I remember when the verdict was announced, I was in 8th grade, sitting in study hall, was glued to the TV, yet felt unaffected when I heard the ruling. Unlike most people, I had yet to form an opinion on whether or not Simpson was guilty of murdering Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman. Over 20 years later and I've still yet to form a solid opinion on the matter. As a matter of fact, I'm more uncertain now than ever before. Upon first learning of the verdict, while most white Americans contended O.J. Simpson was guilty and most African-Americans believed otherwise, I had no firm belief one way or the other....