W. J. Astore: “Members of the jury, you have just found Jesus Christ guilty”
Remembering the Catonsville Nine In May 1968, nine Catholic activists set fire to draft records in Catonsville, Maryland, in a deliberate act of sabotage and protest against the Vietnam War. … Continue reading
W.J. Astore: Hillary Clinton versus Donald Trump this fall?
Tuesday’s primary results suggest it’s Hillary Clinton versus Donald Trump come this fall. What does this mean for America? Hillary is the easiest to gauge. She’s been in politics for … Continue reading
W.J. Astore: The 2016 Presidential Candidates in a Word
Continuing our election coverage, I thought I’d try to sum up each major candidate with a single word (excluding profanities). I encourage readers to submit your own words for each … Continue reading
W.J. Astore: Feeding the Disease of Terrorism
I’m a retired U.S. military officer. When I think of U.S. troops, naturally I see them as my gals and guys. I identify with them. And I know enough of … Continue reading
W.J. Astore: A Contrary Perspective on the Middle East
How about a contrary perspective on the Middle East, courtesy of my old globe? It dates from the early 1920s, just after World War I but before Russia became the … Continue reading
W.J. Astore: President Obama’s Speech on Terror
My wife and I watched the president’s speech the other night. Overall, it was a solid, even praiseworthy, performance. First, we had to get past the NBC pre-speech fear-mongering. Lester … Continue reading
W. J. Astore: The United States of Militarism
A century ago, the USA was a dynamic, forward-looking, freedom-espousing country that was focused on science and technology and its practical applications, as represented by Thomas Edison and Henry Ford. … Continue reading
W.J. Astore: The Hidden Costs of War
If you’re in the U.S. military or you’re a veteran, you probably know casualty figures, especially deaths, from America’s wars. To cite one example, America lost more than 58,000 men … Continue reading
W.J. Astore: America’s Military Strategy? Persistent Overreach
Reports that President Obama is considering even more troops and bases to fight ISIS in Iraq put me to mind of Roman general Publius Quinctilius Varus. Two millennia ago, Varus … Continue reading
W.J. Astore: Major Sporting Events and Air Shows — Too Corporatized, Too Controlling, Too Much
Been to a major American sporting event lately? If not, consider yourself fortunate. The NFL and NASCAR are already over-the-top when it comes to manufactured noise, exaggerated pyrotechnics, and wall-to-wall … Continue reading
W. J. Astore: A Nixon Quote Explains the Root of So Many U.S. Foreign Policy Blunders
On 30 April 1970, 45 years ago this month, President Richard M. Nixon ordered an invasion into Cambodia. Explaining his reasoning for widening the war in Southeast Asia, Nixon declared: … Continue reading
Republicans and Fear
Originally posted on The Contrary Perspective:
? PFC Jones with Mine-Detector. Want to talk about fear? W.J. Astore Why, looky here, another article in the New York Times that examines…
Education as Workforce Development: The Horror
Originally posted on The Contrary Perspective:
Scott Walker: We don’t need no higher education (photo courtesy of Slate) W.J. Astore A strong trend in higher education today is to sell…
William J. Astore: The American Military Uncontained
Chaos Spread, Casualties Inflicted, Missions Unaccomplished: It’s 1990. I’m a young captain in the U.S. Air Force. I’ve just witnessed the fall of the Berlin Wall, something I never thought … Continue reading →