Free Republic

The Roman philosopher and statesman Cicero insisted that gratitude was "the parent of all the other virtues." Cicero did not define gratitude as Mafia-like loyalty or mutual back-scratching. He was not referring to a pop socialism where all supposedly owe their successes to the government. Instead, gratitude is proof of humility and offers perspective. It is an appreciation for others, often now dead, who have helped to make us what we are. Without it, we are narcissists and self-absorbed amnesiacs. Unfortunately, our modern "me" generation has forgotten gratitude and replaced it with the art of victimization. Contemporary Americans prefer blaming...

I guess it’s about time I said something nice about a Democrat. So, here it goes: John Hershel Glenn Jr is an American hero, and an inspiration. In 1962, Glenn was finally hurled into space by a small army of government scientists hell-bent on making sure those commies in Russia didn’t dominate the Space Race. After all, the Soviets had already sent a hunk of medal, and a cosmonaut into orbit. If we were going to remain relevant in the futuristic race into space, we’d really have to step it up. Glenn was a perfect choice for the dangerous mission....

“You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.”-The Princess BrideWe are now reaping a bitter generational harvest in America, sown into the ground because we have permitted: Marxists almost unchecked dominance of the influential platforms of pop culture and the classroom. Too many of our churches to retreat into some “comfortably numb” seeker-friendly Xanadu, where they building suburban palaces instead of culture. The Republican Party to be taken over by a feckless political class either unwilling or incapable of defending and advancing our principles. One of the most rotten fruits of this...

Do we conservatives really mean it when we say that we need to promote our ideas in the popular culture through books, movies and other media? If so, we need to support people like Dinesh D'Souza and his latest movie and book, "America: Imagine the World Without Her." I saw the movie, and I loved it. Dinesh is a passionate patriot who "chose this country" and loves it with every fiber of his being. Like many of the rest of us, he recognizes that America is under assault, and he is doing all he can to save it. In...