Free Republic

Barack Obama, both substantively and symbolically, ran in 2008 as a much-needed healer. He was to bring the nation together as never before — a vow taken to heart by millions of voters of all backgrounds who ensured Obama’s 2008 victory. His biracial background and his uncanny ability to navigate through both Harvard Law School and the politics of Chicago community organizing seemed to make him ideally suited to usher in a postracial era — as was acknowledged, albeit quite crudely and insensitively, by both Harry Reid and Joe Biden in the 2008 campaign. Yet quite the opposite development tragically...

HARARE - A ZIMBEBWEAN woman killed her infant son and sold one of his ears for US$20 (S$27.95) to a traditional healer wanted for ritual murders in neighbouring Mozambique, police said on Thursday. 'We can confirm that the woman Christine Hofisi from Chipinge (near the Mozambican border) strangled her 18-month-old son to death and cut off his left ear,' deputy national police spokesman Oliver Mandipaka told AFP. 'Hofisi sold the ear to a traditional healer notorious for ritual murders in Mozambique. She sold the ear for US$20 but was given US$10 with the balance to be paid later. 'She is...

“It is fundamental for our faith and our Christian witness that we proclaim the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth as a real, historical event,” the pope said. “His resurrection was not a simple return to existence, but an entrance into a new dimension of life meant to transform every human being, all history and the whole cosmos. By dying he put an end to death, and by rising he brought new life to the world. May the joy of the resurrection of Christ give us courage to live his Gospel faithfully and bear witness to it generously!”

It seems almost silly to say I am bringing coverage of Benedict XVI’s extraordinary sojourn in America to a close (actually, my final final thoughts are here) because the truth is I will likely be reading all of his addresses more closely and bringing them up in coming weeks, but the wall-to-wall writing will end here. I do want, though, to end with a thought that blipped through my head when Benedict was in DC, and again as he addressed the United Nations.

St. Maron (ca 345-410; his name also written St. Maroun) was from the ancient area of Cyrrhus (Cyrus) in what is now southern Turkey, not far from the Syrian city of Aleppo. He lived the life of an ascetic, at a hill top where an ancient temple to the Babylonian god Nabo stood, which he converted to a Christian church. His hermit lifestyle was characterized as living "in the open air." Where he resided, the summers were very hot and the winters very cold, but he was willing to be exposed to these extremes in order to focus on his...

Christopher Reeve's Ad By Jennifer Burnett. Jennifer Burnett writes about media and disability issues. Time Magazine's Charles Krauthammer weighs in . . . . . And disability rights activists respond Where to send your comments on the ad The Super Bowl has a reputation for showcasing original and outrageous ads that get additional free airtime when they're discussed in news programs, talk shows -- even sitcoms. Advertisers relish those articles and discussions. Nuveen's ad of Christopher Reeve getting out of his power chair to present an award was a digital creation meant to get viewers' attention. Which it certainly did....

VAN NUYS, CA -- Two women claiming to be naturopathic faith healers were arrested Tuesday when a man seeking treatment for a rash died after the pair injected him with an unknown substance, police said. Reina Chavarria, 48, and her 28-year-old assistant, Margarita Montes, were booked on suspicion of involuntary manslaughter and were being held on $25,000 bail, authorities said. "For someone to go for something as minor as a rash on the arm and then die on the spot is weird," said Los Angeles Police Department Detective Al Aldaz. "This is the first case I've come across like that."...