Restoring Restraint & Civility in America
Recently, in an essay titled The Root of Violence, I proposed that the solution to the problem of violence is [...]
The Root of Violence
On June 14 a man opened fire with a rifle at a group of Republican lawmakers as they practiced for [...]
Random Observations
Recently, while flying to Rome, I was browsing through the Swiss Airline magazine and noticed how much European cigarette ads [...]
A Most Pleasant Journey
Travel, it has been said, provides insights into places, people, and even more importantly, into the smallness of our individual places [...]
The Lost Art of Paying Attention
A month before the 2016 election, I wrote an essay called “My Political Disgust," in which I criticized most politicians [...]
The Health Care Quandary
Traditionally, most Americans placed a high value on personal responsibility. They believed people should provide for themselves by working hard, [...]
“Make Me an Instrument of Your Peace”
The prayer that begins with this petition is my favorite and the favorite of millions of people of various religious [...]
The Sudden Firing of Bill O’Reilly
The full story concerning O’Reilly’s firing is not yet complete, so fairness demands that any judgment of the man be [...]
A Reflection on Pride and Humility
Two of Jesus’ parables give special emphasis to humility. The Parable of the Guests (Luke 14) explains how being humble [...]
The Other Side of Forgiveness
We are reminded of the importance of forgiving others every time we recite the Lord’s Prayer and ask God to [...]
The Media’s Role in Social Discord
In late March, 2017, a 14 year old Rockville, MD girl was allegedly dragged into a school bathroom and raped [...]
Everyday Grace
Last Sunday, as I stood in line to receive communion, I noticed an elderly couple across from me. Both were [...]
The Gospel and Politics
The people in the Bible group were discussing the Gospel messages of love: in particular, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself” [...]
America’s Troubled Culture
American culture is infected with Relativism, the belief that everyone creates his or her own truth. In other words, that [...]
The Catholic Hierarchy Disappoint Again
The Catholic hierarchy in the U.S. have disappointed Catholics in the past, and they are doing so again, this time [...]
A Catholic Bishop and Some Syrian Immigrants
Village Maalula on the rock in Syria Bishop Gregory Parkes' column was titled “Compassion for immigrants, refugees will keep [...]
Missing the Point Has Gone Epidemic
G. K. Chesterton once remarked that many commentators in his day suffered from “the art of missing the point.” That [...]
Understanding President Trump
Some of the people who opposed President Trump may never give him a chance. But I believe many others are [...]
The Liberals’ Struggle with Logic
Almost three months after the 2016 election, many liberals still cannot acknowledge Donald Trump’s victory. The most recent example of [...]
How America Views Achievement
Over the last century an old idea has gained new currency in American culture—the idea that equality of achievement is the [...]
Our Relationship with Time
Does time really move faster when we are late for an appointment and trapped in a traffic jam but slower [...]
Christmas and Forgiveness
“I can never forgive Trump for the things he said about John McCain, Ted Cruz, Carly Fiorina, and all the [...]
Memo from the National Liberal Journalists’ Association
[Author’s note: The sender of the following memo evidently mistook me for an NLJA member] Dear NLJA member: I needn’t [...]
American Leaders “Still Don’t Get It”
The person closest to a task is in the best position to identify its imperfections. This idea, one of the [...]
Restoring Respect for Others
Over the past sixty or so years, respect for others has diminished in our culture; today even the related obligation [...]
Author Vincent Ryan Ruggiero
Since retiring from teaching, I have continued my work in promoting sound thinking in education and in the general culture. More specifically, I have kept refining my textbooks, four of which have been continuously in print for an average of 33 years. I have also continued to write books for the general public, the latest of which is Corrupted Culture: Rediscovering America’s Enduring Principles, Values, and Common Sense, and I write a weekly column for an online journal.