Not a Time for Silencing Dissent

As a Christian and a Baptist, protest is my middle name—as in Protestant. We have as part of our spiritual DNA a history of dissenting against the majority opinion. In the 16th century we dissented against the hegemony of the Church in England insisting on the right...

Mad Cow and Food Security

A few weeks before the discovery of an animal with Mad Cow disease in the United States, I participated in an educational visit to an area cattle farm. The owner spoke to us at length concerning his operation. His practice is to buy about 150 recently weaned calves at...

‘Big Fish’ Cast, Crew Hail Power of Stories

“Big Fish” is a story about stories: their power and influence, their ability to transport listeners, their role in our lives. The film, directed by Tim Burton (“Batman,” “Edward Scissorhands”), tells the story of Edward Bloom, who...

Looking at Leadership

“I don’t know why people don’t like me. I’m not perfect. The perception that I’m perfect I think got kind of mixed up with the idea that what we’re trying to teach is the best possible standard out there,” Martha Stewart told...