There are moments in America's brief history when ordinary people do extraordinary things that leave a permanent mark on society. With last week's passing of Mildred Loving we are once again reminded of such an example.

Loving, who was African-American, and her white husband, Richard, changed history in 1967 when...

Whether your heart lies with Clinton or Obama your head has to know tonight was a night for the junior senator from Illinois. Tonight, Monday Night Football's Dandy Don Meredith returned for a one night performance: "Turn out the lights, the party's over, they all say good things must end."

Rev. Jeremiah Wright has proven to be Barack Obama's cross to bear. Wright's recent road show, specifically his National Press Conference speech and subsequent press conference, raises questions for some about Obama.

It may not always be fair, but we are judged by the company we keep. What then does...

With the backdrop of Rev. Jeremiah Wright's recent comments, members of Piedmont Community Church and Imani Community Church of Oakland got together to have a frank conversation about race.

Led by Dr. Bill McNabb, pastor of Piedmont Community and Dr. George Cummings, pastor of Imani, they sought to localize...

Much has been made of whether or not Barack Obama can close the deal against Hilary Clinton, and that his failure to do so raises questions about his viability in the fall assuming he receives the nomination.

Such concerns, though legitimate, miss the more salient point -- there is...

The Rockridge Institute, a liberal think tank in Berkeley, will disband at the end of the month.

From its inception in 1997, Rockridge sought to combat the domination of right-wing think tanks that for more than 35 years have spent billions of dollars shaping the public conversation on issues of...

The Supreme Court this week upheld Kentucky's use of lethal injection, rejecting the claim that it violates the Eighth Amendment's cruel and unusual punishment clause.

At issue was not the constitutionality of lethal injection applied by 35 of the 36 states that apply the death penalty, but rather the...

The pervasive aroma of liberalism that permeates throughout the Bay Area obviously taints me, but I don't understand the hoopla over Sen. Barack Obama's now infamous "bitter" statements.

As it is with most sound bite driven controversies more attention has been given to the exact words void of their context...

Since former Speaker Newt Gingrich's "Contract with America," American politics has been dominated by post-Reagan conservatism.

Post-Reagan conservatism liberally throws out the name of the Gipper for the purposes of legitimacy; that is where the similarities end. Unlike Reagan, it is not based on optimism but rather pessimism. It appeals...

In commemorating the 40th anniversary of Martin Luther King's assassination, I had the honor of participating in a reading of his famous "Letter from Birmingham Jail," sponsored by the Berkeley NAACP and Revive the Vote.

On my way to the event, a young man was selling CDs on the street....

Bill Clinton was right! Voting for Barack Obama is rolling the dice!

Now before Obama supporters fire off a series of vitriolic emails because this column does not line up with their "Yes We Can" mantra and Hillary Clinton supporters see this as a justification to sway superdelegates in their...

"If you succumb to the temptation of using violence in your struggle, unborn generations will be the recipients of a long and desolate night of bitterness, and your chief legacy to the future will be an endless reign of meaningless chaos."
-- Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Forty...

Ethics is often defined as a system of moral principles governing appropriate conduct for groups or individuals. Christian ethics, in order to be relevant, must first be understood in a Christian theological context.

This presupposition automatically invites nuance into the equation. In our contemporary political-speak, nuance and context are prerequisites....

According to the Code of Ethics of the Society of Professional Journalists, journalists should "make certain that headlines, news teases, photos, video, audio graphics, sound bites and quotations do not misrepresent. They should not oversimplify or highlight incidents out of context."

I doubt the above statement would create much dissent...

Last week marked the 5th anniversary of the Untied States' invasion and occupation of the sovereign nation of Iraq.

Five years ago, according to Gallup polling, 75% of the country thought we were doing the right thing. That number has diminished to 39% in its most recent poll.

For all of the cacophony around 3:00 AM phone calls or whose ready to lead on day-one there remain a few stubborn, but noteworthy facts that will not go away.

After the dust settled, Sen. Clinton's impressive March 4 primary victories in Texas, Ohio, and Rhode translate in a...

Back in September 1988, I was a young man searching for a spiritual direction. The Christianity of my youth did not suffice for the questions that I had.

The milquetoast theological explanations of the church I was forced to attend at gunpoint by my parents caused me to reject...

Fantasy, the creative power of imagination; its definitions can vary from exaggerated mental images to a genre of fiction that takes one into the world of the magical or supernatural.

Fantasy is where the unicorn, the giant and the leprechaun all live in harmony. It is the literature of C.S....

Starting in 2007, Democrats seeking the presidency have had 20 debates covering a wide range of issues. With only two candidates still standing, it would appear that everything that could be asked has already been covered.

What else would explain the entrance of Louis Farrakhan and Saturday Night Live into...

In 1960, Clark Kerr, under the leadership of California Governor Pat Brown, developed the California Master Plan for Higher Education. The plan developed a three-tiered system with specific roles for the University of California, California State University and the community college system.

Recognizing that the baby boom would increase demand...