“It’s a free country; I can say what I want!” Indeed, almost all of us would say we strongly believe in the concept of free speech. Even as kids we learned to use that free country, free speech argument. Of course, in our generation it was pretty well bred into us that there would be…
John Andrist: Is Changing Your Mind Good or Bad?
Is a change of mind an admirable quality, a demonstration that you have continued to evaluate your position? Or is a flip-flop, a derogatory term for not holding true to a principle, through every conceivable means of resistance? Perhaps it depends if you were on the other side and have come to agree with my…
John Andrist: The Last Time Trump Saw Paris
They spend a lot of time these days fussing about climate change, particularly since President Trump walked away from the “Paris Accord” agreement. What particularly piqued my interest was a map of the United States published in USA Today, showing in color the temperature change over the past 22 years. It included most of northern…
John Andrist: Knowing Who Our Neighbors Are
“Who is my neighbor?” Almost as long as man has existed that question has been one we have pondered. In the tenth chapter of Luke it was asked of Jesus by a lawyer of that time. Our culture suggests that a neighbor is somebody special. One who needs special treatment or extra consideration. But we…
John Andrist: Are Privacy Protections Good or Annoying?
We are very much obsessed these days with things like security, secrecy, and privacy. All three of them are getting more elusive. That may not be good, but perhaps it’s also not all bad. Ponder with me for a moment what our world would be like with no privacy for you and me and no…
John Andrist: In Praise of a Quest for the Middle
E pluribus unum. I’m not a scholar, but I think those are Latin words that translates pretty closely to “One out of many”. At one time it was our national motto, dating back to the constitution when the 13 colonies formed one government out of many. It’s still on the Great Seal, and at one…
John Andrist: Only a Woman Can Be a Mom
There is a reason why the second and third biggest gift giving holidays in America (Mother’s Day and Valentine’s Day) are primarily directed to appreciation of women. It’s pretty much the same reason why Father’s Day is a distant fourth. And it isn’t because we don’t like fathers. It is because mothers are . .…
John Andrist: Like It or Not, the Job Is Finished
So long. North Dakota’s 2017 legislative session has ended. To the chagrin of many and at least some degree of satisfaction for others, they have all gone back home. To do it they had to pass a balanced budget, and for the most part that’s what creates so much anguish in the final days of…
John Andrist: Is Big Business a Blessing or a Curse?
If somebody has more than they need, it is logical to conclude that sharing it with somebody who is hungry can satisfy both of them. But does that mean the rich create the poor? Or that the rich are subjugating the poor? Our family had that discussion around the dinner table, of all places, on…
John Andrist: Trying to Think Like a Rich Man Thinks
As a day dreaming kid I remember wondering what it would be like to be a millionaire. Funny? Sure, I was a depression kid who found joy in unexpectedly finding a penny. But I got there not from any personal brilliance, but from a couple simple formulas. No matter how much you earn, don’t spend…
