Category Archives: Ethics

George Floyd’s Legacy

Posted on April 21, 2021 by admin

When Minneapolis jurors convicted Derek Chauvin of murdering George Floyd yesterday, I gave thanks that justice, in this case, had been served. Darnella Frazier’s video of Chauvin’s calloused disregard for the life of the person he sought to arrest might … Continue reading →

Posted in Ethics, Politics | 13 Comments

Mannerly Mississippi

Posted on April 9, 2021 by admin

Mississippians scold their children from toddlerhood forward for anything perceived as rude. Say sir and ma’am. Sit up straight. Don’t speak unless spoken to. Don’t say anything that might hurt somebody’s feelings, or about politics, or about church–unless it’s to … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Ethics | 15 Comments

Pre-Thanksgiving PSA

Posted on November 20, 2020 by admin

I hope that your Thanksgiving isn’t entirely virtual–that you’ll be able to eat home cooked meals with the people ordinarily under your roof, spend some time outdoors, and perhaps Zoom with more distant relatives. Inevitably, your conversations will turn towards … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Ethics | 13 Comments

Your Pending Return

Posted on September 17, 2020 by admin

Screen fatigue is real, y’all. After six weeks of a four-by-four schedule of remote classes, I have discovered genuine antipathy for looking at screens of any size. I find myself wishing for an old-fashioned landline. I don’t especially care to … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Ethics | 7 Comments

Blog Rules, 2020-21

Posted on August 10, 2020 by admin

Good afternoon! Below, please find information you need about the blog for this school year. You must be an MSMS student to post. I must approve your first post. After that, you can post without such approval. I encourage you … Continue reading →

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Welcome Back. Honestly.

Posted on August 10, 2020 by admin

An old tome fell out of the bookshelf while I cruised through titles searching, ironically, for something new to teach this fall: Lying: Moral Choice in Public and Private Life, by Sissela Bok. Bok’s premise is that we are all … Continue reading →

Posted in Ethics, National Politics, Politics | 4 Comments

Two Weeks In

Posted on March 30, 2020 by admin

Well, Dear Bloggers, I had hoped that when we returned from Spring Break we would be able to debate substantive issues: Chacos or Birkenstocks? Boogie board or raft? Real book or Kindle? However, fate has intervened. The pandemic we discussed … Continue reading →

Posted in Ethics, Politics | 10 Comments

What Happens Next?

Posted on March 16, 2020 by admin

Thanks to emails from admin, you already know what’s coming next: a week to practice social distancing before diving into several interesting, intense, and electric MSMS classrooms. Who knows? Maybe there will even be a Weekly Wednesday Doorprize for some … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Ethics | 1 Comment

Appropriation Sensation

Posted on February 4, 2020 by admin

The first three lines of Walt Whitman’s “Song of Myself” rank among the most memorable lines of free verse in the language: I celebrate myself, And what I assume you shall assume, For every atom belonging to me as good … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Ethics | 12 Comments

F–cking Winning

Posted on January 24, 2020 by admin

Donald Trump guaranteed himself the presidency by winning Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin in 2016. Democrats will certainly double and treble their efforts in those states next year, but may be hampered by a crucial twenty-first century conundrum: how to we … Continue reading →

Posted in Ethics, National Politics | 14 Comments