It’s easy to see the downsides of our national cult of self-esteem. But being ‘special’ has enabled many kids to be their best.
U.S.
Why Community Service Should Not Be A Punishment
Forcing criminals to clean up communities denigrates civic contribution
Penn State Scandal: Will The Jury Convict Jerry Sandusky?
It seems like an open-and-shut case against a serial child abuser, but it’s hardly a certainty that this trial will end in a conviction
Why Politics Is Always About Ideology
The candidates are busily debating “competence,” but don’t be fooled. It’s what a president believes in that matters
America’s Immigration System Is Broken and Obsolete
An immigration deadlock makes the U.S. a second-rate nation
National Service: In Search of a Common Cause
In a bitter and divided era, national service can help us regain our lost consensus
Marijuana Should Be Decriminalized
The loss of human potential for getting caught with a small amount of pot is enormous, and blacks disproportionately pay the price
Forget Wisconsin. The Unions’ Biggest Loss Was in California
Pension reform will help cities balance budgets, but will their schools still be able to attract talented teachers?
In Defense of School Testing
While the anti-testing movement gains steam, let’s not deprive our children of a valuable tool for learning
The John Edwards Mistrial: What Went Wrong
The former presidential candidate was proved to be a heartless husband and a terrible boss but not a criminal
Michelle Obama’s Garden and the Problem With Growing Your Own Food
Maintaining a garden is difficult, back-breaking work. Is the First Lady making it look too easy?
Etan Patz: A Child of His Time
The lost world of pre–”helicopter parenting” that so many now romanticize was no Eden
Should the FBI Be Allowed to Wiretap Facebook?
The crime-fighting agency seeks new powers to “listen in” on the Internet and social media