Conventional Thinking: 2018 elections & F-A-I-R play
With the 2018 elections drawing near, the political temperature is heating up. In some ways, with today’s social-media-saturated, partisan climate, the political temperature stays hot year round. At some level, though, people’s elevated passions for politics is understandable. Not only do elections determine our government leaders, they determine the course of action on key issues. And from the state to federal level, the 2018...
Conventional Thinking: Say NO on SQ 788
In 2013, the state of Illinois passed a law allowing for so-called “medical marijuana.” On Nov. 6 of this year, Illinois voters will likely consider a measure that would set the stage for recreational use. That means in just five short years, Illinois could go from so-called “medical” toward full-blown recreational use. Unless Oklahoma voters reject State Question 788 on June 26, Oklahoma will make its own first step toward marijuana...
Conventional Thinking: A losing bet
All bets are off. Sports gambling is now permissible in all 50 states, according to a recent ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court. Within days of the ruling, sports leagues of all stripes—from professional to collegiate—seemed to join the bandwagon, welcoming the news with open arms. They also appear to be positioning themselves to financially benefitting from this forthcoming glut of sports gambling. Once viewed as a bad influence on...
Conventional Thinking: Barking dogs
“What’s on your mind, Brian?” That is the question I wake up to every morning from Facebook. That same question is being posed by the social media giant to its two billion other members around the world every day. With the advent of social media, we have arrived at a place where the average person can have the power once held only by those in authority or perhaps those in media. That is the power to comment. Americans, in particular,...
Conventional Thinking: Worthy examples
May is National Foster Care Awareness Month, and Oklahoma has been in a foster care crisis for years. In fact, according to the Oklahoma Fosters Initiative, there are nearly 9,600 children still in state custody in Oklahoma. Nationally and globally, the orphan crisis continues. According to the Christian Alliance for Orphans, there are an estimated 140 million orphans around the world, including 111,820 children in the United States...
