Category Archives: Terrorism

Splinters and Small Towns

The fun of living in small towns is digging up a little history, or the local culture. I’m already planning to attend the Farmington Strawberry Festival, the second weekend of June, and it looks like a prototypical small town fair. … Continue reading

Posted in Iowa, John Murray Spear, mormons, Muslims in America, NY, Religious Splinter Groups, Small towns, Terrorism, Tolerance, US Government | Leave a comment

Of Sultans and Koch Brothers

Aside from my readings in American literature, I like to read texts that inform me about the history of Islam, and the history of the world, of course. My latest side venture is Bernard Lewis‘ history, The Assassins, about the … Continue reading

Posted in Activism, Assassins, Bernard Lewis, Corporate Education, Existential Angst, Literature, Muslims in America, Sharia Law, Shi'a, Sufism, Sunni, Terrorism, Tolerance, US Government | 2 Comments

Backwards and Down

America is the land of the free, the home of the … backwards. Backsides. Backsliders. So we elected a black president, and it seemed that America was progressing, opening its arms and accepting diversity. At the same time, fears were … Continue reading

Posted in Ethnic Diversity, mormons, Muslims in America, Stupidity, Terrorism, Tolerance, US Government | 1 Comment

Internationalism in the USA: 2011

The Fourth of July is a time for Americans to feel proud of this great land…perhaps more historically than under the current conditions. Our recent trip across middle and northern America gave me ample time to reflect on our country. … Continue reading

Posted in Ethnic Diversity, India, Italy, Muslims in America, Niagara Falls, Taste of Chicago, Terrorism, Tolerance, US Government | Leave a comment

What is it about trains?

Since returning from Dhaka, I have searched for topics, when I have time, to write about on my blog, and I’ve settled on trains recently, but I don’t know that I’ve really explained why. So, here it is. As a … Continue reading

Posted in Bangladesh, George Eliot, India, luddites, Middlemarch, Oregon, suicide, Terrorism, Trains, Unstoppable | 1 Comment