Commentary

When I spoke to Dana Jones a few weeks ago, the state delegate mentioned with pride that she had been elected to represent her congressional district at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago next month. I thought, OK. Who cares? It’s been decades since the Democrats hadn’t settled on their nominee months ahead of the convention. The gathering is just balloons with speeches and a predetermined outcome.

We find ourselves at a crossroads where the principles of fairness and fiscal responsibility stand at odds with the allure of sweeping student loan forgiveness. The Biden administration's ambitious plan to erase student debt, while undoubtedly appealing to many, raises profound questions about the nature of responsibility and equity in our society.

A new report on the mental health of children in Maryland is a hopeful sign that they are starting to recover from the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. But it is far too soon to declare the crisis is past, and it might be years before the damage can be undone, if ever. Even before the pandemic, depression and suicidal thoughts were on the rise among high school and middle school students. The pandemic turbocharged that trend.

Not every high school student is suited for an advanced placement or AP class. They are more rigorous, more demanding courses with a hefty dose of college curriculum. Now it appears not all school boards are prepared for them either. Last month’s vote by a majority of the Harford County Board of Education to cancel an AP African American Studies course on the grounds that the year-long elective class is “politically oriented” and “divisive” suggests a level of ignorance and close-mindedness ill-suited for educators.

Many years ago, the Chesapeake Bay’s seafood bounty — like hidden pirate treasure — generated its share of human conflict. Among the most memorable was the Oyster Wars, a series of clashes dating back to the 1830s with scalawags descending from all over, looking to cash in on the valuable bivalves. Later, the skirmishes mostly involved watermen from Maryland and Virginia looking to harvest more than state laws allowed.

The Fourth of July. Does any other phrase ring so strongly in the hearts of all Americans? The Fourth is an important and beloved national holiday. It is Independence Day, the day on which America’s united states (not yet a country but a powerful idea of one) came together as a Continental Congress to tell the world they were going to form a new nation.

In January, one man will stand on stage at the Capitol and take an oath to “preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.” For most of American history, this occasion has been a matter of ceremony, with little doubt that the president would fulfill his oath, regardless of which political party he represented. But this time we can’t afford to take it for granted.

It’s right there near the top of the Declaration of Independence. “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness” are the unalienable rights bestowed on us by our creator. As we approach Independence Day, let’s not think too hard on whether Thomas Jefferson should have written “inalienable” instead of “unalienable.” Instead, what the heck did America’s most famously flawed founder mean by the pursuit of happiness?