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When One Partner Leaves the Faith: The Story of Hope and David
November 11, 2015 by Dale McGowan
When One Partner Leaves the Faith: The Story of Hope and David November 11, 2015 Dale McGowan
In the secular/religious marriage, the highest tension and conflict result when the couple first shared a worldview, then one changed. This is the story of Hope and David, one of eight couples profiled in In Faith and In Doubt.
Growing up, Hope belonged to a fundamentalist Reformed Baptist church in small-town Georgia. Her parents taught Sunday school, and her father was a deacon.
David grew up in a Baptist family one county over. His parents divorced when he was three, and his mother struggled to raise her three children as she coped with severe clinical depression. "We wouldn't always know where our next meal was coming from," David says, "but the church ladies would bring the leftovers from the Wednesday church dinner to my family."
Eventually his mother's depression overwhelmed her, and David and his brother and sister became wards of the state. It was during this time, at age eight, under the influence of a loving couple who supervised his group home, that David said the Sinner's Prayer and was baptized.
By his late teens, David and his siblings were back with their mother. They attended a Reformed Baptist church, and by age 19, David had become a respected leader.
It was there that he met a Sunday school teacher named Hope.
"He was the first person to ask me really deep questions about what I believed so he could get to know me better as a person," Hope remembers. "He was the most serious, intense person I'd ever met, but loving and gentle and easy to talk to."
She was drawn to the intensity of his faith and his certainty about his own path. He was going to be a pastor. "I believed in him with every fiber of my being. Our shared faith was the entirety of my attraction to him. I knew he was going to be part of something significant in the church."
David saw something special in Hope. "I knew she would be the perfect wife for me—smart and beautiful, serious-minded, and very kind. Since my own home life was such a mess, I needed to marry someone who came from a functional home if my future kids were to have a fighting chance at life. And our shared faith was always a huge part of our relationship."
In late 2007, after the birth of four children and years of trying to find a pastoral job, David heard a debate between [theologian] Alister McGrath and [atheist biologist] Richard Dawkins. He felt McGrath had done poorly. "I tried to get outside of the evangelistic assumptions and suddenly saw how devastating the unbeliever's questions were to an honest person," he says. "For the first time, I saw how everything hinged on those assumptions—whether Jesus was who he said he was and whether the Bible was what I believed it to be."
For the next few weeks, David explored his doubts intensely. "I spent every available minute listening to debates and reading, trying to find satisfactory answers to my questions. I was seeing more and more how the Gospel didn't measure up to rigorous questioning, and the answers from the Christian community were only believable if you presupposed the inspiration of the Bible and its inerrancy. I remember giving myself permission to go through an entire day as an atheist—no prayers and trying to find natural explanations for those things I would normally have thanked God for. Surely, I thought, God would forgive an honest quest for truth.
"At the end of the day, I realized that the day wasn't much different," he says. "I wasn't struck by lightning. It surprised me how much more sense it made of the world and the wonder that it provoked in me. The very next day, I said to myself, 'I think I'm an atheist.' I knew that this could cost me my family so I didn't say anything to my wife at first."
He didn't need to. Hope began to put the pieces together herself. One night she said, "I need to ask you something. I will be okay no matter what you say, but I need to know what you are thinking regarding Christianity."
"I had to tell her that I was now an atheist," David says. "She was shocked and asked me why. I told her about my concerns."
"It was huge to hear him say he didn't believe in any of it anymore," Hope recalls. "Our shared faith was totally central to everything we were as a family."
Soon afterwards, David announced his change of beliefs in an email to family and friends. Some of the responses were supportive. Many were not.
"It felt like all of our friends and most of our family immediately turned their backs on him," Hope says. "There were a lot of long Facebook debates. One of our best friends sent a long handwritten letter pleading with him to return to his faith and warning him that if he didn't he'd go to hell. It wasn't exactly loving."
Hope was dealing with her own emotions as well. "I was devastated. I cried and cried. I woke up and cried as I fixed breakfast for my kids. I cried as I rocked my baby and tried to wrap my mind around what had happened. The first time we tried to have sex after he deconverted, I ran out of the room sobbing. I remember thinking that it would have been easier to deal with his death than his deconversion. I had never even had a close non-Christian friend and had never known an atheist—and now I was married to one."
David's emotions were a complicated mix of anger at what he had been taught all those years and elation at his newfound freedom. Hope felt her own faith shaken.
"Suddenly I was questioning everything I believed and wondering why I believe what I do," she says. "Was it just because I was raised in a Christian home? It didn't feel that way. My faith was the center of my life. My relationship with God felt too real to me to even really consider turning my back on it. I felt betrayed. I felt angry. We argued about religion a lot for the first couple of years. It was hard for me to separate myself from my religion, so if David attacked what he saw to be as something illogical or inconsistent in my beliefs, I felt personally attacked and would often respond emotionally, or I'd feel like David was trying to convert me or pressure me."
Shortly after David's deconversion, Hope's younger brother took his own life. Hope became depressed as she tried to work through her feelings. Had it happened six months earlier, David would have responded in traditional Christian fashion, with assurances that her brother was in heaven with God, and that God was using the situation to bring more people to faith. But that was no longer an option. "I tried to be there for her, but I couldn't give her the lies that everyone else was giving her for her comfort. To me it was just tragic, and I hated how the preachers were using this terrible time with threats of hell and lies packaged as answers to people who wanted to know why this had happened."
It was all too much for Hope. "Truthfully, we were not entirely happy before my husband deconverted. His change exacerbated every pre-existing weakness in our marriage."
She decided at last that she would take the children and leave. "There was so much tension and lack of intimacy after he deconverted, I just wanted to separate. We could not agree on how to discipline our children, how to teach them or even whether they should attend church with me."
David learned of her plans by reading an entry in her journal. He was stunned. "She hadn't mentioned it to me at all. I took the next day off work and we were able to talk things through, but for a while I was fearful every day when I left for work that I would come home and they all would be gone."
"We tried counseling, but it was a disaster," Hope says. "It freaked me out to feel like we were not making any progress and like David didn't even understand what was wrong with our marriage or accept responsibility for his part of our problems. I felt like there was no cooperation and not enough mutual respect. I constantly felt like I was too angry to love. I was terrified and I felt totally alone. None of my friends at church had a clue what I was going through or how to support me. They moved on with their lives, but I had all of these shattered dreams. I just wanted to run."
In the end, after much time and discussion, they decided to stick it out.
"I wish I could say it was easy to make up my mind to love David and then move forward with that decision, but it was not. I realized that we weren't likely to end our marriage in a peaceful or friendly way, in part because of David's traumatic childhood, so I decided to stay. Five years later, I'm really glad I did."
David is glad she didn't leave, though he continues to feel deeply frustrated. "I can't say we've really worked through things. It's more like we've roped off territory and have agreed not to enter each others' space. We don't talk about religion. We don't really talk about much at all of substance. I was actually hoping at first that we could make this change together. For me, I feel like the woman I married for her rigorous intellect and independent mind has valued her beliefs over me. Rather than giving it an honest investigation, she has decided that she doesn't want to look any further. I feel hurt and disrespected by her lack of interest in the substance of our differences and reasons for them. She seems completely unwilling to accept that she might be wrong or that there might be intelligent reasons for or against her position. She is religious because that's what makes her feel good and seems unaffected by not knowing if its true."
He does acknowledge the difficulty she would face. "I can't imagine how hard it must be for her to reconsider the teachings that she has been told since birth. I just would have hoped that our relationship was worth at least an honest attempt at understanding."
Hope wishes David would reconvert just as much as David wishes Hope would deconvert. "I hope that he returns to God some day. I want him to experience the same joy in God and love and peace I experience. But if I could look ahead to the future and know with 100 percent certainty that David will never turn back to God, I wouldn't change a thing. It took me a long time to get to this place, a very long time, but I love my husband, and we have a happy life together."
She agrees with David that challenges remain. "Five years later, we still have a lot to work out. We still struggle at times. But we're learning how to make compromises that are respectful to each other. We're loyal, devoted partners now, and I don't think we will ever divorce. But if we ever did…" She pauses. "If we did, our religious difference would probably be the reason."
When I ask Hope what has helped her most during this time, she doesn't pause. "Trusting God, surrendering to His will for my life, allowing His spirit to heal every hurt, to help me love when I feel empty or bitter. Unconditional love is the biggest, most important thing I've learned in this journey. Real love doesn't act lovingly because of what I hope to get from the other person. Real love chooses to stay open."
"I love my wife so much," David says. "I feel the loss of our shared faith keenly, and I despise the distance that's between us now because of our religious difference. I know the kind of relationship we're capable of because we've been there, and I mourn the loss of that relationship every single day. To avoid conflict, we don't share our deepest thoughts with each other anymore."
"When we started this journey," Hope says, "the biggest question I had was if it was possible to have a happy mixed-religion marriage. Six years into this I would say yes, it is possible. It is hard, but marriage is hard. Our struggles are different from some other people, but not a lot more difficult than most other couples."
She also acknowledges that her own views have changed somewhat. "You don't realize it, but in the type of narrow-minded church I grew up in, you are told what to think about God and what to believe about the Bible. You are handed your opinion about secular culture and other religions. Since David left that world, he's become much more liberal in his views on…well, just about everything. I have too, though not as much. A lot of my friends act like I'm crazy, especially about abortion issues and gay rights. But I think more or less it's a shift for good.
"At the end of the day," she says, "having my nice little Christian bubble popped has been a good thing. I wish more Christians could see the way they look to outsiders like I have with my non-Christian husband."
Image by MFer Photography via Flickr | CC 2.0
Adapted from In Faith and in Doubt: How Religious Believers and Nonbelievers Can Create Strong Marriages and Loving Families by Dale McGowan (2014).
DALE McGOWAN is the author of several books related to the nonreligious perspective. He was Harvard Humanist of the Year in 2008 and founded the humanist charity Foundation Beyond Belief in 2010. He is Content Development Editor and Atheist Channel Managing Editor at Patheos. He lives with his family in Atlanta.
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Another weekend in August = another Garage Sale Mystery movie premiere from Hallmark Movies & Mysteries! Woohoo! 🙂 I am really looking forward to Picture a Murder. The vintage camera collection adds such a fun element to the story. And of course, I can't wait to see how Jennifer finds herself wrapped up in this case…and finds out a way to unravel the mystery.
I'm also excited to be watching and tweeting during the premiere! Follow me on Twitter – tweet me or comment below and let me know if you'll be watching. I'd love to follow your tweets during the movie as well. It's a lot of fun to tweet with fellow #Sleuthers and cast members.
Which of the Garage Sale Mystery movies has been your favorite so far?


Where January proved to be the longest month in existence, February flashed by quicker than a blink (as I'm sure everyone has determined by now).
Honestly, it's kind of a struggle thinking back over what happened this month, since it went by so quickly I barely had time to think. Or rather, I only had time to think about essays, which is a pretty standard thing by now. Despite working on things nonstop anyway, upcoming deadlines are always my cue to go into a sort of frenzy, not allowing myself to have a moment's respite – which I know, is bad. But it can't be helped. Even now as I'm writing this, my brain is gnawing away at itself with thoughts of "how DARE you not be doing uni work!", thoughts that won't be satisfied until I inevitably pick up some of my work after publishing this post. Still, at least I enjoy what I learn.
The coming deadlines also brought on a reading slump through February, though.
It very, very rarely happens to me. So when it does, it's almost like my world tilts because what on earth do I do with my time?? I don't spend my spare time reading, and all of my other hobbies revolve around the books I read so…what?
I'm not even sure I have an answer. Where my time went, I don't know. Luckily, I think I'm gradually coming out of the slump now – short books are really helping in that respect – but even if not, I'm not going to fret about it too much. After all, I've got one heck of a long summer ahead of me (about 4, nearly 5 months) and the daunting prospect of spending most of that time stuck at home alone, so I'm sure reading will be my saviour during those long days.
Something exciting that DID happen though, was me managing to get free tickets to an early screening of Love, Simon – the film adaptation of Simon Vs The Homo Sapiens Agenda! It was completely on a whim, a tweet I saw offering the free tickets and my not-so-hopeful check through the locations proving fruitful as I found a cinema nearby. I took a friend with me to go and see it, and can confirm that both of us enjoyed it immensely. I always convince myself that I'm a hard-hearted gal who has no time for soppy love stories, but ohhh this film thoroughly shattered that idea. We both left the cinema in a bubble of joy.
And since this is a monthly recap, it only seems right to mention the small fact that February is my birthday month. So uh, yeah – I aged. Wow.
I spent the majority of my birthday visiting the Bronte Parsonage in Haworth, which I've written a full post about here, if you fancy having a peep into that day. Stepping into Haworth honestly felt like stepping into another climate, the wind was so bitterly cold, but it was well worth the frozen fingers and many cups of tea in recovery. I also got a fair few books over the course of the month, my birthday being one of the main reasons why, so you can be sure to see a book haul going up on my channel sometime soon.
Speaking of which, in a lovely turn of events… I hit 2,000 subscribers on my booktube channel on my birthday! How lovely a coincidence is that?
I'm honestly so so surprised my channel has come this far, and with no intentions of stopping anytime soon, it just makes me so excited for what's to come. Thank you all so much for your support ❤ My days revolve around chatting to you all about books, and I couldn't be happier about it!
And so now we've reached March, a month that only throws me deeper into deadlines (who'd have guessed?). Whether I'll kick the reading slump for good is yet to be seen, but I'm sure it won't stop me incessantly chattering away about books nonetheless. I only wish snowy England would cease to be a thing, and let March be the *slightly warmer* spring season it ought to be.
So glad you're coming out of the dreaded reading slump Ashleigh. I've been on a role lately with reading, but ARCs and author requests are a whole other story as I've done zero this month.
February did go super fast for me too as I've spent most of it traveling and reading in airports. March is back to reality for me back at work and making a decision on where to go for grad school (bleh).
Hi there! Just found your blog. I agree that shorter books can really help with a reading slump. I just need to finish something and feel that feeling of accomplishment, then the momentum can build from there. Happy reading!
Happy belated birthday! I hope you come out of your slump soon.
I'm happy to hear you enjoyed the film adaptation of Simon vs.! I listened to the audiobook last month on a whim and thought it was a sweet story. I'm not typically one for romance, but it was just so cute.
I'm not typically one for romance either, but I definitely found the film to be super lighthearted and just a joy to watch!


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Eparchia budzińska – jedna z eparchii Serbskiego Kościoła Prawosławnego, obejmująca terytorium Węgier i Czech. Jej obecnym ordynariuszem jest biskup budziński Lucjan (Pantelić), rezydujący w Szentendre.

Dokładna data powstania eparchii nie jest znana. Jej erygowanie i rozwój miały związek z migracjami prawosławnych Serbów na ziemie węgierskie z terenów pozostających pod panowaniem tureckim. W szczególności w 1690, po wielkiej wędrówce Serbów w 1690 na terenie Węgier znalazło się kilkadziesiąt tysięcy rodzin serbskich. 4 marca 1695 cesarz Leopold I potwierdził prawo metropolity Eutymiusza (Popovicia) do posługiwania się tytułem biskupa budzińskiego.

W XVIII wieku na Węgrzech na potrzeby parafii serbskich wzniesiono znaczną liczbę cerkwi, jednak na przełomie XIX i XX wieku liczba wiernych spadła na tyle, że eparchia była zmuszona zamknąć część parafii, a świątynie odstąpić Kościołowi rzymskokatolickiemu. Ponadto w okresie od zakończenia II wojny światowej do 1988 administratura nie posiadała ordynariusza.

Według danych z 2016 eparchia liczyła około 10 000 wiernych, zgrupowanych w 39 parafiach (w tym dwóch na terenie Czech), obsługiwanych przez 11 kapłanów, posiadała 42 świątynie (cerkwie i kaplice) oraz prowadziła 2 monastery: Grabovac i Srpski Kovin.

Przypisy

Bibliografia
Eparhija budimska

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Eparchia, Budzińska

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Kumo Asian Fusion Restaurant offers delicious tasting Japanese,Chinese,and Thai cuisine in Brick, NJ. Kumo Asian Fusion's convenient location and affordable prices make our restaurant a natural choice for dine-in or take-out meals in the Brick community. Our restaurant is known for its variety in taste and high quality fresh sushi. Come and experience our friendly atmosphere and excellent service.


CZECH artist Jaroslav August produced numerous paintings under the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy that captured fascinating glimpses of rural Slovak life.
This postcard, published by Olomouc-based Romuald Promberger, featuring August's painting Leaving a Wedding, shows a bride in festive folk attire leaving the church after her wedding, in the municipality of Dačov Lom.
In the past, land ownership was a crucial factor among big farming families in the countryside when selecting a potential spouse. People would say that the bride could be a goat, but "as long as she had a 'šéska'", meaning a plot of farmland, that was all that mattered. The headpiece worn by the bride here indicates that she may have brought some land into the marriage.
Rather than head directly to the church, wedding processions often used to snake through the narrow village lanes. This was partly due to an old superstition that taking the same path to and from the church for a wedding brought bad luck. The religious authorities sought to combat these ancient rituals, as they were pagan in origin. A decree by the Štítnik synod required that people head directly to the church and return along the shortest possible path.
On the way back from a wedding, local boys would sometimes block the procession with a bar or a ladder and ask the groom for a ransom for taking their girl. The ransom usually took the form of a bottle of liquor, which, once produced, allowed the wedding guests to continue on their way.


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Benefits of the summer Foundations program
Gain broad exposure to the basic legal principles of U.S. law, international law and transnational law, as well as to the U.S. legal profession within just 3 weeks.
Earn a certificate: You will receive a certificate of completion for each week you attend to share with prospective employers and your professional network.
Flexibility: You can choose to study for 1 week, 2 weeks, or all 3 weeks. In offering a flexible program, we cater to your interest in focusing on a specialized topic or in gaining knowledge in various topics at the same time.
Set yourself up for success: With the knowledge and lawyering skills you gain from this program, you will be able to demonstrate to employers that you're growth-driven, hardworking, and have valuable skills to offer.
Gain hands-on experience: Throughout the program, you will develop insights into how to think and work like an American lawyer, by directly learning from and interacting with Moritz faculty experts, federal and state judges, and practicing attorneys at law firms in Columbus.
Applications are considered on a rolling, first-come first-served basis. We will continue to accept applications until May 30, 2023 until seats are filled.
We reserve the right to cancel this program in compelling circumstances that prevent the program from being held. All fees will be immediately returned in the event of cancellation.
Complete an online application form.
A $200 deposit is required at the time of application. The deposit will be applied towards the total program fee.
Upload to the online application form the following documents:
a Resume/CV (required);
a Statement of Interest (required)
Optional proof of English proficiency:
TOEFL Score (80)
IELTS Score (6.0)
Duolingo: 90-105
If you do not have an English score readily available at the time of applying or your English scores are lower than the suggested scores above, we will interview you to determine your English level and make the admission decision based on the outcome of the interview. U.S permanent residents and citizens, or applicants whose first law degree or any other post-secondary degree was or is in English, are exempt from the English requirement.
Dates, Costs, and Payment
Dates: June 5-23, 2023
Week 1: June 5-9 (Foundations of U.S. Law)
Week 2: June 12-16 (Dispute Resolution)
Week 3: June 19-23 (Business and Corporate Law)
Participants may choose to join the program for all of three weeks or for an individual week.
3-week option:
Cost: $2100
Cost: $1000 per week
The program fees include site visits, outings and transportation to these events as noted on the agenda. The program fees DO NOT include:
- Transportation (to and from Columbus; to and from airports; and transportation within the city with exception of program outings)
- Lodging and most meals
- Optional social activities recommended by International & Graduate Affairs staff
- Optional guest pass to use the recreational facilities at OSU
A $200 deposit is required at the time of application. The deposit will be applied towards the total program fee. Your application will not be reviewed until this deposit is paid. You also have the option of paying the full program fee at the time of application.
If you choose to pay the deposit only at the time of application, we will send you the invoice to pay the balance of the program fee after being admitted to our program.
Deposit or full program fee must be paid via credit card and is refundable only where the applicants are not admitted into the program or if the program is canceled.
Professor Biographies
Carlarne, Cinnamon, Associate Dean for Faculty and Intellectual Life, Alumni Society Designated Professor of Law.
Expertise: Environmental change & management, environmental law, domestic & international climate change law
Cericola, Kessia: U.S./Brazil Business Attorney
Expertise: Business transactions, entity formation, contract negotiation, licenses & regulation.
Chow, Daniel: Frank E. and Virginia H. Bazler Chair in Business Law
Expertise: International trade law, international business transactions, international intellectual property, and Chinese law.
Cole, Sarah: Professor of Law, Michael E. Moritz Chair in Alternative Dispute Resolution, Moritz College of Law
Expertise: Alternative dispute resolution, arbitration, clinical education, labor and employment, mediation
Deason, Ellen: Professor Emeritus in Law
Expertise: Alternative dispute resolution, civil procedure, clinical education, litigation and courts, mediation
Froehlich, William: Langdon Fellow in Dispute Resolution
Expertise: Nonprofit law, business responsibility, dispute resolution
Garvin, Larry: Lawrence D. Stanley Professor of Law
Expertise: commercial law, contracts, law & economics, small business finance.
Geigel, Henrique: Associate, Vorys, Columbus office
Expertise: Commercial litigation; general business and product liability litigation.
Lewis, James; Attorney; former Co-Chair of the Moritz International & Graduate Affairs Advisory Council
O'Connell, Caroline, Adjunct Professor; Moritz College of Law
Oles, Kevin, Senior Managing Associate, Thompson Hine
Expertise: Business litigation, construction, international trade, international arbitration
Pham, Tra: Doctor of Laws; Assistant Dean for Graduate and International Affairs, Moritz College of Law
Expertise: International investment law and arbitration
Quigley, John: President's Club Professor Emeritus of Law
Expertise: International public law; human rights; international dispute resolution
Rose, Paul: Robert J. Watkins/Procter & Gamble Professor of Law; Associate Dean for Strategic Initiatives; Director, Law, Finance & Governance
Expertise: Corporate finance, corporate governance, corporate law, foreign trade and investment, hedge funds, mergers & acquisitions, private equity funds, securities law, venture capital.
Schmitz, Amy: Professor, John Deaver Drinko-Baker & Hostetler Chair in Law
Expertise: AI/Data analytics and the law, alternative dispute resolution, arbitration, consumer law, contracts, legal tech, online dispute resolution
Settineri, Colleen: Assistant Clinical Professor
Expertise: Legal writing & research
Simmons, Ric: Chief Justice Thomas J. Moyer Professor for the Administration of Justice and Rule of Law
Expertise: Administrative law, criminal law & procedure, evidence.
The Honorable Judge Edmund A. Sargus: U.S. District Court of the Southern District of Ohio
Vasquez, Liliana: Law Clerk, Simakovsky Law
Expertise: Dispute resolution, immigration law
Wilson, Paige: Assistant Clinical Professor of Law
Expertise: Business law, corporate law, venture capital, entrepreneurship
Ziegler, Stephanie: Reference Librarian, Moritz College of Law
Expertise: Legal analysis & writing, legal research
Learn more about our instructors: Faculty biographies
Participants in this Program can enter the U.S. on a visitor visa (B-1 for tourism or B-2 for business.) The Moritz College of Law can provide the participants with an invitation letter upon their request for the purpose of applying for the B-1 or B-2 visa.
Students coming to the U.S. in the Fall to study in an LLM program at Moritz or other U.S. schools may enter the U.S. with their I-20s thirty (30) days before the first day of their LLM program (date marked on their I-20).
Special hotel rates are offered at Hyatt House and Marriott Fairfield Inn. The latest date to reserve a hotel room at these rates is May 15, 2023. We will provide the booking information in our admission letters to program participants.
Amenities at Hyatt House ($139/night for king rooms (sleep up to 2 people) or $149/night for studio king suites with kitchenettes; sleep up to 4 people), plus tax.
Complimentary hot breakfast buffet with an order to serve omelet station
Daily or Weekly Housekeeping Service Available
Complimentary onsite parking
Complimentary Wi-Fi in meeting room, public spaces, and guest rooms
Onsite Restaurant & Bar
24-hour State-of-the-Art fitness center including Rogue squat racks and a Peloton bike
Outdoor patio with firepit, grills, and bocce ball court
24-Hour H Market
Pet Friendly - $75 Fee
Amenities at Fairfield Inn by Marriott ($89 per night for double room if staying for all three weeks, or $109 per night if not staying for all three weeks, plus tax))
Complimentary HOT Breakfast buffet offered daily
Complimentary shuttle service offered daily to and from the law school from 7am-10:30pm
Indoor pool and hot tub
24 hour fitness center
On site bar opened Tuesday-Saturday from 4pm-11:30pm
Participants may also consider Airbnb or the Wayfaring Buckeye Hostel.
It is recommended that all Foundations participants purchase international travel/health insurance to cover any possible medical expenses they may incur while there are in the U.S. Incoming Fall semester LLM students at Moritz College of Law who arrive in the U.S. early to participate in Foundations are eligible to purchase OSU Student Insurance to cover them during the program (Note: OSU Student Insurance normally begins coverage in mid-August). More information can be found on the OSU Student Insurance page (contact information is at the bottom of the page).
Non-OSU participants in Foundations are not eligible to purchase OSU Student Insurance.
Guest Pass for Recreational Facilities
The Ohio State University is home to one of the nation's largest campus recreational facilities, the Recreation and Physical Activities Center (RPAC) as well nine other recreational facilities. The RPAC is a multi-purpose facility complex that combines innovative fitness spaces, versatile event areas and an active atmosphere, located in the heart of campus, southeast of Ohio Stadium. Foundations program participants have the option of purchasing a guest pass that allows access to all OSU recreational facilities at the following rates:
7 days - $35 each
14 days - $50 each
Participants wanting to purchase guest passes for the recreational facilities should email the following information to MoritzFoundations@osu.edu by Monday, June 27, 2022: Name, date of birth, gender and desired pass duration (7 days, 14 days, 30 days). Payment for guest passes can be made in cash or check upon arrival to Moritz College of Law.
The in-person Foundations program takes place at The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law located on the campus of The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio – the nation's 14th largest city and 3rd largest capital city. Drinko Hall houses a three-floor law library that provides ample room for individual and group study. The entire campus of The Ohio State University is fully equipped with wireless internet access and is conveniently located near many of Columbus' key attractions including the Ohio Statehouse, the Short North Arts District, the Arena District, Huntington Park, and the Franklin Park Conservatory. Being the 3rd largest university in the United States, Ohio State boasts state-of-the-art facilities and outstanding resources that make the institution stand out from its national peers.
Online Module Option
Participants in the in-person summer program have the option of taking additional online modules to supplement your learning. The online modules do not overlap with the curriculum of the in-person Foundations program and is a great tool to deepen your knowledge in major legal practice areas. The online modules are also available as a stand-alone program option for those unable to attend the in-person program.
The online modules include: "Corporate Law and Practice", "International Business Law", "Intellectual Property Law" and "Dispute Resolution." These are self-paced, asynchronous modules and you can enroll in any of the modules at any time. Each module includes approximately 4-4.5 hours of faculty lectures.
Cost: $150 per module or $500 for all four modules.
Visit the Online Foundations Program page for more information.
Moritz LLM Program
The LLM program at Ohio State Moritz College of Law draws upon the excellence in teaching and research at the best law school in Ohio and one of the best public law schools in the U.S. The LLM program is designed for foreign law graduates and foreign lawyers who wish to advance their legal education and careers in a stimulating academic environment.
The LLM program features a career-oriented curriculum with offerings of doctrinal courses in major legal practice areas and experiential learning courses. The program equips LLM candidates with essential lawyering skills and real-life work experience to meet the demand of the global legal market. LLM students also have the opportunity to sharpen their legal analysis, research, and writing skills through a broad array of seminar courses and participation in a number of journals.
A flexible degree, the LLM program allows students to design their curriculum that best suits their career goals. Students may select from over 100 courses in different areas of U.S., transnational and international law, and pursue a general curriculum or a specialized curriculum in six academic concentrations. The LLM program also offers courses that foreign-trained lawyers are required to take to qualify to sit for the bar exams in the U.S., such as Ohio, New York, California, and Washington D.C.
We invite you to explore the LLM experience at Moritz and the excellence of our faculty.
The Law School
The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law is an integral part of one of the world's great educational institutions. Founded in 1891 and consistently the top-ranked law school in the State of Ohio, the Moritz College of Law has grown into one of the nation's pre-eminent public law schools and one of the most respected law schools in the world. The Moritz College of Law is also home to one of the nation's best Alternative Dispute Resolution programs (currently ranked #2 in the U.S.), and offers many opportunities for students to learn and practice ADR techniques while in law school, culminating in the Certificate in Dispute Resolution.
A collegial community of approximately 570 students and more than 50 faculty members, Moritz is known for its rigorous academic program, the pioneering research of its world-class faculty, a deep commitment to teaching and professional training, and the development of future leaders.
The college's more than 11,000 alumni are central to its national reputation. Graduates include justices of the Supreme Court of Ohio, federal appeals and district court judges, U.S. senators, U.S. representatives, governors, managing partners in law firms of all sizes, chief executive officers of Fortune 500 corporations, professors at law schools across the country, and prominent attorneys in private practice, government service, and public interest law firms.
The Ohio State Unversity
One of the largest universities in the U.S., Ohio State is ranked as one of the top 20 public universities by U.S. News & World Report. It has 13 graduate and professional programs ranked in the top 10. The Ohio State University is also ranked among the top 100+ universities by the QS World University Rankings and listed in the Shanghai Academic Ranking of World Universities.
The international student population at Ohio State has grown steadily since 2009 from 4,238 students to 7,000 students and ranks 14th in the nation. The campus hosts nearly 1700 visiting scholars each year.
Ohio State's Global Gateways give the university a physical presence in essential parts of the world. Gateway offices in Shanghai, China; Sao Paulo, Brazil; and Mumbai, India enable the university to forge new partnerships, recruit international students, facilitate faculty research, provide new ways to partner with Ohio-based businesses, and reconnect with a growing international alumni base. Other offices plan for Istanbul, Turkey, and Warsaw, Poland.
The Ohio State University received NAFSA's Senator Paul Simon Award for Comprehensive Internationalization in 2014, recognizing institutions for overall excellence in internationalization efforts as evidenced by best practices in engagement, programming, curriculum/faculty development, and outreach. The Simon Award is universally considered the most prestigious award for comprehensive internationalization in the U.S.
When you become an Ohio State student, you become connected to 64,000 students and over 500,000 living alumni. Around the world, we are known as Buckeyes. We know each other as friends.
Watch the exciting campus life at The Ohio State University.
Columbus: Ohio's Capital City
Columbus is the 14th largest city in the United States, with approximately 1.9 million people in the metropolitan area. Hundreds of companies are headquartered here, including retail giants The L Brands and Abercrombie & Fitch, as well as several pharmaceutical and healthcare companies, national restaurants, publishers, banks, and insurance companies. Columbus is also home to the Ohio General Assembly, our state legislature. Many Moritz alumni live and work in Columbus at law firms, as in-house counsel for corporations, and federal, state, and local government.
People from nearly 100 countries call Columbus their home. Nearly every type of food can be found here, in our excellent family-owned restaurants and in international grocery stores that feature African, Asian, Halal, Latino, and South Asian products. In addition, we are home to synagogues and churches, mosques, and temples.
The city cheers the swift play of its professional soccer team, the Columbus Crew, and feats on ice from its professional hockey team, the Columbus Blue Jackets. For more serene leisure activities, Columbus and surrounding areas offer miles of trails and gorges to hike, as well as rivers upon which to canoe and kayak.
Compared to other American cities, Columbus is very affordable and boasts rental homes and apartment complexes in a variety of costs and amenities. The city has an extensive bus system that is free for Ohio State students. In addition, Columbus is within a one-day drive or a one-hour flight from 60 percent of the U.S. population.
While Columbus affords all the advantages of a major metropolitan city, it still maintains the famous charm and friendliness of the Midwest. As a result, it's a great place to study--and to call home. Watch this video to learn more about our lively and growing city.
Michael E. Moritz College of Law
55 West 12th Avenue, Drinko Hall
614-292-2631 lawadmit@osu.edu
ABA Disclosures
If you have a disability and experience difficulty accessing this content, email law-moritz-dap@osu.edu © 2023 . The Ohio State University

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


In short, our answer is YES! But our sentiment is conditional: it isn't right for everyone, and it's only effective if your execution is too. Pinterest is a social sharing platform ripe with useful information. It's even a popular search engine, which means that it has positioned you – the business owner or firm – to build your Brand into a gold mine of resources for your target audience.
Because Pinterest users frequently shop online, it's also a platform that places retailers at a special advantage: if utilized appropriately, Pinterest becomes a catalyst for product sales. But it isn't just for retailers! If you can use your business resources to pin valuable content such as infographics, photographs, step-by-step guides, interesting videos and useful tips, then you should use Pinterest as an effective marketing tool.
How do I use Pinterest to boost brand awareness and SEO value?
Elevate your profile. Since the information on your profile's landing page gets picked up by search engines, it's important to make sure that the Pinterest profile you create for your business is complete: don't leave any fields blank! Create a username that is as close to possible as your actual business name, and verify your web address. Including your website URL on social profiles is an extremely important part of improving your SEO value, and drives traffic to your site.
Connect your social profiles. Improve your chances of reaching a broader audience by connecting your Facebook , Twitter, and Pinterest accounts to one another and cross-sharing through these accounts. Increasing your post's visibility, or the number of people who see your post, also increases opportunities for sharing via Facebook 'likes,' 'retweets' and 'pins.' Google recognizes these social signals, which means that the more shares you get, the higher your search engine ranking can become.
Create keyword-focused and topic-focused pin boards. On Pinterest, your boards carry the most weight. They help users determine whether or not you're worth following. Use keywords to organize your boards into categories that accurately reflect the pins within them, and position your best content at the top, since users who visit your profile will see these boards first. Your goal is to make a great impression in only a few short moments.
Make your images and captions keyword-rich, too. Search engines crawl just about everything – including your images and the captions you leave on your pins. People often discover pins because they've searched for a certain keyword in Pinterest's search engine. When creating your own pins, be sure to title the images you upload using specific keywords that you think your audience is searching for,and caption all of your pins and re-pins with keywords in mind as well.
Pin your own content. When pinning original content, remember to always include a fantastic image – visual appeal is often the deciding factor when it comes to whether or not a user clicks on your pin! Creating your own pins is advantageous when it comes to driving traffic back to your website. Those familiar with SEO strategy might stick their noses up at the idea of using Pinterest to boost SEO value because of its "nofollow" policy: pins don't pass SEO authority to your site, and therefore won't improve your Google page rank. In other words, linking back to your website through your pins will not make your website show up higher in Google searches. Regardless, original pins still create backlinks to your site and invite site engagement, so it's certainly worthwhile.
One more tip: Don't forget that Pinterest is such a simple platform to use. You don't always need to invest valuable time and resources into a pinning spree; you can easily grow your Brand's presence from the comfort of your own couch while catching up on your favorite TV shows.
Happy pinning, and don't forget to like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter!


It's a whole new world out there, both for Andrew Donald Hugel who just joined us this last April (Congrats again, Karli and Hans!!), and the two of us as we explore a new area of photography – people! After years of putting mostly inanimate objects in front of our lenses (with the exception of a few candids here and there), we never really attempted people or portrait photography. But in October of last year when our friends Lindsay and Rhett asked us to take pictures of them for their engagement we've since been contacted by a few others with similar requests. The sudden demand comes as a surprise but we're up for the challenge. When we get the chance we'll show off examples of some of the people and portrait photography we've attempted in the last 6 months. Thanks for continuing to follow along with us and stay tuned!


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Steyr Mannlicher GL-40
EUROSATORY 2014: Steyr Mannlicher showcased the 40x46mm-SR caliber GL-40 modular, multi-role grenade launcher system!
Pierangelo Tendas 07/30/2014
Bruno Circi
The GL-40 40x46mm-SR caliber modular grenade launching system was showcased by Steyr Mannlicher at the 2014 edition of EUROSATORY, in Paris, last June
Article also available in other languages
Headquartered in the city of Kleinraming, and tracing its roots back to the Mitteleuropa's gunmaking tradition of the Austrian-Hungarian Empire, the company currently known as Steyr Mannlicher GmbH is Austria's most important manufacturer of firearms and military technologies, and one of the biggest overall in Europe.
Not only does it provides utterly reliable hunting, sports shooting and defensive tools to hundreds of thousands − if not millions − of civilian shooters around the globe: Steyr Mannlicher is particularly active in the field of small arms and light weapons for military, law enforcement and governmental customers.
Ranging from the A1 line of semi-automatic, polymer-frame pistols (L, C, M and S models) to the AUG bull-pup assault rifle platform and to bolt-action long range rifles − all available in a plethora of variants − Steyr Mannlicher's professional products line covers almost all the needs of modern military forces and Police organizations.
The latest entry in professional products from the Austrian manufacturer − as a matter of fact, so new that it isn't yet featured in the Company website − is the GL-40 grenade launcher.
A lightweight, compact launcher, the GL-40 was conceived following the feedback from Austrian, Australian and New Zealander military operators
The side-opening barrel of the GL-40 allows the use of any kind of lethal or less-lethal 40mm ammunition, granting a quick scalar use of force
The GL-40 grenade launcher can be used as a stand-alone weapon or undercarried on most currently-existing and perspective assault rifles
The GL-40 is a last-generation, modular, single-shot reloadable system for all NATO standard 40mm low-velocity ammunition (a.k.a. 40x46mm-SR, not to be confused with the high-velocity 40x53mm-SR ammunition used by belt-fed grenade machineguns such as the MK-19, the MK-47 "Stryker", the Heckler & Koch GMG, the SB-40 LAG, the Vektor Y3-AGL, and many others).
The early prototypes of the Steyr Mannlicher GL-40 module were indeed showcased multiple times in the past years, but the model seen at the EUROSATORY 2014 defense expo − held in Paris from June 16th thru June 20th − appears to be the definitive, production-grade version of the design.
Steyr Mannlicher GmbH & Co., KG
Original technical specs flyer for the Steyr Mannlicher GL-40 grenade launcher system
Conceived following the requests and the feedbacks from some of the world's most important military users of Steyr Mannlicher weaponry − the armed forces of Austria, Australiana dn New Zealand, to name a few − the GL-40 launcher boosts up the combat capabilities of individual Police or military operators and of their units when engaged in either conventional or non-conventional combat situations − including, but not limited to: riot control, urban warfare, asymmetric warfare and counter-terrorism.
Entirely manufactured out of metal, the GL-40 sports a milled construction, and is just slightly heavier than 1Kg. all its versions; the launcher itself is also extremely short, standing at 27 centimetres overall, and comes with a double-action-only trigger.
The 180mm-long, rifled barrel tilts sideways to the left for opening, allowing the use of 40x46mm-SR low-velocity shells of any lenght − this meaning either the shorter, explosive military rounds or the longer, less-lethal or non-lethal payloads; this makes the GL-40 much more versatile than a standard front-opening launcher, as it allows for a quicker and easier scalar use of force.
The Steyr Mannlicher GL-40 launcher can dub either as a stand-alone, shoulder-fired grenade discharger or as an undercarried accessory launching module for assault rifles or other individual weapons.
For the GL-40 to be used as a stand-alone weapon, Steyr Mannlicher offers a specific stock system, sporting an ergonomic polymer pistol grip and an M4-type retractable stock, to which the launcher itself attaches through a MIL-STD-1913 "Picatinny" rail interface. The stock also sports other Picatinny rails on top and on its sides to allow the use of flip-up iron sights, optical sights or electronic fire control systems.
The Picatinny interface also allows quick and easy attachment of the GL-40 grenade launcher underneath any assault rifle that either comes − or can be equipped with − a MIL-STD-1913 railed handguard.
For those rifles that don't come with a standard Picatinny-railed handguard − eg. most variants of Steyr's own AUG bull-pup assault rifle system − the company offers an attachment interface that can be secured to the barrel to provide a mounting point for the GL-40.
As all4shooters.com's editors reporting from the EUROSATORY could witness in the hereby-pictured demonstration, the installation of the interface and the launcher can be performed by the operator himself/herself in any condition − even right on the battlefield! − as it requires no tool and takes less than one minute.
Hereby portrayed, the installation sequence of the GL-40 launcher to the Steyr AUG assault rifle
pro-zone 11/05/2020 Cobalt Kinetics unveils the BAMF Pro Series rifle/pistol
With a 1.4 lb/635 g weight reduction from the original BAMF models and available in three lengths, the new BAMF Pro Series rifle/pistol is designed for law enforcement, military and competitive shooters, but also for home defense. Chambering is .223 Wylde for maximum accuracy with both .223 Remington and 5.56mm ammo.
pro-zone 04/28/2020 US Army Next Generation Squad Weapon: the fire control system from Vortex Optics
Faithful readers of all4shooters.com know that we have already reported in detail about the ambitious, innovative US Army's "Next Generation Squad Weapon" (NGSW) program based on a new assault rifle in 6.8 mm caliber. Now come the first reports on new, matching optics.
pro-zone 09/30/2019 DSEI 2019: Heckler & Koch upgrades the British Army SA80 assault rifle
Following its visit to the DSEI trade fair in London, Heckler & Koch – a German government supplier – gets back with a lucrative major order from the UK Ministry of Defence: £15 million and a contract option for another £50 million. Learn more here on all4shooters.
pro-zone 09/14/2019 True Velocity's composite-cased 6.8mm cartridge, an insight of future ammo
Developed in partnership with General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems and Beretta Defense Technologies, the new polymer cartridge has been selected for the U.S. Army's Next Generation Squad Weapon (NGSW) modernization program. Among the advantages, reduction in weight and enhanced accuracy.
pro-zone 04/27/2019 A "prototype demonstrator" for the US Army Next Generation Squad Weapon
Textron Systems, that have been working with the US military for the last 14 years, delivered a "prototype demonstrator" of Next Generation Squad Weapon-Technology. The NGSW-T automatic rifle prototype is based on Textron's proven Cased-Telescoped (CT) Weapons and Ammunition technology.
pro-zone 04/07/2019 B&T USA selected for the US Army Sub Compact Weapon (SCW) program
The US branch of the well-known Swiss company will supply 350 SCWs, with an option for additional quantities of up to 1,000 SCWs, for a total value of more than 2.5 million USD. The selected gun is based on B&T's APC9 PRO K model featuring a close bolt blow-back system, an ambidextrous non-reciprocating charging handle and a collapsible shoulder stock.
pro-zone 02/22/2019 TOR, the revolutionary "thumb-operated system"
A US-based company named Iron Horse Firearms developed a "thumb operated receiver" where you use you thumb instead of you index finger to fire an AR15-type rifle. They also offer a complete semi-auto rifle chambered in 5.56x45mm NATO. Will it be a revolution in the conservative world of firearms?
pro-zone 10/12/2018 A "Ribbon Gun" for the US Army?
The US Army reportedly ordered some prototypes of the L5/L4 rifle, a futuristic multi-bore, single barrel gun with electronic firing system using innovative caseless ammo, produced by Forward Defense Munitions.


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Northeast Michigan's largest daily COVID-19 death toll reported
Courtesy Image An illustration of the coronavirus provided by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
ALPENA — Eight more Northeast Michiganders have died after being infected with the coronavirus, public health officials said today, the largest daily death toll since the beginning of the pandemic.
Two Alpena County residents, five Presque Isle County residents, and one Alcona County resident have died, local health departments said. Alcona County's figures were updated today for the first time since New Year's Eve. The next-largest daily death toll was Dec. 15, when five Northeast Michiganders were reported dead.
Today's update means now 63 Northeast Michiganders have died since the pandemic began.
Meanwhile, state data shows 13 new resident deaths, 49 new resident infections, and 17 new staff infections at Northeast Michigan nursing homes. The state changed its reporting methods as of Dec. 29, reporting deaths in which the deceased was confirmed infected with coronavirus infection and those suspected of being infected but not tested, and reporting confirmed infections cumulative since Jan. 1, 2020.
It wasn't clear how much of the recent spike was related to the new reporting methods and how could be attributed to actual new infections or deaths.
The interactive graphic below shows active infections in Northeast Michigan over time. Story continues below graphic.
Most of the spike was logged at two places — MediLodge of Rogers City, which had 20 new infections and two new deaths, and MediLodge of Hillman, which reported 10 new infections and four new deaths.
A MediLodge corporate spokesman did not immediately reply to an email seeking comment.
Public health officials today also reported 25 newly infected Northeast Michiganders, including 12 Alpena County residents, one Presque Isle County resident, one Montmorency County resident, and 11 Alcona County residents.
The interactive chart below shows cumulative infections, recoveries and deaths in Northeast Michigan over time. Story continues below graphic.
That means that, as of today, 1,593 Northeast Michiganders were actively infected, meaning they'd been confirmed infected with COVID-19 but have not recovered or died, and could infect others.
State data showed that, as of today, 932 doses of coronavirus vaccine had been administered in Northeast Michigan — 98 more than on Monday.
As of Monday, eight COVID-19 patients, none of whom were in intensive care, were hospitalized at MidMichigan Medical Center-Alpena, according to state data. The Alpena hospital was 27% full.
Flip through the interactive timeline below to see how the coronavirus spread through Northeast Michigan. Story continues below the timeline.
As of today, 65 people were hospitalized with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 infection across the state-designated, 18-county health care region that includes Alpena, Presque Isle, and Montmorency counties, according to state data.
Since the pandemic hit Michigan in mid-March, 2,103 Northeast Michiganders have been infected, according to local public health agencies. Of those, 447 have recovered and 63 have died.
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California Sen. Mike McGuire proposes…
California Sen. Mike McGuire proposes regulating medical marijuana industry
Sen. Mike McGuire (Stuart Lirette/Marin Independent Journal)
By Richard Halstead |
PUBLISHED: April 30, 2015 at 12:00 a.m. | UPDATED: August 23, 2018 at 12:00 a.m.
State Sen. Mike McGuire has introduced a sweeping bill that would legalize and regulate the medical marijuana industry from cultivation to consumption and all the steps in between.
The bill, SB 643, passed out of the state Senate's Business and Professions Committee on April 20 and received a hearing in the Senate's Governance and Finance Committee on Wednesday.
The Compassionate Use Act of 1996 and subsequent state legislation exempted qualified medical patients and their caregivers from state criminal sanctions related to possession, cultivation and transportation of limited amounts of marijuana. Nevertheless, a lack of statewide regulation has resulted in uncertainty about the legality of some medical marijuana cultivation and distribution activities.
"California needs a statewide comprehensive regulatory program for medical marijuana," McGuire said. "Since the voters of California passed Proposition 215, medical marijuana cultivation and consumption has exploded across the Golden State and the country. This legislation would put into place what should have been implemented two decades ago."
In addition to Marin County, McGuire's legislative district also includes Mendocino, Humboldt and Trinity counties, which account for an estimated 70 percent of the marijuana grown in the western United States.
McGuire, D-Healdsburg, said illegal growers — often trespassing on national park land — have cut down thousands of acres of trees and dumped pesticides, insecticides, rodenticides, fertilizers and huge amounts of sediment into waterways.
"In fact, marijuana grows are the No. 1 source of sediment and nutrient loads in Northern California rivers and streams," McGuire said.
He said rogue growers are also diverting water from drought-stricken rivers and streams.
A state Department of Fish and Wildlife study released last month estimated the number of marijuana plants being grown in four watersheds in Humboldt and Mendocino counties and determined that during drought conditions the water being used to grow the plants exceeds the stream flow in three of the four watersheds.
"They are literally sucking our rivers and streams dry," McGuire said.
His bill would create a Bureau of Medical Marijuana Regulation within the state's existing Department of Consumer Affairs. The legislation would give the bureau until Jan. 1, 2018, to develop procedures for the issuance of conditional licenses for cultivation, manufacture, transportation, storage, distribution and sale of medical marijuana within the state.
The bureau, in consultation with the state Water Resources Control Board, also would be charged with adopting regulations to ensure that licensed medical marijuana growers don't threaten the state's environment.
After a quick review of the lengthy bill on Monday, George Bianchini, founder and CEO of Medi-Cone, a Marin-based collective that grows and sells medical marijuana, said he had some concerns about the bill.
Bianchini said the legislation reminded him of SB 1262, which failed to gain support in 2014, when state Sen. Lou Correa introduced it.
"I believe these are bills being written with big money behind them pushing for the corporate control of cannabis in California," Bianchini said. "It doesn't take into consideration existing operators."
Bianchini said he was concerned about the lack of detail in the bill specifying how the permits would be allocated, and the cost associated with new regulations proposed for the transportation of medical marijuana.
McGuire, however, said the issuance of permits would remain under the control of local jurisdictions.
"This is why our district needs to take the lead on this issue," McGuire said. "We have more family farmers growing cannabis than anywhere else in the nation."
Scot Candell, a San Rafael lawyer who has represented various medical marijuana collectives, said his concern is that the bill regulates to a degree that it might spur more black market activity.
"It may border on over-regulation, but I think its goals are noble," Candell said. "It requires lab testing, which I think should be required."
Four similar bills are pending in the Assembly. Candell said before recreational use of marijuana was legalized in Colorado that state created a regulatory framework for medical marijuana that made the transition smoother. He believes that is what legislators in Sacramento are trying to do.
Candell said, "Our industry in California is chaos, and they're trying to organize it prior to the 2016 vote."
Richard Halstead


Since rising from the ashes of September 11, 2001, our nation has been at war on multiple fronts. The first front, of course, is our War on Terror, and the second war is the confounding War on National Unity that each party has waged on the American people ever since. In an unwavering mission to "turn out the vote" and score points for each prospective party, the Democrats and Republicans have time and again chosen party politics over national unity. Clearly more concerned with pushing extreme agendas at the expense of our national heritage and overall unity, each side has thrown down the gauntlet in self-interest with no thought of the destruction of our national identity. Every issue must have a side and each side must not bend to the compromise of a single statute or perceived value. We now live in an age where everything has become a zero sum game. To compromise or infuse any pragmatism at all into the political battlefield seems to be completely forbidden.
Pick any issue, and the battle lines are already drawn whether accurately or not. They are then perpetuated by the salivating fourth estate which, with the dawn of the 24-hour news cycle, feeds upon the upheaval of events to support their own ratings and self-interest. Regardless of whether the discussion is on immigration, education, national defense, help for the poor, race relations or any number of other topics, we have been divided by party and not pragmatism. The perpetuation of the myth that you as an American are affiliated only by a political party and not an individual belief system is a complete contradiction of our shared American heritage. In the over 230 years we have been a nation, we have seen the Federalists, the Anti-Federalists, the Whigs and a score of other political parties rise and fall; but the bloodline that runs through the core of this Republic is our individual choice for our united life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
We are inundated from both sides with a message that shows us the worst of ourselves instead of our best. While one side touts xenophobia, the other leaves no room for national sovereignty. As one side apologizes to the world for who we are, the other refuses to take an honest look at ways we can be better.
We should all stand up to say we are neither Republican nor Democrat: We are Americans! We have a proud history behind us and an unlimited future ahead of us. Through pragmatism, compassion and an unyielding desire to be free we will be a shining city on a hill, to help those we can, strengthen our nation and show the world the blessing to live as free men and women.


"Lord, I Hope This Day is Good" is a song written by Dave Hanner, and recorded by American country music artist Don Williams. It was released in November 1981 as the third single from the album Especially for You. "Lord, I Hope This Day is Good" was Don Williams' twelfth number one on the country chart. The single stayed at number one for one week and spent a total of twenty weeks on the country music charts.Hanner also recorded the song as a member of Corbin/Hanner, who released it as the b-side to the 1982 single "One Fine Morning."