The Winds May Be Changing in Texas—but It’s Not Because the Oil Patch Went Woke
New polling shows Greg Abbott and Dan Patrick in surprisingly tight races.
Are Texas voters suddenly turning blue?
I’m not convinced. Maybe something simpler is happening: politicians who have dominated the state for decades have become better at fighting culture wars than listening to what ordinary Texans are actually worried about.
When Skepticism Picks a Favorite
The tragic shooting of Johan Sebastián Guerrero prompted difficult questions about transparency and accountability. But it also led me to ask a larger question: Why do so many people who once distrusted government now seem willing to trust it when their preferred leader is in charge?
Before the Orders Are Given
A military awards ceremony became something far more personal when I realized the young soldier in the video would never come home. A reflection on service, sacrifice, and accountability.
When “Just a Fan” Doesn’t Cut It: Nate Bargatze, UFC Freedom 250 and Complicity
An essay on Nate Bargatze, UFC Freedom 250, and why “just a fan” no longer cuts it when the fights are staged on the White House lawn for a political project.
Two Songs at the Ballpark
A seventh inning stretch at an Astros game sparked a reflection on patriotism, belonging, and why baseball’s organic rituals may unite us better than nationalistic ones.
When the Truth Doesn’t Fit the World You’ve Built
As headlines swirl about Kristi Noem’s husband, a deeper question emerges: what happens when who you are doesn’t fit the world you’ve built around you?
When “To Protect and Serve” Becomes “Respect My Authority,” We All Lose
When policing shifts from a promise to protect and serve into a demand to “respect my authority,” it’s more than a cultural change — it’s a dangerous mindset rooted in racial bias, fueled by political rhetoric, and devastating to public trust.
When the Prosecutors Need Prosecuting
When a Trump-appointed U.S. attorney texted a reporter to declare their conversation “off the record” after the fact, it was part sitcom, part civic horror story. We laugh—but we shouldn’t have to.
Some Targets Are Easier to Hit than Others
While South Park skewers Trump and CBS with no blowback, Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel are unceremoniously dumped from late night. Why? Because some targets are easier to sideline—especially when the stakes are corporate.
Randomly Rudimentary Life Stuff 
Death Deserves Compassion; Legacy Deserves Honesty
The recent death of Senator Lindsey Graham prompted me to think about something I suspect many of us will wrestle with more than once in our lives: how should we respond when someone dies whose public life we found deeply disappointing?