Author Archives: hessd

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About hessd

Here is all you need to know to follow this blog. I am an old man and I love to think about why we say the things we do. I've taught at the elementary, secondary, collegiate, and doctoral levels. I don't think one is easier than another. They are hard in different ways. I have taught political science for a long time and have practiced politics in and around the Oregon Legislature. I don't think one is easier than another. They are hard in different ways. You'll be seeing a lot about my favorite topics here. There will be religious reflections (I'm a Christian) and political reflections (I'm a Democrat) and a good deal of whimsy. I'm a dilettante.

Why am I doing this?

Posted on June 9, 2017 by hessd

I would like to thing about two questions today. The first is “WHY am I doing this” The second is “Why am I doing THIS?” I want to think, in other words, about motivation and discernment. Motivation. A motivation is … Continue reading →

Posted in Getting Old, Living My Life, ways of knowing, Words | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

A woman’s right to choose her own feminism

Posted on June 7, 2017 by hessd

In Season 3, Episode 14 of The West Wing (Night Five), a temp named Celia Walton is working in the White House. Celia is what I think I am going to call a Hillary Clinton “kind” of feminist [1] She … Continue reading →

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Tolerance as position and direction

Posted on June 6, 2017 by hessd

Tolerance June 6 I want you to picture a scene in which a really dumb guy is having his picture taken at the edge of the cliffs of Moher. “I can frame this picture better,” says the picture taker (probably a … Continue reading →

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At least cursing the darkness is a systemic response

Posted on June 5, 2017 by hessd

My friend, Bill Teague, is a pastor and a husband and a father and a really good guy. Also a blogger. Abusing the prefix e- in a way I have enjoyed since he first started doing it, he calls the … Continue reading →

Posted in Living My Life, Political Psychology, Politics, Sustainability | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

A “peace flag” for the U. S.

Posted on May 31, 2017 by hessd

I learned while we in Ireland earlier this month that the Irish flag expresses a hope for peace between Protestants and Catholics. [1] Orange is a color that has been associated with Protestantism every since William of Orange defeated James … Continue reading →

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Deciding to Eat Out

Posted on May 28, 2017 by hessd

We all have values we say we hold and, as a subcategory, values we actually hold. [1] And these values, my values and your values, are very often the same, differing only in rank order. “Only,” he says. Nearly all … Continue reading →

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Winning the heart and minds

Posted on May 26, 2017 by hessd

On March 12, 2014, I argued that President Obama needed to apologize to the American people for something. It didn’t matter what, I said, so long as it was something “the people” were offended about. The state of the economy … Continue reading →

Posted in Political Psychology, Politics, Sustainability | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

“Serving others”

Posted on May 24, 2017 by hessd

In one of my favorite episodes (Season 5, Episode 6) of The West Wing, President Bartlet loses his sense of how vitally important the presidency is. He has flown to Oklahoma to lend whatever support he can to a tornado-stricken … Continue reading →

Posted in Living My Life, Society, Sustainability, Theology, ways of knowing | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

The Risk-averse servant

Posted on May 18, 2017 by hessd

This story, recorded by both Matthew and Luke, has been given a lot of different interpretations. I’ve been working/playing with it recently and I have three observations I would like to make. Before I get into the observation-making business, let … Continue reading →

Posted in Biblical Studies, Paying Attention, Theology, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Reflections on Ireland, 2017

Posted on May 16, 2017 by hessd

As I write this, it is just after noon in Dublin, where I had breakfast yesterday.  It is just after 4:00 a.m. in Portland, Oregon where, when Starbucks opens, I will have breakfast today.  My mind is still full of … Continue reading →

Posted in Living My Life, Travel | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments