A Path Forward: Diversity, equity and inclusion efforts imperfect, but necessary
“I’ll wash your mouth out with soap!” As a kid, that threat was enough to keep me from telling a lie or using certain four-letter words. Your parents may have...
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Public service vies for worst job in America
Some jobs are notoriously hard to fill in industries ranging from health care to manufacturing to public safety. Financial news and opinion company 24/7 Wall St. constructed an occupation index...
Youth-led movement confronts homelessness in San Diego
According to psychologists, the human brain is wired to stereotype, as a way to categorize and process information. Given the inputs bombarding us daily, I understand the desirability. But when...
The potluck supper: A model of diversity in America
If you grew up in the Midwest, like I did, you know the appeal of a potluck supper. Beyond the scrumptious food, there is a sense of community as people...
Ethics in sports go beyond winning and losing
With the Super Bowl next weekend, most Americans have a case of football fever. A record 200.5 million adults plan to tune in to the big game this year, according...
Uncertainty ahead with half of adults worldwide going to polls
Somehow, traveling across the globe to Japan — as I recently did — has a way of reminding a person of our interconnectedness. While it may be thousands of miles...
Holidays heighten basic need to belong
When you think about it, this most wonderful time of the year is all about connection: to family and friends, to beloved traditions, to fond memories — old and new.It’s...
2023: The year of the worker
As 2023 comes to a close, I am struck by the advances that workers made this year, across sectors.Some of you may be nodding your head and thinking, “It’s about...
Sandra Day O’Connor: A paragon of civility and moderation
Reading remembrances of the late Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, I’m transported to a bygone era, when civility, moderation and pragmatism mattered.O’Connor died on Dec. 1 at the age...
As trauma surges, so does need for trauma-informed communications
Soon, the onslaught of “year in review” assessments will begin. We’ll see lists of the best (and worst) movies, the best books and the best music, to name a few....
Gratitude, this holiday weekend, for Peter Seidler
“The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good.”This quote has been attributed to both writer Samuel Johnson and advice columnist...
This baseball season, a big bet pays off
Baseball and gambling have a long, intertwined history. Back in 1919, eight players from the Chicago White Sox, including star hitter “Shoeless Joe” Jackson, conspired to throw the 1919 World...
Ready or not, the presidential election is one year away
It’s T-minus one year until the next presidential election in the United States. I hate to say it, but I’m feeling a sense of dread — not about the likely...
Intergenerational workforce brings challenges, opportunities
Workplaces today are more diverse than ever. Mostly, we think of diversity in terms of gender or race or ethnicity, but for the first time in history, we have five...
New program provides pathways for youth to thrive
If you are or were the parent of a teenager, you know: They like to test limits. They push your buttons or act out in harmful ways, or both. We...
Concerns persist as Supreme Court returns to work
What do herring fishermen, gun rights advocates and Elon Musk have in common?Their connection is the U.S. Supreme Court: Each has an interest in a case that will be considered...
Discerning fact from fiction grows more difficult — and more critical
As the parent of three grown children, I can say with certainty they have asked me hundreds of questions over the years on many different topics. I can also say...
Democracy is winning, but there’s work to do
Most Americans are steadfast in certain beliefs, especially when it comes to their personal rights: among them, freedom of speech, freedom to assemble and freedom of religion — all enshrined...
Declining interest in civic education hurts our democracy
Happy Constitution Day! If you somehow forgot to mark your calendar, you’re probably not alone. The federal observance was established by law in 2004, to commemorate the signing of the...
As trust erodes, labor actions gain momentum
For many, Labor Day was like any Monday holiday: the perfect excuse to kick back, relax and think about anything other than work — a bit ironic, considering its origin....
When a kiss is more than “just a kiss”
Movie lovers fondly remember the scene in Casablanca when Sam is coaxed by Ilsa to sing “As Time Goes By.” The song begins with these words: “You must remember this,...
School year starts with challenges and promise
With Hilary havoc behind them, schools across San Diego County are now open and ready for learning.The unusual start aside, I wonder if this academic year will mark a return...
New approaches needed to resolve climate change debate
When it comes to contentious issues in America, our cup runneth over. You know the list: guns, immigration and border security, reproductive freedom, LGBTQ rights — and the one that...
Once safe havens, libraries now a surprising battleground
Rancho Peñasquitos?Glimpsing The New York Times on my recent travels, I was surprised to see a story about the Rancho Peñasquitos branch of the San Diego Public Library. In case...
Democracy at risk as harassment of public officials escalates
Harassment, intimidation and threats have become a way of life for public officials. When I read reports from around the country, I can’t help but wonder: Why would anyone want...
Institution of sports mirrors societal flaws
As an institution, sports are a microcosm of society — imperfect and even flawed. But lately, sports have gotten downright ugly.In an interview last month, tennis star Sloane Stephens told...
Workplaces set sights on building culture of belonging
Thirty years ago, the Ms. Foundation launched Take Our Daughters to Work Day to shine a light on career possibilities for young girls. Before long, it was decided that boys...
Center for Civility hosts conference on community-led approach to youth justice
When it comes to America’s reliance on mass incarceration as punishment or a deterrent to crime, I’m an open book. Our standing as the world’s No. 2 jailer, behind China,...
As culture wars rage, character matters — even for large corporations
At the Iowa State Fair in 2011, Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney famously said, “Corporations are people, my friend.” Romney was being heckled for his views on corporate tax policy....
NCRC celebrates local and national peacemakers
We’ve made it a habit to talk about the things that are wrong with our country: the discord and divisiveness, the violence and vitriol. We wonder and worry about what...
For women, equality still elusive
On this Mother’s Day, I find myself thinking about two very different stories that may be related.In the first story, U.N. Women recently reported that women are underrepresented at all...
Peacemaker Award winner seeking justice for all
As a consumer, I expect certain things to be reliable. A reliable product provides a consistent, predictable experience when used. When I pick up a hammer, I know that with...
In Fox News settlement, mediation wins the day
In my early days as a mediator in Washington, D.C., I shared an office with Jerry Roscoe. He was a nice enough guy and smart, too, always eager to work...
Escalating conflict a blight on park experience
A couple of weeks ago, I gave the keynote speech at the California Park & Recreation Society conference here in San Diego. More than 1,600 park and recreation professionals from...
As mental health emerges from shadows, America gains
It’s back-to-work week for Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman, following his release from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center at the end of March. Fetterman had checked in six weeks prior...
MLB rules changes give new meaning to “Play ball!”
Hank Aaron, considered one of the greatest baseball players in history (and a personal hero of mine), once said, “In playing ball, and in life, a person occasionally gets the...
Name, image and likeness rules change face of college sports
Even if college basketball isn’t your thing, you may be feeling a tinge of excitement about our hometown team, the San Diego State University Aztecs. As I write this, the...
Three years post-lockdown, long COVID takes on new meaning
On March 13, 2020, our lives changed in inestimable ways. It was the day President Donald Trump declared a national emergency concerning the coronavirus disease outbreak. A week later, California...
In eastern Ohio, crisis communications are off the rails
It’s been a month since a Norfolk Southern train derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, a town of 4,700 residents near the Pennsylvania border. The 150-car train was carrying chemicals and...
A tale of two Americas, east and west
Last I checked, our country is still called the United States of America. But from the perspective of Black Americans, it must feel like we’re split in two. At least,...
This President’s Day eve, lamenting the demise of decorum
Watching President Joe Biden deliver the State of the Union address a couple of weeks ago, I was struck but unsurprised by members of Congress shouting at him.Virginia Republican Rep....
Chicken wings, nachos and a helping of word salad
Today’s Super Bowl matchup between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs is expected to draw 100 million viewers. I’ll be watching too, all the while dreaming about next season’s...
Mass shootings: The new normal in the new year?
January 2023 will be remembered as a murderous month. Forty mass shootings were committed in the United States and more than 60 people died.As defined by the Gun Violence Archive,...
Overcoming generational divides — like it or not
On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, I had the privilege of attending a talk given by renowned trumpeter and composer Terence Blanchard. A native of New Orleans, Blanchard started his...
Higher than expected call volume? Give us a break.
Groundhog Day is just around the corner, and if you’ve seen the movie by the same name, you likely remember the plot: A TV weatherman goes on location to report...
As new year begins, old troubles plague our schools
While media attention has been focused on Washington, D.C., and the early moves of House Republicans (following Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s messy election to become speaker), I’ve been reflecting a lot...
Celebrating the life of Pele, on and off the field
I must admit: When it comes to football, I’m a fan of the American kind. And since I grew up in Wisconsin, you needn’t wonder which team is my favorite....
Let’s resolve to be more selfless in the new year
The turn of the year provides a unique opportunity for reflection before the chaos of our daily lives takes over. Service providers seem to know we are drawn to this...
Holiday joy obscures loneliness epidemic in America
The holiday hubbub is all around us — and with it, scenes of happy people, celebrating with loved ones. But the joyful imagery obscures a very real problem in our...
Unexpected alliances emerge in passage of same-sex marriage measure
While other months of the year are filled with religious celebrations, December somehow feels extra packed. We tend to think of Christmas and Hanukkah, observed by Christians and Jews, but...
Hunger in America: A problem we can solve
For the fortunate among us, ‘tis the season of abundance. In my household, the Thanksgiving turkey is leftover no longer. At last. For the less fortunate — especially people who...
Swimmers find community and celebrate best day ever
“It’s the first time we’ve seen each other in clothes.”Lest you think I had a different sort of Thanksgiving, I heard this from someone who’s a member of the Del...
Grandpa Frank, Cousin Franny and the drama-free Thanksgiving
For many Americans, Thanksgiving is a favorite holiday. We have treasured traditions: football and food, the Macy’s parade, a midafternoon nap.This year, our meal is expected to cost more than...
Reflecting on Tuesday’s midterm elections and thinking about 2024
It was a sound heard coast to coast following Tuesday’s midterms: a collective sigh of relief that the election was crazy-free, for the most part, with little violence and few...
Political polarization: The latest threat to workplace culture
Here’s an election prediction that’s easy to make: Feelings of polarization in our country will only deepen after Tuesday’s midterms. There will be questions about the integrity of the vote...
Iranian protests cast worldwide light on status of women
For the women of Iran, the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini at the hands of the morality police was the proverbial “last straw.” Amini was arrested for violating Iran’s strict...
Women’s soccer is latest chapter in #MeToo saga
Back in May, I wrote that it seemed to be the “best of times” for women’s soccer in the U.S. I made that pronouncement after hearing about the landmark collective...
Creativity up to bat in fight against homelessness
When slugger Juan Soto joined the San Diego Padres in August, it signaled a commitment to winning by team owners. And win they did: This weekend, the Padres are playing...
Sarver fouls out as Phoenix Suns owner
If there was a “Mensch of the Year” award, I know one thing for sure: Robert Sarver, owner of the Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury, wouldn’t win it.A mensch, in...
Border problems not solved by migrant relocations
The expression “out of sight, out of mind” was first coined in the 1500s. Now it’s a commonly used phrase. I never imagined it would become a governing principle.Many of...
Reconciling antisemitism and free speech on college campuses
Classes are under way at many colleges and universities around the country. So are acts of antisemitism.At my alma mater, University of Wisconsin-Madison, the fall semester is off to an...
Compassion and understanding still lacking in classroom lessons about 9/11
Muslim students are grateful that this 21st anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks falls on a Sunday, when there’s no school.It’s because we still teach about the events...
In workers we trust — or do we?
This Labor Day weekend, I find myself thinking about work ethic — and what it really means in the aftermath of the pandemic.We’ve long defined work ethic as a commitment:...
In America, teachers absent as return to school begins
The return to school is in full swing for America’s students. But not for America’s teachers.The media landscape is filled with reports of teacher shortages, preceded by adjectives like massive,...
Golf is latest victim of factionalization
The “gentleman’s sport” of golf has become downright ungentlemanly. But it’s not because so many women are playing the game.The Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) Tour, which has controlled the sport...
Alex Jones and the limits of free speech
Ten years ago, our country was aghast as we learned of the murders of 20 first-graders and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn.Many of us thought...
It’s time to end the climate change debate
Summer is a season of rituals: walks on the beach, picnics in the park, camping under the stars. My summer ritual is a family pilgrimage to the beautiful Minnesota Northwoods.I...
As summer begins, thinking about our drought problem: empathy
In the rainless season we call summer in California, images of shrinking bodies of water have a way of looming large.After more than 22 years of drought compounded by warmer...
Toward Becoming an Antiracist: The Journey Continues
At the beginning of last year, I made an unusual resolution: to embark on a personal journey to become an antiracist.I was influenced by a convergence of events in 2020...
Civility on Trial in Depp-Heard Defamation Case
In the spectacle that was the Johnny Depp-Amber Heard defamation trial, which recently concluded, incivility was on full display.It wasn’t just the plaintiff (Depp) or the defendant (Heard) who behaved...
No simple answers in effort to stop mass shootings
It’s impossible to make sense of the May 24 tragedy at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, where 19 schoolchildren and two teachers lost their lives. As the horrifying details...
For working women, the best and worst of times
Last weekend was bittersweet for me. The baby of the Dinkin family – my daughter – graduated from college.As I consider the kind of world she’s walking into, I acknowledge,...
Democracy in peril as distrust is weaponized
With primary season under way around the country — and elections in California taking place soon — I find myself wondering why people still run for public office.Once upon a...
Let’s reimagine policing in the post-Floyd era
Nearly two years have passed since the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin. The pain of that day revealed a need to rethink policing and how...
Still searching for the perfect Mother’s Day gift?
It’s mothers who are getting all the attention today, thanks to Anna Jarvis, who founded Mother’s Day in 1908.Jarvis conceived of Mother’s Day as an intimate occasion — an opportunity...
NCRC celebrates local and national peacemakers
Our years are filled with special occasions to celebrate. But this year, the birthdays and bar mitzvahs, the weddings and anniversaries — well, they somehow feel even more special, now...
With Jackson pick, Supreme Court looks more like America
Men 5. Women 4.SCOTUS scorekeepers will recognize right away that I’m referring to the gender split, now that Ketanji Brown Jackson has been confirmed as our next Supreme Court justice....
Trans youth are latest target of parental angst
The ongoing culture war that’s being waged in our schools has a new battleground. It’s spelled LGBTQ — and the “T” (which stands for transgender) is getting the most attention...
As political divides deepen, so do family fissures
Remember James and Jennifer Crumbley?They are the Michigan couple who bought a handgun for their son, Ethan, as a Christmas gift last year. He allegedly used the gun to kill...
Social media: The newest weapon of war
Last week, I wrote about the conflict in Ukraine: how I was taken by the stories and pictures of Ukrainians proudly defending their country.This week, I’ve been struck by the...
Ukrainian conflict begs question: Why fight a culture war?
As the conflict in Ukraine continues, I am taken by the stories and pictures of the Ukrainian people proudly defending their families, their homes and their way of life.Video clips...
Finding right words, striking right tone in State of the Union address
On Tuesday, President Joe Biden will deliver his first State of the Union address. I wonder: Which Biden will we see? The all-powerful wizard or a mere mortal — the...
Social media and the future of democracy
If you’re still weary from the 2020 presidential election, you’d better steel your nerves. Midterm election primaries are practically upon us.The season begins on March 1 in Texas. There’s a...
Thinking about race relations, with ‘Trouble in Mind’
The play “Trouble in Mind” opened recently at The Old Globe theater, and it’s got me wondering how far we’ve come as a nation — and where we are headed...
Immigration reform: It’s a lot like Groundhog Day
The situation at the U.S.-Mexico border feels a lot like Groundhog Day, minus Punxsutawney Phil.Groundhog Day was celebrated at Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney, Pa., on Wednesday. Phil left his burrow...
At the Burnham Center, it’s community before self
It’s not mathematically correct, but I’ve long believed that 1+1=3 — that people working together can accomplish more than each person working on their own.One sport that’s all about teamwork...
A tale of two COVIDs: The selfless and the selfish
In the third year of a global pandemic, our focus is decidedly local. That’s understandable: Things like mask mandates and worker shortages affect our everyday lives.Even still, a story from...
Let’s reframe our narrative to honor Dr. King
Tomorrow, our country remembers civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. King envisioned a world where his children wouldn’t be judged by the color of their skin, but...
A worthwhile resolution: Countering our culture of contempt
The turn of the year is a time of possibility for so many of us. We resolve to make changes — sometimes small, sometimes big — to better ourselves. We...
Shining a light on the issue of mental health
As 2021 comes to a close, I’m finding it hard to believe that the pandemic still looms large in our country. Predictions abound that January will be challenging, thanks to...
In search of civil discourse
It’s not just kids making wish lists this holiday season. School boards around the country are making their lists, too. At the top: a return to the good old days,...
Another school shooting reminds us: It takes a village
Oxford High School, in Oxford, Mich., seems like a lot of other schools across the country. Its vision is to provide a world-class education that prepares students to succeed in...
Tribalism in the great outdoors: It’s the NoBos vs. SoBos
There’s no denying it: We’re in full-on holiday crunch mode now. That means overindulging in everything but sleep. This year, we have something new to fret about, as supply chain...
Celebrating our cornucopia of contention
For the fortunate among us, Thanksgiving is a time of abundance. If there’s one theme that holds true, people eat a lot on the holiday.Accounting for appetizers and desserts, the...
The social contract we all should sign
A few weeks ago, I admitted in this column to being on my last nerve when it comes to the anti-(COVID) vaccination crowd. I described their disregard for the rest...
Lincoln vs. Cathedral: It’s bigger than football
Reform is hard.It can’t happen when people on the two sides of an issue are dug in, defiant and defensive. There must be a willingness to find common ground —...
Vaccine mandates: An impasse that hits close to home
On this Halloween, there’s no masking the truth: When it comes to vaccine mandates, our country is at an impasse.There are passionately held convictions on both sides of the issue....
Accountability, not cancellation, can be a force for change
Six months ago, I predicted that “cancel culture” would win phrase-of-the-year honors from Merriam-Webster. There’s still a lot of it going around, and it angers both liberals and conservatives depending...
The new schoolyard brawl: It’s adults who are fighting
We all remember the schoolyard brawls of our childhoods: fights in the playground between students, often chalked up as a rite of passage by parents, teachers and school administrators. “Kids...
Misconceptions abound as Islamophobia persists
There’s a menacing disease in our country that won’t go away. We’ve had it for 20 years or longer. And it affects more than 3.5 million Americans.I’m talking about Islamophobia....