Keith Burgess-Jackson, J.D., Ph.D.

The editorial board of the New York Times appears to be unaware that the policies of the Left have caused the social problems it now decries.

It's the first day of summer in the Northern Hemisphere. I'm a third of the way through my 15-week summer break and enjoying it immensely.

Ah Via Musicom (1990). Mind-blowing.

We parked our rental car at one of the trailheads in Red Rock Canyon and hiked on one of the many trails (Pine Creek Canyon). This is the view from where we parked. Click to enlarge.

Here.

Here.

To the Editor:

Re “In Footsteps of Popes Seeking Worldly Change” (front page, June 19):

How ironic that the religious right is taking issue with the pope’s document on the environment. His stance is clearly rooted in Christian teachings, in the biblical “wonder and awe” bestowed on those who embrace the faith.

Put simply, wonder and awe is a reverence and respect for the beauty of the physical world around us—our environment. The pope’s encyclical has little to do with politics and everything to do with religion. His speaking out on this social issue is courageous and timely.

ANN ROSSBACH

Rumson, N.J.

Note from KBJ: Did you read the part about abortion, Ann? That part, too, is "clearly rooted in Christian teachings, in the biblical 'wonder and awe' bestowed on those who embrace the faith." Is his speaking out on that social issue also "courageous and timely"? If not, why not?

We drove the 13-mile loop (scenic drive) at Red Rock Canyon. I stopped to photograph this sign. Click to enlarge.

Alex Rodriguez (a.k.a. A-Roid, because he's an admitted cheater) got his 3,000th Major League hit this evening. (I watched it live on MLB Network.) The fan who caught the ball is a collector; he says he'll keep it. If I were that fan, I would tell A-Roid that it's his for a cool million dollars. A-Roid's salary is $22,000,000 this year, and he has earned $378,000,000 in his career (with $42,000,000 more guaranteed). He won't miss a million.

This is interesting, for it sheds light on how Barack Obama sees himself and his presidency. Did he think (does he think) that Congress should submit to him? Congress is an equal branch of government; not only does it not have an obligation to submit to the president, it shouldn't submit. Our government is designed to slow things down. In order to get something done, many people must work together, and all of them must be beholden to the people. Obama has never run anything. This is his first executive office. He has proved repeatedly that he has reached his level of incompetence. About the only thing I can imagine him doing successfully is teaching law; but, by all indications, he wasn't successful at that, either.

Obama has the mentality of a thug. Time after time, he has injected himself in disputes that have nothing to do with his presidential responsibilities, as though he can't resist the temptation to tell everyone his opinion, or as though he thinks of himself as our national preceptor. He has divided this country in ways previously unimagined. He acts as though he is the president of black people rather than of people generally. He argues dishonestly, by setting up straw versions of his opponents' arguments. He is aloof, arrogant, elitist, and condescending. He bristles at the slightest criticism of him or his policies. He is quick to question the motives and impugn the integrity of anyone with whom he disagrees. Instead of viewing criticism as something that comes with the office, and that every president faces, he views it as racism. The man's skin color has helped him far more than it has hurt him, but still he plays the victim. I could go on, but you get the idea. Obama is a disgrace to the office. He will go down in history as one of the worst presidents ever.

I hope Americans learn from their terrible mistake. They elected a man not on the basis of his accomplishments, character, values, or demonstrated leadership abilities, but because of his skin color. Talk about superficial! Maybe some good will come of these eight years, after all.