R. R. Reno

Black Power, White Fear I first saw them when I was thirteen or fourteen. They were frightening, that group of well-groomed, serious young black men in pressed suits standing on the corner of Greenmount and North Avenues in Baltimore. Nation of Islam. Even a sheltered kid from the suburbs like me . . . . Continue Reading »

After I posted about the implications of Scottish Cardinal O’Brien’s resignation amidst allegations of sexual misconduct, I’ve found myself swept up into the surging currents of Rod Dreher’s blog . Given that Rod says a great deal, there’s of course a great deal that . . . . Continue Reading »

In a long post , Rod Dreher takes the measure of the recent resignation of Cardinal O’Brien of Scotland in the wake of charges of untoward advances on seminarians and young priests some thirty years ago. I have no particular desire to defend the honor, innocence, or reputation of Cardinal . . . . Continue Reading »

There is a growing political divide between the irreligious and religious. A recent Pew study  shows that those who have no religious affiliation (Nones) are the single most ideologically committed cohort of white Americans, rivaled only by Evangelical Protestants. They overwhelmingly support . . . . Continue Reading »

I thought he was dead, but no. Garry Wills has a new book out, and he’s making the rounds on TV talk shows. The new Wills is the old Wills, which means the liberal Catholic who is angry at the Church. Why Priests? falls below his usual low standards. The main thesis is that priests ruin everything. They’re power-hungry monsters who’ve taken over the Church, destroying the affirming, companionable, and egalitarian message of Jesus… . Continue Reading »

“Girls”—-the cable TV sitcom featuring young women recently graduated from Oberlin College who hook up, text about it, fret about it, and generally live the soft hedonism of elite culture—-is Seinfeld for millennials. Some think it exemplifies the decadence of upper middle . . . . Continue Reading »

With the announcement of his resignation, Pope Benedict signals the end of the heroic generation. No longer will the Catholic Church be run by a man who was a participant at the Second Vatican Council, the three years in the life of the Church that have defined so much of the last fifty… . Continue Reading »

Today’s New York Times features an op ed by former executive editor Bill Keller. He weighs in on the religious liberty debate, especially the question of whether owners of for-profit companies can claim rights of religious liberty. It’s not the most clear-minded piece, but it raises the . . . . Continue Reading »

Big Labor was once a pillar of the Democratic party. Today it’s giving way to a new liberalism, one largely concerned with consolidating the cultural changes of the last half-century. Penny Pritzker’s name has been floated as the nominee for Commerce Secretary. Her family is fabulously wealthy and has a reputation for sharp business dealings… . Continue Reading »

“Strong, oddly cautious, a bit common (how cd he not be with those parents?) but unemotional, terre à terre, tough, quick, independent, ruthless, soulless, gifted, serious, anxious to pick up whatever he can.” So wrote Isaiah Berlin to his wife after meeting John Kennedy. The letter . . . . Continue Reading »