Have we come to expect public lies?

Written by Bob Woelk Wednesday, 10 October 2007 11:54

We expect Fidel Castro to lie to us. We assume Osama Bin Ladin is telling lies when he makes one of his infamous videotapes. But, are our fellow Americans feeding us fabrications on a regular basis?

Probably. Do we care? Probably not. And, that’s the sad part. We are beginning to expect a lack of truth in all segments of society, from sports to school, from the president to the preacher.

This past week highlighted the kinds of tall tales we are being told on a regular basis. The president made good on his threat to veto SCHIP, the bill that would provide extended health coverage to U.S. children, saying the measure would lead to socialized medicine and would allow kids to get free care who didn’t deserve it.

According to National...

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Taking a chance on a trip to France

Written by Bob Woelk Wednesday, 12 September 2007 10:59

“The world is a great book. Those who do not travel far from home read only the first page.” This quote presented by Brother Ron Luksic set the stage for a whirlwind weekend workshop I attended over Labor Day in Paris.

That’s France, not Texas.

As my plan lifted off the ground Thursday afternoon, I was certainly filled with apprehension. This was my first trip out the United States. The first step was a flight from Wichita to Chicago, a short jaunt of 90 minutes or so. The plane was small, but the opening leg of the journey was uneventful.

I boarded a second aircraft at O’Hare, and only then did I meet the other members of the Kansas delegation to the orientation we were all attending put on by EF Tours, the largest...

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An odd fit between traditional labels

Written by Bob Woelk Wednesday, 08 August 2007 09:05

I was filling out an on-line survey a month or two ago, and one of the questions concerned where I would place myself on a political scale. The range spanned “very conservative” to “very liberal.” I recognized it to be a good question. I wasn’t sure exactly how to answer.

I realize many readers of the Free Press probably consider my views to be on the liberal side. I seldom agree with what so-called conservative Republicans are doing when it comes to the government.



It is no secret I am not a fan of our current president, nor do I care for most of his cronies. I am solidly against the war in Iraq. I thought it was a bad idea before the decision was made to send in U.S. troops. I still believe it is a bad idea to be...

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10 commandments just not enough

Written by Hillsboro Free Press Wednesday, 11 July 2007 06:26

The Pope, God bless him, issued a set of “Ten Command­ments” for drivers last month, telling motorists to be charitable to others on the highways, to refrain from drinking and driving and to take time to pray before they even buckle up, according to an Associated Press story on the unusual document from the Vatican’s office.

The Pontiff stated that vehicles can be “an occasion of sin”—particularly when they are used for dangerous passing or for prostitution.

Driving can bring out “primitive” behavior in motorists, including “impoliteness, rude gestures, cursing, blasphemy, loss of sense of responsibility or deliberate infringement of the highway code.”

It’s not that the Pope has anything against driving. His...

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