If you read literature, you put yourself in somebody else's shoes. You learn from great figures in literature.

A government of, by and for the people is obligated to conduct the nation's business in a manner that respects dissent.

The majority of U.S. high school students don't know within 50 years when the Civil War occurred.

If you read literature, you put yourself in somebody else's shoes. You learn from great figures in literature.

America somehow thinks that leadership relates to governance, and it certainly does. But society is much bigger than governance, and some of the truly great leadership of our society is outside the governance arena.

There's probably a little greater case for pessimism than optimism. But I do not rule out optimism.

Iraqis have held elections and have recently put together their government, all encouraging developments.