A Life Worth Remembering
I wrote this piece for the Gaston Gazette to honor Scotty Carrigan, who recently passed away. On May 5, my high school classmate, Scotty Carrigan died. His obituary said simply that Scotty was born in Gastonia on June 26, 1947. He died in Atlanta where he was cremated. Two dates separated by nearly 70 years:…Read More
Recently at the Gaston Gazette: The Luckiest Boy on the Planet
Here’s an excerpt from my latest piece, “The Luckiest Boy on the Planet,” which was recently published in the Gaston Gazette: When I joined my new classmates, they were at morning recess on the playground across from the school. I quickly found some boys with whom I had played baseball and football. As we stood…Read More
The Last Full Measure
Before and following the Civil War it was customary to decorate the graves of fallen soldiers or to decorate the graves of one’s family and friends. Decoration Day eventually became Memorial Day, a day when we celebrate those who have given their lives in our country’s defense. Today’s decorations are usually small American flags stuck…Read More
Duty, Honor, Country
I recently attended a funeral. I barely knew the person who had died. But I know and love his parents. My heart sank as I saw them standing solemnly at the front of their church, hugging those who took the time to comfort them. In their humble sorrow they acknowledged what we all know instinctively—parents…Read More
How to Make America Great Again
There was a time in America when people from vastly different cultures and experiences respected one another; when men opened doors for women; when children understood that adults were in charge; when people in authority were venerated; when those who had worked hard to achieve higher levels of education and understanding were esteemed; when discourse…Read More
An Anchor Baby’s American Exceptionalism
This is a letter to the editor, which I wrote in response to an article in the Wall Street Journal titled “American Exceptionalism and Why I’m Proud to Be an ‘Anchor Baby’” by Raymond Yung Lin. Raymond Yung Lin has far more standing to articulate the views and perspectives of immigrants who come to this…Read More
What Makes a Hero?
The following is a letter to the editor, which was published in the Gaston Gazette on August 1, 2015: That Sen. John McCain felt no compunction to respond to Donald Trump’s assertion that he is no hero illustrates one of the primary attributes of virtually every hero I have known — humility. Unencumbered by bone…Read More
The Origins of An Act of War
As an aging Vietnam veteran and writer I sometimes reflect on the war and my involvement in it. I was young, just twenty years old. I turned twenty-one on October 14, 1968 as my unit slogged through the jungle near the Cambodian border. It was on a trail leading into Vietnam from Cambodia that we…Read More
Why I Wrote Confessions of a Preacher’s Kid
My father’s first church was Riverside Baptist in Cramerton, North Carolina. The parsonage, a small mill house, was less than fifty yards from the South Fork River. Growing up in Cramerton was a delightful experience. As a child, on summer days, I usually left home after breakfast, returned for a quick lunch, and then left…Read More
My Books
