Robert Begley's Articles
History
Celebrating Civil War Victories and Individualism
Robert Begley July 2, 2013
This week marks the 150th anniversary of two pivotal Union victories during the American Civil War: Gettysburg and Vicksburg. The Battle of Gettysburg is widely known. Sparked by Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s invasion of northern territory, where he hoped to put the Union on the defensive, the three-day clash…
Arts & Culture
The Boston Tea Party Opera: An Ode to the Spirit of American Independence
Robert Begley June 25, 2013
Imagine a romantic opera that features such revolutionary era characters as Paul Revere, Sam Adams, and James Otis. You might understandably assume that such a work had been written a long time ago, when romanticism and the American Revolution were more highly regarded by the culture. This opera, however, was…
Education & Parenting
Homeschooling Family Shows That Children Can Learn More and Faster
Robert Begley June 19, 2013
The well-documented abysmal failure of government schools has prompted a homeschooling boom, as many parents have chosen to retain or regain control of their children’s education instead of leaving it in the hands of the state. One inspiring example comes by way of the Harding family. The parents, Kip and…
Politics & Rights
Fox News Defends Free Speech with Moral Clarity
Robert Begley June 10, 2013
Recently the Justice Department accused Fox News correspondent James Rosen of criminally conspiring to publish sensitive security information about how North Korea might respond to new UN sanctions. In investigating this case, the FBI seized Rosen’s phone and email records. In response, Fox News launched a principled defense of the…
Politics & Rights, Reviews
Review: Righteous Indignation, by Andrew Breitbart
Robert Begley May 20, 2013
Robert Begley reviews Righteous Indignation: Excuse Me While I Save the World, by Andrew Breitbart.
Politics & Rights
Judge Narragansett’s Solution to Congress’s Shady Trading
Robert Begley May 7, 2013
When members of Congress can gain financially by supporting, blocking, or rigging legislation that affects their investments, they have an unacceptable conflict of interests. Last year, Barack Obama signed a law intended to solve or at least mitigate the problem—the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge (STOCK) Act. A major provision…
Science & Technology
Alex Epstein Visits Vassar: Some Students Learn, Others Disrupt
Robert Begley April 10, 2013
"Fossil Fuels Improve the Planet," Alex Epstein argued in a March 29 talk (which I attended) at Vassar College. The event almost didn’t take place. Student members of the group 350.org—which opposes the development of fossil fuels—petitioned to have the talk canceled. When that didn’t work, some set out to…
History, Reviews
Review: Alexander Hamilton, by Ron Chernow
Robert Begley August 20, 2012
Robert Begley reviews Alexander Hamilton, by Ron Chernow.