It’s time to change our change

The obverse of the Eisenhower Dollar, which was minted from 1971 to 1978.

Lately, there has been a lot of talk about making changes to U.S. coinage. Some think making changes to the standard line-up of pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters is unfathomable, but I think it’s long over-due, and certainly not without precedence. Let’s not forget that at one time, we had 3 cent and 20 cent coins.

I’ve heard several proposals, so I figured I would throw out my own. First, I would get rid of the penny. Inflation has increased prices exponentially over the past several decades, yet we still cling to this miniscule denomination that is a drain on mint resources, and normally ignored by the typical consumer. Think about it: Do you really value a penny?

Many proposals suggest getting rid of the nickel, since it costs so much to make in relation to its face value. I’d actually suggest eliminating the dime before the nickel, since two nickels can substitute for the dime. With that said, this isn’t one of the important changes we need to make. No, the most important change we can make is to get rid of the $1 bill.
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Honoring a Ku Klux Klan leader

Confederate General Nathaniel Bedford Forrest

There is currently a proposal in Mississippi to honor Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest on a new license plate. Supporters feel it is well-deserved, since General Forrest was considered a tactical genius. His attributes haven’t been disputed, but the fact that he was an early leader of the Ku Klux Klan has caused many to raise eyebrows. » read more

Hyphens make you a semi-American

Are you a hypenated-American?

I remember talking to my friend and her son a few years ago, and someone described a person as being “black”. Her son, who was about 11 years old snapped that the term “African-American” should be used. I disagreed then, and I disagree even more strongly now.

As a caucasian white guy, I’m not offended by being referred to as “white”. What really bugs me is when people hyphenate themselves. My great-grandparents came to the United States from Italy in the early 1900′s. I don’t refer to myself as Italian-American, and I wouldn’t want anyone else to place this label on me. I’m tired of hearing about how people are Italian-American, African-American, Mexican-American, Chinese-American, or Irish-American. The common thread in all these atrocious labels is “American”. Unfortunately, many of us seem intent on watering down our American identity by holding onto something from our past that will never compare. » read more

Why can’t more days be like Easter

With Easter Sunday right around the corner, you probably already have plans. For most of you, your Easter plans might be much different than your typical Sunday. Since it’s a holiday, you might have rearranged your day in order to spend it with your family. That’s nice, but why do it only on holidays?

We have a tendency to get caught up in the minutiae of our lives and become so focused on the small, inconsequential things, that we lose sight of the people and things that are truly important. Holidays like Easter, Christmas, and Thanksgiving are important, since they act as a touchstone, almost as a way to slow down and take a moment to appreciate what is really important. » read more