It was on this date, March 9, 1951, that writer and editor Michael Kinsley was born. Over his career he has been editor of The New Republic, columnist for the Washington Post and co-host of the CNN program “Crossfire.” In a 2007 article called “God Is Their Running Mate,” Kinsley observed, “These days presidential candidates […]

It was on this date, November 24, 1632, that Portuguese-Jewish philosopher Baruch Spinoza was born in Amsterdam to a family settled in Holland. The family were Portuguese crypto-Jews – that is, Jews forcibly converted to Christianity while secretly remaining Jewish. Spinoza was a bright student in the Talmud Torah school and might have become a […]

Sir Robert Walpole (1676) On this date, August 26, 1676, the British statesman Sir Robert Walpole, first Earl of Orford, was born in Houghton Hall, Norfolk. Educated at Eton College and Cambridge University, he entered Parliament in 1701 at the age of 25 and rose to become one of the greatest statesmen of eighteenth century […]

The following is a commentary in an ongoing series of “Reflections” by John Mill. John Mill is the radio persona of Ronald Bruce Meyer and can be heard on “American Heathen.” “The American Heathen” Internet radio broadcast is aired, live, on Friday nights from 7:00pm-10:00pm Central time on ShockNetRadio.com Patriots and Scoundrels A Reflection by […]

Maryland Charter (1632): Catholic Toleration in Maryland It was on this date, June 20, 1632, that Cecilius Calvert, the second Lord Baltimore, was issued a charter by Charles I of England (1600-1649), entitling him to create a Catholic colony in the New World that became known as Maryland. This charter was originally intended for George […]

Alexander Pushkin (1799) It was on this date, June 6, 1799, that the greatest Russian poet and the founder of modern Russian literature, Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin (Алекса́ндр Серге́евич Пу́шкин), was born in Moscow. His great-grandfather, Hannibal, was a black African émigré who had served Peter the Great. His family was aristocratic but poor. Nevertheless, Pushkin […]

The following is a commentary in an ongoing series of “Reflections” by John Mill. John Mill is the radio persona of Ronald Bruce Meyer and can be heard on “American Heathen.” “The American Heathen” Internet radio broadcast is aired, live, on Friday nights from 7:00pm-10:00pm Central time on ShockNetRadio.com What’s the Harm? A Reflection by […]

And I say to mankind, Be not curious about God, ... I hear and behold God in every object, yet understand God not in the least ...

The following is a commentary in an ongoing series of “Reflections” by John Mill. John Mill is the radio persona of Ronald Bruce Meyer and can be heard on “American Heathen.” “The American Heathen” Internet radio broadcast is aired, live, on Friday nights from 7:00pm-10:00pm Central time on ShockNetRadio.com An Un-American Education A Reflection by […]