Oklahoma is often in the news with regards to religious matters and we have even recently discussed the state’s controversial handling of religious Christian symbolism in the form of the Ten Commandments being placed upon the Capitol’s lawn. You can read about that matter here. Recently, a tragic story made headlines when a man who Read More

People have been adopting children in our country since before we were a country. Adoption then was a very different process from adoption today. In large part, prior to 1851, adoption was less focused on child rearing than it was the burden to adults. In the mid 1800’s however, Massachusetts passed the 1851 Adoption of Read More

When our grandchildren look back on the year 2016 in their history classes, they may very well find it under a chapter titled something like “2016 Controversies: A Year of Elections, Olympics, and Bathroom-Related Lawsuits.” Although the first two subjects only really demand our undivided attention every four years, the ongoing disagreements over bathroom laws Read More

If you watch the news or television at all, then you have undoubtedly seen the recent presidential campaigns lambasting each opponent. Recently, Donald Trump claimed that if he loses Pennsylvania in the election, it would only mean one thing – voter fraud. He said in no uncertain terms that if Hillary Clinton wins the state, Read More

We often talk about religious oppression in the United States. From increased TSA pat downs infringing on personal religions to issues surrounding the separation of church and state, there are a multitude of governmental conventions that suppress U.S. citizens’ right and ability to practice a religion of their choosing. Despite our country’s sometimes unwillingness to Read More

Affirmative action is a controversial policy that allows minorities or a historically underprivileged class of citizens increased odds in accomplishing goals that they may not otherwise have the chance to accomplish. Although not a uniquely American idea, the concept of affirmative action gained popularity in the United States in the 1960s as a way to Read More

The Fair Housing Act was enacted by Congress in 1968 as Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act.  The Fair Housing Act was promulgated in response to the civil rights movement and originally mandated that neither landlords nor sellers could discriminate against renters or potential buyers on the basis of race, color, religion, sex or Read More

Do you remember middle school or high school? Many of us have strong memories associated with our adolescent years and oftentimes they are not great. Teen years can be difficult; you are going through changes and trying to figure out who you are. This transitional period can be particularly difficult for teens struggling with their Read More

The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) was created over 100 years ago. It began as a combination of several other groups and quickly grew to become the largest youth organization in our country for a time. Throughout its tenure, the BSA has faced its share of conflict. For example, in the segregated south, many Boy Read More

The First Amendment of the United States constitution effectively gave us the separation of church and state that we know today. The First Amendment contains two cornerstone clauses by which the founding fathers emphasized this separation. The Establishment Clause and the Free Exercise Clause prevent Congress from prohibiting the exercise or the regulation of religion. Read More