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Nice leaders protect feelings; Kind leaders protect futures

Are you a nice leader or a kind leader? Is there a difference? Yes, an important one. Nice and kind are not synonyms. Niceness is about seeming pleasant and agreeable. It’s about keeping the peace and making people comfortable. This is not a bad thing in many situations. Kindness is about real compassion and empathy. It’s taking action from the place of wanting the best for a person or an organization, even when it means telling hard truths and making hard choices. When a person is “nice,” it is because they want to be liked and often because they are ...

MAGA is changing

Perhaps it would be ironic if, despite all of his populist bluster and brag, Donald Trump turned out to be a traditional Republican. The “great big beautiful bill”’s tax cut turned out to be a massive benefit for billionaires, and his budget fulfilled the wish list for the old GOP. If there is any MAGA influence, it is difficult to ascertain. Of course, it has no tax on tips, as well as no tax on Social Security and other benefits for the base. But generally, Trump‘s government has delivered a budget and program more suited to Daddy Warbucks than the mythical populous. He used ...

Fall season is definitely in the air in Barbour County

Hello from Barbour County! Fall is definitely in the air. The Forest Festival is almost upon us, and that is something to celebrate across the area. Old Fashioned Days will take place in Belington, today, Sept. 20. Beginning at 9 a.m, the day will be action packed with fun including: a car show, tractor show, pie eating contest, pet show, duck race, apple butter making, saw mill demonstration, food, music, a cake walk, and more. Fall Fire Season begins Oct. 1 and runs through Dec. 31. During these times, outdoor burning is prohibited between the hours of 7 a.m. and 5 ...

Kirk’s legacy

Charlie Kirk, head of Turning Point USA and a prominent conservative influencer, lost his life at the hands of an assassin. He was doing what he excelled at, trying to persuade college students to join his movement, which advanced traditional values. With his tent displaying his challenge, “Prove Me Wrong,” Kirk invited others to debate him. For his trouble, he lost his life in an unspeakable act of violence. Kirk was at the height of his persuasive powers and was highly effective. He worked in a difficult venue, college campuses, which were never known as inviting to right-leaning ...

Phones versus playing

When I was a kid, childhood meant playing on the street, riding my bike, hanging out with friends. Most kids now experience a different childhood. Jonathan Haidt’s bestselling book, “The Anxious Generation,” talks about that. He calls it “a tragedy in two acts.” “Act One, we lose the play-based childhood. We stop letting kids run around outside. We’re too afraid they’ll get abducted. ... We get gradual loss of play from the ‘90s through the early 2010s. ... That sets kids up to be weaker.” Because kids who don’t have real experiences are less ...

Political violence must be condemned

Political violence must be condemned in all its deplorable forms. Last week, we lost a 31-year-old young man, Charlie Kirk, by the act of a cowardly madman. An evil doer may have thought he prevailed when he took the life of this young man with a beautiful wife and kids, but evil failed miserably. Our prayers should continue to go out to the Kirk family along with our thanks for sharing Charlie with all of us. May God strengthen the family now and in the days and years ahead. Fair fight? In the days of Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr people could exercise “political violence” ...