American identity, character, and civic life are shaped by many things, but decisive among them are our national memories—of our long history, our triumphs and tragedies, our national aspirations and achievements. Crucial to the national memory are the words our forebears wrote, to show us who we are and what we might yet become.

The health news for the New York City is good — very good, in fact. And it must be especially gratifying to Bloomberg, given his longstanding personal commitment to public health. But it isn’t clear that the official narrative of New York’s health progress actually conforms with the health story for New York over the last decade.

At this event, a reading of Civil War veteran and Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.'s "In Our Youth Our Hearts Were Touched with Fire" will serve as the starting point for a discussion of the meaning and importance of Memorial Day.

What exactly do we celebrate on Veterans Day? To be sure, we mean to honor the brave men and women, living and dead, who have fought America’s battles, past and present. But honor them how, and for what? About these matters, we lack a clear national answer.

Moderate drinking is, for most people, a lot better than abstinence.

Once again, high gasoline prices are in the news. As of this writing, the national average gasoline price per gallon price is hovering around $3.79.

Moving Election Day to the weekend means more convenience and less expense.