AUTHOR
David Aden
David is a software engineer, father of two sons and grandfather to six grandchildren. He has worked in and written about high tech for more 25 years and currently lives and works in Clearwater, Florida where he volunteers time to various community programs.
TOLERANCE
History shows that actions can set powerful societal examples, for better or worse.
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
Eliminating discrimination is important. Instituting a new set of discriminatory practices undermines that goal.
COMBATING BIGOTRY & HATE
If someone were to make a list of the top 10 least funny things, “bigotry” would undoubtedly make the cut. There’s very little that’s funny about bigotry. That’s all the more unfortunate because everyone tells me laughter is the best remedy.
RELIGIOUS LITERACY
No one’s religion was cause for offense. No difference in color, social standing, job or education impacted the way we interacted.
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
Some smells made customers stay longer. Others had them fleeing the premises. The research also found odors needed to be appropriate—the smell of fish in a leather store, for example, probably wasn’t going to lead to higher pocketbook sales.
MEDIA & ETHICS
To say there’s been significant recent debate about the media, its role and its reliability is probably an understatement. Fear not, though, I won’t wade into the highly publicized never-ending battle between politicians and mainstream media—that’s getting more than enough coverage on its own.
COMBATING BIGOTRY & HATE
Perhaps I could tell her that the movie characters she admires—those who stand up for their beliefs, who overcome obstacles to find their own true way—are just imagination.
RELIGIOUS LITERACY
Philosophy is one of those topics that seems to belong in some ivy-covered building being discussed by men in vests who punctuate pronouncements by pointing with a pipe stem and woman in fine dresses holding tea cups with their pinky fingers aloft.
SCIENTOLOGY RELIGION
A few months ago I reconnected with an old, incredibly close friend of mine from my long-gone youth, a friend who had a major impact on my teenage life. Our reconnection conversation was a satisfying look back that gave me a renewed appreciation of my life looking forward.
COMBATING BIGOTRY & HATE
Debates that pit science versus religion don’t usually end well. They can devolve into name-calling, sometimes on a national stage, the only winners being shoe salesmen who benefit from the windfall of heels overused, dug-in and worn-down by proponents on both sides.
