Tony Woodlief | Author

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Lyricist

Isaiah while I’m changing his diaper: “Mary had a wittle poopy, wittle poopy, wittle poopy… Sing it, Dad. Mary had a wittle poopy… Heh heh. I said poopy.”

The bad American

Like many of you, I was shocked — shocked — to learn that the treacherous Fort Hood murderer was a disgruntled Muslim, it being a religion of peace and all, but the world is filled with insanity. Even stranger was his connection to Virginia Tech, whose community is understandably bristly at the observation that its …

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Risen

“Christ is Risen, and the angels rejoice! Christ is Risen, and life is freed! Christ is Risen, and the tomb is emptied of the dead! For Christ, being risen from the dead has become the Leader and Reviver of those who had fallen asleep. To Him be glory and power, unto ages of ages. Amen.” …

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What we really are

“Every man has forgotten who he is . . . We are all under the same mental calamity; we have all forgotten our names. we have all forgotten what we really are.” G.K. Chesterton

Populist Chic

Mark Lilla writing in today’s Wall Street Journal: “How, 30 years later, could younger conservative intellectuals promote a candidate like Sarah Palin, whose ignorance, provinciality and populist demagoguery represent everything older conservative thinkers once stood against? . . . There was a time when conservative intellectuals raised the level of American public debate and helped …

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Full circle

Check out Rod Dreher’s argument that now is Wendell Berry’s time: “In the months and years to come, we all will have to learn the meaning of limits. Wendell Berry is no dour scold who preaches a joyless austerity. To the contrary, he tells us that what we truly seek in life is not comfort, …

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On Guilt by Association

Convicted by declarations from both major political parties that one’s associations reflect one’s character, I decided to re-register myself as an Independent. The paperwork went through a couple of weeks ago. I breathe easier now, knowing I’m no longer associated with the criminals and sexual perverts who held official and unofficial leadership positions in my former party. …

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Remember

What can be said that has not already been spoken of this day when 3,226 people were killed or wounded by Islamic terrorists on U.S. soil? Being people, many of these poor souls were probably very good, and some very bad. Some behaved heroically, perhaps for the only time in their lives cut short. Some …

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To Hell with the Children, Save My TV!

You’ve likely heard by now of the natural disaster that recently threatened Wilmington, N.C. No, I’m not talking about hurricanes, but something more deadly: inability to receive television signals. As a test market for the coming national switch to digital television, Wilmington was the subject of intensive assistance by federal, state, and local officials. God …

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Turn it Off

I confess I don’t know exactly what all those early-morning shoppers in my local grocery wanted to hear coming over the store’s loudspeakers, but I’m pretty sure it wasn’t Aerosmith’s vulgar rendition of “Come Together.” I can’t quite put my finger on it, but there’s something wrong with how we allow ourselves to be regularly assailed …

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We’re All Marxists Now

So I’m a Marxist. You probably are too. If you don’t believe me, check out my latest essay in The Wall Street Journal. I hope this doesn’t mean I have to don a Che t-shirt and start anointing myself with patchouli oil. I don’t even know where one buys patchouli. And Che was a twit.

Let Them Eat Cake

I’m hard-pressed to think of a time when otherwise decent, sensible people have argued for something as wicked as what is advocated by The Wall Street Journal’s Holman Jenkins today. Jenkins joins forces with Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, among other voices calling for the demolition of housing in order to mitigate falling home prices. …

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