Articles written by Michael Patrick

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About me - Michael Patrick

I'm lucky enough to be married to a beautiful woman and the mother of our twin daughters. I have written professionally for many years in venues including advertising, journalism, business planning, government contract proposals, grant proposals, and fiction

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Politics, News & Issues > Political Issues Should prostitution be legalized?: 1 of 59

Prostitution should be decriminalized. We can't effectively "legalize" it any more than we can legalize love or pain or masturbation. The definition of prostitution is the performance of sex for money. Okay, so is the exchange of sex for power, influence, glory, a promotion, a job, college tuition, as a reward after a nice di... More..
Arts & Humanities > English Language Speaking English: How to speak English well: 1 of 42

Speaking proper English is always useful. If one is in academia, if one aspires to politics, if one wants to convey linguistic agility, the ability to speak the Queen's English is important. It promotes an image equal to that of being well-dressed or driving an expensive car. It suggests learning, status, money, and the affec... More..
Politics, News & Issues > International Politics (Other) Should the US continue to be the leader in world politics?: 1 of 39

The US leads not only because it's a superior military power but in tandem with the tapestry of freedoms that are available to everyone under the Constitution and its form of representative government. For as long as the US remains able to promulgate personal, religious, economic and political freedom, it will continue to lea... More..
Education > Education (Other) Should parents or schools lead the way in teaching children about homosexuality?: 2 of 70

Teach homosexuality? Does it have to be taught by "anyone", let alone our overworked schools? How would the curriculum go: media clips of Ellen DeGeneres and Jodi Foster's most intimate personal tribulations laced with somber lectures of Barney Frank's life and Rock Hudson's death? What a treat. Would there be homework on whi... More..
Education > Educational Philosophy Is competition in school helpful or harmful to the students?: 3 of 94
Competition in school isn't just helpful, it's vital. Life itself is competition for resources, food, mates and progeny, and oh, by the way, the smarts to balance a checkbook and learn from the mistakes of our forebears. Without competition, there is little left but vacant self-indulgence. We do better when in the company of ... More..
Religion & Spirituality > Comparative Religion Faith in the modern world: 1 of 29

One hundred percent of us have faith regardless of our secular, religious, or scientific beliefs. Frankly, faith is greater than and simpler than all the sciences and religions and philosophies of mankind. Worldwide, more than eighty percent of us go to church, synagogue, mosque or contemplate our navels to reaffirm and reple... More..
Society & Lifestyle > Personal Morals & Values Do two wrongs make a right?: 2 of 52

This isn't a hard question. Two wrongs never make a right. In fact, two wrongs should be twice punished. Maybe then the offender(s) might get it right the next time. The origin of this English-language adage is based in the attempts of leaders of state and children to excuse their bad behavior by claiming that someone, usuall... More..
Education > Education (Other) Should public school teachers get merit pay?: 1 of 23

Why do we work? To be compensated for performing a service that others value. It is "trade." Is it not a cultural paradigm that we are paid more for what we do well or less for what we do poorly? Superior performance is rewarded. Mediocrity receives mediocre remuneration. Simple. I've never understood why merit pay for teache... More..
Politics, News & Issues > Politics, News & Issues (Other) Do people tend to base election votes more on emotion or reason?: 1 of 20

In times of relative comfort and security, many of us might lean toward emotion to vote for a candidate. But when we face hard choices and bewildering issues, we tend to become more pragmatic. When life is good, it's easier to view a candidate by his or her warmth, appearance and rhetoric on emotional issues such as gay marri... More..
Society & Lifestyle > Political Values Parents: Would you send your child off to war?: 3 of 59

If my child is old enough to go to war, it is neither my choice nor my right to "send" him or her. I might advise. I might encourage or try to restrain. I might weep. But in the end, it's a decision I must leave to my child. War is a dirty business. Been there, done that. My father, too, and his father before him. On reflecti... More..