Racism is something that has infested the thinking of people of all colors. There are black racists just as there are white racists. But I believe that all of them, regardless of their skin color, use the exact same patterns of thinking. In fact, if I could reduce what I consider the definition of racism down to one simple formula, I would describe it as follows.

Racism is a state of thinking in which life and most things in it are defined by the never-ending struggle of "us" versus "them," in which "us" and "them" are defined by racial and ethnic boundaries. People who view members of their own racial or ethnic group as "us" and see their side as pitched in a lifetime struggle against members of another racial or ethnic group, "them," are people who tend to be racist in their thinking. The only difference between white racists and black racists is their respective definitions of "us" and "them."

Racists tend to believe that whenever enough of "them" get together and have the opportunity, they will naturally stick it to "us." That's what most of "them" really want to do to "us." That's the reason why you can't ever really let your guard down around "them."

They think that most of "them" are fundamentally unlike most of "us." They think that after God made the animals that live in the water and the animals that live on the ground, that He then made "us" and then made "them." They're not sure why God made "them" to be so different from "us" but they know that they'd rather keep their distance from "them" and spend as much time as possible around our own kind. Besides, they think, what could most of us have in common with "them?"

Racists don't necessarily hate "them." Sometimes, in fact, they might really like some of "them." They recognize that some of "them" - the good ones - aren't like the majority of "them." Now, of course, most of "them" are up to no good, but a few of "them" are all right.

And they might even acknowledge that some of "us" are no better than some of "them." There are some of "us" who act just like "them." They must have been raised around "them" or have spent too much time with "them." They think that some of "us" are confused about who they are and must think deep down that they're one of "them." Those of "us" who are like that - the traitors - aren't to be trusted any more than one of "them."

Racists are generally pretty convinced that they have a pretty good knowledge of "them." Maybe they're pretty sure that most of "them" are violent. Or most of "them" hate most of "us." That most of "them" are rich. Most of "them" aren't patriotic. Most of "them" are stupid or, on the other hand, that most of "them" look down on "us." The racists know perhaps that there are some among "them" aren't like that. But they're positive without a doubt that most of "them" are.

Racists think that the only way to stand a chance against "them" is for most of "us" to stick together. Those of "us" who haven't been tricked by "them" need to band together before all of "them" do what they've always wanted to do to the rest of "us." They ridicule some of "us" who tell them that they're wrong to think the way that they do. "Just wait," they tell us. "You don't know 'them' the way I do. Someday, you'll see what they really think of 'us.' And then come back and tell me that I'm wrong."

Most people, both black and white, who get locked in this way of thinking end up spending the rest of their lives that way.  Being people who are too foolish to realize that they're being foolish. Being, figuratively speaking, like the folks who think they've seen the whole world but who have never stepped foot outside their hometown.

But some people do eventually emerge from their ignorance. Some get to know enough of "them," talking and developing relationships with "them" that they start to realize that they have more in common with some of "them" than they thought they did. Maybe, they think to themselves, there are a lot more of "them" who are like "us" than they originally thought. Through developing relationships, these people can get to the point at which they realize that maybe racial and ethnic boundaries aren't the right way to define "us" and "them." After all, they learn, there are quite a few of "them" that believe the same thing as "us." And there are a lot of "us" who don't act like "us." Eventually, these people find friends and allies in places they never expected. Mainly because they opened their eyes and looked for them.

And the point of all of this - and the way out of "us vs. them" thinking - is to realize that you can't look at a person and tell whether or not they're one of "us" or one of "them." You can't determine this by the color of their skin, by their age, by the part of the country they come from or by whether or not you think they talk with an accent. You can't tell this by the way they dress, by how much money they make or how much education they have. In fact, the only way to determine whether someone is one of "us" or one of "them" is to know what's in their heart. And the only way to do that is to get to know them as an individual. And the more people do this, the more they'll realize that there are a whole lot more of "us" in the world than there are of "them."

Within the past hour, our nation just inaugurated President Obama, the first African American to have taken the oath of office. As the President pointed out, sixty years ago, his own father would not have been able to be seated in a local restaurant but since then, our nation has grown to the point at which the color of one's skin does not prevent someone from taking the highest position in the land. When the President was born, there were still places in this country in which blacks could not vote, use the restroom, or live. Today, this country has proven that we have grown to an amazing level in the way that we think about the things that divide us.

It is time for our nation to stop being divided by barriers such as race and ethnicity. We are all Americans.

I have been and will still be critical of the President's policy on abortion. But I will also be praying for the President and his family every single day. I will be praying that God will give him wisdom, protection, and that he will do an outstanding job in leading our nation. I think he has done an outstanding job during the transition period and I will be praying that he will make the decisions that need to be made at this point in time.

May every American support and pray for the President and his family.

And America needs to congratulate itself - not because of the skin color of the person who is now our Chief Executive - but because we as a nation have grown to the point that for the overwhelming majority of Americans, it didn't matter one way or the other. God Bless America!

Today, our nation honors the birthday of our most famous Civil Rights leader, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He was not only a brilliant leader - both a visionary man and an outstanding writer and speaker - but also an extremely brave man. He faced off against a system of injustice that was widespread throughout the country and especially throughout the south, a system that was founded upon the idea that one group of people is better than another. Without any weapons or ammunition and in the face of the most brutal and violent tactics imaginable that were used against him and his supporters, King did the one thing that no army could do. His words and his example changed people's hearts and minds. He helped change the country from a place in which segregation was not only legal but legally mandated into a place in which almost nobody wants to be identified as a racist. He walked bravely into the presence of people who had been enemies. And he made quite a few of them want to be brothers.

Thank God for the life and dream of Dr. King.

The University of Wisconsin is planning to open an abortion Clinic to abort the unborn babies of women who are between 13 and 22 weeks pregnant. Let's review exactly what happens in that part of the pregnancy.

At three weeks after conception, an unborn baby has a beating human heart. At seven weeks, the unborn baby has detectable human brain (EEG) waves. By eight weeks, the baby has every major organ in place and developing - every major internal organ that the baby will ever have as an adult - present and accounted for. By 12 weeks the baby can suck their thumb and can experience physical pain.

And this clinic wants to start aborting babies the following week - after the point at which they can start feeling pain and after the baby has every bodily part that makes a human a human.

This isn't about women's health. This is a case of sickness.

I've been sort of busy doing research for what will one day be my first book. I have slacked off on blogging a little bit (but I shall return). In the meantime, on a lighter note, I've been noticing how much we pay attention to our political leaders and their look-alikes, as we all saw with the physical similarities between Governor Sarah Palin and actress Tina Fey. But Palin isn't the only person in politics who is closely resembled by someone in show business at some point in time. Here are a few other similarities I've noticed.

I'll be back sometime soon with something of actual importance to post.

President-Elect Obama (When he was younger)	Michael Jackson (When he was Michael Jackson)

George Costanza (Or a young Dick Cheney)	Vice President Cheney (Or an old George Costanza)

Joe Isuzu	Mitt Romney