Spotlight Special Report Can we defend America’s ideals while confronting its failures? | The Ethical Life podcast Scott Rada Oct 21, 2026 Oct 21, 2026 Updated 2 hrs ago 0 Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save kAmkDEC@?8mtA:D@56 aehik^DEC@?8m (92E 5@6D :E >62? E@ DE2?5 FA 7@C 7C665@>[ 6BF2=:EJ 2?5 9F>2? 5:8?:EJ H96? E96 4@F?ECJ E92E 46=63C2E6D E9@D6 AC:?4:A=6D 92D D@ @7E6? G:@=2E65 E96>nk^AmkAmx? E9:D 6A:D@56 @7 “%96 tE9:42= {:76[” 9@DED #:492C5 zJE6 2?5 $4@EE #252 6IA=@C6 9@H p>6C:42?D >:89E 24<?@H=6586 E96 ?2E:@?’D 72:=FC6D H:E9@FE 232?5@?:?8 E96 2DA:C2E:@?D E92E >2<6 E9@D6 72:=FC6D H@CE9 4@?7C@?E:?8] %96:C 4@?G6CD2E:@? 368:?D H:E9 2 5:DE:?4E:@?i u2==:?8 D9@CE @7 2 AC:?4:A=6 5@6D?’E ?646DD2C:=J >2<6 E96 AC:?4:A=6 H@CE9=6DD] $@>6E:>6D[ :E C6G62=D 9@H >F49 H@C< C6>2:?D]k^Am kAmzJE6 2C8F6D E92E 9F>2? 5:8?:EJ AC@G:56D 2 7@F?52E:@? 7@C 56>@4C24J[ 7C665@> @7 DA6649 2?5 E96 CF=6 @7 =2H] qFE E9@D6 4@>>:E>6?ED C6BF:C6 >@C6 E92? H@C5D :? 7@F?5:?8 5@4F>6?ED @C 564=2C2E:@?D @7 A2EC:@E:D>] %96J 56A6?5 @? 9@H A6@A=6 EC62E @?6 2?@E96C[ A2CE:4F=2C=J H96? 5:D28C66>6?E >2<6D C6DA64E 5:77:4F=E]k^Am People are also reading… Cuts to schools, social services on Smyth supervisors' agenda Smyth voters convey their priorities Cadaver dog helps search Smyth County site Veterans Day, flag retirement ceremonies coming up in Chilhowie, Marion Would listless MLB team trade unicorn shortstop? Blockbuster possibilities Smyth School Board takes next step to address buildings' needs Susan Smith seeks release 32 years after killing sons Gift of a Guitar: FG4K provides free guitars to Wytheville Minnick School David Hoffmann: Thank you, Dad, and thanks to all the others who have served this great country Citizen files court complaint trying to upend Smyth's data center zoning regulations Smyth School Board considers changes to athletic policy for trying out 3 takeaways from Virginia Tech football's loss at SMU How did Virginia Tech football grade in its loss at SMU? Chilhowie confirms it's exploring boundary adjustment Virginia Tech men to face Iowa on Tuesday kAm%96 9@DED 4@?D:56C E96 82A 36EH66? E96 ?2E:@?’D AC@>:D6D 2?5 :ED 9:DE@CJ @7 D=2G6CJ[ C24:2= :?6BF2=:EJ 2?5 E96 6I4=FD:@? @7 H@>6?] w@H D9@F=5 p>6C:42?D F?56CDE2?5 5@4F>6?ED E92E AC@4=2:>65 6BF2=:EJ :? 2 D@4:6EJ E92E 56?:65 :E E@ D@ >2?Jn p?5 9@H 5@6D 2? 9@?6DE C64<@?:?8 H:E9 E92E 4@?EC25:4E:@? 96=A A6@A=6 3F:=5 D@>6E9:?8 36EE6Cnk^Am kAm%96 4@?G6CD2E:@? 2=D@ 6I2>:?6D E96 C6=2E:@?D9:A 36EH66? C6=:8:@?[ 4@>>F?:EJ 2?5 A@=:E:42= :56?E:EJ] pD C6=:8:@FD A2CE:4:A2E:@? 564=:?6D[ H92E DFDE2:?D D92C65 @3=:82E:@?Dn #252 2?5 zJE6 5:D4FDD H96E96C A2CE:D2? =@J2=E:6D 92G6 23D@C365 D@>6 @7 E96 EC:32= 5:G:D:@?D @?46 2DD@4:2E65 H:E9 C6=:8:@FD 5:776C6?46D[ 6?4@FC28:?8 A6@A=6 E@ ;F586 @E96CD 3J E96:C 277:=:2E:@?D C2E96C E92? E96:C 492C24E6C]k^Am kAm%9@D6 BF6DE:@?D 364@>6 >@C6 4@?4C6E6 E9C@F89 #252’D 244@F?E @7 2 4@?G6CD2E:@? H:E9 2 C6=2E:G6 23@FE ?6H 2A2CE>6?ED :? 2 D>2== E@H?] #252 D2H 8C@HE9 2?5 @AA@CEF?:EJ] w:D C6=2E:G6 D2H F?H6=4@>6 492?86D E@ 2 72>:=:2C A=246] }6:E96C 492?865 9:D A@D:E:@?[ 3FE 2D<:?8 BF6DE:@?D 96=A65 #252 F?56CDE2?5 E96 4@?46C? 369:?5 E96 5:D28C66>6?E] %92E 6I492?86 :==FDEC2E6D 2 C64FCC:?8 E96>6i {:DE6?:?8 92D G2=F6 6G6? H96? A6CDF2D:@? 5@6D?’E 7@==@H]k^Am kAm{2E6C[ E96 9@DED 5:D4FDD A2EC:@E:D>[ 9:DE@C:42= C6DA@?D:3:=:EJ 2?5 =2?5 24<?@H=658>6?ED] #252 BF6DE:@?D 24<?@H=658>6?ED E92E 766= A6C7@C>2E:G6[ H9:=6 zJE6 6IA=2:?D H9J C64@8?:K:?8 A2DE :?;FDE:46 2?5 277:C>:?8 ?2E:@?2= AC:?4:A=6D 36=@?8 E@86E96C] p4<?@H=658:?8 HC@?85@:?8[ 96 2C8F6D[ 5C2HD :ED >@C2= 7@C46 7C@> E96 36=:67 E92E 6G6CJ A6CD@? 56D6CG6D 5:8?:EJ]k^AmkAm%9C@F89@FE E96 6A:D@56[ E96 9@DED C6EFC? E@ E96 C6DA@?D:3:=:E:6D E92E 244@>A2?J 36=@?8:?8 E@ 2 A@=:E:42= 4@>>F?:EJ] (92E 5@ 4:E:K6?D @H6 A6@A=6 @FED:56 E96:C @H? 4:C4=6Dn (92E 92AA6?D H96? AF3=:4 =:76 364@>6D AC:>2C:=J 2 4@?E6DE @G6C :?5:G:5F2= :?E6C6DEDnk^Am Scott Rada is a digital strategist with Lee Enterprises, and Richard Kyte is the director of the D.B. Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wisconsin. He is also the author of "Finding Your Third Place: Building Happier Communities (and Making Great Friends Along the Way)." This article was prepared with the help of AI technology using information collected and verified by journalists. 0 Comments Catch the latest in Opinion Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Scott Rada Author email Follow Scott Rada Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today Related to this story Why would Musk merge SpaceX and Tesla? Elon Musk believes a merger between Tesla and SpaceX is a good idea, publicly backing an idea that would create a company worth about $3.5 trillion. Dropping Lake Powell water levels fuel debate over dam It’s impeding visitors’ access to the region, including national landmarks and for fishing and houseboat adventures. Why homeschooling numbers are rising in some areas Homeschooling spiked across the U.S. at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, but some families made it a long-term choice.
Scott Rada Author email Follow Scott Rada Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today
Why would Musk merge SpaceX and Tesla? Elon Musk believes a merger between Tesla and SpaceX is a good idea, publicly backing an idea that would create a company worth about $3.5 trillion.
Dropping Lake Powell water levels fuel debate over dam It’s impeding visitors’ access to the region, including national landmarks and for fishing and houseboat adventures.
Why homeschooling numbers are rising in some areas Homeschooling spiked across the U.S. at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, but some families made it a long-term choice.
