The Clery Act was signed into federal law in 1990 after Jeanne Clery was raped and murdered in her residence hall at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania. The Clery Act is an example of open-government legislation.
As a child, I loved winter and snow, simply because I always hoped for snow days at the sight of the first fallen snowflakes. Snow days were those rare, fantastic days when school was canceled and my brother and I were allowed to play outside all day long.
Well, it's official. We will have six more weeks of winter, according to the infallible prophecy and supreme word of Punxsutawney Phil. I found myself questioning the origin of the strange tradition that is Groundhog Day. After some diligent research, I've concluded the whole thing gives me the creeps and has all the telltale signs of a conspiracy by a secret society to control the world culminating in a war pitting the free humans of the world against an army of robotic groundhogs and groundhog loyalists, led by Punxsutawney Phil.
Hypocrisy is my friend. As a pastor, I know I have a good sermon when I feel particularly hypocritical. I assume mine aren't the only toes which need to be stepped on, or when the occasion warrants, stomped on. Using this standard of judgement, this column should win a Pulitzer.