The Writings of Hall Tennis

“Theodicy. 9/11 and our puzzling pursuit of the evil Saddam H. show that a much different view of the world obtains in our govt than what you describe for yourself (or me).” –a friend.
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An elderly friend, a poet from Kansas, used to prate on about “This Latter-day Rome.” That was 1946. He saw the exercise of national power in the corrosive light of Gibbon’s study of the rise and fall of Rome.

The example sits there, grinning at me. Yet, I still deny. It does not carry the ring of truth: too facile, perhaps.

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THE PUBLIC POLICY AND THE LAW

Introduction:

I live in a community where the majority of the prosperous people are direct
beneficiaries of monthly checks from the paymasters of the U. S. government: Most notable the military, the civil service, and the Social Security Administration. This is a famously conservative community in politics. Mr. Everyman’s favorite complaint is about the wasteful practices of government workers of all kinds– including elected ones.

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When I try to look at the workings of western culture/society over
the past several thousands of years, I ask, What were we doing? What did
we discover? What did we accomplish?

And then I look for the works of art which seem to define or
illuminate the period.

So, what did we discover? What have we really done?

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