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Articles by Alan Wakim
The American Dream Was Never a Solo Project
America doesn’t need less individualism. It needs individuals willing to take ownership of the whole. Commentary I’m not a particularly jealous person. I don’t look at someone else’s house, car, business, or bank account and think, I wish that were mine. But there is something I see in some immigrant communities that makes me wonder what my own family has lost. Story continues below advertisement It’s not their culture I envy. It’s the sight of an entire family working toward something together.
Cornell 7 and Modern Feminism
Commentary When college students live out the ideals of modern feminism, the results are horrifying. Last month, a Jane Doe filed a lawsuit alleging that she had been gang raped by Cornell University students. “Cornell 7” refers to the number of men she has accused of inappropriate behavior, although not all are accused of rape. The incident occurred in October 2024 when the woman was a sophomore at the school.
Why Are Americans So Pessimistic?
Commentary In nearly every way, Americans have more material wealth, better housing, and more of just about everything than ever before. Not just the rich, but nearly everyone. Americans’ standard of living is roughly 50 percent higher, after inflation, than it was 50 years ago. Story continues below advertisement The median family income is now close to $90,000. That’s an income level higher than that of 90 percent of families living in the rest of the world. These ARE the good old days.
The Truth About Oct. 7 Massacre, 3 Years Later
This is a lightly edited transcript of an Oct. 6 segment of the “Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words” podcast. This week marks the third anniversary of the Oct. 7 slaughter of Israelis, civilians, some people in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), and foreign residents. Women, men, children, young adults, some of them attending a rock concert. Remember the facts.
250 Years Ago: A Defiant American Victory, the Great Fire of New York, and the One Life of Nathan Hale
Following their defeat at Kip’s Bay, the Continental Army exhibited true grit in the third Battle of New York: the Battle of Harlem Heights. American forces remained on high alert throughout the morning of Sept. 16, 1776. Having lost New York City and most of Manhattan Island following the previous day’s disaster against British and Hessian forces at Kip’s Bay, the Continental Army and Patriot militias held only the northern stretch of the island. Gen.
Why I Love America: Our Home, Defined by Liberty
What it means to protect the country my parents believed in so deeply. In 1966, my parents came to the United States to build a new life. They were from Lebanon, where religious turmoil was a constant part of daily life. Their journey took some time and included other chapters, but America was always the end goal. They arrived with very little, but they carried something more important: hope and gratitude.
250 Years Ago: The Battle of Kip’s Bay, the Second Battle of New York
Days after taking Long Island, British forces stormed Manhattan, threatening to trap Washington’s army and crush the American soldiers. On Sept. 11, 1776, British Adm. Lord Richard Howe stood near the shore of Staten Island as three distinguished visitors crossed the narrow strait from New Jersey aboard his personal barge. He welcomed his guests—Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and Edward Rutledge—and escorted them to the home of Loyalist Christopher Billopp. The meeting had been arranged by Gen.
250 Years Ago: The Battle of Long Island and the American Dunkirk
Washington’s army faced destruction after a devastating defeat on Long Island, until a daring nighttime evacuation saved the American Revolution. As commander in chief of the Continental Army, Gen. George Washington was responsible for defending the newly declared United States. In the summer of 1776, such a burden would have crushed an ordinary man.
The Battle of Athens, Tennessee: The Story of an American Rebellion in 1946
Thousands of WWII veterans came home from war only to take up arms against local officials attempting to steal an election. Chuck Redfern was broadcasting live from WLAR radio in Athens, Tennessee, when listeners suddenly heard gunfire erupt in the background. He rushed outside to investigate. Down the street, Thelma Wilson and her children huddled on the floor of their boardinghouse as bullets tore through the walls and shattered nearby windows.
250 Years Ago: The Declaration of Independence—The Crucial Days of July 1776
The need for unanimity of the colonies on the issue of independence led to tense days leading up to the signing of the country’s birth certificate. Cropped image of the "Reading of the Declaration of Independence, White Plains, N.Y., July 11, 1776." Library of Congress. 7/2/2026|Updated: 7/2/2026 As Britain’s invasion fleet arrived off New York, delegates in Philadelphia voted to transform 13 colonies into the United States of America.
250 Years Ago: South Carolina Defeats the British Empire
Days before the vote on independence, a British armada attempts to restore royal authority. The attack on the fort on Sulivan's Island the June 28, 1776, painted by Henry Gray. Drawing shows British ships firing on Fort Sullivan on Sullivan's Island. Library of Congress. 6/28/2026|Updated: 6/28/2026 On the morning of June 28, 1776, Thomas Jefferson and the Committee of Five presented a draft of the Declaration of Independence to John Hancock, president of the Second Continental Congress.
250 Years Ago: A Resolution for Independence
Richard Henry Lee’s formal statement to Congress ignited a fierce debate that set the stage for American independence. The Declaration of Independence lithograph, circa 1850, by Napoleon Sarony after John Trumbull. National Museum of American History. 6/22/2026|Updated: 6/22/2026 A courier arrived in Philadelphia on Monday, May 27, 1776, bearing a dispatch from Williamsburg, Virginia, with critical instructions for the colony’s congressional delegation. It would change the course of history.
250 Years Ago: Benedict Arnold’s Narrow Escape Saved the Northern Frontier
The Death of Gen. Montgomery in the Attack on Quebec, Dec. 31, 1775 is an 1786 oil painting by John Trumbull. The Death of Gen. Montgomery in the Attack on Quebec, Dec. 31, 1775 is an 1786 oil painting by John Trumbull. Public Domain In May and June 1776, American and allied Canadian volunteer forces in Quebec were in full retreat as a reinforced British army advanced upstream along the St. Lawrence River. Montreal and Fort Chambly quickly fell to the advancing redcoats.
Spies, Allies, and Intrigue in the Revolutionary War
Beyond the battlefields, a shadow war of secret diplomacy and foreign aid from France and Spain became the American colonies’ ultimate lifeline. Carpenters' Hall, the meeting place of the First Continental Congress and the Committee of Secret Correspondence, in Philadelphia. Carpenters' Hall, the meeting place of the First Continental Congress and the Committee of Secret Correspondence, in Philadelphia. Pbjamesphoto/CC BY-SA 4.0 On the night of Dec.
Moore’s Creek Bridge: The Battle That Delayed Britain’s Southern Conquest Original
With the war at a stalemate, Britain pursued an alternate strategy: winning the war from the South. Standing in its way were the Patriots of North Carolina. The Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge was a brief, violent clash at daybreak on Feb. 27, 1776. The Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge was a brief, violent clash at daybreak on Feb. 27, 1776. National Park Service Loyalist militiamen crept silently in the cold, predawn hours of Feb. 27, 1776, hoping to seize a small bridge that spanned a narrow creek.
Thomas Paine Transforms a Rebellion Into a Revolution Original
As war spread and towns burned, a blunt pamphlet ended hopes of reconciliation and challenged the legitimacy of hereditary monarchy. January 1776 arrived without victory or resolution in the Revolutionary War already underway. British soldiers still occupied Quebec City an d Boston in Massachusetts Bay. Royal Navy warships prowled the American coastline like predators.
250 Years Ago, Part 10: 1775, the Year Americans Turned on Each Other Original
The crucial year ended with some gains and losses by the American patriots. These led to the unity of the 13 colonies for the historical events in 1776. "The Death of General Montgomery in the Attack on Quebec, December 31, 1775" is a 1786 oil painting by John Trumbull. It depicts the tragic death of the American general Richard Montgomery at the Battle of Quebec on Dec. 31, 1775, during the Invasion of Quebec, a major military operation by the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War.
250 Years Ago, Part 9: Heroes, Spies, and the Revolutionary War in Quebec
Gen. Thomas Gage—governor of Massachusetts Bay and commander-in-chief of British military forces in North America—was about to become one of the Revolutionary War’s earliest casualties. In the wake of the Battle of Bunker Hill, Gage sent Lord Dartmouth, Britain’s secretary of state for the Colonies, an account detailing the June 17 engagement and the horrific losses his command had suffered. Three days after receiving Gage’s report, Dartmouth issued orders recalling him to London.
250 Years Ago, Part 8: The Revolutionary War and the Peace Petition
The British king responds to overtures from the Second Continental Congress as they appeal for a peaceful solution. On July 4, 1776, John Hancock, president of the Continental Congress put his signature to the Declaration of Independence, watched by fellow patriots. Printed by Currier & Ives. On July 4, 1776, John Hancock, president of the Continental Congress put his signature to the Declaration of Independence, watched by fellow patriots. Printed by Currier & Ives.
Leadership Qualities of Our Founding Fathers
Washington, Adams, and Jefferson showed remarkable qualities in their respective fields: in the military, in legal defense, and in the written word. FacebookXTruthGettrLinkedInTelegram 9/7/2025Updated: 9/7/2025 A few years after winning the Revolutionary War, America’s Founding Fathers crafted and ratified a constitution—guaranteeing rights, liberties, and freedoms—that remain in effect today. Was this the result of luck?
250 Years Ago, Part 7: The Battle of Bunker Hill
Though the Patriots lost this significant battle in the American Revolution, the effect on the British was far worse. 6/16/2025Updated: 6/16/2025 A loud roar of thunder shattered the quiet morning at 4:00 a.m., jolting most—if not all—of Boston’s residents from their sleep. The rumbling of the rattled homes frightened children, who crawled into bed with their parents. Men who had once served in combat recognized the familiar sound of cannon.
250 Years Ago, Part 6: Fort Ticonderoga and the Patriots at War
On the road to the Revolutionary War, the patriots arm themselves to fend off the British, and a traitor is revealed. 5/30/2025Updated: 5/30/2025 News of the “unprovoked attacks” by British Regulars at Lexington and Concord—and the ensuing guerrilla war unleashed against them by 4,000 vengeful colonists—spread throughout New England like a whirlwind.
250 Years Ago, Part 5: The Midnight Ride, Lexington, and Concord
Paul Revere’s famous ride, followed by the ’shot heard round the world,' signaled the start of the American Revolution. 4/17/2025Updated: 4/17/2025 At 10 p.m. on April 18, 1775, Paul Revere set off through the darkened streets of Boston. Dr. Joseph Warren had brought urgent news: British Regulars (Redcoats) were boarding whaleboats to cross the Charles River. Warren believed, though incorrectly, that their mission was to capture John Hancock and Samuel Adams in Lexington.
250 Years Ago, Part 4: The Salem Gunpowder Raid and Leslie’s Retreat
On the frigid Sunday morning of Feb. 26, 1775, British Army Lt. Col. Alexander Leslie waited aboard a transport ship anchored off Homan’s Cove, a secluded beach on Marblehead Neck. He had been there since shortly after noon. Belowdecks, concealed from view to avoid detection, were between 240 and 300 British Regulars (also known as Redcoats), though estimates of their exact number vary. Lt. Col.
When All Seems Bleak, Look to 1777
‘Times that try men's souls’ gave way to hope and optimism "Washington Crossing the Delaware" by Emanuel Leutze, 1851. (Public domain) ’Twas the early evening of Christmas Day in 1776 and Gen. George Washington was on the verge of losing the Revolutionary War.
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