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Steve Nelson

Steve Nelson is a retired educator, author, and newspaper columnist. He and his wife Wendy moved to Erie from Manhattan in 2017 to be near family. He was a serious violinist and athlete until a catastrophic mountain bike accident in 2020. He now specializes in gratitude and kindness.

http://www.stevenelson.substack.com

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Don’t Worry, Be Silly

August 13, 2023 Like 0 Steve Nelson

I recall a glorious Vermont October day, many years ago, the blue sky thick enough to stir with a spoon. My wife Wendy and I were strolling down a remote dirt road with our daughter Jen and granddaughter Quinn. The…

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GOP Frogs in Boiling Water

August 3, 2023 Like 0 Steve Nelson

Every person in America should read the entire 45 page indictment of Donald Trump that was unveiled this week. It is remarkably thorough and damning. Of course unrepentant Trump loyalists will neither read nor believe the allegations and the supportive…

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Tyranny of Talent

July 30, 2023 1 0 Steve Nelson

“I was no f***ing prodigy!” This surprising declaration was seethed by pianist Ruth Slenczynska in response to the innocent query, “What was it like to be a child prodigy?” This incident was more than 30 years ago at a master…

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No Flag For Me

July 7, 2023 Like 0 Steve Nelson

The 4th of July passed with little fanfare in the Nelson house; pizza lunch with our kids and grandkids (minus one adventurous vagabond) and to bed before the local fireworks began. The 4th never drew reverence, as the shortcomings in…

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Supreme Destruction

July 2, 2023 Like 0 Steve Nelson

It has been a mighty bad week for justice in America. The SCOTUS rulings in the affirmative action case (Students for Fair Admissions v. Black People) and the website design case (Religious Bigot v. Gay Folks) managed to unravel a generation…

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Griddy Dancing

June 30, 2023 Like 0 Steve Nelson

Yesterday, my 8 year-old grandson said, seemingly out of nowhere, “Rules are made to be broken, laws are made to be followed.” I’m not sure all rules are made to be broken or that all laws must be followed, but…

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A Vivid Expression of Privilege

June 17, 2023 Like 0 Steve Nelson

During my 19 year tenure as Head of the Calhoun School in Manhattan, I was faced with a great many complex issues, as one might expect. A few dealt with the highly-charged issues of race and racism. One stands out…

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The Dark Ages

June 14, 2023 Like 0 Steve Nelson

Several recent situations suggest just how far and fast conservatives would have us regress, particularly in respect to women’s rights. Perhaps less destructive than the Dobbs decision, these developments nevertheless reveal a pattern of deeply ingrained cultural misogyny. In both…

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Hate the War, Honor the Warrior

May 28, 2023 Like 0 Steve Nelson

Even after 57 years it seems incomprehensible. My high school friend and swimming teammate, Fred West, was killed in Vietnam, only a few weeks into his tour of duty. Fred was a year behind me in high school and, as…

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Pity the Men

May 24, 2023 Like 0 Steve Nelson

With all the social, cultural and political upheaval these days, there is one common thread that goes largely unmentioned – male supremacy. This thread runs through nearly every issue. Perhaps male supremacy’s most acutely troubling manifestation is the unrelenting attack…