Whatever you may think of the proposed mosque and community center lost in the heat of the debate has been a basic question: Should government attempt to deny private citizens the right to build a house of worship on private property based on their particular religion?

We need to understand that we as citizens and as a government in any community throughout this country have no more important obligation than to educate those who are going to replace us.

Ministry is the least important thing. You cannot not minister if you are in communion with God and live in community.

Hispanic unemployment is higher than the national average and when the federal government is killing small businesses and killing jobs it is hurting the future of the Hispanic community and we need to carry that message.

The civil unrest of recent days must come to an end and the healing process must begin for the future of the community. We will provide assistance both in ending the violence and enabling the healing process in Benton Harbor.

We must not become the new puritans and reject our society. We must address and master the future together. It can be done if we restore the belief that we share a sense of national community that we share a common national endeavor. It can be done.

We are a people in a quandary about the present. We are a people in search of our future. We are a people in search of a national community.

While we can remember the past we cannot write the future. Only our children the future of our community can do that.

I launched The Emeril Lagasse Foundation to provide culinary training and developmental and educational programs to children in the cities where my restaurants operate. I think everyone has a responsibility to give back to the community if they can and to help future generations learn new skills.

Rock n' roll as a genre is different from pop and hip hop: it is about bands and that for me suggests brotherhood family friendship and community.