“A new study estimates that Paraguay’s illegal economy was equal to 40 percent of the country’s GDP last year, a huge number that points to how pervasive a wide range of illicit activities are in this Southern Cone nation.” This number has quadrupled since 2002 in a nation usually considered low in corruption when compared to its Latin American neighbors, Colombia and Mexico (Latin American Post, December 6, 2016).

“Freedom of expression on abortion is currently being challenged in France. The French administration makes it every day more difficult for pro-life associations to express their ideas and to promote pro-life choices” (LifeNews, November 29, 2016).

At a time when “growth in military spending is slowing down in the volatile Middle East” and Latin America, military spending is surging ahead in Asia, where a number of countries are “positioning themselves for future conflicts” (Business Insider, February 11, 2016).

Like most boys born in the last few decades, my sons love Star Wars. Each new movie is greeted with enthusiasm, and Rogue One is no exception. As a fan of the movies myself, I usually look forward to sharing this cultural experience with them. Nevertheless, Rogue One gave me some pause as the reviews described it being a darker story and more focused on war than on the more traditional coming-of-age narrative that Star Wars usually focuses on. I decided first to go view the movie with my wife, in part to see if it would be appropriate for our children.