Archive
In Dark Times, Poetry Can Enlighten Us
Following the Paris terrorist attacks, the colors of the French flag appeared on American computer screens, in the icons of apps and the faces of friends on Facebook. As this solidarity with the people of France surged, Americans with connections to the Middle East...
Fear-mongering Hurts Us All
Representative Loretta Sanchez voiced the fears of a growing number of Americans when she spoke recently with Larry King as details about the San Bernardino shooters emerged. “We know that there is a small group” of Muslims, the California Democrat said — “anywhere...
Millennials Better Start Thinking About Retirement
I’m only 24, but I signed up for the 401(k) plan at work as soon as I qualified. I’m privileged to have a responsible employer and to belong a union that fought for its members’ right to enjoy decent retirement benefits. Many of my friends aren’t so lucky. My employer...
The San Bernardino Massacre Isn’t Part of a ‘World War’
Why should a “Muslim” shooting outrage us so much more than other mass shootings? “Our nation is under siege,” Chris Christie declared after the San Bernardino murders. “We’re facing the next world war.” Other candidates issued their own battle cries. Donald Trump...
Now This Is Really Criminal
The media is fond of calling out our “do-nothing Congress.” Indeed, our national lawmakers’ last term was one of the least productive in history. But maybe that’s not such a bad thing. According to author John Whitehead, Congress has created, on average, 50 new crimes...
Make America Great, Like It Was — When?
The holiday season is a time for nostalgia. We watch It's a Wonderful Life and A Christmas Story, engage in time-honored traditions, and even sing songs about sleighs and sleigh bells. Honestly, when was the last time you rode in a sleigh? I've eaten a roasted...
Coke’s PR Scam Explodes
If your car's battery terminals are corroded, just open a can of Coca-Cola. Coke will dissolve corrosion, making your battery connections spiffy clean in a jiffy. Ironically, however, Coca-Cola can't seem to clean up its own corrosive corruption structure. By hook or...
Seeing No Evil, Chicago Edition
For Sale: Obscene Monuments to Mammon
The uber-rich like to collect trophies as proof of their unsurpassed uberness. These aren’t like the tacky brass trophy you won in a bowling tournament. No, no — global ultra-billionaires compete ferociously with each other in their extreme wealth games to have the...
In OtherWords: December 9, 2015
Whether we're taking stock of the trumped-up war on Christmas or putting the torrent of inhospitality toward Syrian refugees who are fleeing turmoil into perspective, OtherWords stands up for what’s right. Thanks to your support, week in and week out we offer an...
