Racist tweets blew up yet another news cycle this week as President Trump hurled vicious attacks at four progressive members of Congress. Democrats rallied to condemn the president. But as I write this week, Democratic leaders were only days earlier working to undermine those same members.
The fact that leaders of both parties fear “the Squad,” I argue, might actually be a sign that the rest of us can find a lot to like.
On a rather bigger picture note, this week also marks 50 years since the moon landing. Jeff Vogel argues this week that Man on the Moon Day could be a new Columbus Day — a much purer celebration of discovering a “new world”: our own.
Also this week, Dedrick Asante-Muhammad and Rose Ramirez explain an actual Trump plan to make 55,000 kids homeless. Cecily Myart-Cruz explains how McDonald’s uses school fundraisers to rip off schools, teachers, and its own employees alike. And Jill Richardson reflects on how, despite all the arguments about identity, people who face discrimination often simply remain silent.
Finally, campus activist Rachel Hodes exposes a major double standard when it comes to the politics of free speech on college campuses. Don’t miss it!
New This Week…
Washington vs. The Squad | Peter Certo
Trump’s not the only one terrified of these four congresswomen — leading Democrats apparently are, too.
Let’s Celebrate Man on the Moon Day | Jeff Vogel
The trip to the moon led to our nation’s greatest gift to humanity: the first-ever photo of our beautiful, fragile planet.
A Trump Plan to Throw 55,000 Kids Out of Their Homes | Dedrick Asante-Muhammad and Rose Ramirez
A proposed rule would strip housing benefits from U.S. citizens if they’re found to have family members with the wrong immigration status.
McDonald’s: Stop Exploiting Our Schools | Cecily Myart-Cruz
So-called “McTeacher’s Nights” rip off teachers, schools, and McDonald’s workers under the guise of raising funds.
Critics of Campus Activists Don’t Care About Free Speech | Rachel Hodes
They complain when students protest hateful speakers, but not when shadowy conservative groups and politicians write laws to punish our speech.
Weapons of the Weak | Jill Richardson
Americans are used to arguments about identity. But one of the most common coping mechanisms of impacted people is to remain silent.
The People’s Republic of Xi | Khalil Bendib
The Hong Kong protests and Uyghur detainment camps shed light on a bristling authoritarian system.
In Case You Missed It…
Return of the Poll Tax | Robert P. Alvarez
Florida’s anti-democratic poll tax will cost the state hundreds of thousands of voters — and hundreds of millions of dollars.
Note to Tech Companies: Please Read History | Alissa Quart
In an age of data theft, hate speech, and runaway capitalism, the humanities are an antidote to moral rot.
Climate Change Is a Poor People’s Issue | Mallika Khanna
Poor and working communities stand to gain the most from protections against corporations that expose them to pollution.
