Rights and Democracy
Christie Tells It Like It Isn’t
How exciting: Chris Christie put his name on the Republican presidential dance card. He’s No. 14. The big man from New Jersey entered the race with all the chutzpah and hullaballoo that's marked his five-and-a-half years as governor of the Garden State. In his...
A Supreme Threat to American Democracy
Here's a little quiz you won’t find on the LSATs: Which Supreme Court justice called a recent ruling by the court a "threat to American democracy"? And what decision was it? A. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg wrote it of the Citizens United decision, which armed...
When Children Hurt, Schools Can Help
What happens when children witness violence? It’s more common than you think, and the effects can be devastating. More than 1 in 4 American children have been exposed to violence, according to a recently published study from the journal Pediatrics. Researchers found...
Second Chances Are as American as Baseball
I love baseball. I have since I was a kid. And I’m lucky to be married to a woman who loves the game as much as I do. We recently attended the 86th annual Major League All Star Game in Cincinnati. As part of the opening ceremonies, the Cincinnati Reds honored what...
Severing a Higher Education Lifeline
Three months ago, I walked across the stage at the University of Mississippi to claim my Bachelor’s diploma. Throwing my cap into the Oxford summer air, I felt a sense of accomplishment, but also a sense of uncertainty. What’s next for me? My long-term goal is to help...
Trump’s Badmouthing Deportment
The chips just keep falling. The Professional Golf Association is one of the latest companies to part ways with Donald Trump. The PGA announced that it would not hold its Grand Slam of Golf at a Trump golf course in Los Angeles, because of the business mogul’s recent...
Poor-Shaming 2.0
Being poor means a life of sacrifices, frustrations, and constant struggle. So what is it about Republican officeholders that causes them to go out of their way to make life even harder for low-income people? GOP governors, Congress critters, and other officials are...
More GOP Hats in the Ring
The Arc of Justice Bends Like a Rainbow
Until 2010, CBS television's daytime lineup included As the World Turns, a long-running soap opera. Times change. Now a real-life human drama of profound importance has debuted in America: As the Generations Turn. It’s the inspiring story of our society’s continuing...
Flagging Hate Speech
I’ve spent my whole life in the Northeast, but I have Southern roots. My late grandfather came from a long line of sharecroppers who toiled in the fields of Decatur, Georgia for generations. Their history of hardship was common in the South. Where my grandfather grew...
