Rights and Democracy
What Post-Racial America?
Having an African-American president is convenient. It boosts U.S. credibility in the Global South and makes us look like we're making progress toward wiping out racism when we're not. But it will take more than President Barack Obama's tenure to vanquish American...
Presidential Distortion
Here's a thought: Maybe, just maybe, Barack Obama isn't a socialist. I know, if you've tuned into even a little bit of right-wing talk radio, or watched some Fox News shows over the past four years, this might come as a surprise. Obama, in the imagination of so many...
This Week in OtherWords: February 13, 2013
This week in OtherWords, John Cavanagh explains why President Obama's State of the Union address falls short, Ben Freeman says that scaling back the Pentagon's budget isn't just for progressives any more, and Donald Kaul skewers the latest Republican antics. Please be...
Enough is Enough
I've had enough. Enough of rape being subject to terms like "legitimate." Enough of hearing that my peers just "raped" their final exams. Enough of being labeled too-politically-correct when I challenge the oversimplification and distortion of a word that is a dark...
No Laughing Matter
Sarah Silverman is a great comedian — she makes many of us laugh, myself included. I admire her, not only because we need more mirth in the world, but because she's an activist. Remember her "Great Schlep" ad in 2008 in which she urged Jewish grandkids "to schlep over...
No Game-Changer
In his State of the Union address, President Barack Obama deftly nudged the national debate further away from the dominant austerity framework that brought us the misguided budget deal on New Year's Day. He also brought much-needed attention to the critical jobs...
Bulwark of Ignorance
The other day, House Speaker John Boehner accused Barack Obama of being mean to the Republican Party. Our president, he said, was trying to "annihilate" the party and "shove us into the dustbin of history." Would that it were so. If ever a political party needed...
The. Very. Best. Valentine. Ever.
This year I came up with the best Valentine's Day gift ever for my wife and daughter. It's inexpensive and, unlike a bouquet of flowers, should last beyond their lifetimes. They'll love it! I can't think of a better way to express how much I love them. Rather than...
Dumped by Time Warner Cable
Time Warner Cable's decision to drop Al Jazeera English from its lineup, right after AJE had purchased Current TV and that network's carriage deals for $500 million, raised questions about the cable operator's motives. But whatever the particulars and politics of this...
Obama’s Battle Hymn of the Republic
I don't think President Barack Obama gave a good inaugural address this time. I think it was a great one. He began with the principles of freedom and equality that inform our founding document, the Declaration of Independence, and followed our journey through the many...
