Rights and Democracy
Ethnic Jokes are a Fool’s Game
If patriotism is the last refuge of scoundrels (and it is), then telling other people’s jokes is the last refuge of columnists (who are often mistaken for scoundrels, for some reason).
The Long Road to Marriage Equality
Occupy Ellis Island
The UC Davis Pepper Spray Incident
The video sophomore Thomas Fowler shot of a campus cop spraying a group of about 20 University of California, Davis students with pepper spray at close range during a peaceful protest has gone viral. Although this outrageous incident has garnered widespread media coverage, I think it’s important to share my perspective on it as a student who lived through these unbelievable events as they unfolded.
Shocked and Disappointed
In the spirit of the holiday season I have a gift for you: a freshly minted Herman Cain joke. Q: Mr. Cain, what about Libya? A: I never laid a hand on her.
Misrepresenting Occupy Wall Street
As the Occupy Wall Street protesters are swept out of their encampments around the nation, many are asking what the movement’s next step will be and whether the police actions might actually help the two-month-old populist outburst grow.
Lost Causes Can Win
It’s a David and Goliath struggle. The Occupiers’ tents are dwarfed by the skyscrapers of the financiers. The Masters of the Universe control huge political budgets — the Chamber of Commerce spent $276 million to give Republicans a majority in the House of Representatives after the 2010 elections — while Occupiers survive on donated pizzas.
Buyer’s Remorse
Ohio voters elected tea-party-backed John Kasich as their Republican governor last year. One of his most prominent initiatives was legislation limiting public employees’ collective bargaining rights. Opponents collected 1.3 million signatures to subject his anti-bargaining bill to a referendum. On November 8th, Ohioans overwhelmingly voted to repeal Kasich’s bill, which they rejected by 61 percent to 39 percent.
The OMG Congress
You can tell politicians are getting nervous. They’re playing the “In God We Trust” card again.
The GOP’s Empty Rhetoric on Obama’s Immigration Record
The Obama administration, which is currently deporting a record 400,000 people each year, took a minor step to protect immigrants. Now many Republicans are accusing him of treason. “Potential illegal immigrants may surge across the border making it difficult for the border patrol,” said Rep. Candice Miller (R-MI) at a recent hearing.
