Rights and Democracy

It’s Like Looking in a Mirror
Who’s the orangest of them all?

Trump’s Judaism Order Has Nothing to Do With Fighting Anti-Semitism
The man who called neo-Nazis “very fine people” has no business defining anti-Semitism for the rest of us.

A Holiday Gift to the People, from the People
How small shrimpers in Texas beat a giant polluting corporation — just in time for the holidays.

Sesame Street Saved My Young Mind — Now We Need to Save It
President Trump wants to cut off support for the show, now celebrating its 50th year and still drawing a huge audience.

Standardized Tests Are Biased and Unhelpful
Research shows they hurt poor students and students of color, while failing to predict success in college.

Less Unholy Than Thou
The U.S. is condemning China’s treatment of Uighur Muslims, but not with much moral authority.

What Trump and the GOP Learned from Obama
They learned to embrace popular organizing and to fear — and suppress — the black vote.

Cutting Food Aid Promotes Hunger, Not Work
As a kid, food stamps helped me eat, study, and succeed as an adult. Americans today deserve the same investment.

Is Marijuana a Gateway Drug?
For me, it’s a gateway to pain relief. For others, its prohibition is a gateway to mass incarceration.

Can Plantations Be Redeemed?
Thoughtful plantation tours can help us lean into our discomfort — and reconcile a painful past.