Sometimes legislators pass laws that are incomprehensible. Sometimes, they move beyond incomprehensible to counterproductive. And sometimes they move beyond counterproductive to simple silliness. Then, there are those times when laws are passed that are downright cruel. The Texas legislature passing SB 8 is one of those occasions. Writing in The Los Angeles Times, Michael Hiltzik … Continue reading Texas Travesty
Facebook Manipulations
The appearance of Facebook’s Whistleblower Frances Haugen on 60 Minutes this week, raised the level of concern about the power and influence of Facebook, Google, Twitter and other social media platforms. Their ability to influence everything from clothing trends to election outcomes is a source of alarm on many levels. Haugen’s complaints, as filed with … Continue reading Facebook Manipulations
Vaccine Politics
My frustration is mounting. Perhaps yours is as well. Why do so many people still resist getting Covid vaccinations when the evidence against such a decision is so overwhelming? There have been theories that attribute Covid hesitancy to those who are less educated or to communities of color who have been previously burned by duplicitous … Continue reading Vaccine Politics
“I Can’t Breathe”
Tragically, this simple phrase may become the most appropriate descriptor for the 21st century. It began in 2014 as Eric Garner cried out “I can’t breathe”—eleven times—upon his death at the hands of law enforcement on New York’s Staten Island. It quickly escalated in prominence as scores of Black men and women across the US … Continue reading “I Can’t Breathe”
The Next Afghan Crisis
Two weeks’ respite on the North Atlantic Canadian shore, and I return to find no let-up in the onslaught of news here in the US. New crises have emerged alongside lingering issues that seem only to have intensified these past two weeks: the fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban; the draconian anti-abortion law in Texas; … Continue reading The Next Afghan Crisis