When I was in working on my PhD in philosophy at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, I paid for part of my education by teaching in prison. For me it was an incredibly rewarding experience. It was great working these students who had time to read and think, and wonder in the deep ways … Continue reading Bring Back Pell Grants for Prisoners
Belonging and Social Change: A Critique of the Politics of Wokeness
We are in an amazing and dangerous time, where the chronic social problems which have caused so much trauma over so many years are coming to be seen as urgent and in need of attention by a rapidly increasing number of people. As so many people become “woke” to these problems, it is important that … Continue reading Belonging and Social Change: A Critique of the Politics of Wokeness
Fighting for the Climate: A Note from Post-Apocalyptic California
As I write this the air is brown and dangerous to breathe for the third day in a row in California. Yesterday I needed to wear a respirator to keep my lungs from hurting. So far over eighty people have lost their lives in these fires. Last year's fires were the worst on record. This … Continue reading Fighting for the Climate: A Note from Post-Apocalyptic California
Building Democracy to Fight the Nativist Attack: A Review of ‘The People vs. Democracy’
As someone who came to politics opposing US government policies, I’ve been surprising myself lately by how much I end up talking about the importance of “rule of law." I'm used to being the one to criticize how bad our laws are, how unfairly they are enforced, and how oppressive government actions are. But there … Continue reading Building Democracy to Fight the Nativist Attack: A Review of ‘The People vs. Democracy’
Owning Our Shit: The US Role in Global Migration
Trump's comments about shithole countries are no surprise and it reflects the racist worldview we know he holds. While much of the discussion around the statement has focused on how racist it was, less commented on has been how profoundly it misunderstands the nature of immigration. The US is a nation of immigrants, the descendants … Continue reading Owning Our Shit: The US Role in Global Migration
Holding onto Your Humanity in Solitary Confinement
On the pain and the pathology of the Security Housing Unit by Ifoma Modibo Kambon. Introduction by Cynthia Kaufman Introduction: I first met Ifoma Modibo Kambon through my friend Sharon Martinas. Sharon is part of PLEJ (Power, Love, Education and Justice), a project of Human Rights Pen Pals. PLEJ is a collaboration between incarcerated people … Continue reading Holding onto Your Humanity in Solitary Confinement
It May Actually Be Worse Than You Think: Assessing the Integrated and Funded Machine We Are Up Against
When Trump first came to power, like most progressive, leftist, and liberal people I know, I was terrified. It seemed possible that we were on the verge of fascism. Could Trump unleash thugs onto the street to act with impunity against people from vulnerable groups, as Hitler’s Brown shirts did? Could the constitution … Continue reading It May Actually Be Worse Than You Think: Assessing the Integrated and Funded Machine We Are Up Against
Counterhegemony
Getting out of this Mess by Building support for Economic and Social Justice The election was terrible and means huge setback in the things we who support social and economic justice care about. For the climate it may mean the difference between the possibility of building a sustainable future and getting to the changes too late … Continue reading Counterhegemony
The Fortress World of Capitalism vs. the Beautiful Possibilities of Cooperation
Our beloved world is entering an increasingly unstable period, full of dangers and also full of possibilities. In many countries, old political parties are crumbling faster and anyone thought imaginable. Old geopolitical alliances have come unglued as the US comes to exercise its role as world hegemon in new and unpredictable ways. The development of … Continue reading The Fortress World of Capitalism vs. the Beautiful Possibilities of Cooperation
Unicorns, Gnomes, and Plea to the Press on Covering Trump
On January 11 finally Trump held his much awaited press conference. And it was a terrifying success. The press faithfully covered a wild and strange show. But we don't need to be told about the show that was performed. What we needed was a consistent grounding in reality. It was as if, covering the moment … Continue reading Unicorns, Gnomes, and Plea to the Press on Covering Trump
