Freedom: Challenging Domination or License to Dominate?

When the people on the streets in Iran use the slogan "Woman, Life, Freedom," the freedom they refer to is freedom from domination. Iranians are living under a regime that limits what they can say, how they dress, and how they may gather and organize. Their government is imprisoning, torturing, and killing people who are … Continue reading Freedom: Challenging Domination or License to Dominate?

Understanding Accountability So We Can Hold the Police to Account

Ever since the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers, people all around the country are mobilized to challenge the systemic racism that is deeply embedded in every institution of our country. We are in a moment full of sadness, trauma, and a sense of urgency. Many of us are worried that the moment … Continue reading Understanding Accountability So We Can Hold the Police to Account

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

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

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