Author Archives: David S. Meyer

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About David S. Meyer

Author and professor of Sociology and Political Science at the University of California, Irvine

Evaluating the sit-in

Posted on June 23, 2016 by David S. Meyer

The Democrats’ sit-in on the floor of the House of Representatives is over–for now, and the House is out of session until after the July 4 holiday. There was, unsurprisingly,  no vote on any gun control measure. And no one … Continue reading →

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Prospecting political tactics for gun control

Posted on June 22, 2016 by David S. Meyer

Democratic members of the US House of Representatives sat in on the floor of the House, demanding recorded votes on gun control measures. Rep. John Lewis (Georgia) made the speech that launched the effort, and was framed at the center of … Continue reading →

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Coming out in the immigration debate

Posted on June 17, 2016 by David S. Meyer

Valedictorians are rule-followers. They turn their work in on time, and check their spelling, grammar, and references carefully beforehand. They don’t slack off on courses that aren’t interesting or assignments that aren’t important. It’s hard to stay focused all the … Continue reading →

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Meat as a weapon

Posted on May 31, 2016 by David S. Meyer

Today’s bizarre headline: Georgian nationalists attack a vegan cafe in Tbilisi, armed with sausage.* Read below the headline, and reports describe a protein-filled assault on the Kiwi Cafe, as protesters rained grilled meat and fish upon diners, then lit up … Continue reading →

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Coming out on mental illness

Posted on May 10, 2016 by David S. Meyer

Kristen Bell is my new hero. And it’s not just her charming rendition of “Love is an Open Door” as a Disney princess in Frozen (in duet with Santino Fontana). In an interview released last week, Bell acknowledged her long … Continue reading →

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UC Davis, the protest challenge, and history

Posted on April 15, 2016 by David S. Meyer

Remember Occupy? At the height of the movement, students at UC Davis attempted their own encampment. Pepper spray appeared, like a pop quiz, as an unexpected and painful addition to the curriculum. The overly enthusiastic response of campus police made … Continue reading →

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LGBT rights and the arts embargo

Posted on April 13, 2016 by David S. Meyer

I’d been waiting for James Taylor to announce that he would not be going to Carolina…even in his mind–but Bruce Springsteen beat him to it. On April 8, Springsteen announced on his website that he was canceling his concert scheduled … Continue reading →

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Protest, violence, and the Trump campaign

Posted on April 5, 2016 by David S. Meyer

Selling himself as a man of action, not bound by law, conventional standards, or “political correctness”–whatever that is, Donald Trump is determined to keep control of his events, even if that includes letting his supporters or staff lose control. Trump … Continue reading →

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Fighting religious freedom (to discriminate)

Posted on March 28, 2016 by David S. Meyer

San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee announced that he was ordering all City departments to suspend paying for travel to North Carolina unless it is essential to the City. The problem is the new religious freedom (to discriminate) law that North … Continue reading →

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Cesar Chavez Day, 2016

Posted on March 25, 2016 by David S. Meyer

I hadn’t realized that today was Cesar Chavez Day until I arrived at a campus mostly empty and locked.  In fact, it’s not Cesar Chavez Day in California or the United States–that’s next week–but just on campus, so it doesn’t … Continue reading →

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