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

Civil disobedience and the Keystone to change

I was surprised that Robert F. Kennedy (at right) was the most tempting celebrity hook in coverage of the most recent civil disobedience outside the White House.   About 50 people handcuffed themselves to the gates out front and were arrested, … Continue reading

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Remembering more of Rosa Parks

At The New York Times, columnist Charles Blow is promoting a new biography of Rosa Parks.  Jenane Theoharis’s The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks (Beacon) extends the story of the civil rights icon, undermining the myth of spontaneity surrounding … Continue reading

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Lunch counter sit-in anniversaries

There was once a store called Woolworths.  It sold dry goods, mostly cheap stuff, including paper and pencils.  Many Woolworths also included a cheap restaurant where you could get coffee and a grilled cheese sandwich, also cheap.  Fifty-three years ago … Continue reading

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Resurrecting immigration reform and recalling the DREAMers

Only a small part of any comprehensive immigration reform proposal that the Senate considers will address the Dreamers, young people brought without papers to the United States as children, but the revival of immigration reform is directly attributable to their … Continue reading

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Martin Luther King Day (2013): The advantages of dead heroes

(Today’s presidential inauguration lands on the Martin Luther King Day holiday.  This is a repost on the no-longer contested King holiday.) Martin Luther King died young enough and dramatically enough to be turned into an American hero, but it was … Continue reading

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Guns across America

Opponents of any new restrictions on guns turned up at every state capital on Saturday, some carrying weapons where they were allowed to do so.  The demonstrators were peaceful and law-abiding, by all accounts, but some suggested they might not … Continue reading

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Gun Appreciation Day and Martin Luther King’s birthday

When an interviewer asked Larry Ward, a conservative media strategist, about the appropriateness of scheduling “Gun Appreciation Day” on January 19th, the holiday commemorating Martin Luther King, Ward was quick on his feet, if not particularly sure-footed.  Martin Luther King … Continue reading

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Threat, polarization, and mobilization in the gun debate

Until just a few weeks ago, the notion of a policy-relevant debate about access to guns seemed fanciful.  Supporters of relatively easy access to firearms of all sorts were resolute, and advocates of limits of any kind were either silent … Continue reading

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Occupy in Steubenville, Ohio

Activists in Ohio–and elsewhere–have grabbed the Occupy label to demonstrate their concern that Steubenville authorities (including the police and the high school football coaching staff) are covering up a sexual assault.  Using Occupy, Anonymous, the Guy Fawkes mask, hacktivist tools, … Continue reading

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Meme war: Kalle Lasn keeps pitching

More than a year past the start of Occupy, Kalle Lasn of Adbusters has been pushing an anti-consumerist campaign, Buy Nothing Day.  Because of Lasn’s charm and media savvy, and because of Occupy, the campaign got some mainstream attention, but … Continue reading

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