Category Archives: Uncategorized

Where’s Occupy? (five years on….)

What happened to the amazing movement that captured public attention five years ago? Last Saturday was the anniversary of the day the first Occupiers ambled marched through lower Manhattan and ambled into Zuccotti Park–where they stayed for two months, inspiring … Continue reading

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The repressive power of tolerance

One way protest works is by provoking overreaction from opponents. Remember, Colin Kaepernick sat out the national anthem for three days before anyone noticed. It was the reaction from people who took offense that drew attention to the quarterback and–to … Continue reading

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The risks of standing out–by sitting down

San Francisco 49er quarterback and national anthem dissenter Colin Kaepernick stands to earn more than $10 million this year, and most of it is guaranteed–unlike the contracts for most professional football players. This very substantial sum belies the very serious … Continue reading

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Labor Day 2016

For Labor Day Weekend, here’s a reminder about the history of this commemoration in America (reposted from 2011–with a postscript about new labor efforts). Successful politicians exploit, buy off, and sell out the movements that sometimes buoy their campaigns.  This … Continue reading

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Disrupting the national anthem ritual by opting out

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick reminded us about how difficult the national anthem is.  My problems start with how hard it is to sing. I like to think that I sometimes start singing low enough that I can reach … Continue reading

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Oh yeah, guns…..

The sniper murders in Dallas provide another chance to think about what legal access to firearms in the United States should look like. The demonstrators included individuals legally and openly carrying weapons. Apparently, even with good intent, this was of … Continue reading

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The violent fringe and police violence

The killing of five police officers in Dallas last night isn’t going to do anything to help the ongoing problem of police violence.  The horrific attacks and deaths are shocking: the organized killing of law enforcement officers just doesn’t happen … Continue reading

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Evaluating the sit-in

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

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

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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