Category Archives: Uncategorized

Cesar Chavez Day, 2016

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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Trumpism and the threat of violence

Although supporters, opponents, bloggers and observers of all sorts throw the word “movement” around to describe Donald Trump’s candidacy, so far it’s been about nothing more than a dyed and bloated real estate magnate. At least once, local toughs cited … Continue reading →

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How movements win: Seaworld

The new president and Chief Executive Officer of SeaWorld, Joel Manby, announced that the chain of theme parks would no longer breed orcas, and that the parks would stop their performing their signature Shamu shows. Manby also announced a new … Continue reading →

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Guns and government: standing down in Oregon

The Occupation at Malheur Wildlife Refuge is falling apart as federal law enforcement picks away at it. On Tuesday afternoon, the FBI and Oregon state police arrested seven Occupiers, and killed another one, LaVoy Finicum, under circumstances that are unclear … Continue reading →

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God and democracy

The Occupation at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge continues at this writing, and whatever local authorities and the FBI are doing to end the moment isn’t obvious or clear to those of us watching from afar. If there’s a plan, I … Continue reading →

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Martin Luther King Day, 2016 (repost)

(This is a repost of the MLKing Day holiday note.) Martin Luther King died young enough and dramatically enough to be turned into an American hero, but it was neither his youth nor his death that made him heroic. In … Continue reading →

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Keystone XL: what victory looks like

With ice and glaciers melting across the Arctic, at least this one polar bear found a comfortable place to rest on Pennsylvania Avenue. (Not really, that’s an activist in costume….) Last November, President Obama (finally) announced a decision on the … Continue reading →

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Another kind of Occupation: What do you mean “we”?

Occupation of public spaces to advance a political agenda is nothing new to us, nor to anyone who watched Occupy flash across American politics in 2011. The ongoing Occupation at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon is a little … Continue reading →

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Does the student campaign spread?

Activists copy things that seem to work, but the recipe for success in one place doesn’t always translate elsewhere. Of course, students around the United States found inspiration and encouragement from the Missouri students’ successful blitz of their university president.  … Continue reading →

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The Mizzou moment: Student activism beyond Missouri

When activists see a tactic that seems to be producing results, they’ll imitate it. Innovation spreads ideas that seem to work. The ousting of University of Missouri Timothy Wolfe signaled student activists across the country about new possibilities. We’ve seen … Continue reading →

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