Commentaries

In creating the myth of Zeus as their supreme deity, ancient Greek male politicians attempted to naturalize misogyny.  Misogyny, “dislike of, contempt for, or ingrained prejudice against women,” from the Greek root “hatred [of] women,” centuries later found full-throated expression in U.S. politics through the hearings and eventual confirmation of the misogynist Kavanaugh for a…

I can almost hear centrist Democrats and other mainstream liberals saying how “idealistic” or “unrealistic” broad calls for social justice are.  Never mind that numerous progressive goals proposed in the U.S. are common, legislated practices in many European nations and Canada. Without a vision of where we’d like our nation to become, it’s nearly impossible to…

While many of us bask in the glimmer of hope offered with the defeat of Roy Moore by Doug Jones for an Alabama U.S. Senate seat, we might ask ourselves if a Doug Jones-type candidate could have won if the individual were Black or female, White or Black?              Despite the Black vote that clearly…

Background: In Spring of 2107 the Evergreen State College was rocked with protests originating both on and off campus, including a threat by an individual who stated in a 911 call, “Yes, I am on my way to Evergreen now with a .44 Magnum. … I am going to execute as many people on that campus…

             In A People’s History of the United States, the late Howard Zinn included a chapter that offered his own perspective on how progressive social movements can derail a political status quo.  During the first 10 days into Führer Trump’s regime and visible resistance to his Electoral College appointment as U.S. president, I’ve been recalling Zinn’s perspective…

            As we move forward in this new era of Trumpism, it will be important to keep in mind what the challenges ahead are likely as authoritarianism gains increasing legitimacy at all levels (for example, Trump’s demand to force children to salute the flag…and much worse…).             Because many students I’ve had did not understand the authoritarian streak that…

            San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick definitely has the nation’s attention by his decision to not stand during the national anthem.  In a Labor Day press conference, even President Obama weighed in on Kaepernick for following the First Amendment by “exercising his constitutional right” to protest police impunity in the use of excessive…

            By now it’s no secret that Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump’s appeal is to White voters who heed his racist dog-whistle.  Only this week did Trump make any gesture toward Black voters, and that was in room that was 99% White and just 40 miles north of Milwaukee, where rioting recently took…

            As horrific and unjustifiable as the lone sniper’s killing of Dallas Police Officers last night are, this ought not be surprising in light of the growing frustration at police impunity to use excessive force on civilians, especially on populations of color.  The sniper was not part of any organized group, including Black Lives…