Free speech goes to jail
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If the first casualty of war is truth, the second is freedom to speak. Continue Reading
Immigration battles: Drivers licenses for all
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Minnesota’s One State, One License coalition got an early start, Continue Reading
Just the facts — and a few outrageous and hilarious lies
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Does a venomous, two-striped telamonia spider lurk under toilet seats in public restrooms? Continue Reading
Cultural bridge builder: Sia Her redefines what it means to be a ‘good Hmong daughter’
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Sia Her remembers hearing relatives ask her mother, “Is this the daughter you tried to abort?” And her mother would say yes. For years, until her parents finally felt able to tell stories from Laos, she didn’t understand the questions, or the answer.
#BlackLivesMatter and #ChargeMeToo
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As one grand jury after another refuses to indict police who have killed black men, #BlackLivesMatter protests continue across the United States. I marched on November 25, missed Saturday’s MOA protest, and will probably march again. Like many people, I keep hearing the same questions on Facebook and from friends and family. Before the next family gathering, here’s my short question-and-answer. Continue Reading
OPINION | Shut up and work: The question of free speech on the job
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“Discussing political views is not advisable.” This 1905 rule for Iowa teachers apparently also applies to Delta Air Lines workers in 2014.
Torture done in our name
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The long-secret “torture report” from the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence is out. Sort of. The full report, still classified, is 6700 pages of “comprehensive and excruciating detail.” What we got on December 9 was a mere 525 pages of Findings and Conclusions and Executive Summary. Even with lots of names and details neatly blacked out, this gut-twisting account shines an unforgiving light on evil done in our name. Continue Reading
Beyond press release journalism and official stories
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Police break up Colorado drug ring! Oops — no, they didn’t. What actually happened: police arrested 40 people on the basis of unreliable and vindictive informants, splashed their names and faces all over local front pages and TV news, and later dismissed all the charges. This story of policing — journalism — gone wrong demonstrates the perils of relying on the “official story.” Continue Reading
The thousand dollar pill
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Vox tells the story: a miracle pill that cures hepatitis C restored normal life, liver function, the ability to walk, and even hair to 74-year-old Philip Mason. The new drug, Sovaldi, sells for a thousand dollars per pill or $84,000 for the full course of treatment, making billions of dollars in profits for its owner, the Gilead drug company. That makes Sovaldi the latest example of the runaway greed and profit-taking by drug companies. Continue Reading