So picture this scenario. A leader in a fledgling democracy creates a space for himself, a perch above it all from which to tame the beast. Sounds reasonable? Except, wait. No it […]
Open letter to America: the endless war for oil
What if I told you that all wars were waged over resources, that at the moment the most important resource in the world is oil, and that the war in the middle […]
Tea Party voter suppression tactics: repeal this law now
There is a boot on the neck of our democracy. It is the boot of the Tea Party. Identical laws in Texas and North Carolina strangled voter turnout. From 6:30 AM to […]
Let’s Stick Together: It’s all about the base
The moral movement is out in force. ALEC is whining about “church activists” countering their money machine with common sense and the free exchange of ideas. Moral Mondays in North Carolina begin with […]
Are you proud to be an American? I’m not.
by JS O’Brien Doubtless, the title of this piece made you think I was about to launch into a blame-America-first jeremiad on this July 4. Not the case. This is about pride; […]
You've impressed me, Ohio
I have driven Interstate 90 between Rochester, New York and Chicago, Illinois more times than I can count. Before Tuesday, however, I had only been a tourist along this route once during […]
Nota Bene #123: Behold the Chickenosaurus
“There ought to be limits to freedom.” Who said it?
Stop the Machine wins Freedom Plaza
On Sunday at midnight, October2011’s Stop the Machine permit for occupying Freedom Plaza expired. While some, like our group from the Tulane School of Social Work, had to return to our respective […]
Talk of the plaza
Two main topics consume the conversations of Washington, D.C.’s Freedom Plaza today. Whether through announcements, group assemblies or personal chatter, most cannot help but consider two large issues: moving forward from an […]
Occupy and unite
It’s a beautiful Saturday morning on Freedom Plaza. Colorful signs, banners and tents fill the square as dedicated campers emerge from sleeping bags and prepare for another day advocating for change. I […]
