214 Articles

Thursday, July 2, 2009
USA's Role In the Honduran Coup -- and How We Must Fix It
(5 comments) Last weekend, a military coup in Honduras overthrew the democratically elected government of that Central American nation and sent President Manuel Zelaya into exile in Costa Rica. The coup was apparently led by Romeo Vasquez, a graduate of the notorious School of the Americas (SOA), a military/torture school located at Fort Benning, Georgia.

Sunday, June 28, 2009
40 Years After Stonewall, Still a Long Way to Go
(4 comments) I am writing this on June 28, 2009 -- the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall riots in New York's Greenwich Village in 1969, which marked the beginning of the LGBT rights movement here in the U.S. While some progress has certainly been made, we as a society still have a long way to go in this newest civil rights movement.

Thursday, June 11, 2009
Clearing Up Myths About the Employee Free Choice Act
(1 comments) The corporate world is twisting the facts to try to scare workers, the public, and Congress into opposing the Employee Free Choice Act.

Saturday, June 6, 2009
No, Dan, America is Not a Christian Nation
(51 comments) A letter to the editor in Friday's Chicago Tribune has got my blood boiling.

Wednesday, June 3, 2009
How the Catholic Church Survives Social Progress
(1 comments) In the 40-plus years since Vatican II, society has evolved, and most Catholics I know have changed with the times. A result is the large number of "cafeteria Catholics", who pick and choose which doctrines they will follow and which they will ignore.

Saturday, May 30, 2009
Why the Torture Photos Should Be Released
(9 comments) The Obama administration continues trying to block the release of some additional photos of detainee abuse. The excuse? They say exposing the photos could incite anti-American violence in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. They seem to forget that we're already seeing anti-American violence in those countries. And they seem to forget why.

Thursday, May 28, 2009
Is Sotomayor a threat to Roe v. Wade? Don't ask the NY Times.
(2 comments) Reproductive choice is an important issue, and NARAL's concerns regarding Sotomayor should not be too readily dismissed. But it's worth taking some time to research the court cases behind their concern.

Sunday, May 17, 2009
GOP Misleads on Health Care Bureaucracy
(4 comments) This is the difference between the Democrats, who want to promote the well-being of ordinary Americans, and the Republicans, who only want to please their corporate donors.

Thursday, May 14, 2009
Why I Oppose the Inquirer Boycott
(8 comments) The Philadelphia Inquirer has hired John Yoo as a regular columnist. Some have called for a boycott of the paper. But I'm not sure I agree with them.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009
The Trouble With Health "Insurance"
(5 comments) Insurance companies are in business to make profits for their shareholders. And they are profiting from the suffering of others, often by denying payment for necessary medical treatment. That itself is incompatible with the core definition of health care.

Saturday, May 9, 2009
I'm Not Against Religion, I'm Against Religious Hypocrisy
(14 comments) While I might not share your beliefs, I will defend your right to hold those beliefs, and to practice them -- so long as they do not interfere with the rights of others.

Sunday, April 26, 2009
23 Years After Chernobyl, Nuclear Power is Still a Threat
(6 comments) Where there are nuclear power plants, there is the risk of accidents that could pose a very serious threat to the population.

Saturday, April 25, 2009
Multitask, Mr. President
When it comes to the torture issue, and the prosecution of those responsible for it, Obama says he wants to look forward, not backward. He suggests that using time and resources to pursue justice against the torturers might impede his administration's ambitious agenda. To that I say: Multitask, Mr. President.

Thursday, April 23, 2009
Yes, Senator, It IS Like a Banana Republic
(8 comments) But not for the reasons that Senator Specter would think.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009
On Earth Day and Beyond: Say No to Plastic Bags
(5 comments) Plastic bags are clogging up our environment and they are not going away. We don't need to add more bags to the problem.

Sunday, April 19, 2009
They Are All Accountable For Torture
(10 comments) Spain might not prosecute the "Bush Six" because they didn't participate in the torture. And Obama will not prosecute those who did. So which approach is correct? In my opinion, neither.

Sunday, March 29, 2009
No, We're Not On a Road to Communism
(11 comments) The Democrats do not think all business are evil. And the Democrats don't want the government to take over all businesses. We just see this current recession as an example of the problems that can result from unregulated business run amok.

Sunday, March 22, 2009
Water: Commodity or Human Right?
(2 comments) I am writing this on March 22, World Water Day. And I am thinking about how spoiled we Americans are. We use and abuse our natural resources without giving it a second thought.

Sunday, March 15, 2009
Challenging the Right on National Health Care
(32 comments) Whenever I advocate for universal single-payer health care for all Americans, the right-wingers flood my inbox with all the predictable myths.

Saturday, March 14, 2009
Gov. Richardson to Decide Future of Death Penalty in NM
(2 comments) On March 13, the New Mexico Senate voted to repeal the death penalty in that state. This action follows a corresponding vote in the New Mexico House of Representatives in February. The bill is now on its way to Governor Richardson's desk. And, unfortunately, he appears to be on the fence.

Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Obama Puts Science Back in Government
(4 comments) We finally have a guy in the White House who respects science and appreciates its benefits to society.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009
From Lincoln to Limbaugh
(2 comments) Rush Limbaugh is the new unofficial head of the floundering Republican Party. This is quite the de-evolution of the party of Abe Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt, which once was much more concerned with issues of conscience.

Monday, March 9, 2009
Strategic Negotiation is Not Appeasement
(1 comments) The media are abuzz with the news that President Obama acknowledges that we are not winning the war in Afghanistan and is thinking about reaching out to moderate elements of the Taliban. And the right-wingers are jumping all over it. To them, it's proof that Obama likes to pal around with terrorists.

Sunday, March 8, 2009
U.S. Women Should be Grateful for Obama
(7 comments) The Obama administration will be much kinder and fairer to women than a McCain administration would have. In fact, that's already been proven.

Tuesday, March 3, 2009
GOP Hypocrisy on Health Care
(2 comments) In the case of nationalized health care, Republicans like to warn the sheep that such a program would result in bureaucrats deciding what kinds of treatment you can and cannot have. But that is exactly what we're dealing with today!

Saturday, February 14, 2009
Love is love. Period. Deal with it.
(1 comments) Love is something to be celebrated, not judged by strangers.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Why God Does Not Belong at Inaugurations
(109 comments) Inauguration Day 2009 was almost perfect. However, I must take issue with the unnecessary religiosity of the occasion.

Sunday, January 18, 2009
Qahtani and the Case Against Torture
(1 comments) Torture clearly does nothing to make us safer. It only makes us criminals.

Saturday, January 10, 2009
Will Maryland See a More Enlightened Justice System?
A recent report by the Maryland Commission on Capital Punishment found numerous flaws in that state's use of the death penalty.

Monday, December 29, 2008
Jail Instead of Rehab: Not Just for Grownups Anymore
(2 comments) We routinely treat our misguided youth like fighting dogs -- throwing them into prisons where they can hone their criminal instincts, instead of rehabilitating them and giving them a fair chance at becoming productive, law-abiding, tax-paying adults.

Monday, December 22, 2008
In Auto Bailout, Don't Make Workers Pay the Price for Corporate Greed
(3 comments) Workers' salaries are a drop in the bucket compared to what the CEOs have been raking in. And it's management's greed-inspired business practices that got us into this mess. So why does labor have to make the concessions?

Saturday, December 20, 2008
The Rick Warren Controversy and Barack's Bad Timing
(7 comments) I understand and appreciate Obama's agenda of inclusiveness. But, in seeking inclusiveness for his inauguration ceremony, did he really have to include someone so divisive, who is himself against inclusion of the LGBT community in one of society's most revered institutions?

Saturday, December 13, 2008
The Salvation Army's Red Kettle of Trouble
(4 comments) The Salvation Army has done some good work in the past in providing assistance to the poor, the addicted, and the marginalized. But their methods are not ones that I approve of.

Friday, December 5, 2008
Why Obama Must Commit to Cluster Munitions Ban
(2 comments) According to a study by Handicap International, 98 percent of cluster bomb victims are civilians and 27 percent are children.

Sunday, November 30, 2008
Deadly Consumerism
(12 comments) How cheap really is that big TV if it costs you your soul?

Monday, November 24, 2008
Why Barack Obama Should Close the SOA
(5 comments) An end to torture by the CIA means little if we are still teaching the techniques to those who would propagate the atrocities overseas with our assistance.

Saturday, November 22, 2008
The Real Problem with Traitor Joe's Chairmanship
(5 comments) While I admit that my anger with Joe Lieberman's continued chairmanship of the Senate Homeland Security Committee is partially due to a desire for vengeance (which, in this case, I prefer to think of as justice), I also have a far more pragmatic reason to oppose this decision by the Senate Dems.

Sunday, November 16, 2008
Revoke the Mormons' 501(c)(3) Status?
(13 comments) Churches enjoy 501(c)(3) status as tax-exempt religious organizations. But with privilege comes responsibility. And so with 501(c)(3) status comes the obligation to refrain from most types of political activity.

Sunday, November 9, 2008
One Step Forward, Three Steps Back
(9 comments) On Election Day, tolerance in the USA took a huge step forward with the election of our first African-American president. On at least three other fronts, however, tolerance took a step backwards in a somewhat different direction.

Wednesday, November 5, 2008
An American Awakening
(5 comments) Barack Obama's overwhelming victory over John McCain is a sign that America has finally awoken from its fear-induced coma.

Sunday, November 2, 2008
The Trouble With Nader
(13 comments) As much as I appreciate the idealism of these third-party voters, the electoral process isn't set up to work in their favor. We've got a two-party system in which third-party votes are potential spoilers. But there is a way around this.

Saturday, November 1, 2008
America's Enduring Culture of Hate
(19 comments) Hate and intolerance are alive and thriving, and in fact seem especially pronounced during this high-stakes election campaign season.

Sunday, October 26, 2008
Is Palin the New Bush?
(9 comments) Will Sarah Palin run for president in 2012? Stranger things have happened, like the election of the similarly unqualified George W. Bush in 2000.

Monday, October 20, 2008
Powell's Endorsement: Redemption, Race, or Revenge?
(25 comments) I see Powell's endorsement of Barack Obama as a step towards atoning for his support of the neocon agenda in the run-up to the Iraq war. Others apparently disagree.

Monday, October 13, 2008
Is John McCain Still Trapped in Vietnam?
(1 comments) We need a president who can learn from the past, not dwell on it -- or in it.

Thursday, October 9, 2008
Maryland State Police Put Nonviolent Activists on Terror Lists
(3 comments) This is America, where we once believed that only in a dictatorship or a police state would our right to dissent be stifled.

Thursday, September 25, 2008
Hasn't McCain Done Enough for the Economy?
John McCain is seeking to postpone Friday's debate in order to focus on the financial crisis. OK, so he is incapable of multitasking. But that is not my biggest concern.

Sunday, September 21, 2008
Will Racism Cost Obama the Election?
(15 comments) Sadly, racism is still a factor in this year's presidential election, even here in the 21st century.

Thursday, September 11, 2008
9/11 Became an Excuse
(6 comments) I am so tired of the politics of fear and lying. And when it's done in the name of 9/11, it dishonors those who lost their lives in the attacks.

Sunday, September 7, 2008
What Sarah Palin Didn't Tell Us
(11 comments) In her acceptance speech at the RNC, Sarah Palin covered the talking points that would win favor with her audience. At the same time, she chose to ignore some important considerations that could make all the difference in voters' minds.

Sunday, August 31, 2008
RNC, Gustav, and NOLA -- Oh My!
(1 comments) Bush and Cheney have canceled their appearances at the Republican National Convention, which begins tomorrow, because of "mounting concerns about Hurricane Gustav." Call me a cynic but I think it's just PR.

Saturday, August 30, 2008
Working the Sarah Palin Puzzle
(1 comments) Why did McCain choose Sarah Palin as his running mate? And will it work?

Saturday, August 23, 2008
Joe Biden: The Yang to Obama's Yin
(9 comments) I don't think there could have been a "perfect" choice for Obama's VP slot, but then there never is. All things considered, I think Biden is probably the most solid choice we had this year.

Sunday, August 10, 2008
Politicians' Affairs, Double Standards, and Glass Houses Everywhere
I never thought I'd find myself feeling thankful that John Edwards didn't win the Democratic nomination for this year's presidential election. But today I do, and not for the reasons you might think.

Friday, August 8, 2008
Hamdan Case Exemplifies Bush's Failure in the "War on Terror"
(4 comments) For all of Bush's tough talk in the "war on terror", this is what he's got to show for it -- bin Laden's driver, who may be free in 5 months.

Saturday, July 19, 2008
Does Obama Need A Running Mate With War Clout?
(7 comments) Too many people mistakenly believe that McCain can keep them safer. So I've been wondering if it might help if Obama were to select a running mate with some war clout.

Saturday, July 12, 2008
Coming To Terms With Obama's FISA Vote
(25 comments) Disappointing as the FISA sellout may be, we must keep in mind that this election is about more than just one issue.

Monday, June 9, 2008
Why Hillary's Extremists Must Support Barack Obama
(12 comments) Some of Sen. Clinton's staunchest supporters are still threatening to vote for McCain over Obama. Here is why they must not.

Sunday, May 25, 2008
The Pros and Cons of an Obama-Clinton Ticket
(7 comments) I cannot quite decide whether an Obama-Clinton ticket in November would be a good thing or a bad thing.

Sunday, May 18, 2008
No, George, Diplomacy Is Not Appeasement
(22 comments) And diplomacy has not been repeatedly discredited by history. In fact, diplomacy is what has made possible today's modern globalized civil society, imperfect though it may be.

Sunday, May 11, 2008
Spoiled Americans Fail the Green Test
(5 comments) It will take more than a movie and a rock concert to force Americans to be more environmentally responsible.

Monday, April 28, 2008
Why Do The Republicans Oppose Fair Pay?
(4 comments) According to the current law upheld last year by the Supreme Court, you have to be a mind reader or else accept lower wages than your white male colleagues receive. And that is fine with the Republicans, including John McCain.

Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Identity Politics and the Pennsylvania Primary
(1 comments) Not every middle-aged white woman in a pantsuit is going to vote for Hillary.

Monday, April 21, 2008
Human Rights Are More Than Just Words
In his recent speech at UN headquarters in New York, Pope Benedict XVI spoke at length about the importance of human rights. I believe he means it, for the most part. But does his own human rights record stand up under scrutiny?

Sunday, April 20, 2008
Patriotism or Jingoism?
(7 comments) There's the war, the economy, and so much more at stake. But the media would rather talk about flag pins.

Sunday, April 13, 2008
Obama Was Right About Some Small Towns
(4 comments) While Obama's words surely don't apply to every person in every small town in America, they apply to the world I grew up in and the world with which I still have some contact.

Monday, April 7, 2008
Girls Taken From Polygamist Ranch: Kidnap or Rescue?
(7 comments) In normal society, when it is discovered that a child is being abused at the hands of her parents, the authorities intervene, if the child is lucky, and the child is removed from the abusive environment. The recent activity at the FLDS compound is no different.

Sunday, April 6, 2008
Promoting Equality = Buying Into the "Homosexual Agenda"?
(15 comments) According to Rev. Don Wildmon of the American Family Association, discrimination is right, and equality is wrong.

Wednesday, March 26, 2008
In Presidential Politics, What Is True Strength?
(2 comments) Some believe that John McCain projects more personal strength than the Democratic candidates. However, McCain's strength is an illusion.

Sunday, March 16, 2008
Obama's Pastor Problem and the Lessons Learned
(3 comments) I am a staunch supporter of freedom of speech, so why do I find Rev. Wright's comments inappropriate? The answer is simple: Because they were said from the pulpit.

Saturday, March 15, 2008
Bush Says His Tax Cuts Have Worked
(8 comments) Even as he admitted that we are going through a challenging time, Bush had the nerve to tell an audience this week that his economic strategy has worked.

Friday, March 7, 2008
South Pasadena vs. Freedom of Speech
South Pasadena sees cussing as a threat to its reputation for civility. But what is true civility?

Sunday, February 24, 2008
In Politics, Sex Sells
(1 comments) The mass media's tabloid-like emphasis on a possible romantic relationship between John McCain and a female lobbyist seems to have distracted a lot of people from the real issue -- one of ethics and the corruption that so often takes place in Washington when politicians and lobbyists get too friendly.

Monday, February 18, 2008
What Would George Washington Think?
(4 comments) On this Presidents' Day holiday, I wonder what George Washington would think of the current state of affairs in this country he helped to found.

Sunday, February 17, 2008
John McCain Sells His Soul to the Base
What happened to the John McCain who historically worked in a bipartisan way to legislate against torture and other forms of cruel and degrading treatment of detainees?

Thursday, February 14, 2008
In Pennsylvania, Race is Still a Voter Issue
(5 comments) Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell has come under fire recently for suggesting that some Pennsylvanians "are probably not ready to vote for an African-American candidate" for President. Sadly, he is correct.

Tuesday, February 12, 2008
U.S. Military to Seek Death Penalty in Gitmo's Kangaroo Court
(4 comments) I have long held that the death penalty is about revenge, not justice. And, in the hands of the corrupt and biased U.S. military tribunal system at Guantanamo, it's of particular concern for a number of reasons.

Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Overseas Outsourcing: You Get What You Pay For
(4 comments) Remember the American dream? It's looking more and more as though it, too, has been outsourced.

Thursday, January 31, 2008
Rudy, 9/11, and a Nation Tired of the Terrorism Hype
(12 comments) Pundits are blaming Giuliani's bad primary results on the fact that he didn't bother to court the early primary states. But I'm hoping that there's another explanation.

Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Huckabee Wants to "Amend the Constitution" to "God's Standards"
(6 comments) Of course, Huckabee will surely put himself in charge of determining God's standards.

Monday, January 14, 2008
Appeals Court Rules That Gitmo Detainees Are Not "Persons" (And That Torture Is To Be Expected)
(2 comments) A federal appeals court threw out a suit by four British Muslims who allege that they were tortured and subjected to religious abuse at Gitmo.

Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Guantanamo: Six Years of Injustice -- and Counting
(2 comments) We need to close Guantanamo -- a national embarrassment -- and give each detainee a fair trial, in accordance in international law.

Sunday, January 6, 2008
Minorities and the American Electorate
Recent developments suggest that America might finally be ready to elect an African-American or female president.

Saturday, January 5, 2008
From Bad to Worse? China to Switch From Firing Squads to Lethal Injection for Executions
(5 comments) Can any form of execution really be considered humane?

Thursday, January 3, 2008
New Jersey Assemblyman Says Blacks Should Thank the Lord For Slavery
(24 comments) If not for slavery, Assemblyman Carroll tells us, they wouldn't be Americans.

Monday, December 31, 2007
Top 10 Most Underreported Humanitarian Stories of 2007
(1 comments) Each year, the group Doctors Without Borders publishes a list of the top 10 most underreported humanitarian stories. Here is this year's list.

Friday, December 28, 2007
The Bhutto Assassination: A Human Rights Perspective
(4 comments) With the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, the human rights community has lost a strong and steadfast ally.

Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Will Alabama Execute an Innocent Man?
(2 comments) Why does Governor Riley refuse to order a DNA test that could either prove Tommy Arthur's innocence or confirm his guilt?

Tuesday, December 25, 2007
What's Christmas Like in Iraq?
(1 comments) Our troops must spend another Christmas thousands of miles away from their families. And George W. Bush deserves a big lump of coal.

Sunday, December 23, 2007
Teenage Girl Dies So CIGNA Execs Can Get Richer
(19 comments) This is not just a healthcare issue or a political issue. It is a human rights issue.

Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Addict Doctors are Still Allowed to Practice (Even Surgery)
(1 comments) A patient's safety should be more important than protecting the doctor's privacy and reputation.

Sunday, December 16, 2007
Speak English Or Starve: The Philly Cheesesteak Saga Continues
(2 comments) Philadelphia holds a hearing on the infamous "Speak English" sign that hangs in a popular cheesesteak shop.

Saturday, December 15, 2007
New Jersey Abolishes the Death Penalty, and the Colosseum Lights Up in Tribute
(1 comments) This past week, New Jersey joined the civilized world and became the first state to abolish the death penalty since the Supreme Court reinstated it as a sentencing option back in 1976. And Rome has a dramatic celebration planned.

Friday, December 14, 2007
Bush Again Chooses Tobacco Over Children
This is Bush's "culture of life".

Thursday, December 13, 2007
Former Critic of Military Tribunals is Now the Chief Judge at Gitmo
I guess they paid him enough to cross over to the dark side.

Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Is Nancy Pelosi Complicit in Torture?
(8 comments) It appears that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Dem leaders had been briefed about the use of waterboarding, rendition, and other crimes against humanity, but did not object. In fact, they may have actually encouraged it.

Sunday, December 9, 2007
Romney Says You Can't Have Freedom Without Religion
(1 comments) On Thursday, December 6, Mitt Romney told us that freedom requires religion. What does that say to an agnostic like me?

Saturday, December 8, 2007
The Mumia Case: What Is True Justice?
(1 comments) As long as the outstanding questions remain unanswered, justice has not been served.

Friday, December 7, 2007
Amnesty Speaks Out on the 25th Anniversary of Lethal Injection
(3 comments) Back then, some believed that lethal injection would be a more humane alternative to the electric chair. Recent evidence suggests, however, that this is not the case.

Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Philadelphia Boy Scouts Must Pay For Their Bigotry
(3 comments) The city will no longer give the Cradle of Liberty Council a free building subsidized by tax dollars.

Monday, December 3, 2007
When Rights and Rules Collide
Human rights always trump religious or civil laws.

Saturday, December 1, 2007
A Message for World AIDS Day from the UNHCHR
On World AIDS Day, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights reminds us that HIV/AIDS is a human rights issue.

Sunday, November 25, 2007
Bush, Musharraf, and the Meaning of Democracy
(1 comments) George W. Bush recently expressed his support for General Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan, and called him a friend of democracy, even after Musharraf declared martial law and imprisoned his political opponents.

Saturday, November 24, 2007
Fireworks and the Culture of Fear
(1 comments) Bush keeps telling us to be afraid, so we all assume the worst.

Friday, November 23, 2007
Bush Blackmails Congress and Threatens to Fire Civilian Military Workers
(6 comments) And, of course, he will say it's all Congress's fault.

Thursday, November 22, 2007
This Year's Thanksgiving List
(2 comments) This year, these are some of the things I am grateful for.

Wednesday, November 21, 2007
The Supreme Court Is NOT Going To Abolish the Second Amendment
(14 comments) Now that the Supreme Court has agreed to hear the Washington, D.C. gun ban case, some pro-gun extremists are falsely claiming that the Supreme Court is going to decide whether or not to "uphold the Second Amendment".

Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Human Rights Watch Condemns Sentencing of Saudi Gang-Rape Victim (Where's George Bush?)
Saudi Arabia sentences a rape victim to 200 lashes

Monday, November 19, 2007
Might Higher Oil Prices Be a Good Thing?
(5 comments) If you can't appeal to the conscience, maybe you have to appeal to the wallet.

Sunday, November 18, 2007
Redact O'Reilly
I suspect that Bill O'Reilly fails to see the irony in his attacks on Brian DePalma's new film, "Redacted".

Saturday, November 17, 2007
The U.S. vs. the World in the Death Penalty Debate
(3 comments) This week, a United Nations committee passed a resolution calling for an end to the death penalty worldwide. The U.S. voted against it, joined by several third-world dictatorships.

Friday, November 16, 2007
Democratic Diversity
(2 comments) On the Democratic side, we have a Latino, an African American, and a woman running for president. On the Republican side, all white men.

Thursday, November 15, 2007
Gitmo SOP Manual Leaked
A whistleblower has leaked a 238-page manual outlining the standard operating procedures for the prison at Guantanamo. And it covers some pretty familiar techniques, like using stress positions and dogs to break the prisoners.

Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Privacy Redefined: Big Brother Comes to America
(3 comments) The Bush administration redefined torture. And now they're redefining privacy.

Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Veterans Constitute 1/4 of America's Homeless
They fought for this country, and how do we thank them?

Monday, November 12, 2007
Bush Administration Defies the U.N. Committee on Torture
(1 comments) The world sees us as torturers. And the world sees us as not wanting to do anything to change that. King George is above the law.

Sunday, November 11, 2007
Dennis Kucinich Is Not A Joke
(5 comments) It seems like the only time we hear about Dennis Kucinich is when the talking heads make fun of him.

Saturday, November 10, 2007
Eyewitness Report: Another Kangaroo Court Hearing at Gitmo
(2 comments) An Amnesty International observer reports on the third attempt at arraigning Omar Khadr.

Friday, November 9, 2007
Senate Confirms Mukasey (and Endorses Bush's Law Breaking)
(4 comments) They even worked late just to make it happen.

Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Is Kucinich the Only Courageous Member of Congress?
(4 comments) Dennis Kucinich's renewed efforts to impeach Dick Cheney will go nowhere. But at least he has the courage to try.

Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Is Iran Just One Year Away From a Nuclear Bomb?
And is this the excuse Bush needs?

Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Human Rights Watch Speaks Out on the Crisis in Pakistan
(1 comments) The organization calls on the Bush administration to end its support for Pakistan's military government.

Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Senate Judiciary Committee endorses "Torture Boy II" for AG; Senate needs a wake-up call
(2 comments) They could do better. This country deserves better.

Tuesday, November 6, 2007
ACLU Call to Action re: Mukasey
Please ask your senators to hold Mukasey accountable to the rule of law.

Monday, November 5, 2007
Pakistan Is In a Serious Mess -- But Did Anyone Notice?
(1 comments) Hopefully George W. Bush is not taking notes.

Sunday, November 4, 2007
Why Bush Needs Bin Laden
(3 comments) Bin Laden is the face of al-Qaeda. And as long as al-Qaeda has a face, Bush can keep us -- and Congress -- scared and compliant.

Saturday, November 3, 2007
Pipe Bomb Found at Arizona Nuclear Plant, But Officials Won't Call It Terrorism
(2 comments) I'm guessing that the suspect here is not of Middle Eastern ancestry.

Thursday, November 1, 2007
Bush Wants To Be the New Thought Police
(2 comments) Bush may attack Iran not only for what he thinks they do, but also for what he thinks they know.

Wednesday, October 31, 2007
American Bar Association Finds Death Penalty Seriously Flawed
(1 comments) Justice isn't served, it's mocked.

Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Bushies Grant Immunity to Blackwater War Criminals
(1 comments) No justice for Iraqi civilian deaths.

Monday, October 29, 2007
Whistleblower Exposes Even More Corruption and Injustice at Gitmo
(5 comments) You just can't win. They'll keep trying you until you're declared guilty, no matter how innocent you are.

Sunday, October 28, 2007
Is God Running for President?
(14 comments) We need to vote for candidates who will take their instructions not from some holy book, but rather from the Constitution.

Thursday, October 25, 2007
Senate Confirms a Bigot as U.S. Circuit Judge
(6 comments) "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal..." -- except in Judge Southwick's court.

Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Chertoff: Screw the Environment, We Need to Keep the Mexicans Out
(3 comments) How many Mexicans were on those planes on 9/11? Enough worth trashing the environment, according to Chertoff.

Monday, October 22, 2007
NASA Refuses to Disclose Air Safety Survey Results
(1 comments) Ignorance is bliss. And, in that ignorance, people will continue to buy airline tickets.

Sunday, October 21, 2007
Bush Threatens World War Three - With Nukes
(1 comments) Again Bush exaggerates the truth to justify war on an unarmed nation. And, as a lame duck cowboy with nukes, he's got nothing to lose.

Saturday, October 20, 2007
Kucinich: SCHIP Bill Fails To Provide Health Coverage For Legal Immigrant Children
(4 comments) Is it better to cover some kids rather than none?

Thursday, October 18, 2007
Rendition/Torture Surviver Maher Arar to Testify Before Congress Today
Please contact your members of Congress and demand justice for Maher Arar.

Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Rendition Movie is Not Fiction
Amnesty International speaks out about the ugly truths that this new movie depicts.

Sunday, October 14, 2007
Obama Blows It With "Kingdom on Earth" Comment
(8 comments) While I am bothered by the fact that the Republicans have in recent decades cornered the market on religious votes in this country, it bothers me even more to see Democrats recklessly using religion to demonstrate that they can be holy too.

Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Murder Victims' Families Call for Worldwide Moratorium on the Death Penalty
(2 comments) Proponents of the death penalty often cite the victims' families. But that's not about justice, it's about revenge.

Monday, October 8, 2007
Darfur: Why Should We Care?
Life is about more than just you.

Saturday, October 6, 2007
Is Human Decency Unconstitutional?
(2 comments) A reader questions the constitutionality of health care.

Friday, October 5, 2007
Tell Congress to Choose Children Over Bush
(1 comments) It's time for Congress to grow a backbone and stand up for some true American values, like taking care of our kids.

Thursday, October 4, 2007
Bush Chooses War and Tobacco Company Profits Over Children's Health Care
No empathy, no compassion. Just war and greed.

Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Are Heterosexuals Really the Best Parents?
(1 comments) Are Britney and K-Fed really better parents than the loving, stable gay couple down the street?

Tuesday, October 2, 2007
A Very Expensive Quagmire
(1 comments) There is no easy solution to the ongoing fiasco in Iraq; but staying there will not fix the problems.

Monday, October 1, 2007
The Red Mass vs. the U.S. Constitution
(23 comments) Does the annual "Red Mass" violate the Constitution's separation of Church and State?

Monday, October 1, 2007
Update: Bono's Torture Comments Now Available On Video
We can now hear Bono's full comments against torture.

Sunday, September 30, 2007
Bono Speaks Out Against Torture -- And Gets Censored
(4 comments) Bono's comments against torture are missing from the official video of his Liberty Medal acceptance speech.

Friday, September 28, 2007
Take O'Reilly to an Eagles Game
Show him how uncivilized white people can be.

Friday, September 28, 2007
Good News: Verizon Reverses Its Policy on Pro-Choice Messages
Verizon Wireless subscribers can now receive NARAL's text messages.

Thursday, September 27, 2007
Verizon Wireless Rejects Pro-Choice Text Messages
(3 comments) Verizon Wireless executives decide what kinds of text messages you can receive.

Sunday, September 23, 2007
A Challenge to the U.S. Senate: If the troops must forego R and R, so should you.
(4 comments) Since our senators feel that time off for the troops isn't so necessary, maybe they should forego their own vacations.

Friday, September 21, 2007
Senate Votes Against Free Speech
(5 comments) In passing a resolution condemning MoveOn.org's criticism of General Petraeus, the U.S. Senate has passed a resolution against freedom of speech.

Thursday, September 20, 2007
Senate Puts Another Nail in the Habeas Corpus Coffin
(9 comments) On Wednesday, the Senate Republicans, with help from Joe Lieberman, voted against an essential human right -- the right to due process.

Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Does OJ Really Matter?
(18 comments) I shouldn't give a damn about O.J. Simpson, just like I shouldn't give a damn about Britney Spears or Paris Hilton. Neither should you.

Monday, September 17, 2007
Will Bush's New AG Nominee Respect Our Constitutional Rights?
(1 comments) I did a little digging into Michael B. Mukasey's background. My findings have left me uncomfortable.

Wednesday, September 12, 2007
When a Hate Crime Can't Be Called a Hate Crime
(2 comments) Why do hate crimes sometimes merit lesser sentences than "regular" crimes of the same nature?

Monday, September 10, 2007
Six Years of What?
(4 comments) This week, we mark the sixth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. And where do we stand?

Sunday, September 2, 2007
Did Larry Craig Resign for the Wrong Reasons?
(8 comments) Can we really afford to waste time worrying about the sex lives of our politicians?

Saturday, September 1, 2007
What Does Labor Day Mean Today?
(1 comments) The decline of workers' rights in a corporatocracy gone wild.

Monday, August 20, 2007
Republican For the Wrong Reasons
(8 comments) In choosing a party affiliation, I believe that it's important to consider what each party really stands for.

Thursday, August 16, 2007
Gonzo given even more power over life and death
(1 comments) Should Attorney General Gonzales have the power to speed up death penalty cases around the country?

Sunday, August 12, 2007
Beijing Olympics: To Boycott or Not?
(3 comments) For the U.S. to boycott the Games would be the height of hypocrisy, and the world knows it.

Friday, August 10, 2007
Steak shortage is good for the environment (and good for you)
(2 comments) Save the environment: Be a Prius-driving vegetarian! (Seriously.)

Sunday, July 15, 2007
A vote for Bush was a vote for the terrorists
(3 comments) We know now that Bush's promises to keep us safe and effectively combat terrorism were no more credible than his promise to "preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States."

Monday, July 9, 2007
No truth, no consequences
With Scooter's commutation, the reign of impunity continues.

Sunday, July 8, 2007
Global warming is a human rights issue
(8 comments) It isn't just about polar bears and glaciers. It's about humanity.

Friday, May 25, 2007
Just another rubber-stamp Congress?
(1 comments) Last evening, Congress voted for the wishes of George W. Bush over the wishes of the American people.

Sunday, May 20, 2007
Is California's new "pain-free" lethal injection protocol even less humane?
(3 comments) The new drug protocol calls for LESS of the pain-killing drug.

Saturday, May 12, 2007
Have we reached a real turning point on the Iraq issue?
(4 comments) Two recent developments might suggest that this is so.

Sunday, April 22, 2007
Gonzales's Long Record of Lawlessness
(3 comments) If the federal prosecutor scandal is what finally calls Alberto Gonzales to accountability, then it's a positive step towards restoring true justice in the U.S. But we must not lose sight of Gonzales's other offenses, and he should be held accountable for all of them.

Sunday, March 25, 2007
The Real Gay Agenda
(2 comments) Equality is really all they want. Simple equality.

Sunday, February 25, 2007
In the world of racism, is brown the new black?
Racial profiling did not work in the war on drugs, and it will not work in the war on terror.

Sunday, February 4, 2007
For Black History Month: Lessons Not Learned
Have we really learned enough from the horrible mistake of slavery?

Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Only Humans Should Suffer: The End-of-Life Double Standard
(1 comments) Why do we treat our dying animals with more mercy than we give our dying people?

Monday, January 29, 2007
My Redeployment Epiphany
(1 comments) We had our chances to rebuild Iraq. We blew it. Enough is enough.

Friday, January 26, 2007
George W. Bush is Not Pro-Life
(2 comments) If your policies cause needless killing and suffering, then you are not pro-life.

Monday, January 8, 2007
Why I Oppose the Draft
The case against using our tax dollars to force more American kids into Iraq

Friday, December 8, 2006
Stealing Christmas?
(3 comments) If there really is a war on Christmas, a quick trip to the local shopping mall should convince any skeptic that Christmas has surely won that battle.

Tuesday, November 21, 2006
22,000 Show Up to Protest U.S. Torture School
(5 comments) The school's name has changed, but not its curriculum of torture.

Friday, October 13, 2006
Victims of Fear
(1 comments) Post-9/11 caution can too easily turn into knee-jerk paranoia.

Monday, September 11, 2006
Instead of true leadership, five years of this
On the fifth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, I mourn not only the loss of those 2,973 innocent lives, but also the loss of the America that I was so proud to be a part of.

Tuesday, September 5, 2006
Santorum Defends Malpractice
Senator Santorum is apparently too busy pandering for votes from the physicians' associations to care about the real problems at the core of the malpractice issue.

Sunday, July 30, 2006
No, George, that's not why they hate us.
(6 comments) It's not about democracy, and it's not about our freedom.

Friday, July 7, 2006
Bush vs. the Axis of Evil: He doesn't care about WMDs, only oil
Could it be that tough-guy Bush is afraid to deal with real WMDs?

Saturday, July 1, 2006
What Would Jefferson Think?
(1 comments) Now, more than ever, patriotic Americans must stand up for the principles set forth by our Founding Fathers.

Monday, June 19, 2006
Gitmo Suicides: U.S. reputation goes down another notch or two
(4 comments) After 9/11, we had the whole world on our side. We trashed it.

Sunday, June 4, 2006
Senator Frist's Twisted Priorities
Are flag burning and gay marriage really this nation’s most pressing concerns?

Monday, May 29, 2006
In Memory of Our Fallen Troops - In Good Wars and Bad
(1 comments) Regardless of the war they happen to be fighting, our troops deserve our full support.

Sunday, May 14, 2006
On Mother's Day in a Time of War
(1 comments) On this Mother’s Day, my thoughts go out to the mothers affected by Bush’s war of choice.

Monday, April 10, 2006
Where Have All the Journalists Gone?
(1 comments) Today’s American mainstream media are biased in favor of entertainment over acumen.

Sunday, March 12, 2006
Lessons from Dubai
(1 comments) It appears that the Dubai Ports World controversy is dying a welcome death. And our future depends on the lessons learned.

Sunday, February 26, 2006
Abu Ghraib in Our Own Backyard
Prisoner abuse is rampant in our U.S. prison systems.

Wednesday, February 8, 2006
The Right-Wing War on Women
(1 comments) With conservative men in the majority in politics, it's easy and convenient to legislate control over women.

Friday, February 3, 2006
No Blood for Bling
Did someone have to die for your diamond?

Saturday, January 21, 2006
The Other Pro-Choice Movement
Why do we treat our dying pets with more mercy than we treat our dying people?

Monday, January 16, 2006
Global Warming - Bush Deals the World a Death Sentence
Hard data are now confirming that global warming is a real and serious threat. But George W. Bush will not let that fact interfere with corporate profits.

Sunday, January 15, 2006
Execution and Apathy
Apparently, most Americans care more about the sex lives of celebrities than the injustices that are being funded by our tax dollars.

Thursday, January 12, 2006
No Justice for the Exonerated
Sometimes the innocent suffer a harsher punishment than the guilty.

Monday, January 2, 2006
Jesus vs George
(2 comments) George W. Bush won two presidential elections by playing the religion card. But is Bush a true Christian?

Sunday, December 4, 2005
Bush Flip-Flops on Torture and Endangers Us All
George W. Bush repeatedly tells us that "this country does not torture," yet he has threatened to veto a congressional measure that expressly prohibits the torture of our detainees. The implications are sickening, at best.

Thursday, November 24, 2005
Celebrating Gluttony While Children Starve
While we were stuffing ourselves on Thanksgiving, millions of children went hungry right here in the U.S.

Sunday, November 20, 2005
The First Thanksgiving: Prelude to Genocide
This Thanksgiving, let's not ignore the plight of Native Americans.

Sunday, November 13, 2005
Santorum Calls the Kettle Black
(1 comments) Until Santorum and his ilk stop projecting and start looking at the real issues at stake, we will never be safe from terrorism.

Sunday, November 6, 2005
Bush's War on Veterans
Will Bush make another statement of hypocrisy this Veteran’s Day?

Monday, October 31, 2005
Teachers vs. Rock Stars
Why do we freely spend so much more on our children's entertainment than we do on their education?

Saturday, October 8, 2005
Bush's Torture Scapegoat
(1 comments) Lynndie England takes the fall for the Bush administration's torture policies

Thursday, September 15, 2005
700 Women
Congress must renew the Violence Against Women Act, due to expire this month.

Wednesday, September 7, 2005
Fire and Water
Hurricane Katrina was more than just a natural disaster. No "act of God" could be so cruel.

Monday, September 5, 2005
When the American Dream Becomes a Nightmare
Why workers' rights are crucial to the strength of American society

Saturday, August 13, 2005
Homeland insecurity
The Bush administration and its right-wing pundits insist that we're making progress in the "war on terror", even in the wake of the recent terrorist bombings in London. Why, then, do polls show that a majority of Americans do not feel safer?

Monday, July 11, 2005
Let the sun set on the PATRIOT Act
One very troubling aspect of the "war on terror" is the USA PATRIOT Act, which has the potential to seriously erode our basic human rights and civil liberties.