https://www.opednews.com/populum/rss.php?c=a&t=&p=&tid=0 Opednews.com Progressive, Liberal United States and International News, Opinion, Op-Eds and Politics en-us Copyright 2026 Thu, 20 Aug 2026 02:21:48 -0400 Thu, 20 Aug 2026 02:21:48 -0400 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss https://www.opednews.com/populum/pthemes/opednews/images/rssbanner.png https://www.opednews.com/populum/rss.php?c=a&t=&p=&tid=0 152 149 https://www.opednews.com/articles/The-Racial-Politics-of-Bla-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-Black-Panther-Party_Black-Panthers_Media-Comics-Graphic-Novels_Race-180404-862.html Wed, 04 Apr 2018 18:57:00 -0400 https://www.opednews.com/articles/The-Racial-Politics-of-Bla-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-Black-Panther-Party_Black-Panthers_Media-Comics-Graphic-Novels_Race-180404-862.html Mikhail Lyubansky In which we delve into the Black Panther's racial symbolism. https://www.opednews.com/articles/Is-Restorative-Justice-Exh-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-Educators--Teachers_Justice-Juvenile_Race_Restorative-161002-324.html Sun, 02 Oct 2016 18:10:18 -0400 https://www.opednews.com/articles/Is-Restorative-Justice-Exh-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-Educators--Teachers_Justice-Juvenile_Race_Restorative-161002-324.html Mikhail Lyubansky School teachers and staff are already stretched thin. Is restorative justice the final straw? https://www.opednews.com/articles/New-Study-Reveals-Six-Bene-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-Conflict_Justice-Juvenile_Restorative_Restorative-Justice-160523-382.html Mon, 23 May 2016 11:07:59 -0400 https://www.opednews.com/articles/New-Study-Reveals-Six-Bene-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-Conflict_Justice-Juvenile_Restorative_Restorative-Justice-160523-382.html Mikhail Lyubansky Zero tolerance and other punitive approaches have not garnered much research support for reducing conflicts or violence. A new study identifies the many benefits of school-based restorative practices https://www.opednews.com/articles/Restorative-Justice-in-Urb-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-Book_Reviews_Education_Justice-Juvenile_Public-Schools-160410-377.html Sun, 10 Apr 2016 13:26:03 -0400 https://www.opednews.com/articles/Restorative-Justice-in-Urb-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-Book_Reviews_Education_Justice-Juvenile_Public-Schools-160410-377.html Mikhail Lyubansky Restorative Justice in Urban Schools is an essential book for anyone who wants to understand the challenges that face the restorative justice movement in this particular context. https://www.opednews.com/articles/When-Fun-Gets-Racist-Wh-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-Hate-Racism-Bigotry_Justice_Justice-Juvenile_Public-Schools-160128-739.html Thu, 28 Jan 2016 08:27:14 -0500 https://www.opednews.com/articles/When-Fun-Gets-Racist-Wh-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-Hate-Racism-Bigotry_Justice_Justice-Juvenile_Public-Schools-160128-739.html Mikhail Lyubansky Five ideas for creating the right conditions for safe and appropriate outcomes. https://www.opednews.com/articles/Universities-Not-Immune-to-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-Bias_Employers_Race_Universities-150311-197.html Wed, 11 Mar 2015 01:11:01 -0400 https://www.opednews.com/articles/Universities-Not-Immune-to-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-Bias_Employers_Race_Universities-150311-197.html Mikhail Lyubansky Implicit bias is evident across academic departments, including in the sciences, where one might be tempted to believe that applications are more likely to be evaluated objectively. https://www.opednews.com/articles/Michael-Brown-and-Etic-Gar-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-Eric-Garner_Illusion_Michael-Brown_Police-141209-778.html Tue, 09 Dec 2014 14:57:56 -0500 https://www.opednews.com/articles/Michael-Brown-and-Etic-Gar-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-Eric-Garner_Illusion_Michael-Brown_Police-141209-778.html Mikhail Lyubansky It's not just that we don't all interpret the facts in the same way, we tend to not even agree on what is "true". Here are four cognitive illusions that help us understand why we don't all see the same social reality, in Ferguson and elsewhere. https://www.opednews.com/articles/Obama-Shields-5-Million-Un-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-Anti-immigration-Laws_Illegal-Immigration_Immigration_Immigration-Customs-And-Enforcement-141121-674.html Fri, 21 Nov 2014 01:25:49 -0500 https://www.opednews.com/articles/Obama-Shields-5-Million-Un-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-Anti-immigration-Laws_Illegal-Immigration_Immigration_Immigration-Customs-And-Enforcement-141121-674.html Mikhail Lyubansky Economic and social science data show little need for concern about immigration reform. https://www.opednews.com/articles/Is-It-Possible-to-Parent-W-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-Children_Nonviolence_Nonviolence_Nvc-141101-151.html Sun, 02 Nov 2014 12:00:03 -0500 https://www.opednews.com/articles/Is-It-Possible-to-Parent-W-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-Children_Nonviolence_Nonviolence_Nvc-141101-151.html Mikhail Lyubansky Is it possible to parent nonviolently? Ana Joanes's new documentary follows three families as they try to parent without threat or coercion, yet with the general philosophy that everyone's needs (both their children's and their own) matter. https://www.opednews.com/articles/What-not-to-Wear-5-Most-R-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-Halloween_Hate-Racism-Bigotry_Michael-Brown_Race-Racism-141101-507.html Sat, 01 Nov 2014 15:51:58 -0400 https://www.opednews.com/articles/What-not-to-Wear-5-Most-R-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-Halloween_Hate-Racism-Bigotry_Michael-Brown_Race-Racism-141101-507.html Mikhail Lyubansky Even if only for a day, there is no denying it's fun to be someone else. For some, part of the fun is to be as different as possible. Perhaps that's why some men put on drag, why some demure women get their sexy on, and... why some white folks are drawn to blackface. https://www.opednews.com/articles/Racism-Insurance-Promo-for-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-Film-Reviews_Hate-Racism-Bigotry_Movies-Film_Race-Racism-141030-555.html Thu, 30 Oct 2014 15:46:24 -0400 https://www.opednews.com/articles/Racism-Insurance-Promo-for-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-Film-Reviews_Hate-Racism-Bigotry_Movies-Film_Race-Racism-141030-555.html Mikhail Lyubansky The Racism Insurance skits are laugh-out-loud funny, and most of us can use more laughter in our lives. But they are not just funny. They also shed some light on real-world racial dynamics. There is content in these clips worth examining more closely. https://www.opednews.com/articles/Robin-Williams-and-the-Mas-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-Depression_Depression_Health-Psychology-Mental-Health_Humor-140812-110.html Tue, 12 Aug 2014 08:51:06 -0400 https://www.opednews.com/articles/Robin-Williams-and-the-Mas-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-Depression_Depression_Health-Psychology-Mental-Health_Humor-140812-110.html Mikhail Lyubansky Don't let the humor fool you: There is often a lot of pain underneath https://www.opednews.com/articles/This-Lady-Refused-to-Sit-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-Hate-Racism-Bigotry_Race-Racism_State-sponsored-Racism-140616-83.html Mon, 16 Jun 2014 10:54:34 -0400 https://www.opednews.com/articles/This-Lady-Refused-to-Sit-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-Hate-Racism-Bigotry_Race-Racism_State-sponsored-Racism-140616-83.html Mikhail Lyubansky The behavior in the "Despicable" PSA is deplorable, but just because we don't stoop to that level doesn't mean we're off the hook for being racist. The problem is much more serious and insidious and requires a great deal more honesty, both with ourselves and each other. Oversimplified depictions of racism stand in the way of self-responsibility and restorative actions. https://www.opednews.com/articles/A-Racial-Analysis-of-Sterl-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-Donald-Sterling_Nba-National-Basketball-Association_Psychology_Race-140430-277.html Wed, 30 Apr 2014 10:48:11 -0400 https://www.opednews.com/articles/A-Racial-Analysis-of-Sterl-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-Donald-Sterling_Nba-National-Basketball-Association_Psychology_Race-140430-277.html Mikhail Lyubansky There is much to celebrate about the NBA's stand against Sterling but also much to be concerned about. Classic studies in psychology suggest that any one of us could have been in Sterling's place. Do we have a greater responsibility as a society than just removing the bad apple? https://www.opednews.com/articles/Undocumented-Migrants-Hurt-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-Anti-immigration-Laws_Economy_Economy-Economics--US_Economy-Economics-World-140405-530.html Sat, 05 Apr 2014 17:00:44 -0400 https://www.opednews.com/articles/Undocumented-Migrants-Hurt-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-Anti-immigration-Laws_Economy_Economy-Economics--US_Economy-Economics-World-140405-530.html Mikhail Lyubansky In his historic --??I Have a Dream--?-- speech, Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke of his desire for a day when all Americans could peacefully coexist as equals. 51 years later our society is still in many ways divided, not only by race, the primary focus of King--??s efforts, but also by immigration status. Here we summarize key findings from our study of undocumented immigrants https://www.opednews.com/articles/Is-Nonviolence-Effective-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-Nonviolence_Psychology_Resistance_Resistance-140313-775.html Thu, 13 Mar 2014 21:00:28 -0400 https://www.opednews.com/articles/Is-Nonviolence-Effective-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-Nonviolence_Psychology_Resistance_Resistance-140313-775.html Mikhail Lyubansky The evidence for the effectiveness of nonviolent resistance is mounting. In the past 100 years, nonviolent campaigns were nearly twice as likely to achieve full or partial success as were violent campaigns and the advantage for nonviolent campaigns held even when controlling for the authoritarianism of the regime. https://www.opednews.com/articles/A-Reading-of-the-Letter-Fr-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-Citizen-Protest_Dr-Martin-Luther-King_Martin-Luther-King_Martin_Luther_King-140312-378.html Wed, 12 Mar 2014 12:41:42 -0400 https://www.opednews.com/articles/A-Reading-of-the-Letter-Fr-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-Citizen-Protest_Dr-Martin-Luther-King_Martin-Luther-King_Martin_Luther_King-140312-378.html Mikhail Lyubansky Though not as universally known as the "I Have a Dream" speech delivered just a few months later, Letter From a Birmingham Jail, which King started to write on the margins of a newspaper, is the source of many of his most well-known words. A new film gives these words screen time, much to the benefit of anyone who takes the time to watch. https://www.opednews.com/articles/What-If-We-Choose-To-Do-It-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-130727-188.html Sat, 27 Jul 2013 08:18:17 -0400 https://www.opednews.com/articles/What-If-We-Choose-To-Do-It-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-130727-188.html Mikhail Lyubansky We tend to think of love as an emotion, which of course it is, but it is also a choice. It is a choice we can make in regard to not only a romantic partner but also a friend, a stranger, and even someone we regard as an enemy. Unlike emotional love, this kind of love is not fleeting. soft or irrational. Rather, it is an orientation toward justice and healing. https://www.opednews.com/articles/Restorative-Justice-for-Tr-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-130716-51.html Wed, 17 Jul 2013 12:00:04 -0400 https://www.opednews.com/articles/Restorative-Justice-for-Tr-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-130716-51.html Mikhail Lyubansky Two cities. Two people of color fatally shot by those charged with security and law enforcement. Two communities torn apart across racial lines. One city reacts conventionally with criminal charges and court proceedings. The other additionally engages in a Restorative Circle, a restorative process designed to create conditions for mutual understanding and repair of harm. https://www.opednews.com/articles/A-Story-of-Slavery-From-th-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-130709-601.html Tue, 09 Jul 2013 08:46:08 -0400 https://www.opednews.com/articles/A-Story-of-Slavery-From-th-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-130709-601.html Mikhail Lyubansky Did you know Northerners were involved in the slave trade? This is a review of the documentary film Traces of the Trade, which examines one White Northern family's history with slavery. https://www.opednews.com/articles/The-Health-Outcomes-of-a-R-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-130706-17.html Sat, 06 Jul 2013 18:27:36 -0400 https://www.opednews.com/articles/The-Health-Outcomes-of-a-R-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-130706-17.html Mikhail Lyubansky Residential segregation and other societal racist structures increases health risks and mortality. David Williams and other scholars empirically illustrate the problem...and the potential interventions. https://www.opednews.com/articles/Confronting-the-Violence-T-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-130113-241.html Sun, 13 Jan 2013 09:48:32 -0500 https://www.opednews.com/articles/Confronting-the-Violence-T-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-130113-241.html Mikhail Lyubansky Psychologists for Social Responsibility (PsySR) statement on mass killings https://www.opednews.com/articles/Three-Recommendations-for-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-130113-95.html Sun, 13 Jan 2013 09:34:31 -0500 https://www.opednews.com/articles/Three-Recommendations-for-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-130113-95.html Mikhail Lyubansky It's easy to point the finger at the mentally ill and media but solutions lie elsewhere. Here are three empirically-based recommendations for reducing violence: https://www.opednews.com/articles/Studies-of-Unconscious-Bia-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-120426-88.html Thu, 26 Apr 2012 14:44:26 -0400 https://www.opednews.com/articles/Studies-of-Unconscious-Bia-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-120426-88.html Mikhail Lyubansky Research shows that when people hold a negative stereotype about a group and meet someone from that group, they often treat that person differently and honestly don't even realize it. https://www.opednews.com/articles/Ten-Things-Everyone-Should-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-120227-546.html Tue, 28 Feb 2012 00:35:57 -0500 https://www.opednews.com/articles/Ten-Things-Everyone-Should-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-120227-546.html Mikhail Lyubansky Understanding privilege can help us make sense of our relationships, connect across differences, and make the world better in the process. https://www.opednews.com/articles/How-Super-is-Superhero-Jus-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-120206-576.html Mon, 06 Feb 2012 23:31:31 -0500 https://www.opednews.com/articles/How-Super-is-Superhero-Jus-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-120206-576.html Mikhail Lyubansky Like speculative fiction in general, superhero stories are ultimately about ourselves. The fictional universes allow the writers to manipulate the circumstances to better examine the most complex aspects of the human experience, none more so than the issues of morality and justice https://www.opednews.com/articles/The-Cost-of-Vengeance-The-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-111203-949.html Thu, 22 Dec 2011 09:00:01 -0500 https://www.opednews.com/articles/The-Cost-of-Vengeance-The-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-111203-949.html Mikhail Lyubansky Nietzsche observed (about those who fight monsters), "If you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." Is Lisbeth Salander really safer as a result of taking vengeance? Are the rest of us? https://www.opednews.com/articles/The-Cost-of-Justice-The-P-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-111220-471.html Tue, 20 Dec 2011 18:41:44 -0500 https://www.opednews.com/articles/The-Cost-of-Justice-The-P-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-111220-471.html Mikhail Lyubansky Lisbeth Salander's anger is righteous. Her violence apparently justified. After all, we neither mourn for the monsters that heroes kill, nor question their choice to kill them. But is there anything she might have done that might have served both her and society better? https://www.opednews.com/articles/Are-stereotypes-unfairly-s-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-111213-694.html Tue, 13 Dec 2011 12:29:54 -0500 https://www.opednews.com/articles/Are-stereotypes-unfairly-s-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-111213-694.html Mikhail Lyubansky Think you know what stereotypes are? If you're relying on definitions from mainstream dictionaries, you're probably, well...guilty of stereotyping. But don't worry. That might not be a bad thing https://www.opednews.com/articles/No-Wedding-No-Womb-Might-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-111001-714.html Sat, 01 Oct 2011 22:17:16 -0400 https://www.opednews.com/articles/No-Wedding-No-Womb-Might-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-111001-714.html Mikhail Lyubansky Is there a cost to promoting marriage and two-parent families? https://www.opednews.com/articles/The-Racial-Scoop-on-NYPD-O-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-110921-675.html Thu, 22 Sep 2011 11:00:01 -0400 https://www.opednews.com/articles/The-Racial-Scoop-on-NYPD-O-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-110921-675.html Mikhail Lyubansky White men "keeping order and control" over Black women's bodies, while at the same time using those same bodies for their own sexual gratification has a long and painful history in this country. Are the women and police officers in this video aware that they are playing out the slavery script? https://www.opednews.com/articles/Twenty-Tweets-About-Troy-D-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-110921-359.html Wed, 21 Sep 2011 12:07:33 -0400 https://www.opednews.com/articles/Twenty-Tweets-About-Troy-D-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-110921-359.html Mikhail Lyubansky With Davis's execution just hours away, it is time to not only take immediate action to save his life (see last tweet) but to examine the system of capital punishment more broadly, a system that is racially biased beyond a reasonable doubt. https://www.opednews.com/articles/Come-Learn-about-Restorati-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-110905-989.html Tue, 06 Sep 2011 00:05:00 -0400 https://www.opednews.com/articles/Come-Learn-about-Restorati-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-110905-989.html Mikhail Lyubansky Internationally-known restorative-justice practitioner/teacher Dominic Barter will lead a 5-day learning event in Champaign, IL October 12-16. https://www.opednews.com/articles/Kids-On-Color-New-Site-He-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-110609-927.html Thu, 09 Jun 2011 10:00:01 -0400 https://www.opednews.com/articles/Kids-On-Color-New-Site-He-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-110609-927.html Mikhail Lyubansky Sometimes the conversations we shy away from having with our kids are exactly the ones we most need to have. Professor of media, culture, and communication, Charlton McIlwain, hopes his new website, Kids on Color, helps families do just that. https://www.opednews.com/articles/Study-Finds-Smiling-Men-ar-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-110605-490.html Wed, 08 Jun 2011 13:00:02 -0400 https://www.opednews.com/articles/Study-Finds-Smiling-Men-ar-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-110605-490.html Mikhail Lyubansky A new study suggests that smiling is seen as sexually attractive on women but not on men. The findings explain some enduring widely-believed phenomena and raise interesting questions about inter-racial attraction. https://www.opednews.com/articles/The-Racial-Politics-of-X-M-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-110606-194.html Mon, 06 Jun 2011 19:57:14 -0400 https://www.opednews.com/articles/The-Racial-Politics-of-X-M-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-110606-194.html Mikhail Lyubansky The X-Men franchise draws deliberate parallels between the oppression of mutants and that of other marginalized groups. What does it have to teach us about our own culture's racial history and prejudices? https://www.opednews.com/articles/Ethical-Lessons-from-Kanaz-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-110605-761.html Sun, 05 Jun 2011 20:00:20 -0400 https://www.opednews.com/articles/Ethical-Lessons-from-Kanaz-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-110605-761.html Mikhail Lyubansky Professional degrees give Psychologists and other scientists presumed trust and an assumption of competence, but as uncle Ben told Peter Parker when he first became Spiderman, "with great power comes great responsibility" https://www.opednews.com/articles/Want-to-know-what-race-i-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-110604-650.html Sat, 04 Jun 2011 18:17:03 -0400 https://www.opednews.com/articles/Want-to-know-what-race-i-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-110604-650.html Mikhail Lyubansky Dictionaries do a lousy job defining race. A new study suggests that the social cost of this may be higher than we thought, but there is also reason for optimism. https://www.opednews.com/articles/Beauty-May-Be-In-Eye-of-Be-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-110517-739.html Tue, 17 May 2011 12:48:46 -0400 https://www.opednews.com/articles/Beauty-May-Be-In-Eye-of-Be-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-110517-739.html Mikhail Lyubansky Kanazawa's claims aside, there is no single "objective" standard of beauty. The adage that "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" is incomplete. Sure, there are individual differences. The point is that there are also group differences, not in attractiveness (as Kanazawa claims), but in cultural messages about what is and is not attractive. https://www.opednews.com/articles/Japan-s-civilized-respon-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-110316-994.html Wed, 16 Mar 2011 11:09:14 -0400 https://www.opednews.com/articles/Japan-s-civilized-respon-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-110316-994.html Mikhail Lyubansky Japan can use all the support it can get. Too bad so much of it has come bundled with racist assumptions about cultural superiority. https://www.opednews.com/articles/About-Those-Whites-Only-Sc-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-110309-139.html Wed, 09 Mar 2011 21:28:09 -0500 https://www.opednews.com/articles/About-Those-Whites-Only-Sc-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-110309-139.html Mikhail Lyubansky Do race-based scholarships (and race-based affirmative action in admissions) ultimately do more harm than good for both students of color and for our society? Two race-bloggers discuss the "whites-only" scholarships and their implications for scholarships targeting students of color. https://www.opednews.com/articles/When-it-comes-to-non-white-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-110306-275.html Sun, 06 Mar 2011 11:37:31 -0500 https://www.opednews.com/articles/When-it-comes-to-non-white-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-110306-275.html Mikhail Lyubansky Sure, we all want non-white and non-straight characters that are as complex and realistic as those that are white and straight, but what if writing such characters is simply not part of that particular writer's repertoire? Do we still want those writers to take their best shot (knowing they won't come up to snuff), or would we rather they just leave those "minority" groups out altogether? https://www.opednews.com/articles/Obama-spoke-about-Educatio-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-110126-566.html Wed, 26 Jan 2011 08:39:37 -0500 https://www.opednews.com/articles/Obama-spoke-about-Educatio-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-110126-566.html Mikhail Lyubansky Michele Bachmann took some liberties with U.S. history. The comments say a lot about her political priorities. https://www.opednews.com/articles/10-Reasons-not-to-Read-Thi-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-110124-370.html Mon, 24 Jan 2011 09:28:11 -0500 https://www.opednews.com/articles/10-Reasons-not-to-Read-Thi-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-110124-370.html Mikhail Lyubansky You think you already have good reasons. Wait until you see these. https://www.opednews.com/articles/The-Tiger-Mom-in-Scientif-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-110119-90.html Wed, 19 Jan 2011 21:55:52 -0500 https://www.opednews.com/articles/The-Tiger-Mom-in-Scientif-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-110119-90.html Mikhail Lyubansky Amy Chua's arguments seem scientifically plausible. The three laws of behavior genetics suggest otherwise. https://www.opednews.com/articles/Did-Kanye-Create-a-Monster-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-110108-607.html Sat, 08 Jan 2011 18:35:10 -0500 https://www.opednews.com/articles/Did-Kanye-Create-a-Monster-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-110108-607.html Mikhail Lyubansky One of the defining characteristics of monsters is that they don't have redeeming qualities. The moment we begin to like or sympathize with any part of the monster, it is no longer a monster but a flawed being. What, then, are we to make of Kanye West's new video? https://www.opednews.com/articles/A-Few-Words-In-Defense-of-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-110106-422.html Thu, 06 Jan 2011 18:25:01 -0500 https://www.opednews.com/articles/A-Few-Words-In-Defense-of-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-110106-422.html Mikhail Lyubansky So, what's wrong with a little racial sensitivity? https://www.opednews.com/articles/The-U-S--in-Justice-Syste-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-101210-92.html Fri, 10 Dec 2010 06:00:01 -0500 https://www.opednews.com/articles/The-U-S--in-Justice-Syste-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-101210-92.html Mikhail Lyubansky To the uninitiated, restorative processes may appear idealistic and naive. After all, they reject the two core aspects of the traditional justice system: the assignment of blame and the administration of punishment. Instead, the goal of the Circle is for the parties involved in the conflict to first gain mutual understanding of the others' experiences and needs and then to restore or build a mutually satisfying relationship. https://www.opednews.com/articles/Introducing-OEN-s-First-Sp-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-101210-865.html Fri, 10 Dec 2010 06:00:01 -0500 https://www.opednews.com/articles/Introducing-OEN-s-First-Sp-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-101210-865.html Mikhail Lyubansky Usually, like most news/opinion sites, we focus our attention on the problems. Today, we want to focus on some creative ways of working through them. As befitting an alternative news site, we want to highlight an alternative way of "doing justice". https://www.opednews.com/articles/No-Wedding-No-Womb-Does-F-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-101026-733.html Tue, 26 Oct 2010 17:06:15 -0400 https://www.opednews.com/articles/No-Wedding-No-Womb-Does-F-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-101026-733.html Mikhail Lyubansky "No Wedding No Womb" (#NWNW on Twitter) is essentially a "don't have kids out of wedlock" movement, so why the big controversy? One (almost) middle-aged White guy's take on a Black women's movement. https://www.opednews.com/articles/What-works-well-for-you-wh-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-101009-286.html Sat, 09 Oct 2010 22:04:23 -0400 https://www.opednews.com/articles/What-works-well-for-you-wh-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-101009-286.html Mikhail Lyubansky How do we create a conversation no one wants to have? https://www.opednews.com/articles/Should-Black-People-Stop-U-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-100904-883.html Sat, 04 Sep 2010 01:30:23 -0400 https://www.opednews.com/articles/Should-Black-People-Stop-U-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-100904-883.html Mikhail Lyubansky Which word from the headline would you like to see eliminated from the English language? One (Black) person's answer just might surprise you. https://www.opednews.com/articles/Should-social-media-sites-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-100831-781.html Tue, 31 Aug 2010 17:45:03 -0400 https://www.opednews.com/articles/Should-social-media-sites-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-100831-781.html Mikhail Lyubansky Facebook does not currently ask about race, but researchers have figured out how to reliably ascertain this information from other information in the profile. Should we be worried? https://www.opednews.com/articles/A-Few-Words-in-Favor-of-Co-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-100819-977.html Thu, 19 Aug 2010 22:36:32 -0400 https://www.opednews.com/articles/A-Few-Words-in-Favor-of-Co-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-100819-977.html Mikhail Lyubansky If we are kind to those to whom we should be cruel, will we ultimately be cruel to those to whom we should be kind? https://www.opednews.com/articles/Our-Justice-System-Require-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-100818-451.html Wed, 18 Aug 2010 17:56:26 -0400 https://www.opednews.com/articles/Our-Justice-System-Require-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-100818-451.html Mikhail Lyubansky What if conflict was seen as something to engage rather than to avoid? What if there was a way of "doing justice" that involved neither fault-finding nor punishment? Restorative Justice systems are challenging all of our sacred cows concerning justice. For those that are open to what they offer, they may deliver far more than anything we dare to hope for. https://www.opednews.com/articles/Going-Where-Glenn-Beck-Wou-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-100728-163.html Wed, 28 Jul 2010 13:51:37 -0400 https://www.opednews.com/articles/Going-Where-Glenn-Beck-Wou-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-100728-163.html Mikhail Lyubansky Glenn Beck refused to define white culture, but it can, in fact, be defined. There are three tenets of white culture. Avoidance of self-racialization is one of them. https://www.opednews.com/articles/Racism-in-the-Elevator-Mi-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-100714-216.html Thu, 15 Jul 2010 00:07:20 -0400 https://www.opednews.com/articles/Racism-in-the-Elevator-Mi-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-100714-216.html Mikhail Lyubansky Does fighting one "ism" give us license to perpetrate another? https://www.opednews.com/articles/The-Meaning-of-Life-Accor-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-100707-597.html Wed, 07 Jul 2010 21:40:04 -0400 https://www.opednews.com/articles/The-Meaning-of-Life-Accor-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-100707-597.html Mikhail Lyubansky Twilight tells us the meaning of life is love. Is the message anti-feminist? https://www.opednews.com/articles/Race-is-Sexy-Sex-is-Racy-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-100516-218.html Sun, 16 May 2010 23:16:22 -0400 https://www.opednews.com/articles/Race-is-Sexy-Sex-is-Racy-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-100516-218.html Mikhail Lyubansky The photos are edgy. They're sexually charged, literally (and symbolically) hot and wet. They're also undeniably racially provocative. The white model (Daria Werbowy) is apparently "Lost", at least that's what the title of the spread implies.----But lost in what? https://www.opednews.com/articles/Ladies-and-Gentlemen-The-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-100429-463.html Thu, 29 Apr 2010 02:34:29 -0400 https://www.opednews.com/articles/Ladies-and-Gentlemen-The-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-100429-463.html Mikhail Lyubansky Incarceration rates are skyrocketing, particularly for men of color. The racial bias in law enforcement and incarceration rates is well-documented. Are we at the dawn of a new civil rights movement? https://www.opednews.com/articles/Is-This-Obama-Blagojevich-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-100224-540.html Wed, 24 Feb 2010 16:34:57 -0500 https://www.opednews.com/articles/Is-This-Obama-Blagojevich-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-100224-540.html Mikhail Lyubansky Is this video funny? Is it racist? The answers are not always clear and may say more about you than the video https://www.opednews.com/articles/John-Mayer-s-Longing-for-B-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-100211-49.html Thu, 11 Feb 2010 11:18:29 -0500 https://www.opednews.com/articles/John-Mayer-s-Longing-for-B-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-100211-49.html Mikhail Lyubansky Mayer took a lot of heat for the N-word, and rightly so. But let's place his words in context: He wasn't insulting anyone but rather lamenting that, even as an honorary member of the Black community, he still didn't have full access to all its privileges. https://www.opednews.com/articles/Erica-Kennedy-s-Feminista-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-100202-775.html Tue, 02 Feb 2010 22:42:54 -0500 https://www.opednews.com/articles/Erica-Kennedy-s-Feminista-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-100202-775.html Mikhail Lyubansky Can an assertive, feminist, biracial woman find true love? And, if so, what will this love look like? A journey into (and out of) the shadow of materialism, feminism, and self-absorption and a search for true love. [A Book Review] https://www.opednews.com/articles/-I-Forgot-Obama-was-Black-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-100128-304.html Thu, 28 Jan 2010 15:58:44 -0500 https://www.opednews.com/articles/-I-Forgot-Obama-was-Black-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-100128-304.html Mikhail Lyubansky For many, Chris Matthews's post-speech comments took the luster off President Obama's first State of the Union address. I offer a few brief thoughts about Matthews's comments, what he probably meant to say, and why many didn't hear it that way. https://www.opednews.com/articles/The-Racial-Politics-of-Ava-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-091229-188.html Wed, 30 Dec 2009 00:45:04 -0500 https://www.opednews.com/articles/The-Racial-Politics-of-Ava-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-091229-188.html Mikhail Lyubansky Avatar's racial politics are more complex than its critics claim. But the film has some noteworthy sociopolitical flaws, and these flaws also deserve some attention. https://www.opednews.com/articles/The-Racial-Politics-of-Ava-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-091228-958.html Mon, 28 Dec 2009 19:15:16 -0500 https://www.opednews.com/articles/The-Racial-Politics-of-Ava-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-091228-958.html Mikhail Lyubansky Avatar is so heavily loaded with racial allegory that it's impossible, even for a casual viewer, to ignore its sociopolitical currents. On the surface, Avatar is an obvious, at times even heavy-handed, pro-environmental and anti-war missive. But that's just the top layer. Underneath it is a bevy of subtle story lines and images that both arise from and comment on contemporary racial politics. https://www.opednews.com/articles/Thanksgiving-s-Many-and-Co-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-091126-174.html Thu, 26 Nov 2009 01:33:26 -0500 https://www.opednews.com/articles/Thanksgiving-s-Many-and-Co-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-091126-174.html Mikhail Lyubansky The early relationship between the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag in many ways continues to be controverial, but two peoples came together in peace and mutual assistance that first year and the resulting Thanksgiving, in turn, paved the way for a half century of peace. Is this event worth celebrating, or is it yet another example of white insensitivity toward its indigenous peoples? https://www.opednews.com/articles/The-Trouble-With-Elves-Ra-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-090808-683.html Sat, 08 Aug 2009 07:08:42 -0400 https://www.opednews.com/articles/The-Trouble-With-Elves-Ra-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-090808-683.html Mikhail Lyubansky The Harry Potter books and films have deliberate and unmistakable messages about race and racism. But what are they really saying and are these really the lessons we want our children to learn? This is the 3rd of a 3-part series examining racial dynamics in the Harry Potter universe. https://www.opednews.com/articles/The-Color-of-Blood-Racial-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-090806-198.html Thu, 06 Aug 2009 16:16:58 -0400 https://www.opednews.com/articles/The-Color-of-Blood-Racial-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-090806-198.html Mikhail Lyubansky The Harry Potter books and films have deliberate and unmistakable messages about race and racism. But what are they really saying and are these really the lessons we want our children to learn? This is the 2nd of a 3-part series examining racial dynamics in the Harry Potter universe. https://www.opednews.com/articles/A-Black-Boy-Even-Taller-Th-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-090730-7.html Thu, 30 Jul 2009 02:49:17 -0400 https://www.opednews.com/articles/A-Black-Boy-Even-Taller-Th-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-090730-7.html Mikhail Lyubansky The Harry Potter books and films have deliberate and unmistakable messages about race and racism. But what are they really saying and are these really the lessons we want our children to learn? https://www.opednews.com/articles/Gates-and-Crowley-It-May-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-090725-950.html Sat, 25 Jul 2009 02:52:07 -0400 https://www.opednews.com/articles/Gates-and-Crowley-It-May-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-090725-950.html Mikhail Lyubansky Reasonable people may disagree on who was right and wrong, but there is an undeniable racial element to this incident that is reminiscent of the climactic scene in the film Crash. https://www.opednews.com/articles/Michael-Jackson-Not-Too-M-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-090629-227.html Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:05:32 -0400 https://www.opednews.com/articles/Michael-Jackson-Not-Too-M-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-090629-227.html Mikhail Lyubansky Michael Jackson changed with the times and, despite his flaws. evolved into precisely the kind of progressive force we wish all artists would be. https://www.opednews.com/articles/Is-This-Joke-Racist-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-090616-768.html Tue, 16 Jun 2009 13:57:40 -0400 https://www.opednews.com/articles/Is-This-Joke-Racist-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-090616-768.html Mikhail Lyubansky A racial joke, an analysis of said joke, and a question for OEN readers. https://www.opednews.com/articles/Obama-s-Cairo-Speech-An-I-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-090604-704.html Thu, 04 Jun 2009 12:29:31 -0400 https://www.opednews.com/articles/Obama-s-Cairo-Speech-An-I-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-090604-704.html Mikhail Lyubansky Barack Obama's speech to "the Muslim world" was highly anticipated and desperately needed. Here's a first look at what it did and didn't do. https://www.opednews.com/articles/Five-Mistakes-Filmmakers-M-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-090602-655.html Tue, 02 Jun 2009 23:08:03 -0400 https://www.opednews.com/articles/Five-Mistakes-Filmmakers-M-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-090602-655.html Mikhail Lyubansky Every so often, Hollywood produces a film about racial issues that is so honest, so truthful, so powerful that I wish every person could see it. Do The Right Thing (1989) and Crash (2005) are two good examples. These aren't perfect films. They just know how to deal with the racial themes they take on. Unfortunately, these are the exceptions rather than the rule. Here are five common mistakes filmmakers make in depicting race. https://www.opednews.com/articles/Multiculturalism-is-For-Sa-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-090530-405.html Sat, 30 May 2009 16:11:06 -0400 https://www.opednews.com/articles/Multiculturalism-is-For-Sa-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-090530-405.html Mikhail Lyubansky Multiculturalism is for sale everywhere. But it's far from the real thing. https://www.opednews.com/articles/Accusations-of-Racism-In-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-090528-28.html Thu, 28 May 2009 22:54:45 -0400 https://www.opednews.com/articles/Accusations-of-Racism-In-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-090528-28.html Mikhail Lyubansky Conservative media's response to Sonia Sotomayor's nomination is telling proof that we are not yet anywhere close to a post racial society. https://www.opednews.com/articles/Zen-and-the-Art-of-Watchme-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-090309-989.html Mon, 09 Mar 2009 12:22:53 -0400 https://www.opednews.com/articles/Zen-and-the-Art-of-Watchme-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-090309-989.html Mikhail Lyubansky This is an article about the way we perceive and judge the world. It is not intended as a movie review, but because it'll probably function as such for some readers, I tried not to give away anything of import. Nevertheless, readers who haven't read or seen Watchmen and don't want to know anything about it may not want to read any further. https://www.opednews.com/articles/Negotiation-Genius-A-Book-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-090216-132.html Mon, 16 Feb 2009 16:54:05 -0500 https://www.opednews.com/articles/Negotiation-Genius-A-Book-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-090216-132.html Mikhail Lyubansky Stephen Covey, the author of "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" described it as the most comprehensive, wise, practical book on the subject I've ever seen." Here's a more in-depth review, and an introduction to a series of excerpts from the book that will be posted in the coming week. https://www.opednews.com/articles/Creating-institutional-cha-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-081122-375.html Sat, 22 Nov 2008 09:00:30 -0500 https://www.opednews.com/articles/Creating-institutional-cha-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-081122-375.html Mikhail Lyubansky A brief overview on how individuals can change institutions. https://www.opednews.com/articles/The-real-Thanksgiving-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-081120-725.html Thu, 20 Nov 2008 22:49:51 -0500 https://www.opednews.com/articles/The-real-Thanksgiving-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-081120-725.html Mikhail Lyubansky Question: What do Puritans, buckles, teepees, and turkeys have in common?--Answer: They all have nothing to do with the original Thanksgiving https://www.opednews.com/articles/-Pretty-little-children--by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-081119-95.html Wed, 19 Nov 2008 13:40:54 -0500 https://www.opednews.com/articles/-Pretty-little-children--by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-081119-95.html Mikhail Lyubansky Negotiating the U.S. racial hierarchy remains one of the primary and most--salient experiences for most immigrants...Here's one person's story, with some critical analysis. https://www.opednews.com/articles/The-Racial-Implications-of-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-080925-975.html Thu, 25 Sep 2008 14:56:59 -0400 https://www.opednews.com/articles/The-Racial-Implications-of-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-080925-975.html Mikhail Lyubansky This article describes the benefits of a Black Presidential candidate for different U.S. racial groups and society at large. https://www.opednews.com/articles/On-9-11-patriotism-and-t-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-080911-811.html Thu, 11 Sep 2008 11:52:26 -0400 https://www.opednews.com/articles/On-9-11-patriotism-and-t-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-080911-811.html Mikhail Lyubansky I was already married and in my 30s in 2001 and already a member of the faculty at a small liberal arts college. I'd been politically conscious for years already, and, as an immigrant, had been reflecting on what it means to be "American" since early childhood. By all accounts, you'd think that I would have grasped the notion of patriotism long before 2001. Maybe I had, but 9-11 changed everything. https://www.opednews.com/articles/Out-of-the-ashes-A-new-Ge-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-080907-797.html Sun, 07 Sep 2008 22:39:53 -0400 https://www.opednews.com/articles/Out-of-the-ashes-A-new-Ge-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-080907-797.html Mikhail Lyubansky At the end of WWII, the roughly 750,000 German Jews were reduced to a mere 10,000. In the early 1990s, the newly unified Germany decided to rebuild its Jewish population -- by targeting Russian-speaking Jews from the former Soviet Union. Remarkably, about 200,000 Russian Jews have since emigrated to Germany. This group now comprises 90% of the nation's Jewish population. This is the story of the new Germany Jewry. https://www.opednews.com/articles/Obama-for-Skeptics-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-080904-41.html Sat, 06 Sep 2008 15:15:28 -0400 https://www.opednews.com/articles/Obama-for-Skeptics-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-080904-41.html Mikhail Lyubansky A response to the most frequent "reasons" independents and moderates offer for not supporting Barack Obama, or for professing equal love for both candidates. https://www.opednews.com/articles/Tuning-into-the-election-s-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-080717-884.html Fri, 18 Jul 2008 15:07:22 -0400 https://www.opednews.com/articles/Tuning-into-the-election-s-by-Mikhail-Lyubansky-080717-884.html Mikhail Lyubansky "When it comes to African-American audiences, some have called Sen. Barack Obama's presidential bid a 'dual-track' candidacy, one that seeks to prove he is in tune with the needs of the black community while also not alienating whites." ----The purpose of this article is to examine what he needs to do in order to appeal to both of these groups and whether simultaneously appealing to both groups is even possible.