Last January, Max Willner-Giwerc, a student whom I feel lucky to count as a friend, published “On Guns and Liberty.” Willner-Giwerc’s broad argument against legal firearm ownership was well-founded, well-reasoned, and cited reputable sources. He argues that guns create a public sense of fear and deny victims of gun violence the freedom to live, while […]
The new Biden administration will have to address myriad challenges, from the COVID-19 pandemic to affordable health care to climate change. While his immediate focus is on domestic issues, Biden will eventually need to turn his attention to the Asia-Pacific, a region of geostrategic importance to Washington. The security environment has changed significantly since Biden […]
Photo by Joe Piette Objectivity doesn’t mean what most people think it does. Its original definition, popularized by Walter Lippmann, explained how neutrality applies to journalism the same way the scientific method does to science: a collection of evidence that leads to a deductive conclusion. Today, objectivity is synonymous with “fairness” and “balance.” It’s unattainable […]
Photo by Rick Burtzel The national pastime needs national control. Major League Baseball operates as a monopoly, enables stubborn and avaricious owners, and allows teams to take advantage of their host cities. While the NBA and NHL implemented a centralized “bubble” as a COVID-19 safety measure in 2020, MLB allowed teams to play within their […]
As Donald Trump leaves office, those of us who learned politics during his administration must reckon with what he’s taught us.
When those of us interested in politics look to history for support, we must be wary of reductionism. Though it may be advantageous for headlines to make eye-catching claims, history is much more nuanced. In “American Theocracy and the War on Christmas,” Alex Jarecki reduces the complex relationship of religion and politics in America to […]
Illustration by Ishita Khanna Dear Skeptic, I’m writing to you because I understand why you—and so many others—are doubting the COVID-19 vaccine. I’m writing because I think that I can convince you to take it anyway. And most importantly, I’m writing because I think that scientists must address your worries rather than brushing them off […]
Pascale Florestal is an accomplished theatre director, dramaturge, educator, and writer who has been based in Boston since 2014. Originally from Miami, Florestal graduated from Ithaca College and has worked for several theatre companies and organizations in the Boston area, including the Huntington, Company One, SpeakEasy, and even the Front Porch Arts Collective, where she […]
All Republicans bear the blame for this assault on democracy.
In the US, Universal Basic Income (UBI) has become ever salient as the public grows more fearful of mass job displacement. The policy is a type of social security that guarantees a fixed amount of income to citizens. Andrew Yang drew attention to the idea during this year’s Democratic presidential primary through the “Freedom Dividend,” […]
