Human activities are on path to destroy the only known environment capable of sustaining life. Our consumption and depletion rate of natural resources will lead us to a point where there will be no resources to trade, no need for economies to develop, no need for society to progress or for politics to rule—in essence, […]
Here’s a sampling of recent headlines gleaned from major news websites: Gigantic Cavity in Antarctica Glacier Is a Product of Rapid Melting, Study Says [1] Why the Fed Made a U-Turn: Perceived Risks to Growth Shifted [2] While E.U. tries to bypass U.S. sanctions on Iran, Trump administration amps up pressure [3] Republicans want mortgage […]
There is no middle; there is no moderation. There is only endless argument between Republicans and Democrats who have fundamental issues with their opposition. Compromise in today’s politics is seldom reached, and too often each side is so embroiled with their hatred of their opponents that they fail to bring about any real change. For […]
My parents peddled three myths to me as a child: the Tooth Fairy, Santa Claus, and American meritocracy. The “American Dream,” our national ethos of opportunity and success based on hard work, has been a mainstay of many immigrant parents, including mine, who come to the U.S. seeking a better life for themselves and their […]
In Greek mythology, a hunter, famed for his beauty, was so captivated by his reflection in a pool of water that he literally drowned in his own self-image. The hunter’s name was Narcissus, and from it derives narcissism, the excessive love for one’s self. The story of Narcissus reveals the deadly temptation of excessive self-love, […]
In 1981, James Kirkland Batson, an African-American man from Kentucky, was charged with second-degree burglary and receipt of stolen goods. During voir dire (jury selection), the prosecution struck down all four potential black jurors using peremptory strikes, which allow lawyers to disqualify potential jurors without providing objection or justification. Though the defense and prosecution both […]
This September, I was traveling on a bus through the rural farmland of Chiapas, the southernmost state of Mexico. While driving down a dirt road, our bus had to stop. With my face pressed up against the glass, I could see about 30 people gathered in a circle in the middle of the road, huddled […]
Voter suppression has been an issue since various minority groups were granted the right to vote, and the 2018 midterm elections were no exception. However, the stakes were arguably higher than ever this year. This election followed a recent report released by the United Nations that warned that humans have just 10 years until irreversible […]
In the midst of the #MeToo movement, sexual harassment and sexual violence in the United States have come to the forefront of social discourse. Over the past year and a half, hundreds of allegations of sexual misconduct have been brought forward against powerful celebrities, politicians, and CEOs.[1] It seemed as though the American public was, […]
The prominent theme of the Yemeni Civil War has unfortunately been extreme famine. It is another example of a poor, vulnerable population caught in the middle of a deadly clash. In fact, Yemen is the poorest country in the Middle East, with a per capita GDP of just $1,300, according to 2017 estimates. Syria’s GDP […]
