America’s executive branch has systemically failed to evaluate state stability when sending billions of dollars of weapons abroad. The country’s defense trade lacks cogent rationale, amplifies risks, and results in countless unintended consequences. The trade exacerbates conflicts and costs American lives. Between 2002 and 2018, the US sold a conservative estimate of $560 billion in […]
American prisons are founded on punishment over rehabilitation and profit over humanity. They maintain slavery under the guise of criminalization. And they have only worsened over time. Our prison practices exploit, neglect, and kill incarcerated people. California’s incarceration rate alone is higher than the United Kingdom, Portugal, Canada, Belgium, and Italy combined. California’s prisons are […]
On June 6, amid a global pandemic, J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series, took to Twitter to air her grievances about an article concerning menstrual health hygiene in a “post-COVID-19 world.” Rowling’s initial tweet made a point about the lack of the word “women”: Despite immediate backlash, Rowling doubled down on the rhetoric, […]
American elections are a disaster. On the surface, they’re viewed as the perfect model of democracy, one that all developing countries should follow. But if you lift the lid, it’s a horrible, dark, slimy mess, from the continued existence of caucuses, to voter disenfranchisement, to the undemocratic Electoral College, to an excess of money in […]
Pro-Democracy demonstrators in Hong Kong wear masks depicting Pepe the Frog. By reflecting and shaping social sentiment, memes have come to symbolize localized social movements, subcultural associations, and political alignments. These recognizable images convey varying sentiment depending on context and—through constantly evolving channels or new media—can be harnessed to heavily influence social and political structures. […]
Photo by Sydney Kornegay On May 25, 2020, Minneapolis police officers brutally murdered George Floyd, sparking mass outrage and protests across the United States and around the world. These demonstrations are not just about Floyd; they’re about all of the victims who have died due to the systemic racism that built this nation. The history […]
In the wake of George Floyd’s murder in Minneapolis, widespread news coverage and nationwide protests forced the city to act. The four police officers involved were fired and charged, and the city council promised to dismantle the police department. This may seem like a victory, but it is enough? Laquan McDonald was murdered in Chicago […]
What you feel when you see a police officer depends entirely on who they are to you. For the privileged white protesters who donned military gear, brandished guns, and marched uninhibited into the Michigan State Capitol on April 30, police officers were public servants to be shouted at on the way into the building. Amid […]
For the past few months, the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has completely upended the conventional functions of our society. As we attempt to understand and combat this virus, there are still a plethora of unknowns. Despite our limited knowledge about the virus, stay-at-home orders have been widely accepted as a measure to mitigate the disease’s spread. […]
Listen and subscribe to our podcast: Via Spotify | Via Apple Podcasts Bryan and Alex sat down (pre-social distancing) to discuss some of the competitive Senate races coming up this year. In Part 1, the races in Alabama, Arizona, Michigan, and Maine are previewed. Due to the time between recording and publishing, some of the […]
