Lehighvalleylive / Express Times recently ran an editorial ['Bird-brained plan to bring chicken coops to Bethlehem should be plucked'] opposing current efforts to allow backyard chickens again. This caught my attention because it seems to completely miss the point that raising backyard chickens is a simple way for folks at all income levels to enjoy fresh, nutritious eggs — … [Read more...] about Backyard chickens?
Government
Schmo Munchkin v. Ida
Raymond Nat Turner Ida: Hello, SchmoMunchkin:I’m the most powerful politician in the most powerful deliberative body in the most powerful country in the worldand who the hell are you? Ida:Who the hell do you think I am, Mr. MuthafrakkkerFossil Fuel-Big Pharma-errand boy?I’m Ida, Sister of Sandy, Daughter of Katrina andAlcohol, Geritol, protocol puppets like you don’t … [Read more...] about Schmo Munchkin v. Ida
Coxey’s Army: The First “Occupiers”
Lenny Flank In 1893, the “Financial Panic” gripped the United States as the economy fell into recession and the ranks of the unemployed and homeless swelled. In response, an organized group of people from all over the US converged on Washington DC to protest against income inequality and to demand that Congress pass a jobs bill, and vowed to camp out in front of the Capitol … [Read more...] about Coxey’s Army: The First “Occupiers”
Defining Racism: Individuals and Institutions, Systems and Structures
Robert Jensen We are at a dramatic point in the racial history of the United States, perhaps the most important moment since the civil rights and more radical black/brown/indigenous movements of the 1960s and ‘70s. Two dramatically different currents in American life are gaining strength: White supremacy has reasserted itself in the mainstream of public life, and at the … [Read more...] about Defining Racism: Individuals and Institutions, Systems and Structures
What was it like on January 6?
If you haven’t seen it yet, you might be interested in this video of AOC and what was a live conversation about the events of January 6, what needs to happen now, and the effects of trauma. AOC makes clear that hers is not the only story or the most important story — but it will give you an idea what it was like and why just 'moving on' is not a reasonable or acceptable option. … [Read more...] about What was it like on January 6?
60+ Years of Assault on POC
As we consider the events in Minneapolis and Kenosha, let's take a minute to consider that these events are part of a pattern that's gone on for many years. It's not just a case of the disproportionate killing of Black people by the police, it's also white supremacy showing itself in many other ways, some of them quite obvious. We could go all the way back to the Black … [Read more...] about 60+ Years of Assault on POC
We Are All Jakarta
A review by David Swanson Vincent Bevins. The Jakarta Method: Washington’s Anticommunist Crusade and the Mass Murder Program that Shaped Our World. Public Affairs (May 19, 2020), Hardcover, $28 (320p) ISBN: 978-1541742406 The war on Vietnam plays an infinitely larger role in history in the common understanding of a typical U.S. citizen than does what the U.S. government … [Read more...] about We Are All Jakarta
Letter from Rose, niece of a local resident living in Portland, Oregon
Feeling pretty mentally fried at the moment – so forgive me if this is not super concise or coherent – but I wanted to share some general musings on what is currently happening in Portland. I’ve been a little hesitant to post firsthand accounts in the past months because protesters are being targeted by surveillance, and because I remain unsure whether centering my own … [Read more...] about Letter from Rose, niece of a local resident living in Portland, Oregon
Transnational Feminist Activism in Latin America and Beyond
by Rachel O’Donnell Transnational feminist movements have made a profound contribution to a realization of global feminist politics and international development more generally. Since these movements are not often recognized or covered in mainstream media, it can be difficult to gather a complete understanding of the ways in which gender equality is gaining ground globally, … [Read more...] about Transnational Feminist Activism in Latin America and Beyond
A Free People Strike to Let Our People Go
by Beth Taylor, Karen Ali, and Aaron Appel Turn on the news. Listen to the radio. Check your social media. Without a doubt, you will find numerous Covid-19 stories – from the infection spikes across the country to the debate about opening schools this fall. But amidst all of this, there is stunning silence on one fact: COVID-19 is worsening in prisons and it is because of … [Read more...] about A Free People Strike to Let Our People Go