Gary Olson In mid-November, Biden — or, given his diminished mental capacity, whoever is now in charge — authorized the Kyiv regime to launch Lockheed Martin-produced Army Tactical Missile Systems or ATACMS to hit targets 190 miles inside Russia. In response, an ICBM was fired in wartime for the first time when the Oreshnik (“Hazelnut Tree”), an intermediate-range, … [Read more...] about Ukraine and US Imperialist Strategy
Focus on Pages
The "Focus On" section provides in-depth information and opinion on many facets of sustainability. (Although these topics may appear quite distinct and separate, it’s important to remember that they are interconnected and interdependent in multiple ways — in general, the 4 basic principles of ecology apply to all complex systems.)
When you select a Focus On… topic, the system will select all the articles and posts in that category with the most recent pages at the top, just under a brief introduction to the topic. (Many articles appear in multiple categories.)
Background & detail information is organized into the main categories listed in the left sidebar.
Voices of the Valley
The Voices of the Valley category includes work by members of the Lehigh Valley community.
You can access Voices of the Valley essays that were published in the Alliance’s Sustainable Lehigh Valley booklet (listed by year published) or via the alphabetic list of authors, which also includes items published online and in Left Turn.
You can also search for individual essays (& other content) by category or tag.
How Neoliberalism Has Wielded ‘Corruption’ to Privatize Life in Africa
Grieve Chelwa In Africa, the leading forces of capitalism have ruthlessly wielded a neoliberal conception of corruption to undermine states’ sovereignty and open the continent to plunder at the hands of Western multinational corporations. In the years following the fall of the Soviet Union, the word ‘corruption’ increasingly began to appear in the reports of multilateral … [Read more...] about How Neoliberalism Has Wielded ‘Corruption’ to Privatize Life in Africa
The Cost of Disobeying the Empire: Upheaval for Bangladesh
Asha Zavareen During the summer of 2024, the world witnessed a student-led movement in Bangladesh come to a head when the then-Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, resigned and fled to India, followed by the installation of Muhammad Yunus as head of the interim government. This seemingly positive change has complex implications regarding national sovereignty and foreign influence … [Read more...] about The Cost of Disobeying the Empire: Upheaval for Bangladesh
Pessimism, Optimism, and the Role of Intellectuals
Gary Olson The challenge of modernity is to live life without illusions and without becoming disillusioned… I’m a pessimist because of intelligence, but am an optimist because of will. — Antonio Gramsci (1891- 1937) Back on December 10, 2016, after 45 years of college teaching, I met my last class. The course was Intro to International Politics: How the World Works. After … [Read more...] about Pessimism, Optimism, and the Role of Intellectuals
Notes From the Editors — Fall 2024/Winter 2025
Why Trump? It Was About Saying “Fuck You” To the Establishment I have no blindingly insightful analysis to offer about Trump’s victory over Kamala Harris, the Democratic Party, and the establishment portion of the Republican Party, but here’s my tentative take: The presidential election wasn’t a vote for fascism or even a vote for Trump. I sense that a sizable number of … [Read more...] about Notes From the Editors — Fall 2024/Winter 2025
Grief
Elaheh Farmand Grief is magnetic and magentaheavy and dark, solid and fluidGrief is a heavy suitcaseGrief is mother’s impromptu tears, outbursts, unexpected hugsGrief, unlike my father’s casket, cannot be buried Grief is a long train ride, with many mid-way stopsGrief is a shadow, always following, always aheadGrief is untimely laughter and bursts of energyGrief is … [Read more...] about Grief
The Student Intifada Links Racism, Mistreatment of Indigenous People, Policing, Global Warming, Anti-Colonial Struggles Around the World, Capitalism, and Imperialism
Gary Olson Those protesters have started a fire that’s going to burn straight through the whole system. — Shahid Bolsen Palestine has become the icon of freedom for the people of the world. — Author Unknown The protest movements — which have spread around the globe —are not built around the single issue of the apartheid state of Israel or its genocide against … [Read more...] about The Student Intifada Links Racism, Mistreatment of Indigenous People, Policing, Global Warming, Anti-Colonial Struggles Around the World, Capitalism, and Imperialism
Notes from the Editors
“From the River to the Sea Palestine will be free” The morally-depraved US ruling class and its subservient media manipulate the “conversation” about this chant in at least two ways: They propagate the disingenuous Zionist view that the chant calls for the killing or removal of all Jews in historical Palestine. Anyone who knows anything about the Palestinian struggle for … [Read more...] about Notes from the Editors
So Much With Us
Samuel Griffith The world is too much with us,yet it fits perfectly in my hands. A gentle cup of the small leaves,and a grasp of desperation to thin air.the rest of it creates a thick barrier of heat,warping the tip of my pencil as i write. I drip heavy paint onto the pages,much too scared to create fine lines with a brush,instead, it stays parked on the crevice of my … [Read more...] about So Much With Us
Winter Night
Rebecca Canright Darkness falling, lustroussky full of night impendingpaintbrush-tailed horsesetch stars into existencelike books opening and reading themselves aloud,vines of mysteryfelt only with eyes closed,never seen.Far away, icicle comesto rest, fallen on frozen lakefallen, but not unhappyresting in being Rebecca grew up on an organic farm in New Jersey and … [Read more...] about Winter Night