Watching the January 6 hearings is must-see television, as frightening and disturbing as the images and testimony are. Nothing conveys the gravity and scope of what transpired more than viewing these hearings, where all the information is presented together, with new evidence and first-person narrative to put it all in perspective.
Read MoreThis week’s attack in Uvalde, Texas was the 199th mass shooting of 2022. That averages 10 such attacks a week, according to Gun Violence Archive, an independent data organization. The Archive defines a mass shooting as an incident in which four or more people are shot or killed, excluding the shooter. In Uvalde, 19 children and two adults were killed, the deadliest incident so far this year. It should be noted that other groups, such as …
Read MorePresident Biden, as part of his effort to reach zero emissions economy-wide by 2050, has set a goal of 50% electric vehicle (EVs) sales by 2030. To reach this level of EVs will be a giant leap from last year, when electric vehicles represented only 3% of US new auto sales, but we already see the trend moving upward.
Read MoreDr. Jeffrey Lieberman was suspended two weeks ago as chair of the department of psychiatry at Columbia University, asked to resign as the executive director of the New York State Psychiatric Institute, and fired as psychiatrist-in-chief at Columbia University Irving Medical Center/NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital.
Read MoreOnce again, our eyes are glued to the tv and newspapers, as we absorb the details of yet another tragic killing in a school. And, once again, we shake our heads, convinced, perhaps this time more than ever, that the deaths could have been prevented.
Read MoreBefore November’s Election Day, we wrote about the importance of voting in local elections. We stressed the important role that local officials such as mayors, school board members, sheriffs, and state representatives have in making decisions that affect everything from the curricula taught to our children to the way our criminal justice system works.
Read MoreAt the risk of being redundant, this week we are revisiting the subject of food insecurity on college campuses. As you know, we co-hosted a screening of the documentary, “Hungry to Learn,” at The Cabot in Beverly last Wednesday, followed by a discussion with Ann Ciaraldi, associate dean of student affairs at UMass Lowell, and Kathleen O’Neill, director of Single Stop at Bunker Hill Community College. Both women provide support at their colleges for students confronting food insecurity. The conversation expanded our knowledge and understanding of the problem and how we might take action to solve it.
Read MoreWhat’s the difference between socialism and communism? We hear the terms conflated frequently in political discourse. What is a socialist democracy? Is the United States truly a democracy or a republic? Can it be both?
Read MoreThe Senate filibuster — and whether it serves to advance or stymie democracy — is a hot topic of debate these days. Where you land in the argument frequently, but not always, coincides with your political party. Still, the issues and ramifications deserve reflection and consideration.
Read MoreThe Olympics usually provide great entertainment, inspiration, and the kind of wow factor we all need these days. And while the appearance of Simone Biles and other luminaries may raise our spirits, we are confronted daily with the spectre of more and more athletes dropping out because of positive COVID tests. Instead of providing inspiration, the Olympics are bringing us face to face, yet again, with the dire reality that the pandemic is far from over.
Read MoreThe IRS began sending monthly checks to families with children in the US on July 15 — the official launch of President Biden’s American Rescue antipoverty program. The plan promises to halve child poverty, but only if the money actually reaches everyone eligible.
Read MoreWe decided to change it up this week. Instead of presenting an in-depth look at one issue, we are offering some staggering statistics and devastating details about a variety of social justice issues of concern to us. We hope you will find them as compelling as we do — and as clarion calls to action for all of us.
Read More“Mass shootings are now so frequent that it is hard to remember them all,” commentator Scott Pelley said on CBS’s “60 Minutes” earlier this month. Many of us can recall a time when we had never heard of a mass shooting, let alone a rash of them targeting people of all faiths and colors. Yet, here we are, facing a summer that many fear will bring a spike in senseless killings.
Read MoreLet’s start with this staggering statistic: A couple working full time and earning $7.25 per hour cannot afford a two-bedroom apartment anywhere in the country without spending more than the recommended 30 percent of their income, according to Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn in Tightrope.
Read MoreToday is Inauguration Day, a day of new beginnings for our country. As we write this, we do not know if today’s transition of power will be peaceful, but we do know that by the end of the day there will be a new administration - one that promises more equity, more decency, and more compassion than the one that is leaving.
Read MoreAs Congress pursues impeaching the current president of the United States for the second time, and we look forward to the inauguration of a new administration that promises to operate with integrity and decency, we might feel encouraged and even optimistic.…
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