Opinions

Men and Mass Shootings 25 Years After Columbine

      Maybe there won’t be a copycat mass shooting to grotesquely mark the 25th anniversary of the Columbine massacre on April 20, 1999. But just as we can be certain there will be another solar eclipse, it’s only a matter of time before a hail of bullets will block out the sun for another community somewhere in America. What’s also true? Expect the shooter to be male, probably white.  […]

Opinions

The Legacy of A.T. Ariyaratne

     Ariyaratne founded Sarvodaya–Sri Lanka’s largest nongovernmental organization (NGO). Sarvodaya, which roughly translates to the uplift of all, has the noble vision of “building a just, sustainable, compassionate social order that fulfills the basic human needs of the community through individual and collective awakening.” It’s a vision combining Buddhist and Gandhian principles Truth (satya), Nonviolence (ahimsa) and Selflessness (pararthkami). […]

Opinions

The ‘Accepted Insanity’ of World War III

     It’s the forgettable quotes, especially in regard to ongoing war, that may be the most dangerous, because all they do is solidify a collective sense of normal. My term for it is “accepted insanity.” We have the technological and psychological capacity to kill not simply thousands or even millions of people but the whole human race, but let’s talk about it in terms of strategy, tactics and public relations! Let’s talk about it as though we’re covering a bunch of 10-yer-old boys throwing stones. Which one’s going to win? […]

Religion

Football Legend O.J. Simpson Dies but the Obsession Remains Alive

So much of the analysis around the Simpson case ignores the general context of the criminal justice system’s treatment of Black men. Black men in America are disproportionately incarcerated and given longer sentences than white males. Because of Simpson’s wealth he was able to do something most defendants cannot do: Hire the best multi-expert legal team available. The reality of a Black man being acquitted in the murders of a white woman and man was clearly jarring to many commentators. […]

National News

How HBCU Students Can Access Enough Food

      We all need food. It shouldn’t matter what your background is; everyone should have access to affordable, high-quality food. But, in the country we live in, that’s not always the case. Students at historically Black colleges and universities are reportedly facing higher rates of food insecurity than students at predominantly white institutions.  […]