Three months after the current conflict began, civilians have borne the brunt of the violence on both sides, with the deaths of more than 22,000 Palestinians in Gaza and 1,200 Israelis. Some 85% of Gazans have also been displaced and a quarter of the population is facing a famine, according to the United Nations. The conflict still has a long way to run and may be headed towards stalemate.
The Conversation
#JeSuisCharlie Went Viral 9 Years Ago. It Couldn’t Happen Today.
The immense popularity of #JeSuisCharlie is a prime example of how the technology available to us can shape our understanding of shared experiences. The hashtag #JeSuisCharlie capitalised on these. It was widely adopted by those defending free expression, but a flurry of counter-narratives quickly emerged providing alternative perspectives on the attack.
For Supreme Court, a ‘Monumental’ Decision on Donald Trump’s Ballot Eligibility
Momentous questions for the U.S. Supreme Court and momentous consequences for the country are likely now that the court has announced it will decide whether former president and current presidential candidate Donald Trump is eligible to appear on the Colorado ballot.
School Board and Other Elected Officials Could Soon Be Barred from Censoring People on Social Media
At stake is what constitutes state action – or action taken in an official governmental capacity – on social media. Under the First Amendment, officials engaging in state action cannot restrict individuals’ freedom of speech and expression. The ruling could establish whether social media accounts of public officials should be treated as personal or governmental.
The Generosity and Warmth of Poet Seamus Heaney
The English war poet Wilfred Owen once wrote, “Celebrity is the last infirmity I desire.” Killed in France at the age of 25, unpublished and unknown, “celebrity” for Owen was a posthumous phenomenon. By contrast, celebrity status for the Irish poet Seamus Heaney – “Famous Seamus” – came early in his life.
How Religion and Politics Will Mix in 2024
Religion is likely to play a big role in voters’ choices in the 2024 presidential election – much as it did in previous years. Despite an overall shift away from participation in organized religion in the U.S. populace, religious rhetoric in the political arena has intensified with end-times rhetoric, talk of divine mandates and the intersection of white supremacy and Christian nationalism.
Will Biden’s Ego Bring Trump Back to the White House?
Is Biden’s evergreen ego — his scrappy Scranton Joe determination — outpacing his ability to win a tough election, much less govern a bitterly divided country until 2029? Will there be dire consequences because the man who had been yearning to be president since he was 46 resists giving up the job at 81? Should he have stepped aside for someone younger?
How Simone de Beauvoir, Hannah Arendt, Simone Weil and Ayn Rand Changed Our World
Wolfram Eilenberger’s “The Visionaries” is a wild ride through ten of the worst years in the 20th century, and is told through the occasionally intersecting lives of four brilliant young women philosophers: Simone de Beauvoir and Simone Weil (both French), Russian-American Ayn Rand, and German-Jewish Hannah Arendt, who spent time exiled in France and New York.
Visiting a Museum Could Be the Secret to a Healthier Life
A Canadian medical association launched the museum prescriptions program in 2018. The project has enabled thousands of patients to get a doctor’s prescription to visit a museum, either on their own or accompanied. The aim of the prescription was to promote the recovery and well-being of patients with chronic illnesses (hypertension, diabetes), neurological conditions, cognitive disorders or mental health problems. The decision to write the prescription was left to the discretion of the doctor.
Five Movies to Better Understand the Climate Crisis
The holiday season is, for many, a time for cherished rituals and down time, including watching movies like It’s a Wonderful Life, Elf or Die Hard. But this season is also a time for reflection on our lives and the world around us beset by conflict — and the worsening climate crisis. Here are five film recommendations to help combine ritual and reflection.
You Must Switch Off From Work. Here’s How.
It may not be enough simply to be physically away from work, particularly in an era when so many of us work from home. We also have to stop thinking about work when we’re not there – whether it’s fretting over your to-do list while out at dinner, thinking about your unanswered emails while you’re at your daughter’s soccer game, or lying in bed pondering what you’ll say at tomorrow’s board meeting.
Can the Economy Continue to Avoid a Recession in 2024?
The fundamentals are strong and may be on the rise, if you believe chief financial officers. Plus, despite dysfunction in Washington, recent laws and policies like the CHIPS and Science Act, the bipartisan infrastructure deal, the AI Bill of Rights and the Executive Order on Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Use of Artificial Intelligence could further boost economic growth by stimulating job creation and enhancing competitiveness.
The Curious Joy of Being Wrong
The death of the author’s brother shattered his deeply held evangelical beliefs. This deep loss started a period of questioning in light of the evidence of the author’s experience, leading him to revise his worldview in a way that felt authentic. He changed his mind about a lot things.
Blessings for LGBTQ+ Couples: Pope Francis’s Historic Gesture
Pope Francis’ Dec. 18, 2023, announcement that Catholic priests may bless LGBTQ+ couples and others in “irregular” situations marks a definitive shift in the Roman Catholic Church’s posture toward many types of loving relationships. It may also mark a definitive turning point within the Roman Catholic Church.
St. Francis and the Nativity Scene’s Nativity
Francis in 1223 sought permission from Pope Honorious III to do something “for the kindling of devotion” to the birth of Christ. As part of his preparations, Francis “made ready a manger, and bade hay, together with an ox and an ass,” in the small Italian town of Greccio.
Here’s Why, Scientifically Speaking, Sloppy Gift-Wrapping Is Better
Consumers in the U.S. spend billions of dollars a year on wrapping gifts, in most cases to make their presents look as good as possible. But beautiful presentation doesn’t lead to a better-liked gift. A study showed that those who received a sloppily wrapped gift liked their present significantly more than those who received a neatly wrapped gift, regardless of what was inside. Yay for the sloppy!
Trump Claims Constitution Gives Him Immunity. Judges May Not Agree.
Former President Donald Trump has claimed he is immune from prosecution – specifically on the federal charges that he tried to subvert the results of the 2020 presidential election. He says that his actions in connection with the 2020 election were part of his official duties, and he also argues that because he was not convicted during either of his impeachments, he cannot be tried in a criminal court for his actions.
Grief and the Holidays
The holidays negatively affect many people’s mental health as the holidays for many are stark reminders of grief and of whom – or what – they have lost. About 10% of bereaved adults are at risk of prolonged grief disorder, and those rates appear to have increased in the aftermath of the pandemic.
America’s Obsession with Evil: ‘The Exorcist’ at 50
In the 50 years since “The Exorcist” premiered, the cultural fascination with Satan has persisted. But as religiosity has waned, popular portrayals of Satan have also changed. Rather than embody pure evil, Luciferian characters that are complicated – even likable – have emerged.
A Constitutional Scholar Explains Colorado Court’s Trump Ballot Ban
Taken as a whole, the structure of Section 3 of the 14th Amendment leads to the conclusion that Donald Trump is one of those past or present government officials who by violating his oath of allegiance to the constitutional rules has forfeited his right to present and future office.
Why Did This Bottle of Whiskey Sell for $2.7 Million?
Some investors see luxury collectibles, such as high-end whiskey bottles or casks, as an alternative to other assets like stocks and bonds. But the high price may also have a lot to do with the increasing focus on the purported authenticity of craft products – especially ones like Scotch whisky, which trade on their heritage as much as their flavor.
Populism Is Undermining Our Elections
At the heart of liberal democracy lies the principle of pluralism, that there are diverse views on how society should work and that numerous institutions operate independently to balance competing interests. For this principle to work, it’s important that the public trust that these diverse voices act in good faith. Populism undermines that trust.
‘American Fiction’: Who Gets to Decide Blackness?
Directed by Cord Jefferson and starring Jeffrey Wright, the film presents an opportunity to talk about race, power and white supremacy within intellectual and cultural spaces, including higher education. Specifically, what version of Blackness is acceptable or saleable within American culture?
Sandra Day O’Connor’s Civics Lesson
Beyond her trailblazing role as the first woman appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court, Justice Sandra Day O’Connor considered iCivics – a civics education nonprofit founded after she retired from the court – to be her “most important legacy.”
Why Big Box Chain Stores Are Fleeing Cities
Closures have spread to many suburbs and small towns. Retailers saddled with high debt, overexpansion, shoplifting losses, slumping sales and online competition are shedding stores fast. The reason: Low-income urban households remain in crisis, with high rents and inflation driving up the cost of essentials. Urban chains clustered too many of their own branches close together or too near other chains. And shoplifting has scared away executives.
As Always, Israel Ignores US Appeals to Minimize Casualties in Gaza
Their continued widespread bombing has raised the death toll in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry, to 18,600. And the growing tension between Biden and Israel’s leader, Benjamin Netanyahu, broke into the open on Dec. 12. Biden warned Israel that it is “losing support” over the war.
The Minefield of College Free Speech Codes
Private colleges and universities have speech codes that allow them to punish certain speech. But in their testimony before Congress about antisemitism on their campuses, college presidents tripped, triggered a furor over their prevarications. and one of them resigned after failing to respond clearly to a simple question.
Exile Ridley Scott’s Napoleon to St. Helena
As with every other Napoléon movie, Scott’s version will leave viewers with no understanding of the genocidal war to restore slavery that Bonaparte waged against Black revolutionaries in the French colony of Saint-Domingue – what’s known as Haiti today. It’s like making a movie about Hitler without mentioning the Holocaust.
Achieving Our Country According to Norman Lear
Even Americans who strongly disagree with each other may find common ground when they watch the same TV shows and movies, especially those that make us laugh or cry.
Norman Lear, who died on Dec. 5, 2023, at 101, created television shows that did just that.
Here’s How Social Media Disinformation Gets You
Disinformation is deliberately generated misleading content disseminated for selfish or malicious purposes. Unlike misinformation, which may be shared unwittingly or with good intentions, disinformation aims to foment distrust, destabilize institutions, discredit good intentions, defame opponents and delegitimize sources of knowledge such as science and journalism.
Conservatives’ ‘Anti-Woke’ Alternative to Disney
U.S. conservatives are using action films, dramas and even kids’ cartoons to build their own alternative entertainment industry, one shielded from the alleged liberal biases of Hollywood. The most prominent recent efforts are two streaming entertainment platforms from right-wing pundit Ben Shapiro and “Lady Ballers” star Jeremy Boreing. But conservatives have a spottier record when it comes to entertainment, whether it’s feature films, pop songs or kids’ shows.
The Deeply Rooted Biases Biases Behind Transgender Athlete Bans
In 2023, 24 states had laws or regulations in place prohibiting transgender students from participating on public school athletic teams consistent with their gender identity. These bans mean that a person whose sex assigned at birth was male but who identifies as a girl or woman cannot play on a girls or women’s athletic team at a public school in that state. State-level politics and public biases against transgender people are largely to blame.
Taylor Swift, Influencer of the Year
Even before Taylor Swift was named “Person Of The Year” by Time magazine, politicians courted Swiftie voters. The idea that Swifties might be a key demographic in future elections is not far-fetched given their location and age. A majority of Swift’s fans live in the suburbs, the swing territory of American politics. Further, most are Gen Zers or Millennials. These groups encompass an increasing share of the electorate with each passing year.
Hate Crimes Are Up, But Charges and Convictions Are a Challenge
Hate crimes and hate murders are rising across the U.S., but long-term polling data suggests that most Americans are horrified by bias-motivated violence. They also support hate crime legislation, an effort to deter such attacks. Yet police and state attorneys often resist the quick classification of incidents as a hate crime.
The Benefits of Not Arresting Students Over Most School-Based Incidents
School-based arrests are one part of the school-to-prison pipeline, through which students – especially Black and Latine students and those with disabilities – are pushed out of their schools and into the legal system. Getting caught up in the legal system has been linked to negative health, social and academic outcomes, as well as increased risk for future arrest.
Need It Even Be Said? A Military Ethicist Explains Why All Civilian Lives Matter Equally.
As of Nov. 25, according to health officials in the Gaza Strip, more than 14,000 Palestinians have been killed, the majority of whom are women and children. International humanitarian law prohibits direct attacks on civilians and wounded and surrendered soldiers and on civilian objects such as schools, religious centers and hospitals and other civilian infrastructure. There are exceptions. Israel is not abiding by either.
‘Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory”s Racist Origins
Dahl’s book is part of a long history of children’s books that feature racist stereotypes – a list that includes six Dr. Seuss books that were removed from publication in 2021. Other children’s classics, such as “Peter Pan” and “Mary Poppins,” have also been criticized for perpetuating racism.
The George Santos Calamity
How could a politician engage in such large-scale deception and get elected? What could stop it from happening again, as politicians seem to be growing more unapologetically deceptive while evading voters’ scrutiny?
The Rise of LGBTQIA+ Sanctuary Cities–Including, Possibly, Tallahassee
At least 15 states and cities have dubbed themselves LGBTQIA+ sanctuaries over the last several years. Sanctuaries are generally considered local refuges, where people who are afraid of persecution or discrimination have legal immunity from particular government policies or laws. Tallahassee, Florida, is among the places that is considering declaring itself a LGBTQIA+ sanctuary.
Why Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Year Is ‘Authentic.’ Think AI.
For the past 20 years, Merriam-Webster, the oldest dictionary publisher in the U.S., has chosen a word of the year – a term that encapsulates, in one form or another, the zeitgeist of that past year. In 2020, the word was “pandemic.” The next year’s winner? “Vaccine.” “Authentic” is, at first glance, a little less obvious. According to the publisher’s editor-at-large, Peter Sokolowski, 2023 represented “a kind of crisis of authenticity,” and that the choice was informed by the number of online users who looked up the word’s meaning.
Are Social Media Comments Protected by the First Amendment?
The First Amendment does not protect messages posted on social media platforms. The Supreme Court has agreed to hear five cases during this current term that collectively give the court the opportunity to reexamine the nature of content moderation – the rules governing discussions on social media platforms such as Facebook and X, formerly known as Twitter – and the constitutional limitations on the government to affect speech on the platforms.
How Nazis Targeted Trans People
What the Nazis did about transgender people was chilling, including imprisonment in concentration camps and execution. It’s a reminder that attacks on trans people are nothing new – and that many of them are straight out of the Nazi playbook.
It’s Not Just Trump: What Islamophobes’ Victory in Dutch Election Says About Far Right’s Resurgence
For the first time in Dutch history, a party of the extreme right is the largest in the national parliament. Wilders is an eccentric politician known for his inflammatory rhetoric. He advocates the Netherlands leaving the European Union and has called Islam a “fascist” religion. In a 2016 trial, he was found guilty of inciting discrimination (but received no penalty for the crime).
Court Rules You Can’t Sue to Enforce Voting Rights. Is That Fair?
A federal appeals court in Arkansas ruled on Monday, Nov. 20, 2023, that only the federal government – not private citizens or civil rights groups – could sue to enforce the 1965 Voting Rights Act. This decision will likely be appealed to the Supreme Court – but if it stands, it could gut individual people’s and civil rights groups’ legal right to fight racial discrimination in voting.
Gray Friday: Americans Are Tiptoeing Out of Economic Turmoil
Consumers are conflicted: They’re excited for deals and looking forward to treating themselves, but they’re feeling squeezed by high prices. On average, they plan to spend about US$665 on gifts this holiday season — about $35 less than last year, and substantially less than the National Retail Federation’s 10-year average of $826.
Coded Racism in Jason Aldean’s Song Exposes Problem with Small-Town Values
The Maury County Courthouse in Columbia, Tennessee, has come to represent the overlooked cultural divisions between urban and small-town America.
The courthouse was the site of the lynching of a Black teenager in 1927. It also served as a rallying spot for white vigilantes who assembled there during race riots in 1946. It is now the focus of a modern-day controversy over singer Jason Aldean’s “Try That in a Small Town.”
Colonists’ Violence Against West Bank Palestinians Denies Their Right to Exist
The proliferation of armed settlers in the West Bank, the expansion of illegal settler outposts and now the increasing violence and forced displacement all stem from the same underlying policy that led to the 16-year blockade of Gaza: an Israeli policy of ignoring Palestinian national claims altogether.
Homelessness as a Deprivation of Freedom
Some philosophers have argued that while homelessness is clearly a state of deprivation, it is also a condition in which a person’s freedom is profoundly compromised. These theorists insist a society that cherishes freedom – such as the U.S. – must implement anti-homelessness policy as a way of liberating people who lack housing.
Yes, the South Has a Poverty Crisis
By a range of economic indicators — personal income per capita and the proportion of the population living in poverty, for starters – large parts of the South, and particularly the rural South, are struggling. About 1 in 5 counties in the South is marked by “persistent poverty” — a poverty rate that has stayed above 20% for three decades running. Indeed, fully 80% of all persistently poor counties in the U.S. are in the South.
‘From the River to the Sea’: A Historian Interprets the Palestinian Slogan
The majority of Palestinians who use this phrase do so because they believe that, in 10 short words, it sums up their personal ties, their national rights and their vision for the land they call Palestine. And while attempts to police the slogan’s use may come from a place of genuine concern, there is a risk that tarring the slogan as antisemitic – and therefore beyond the pale – taps into a longer history of attempts to silence Palestinian voices.