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.
Commentary
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.
In Florida, Voter-Suppression Is Essential to GOP’s Edge
Republicans in 2023 are on a campaign to emulate what occurred during Reconstruction by disenfranchising African Americans, engaging in severe gerrymandering so that the odds are turn in their favor in 2024. Their harsh and uncompromising position on abortion is costing them support and has led to losses in primaries. But the GOP’s political strategy is explained by former President Donald Trump, who has said the quiet part out loud: Republicans will never again win elections if democratic reforms make voting easier.
‘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.
Bridging Our Divides From a World Away
For all the polarization of America, there are still ways to bridge divides and engage in meaningful conversations, and seeing perspectives from the other side of the river–or the other side of the Atlantic, as does Christine Flowers.
The Kissinger Delusion
This man’s death, way overdue–Kissinger lives to be 100 but Hank Williams, born the same year, dies at 30?–is a tragedy only in one sense: despite the copious and undisputed record about one of the most brutal men of the 20th century, Kissinger is still garnering bootlicking tributes. The tragedy is that America does not learn. It rinses the blood and repeats.