- Democrats’ Political Grief
- The Climate of Fear
- The Art World Crackdown on Palestine Solidarity
- Rating Murderers: Mangione a Demon, Penny a Hero
- What’s Missing from A Complete Unknown? Vietnam
- Family Estrangement Epidemic
- Mississippi Immigrant Advocates ‘Preparing for Disaster’
- Democracy, Fascism and Higher Ed
- Federal Workers’ Unions Are On the Brink
- Faith Groups on the Trump Win
By Chauncey DeVega
Salon
Democrats continue to plod through the stages of grief, vacillating between denial, anger and bargaining. This behavior is increasingly taking the form of self-soothing talk among its leadership, consultant and media class that their defeat was not as dire as it first appeared and that a big rebuild and reassessment of the party and its strategy, messaging and leadership are not necessary.
By Rachel Locke
The Conversation
Threats and harassment are pushing some politicians out of office, scaring off some would-be candidates and even compelling some elected officials to change their vote. Rising threats against public officials is a national problem.
The Art World Crackdown on Palestine Solidarity
By Hrag Vartanian and Valentina Di Liscia
Jewish Currents
From Amsterdam to San Francisco, artists who have criticized Israel’s brutal war on Gaza have seen their exhibitions canceled, their work deinstalled, and other opportunities rescinded.
Rating Murderers: Mangione a Demon, Penny a Hero
By Caleb Brennan
The Nation
Brandishing a juvenile, chicken-scratch graph, right-wing pundit and neoconservative toady Scott Jennings offered a simple analysis during a recent CNN roundtable. “Here’s my chart: The good guys today, Daniel Penny. The bad guys, Luigi Mangione,” he proclaimed. For those on the hard right, Penny has become a kind of reactionary Batman, especially following his acquittal on December 9.
What’s Missing from A Complete Unknown? Vietnam
While popular memory of the 1960s assumes that folk fans and performers marched hand-in-glove with the anti-war protesters of the 1960s, in reality, the political climate of that moment, as well as the intensified commercialism of folk music, disrupted that alliance.
By Katie Underwood
Maclean’s
Estrangement, the act of distancing oneself or fully cutting ties with loved ones, was once a sad, shameful word uttered in the privacy of homes and therapists’ offices. But if social media is any indication, lately, the term has become undeniably trendy: on TikTok, videos hashtagged #toxicfamily have garnered nearly two billion views.
Mississippi Immigrant Advocates ‘Preparing for Disaster’
By Illan Ireland
Mississippi Free Press
El Pueblo has held statewide meetings to educate immigrants on their rights and created emergency preparedness plans to facilitate identity verification and document retrieval. The organization has also met with school-district leaders and law-enforcement officials who may be asked to participate in immigration crackdowns.
Democracy, Fascism and Higher Ed
By Henry A. Giroux
Truthout
What does this rise in illiberal regimes mean for higher education? What is the role of universities in defending democratic ideals when the very notion of democracy is under siege? Higher education must reassert itself as a crucial democratic public sphere that fosters critical thought, resists tyranny and nurtures the kind of informed citizens necessary to a just society.
Federal Workers’ Unions Are On the Brink
By Dave Jamieson
Huffpost
As the incoming boss of the federal workforce, President-elect Donald Trump has made clear his disdain for civil servants. He’s called them “crooked” and “dishonest” people who are “destroying” the country. He’s equated them with the conspiracy theorists’ “deep state.” And he’s promised to fire a lot of them after he assumes office next month.
By Kelsey Dallas
Deseret News
Exit polls show that Trump made gains among a number of religious voting blocs in 2024, including Catholics and non-Christian people of faith. Here’s a deeper look at what religious leaders have said about the 2024 election.
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