Portside

In 1994, John Salvi, a radical young Catholic abortion opponent, opened fire on two clinics in Brookline, Mass., just outside Boston, and killed two women: Shannon Lowney, a 25-year-old receptionist at Planned Parenthood, and Lee Ann Nichols, who worked as a receptionist at PreTerm, the clinic down the street.

The killings ignited a fierce debate about the intersection of free speech, abortion and religion, a debate reignited by the recent Supreme Court decision overturning a buffer space around clinics in Massachusetts. For the first time, the 1996 Frontline documentary Murder on Abortion Row is streaming online.

Every time politicians start to address income inequality, they get shut down by the cry of "class warfare." But according to John Oliver, "Just because politicians can't talk about inequality doesn't mean we shouldn't."

Charlie Haden, the great American bassist, died today at 76. This track, inspired by the anti-fascist music of the Spanish Republic, is from his 1969 album Liberation Music Orchestra

You knew it had to happen, and here it is: Sir Isaac Newton (gravity, calculus, optics) vs Bill Nye (Science Guy, creationist debate), with a special guest appearance by Neil deGrasse Tyson (astrophysics)

It's easy to cakewalk on in. Not so easy to cakewalk out.

Sadly prophetic. More.

A quiet voice is singing something to me

An age old song 'bout the brave in this land here of the free,

One time one night in America

Each Los Lobos verse is a tiny tragic chapter in the story of America. Full lyrics here.

Some folks are born 

made to wave the flag

Ooh, they're red white and blue

It ain't me, it ain't me

I ain't no senator's son

This Vietnam wartime song (1969) puts a spotlight on the unequal sacrifices hidden by patriotic spouting.