Things I’ve been
thinking about
Welome to my collection of musings.
Here’s what’s new: I’ve organized and catalogued a few of my key pieces. Also, I’m offering a complimentary PDF copy of “How Intolerance and Extremism Happen”
Understanding Our
Current Moment
“For any common-sense person who has looked around at the political division and outrage-fueled information environment and said, ‘What the hell is going on?’ or ‘How did we get here?’ ―Dannagal Young, Professor of Political Science at the University of Delaware
On Saturday, June 20th, I will be speaking at the Madison Public Library about A Firehose of Falsehood. After Saturday, I will put a transcript of the talk here, so check back.
Check back later for a copy of the discussion.
The history of the two major parties is the history of America.
How did such peaceful and calm places come under fire?
What can librarians and similar institutions do when confronted with efforts to censor their collections?
Here is a 15 minute presentation that will explain ICE and our current politics.
Yes, you can use a timer.
Make political Philosophy Cool Again
- What makes a government legitimate?
- When is lawbreaking morally acceptable?
- How far can a democratic society conrol speech (and outlaw disinformation) and remain democratic?
- What greater good (if any) is served by government-inflicted punishment?
Do Our Laws Reflect Our Values?
In 1975, Susan Brownmiller argued that rape isn’t about sex, it is a means of asserting patriarcial power. Her theory called into question all the accepted wisdom about rape and, well, she shook things up a bit.
Have you wondered why the Second Amendment is so controverial? The reason: It’s not about the gun. It’s about who is holding the gun.
Q: What does the rarely mentioned Ninth Amendment have to do with reproductive rights?
A: Everything
Learning to Love The Law
You might not like jury duty, but after you read about the Zenger trial, you might look forward to being summoned to serve.
- What is a crime, and how do we decide which behavior to criminalize?
- Why don’t we prosecute all crimes?
- What good is served by punishment?
No, really, it is.
The history of the Tenth Amendment explains [almost] everything happening in politics and government today.
You are in trouble. You have the right appeal. What exactly does that mean?
How much power does the Constitution give the Supreme Court? Are the Supreme Court power dynamics unfolding as the founders intended?
A Few Notable People
He desegreated the schools and helped launch the modern Civil Rights Movement.
There is more to her story than most people know.
Here is a transcript from a radio talk I gave about Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
More (Free) Stuff to read
“An informative, simply written account of the impressive arc of Ginsburg’s life.” –Publisher’s Weekly
Before she became a Surpeme Court Justice, she changed the law for women. Read about her early life.
After The Girl from the Tar Paper School was published, a few major magazines, including Scholastic asked me to write a piece about Barbara Johns.
Yes, I’ve also written children’s fiction. This appeared Cricket Magazine.