January 27 is designated as Holocaust Remembrance Day to mark the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration/extermination camp. This year’s Remembrance Day is the 75th anniversary of the liberation, which makes it even more atrocious that the Supreme Court today reinstated the “public charge” immigration policy that prevented Jews from escaping genocide by taking refuge in the…
In the News
RIP, Kobe Bryant
After the death of my friend Elizabeth Wurtzel earlier this month, I spent a lot of time thinking about how complicated people leave complex legacies. I returned to that line of thought today, as the country reacted in shock to the death of basketball legend Kobe Bryant, 41, in a helicopter crash that killed a…
Right and Truth Matter
This is so far beyond “politics.” “No constitution can protect us if right doesn’t matter anymore.” Stunning and emotional words from @RepAdamSchiff. pic.twitter.com/cunecfJrE6 — Anand Giridharadas (@AnandWrites) January 24, 2020
Martin Luther King Jr. Day Inspiration
When I’m frustrated by individuals who fail to take positive actions to improve society, I reread Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter From a Birmingham Jail.” “… time itself is neutral; it can be used either destructively or constructively. More and more I feel that the people of ill will have used time much more effectively…
Role Model: Representative Ayanna Pressley
Rep. Ayanna Pressley is a groundbreaker: She’s the first woman of color to represent Massachusetts in Congress. Her election — which occurred during the “Blue Wave” of November 2018 that flipped the House to a Democratic majority — came nine years after she was voted in as the first woman of color to serve on…
RIP, Elizabeth Wurtzel
Writer Elizabeth Wurtzel died yesterday at age 52 of leptomeningeal disease — a complication of metastatic breast cancer that had spread to the fluid around the brain and spinal cord. I met Elizabeth on Wednesday, May 27, 2009. I know the exact date because we were at a black-tie dinner at the Metropolitan Museum of…
Australia Is Burning: How to Help
If you’re wondering, “What can I do for Australia?,” here’s an answer: Donate to one of the organizations listed in this CNet article. If you can’t donate even a dollar — that’s okay! You can still raise awareness by sharing the links with all your peeps. To get you started, here are six of the…
Year in Review: Remembrances
I’ve had a hanging shoe rack inside my closet door for a long time. Since last month, the bottom few racks keep collapsing for no clear reason — they’ve done it even when there are no shoes on them. Towards the end of November, the bottom four racks fell down with a big bang, sending…
The History of the Nixon Protests, From L.A. Kauffman
Despite what you may read or hear, it is morally right and MEANINGFUL to speak out against a ruling party that commits crimes and undermines democracy. Any “backlash” talk is designed to keep you passive, even though there is ample historical evidence that appeasement is a failing strategy. That doesn’t mean that fighting back is…
Tuesday’s the Day: Nobody Is Above the Law
“NOW’S THE TIME. Stop watching the news and getting depressed. Stop asking what you, as just one person, can do. You can do something — SHOW UP. There are more than 500 impeachment eve events THIS TUESDAY — find one, bring a friend, and SHOW UP.” – Ezra Levin, co-founder of activist network Indivisible If…