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Protests in Memphis

Why Demonstrations Succeed Only Half-Way

The Pilgrims knew first hand the abuses a king could inflict on citizens. They witnessed how easy it was for an army to crush the will of the people simply by refusing to let them assemble, i.e, talk with each other. Minus phones or Internet, the people had no way to connect with their neighbors across the river. That’s why the Pilgrims insisted on the right to assemble. That’s why it appears in our Constitution.

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Gun Violence

Gun Violence

For decades we have been at an impasse: No matter how many children are machine-gunned, we can do nothing about the spread of gun violence. The impasse is partly because of the money the NRA can spend in Washington to defeat reforms, and partly because of a Supreme Court that believes that a few 18th century white gentry couldn’t make a mistake. The Second Amendment isn’t likely to receive a serious critique during our lifetimes, so we’re stuck with it.  Read More

Made In China

Made In China?

The steam pipes heating my building run under my office. They leak a lot, so over time I’ve made friends with the plumber. One day I said, “I’ll bet you see a lot of plumbing problems in these older buildings” “Nah,” he replied, “the real problems are in the new buildings.” He meant he had his hands full with new defective pipes made in China. Read More