We do too much “heroification” in America, according to James W. Loewen, author of Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong (one of his several books that ought to be on everybody’s shelves). Loewen thinks the word hero has been cheapened, ending up more often a description for football quarterbacks who throw perfect last-minute passes […]
In a time of belated monument removal—officially or by volunteers—it’s fitting that on Friday Donald Trump will be on hand for Independence Day fireworks in the Black Hills of South Dakota at the nation’s biggest statuary monument to white supremacy. The venue is Mount Rushmore, which carries the name of a man who donated a large sum to help sculpt the […]
On Friday, the Navajo Nation, the largest American Indian reservation by geography and population, reported 92 new cases of COVID-19 and five deaths. That brings the corresponding totals to 6,470 with 303 deaths, with no end in sight. You can see the Navajo Department of Health’s take on it at Dikos Ntsaaígíí-19. By Meteor Blades On a per capita […]
As my colleague Mark Sumner pointed out earlier, the National Guard troops called up for duty in controlling the protests in Washington, D.C., were ordered to be tough and aggressive. This wasn’t done, as one might expect, to please Donald Trump, who encourages violence against dissidents in the streets the way he incites people to rough up […]
We’ve had plenty more news this week indicating just how bad things are economically now and how long they are likely to remain bad. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, who has warned that gross domestic product could drop 30% this quarter, on Wednesday reinforced what other analysts have said about the crunch affecting American workers: ”It’s just going to be very […]
Two congressional committees held hearings Tuesday that raised the matter of environmental injustice amid the national protests and the conversation about systemic racism sparked by the killing of unarmed, handcuffed African American George Floyd two weeks ago. As long as the Senate remains under Republican control, of course, the chances any legislation will pass Congress are slim […]
Economic shutdown reduced carbon emissions, but not enough to keep last month from being the hottest May ever: As reports keep telling us, the worldwide economic response to the coronavirus pandemic has reduced carbon emissions, with as much as 8 percent less CO2 being pumped into the atmosphere compared with 2019. By Meteor Blades But this is temporary. And […]
Braving the still raging coronavirus and the potential for being tear-gassed and bloodied by unprovoked cops showing their skill with billy-clubs, in cities large and small, hundreds of thousands of mostly masked Americans turned out Saturday to express their opposition to police violence and to grieve and show their support for the family of George Floyd, the hand-cuffed […]
Eco-organizations, some of which have struggled with their own lack of racial diversity and an inadequate focus on environmental justice, have stepped up with statements in support of justice for murdered African American George Floyd and for a transformation of America’s policing and other racist policies. Journalists at Inside Climate News have highlighted statements issued by several […]
While Navajo tribal leaders were focused on the coronavirus pandemic, Feds held virtual hearings on a proposal to permit new extractive operations near Native ancestral lands: The plan, if enacted, would allow fracking and mineral leasing around the Chaco Culture National Historical Park, land that the Pueblo Indians consider their homeland. By Meteor Blades Navajo leaders and some New […]
Before reading further, it’s important to keep in mind that while today’s jobs report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is sobering, the data in it are three weeks out of date. That’s because the bureau uses the Current Employment Survey of 142,000 business establishments at 689,000 individual worksites to tally how many jobs are created or lost each month and derives […]
If you’ve spent time in some parts of the world at certain periods—say Latin America—you’re familiar with the sight of so many armed people in uniform on the streets to keep authoritarian regimes in place. And even though the presence of such forces was often bolstered by U.S. policy, seeing such an array in the U.S. capital is incredibly rare. And discomfiting. […]
After 11 weeks of coronavirus-related layoffs, the Department of Labor reported Thursday that a non-seasonally adjusted total of 37 million Americans have filed for and are receiving or waiting to receive benefits from their state unemployment insurance systems or the federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program that provides benefits to gig workers and others not eligible for regular state […]
North Carolina does turnabout from its anti-wind past: In 2017, the Tar Heel state passed an 18-month ban on wind projects. In 2019, there was an attempt to extend the ban for another three years. Although this was mostly aimed at onshore projects, it also raised issues for wind turbines off the coast. But now North Carolina […]
All too many elected officials treat military veterans like decorations on patriotic holidays and then forget about them just as they do the red, white, and blue bunting that’s tucked away until the next event. Veterans’ needs and problems are all too often ignored. “Thanks for your service” is particularly hollow coming from the politicians who engage in this […]