Though inalienable, universal, and probably self-evident, U.S. liberties today are based on workarounds that satisfy the power elite. In his speech celebrating the 100th anniversary of Nelson Mandela’s birth, Obama warned of strongman politics that “. . . seek to undermine every institution or norm that gives democracy meaning.” Before getting worked around yourself, perform this quick reality check. Continue reading
Proud citizens of the most powerful democracy in history, we Americans grew a little smug, then got faked out. They still figure plump and posh in our minds, but our rights got dressed down to grunt status to serve the superrich a while ago. We just don’t seem to know it. Continue reading
Although the truth may be self-evident that people have inalienable rights, the rights themselves are anything but. Take, for example, the right protected by that pesky Second Amendment. Continue reading
The man who wants to connect everyone on the planet, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, recently cut off the man who needs his social media tools most. Why? Because Putin told him to. Continue reading
A man entered a stall in the women’s showers and began to wash prior to his swim. Hastily wrapping a towel about myself, I pointed out his mistake. “No,” he corrected me. “I’m a woman.” I was dumbfounded. How to contradict that? But I couldn’t finish my shower unless I did. Continue reading
The latest heinous fundamentalist group has pulverized the ancient Arch of Triumph in Palmyra, Syria, and vows to return all such conduits of blasphemy to dust and desert. Too bad the program started so late. There’s an awful lot of crud to remove. But ancient ruins aren’t the only problem. The weaklings who admire them must go, too. Continue reading
What better ropes off chattel for domestic slave labor and the licensed orgy than the burqa? Even Gucci would be preferable. Continue reading
Every oppressive power structure seduces its sufferers into believing in an oversimplified salvation. So East German writer Christa Wolf may be excused for getting it wrong. Continue reading