Author: Op Ed

The dark truth of “American Exceptionalism” is a nation that tolerates the slaughter of its children

The dark truth of “American Exceptionalism” is a nation that tolerates the slaughter of its children

Posted by | Dec 21, 2024

The phrase “American exceptionalism” is often invoked to highlight the country’s unparalleled achievements, innovation, and values. But in the context of school shootings, this term takes on a darker meaning. The United States stands alone among developed nations in its willingness to tolerate the routine slaughter of its children within schools — spaces that should be sanctuaries of learning and growth. For the past quarter century, school shootings have been as American as apple pie. Each incident is met with hollow “thoughts and prayers” instead of meaningful change. This is not just an anomaly, it is a systemic failure...

Read More
A cabinet of cronies: How Trump’s corrupt leadership will finally usher in the American “Dark Ages”

A cabinet of cronies: How Trump’s corrupt leadership will finally usher in the American “Dark Ages”

Posted by | Dec 19, 2024

As Donald Trump prepares for a second term in the White House, the country finds itself staring into the abyss of a future that promises to push America into its darkest period yet. While such a declaration may sound like an apocalyptic prediction, it is an honest evaluation of the disastrous choices Trump has made for his Cabinet picks. The radically inappropriate selections reflect his spiteful intent to further erode democratic institutions, dismantle checks and balances, and roll back vital progress in civil rights, healthcare, environmental protection, and foreign relations. Looking at his Cabinet nominations, it is apparent that...

Read More
The death of Brian Thompson exposed the structural violence of the private health insurance industry

The death of Brian Thompson exposed the structural violence of the private health insurance industry

Posted by | Dec 10, 2024

The brazen murder of Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, on a Midtown Manhattan street has rattled the U.S. health care industry. But beyond the tragic shock of an executive’s targeted killing, an unsettling truth now lies exposed with deep and pervasive anger at America’s private insurance system. In the aftermath of Thompson’s death, what began as a crime story rapidly morphed into a larger conversation about insurance-driven structural harm and fury. As thousands took to social media to express bitterness rather than sympathy, America’s long-suppressed frustration with a system that often denies necessary health care, inflates costs, and...

Read More
The Rise of American Autocracy: Lessons from North Korea’s Kim Dynasty about how dictators keep control

The Rise of American Autocracy: Lessons from North Korea’s Kim Dynasty about how dictators keep control

Posted by | Nov 25, 2024

With his unpredictable political strategies, contentious policies, and efforts to centralize power, Donald Trump has been a highly polarizing figure in American politics. His style and tactics have often led to comparisons with various autocratic leaders worldwide, from Russia’s Vladimir Putin to Hungary’s Viktor Orbán. However, among the more chilling comparisons is the parallel drawn to the Kim dynasty of North Korea, a tightly controlled regime where power and propaganda reinforce a near-absolute authority. While the United States and North Korea are vastly different in structure, economy, and values, examining Trump’s approach through an autocratic lens raises concerns about...

Read More
Scripture as a weapon: How the Confederacy’s biblical justification of oppression still echoes today

Scripture as a weapon: How the Confederacy’s biblical justification of oppression still echoes today

Posted by | Nov 21, 2024

The twisted interpretation of Christianity by pro-slavery advocates in the Confederacy is one of the most troubling and insidious chapters in American history. To defend the indefensible institution of slavery, Southern theologians and politicians clung to a highly selective and morally bankrupt reading of the Bible. They sought to justify the oppression and dehumanization of millions of Black people by distorting the core message of the Christian faith. By doing so, they ignored the Bible’s call for justice, equality, and liberation, the values of salvation that are incompatible with the existence of slavery. The use of scripture to support...

Read More
Once upon a Tuesday: A political parable about running with scissors in America

Once upon a Tuesday: A political parable about running with scissors in America

Posted by | Nov 19, 2024

Once upon a Tuesday … there was a schoolhouse in a small rural town where some young children spent their time learning in class, while others goofed around at play. Every morning semi-trucks would roar by the schoolhouse without regard to the speed limit or the safety of the students. It would vibrate and shake for most of the day. Some parents had complained that the big trucks should be rerouted to another road to protect the children. Other parents complained that re-directing traffic would slow the transport of goods and hold back the progress of the local economy....

Read More

Knezelism of the Week