The Stuff That Dreams Are Actually Made Of
POSTED BY MARTIN KICH In a piece for the Undernews daily newsletter from the Progressive Review, Sam Smith recalls his activism in the 1960s and how the traumatic events of 1968 affected him and many activists like him. Near the end of the piece, he quotes from a piece that he wrote during that period:…
I Will Not Be Silenced: The Vital Work of Free Expression in the Academy in the Education of Free Citizens
BY WENDY LYNNE LEE Guest blogger Wendy Lynne Lee is a professor of Philosophy at Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania. On the morning after the 2016 election of Donald Trump many of us were bleary; some were despairing, and I was both. But I was also clear-headed and I understood then, just as I do now,…
New, Nationwide Course on the Erosion of Democracy
POSTED BY MARTIN KICH Several days ago, Sasha Ingber contributed an article to the Washington Post on how “Trump’s Presidency Has Prompted a New, Nationwide College Course on Why Democracies Collapse.” The course has been developed by Robert Balir, an assistant professor of political science at Brown University. A specialist in post-conflict security in Africa,…
An Even Better Table for Ben Carson’s Office
POSTED BY MARTIN KICH What follows is a brief descriptive item from the daily newsletter Curbed, taken largely from the announcement from Wright Auctions: A rare work by midcentury designer Isamu Noguchi, a 1948 marble table, is expected to fetch between $1 million and $1.5 million when it heads to the auction block later this year. A…
Major Overhaul of Arizona Higher Ed Attached to Natural Resources Bill
POSTED BY MARTIN KICH The following is from a news story in the Arizona Republic: A bill to fundamentally restructure how Arizona’s three state universities are managed passed an Arizona Senate committee Monday as a fast-tracked proposal that won’t receive much public input. Rep. Mark Finchem, R-Oro Valley, wants to effectively dismantle the Arizona Board…
For Zuckerberg, Big Issues Looming through 2020
POSTED BY MARTIN KICH What follows is the lead item in last night’s Overnight Technology newsletter from The Hill: Highlights from Zuckerberg’s Interviews: CNN: Zuckerberg said the company was open to some regulation. “Actually, I’m not sure we shouldn’t be regulated.” “I actually think the question is more ‘What is the right regulation?’ rather than ‘Yes…
Right-Wing Snowflake Congressman Assaults Free Speech
POSTED BY HANK REICHMAN The following is from the Washington Post: A high school student was suspended for “disrespect” after he called his congressman’s office and told lawmakers — as he recalls it — to “get off their f‑‑‑— asses” and pass gun-control laws. Rep. Mark Amodei (R-Nev.) has defended his staff member for reporting 17-year-old Noah…
Richard Spencer: Provocateur Uncomfortable with Actual Outrage
POSTED BY MARTIN KICH This post is a response to an article written by Susan Svriuga for the Washington Post. Titled “’Antifa Is Winning’: Richard Spencer Rethinks His College Tour after Violent Protests,” the article is a report on the protests that prevented Spencer from speaking at Michigan State University. A group called “Stop Spencer…
