Monster in the Closet

Somehow, we continue to dither about how or if to change our health care system. We have shown great leadership at some times in our history, but when I read about how we compare with other countries today, I worry that we are stuck in fear. The other industrialized nations of the world have shown […]

Reasonable Doubt

This morning, driving to work, I had an epiphany: we should put Dick Cheney in a room with the administrators who okayed an adolescent girl being stripped searched and see what happens. I sometimes have to take a hiatus from morning radio. Sometimes morning news causes me to shout things across my apartment at no […]

I Used To Feel So Uninspired

Barack Obama makes me feel like a natural woman. Especially this morning. I’ve been preaching for years that education funding should not be locally funded. If our goal in education is to equalize opportunity, it makes no sense to let poor kids in poor areas go to poorly funded schools and rich kids in rich […]

Post-Inaugural

My students were less moved by today’s speech than by the election (as was I). It was a big moment, but nothing compared to that night. They remain deeply concerned about Obama’s safety, suggesting that he is in danger from “all the white people who don’t like blacks.” I ask them for evidence, and apparently […]