19 Aug, 2022
Elections and the threat of uncritical political discourse
Tuesday's primary elections are a routine occasion of frustration for many Americans. August 16th, 2022 continued this trend.
19 Aug, 2022
14 Jun, 2022
Can we finally start dealing with gun violence?
Can we finally start dealing with gun violence? by Wim Laven 589 words It was an ordinary Valentine’s Day four...
2 May, 2022
Primaries test the violent dishonesty of the right
On April 21st I went to the Top Notch Diner in Cortland OH. Senate candidate Josh Mandel appeared with retired General Michael Flynn, former National Security Advisor in the Trump administration. I listened to Flynn tell the crowd “The election was stolen,” and Mandel brag about being the only candidate in his race to call out the theft.
11 Apr, 2022
The case against the GQP is worse than you think
My doctorate in Political Science ought to have included a section on gaslighting. Currently Russian leader Vladimir Putin is demonstrating one version of this; he is calling his invasion of Ukraine, massacre of civilians, and wanton disregard for human rights (that some are calling genocide) a “special operation.”
28 Mar, 2022
McCarthyism v2.0
In 1954 one of the greatest frauds in US politics culminated in 36 days of televised hearings. Sen. Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin had come to prominence by leading the campaign to expose communists in government...
19 Mar, 2022
Gas prices, propaganda, war, and politics
Gas prices, propaganda, war, and politics by Wim Laven 562 words I come from oil country, so does House Minority leader...
8 Mar, 2022
Ukraine war is another against women and children
The celebration of International Women’s Day on March 8th is a day for considering a world with gender equality, challenging biases, stereotypes, and prejudice, and working for the inclusion of all persons.
5 Mar, 2022
War in Ukraine is a test for peace and unity
There are many important questions and conversations emerging about the current war in Ukraine. People want to know who is to blame, what is the cause of this mess, and what will be the way out?
8 Feb, 2022
War vs bridges
The worst tragedies are preventable tragedies. We see them in the news: apartment fires due to space heaters, traffic accidents caused by drivers under the influence, or medical errors to name a few.
10 Jan, 2022
The Annual American Whitewash
These days is it a mistake to bring up the storied practices of racism in the United States. The identification and labeling of the plain view prejudice and nefarious dog whistles calling back to histories of white privilege nostalgia are frequently met with a strong backlash...
20 Nov, 2021
Uninformed juries produce incorrect outcomes
I was a troubled teen. I remember the day I was called to my high school’s administrative office to receive a call. He gave me advice I have never forgotten...
3 Nov, 2021
The problem with vaccine mandates
I live near Middlefield Ohio, the center of the fourth largest Amish settlement in America. I regularly see the horse and buggy operations on the road...
28 Oct, 2021
Crisis in Sudan is a lesson for the U.S.
About 2,700 years ago a storytelling slave named Aesop told tales of political, religious, and social themes...
23 Oct, 2021
Confronting ignorance and ignorant confrontations
I remember hearing it all the time, it was half joking and half serious, my father was a pediatrician and he’d say: take two pills and call me in the morning...
17 Oct, 2021
Is Trump’s violent dishonesty inexorable?
A year ago, when I examined the lessons of hatred and political violence in the US, I made note of the ugly role dehumanization and hate played in the alt-right’s support of Donald Trump.