Eric Garner’s murder has made it really clear that there’s something wrong with the way police use deadly force. Cops are in a hard position, though, because their entire approach to working with people is predicated on our awareness that they can kill us. That’s why they can demand absolute compliance and most of the time receive it. That’s why … Read More
Is That REALLY What Democracy Looks Like?
If you’ve ever been to a protest, you probably joined in that timeless chant: “This-is-WHAT de-MOC-racy LOOKS-like!” But is it? On a good day, our government feels disconnected from the people. But on bad days, when we learn names like Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown and Tamir Rice, we feel pushed over the edge. Dialogue isn’t enough. Voting isn’t enough. Petitions … Read More
What We Desperately Need to Learn from Ferguson
If you still think police protect and serve, then turn around and close this tab. But if it’s as clear as a mother’s tears to you that such fantasy is as dead as her innocent son, then what are we going to do about it? The old style marches and chanting aren’t going to undo a system with centuries of history. The politicians … Read More
Rookie Rebels
If tomorrow we twisted out of bed, turned on our coffee-makers and realized that the establishment had crumbled overnight and we suddenly needed to take charge, we’d quickly realize we’re out of our depth. Right now, we’re amateurs trying to tell the pros they’re doing it wrong. If they called our bluff and said, Okay, you try!, we’d have no idea … Read More
…the Chicken or the Movement?
Sometimes I wonder if I’m selling humanity short by writing off the possibility of a massive, moral awakening. When I imagine that, when I close my eyes and actually picture it, it’s literally breathtaking. But as soon as I inhale, I realize there’s a good reason for its absence: We don’t live in an environment which requires heightened moral awareness. The opposite, … Read More
Modern Ethics
Ethics can’t be about justice — about what other people deserve. Ethics must be about us — about how we choose to define our character. If we base moral decisions on anything else, we will do wrong, because we live in a time when the fragmented nature of society distorts our intentions and makes it difficult to comprehend the consequences of our … Read More
How are we going to fix society?
Seriously, how? I see a lot of good work being done, some of it even by my own hands, but when I step back and look at the state of altruism in America all I really see is band-aid solutions. Non-profits, activist groups, volunteer efforts — these are all good things that make life on earth a little less tarnished … Read More
Boycotting Ain’t What It Used To Be
You know what blows my mind? The Montgomery Bus Boycott. Do you know that it lasted more than a year? Do you know how logistically intricate it was? That was some powerful commitment. We don’t have the chops for that kind of thing these days. We’re too cynical to risk looking like idealistic idiots working too hard for something that will never … Read More
Look Who’s Talking
When the presenter is changing slides, I’m trying to do a subtle tally. Double check the count, yes, that’s accurate. I’m paying attention to who’s talking to figure out how much I should hold my tongue. I’ve managed to keep my comments succinct, but one by one every white guy in the room takes his turn sharing an experience or a … Read More
CorpoRed Herrings
Walgreens has been getting a lot of backlash for considering moving its headquarters to Switzerland in a move known as corporate inversion. Basically, by purchasing a U.K. drugstore chain and showing that more than 20% of the company is foreign-owned, they can pull a corporate Depardieu and defect to another country for lower taxes. Fortune Magazine isn’t the only one calling … Read More