In a recent Interfaith Fellows meeting, we discussed in pairs what had compelled us toward our present spiritual outlook and practice (or lack thereof). What guided me towards deepening my relationship with God and establishing a more formal relationship with faith was my desire for comfort during a challenging moment in my personal life. My […]
The Miracles That Make Us America
I believe in personal myths, not the tales repeated during bedtime routines, but the kind that remind you of the improbability of existence, that make you see your own life as a sequence of miracles. If you trace backward, every small event, every misstep or lucky chance, stacks together, a chain of moments that somehow […]
Soundbite Populism
Populism as defined by Merriam Webster is “a political philosophy or movement that represents or is claimed to represent the interests of ordinary people especially against the establishment.” This very approach has been gaining momentum in America as of late, and for evidence, one need look no further than President Trump and New York City’s […]
In Defense of the “Hated Eight”
On Sunday, November 9, eight Senate Democrats broke party ranks and made arguably the shrewdest political move since the beginning of the second Trump administration. Yet, the Democratic Party is treating them like pariahs. They invoked cloture on a continuing resolution that would move the country one step closer to ending the longest government shutdown […]
You’re Thinking About SNAP Wrong
In the midst of the government shutdown, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits were at risk of being paused. This brought up a decades-old debate about SNAP as a whole. Many Democrats rushed to the defense of SNAP recipients, asserting that SNAP is necessary for many working families and that cutting off these benefits would […]
You Should’ve Seen This Coming
“I Should’ve Seen This Coming” reads the title of a recent article in The Atlantic, one of many attempts to rationalize and mitigate the failure of moderates and progressives to predict what they see as the Trump administration’s unforeseeable chaos. From the very moment of Trump’s electoral victory, countless such titles — Harris-voter apologia, if […]
When Words Have No Meaning
“War is peace; Freedom is Slavery; Ignorance is Strength.” With this oxymoronic yet powerful slogan, Ingsoc in George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four demonstrates its omnipotent capability of thought manipulation by which the meaning of words follows nothing but its will. Thankfully, people today are not forced to accept contradictions embodied by one Party but can choose […]
Is Trump Right About Global Security?
With China on the rise and Russia on the march, prioritizing defense is more essential now than it’s been in decades. Trump says he believes in “peace through strength,” adopting Reagan’s slogan. On the surface, this should be a solid strategy — preparing for war deters our enemies from starting them, and helps us win […]
Remembering Trayvon Martin
I began writing this on February 26, the thirteenth anniversary of Trayvon Martin’s death. Years have passed and the same question remains: freedom to, or freedom from? Said juxtaposition frames the entire relationship society had with the murder of Travyon Martin — although I know the jury didn’t view it that way. Did Travyon Martin […]
How Old is Too Old?
Benjamin Franklin’s saying, “Nothing is certain except death and taxes,” underscores the inevitability of aging and mortality — topics many prefer to avoid. Despite a reluctance to discuss aging, cognitive decline, and mortality, age became a highly contentious issue in the 2024 presidential election. When Joe Biden was still in the race at 81 years […]