As bankruptcy predators began salivating over publicly owned treasures in Detroit–namely, the assets of the Detroit Institute of Art–I was visiting the newly renovated,
Category: Ideas
Time to stand up for democracy in America
Like many of you, I’ve despaired recently and wondered if we really are the end of the best years of American democracy. A cabal
12 phrases progressives need to ditch, and what to say instead
Sadly, the 40-year campaign by conservatives to take over the political dialogue (and the political system itself) has been a success. Right-wing messaging is
Put away the flags, by Howard Zinn
Every July 4th, I think about Howard Zinn’s insightful essay on nationalism and its overused, over-hyped symbols. Like most everything written by Zinn, it’s
Call me a bleeding-heart liberal
When I scanned an article listing the compensation of CEOs in 2012, I noted that Gregory Boyce of Peabody Coal received $9.5 million. Even
Socially committed architects promote change through design
If you’re interested in architecture and have ever considered the role architectural design plays in advancing a progressive social agenda, now is the time
Adlai Stevenson, the last real progressive candidate
In baseball, it’s often said that you have to be a good pitcher to be a twenty game loser. The reason is simple; if
Go do your homework while I watch the game
“Do as I say, not as I do.” Do you remember that expression? It’s stuck in my memory from childhood days. Lately it has been
Progressive victories in 2012
As the Republican party and “leadership” moves farther and farther out of the mainstream and deeper into the realm of extreme, irrational, anti-democracy, backward-facing,
Freedom of the Press Foundation to boost WikiLeaks and other freedom-of-info groups
It’s hard to decide whether WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is a hero or a criminal. What’s much clearer is that we live in an