Commentary
Jay Bookman: Without compromise, extremism dominates
If you make compromise impossible, you make extremism inevitable. We see that dynamic playing out once again, with tragic consequences, in the Middle East. For decades, Hamas and its extremist backers have refused to acknowledge that Israel has a basic right to exist; Israel in turn has given lip service to the creation of a […]
Column: We need to support Ukraine because we support democracy
My first awareness of something called the Soviet Union was as an 8-year-old boy in 1956. In November of that year, Soviet troops crushed a budding revolt against the Soviet-satellite puppet government. Known as the “Hungarian Revolt,” the uprising went on 12 days before being crushed by Soviet tanks and troops. I remember watching grainy […]
Column: Back to school for Michigan high schoolers, 70K of whom are in immigrant families
It’s that time of year again — and not just when coffee shops are bringing back favorite fall flavors (some for the 20th year in a row!). Children and young people in Michigan have headed back to school, from first steps into the classroom all the way through the final day of senior year. Hundreds […]
We live in a dangerous world, and America needs serious leaders, not a chaotic clown show
We received a tragic and sobering wake-up call this weekend that the world indeed remains a very dangerous place; peace and security are never guaranteed; and forces of violence, war, and terrorism will continue to target stability around the globe. As Robert Gates, the former U.S. Secretary of Defense for George W. Bush and Barack […]
Column: Decarbonizing Michigan’s economy will also improve water quality
The Michigan Legislature is poised to pass one of the most comprehensive clean energy initiatives in the country, requiring 100 percent of electric power to come from carbon-free sources by 2035. The ambitious legislative agenda implements Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s MI Healthy Climate Plan. Getting less attention is the fact that it will also provide long-term […]
Rick Haglund: Who’s trying to kill the electric car (again)?
“Who Killed the Electric Car?” is a 2006 documentary by filmmaker and environmental activist Chris Paine that tells how General Motors created a breakthrough electric car, the EV1, only to end production just two years after its launch in 1997. GM didn’t just stop building EV1s, all of which were leased to customers primarily in […]
Column: New policy makes Michigan a more welcoming — and healthy — place for immigrants
Almost 30 years ago, my mom was overjoyed that she was approved to work in the United States. Though it was difficult to move halfway across the world and be apart from her parents, her siblings and her friends, she was grateful for this new chapter. Her story echoes the experiences of many immigrants: she […]
Rick Haglund: Decline of wages, jobs and Detroit Three market share fuel UAW strike
As President Barack Obama’s “car czar” in 2009, Steven Rattner played a crucial role in saving the collapsing domestic auto industry. Rattner, a former journalist and investment banker, engineered the sale of a flat-broke Chrysler to Italian automaker Fiat and fired General Motors CEO Rick Wagoner, who resisted putting GM into bankruptcy. Those moves, combined […]
Column: Local communities know what’s best for their residents
For the last 30 years, I have spent my days in the classroom helping children learn reading, math and other critical skills. Educators strive to understand all the factors — in and out of the classroom — that impact our students, because we want every child to have a healthy, full life. I will never […]
Column: White Christian nationalism threatens U.S. democracy
You may be among the 35% of Americans who have never heard the term “white Christian nationalism.” But of those citizens who are knowledgeable of the concept, it carries a decidedly negative view. The belief is becoming more and more important to understand as cultural diversity, racism, immigration issues, political divisiveness and political candidate pandering […]
Column: Breaking down barriers to voting for people with disabilities
There is much excitement that comes with an Election Day in Michigan. It’s an opportunity for all of us – no matter our background or political affiliation – to decide as an electorate on the important issues of the day and on who will represent us at the various levels of government. And it’s a […]
Column: After a century, states are loosening child labor laws. Where’s the outrage?
When Jacob Riis came to Emporia in 1902 to give a lecture, audiences knew what they could expect. Twelve years earlier, he had published “How the Other Half Lives,” which exposed through candid photographs the living conditions of the poor in the slums of New York City. The Danish-American muckraker’s subject for his Kansas audience […]