The US Congress is currently considering a budget bill that, despite being dubbed “One Big, Beautiful Bill,” will do serious harm to millions of people. Among the most harmful aspects of the bill are its changes to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which provide healthcare coverage and food assistance, respectively, to low-income … Continue reading Big, Beautiful Bombs: The Outrage of the Budget Bill and Spending on Nuclear Weapons
Category: Human Rights Issues
“This Legalization of Racism”: Remembering the Korematsu Decision and Japanese-American Internment after 80 Years
A grave injustice in American history marks its 80th anniversary this December. The US Supreme Court handed down its decision in the case Korematsu v. United States on December 18, 1944. The decision helped ratify the federal government’s 1942 decision to remove roughly 120,000 people of Japanese heritage, most of whom were American citizens, from … Continue reading “This Legalization of Racism”: Remembering the Korematsu Decision and Japanese-American Internment after 80 Years
Overlooked Conflicts: Haitians’ Struggle to Survive
Although the Ukraine-Russia war and the Gaza war have dominated the news, other countries have been suffering violent conflicts recently. In this ongoing series, I highlight contemporary wars and other conflicts that are too often overlooked. Haiti remains under the domination of feuding criminal gangs, while the Haitian government is unable to assert effective control … Continue reading Overlooked Conflicts: Haitians’ Struggle to Survive
The Costs of an Unwinnable War: One Year after October 7
The violence in the Middle East sparked on October 7, 2023, has now continued for a year and shows little sign of ending. The Israeli military assault on Gaza, initially begun in response to the Hamas attacks in Israel that killed 767 civilians and 376 security personnel, continues to wreak devastation on Palestinians in Gaza.[1] … Continue reading The Costs of an Unwinnable War: One Year after October 7
The Consistent Life Ethic and the Problem of Selective Concern about Injustice
A recent op-ed in the New York Times reminded me of how policymakers, journalists, and activists can be selective in the injustices they pay attention to and how this selectivity can attract criticism. How useful is this criticism, and what can we learn from it? I think criticism of such selectivity can be worthwhile and … Continue reading The Consistent Life Ethic and the Problem of Selective Concern about Injustice
“The Single Largest Humanitarian Crisis on the Planet”: Sudan’s Fall into the Abyss
Although the Ukraine-Russia war and the Gaza war have dominated the news, other countries have been suffering violent conflicts recently. In this and other pieces, I highlight contemporary wars and other conflicts that are too often overlooked. The civil war that broke out in Sudan in 2023 still rages in the summer of 2024. The … Continue reading “The Single Largest Humanitarian Crisis on the Planet”: Sudan’s Fall into the Abyss
Crackdown on Campus: The Harsh Response to Pro-Palestinian Protests
The Gaza war continues to make itself felt in the United States, most notably in a wave of protests and confrontations across American college and university campuses this spring. Campus protests on behalf of the Palestinians and in opposition to Israel grew dramatically last fall after the October 7 attacks and subsequent Israeli campaign against … Continue reading Crackdown on Campus: The Harsh Response to Pro-Palestinian Protests
“A Tragedy Beyond Words”: The Devastating Effects of the Gaza War
More than seven months after the October 7 terrorist attacks, the Israeli war in Gaza grinds on, with no clear end in sight. The war’s most likely near-term outcomes are a continuing humanitarian crisis in Gaza and possibly a wider war in the Middle East. An end to the war and efforts to remedy the … Continue reading “A Tragedy Beyond Words”: The Devastating Effects of the Gaza War
Ripples from Gaza: The Threat of a Wider Middle East War
The Gaza War has taken a terrible human toll within Israel and Palestine while also threatening to escalate into a larger regional war. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has had violent repercussions in Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen and the Red Sea. The recent strikes by the United States and its allies on Yemen are the latest … Continue reading Ripples from Gaza: The Threat of a Wider Middle East War
World Out of Balance: Reflections on Selective Concern about Violent Conflicts
I have periodically written about violent conflicts that are generally overlooked in the United States. In 2023, I reviewed Ethiopia’s recent civil war, the collapse of Haiti’s government, and Sudan’s civil strife.[1] Given that these bloody and tragic events have attracted comparatively little attention, I must ask: Why do some conflicts receive significantly more attention … Continue reading World Out of Balance: Reflections on Selective Concern about Violent Conflicts
Peacemaking for Life 