Certain phrases and words in common use today contribute to widespread feelings of futility. It’s a despair we can’t afford. Here are three examples. 1. Chaos When I think of chaos, I picture a herd of cattle in a stampede or refugees fleeing a
Politics
No Numbers, No Stories: Disability and the Harm of Secrecy
1. Without Facts …? It is impossible to obtain objective information about the quality of a college’s services for disabled students. For other identifiable groups, we can get numbers, but not for disabled students. Members of those other groups are
Rarified Bubble
“Super blink” might be the harshest insult inside the so-called blind community. It refers to a visually impaired person who has done so well in mainstream society that they’re out of touch with other blind people. The mainstream equivalent might be
Have You No Sense of Decency?
Could the Republicans’ resounding victory on November 5 be an indicator of success for progressive causes? I don’t pose this ironic question lightly. I’m hopeful that the good news for Trump will turn out to be a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Now that
Despair Is Not an Option
In recent months, the presidential campaigns were all-too-compelling distractions. Now that Donald Trump has won and Republicans look likely to control Congress, with a Supreme Court of soulmates watching on, we are forced to contemplate a disturbing
The Elizabeth Street Garden: Is New York City Really Going to Demolish It?
Do we want a place of scenic beauty or, in its place, affordable housing for homeless people? That’s the seeming choice facing New Yorkers who love Manhattan’s Elizabeth Street Garden. For people in this extremely built-up stretch, Elizabeth