Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in The Swamp.
Britain Shall Not Go Hungry After Brexit
“I disapprove of what you say but I will defend... etc, etc, etc” I wouldn’t, as Voltaire is believed to have said, “defend to the death” the positions taken in this letter, even though I would still defend the right of someone to express their opinion. This letter smacks of an era in Britain’s history when the population was encouraged, albeit under significantly different circumstances, to roll up their sleeves, dig for Britain by growing their own food and showing that Johnny Foreigner character the stuff we are made of.
By Alan Russell6 years ago in The Swamp
Vaping is Under Attack and Why You Should Care
Recently, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer imposed a statewide vaping ban resulting in the restriction of vaping products. This angered a lot of people, not to mention those not living in the state. Other states are quick to follow it seems. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is in the process of putting out a statewide ban of vaping products, which is understandably angering a lot of New Yorkers who use vaping as a means to not smoke, not to mention my home state of Connecticut is working on a ban as well.
By Christina Scanlon6 years ago in The Swamp
5 Small Changes to Reduce Your Eco Footprint
When it comes to supporting the environment, every individual plays a unique role in reducing their carbon footprint. Overhauling your lifestyle may seem intimidating, but there are some small steps you can take to live a greener life. These steps will add up over time and influence others to do the same.
By Tobias Gillot6 years ago in The Swamp
The True Origin of The Religious Right
Up until the 1960s when you thought of Christian activists and protesters, certain images came to mind. Volunteers in soup kitchens trying to help the homeless, marchers asking for civil rights and women's suffrage, and if you went back even further, those who demanded humane treatment for society's outcasts, according to NPR. Before that, Christian activists were the men and women who deeply desired an end to slavery. After the 1970s, though, that tune changed. In the post-Vietnam era, Christian activists started staging more aggressive protests. They traded in turning the other cheek for fire and brimstone, and with every generation the rhetoric grew more intractable, fearful, and hate-filled. This was the rise of the Christian Right, which has driven policies like opposition to civil rights for LGBTQ+ people, the restriction of abortion, and other attempts to combine their faith with the law of the land.
By Neal Litherland6 years ago in The Swamp
I.C.U.
I’ve always had a burden for the homeless population. Most of my life I just did what most of us do; when I saw a homeless person I diverted my eyes and felt awkward and guilt ridden. Maybe, I would give one or two people a little money if I had it, but I’d wonder what they’d use it for. Beyond that I didn’t know what to do. I felt sorry for the homeless, but I also felt completely helpless to do anything for them.
By Becca Willson6 years ago in The Swamp
Spike Lee’s Oscars Speech May Have Enraged Trump But Was He Really Being Racist?
We all know by now what Spike Lee said at the end of his speech during the 2019 Oscars. “The 2020 presidential election is around the corner. Let’s all mobilize. Let’s all be on the right side of history. Make the moral choice between love versus hate. Let’s do the right thing! You know I had to get that in there” - Spike Lee
By Tami McDonald6 years ago in The Swamp
How Can We Look up to MPs Now?
And breathe... Westminster has prorogued and has been suspended from sitting for five weeks. Or can we relax? Parliament, deeply divided on everything Brexit and beyond, are still swinging handbags on the radio, the TV, the media and in and out of court rooms this last week.
By Ian Peter Loftus6 years ago in The Swamp
The Burden of Words
I have been writing for as long as I can remember. I have daily journals that I have kept since I was four years old. As long as I was old enough to write anything that even remotely resembled words, I was writing. I was pouring out all the little thoughts that crossed my little mind. I still journal. I write in it daily, everything that matters to me goes in there. No editing, no purpose, other than to process all the things that my brain decides to torture me with at any given minute. But I have written novels and novels and novels. In my twenties I churned out roughly a book a year, and I could have done more.
By Paige Graffunder6 years ago in The Swamp
The Ambitious Government
I saw this pic and was reminded of Hitler. So I started thinking about the world today. We are living in a very dangerous world was the conclusion I was forced to. I compared items from papers and other writers from both times and found some pretty alarming similarities. The more I studied, the more similarities I found. All over the world today and back then, there was a rise in populist politics. Today and then, military force was being used to further various countries economic ambitions.
By Richard Rockell6 years ago in The Swamp
What Counts as Positive News
If I get my free positive news newspaper started someday, I will start it by finding good news to talk about. A disabled person got a job, overcame their illness, or somehow, anybody did something good for the world, their community, or their family. Conservatives often see the media as a bastion for liberal influence and penetration. Instead of looking for dark, horrible news stories, we seek to enlighten and influence people with hopeful, positive news of people making a difference in their community. Not every country has as much luck or diversity as the United States. We are busy fostering an environment filled with racism, woman-hating, and disabled-people shaming. The world needs an antidote if we expect another four years of the same.
By Iria Vasquez-Paez6 years ago in The Swamp
Identity: It's Complicated
I got thinking about one of our age's main obsessions the other day: The obsession of identity. We're constantly talking about identity: racial, sexual, economic, cultural. As the cult of identity grows, the concern for individualism recedes. People are no longer judged on their unique character, but on their demographic.
By Grant Patterson6 years ago in The Swamp
