controversies
It seems every time one racially-charged incident ends, a gender or religious controversy takes its place; Ruminate on the issues dividing our nation and world.
General Milley Crosses the Rubicon
On the 10th of January, 49 BC, Gaius Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon River with the army he had led to victory in Gaul. Facing a campaign of politically motivated prosecution in the Roman Senate, Caesar’s choices were bad and worse.
By Grant Patterson4 years ago in The Swamp
Portrait of the Artist as a Cancelled Man
A recent news story reported that Bob Dylan, one of my favourite artists, had been accused of grooming an underage girl in the 1960s. This took place shortly after I bought a big framed portrait of him for the wall of my new flat, and reopened a thought process that lots of people go through, I imagine, especially in this so-called "cancel culture" age. And that thought process is, essentially, can you continue to enjoy art made by a troubling artist?
By Matty Long4 years ago in The Swamp
The Racial Line and its Inhabitants
Religion in the Americas can hardly be separated from the concept of race since they are two of the pillars of the post-colonial societies created onto these lands. Anti-Blackness specifically as a long history in the United States and those beliefs were laced into Christian religions as well as in the tropes created to embody those racist myths about Black people. This essay will look at the ways the line between Blackness and Whiteness was handled by some religious denominations as well as by the justice system, giving a special attention to how the trope of The Tragic Mulatt* falls into it, considering mixed race bodies fall onto this line. Finally, I will also make links between the trope and certain religious groups.
By Allie Pauld4 years ago in The Swamp
Disunity of the Highest Order
I watched President Biden’s speech on additional COVID measures on September 9th and boy do I have thoughts. It’s like somebody in the White House back in July received a cheat code for how to lose the House and probably the Senate in 2022 and then the Presidency in 2024. Between Afghanistan and this speech, I find it very hard to see a 2022 election where Democrats are not hammered. If you didn’t catch the speech or see the outrage, then here are the six main points at this link.
By Farah Thompson4 years ago in The Swamp
Can Capitalism Bring Inclusive Growth?
The recent Oxfam Report, 2016 has once again brought forth the debate on global inequality in light of its findings that the richest 1 per cent of the world’s population now own more than the rest of us combined. This debate on global inequality in contemporary times also raises a question mark on the ability of capitalism – the economic system predominantly being followed all over the world, barring a few exceptions, to deliver inclusive growth. Capitalism is an economic system believed to have been born in the aftermath of the industrial revolution in the eighteenth-century Europe. It is based on private enterprise and private ownership of means of production like land, labor, capital etc. as compared to the economic system of Socialism, on the other end of the spectrum, which encourages public or state ownership of means of production. The producers belonging to the elite capitalist class are driven by the sole motive of profit. However, the system of capitalism has been criticized since its inception due to the exploitation of working class under horrible working conditions and low wages and for the very fact that it divides societies into classes of ‘haves’ and ‘have-nots’. Its proponents have pointed towards ills of other economic systems and freedom of choice to encourage a laissez faire system. However, in light of the growing global economic inequality and poor standards of living even among sections of citizens in first world countries that have been following capitalism in spirit and law for centuries, certainly does raise a question on capitalism’s flaws and its ability to deliver inclusive growth.
By Tushar Nandanwar4 years ago in The Swamp
The Apathy of the West
Afghanistan is a horrible situation and it’s not going to get better. Outside of Kabul, the Taliban have already started to show their true colors: Killing a woman for not wearing a burqa. Shooting into a protest in Jalalabad. Making lists of people who helped Americans. Supposedly, the Taliban are moderate now. Sure. I’ll believe it if a year from now little girls can still attend school.
By Farah Thompson4 years ago in The Swamp
Jack Profumo and the Profumo Affair
Jack Profumo will long be remembered as the British Cabinet Minister whose personal life made a major contribution to bringing down a government, but less well known is the important work he did in the years following the “Profumo Affair” in the area of social and charity work.
By John Welford4 years ago in The Swamp
