opinion
Opinion pieces from the left, right, and everyone in between.
My First Caucus
This year the Utah Republican Party decided to do a presidential poll at their caucus meetings instead of a primary ballot. Personally, my husband and I were disappointed because it means fewer people would vote due to difficulties to attend a caucus meeting. We've always had children too young to care for themselves, so we rarely made it to any political functions.
By Eileen Davis2 years ago in The Swamp
My Thoughts on the US Presidential Primaries
Why have the Democrats kept Joe Biden as their candidate? It isn't about his age, but his cognitive ability. We know he is suffering from dementia and shouldn't be there, despite his clean health report minus a cognitive test (hmm?). It is unkind not to retire Joe Biden when he is not fully functioning. Instead we have a President, who many suspected from the beginning, didn't have enough cognitive power to reason through complex political matters. Voters let themselves believe he was the "centrist" and "civil" candidate. (Very few "loved" Biden or Trump; most votes were anti-votes.) Biden's inability to preside has led to out-of-control federal budgets, economic hardship, the border crisis, the deadly evacuation in Afghanistan, and emboldening authoritarian governments and terrorists. Have I missed anything?
By Eileen Davis2 years ago in The Swamp
Why Are Black-Specific Colleges, Caucuses, and TV Channels Acceptable, but Not White-Specific Ones?
Previously, I wrote an article that sought to answer the following question: Why does it seem to be more acceptable for Black people to joke about or criticize White people than the other way around? It received a lot of attention, and some of the comments others posted under it were questions that I wanted to address in turn.
By Martin Vidal2 years ago in The Swamp
Are there medical benefits to microdosing dried fly agarics?
Microdosing, the practice of consuming sub-perceptual doses of psychedelic substances, has garnered significant attention in recent years, particularly within the realms of personal development and mental health. Among the myriad substances explored for this purpose, fly agaric (Amanita muscaria), a mushroom renowned for its distinctive red cap with white spots, has emerged as a subject of intrigue. This article delves into the potential medical benefits of microdosing dried fly agarics, leveraging the scientific and anecdotal evidence available to date.
By Susan Scava2 years ago in The Swamp
Bring Back the Maccabee Version. Content Warning.
Max Romeo, the reggae artist, released a song in 1976 titled “Maccabee Version”. I remember hearing it as a boy in Jamaica. At some point, I became aware of something the Rastafarians called the “Maccabee version” of the Bible. They believed the Bible had been altered and the Maccabee was an older, more correct version. That's what Romeo's song was about. It implored people to "bring back Maccabee version".
By Randy Baker2 years ago in The Swamp
A Biracial Man’s Plea to End Racial Categorization
Self Portrait in Black and White by “biracial” author Thomas Chatterton Williams is a memoir that makes the case for doing away with the racial categorization of human beings. He shares how the USA’s hyperracialized society forced him as a young person to exclusively identify as Black. However, relocating to France; marrying a white French woman; and especially, becoming the father of white-presenting children has now demonstrated to him the myth of race.
By Clare Xanthos2 years ago in The Swamp
Thoughts on John Updike’s Short Story “A & P”
The short story “A & P” by John Updike dealt with some very confusing internal conflicts, experienced by the main character named Sammy. I cannot say I admired Sammy for quitting in the end of the story. It seems a bit pointless to me why he quit. I can understand how Sammy was sick and tired of his mundane job. Many of us can relate to mundane aspects of jobs. Although he could’ve been more thankful that he had a job at all. However, as humans we gripe and complain and then make life changes compulsively. Many people can likely relate to Sammy at some point in their lives. I know I sure can, in some slightly different ways.
By Rowan Finley 2 years ago in The Swamp
One person's sacrifice futile in a world that condones genocide
As Israel’s campaign of genocide heads into its sixth month, I’ve heard many people take solace from the knowledge they are “standing on the right side of history” by speaking out about the atrocities and condemning the United Kingdom government’s complicity in the ethnic cleansing being carried out in Gaza by Benjamin Netanyahu’s terrorist regime.
By Steve Harrison2 years ago in The Swamp
Happy Presidents Day America
Monday February 19, was Presidents Day. A day we set aside in the United States to celebrate all those that have served as President, but most notably since 1879 as the day America honors our first President, and one of the founding fathers, George Washington. As a retired member of the U.S. military, the day brought about reflection on my service, all 4 of the Commander in Chiefs I served under during my 24 year career, and growing into understanding how our sociopolitical complexities lead us to view our President more as a Dictator, rather than the democratically-elected Chief Executor of our country's laws, as our Constitution more conservatively implies.
By Meko James 2 years ago in The Swamp
Only a fool would take Israeli propaganda at face value
I tried to watch Wednesday’s Westminster ceasefire debate over Israel’s campaign of genocide in Gaza but found it such pantomime that I wasn’t able to stomach much and still don’t really know whether the United Kingdom has called for a ceasefire in the Palestinian enclave or not.
By Steve Harrison2 years ago in The Swamp
Call for a ceasefire Starmer's only hope of restoring credibility
Good or bad, for better or worse, one thing we can all be certain of is that life goes on. And right at this moment I’m thankful I have the good fortune that mine is centred in a country that is not under siege by the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) bombing hospitals, schools, universities and all other possible places of refuge for the tens of thousands of Palestinians being ethnically cleansed from Gaza by Benjamin Netanyahu’s terrorist Likud regime in Jerusalem.
By Steve Harrison2 years ago in The Swamp
Putin is A Walking Dead
The cover image for this story is one of my favorite cartoons by Alesha Stupin because of its symbolism and allusions to various images, incidents and facts in Putin's life. It is based on the famous photo of topless Putin riding a horse that is often used to illustrate his masculinity and strength.
By Lana V Lynx2 years ago in The Swamp
