The most striking aspect of my time in Israel with the group, Interfaith Peace-Builders, was in many ways the lack of compassion and the high levels of complicity, which brought to light just some of the ways that we as Americans are blinded by our own complicity and lack of compassion. It is easy to [...]

Israelis are setting up tents around the country in this newest phase of protest against the rising costs of living. That may be the only news of Israel you’ll see this week, aside from the gunfire exchanged between Israeli and Lebanon troops on the border Sunday, but you would be unlikely to see any other [...]

Ohio faces an $8 billion ‘deficit’ for the 2012-2013 budget, but the state will give away $14 billion in tax loopholes and credits over that same time.  Interest ‘deficit.’   So why does Governor Kasich’s budget, released on March 15th, shuffle and slash programs and services even as he keeps proposing new tax breaks?  Just [...]

I had been working on a piece about Tunisia, Egypt, and the domino effect of people inspired to take action against dictators and despots throughout Northern Africa and the Middle East, but now it seems we have taken that push for real democracy to heart here in the United States. When decades-old regimes were pushed [...]

Close to 500,000 classified U.S. military reports have been released on the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. The CIA is on a public campaign to expand the drone war in Pakistan and get clearance to assassinate U.S. citizens in countries we have not declared war with (any other assassinations don’t warrant an ethical dilemma). All [...]

By nearly every definition of war and occupation, obviously excluding that of the U.S. government, leaving 50,000 or more of your soldiers anywhere would constitute a clear sign of ongoing conflict. Nonetheless, last month President Obama declared combat operations over in Iraq, and Vice President Biden is already lowering expectations for what an ‘end’ to [...]

Anyone who claims Detroit is done either hasn’t been here or is flat out lying. This city is coming back with the help of a large crew of dedicated activists, and it’s the perfect example of the hope and work that the 2nd U.S. Social Forum (USSF) wants to show and grow. The Forum is [...]

A convergence of movements, activists and ideas will happen next week, the 22-26, in Detroit at the second U.S. Social Forum. For those who doubt the efforts put into creating social change in this country, or feel cynical in your own efforts, you must come to Detroit next week. “Another World is Possible, and Another [...]

Since the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon oil well, with the  USGS announcement of 12-19,000 barrels of oil pouring into the Gulf of Mexico and beyond each day, the endless media coverage has focused more on BP circus acts to shed responsibility, and more preposterous ways to plug the pipe; relegating both the public and [...]

There must be something in the water at the state government buildings in Phoenix. First they resisted recognizing Martin Luther King Jr. Day for seven years, and now they have passed SB 1070 into law; clearly there are some issues with respecting civil rights. The bill requires police to ask questions about immigration status and [...]

Last Saturday thousands across the country peacefully took to the streets to protest the wars in both Iraq and Afghanistan on the anniversary of our invasion of Iraq.  On Sunday over 250,000 people marched in DC demanding immigration reform. Reports on these events have been scant, with all eyes and ears focused on the process [...]

We need to understand that domestic concerns like the economy and health care are inextricably connected to Afghanistan and Iraq, and build networks with those organizing on these issues to leverage power and meet all of our demands for peace and justice.