Author
Land acknowledgments meant to honor Indigenous people too often do the opposite
By Elisa J. Sobo, San Diego State University; and Michael Lambert and Valerie Lambert, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Many events these days begin with land acknowledgments: earnest statements acknowledging that activities are taking place, or institutions, businesses and even homes are built, on land previously owned by Indigenous peoples. And many organizations […]
Virginia has the ability to fix our crumbling schools. Do we have the will?
By Keith Perrigan The school infrastructure crisis in Virginia is well-documented and longstanding. The most recent data provided by the Virginia Department of Education shows that the total cost to replace schools that are at least 50 years old would carry a price tag of over $25 billion. Unfortunately, school divisions that serve high poverty […]
Congrats on the baby — now pay up
By Jasmine Winter Here’s a notice a new mom shouldn’t receive: “Your doctor ordered a test to see if the membranes around your baby were leaking. The procedure is not approvable under the plan clinical criteria because there is no proof or not enough proof that it works as well as other tests to check […]
A major Second Amendment case before the Supreme Court could topple gun restrictions
By Eric Ruben, Southern Methodist University The stakes in one of the most significant Second Amendment cases in U.S. history are high. The Supreme Court’s ruling in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen, expected by mid-2022, could declare a New York state restriction on carrying concealed handguns in public places unconstitutional. Such […]
Amid our fellow citizens’ foolish choices, how do we maintain our empathy?
By Charlene Briner A distant cousin of mine recently died of COVID-19. We had long ago lost touch when we both moved from our North Dakota hometown, me to Minnesota by way of stops in Florida and Georgia, and she to Texas, where she worked as a teacher, got married and raised a family for […]
What’s missing in Virginia’s efforts to develop former surface mines
By Wally Smith Sarah Vogelsong’s Sept. 20 piece, “Can Southwest Virginia remake itself as a laboratory for renewables?” detailed a positive step forward in the Southwest Virginia coalfields’ transition towards a diversified energy economy. However, it was concerning to see several references made throughout the article referring to the region’s former minelands as consequence-free zones […]
Three factors that created perfect conditions for a 2020 homicide spike
By Justin Nix, University of Nebraska Omaha Homicides in the U.S. spiked by almost 30 percent in 2020. That was the main takeaway from figures released on Sept. 27, by the FBI that showed almost uniform increases across America in the murder rate. The fact that big cities, small cities, suburbs and rural areas – in both […]
Why America has a debt ceiling: five questions answered
By Steven Pressman, Monmouth University Republicans and Democrats are again waging a battle of wills over the U.S. debt ceiling, which is a statutory limit on how much the government can borrow to pay its bills. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell says no member of his party will support a bill lifting or suspending the debt […]
‘Tax the rich?’ Democrats’ plans will barely dent long slide away from progressive taxation
By Gabriel Zucman and Emmanuel Saez, University of California, Berkeley Demanding tax increases on the rich is back in fashion – both in the corridors of the House of Representatives and on the red carpet of the Met Gala. The House Ways and Means Committee outlined plans on Sept. 13, 2021, to move the top […]
Why the Transportation Climate Initiative makes sense
By Andrew Savage If you thought the vibrant, blood orange sunsets over Virginia in July were striking, you weren’t alone. Unfortunately, those sunsets were caused by wildfire smoke out of the West that engulfed the state in a hazy smog and triggered a public health alert. Now, constant natural disasters are clear evidence of an […]
What’s the law on vaccine exemptions? A religious liberty expert explains.
By Douglas Laycock, University of Virginia For Americans wary of COVID-19 vaccine mandates, like the sweeping requirements President Joe Biden announced Sept. 9, it seems there are plenty of leaders offering ways to get exemptions — especially religious ones. No major organized religious group has officially discouraged the vaccine, and many, like the Catholic Church, […]
It’s time for Virginia to invest in services and programs that will support all communities
By Breanne Armbrust The Commonwealth of Virginia finds itself in a unique position — in the middle of a historic pandemic with a budget surplus of $2.6 billion at the start of the new fiscal year. Like many community activists around Virginia, I immediately thought of how those funds could be used to directly benefit […]