Fort McClellan: A Toxic Scandal

From January 1, 1935 to May 20, 1999, Fort McClellan, located near the town of Anniston, Alabama, served as a training ground and military base for the Army Military Police school, the Women’s Army Corps, and the U.S. Army Chemical Corps school, among others. Before it was closed as part of the Army Base Closure


You Don’t Have to Live Like a Refugee…

First, props to Tom Petty for lyrics that perfectly sum up the message behind this truly inspiring story. Amr Arafa originally hails from Egypt. A Harvard graduate, the 34 year-old has had his share of heartbreaking experiences throughout his quest to obtain his green card. Arafa first emigrated to the United States in 2005 where


A Woman’s Right to Choose…IVF?

Many supporters of the pro-life movement argue the issue is a religious one; that it has to do with God and His intentions and therefore, those who support women’s reproductive rights are wrong without question. God is generally the center of these discussions as being the reason women get pregnant in the first place (though


Dakota Access Pipeline Protests Continue

For protesters at the site of the Dakota Access Pipeline, everywhere is downstream. A historic gathering of Native Americans from sixty tribes, including Sioux who haven’t come together since the time of Greasy Grass (Battle of Little Bighorn), has converged near Cannonball, North Dakota where Dakota Access, LLC, is set to build a pipeline to


A Cold Civil War is Still Being Fought

After Dylann Roof gunned down nine parishioners at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, people of conscience all over the United States agitated for the removal of the Confederate flag from public venues like the South Carolina state house. Governor Nikki Haley signed the bill into law, and it looked like we


The Gift of the Migrant Workers

Our two main presidential candidates (and their political tribes) have very different visions for the future of immigration in the United States. Clinton favors a path to citizenship, while the more xenophobic Trump claims he’ll build a giant wall. Both sides fail to perceive why we have a schizophrenic situation where migrant workers are simultaneously


Minimum Wage and Walmart: A Match Made in Disgrace

While watching TV the other night, I saw a commercial featuring a man perched atop the front of a humble desk while donning a smart sweater, hands folded peacefully in front of him, backlit by soft lighting, with a smile that seemed desperate to proclaim, “let’s be friends.” It was somewhat reminiscent of an old



A Daily Beast, Indeed

People like having sex. All kinds of people. Sex is good. Sex is healthy. And as long as it’s consensual, it’s a helluva lot of fun. I can’t imagine this comes as a surprise to anyone who has engaged in mutually agreed upon sexual activity. That’s apparently not the case for The Daily Beast reporter


What’s So Funny ‘Bout Peace, Love and Planned Parenthood?

In 2011, Republican senator Jon Kyl of Arizona falsely claimed that performing abortions was “90 percent” of what Planned Parenthood does. Backtracking on the ludicrous claim, Kyl’s team of trained robots released a statement indicating his remarks were not intended to be a factual statement. Huh? So essentially, we can all spout stats in public,