Will we side with truth, reason, democracy, and the rule of law or authoritarianism and the exercise of raw power? There’s a reason the Jewish people tell us never to forget the Holocaust. They know how swiftly poison can spread. Only twelve years passed between the passage of Germany’s first…

We may scoff at the ability of the federal government to forge meaningful immigration policies. But if not the government, then who? Recently, I wrote a piece maintaining the federal government is not the problem Republicans claim it is. …

Republicans want you to believe government is a cauldron of incompetence. It’s never been true, and it’s not true now. Since President Biden took office, Republicans have been quick to resurrect that old saw, “Government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem.” Biden seems determined to…

Make them fear us in the primaries As the second impeachment trial of ex-president Donald Trump unfolds, it seems inevitable that the threshold to convict, 67 votes in the U.S. Senate, will not be reached. …

Head back once the pandemic clears, and you’ll find competence and compassion among the nation’s young people — I’m an advocate of lifelong learning. I think it’s important to stay engaged in society, to keep your mind active, and to make sure you’re growing as a human being, no matter how old you are. About a year and a half ago, I decided to go back to school…

The pain of being rendered invisible — Throughout my career, I occasionally ran up against people who were more than willing to volunteer as interpreters for Black people, as in “What Vera is trying to say is . . . .” This always struck me as a rude putdown. Just let Vera speak for herself, I thought…

Imagine the power of honoring influential Black Americans — The United States is slowly rethinking how to talk about and present our 400-year history of racism. As we do so, it’s useful to see how Germany is addressing the ugliest part of its heritage — Nazism and the Holocaust. I’ve been to Germany twice within the past decade. I…

Democratic Congressman Eric Swalwell recently asked whether any of his Republican colleagues would declare, unequivocally, that Black lives matter. His Republican colleague, Matt Gaetz, countered by asking whether Swalwell believes all lives matter. Gaetz might think he’s striking a blow for equality when he voices the “all lives” mantra, but…

I’ve met a few people who claimed to be “self-made men.” I get that they worked hard, took risks, and made a lot of money. I give them their due. But totally self-made? Really? First, the few men who said this to me were all white, which, in the United…