Two Contrasting Journalistic Tales In the early part of the 20th century, Upton Sinclair spoke out with a singular voice. In the early part of this 21st century, the Sinclair Broadcast Group (Sinclair Group or Group) is speaking out with a singular voice as well. While the names and the singular voices may be the same, their manner of speaking out is quite different. Upton Sinclair, a muckraking novelist and journalist, first raised his voice in 1906 to gain national attention with … [Read more...]
March for Our Lives: The Pivot Point for New Gun Laws
The Washington D.C. March for Our Lives is over. Does the beat go on? Will this fledgling movement continue and have a lasting impact resulting in new gun laws nationally and in states across this country? In our opinion, it will. That’s because the tragic shootings in Parkland Florida and the immediate reaction and initiatives launched by the high school students from there represent a pivot point. A pivot point is an area that can be leveraged and addressed effectively in order to … [Read more...]
Second Amendment Rights. Second Amendment Wrongs
On March 24, students and citizens from across this great nation will gather in Washington DC for the March for Our Lives. They are not saying it this way, but they will be exercising their First Amendment rights of freedom of speech and assembly; protecting valid Second Amendment rights; and protesting what have become Second Amendment wrongs. If one were to believe the rhetoric of the NRA and gun activists, the Second Amendment to the Constitution grants virtually unrestricted gun rights to … [Read more...]
The NRA, Mind Control, and Mental Health
Stick ’em up! That’s what the NRA continues to say as it holds the United States of America hostage with the Second Amendment as its gun. The NRA is embracing the one right that it recognizes as sacrosanct and elevating it above all others. By doing so, it is perfectly willing and committed to limiting the American citizens’ “unalienable rights” to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” The most recent example of the NRA’s assault-style behavior using the Second came on March 9 when … [Read more...]
The Smoke and Mirrors Infrastructure Plan
It was less than one month ago on February 12, that President Trump introduced his American Infrastructure Initiative. Since then, the President has had very little to say about infrastructure as his attention has turned to other matters such as gun control, tariffs, and immigration. Congress has not paid much attention to Trump’s infrastructure recommendations either as it has been consumed by a myriad of other issues. Indeed, in late February when Senator John … [Read more...]
The Problem: American Democracy Is In Decline
The Solution: A Comprehensive Civic Learning and Engagement Intervention Beginning in Middle School. Our American democracy is in decline. The evidence to support this sad conclusion abounds. Freedom House is the authoritative source for examining and evaluating democracies world-wide. In its annual report titled Freedom in the World 2018released in January of this year, it noted that the United States aggregate Freedom score rating on a scale of 0–100 went from 95 in 2010 to 86 in … [Read more...]