Mark Carson was shot in the face because he’s gay.
His alleged killer, 33-year old Elliot Morales, is said to have confronted Carson, 32, and a companion, in New York’s Greenwich Village last Friday night, yelling antigay slurs.
When Carson walked away, Morales reportedly followed and shot him. Morales was arrested by police after a foot chase.
In pondering this tragedy, it is worthwhile to consider a couple things: where it happened, and when.
President Obama should spend his remaining years in office making the United States part of the solution to climate change, not part of the problem. If Congress sticks to its policy of obstruction and willful ignorance, Obama should use his executive powers to the fullest extent. We are out of time.
With each breath, every person alive today experiences something unique in human history: an atmosphere containing more than 400 parts per million of carbon dioxide. This makes us special, I suppose, but not in a good way.
Every year for the past 20 years, the Rev. Philip Cousin Jr. lived with the prospect that he might be shifted away from St. Joseph African Methodist Episcopal Church in Durham.
“It’s kind of a combination of military and corporate America,” Cousin told The Herald-Sun’s Dawn Baumgartner Vaughan earlier this week. “Being assigned to a new church is always a possibility.”
Yesterday I read an interesting article in Newsweek about the connection between tornadoes and climate change.
Newsweek's story explained how top climate scientists were concerned about several ominous and fundamental changes occurring in Earth's weather patterns.
They were the speak-no-evil and see-no-evil duo of the Internal Revenue Service.
Lois Lerner, who runs the IRS office that targeted tea party and similar conservative groups for extra scrutiny, took the Fifth, when she appeared Wednesday before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. Douglas Shulman, who was running the IRS when the abuses occurred, would have been wise to do the same.
Our future, so far sadly free of flying cars, already boasts smartphones inspired by Star Trek communicators and tricorders.
Could we see food replicators next?
Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger’s office issued a press release last Sunday night about the Senate budget, a few hours before the actual budget itself was online for reporters and citizens to read.
Berger’s Chief of Staff Jim Blaine couldn’t understand why reporters also wanted to see the actual budget document at the same time, to fully understand the decisions the Senate leaders made in secret in the last few weeks about how to spend more than $20 billion of taxpayer money.
Blaine even accused one reporter of whining because he insisted on the seeing the budget, not just the official spin.
When it comes to who should be the ultimate decision maker and most accountable for a child’s education, the answer is not only obvious, but has been reaffirmed year after year: a strong majority of voters believe parents should ultimately have the decision making power regarding how to best educate a child, according to a recent Survey USA poll. That’s accountability at its best.
Unfortunately, not every parent can access the school that may work best for their child. For example, wealthy parents exercise their ability to choose by moving to an area with good traditional public schools or paying for private school. Interestingly, no one seems to question the wealthy parent’s judgment in sending their child to a private school or highly scrutinizes the quality of that private school. But when legislation is crafted to assist low-income and working-class families with similar options, public education is suddenly on the brink of disaster!
Modern conservatism comes in two distinct architectural styles. The first seeks to build from scratch, using accurate ideological levels and plumb lines, so every wall is straight and every corner squared. The goal of politics is to apply abstract principles in their purest form. But there is another type of conservatism, often practiced at the state level, which attempts to build out of flawed, existing materials, resulting in some odd angles and incongruous additions. These conservative reformers assemble unexpected alliances, accept reasonable compromises and welcome incremental progress.
Having just helped my mother with her annual yard sale, I have come to a disturbing conclusion.
As much as it pains me to say it, for the sake of buyers and sellers alike, the federal government needs to intervene in the yard/garage sale industries.
Early in an opinion issued recently by a unanimous three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, Judge A. Raymond Randolph says: "Although the parties have not raised it, one issue needs to be resolved before we turn to the merits of the case." The issue he raised but could not resolve -- that is up to the Supreme Court -- illuminates the Obama administration's George Wallace-like lawlessness. It also demonstrates the judiciary's duty to restrain presidents who forget the oath they swear to "preserve, protect and defend the Constitution."
The appeals court was deciding whether the National Labor Relations Board has the power to issue the rule requiring nearly 6 million private-sector employers to post notices informing workers of their right to join a union. Failure to post the notice would be, the NLRB says, an "unfair labor practice," equivalent to interfering with, restraining or coercing employees.
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Every year since 1963, May has been the month to appreciate and celebrate the vitality and aspirations of older adults as well as their contributions and achievements. It is a proud tradition that shows our nation’s commitment to honor the value that elders continue to contribute to our communities.
This year’s Older Americans Month theme, “Unleash the Power of Age,” emphasizes the important role of older adults.
Communities across the nation will encourage older Americans to share their stories of how they influence those around them and contribute to the communities in which they live.
Graduates of the Durham Rescue Mission’s Victory Program should be especially proud today.
The 33 people who earned their special diplomas on Tuesday became the largest graduating class ever for the mission program.
They’re people who have struggled with homelessness, with drug addiction, with alcohol abuse.
And while the mission’s devotion to religious doctrine at its core may not sit well with everyone, its value is obvious for those who commit themselves to the 12-month program and battle their demons down.