This Is Why We Need to Abolish the Death Penalty
No more state-sanctioned barbarity. No more killing of innocent people like Marcellus Williams. Abolish the death penalty.
18501 Articles by: Enver Motala
Enver Motala is an associate of the Centre for Education Rights and Transformation (CERT) at the University of Johannesburg and of the Centre for Integrated Post-School Education and Training at the Nelson Mandela University.
Colombia’s Hosting of COP16 Will Be a Heavily Militarized Affair
Next month, Cali, Colombia, will host the annual environmental conference COP16. The city’s right-wing mayor has called upon thousands of army and police officers in preparation, both of whom have a long history of suppressing environmental activists.
Maine Unions Lead on the Green Energy Transition
For an example of how the labor movement can play a key role in the push for green energy, look to Maine, where unions’ leadership of a red-green coalition has been essential in the state’s push for offshore wind.
Irfan Habib Is One of the Great Marxist Historians
By creatively applying Marxist ideas to the history of India, Irfan Habib has made an invaluable contribution to our understanding of its past. Legal harassment from Narendra Modi’s supporters hasn’t stopped Habib from taking brave political stands.
We Still Need to Nationalize the Banks
The demand for the government to take over banks was once a rallying cry of mass movements of workers and farmers in the United States. In an era of runaway Wall Street greed and power, that demand should again be central.
The Left’s Proud Legacy of Defending Free Speech
Throughout US history, left-wingers have often suffered harsh repression of their civil liberties, which is why they were at the forefront of fights to defend free speech. It’s a proud tradition that the Palestine movement must carry on today.
France’s New Government Is a Hard Turn to the Right
France’s new prime minister, Michel Barnier, has just unveiled a staunchly conservative cabinet. His coalition cobbles together parties who scored feebly in summer’s elections — and looks unlikely to revive Emmanuel Macron’s flagging administration.
The Slander Against Rashida Tlaib Proves Her Point
After Rashida Tlaib complained about anti-Palestinian bias in elite circles, politicians and journalists spent days defaming her using a fake quote. It’s the kind of mendacious treatment that has become the norm against pro-Palestine voices since October 7.
Why Is the Audubon Society Attacking the NLRB?
Last month, the National Labor Relations Board issued a complaint against the Audubon Society concerning treatment of its employees. In a wildly aggressive response, the nonprofit is arguing that the NLRB is unconstitutional.
The Democrats Want a Bigger, More Beautiful Border Wall
Donald Trump’s cruel border policies sparked an outpouring of popular compassion for migrants, which Democrats made central to their 2020 platform. Now the Biden administration and the Kamala Harris campaign have embraced Trump’s xenophobic premises.
Not Taxing Tips Is a Bad Idea
Servers and other tipped workers desperately need better pay. Donald Trump’s blurted-out proposal not to tax tips, now copied by Kamala Harris, isn’t the way to achieve it.
Israel Is Extending Its Genocidal War to Lebanon
With US arms continuing to flow to Israel as it slaughtered more than 500 people in Lebanon since yesterday, Benjamin Netanyahu seems to have few qualms about igniting a full-blown regional war — and US officials aren’t stopping him.
Sally Rooney’s Intermezzo Feels Very Familiar
Intermezzo, the latest novel by Sally Rooney, trots out some well-worn gender tropes from on and off the page.
A Towering Screenwriter Brought Low by McCarthyism
A new biography rescues Mary C. McCall Jr, the Screen Writers Guild’s first female president, from an unjust obscurity. McCall’s writing talents were immense. But in an era of witch hunts, her status as a labor leader made her a target.
The Left Should Take Alasdair MacIntyre Seriously
Alasdair MacIntyre’s original critique of liberal modernity has won followers on the Left and the Right. His account of how capitalism has undermined the conditions of human flourishing deserves the serious attention of socialists.
The Costs of Criminalizing the Homeless
In June, the US Supreme Court voted 6-3 to allow states to ban homeless people from sleeping outside. This decision has put thousands of unhoused families in danger, exacerbating a crisis for which both political parties are to blame.
The Insurance Apocalypse Is Upon Us
As climate change intensifies extreme weather and claims pile up, insurance companies are raising their rates and limiting their coverage. This leaves those who can least afford insurance unprotected as climate disasters grow more frequent and severe.
Demi Moore’s The Substance Is Bright Pop Body Horror
The Substance, starring Demi Moore, is a bright and showy body horror film about aging and the hypersexualization of the female body. But it doesn’t go much further than illustrating at great length that there are nasty cultural attitudes toward older women.
College Students: Don’t Work on Wall Street
America’s top colleges send a huge share of their graduates to work directly in finance. This pipeline between elite universities and Wall Street is the result of a deliberate campaign of influence, and it’s made the world significantly worse.
In Today’s Russia, Dissent Means Keeping Hope Alive
In Russia, signs of opposition to the war in Ukraine haven’t developed into a mass movement. State repression has closed off the avenues of mass politics, forcing dissidents into mainly symbolic protests.