The Last Thing This Country Needed
Yesterday’s assassination attempt on Donald Trump points to a profound sickness in American political life, whose threats don’t discriminate by party or ideology.
19529 Articles by: Opal Lee
Opal Lee is a writer.
SCOTUS Says Cruelty Is a Solution to Homelessness
Last month, the Supreme Court ruled that local governments could punish people for sleeping outside even when they lack adequate options for shelter. It’s a cruel decision — one that underlines the need to make housing a human right.
A Week of Israel’s Horrific Massacres in Gaza
The barbarities keep coming in Gaza. This week saw a massacre in Gaza City of at least 60 people, mostly children and women, many of them burned alive — followed by a massacre of over 100 in a “humanitarian safe zone.”
The Democratic Party Is to Blame for the Biden Problem
As the reality of Joe Biden’s inability to competently serve another term becomes clearer, the Democratic Party appears fully unconcerned with a democratic process to replace him.
National Conservatives Are Feeling Optimistic
At the hard-right National Conservatism Conference earlier this week, the gathered reactionaries — many of whom were close to or worked within the Trump administration — clearly felt the wind was at their backs.
Amazon Workers in Coventry, England, May Soon Be Union
A year and a half ago, workers at the Amazon warehouse in Coventry, England, launched the first formal strike against the retail giant in British history. Today the workers finish voting on whether to unionize.
Jane McAlevey, Los Angeles Teachers, and Fighting to Win
The Los Angeles teachers’ union was profoundly influenced by Jane McAlevey, writes former president Alex Caputo-Pearl. If the loving and assertive push was her trademark, then thinking audaciously big was its complement.
The Crackdown on Criticism of Israel in K-12 Schools
Since October 7, the US Department of Education has opened at least 40 investigations into K-12 schools for “discrimination based on shared ancestry,” including alleged antisemitism — many of which appear aimed at stifling criticism of Israel.
Argentina’s Media Workers Just Knocked Back Javier Milei
Argentina’s far-right president, Javier Milei, promised to close press agency Télam and sack its 700 employees. But media workers fought back — and saved the agency from being shuttered.
Anabaptism Was the Revolutionary Face of Reformation Europe
The challenge to the Catholic Church in Europe’s Reformation also stirred up a wave of social revolt by peasants and the urban poor. The Anabaptist movement became a channel for this revolt before it was savagely repressed by a fearful ruling class.
Mélenchon: Macron Is Wrong. France’s Election Had a Winner.
Emmanuel Macron claims that “nobody” won the French election. In an op-ed, Jean-Luc Mélenchon insists that the Left came first — and has the right to govern.
In 1917, Columbia’s Clampdown Remade the Antiwar Movement
When police raided Columbia University in May, commentators drew parallels to the crackdown in 1968. But the school’s hostility to the antiwar movement stretches all the way back to 1917, when its management fired faculty and had students arrested.
eBay Workers Are Playing the Union Card
Workers at eBay subsidiary TCGplayer, an online trading card marketplace, picketed the company yesterday to protest alleged pregnancy discrimination against one of their own. More than a year after unionizing, they still don’t have a contract.
SCOTUS Wants to Kill the Administrative State
The right-wing Supreme Court continued to chip away at government agencies and regulations this term. Though the decisions present risks to some important policies, the attack on executive power need not jeopardize the Left’s major initiatives.
Israeli Historian: This Is Exactly What Genocide Looks Like
Israeli historian Amos Goldberg has been a leading critic of Israel’s war in Gaza, which he calls genocide. In an interview, he told Jacobin why the term applies — and why the international community needs to wake up to this reality.
To Rebuild Britain, Labour Needs to Tax the Rich
The Labour Party isn’t going to usher in a “decade of national renewal” with more austerity. The only way to solve Britain’s rising poverty and severe crises in public health, education, and housing is to tax the wealthy.
Joe Biden Must Fire Student Loan Servicer MOHELA
If Biden actually wants to cancel student debt, he must do one thing: terminate the federal government’s contract with the student loan servicer MOHELA.
Chiquita Must Pay for Its Crimes in Latin America
It’s been 70 years since the CIA-backed coup in Guatemala ousted President Jacobo Árbenz. He was punished for standing up to Chiquita — but today, the firm might finally be held to account for its ties to a far-right paramilitary group in Colombia.
Wall Street Is Profiting From Deadly Asbestos Exposure
Private equity firms are scoring huge payouts from manufacturers to take on the financial risks of people getting sick from asbestos poisoning — and using ruthless legal maneuvers to delay and deny compensation to victims.
Canada Is Arming the World’s Bullies
Canada’s arms export data reveal a disturbing trend: billions in military goods flowing to authoritarian governments accused of human rights abuses. Global autocracies now outnumber democracies, and Canada appears happy to sell arms to the highest bidder.