Commentary
Emotion not evidence fuels rush to lock up even more Kentuckians
House Bill 5, the “Safer Kentucky Act,” is emotion-based legislation, rather than the evidence-based legislation Kentucky deserves. Legislators and research organizations who presented data and asked hard questions were stonewalled at every step of development of this legislation, which became law over Gov. Andy Beshear’s veto. Kentucky has the eighth harshest criminal sentencing statutes in […]
How DEI rollbacks at colleges and universities set back learning
This commentary is republished from The Conversation. Just four years ago, following the murder of George Floyd, almost every college and university in the U.S. had at least one diversity, equity and inclusion — or DEI — program. Many had existed long before. These programs ranged from DEI-related degrees and professional training to resources for […]
Kentucky Republicans help Trump tear down the system
When U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell voted not to convict Donald Trump of impeachment for inciting the Jan. 6 insurrection, which he nevertheless blamed on Trump, he excused himself in part by saying “We have a criminal justice system in this country.” The Senate Republican leader was surely not thinking about the $130,000 in hush money […]
Same basic crime. Why such different reactions?
Donald Trump was an extraordinary politician even before becoming the only former U.S. president to be convicted of a crime. Trump’s crime, however, is not extraordinary. It’s basically the same thing that landed former Kentucky Democratic Party chair Jerry Lundergan in prison. Both Lundergan and Trump concealed political spending that by law should have been […]
Pledging allegiance to their corrupt commander, KY Republicans quickly kneel to convicted felon
For a literary, nonpolitical project, I recently had to reread Margaret Atwood’s 1985 novel and re-watch the Hulu TV series of “The Handmaid’s Tale,” a dystopian story about a new United States which adheres not to the Constitution but to a strict, twisted, patriarchal interpretation of the Bible.? In this new U.S., all women are […]
Kentucky’s Republican insurgents gain a little traction
Some of Kentucky’s Republican primaries for the legislature were the latest chapter in a three-decade struggle between traditional, “establishment” elements of the state GOP and those who want it to be more conservative. The latter faction is gaining ground, but is making too much of its modest gains in low-turnout elections influenced by local quirks […]
Search for solutions to Louisville’s civil rights violations must include stakeholders
After a near 12-month reprieve, another person has died in Louisville’s jail.? Richard Graham, 34, allegedly overdosed in Louisville Metro Department of Corrections’ (LMDC) facility early on the morning of May 19. The staff and others held in the jail attempted to provide aid to Graham but were unable to prevent his death.? Members of […]
Bearing flowers and tradition, the next generation takes on the duty of Decoration Day
This story was first published in The Daily Yonder on May 21, 2021 and is is republished here under a Creative Commons license. While their friends are cannonballing into the city pool this weekend, my sons will spend the day in an Eastern Kentucky cemetery, placing flowers on the graves of relatives they never knew. […]
Paid family leave would be a win-win for Jefferson County Public Schools
Sleep deprivation, mental health challenges, breastfeeding, child care, family dynamics and body image are just a few of the challenges many new parents face when expanding their families.? As a fierce maternal and child health advocate, Louisville Metro Office for Women ambassador and lactation consultant who supports new parents, I know that providing access to […]
How a bill becomes law (the real story)
Near the end of this year’s legislative session, a week before lawmakers recessed for the 10-day veto period, I met with state Sen. Max Wise in his office for about 15 minutes. We both agreed to speak off-the-record so that we could speak freely. And so we did. I am not one of Sen. Wise’s […]
How Black teachers lost when civil rights won in Brown v.?Board
This commentary is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.? Brown v. Board of Education, the Supreme Court decision that desegregated public schools, stands in the collective national memory as a turning point in America’s fight for racial justice. But as the U.S. observes its 70th anniversary, Brown also represents something more somber: […]
Transparency should be the rule in Kentucky pensioners’ long-running challenge to hedge funds
The details are still a bit sketchy, but it is clear that attorneys representing the parties in Kentucky’s pension litigation will return to Franklin Circuit Court for a hearing in Tia Taylor, et al. v. KKR? & Co, LP, et al. on Monday after Judge Thomas Wingate gave the green light for the case(s) to […]