Op-Ed
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Op-Ed
July 31, 2017 10:25 am | By 53561Khizr Khan: Anti-Muslim Vitriol Has Deadly Consequences
In the wake of a rising number of anti-Muslim attacks, the introduction of “anti-sharia” state laws, and a president that knowingly provokes fear and hatred of religious and ethnic minorities, the "March Against Sharia" events that took place last month…
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Op-Ed
July 27, 2017 2:49 pm | By 28186The Real Reasons Why Jeff Sessions is a Failure as Attorney General
This post originally appeared in the HuffPost. With all the attention lately on President Trump’s complaints about Attorney General Jeff Sessions, there has been very little focus on the genuine problems with Sessions’ job performance. In six key areas –…
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Op-Ed
June 14, 2017 9:45 am | By 55416Rural Arts Funding Threatened by the Trump Administration
The Trump administration’s recent budget proposal aims to take a sledgehammer to many critical federal programs, starkly revealing in dollars and cents which public needs are being threatened by the new administration. Among the many proposed cuts to vital programs…
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Op-Ed
June 9, 2017 1:35 pm | By 55416Apocalypse Preparation Industry Seeks New Sources of Fear
Over the course of President Obama’s tenure in the Oval Office, a cottage industry of doomsday salesmen blossomed: entrepreneurial conspiracy theorists who, purportedly motivated by signs of impending disaster, sold survival gear to those who believed that some great calamity…
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Op-Ed
May 31, 2017 11:27 am | By 53561The Other Special Prosecutor We Need
The investigations into the Trump administration’s potential dealings with the Russian government during the 2016 election are picking up steam and gaining wider attention, but People For the American Way’s Arn Pearson sees another scandal growing that also deserves more…
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Op-Ed
May 9, 2017 4:34 pm | By 28186The Disastrous Consequences if Justice Kennedy Resigns From the Supreme Court While Trump is President
This post previously appeared on the Huffington Post. Stimulated by comments from Republican Senator Charles Grassley and unnamed White House sources, speculation is rampant that Justice Anthony Kennedy will retire from the Supreme Court this summer. For the values and rights that…
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Op-Ed
April 26, 2017 3:57 pm | By 28184Women’s Health Is on the Chopping Block, Again
This post originally appeared on OtherWords.org. Defunding Planned Parenthood could cause a national health crisis for low-income women — and men, too. My nieces, who range in age from 17 to 25, grew up in a very different world from…
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Op-Ed
April 26, 2017 2:02 pm | By 28178RIP Jonathan Demme
People For the American Way Foundation board members and staff offer heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Jonathan Demme, an Oscar-winning director and a friend to the organization since its inception. Demme died at his home this morning…
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Op-Ed
April 26, 2017 10:03 am | By 28189100 Days in the New White House Swamp
This post originally appeared in HuffPost. As a candidate, Donald Trump promised to “drain the swamp” of corruption in Washington, D.C., “make our government honest again,” and “put America first,” while deriding his opponents for being in the pockets of…
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Op-Ed
April 18, 2017 8:29 am | By 53561When It Comes to Investing In Youth, Progressives Should Take a Page from the Right-Wing Playbook
“The grassroots energy awakened by the 2016 election marks a real opportunity for reinvigorating the left,” write Christin “Cici” Battle, director of People For the American Way Foundation's Young People For program, and Maggie Thompson, executive director of Generation Progress,…
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Op-Ed
April 12, 2017 10:36 am | By 28183Safe and Accountable Policing in Black Communities Must Remain a Top Priority
This post originally appeared in the Huffington Post. Last week Attorney General Jeff Sessions ordered a review of reform agreements that are currently in place with a number of police departments across the country. Baltimore activist Kwame Rose wrote that…
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Op-Ed
March 20, 2017 3:28 pm | By 28189Gorsuch Would Move the Supreme Court in the Wrong Direction on Money in Politics
Who the Senate confirms to fill the current vacancy at the U.S. Supreme Court will determine the nature of our elections for decades to come. The Court is closely divided on the issue of whether to further open the floodgates…
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Op-Ed
March 18, 2017 4:57 pm | By 28186Gorsuch’s Bush Administration Service Reveals Dangerous Views on Presidential Authority
This piece originally appeared in the Huffington Post. A key question about the nomination of Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court is his views on presidential authority—will he defer to President Trump on controversial issues like Trump’s immigration ban and…
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Op-Ed
March 14, 2017 2:21 pm | By 45589I Fled Persecution In Iraq, But Now I Fear For My Future In America
This piece originally appeared in the Huffington Post. Last week President Trump issued a “new” executive order targeting refugees and immigrants from six Muslim-majority countries. While it includes changes from the first order, make no mistake: this is another Muslim…
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Op-Ed
March 8, 2017 3:13 pm | By 28186Why Trump’s Conduct Means that the Gorsuch Hearings Cannot Go Forward
This piece originally appeared in the Huffington Post. The hearings on the nomination of Neil Gorsuch for the Supreme Court are scheduled to start in less than two weeks, on March 20. Voices have raised legitimate concerns that the hearings…
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Op-Ed
March 2, 2017 5:47 pm | By 53561Sessions’ Credibility is Shot
People For's Arn Pearson knows that we cannot trust Attorney General Jeff Sessions. During his confirmation hearings, Sessions misled the Senate Judiciary Committee about his multiple contacts with Russian officials. These lies about Russia were not the only ethical issues…
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Op-Ed
March 1, 2017 1:25 am | By 42696Gorsuch Nomination Threatens the Rights of Everyday Americans
When it comes to the rights of workers trying to stand up to unfair practices, Gorsuch’s record is downright frightening. This piece originally appeared in the Huffington Post. Donald Trump’s nomination of Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court should trouble…
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Op-Ed
February 27, 2017 11:47 am | By 41734Florida State Rep to Senator Nelson: Stand Strong against Gorsuch
After a "frightening" first few weeks in office for President Trump, Shevrin Jones, who represents District 101 in the Florida State House, was troubled by his pick of Judge Neil Gorsuch to serve on the Supreme Court. On Friday, an…
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Op-Ed
February 17, 2017 10:33 am | By 28183Black Communities Must Fight for the Supreme Court
This piece was originally published on Medium. “History teaches that grave threats to liberty often come in times of urgency, when constitutional rights seem too extravagant to endure.” –Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall Just a few weeks into Trump’s presidency,…
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Op-Ed
February 16, 2017 1:45 pm | By 41734Michigan Graduate Student Opposes Gorsuch, Urges Senator Stabenow to Join Her
Michigan graduate student Cortney Sanders understands what freedom, justice, and opportunity look like. She also understands that our country is at a turning point where we need judges and justices who know what these concepts mean for everyday people. That's…