Aug 16, 2019

The Brutality Of ‘Suicide Watch’

Jails don’t need more suicide-resistant smocks, video cameras and stripped-down cells, writes Reena Kapoor, they need more mental health professionals who can provide compassionate, high-quality care.

The Mountains Are Calling — And You Should Go

Aug 16, 2019

In this May 24, 2014 file photo, students stand next to a bouquet of flowers during a vigil held to honor the victims a mass killing at University of California, Santa Barbara. The shooter, Elliot Rodger, was said to have had hostility towards women. (Jae C. Hong/AP)

America Has A Patriarchy Problem

Aug 15, 2019

In this file photo, a peregrine falcon flies over San Francisco on Monday, April 23, 2012. (Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP)

What’s The Cost Of Destroying A Species?

Aug 15, 2019

Support the news

'They' Is Here To Stay. Get Over It

This Is The Only Jeffrey Epstein Conspiracy Theory That Holds Water

The Mountains Are Calling — And You Should Go

America Has A Patriarchy Problem

The Brutality Of ‘Suicide Watch’

How One City In Sweden Fought Back Against White Supremacy

In Case You Missed It

Last Thursday morning, Kanwar Singh, pictured here, was in Boston’s Downtown Crossing, when a woman yelled, "Go back to your country!" (Courtesy)

My Response To The Woman Who Told Me To 'Go Back'

03:40Jul 22, 2019

Elijah "Pumpsie" Green, right, and Ted Williams, in Chicago, Ill on July 21, 1959, the day Green became the first African American ever to play for the Red Sox. (Ed Maloney/AP)

The Red Sox Were The Last Baseball Team To Integrate. This Is How It Happened

Jul 17, 2019

In this July 9, 2019 photo, immigrants line up in the dinning hall at the U.S. government's newest holding center for migrant children in Carrizo Springs, Texas. (Eric Gay/AP)

My Story As A Child Migrant

Jul 15, 2019

The U.S. women's soccer team celebrates at City Hall after a ticker tape parade, Wednesday, July 10, 2019 in New York. The U.S. national team beat the Netherlands 2-0 to capture a record fourth Women's World Cup title. (Seth Wenig/AP)

All Hail The Sisterhood

Jul 12, 2019

On Air Commentaries

The White House is seen at dusk, Friday March 22, 2019, in Washington. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP)

I'm Only 12, But I'm Paying Attention To The 2020 Presidential Race

02:08Jun 26, 2019

Writer Will Dowd went looking for another voice, when a visual disorder made it impossible for him to read. (Unsplash/Jason Rosewell)

Finding My New Voice

02:40May 8, 2019

Astronaut Buzz Aldrin poses for a photo beside the U.S. flag on the moon. (Neil Armstrong/NASA via AP)

The Fleeting Hope And Wonder Of Man On The Moon

02:35Jul 18, 2019

BOUCAN CARRE, HAITI - .
Nurse Asmine Pierre holds Maylove Louis, 14 months, during a home visit in Boucan Carré, Haiti. Louis is four months into the malnutrition program.
(Courtesy Partners In Health)

'Little By Little,' We Work For A Better, More Humane World

03:07Jan 22, 2019

Politics

Annie Farmer, left, and Courtney Wild, right, accusers of Jeffery Epstein, stand outside the courthouse in New York, Monday, July 15, 2019. (Seth Wenig/AP)

Aug 14, 2019

This Is The Only Jeffrey Epstein Conspiracy Theory That Holds Water

The financier accused of sex trafficking died Saturday of an apparent suicide. So how do the dozens of his accusers find justice now?

In this May 7, 2015, file photo, people look at the Statue of Liberty from a ferry boat in Jersey City, N.J. (Mel Evans/AP)

Emma Lazarus Doesn’t Need An Editor — The ‘New Colossus’ Is Exactly Right

Aug 14, 2019

Protesters gather in Ludvika, Sweden in May 2018 to voice their opposition to the Nordic Resistance Movement, a neo-Nazi political group. (Courtesy)

How One City In Sweden Fought Back Against White Supremacy

Aug 13, 2019

My 12-year-old, Elsa (pictured), is now using "they" pronouns, writes Jane Roper. So far, people have been very supportive. But many also add, with varying degrees of consternation, that they just have trouble with the fact that "they" is a plural. (Courtesy)

'They' Is Here To Stay. Get Over It

02:22Aug 13, 2019

In this April 10, 2013 file photo, craftsman Veetek Witkowski holds a newly assembled AR-15 rifle at the Stag Arms company in New Britain, Conn. (Charles Krupa/AP)

Does Boston Show The Way Out Of Our Gun Madness?

Aug 8, 2019

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More From Cog

Nancy, who came to Boston for shelter and services after becoming homeless in November, pulls her belongings in a suitcase outside St. Francis House in July. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

Hope For The Homeless And Sick

Hospitals can help the chronically homeless -- high users of emergency departments -- find housing, write Dr. Alister Martin and David Velasquez.

Aug 12, 2019

On “Methadone Mile,” a one-mile stretch of Massachusetts Avenue in Boston, it is not uncommon to witness people using drugs. Here, we’ve digitally blurred this person’s face to prevent identification. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

We Can't Arrest Our Way Out Of The Opioid Crisis, And It's Cruel To Try

It's not hard to see the parallels between "Operation Clean Sweep" and well-documented human rights abuses happening elsewhere, writes Miles Howard.

Aug 9, 2019

Author Toni Morrison in 2005. (Guillermo Arias/AP)

How Toni Morrison Might Say Goodbye

Morrison’s various depictions of death had occupied my thoughts even before the news of her departure, writes Jabari Asim.

Aug 9, 2019

Adam Friedman, 19, a youth organizer with the Brady Campaign To Prevent Gun Violence, holds a sign saying "Disarm Hate" during a rally against racism, and in favor of gun laws on Aug. 6 in Washington. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP)

Terror Is Not A Mental Disorder

It’s easy to blame the horrors of a mass shooting on some kind of cognitive aberration, writes Thom Dunn. But racism and terrorism are not predicated on mental illness.

Aug 7, 2019

Gloria Garces kneels in front of crosses at a makeshift memorial near the scene of a mass shooting at a shopping complex Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2019, in El Paso, Texas. (AP/John Locher)

Another Mass Shooting. What More Is There To Say?

You’ve heard it all. I’ve written it all, says Anita Diamant. So what’s a human to do?

Aug 6, 2019

Rene Aguilar and Jackie Flores pray at a makeshift memorial for the victims of Saturday's mass shooting at a shopping complex in El Paso, Texas, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2019. (Andres Leighton/AP)

1 Political Party Has Ideas About How To Stop Mass Shootings. Will Democrats Meet The Moment?

President Trump and Vice President Pence immediately offered prayers for the dead and injured, writes Jim Borghesani. Neither offered any ideas to help stem such mass shootings.

Aug 6, 2019

Children of a youth sports community participate in a vigil for the victims of Saturday's mass shooting in El Paso, Texas, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2019. (Andres Leighton/AP)

Let's Stop Pretending These Mass Shootings Are A Coincidence

The president didn’t invent racial demagoguery or white supremacy, writes Steve Almond. He has simply triggered the deadly leap from ideation to action.

Aug 5, 2019

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., talk during in the first of two Democratic presidential primary debates hosted by CNN Tuesday, July 30, 2019, in the Fox Theatre in Detroit. (Paul Sancya/AP)

Forget Medicare For All. Obamacare For All Is The Only Way Forward

To be single-payer or not to be single-payer: That is the question, writes Rich Barlow.

Aug 5, 2019

Lizzo performs "Truth Hurts" at the BET Awards on Sunday, June 23, 2019, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

Turn It Up And Be Mad: Why Angry Songs Make Us Feel Good

Songs like Lizzo's "Truth Hurts" and Alanis Morissette's "You Oughta Know" acknowledge that love can be messy, ugly and painful. And naming the pain can feel like liberation, writes Joanna...

Aug 2, 2019

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii, answers questions after the second of two Democratic presidential primary debates hosted by CNN Thursday, Aug. 1, 2019, in the Fox Theatre in Detroit. (Paul Sancya/AP)

Rejecting The Age Of The Sick Burn

The Democratic hopefuls should take every opportunity to reject the rancor that the president exhaustingly exploits, writes Steve Almond.

Aug 2, 2019

Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., listens as Andrew Yang speaks during the second of two Democratic presidential primary debates hosted by CNN Wednesday, July 31, 2019, in the Fox Theatre in Detroit. (Paul Sancya/AP)

The Value Of Fringe Candidates

As we await the inevitable shrinking of the field, writes Joanna Weiss, let’s raise a glass to Andrew Yang, Marianne Williamson, and that rarest of campaign artifacts: the unvarnished truth.

Aug 1, 2019

William Gaines, publisher of MAD magazine in 1970. Location unknown. (AP)

Farewell To Mad Magazine

Reading Mad magazine shaped my worldview, writes Jim Sullivan. It taught me about irreverence and satire.

Aug 1, 2019

From left, Marianne Williamson, Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Ohio, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., former Texas Rep. Beto O'Rourke, former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, former Maryland Rep. John Delaney and Montana Gov. Steve Bullock take the stage for the first of two Democratic presidential primary debates hosted by CNN Tuesday, July 30, 2019, in the Fox Theatre in Detroit. (Carlos Osorio/AP)

The Democratic Debates Aren’t Helpful. Here’s How To Make Them Better

What if debates were focused on a single topic? And moderated not by generalist anchors, but by deeply-knowledgeable beat reporters who could ask questions that get to both nuance and...

Jul 31, 2019

President Donald Trump, accompanied by Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, left, gestures as he speaks about an infrastructure meeting with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif. and other Democratic leaders during a meeting to support America's farmers and ranchers in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Thursday, May 23, 2019, in Washington. (Andrew Harnik/AP)

Is America Heading For Another Civil War?

As the 2020 campaign unfolds, writes Austin Sarat, candidates on both sides are offering dire predictions of what will result if the other side wins.

Jul 30, 2019

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo talks during the international counterterrorism conference in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Friday, July 19, 2019. (Natacha Pisarenko/AP)

Gender Equality As A National Security Policy

National security is a field that has long been dominated by men. There's an effort underway to change that, writes Rich Barlow.

Jul 29, 2019

In this 2017 file photo, a person works on a laptop in North Andover, Mass. Telecommuting has become synonymous with convenience, flexible schedules and, yes, pajamas. You don’t have to commute, spend money on transportation or dress up. But despite the appeal and laid-back reputation, there are challenges. (Elise Amendola/AP)

Gov. Baker's Telecommuting Push Is Regressive

As a remote worker myself, writes Miles Howard, it’s tough to overstate how regressive Charlie Baker’s approach looks.

Jul 26, 2019

Former special counsel Robert Mueller testifies before the House Intelligence Committee on Wednesday, July 24, 2019, in Washington. (Alex Brandon/AP)

The Robert Mueller We Saw Testify Is Not The Man I Knew

Thirty years ago I squared off against Robert Mueller in several criminal cases. The man we saw this week bore no resemblance to the fierce advocate I knew then, writes...

Jul 25, 2019

In this 2017 file photo, Ronette Cooley watches as she fills containers with water at a city fire station in the Lawrenceville section of Pittsburgh on Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2017. (Keith Srakocic/AP)

Water Is More Expensive Than Ever. Massachusetts Should Do More To Help Residents

You're not imagining it -- water and sewer rates are rising, writes Martha F. Davis. By 2022, more than a third of Americans won't be able to afford these basic...

Jul 24, 2019

In this July 17, 2019, photo, President Donald Trump arrives to speak at a campaign rally at Williams Arena in Greenville, N.C. (Carolyn Kaster/AP)

Trump Is Right: Fake News Is Real — But It's Not What You Think

All the coverage of the president’s inflammatory comments distracts us from the real news of what he and his administration are doing, writes Steve Almond.

Jul 23, 2019

Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., gives a speech on his "Medicare for All" proposal, Wednesday, July 17, 2019, in Washington. (Patrick Semansky/AP)

Democrats Shouldn’t Be Afraid Of Socialism. It's OK — As Long As They Get To Define It

The key for Democrats will be to ridicule red-baiting for what it is and offer policies that stress the “social” over the “ism," writes Julie Wittes Schlack.

Jul 23, 2019

NEXT

The Brutality Of ‘Suicide Watch’

The Mountains Are Calling — And You Should Go

America Has A Patriarchy Problem

What’s The Cost Of Destroying A Species?

'They' Is Here To Stay. Get Over It

This Is The Only Jeffrey Epstein Conspiracy Theory That Holds Water

The Mountains Are Calling — And You Should Go

America Has A Patriarchy Problem

The Brutality Of ‘Suicide Watch’

How One City In Sweden Fought Back Against White Supremacy

My Response To The Woman Who Told Me To 'Go Back'

The Red Sox Were The Last Baseball Team To Integrate. This Is How It Happened

My Story As A Child Migrant

All Hail The Sisterhood

I'm Only 12, But I'm Paying Attention To The 2020 Presidential Race

Finding My New Voice

The Fleeting Hope And Wonder Of Man On The Moon

'Little By Little,' We Work For A Better, More Humane World

This Is The Only Jeffrey Epstein Conspiracy Theory That Holds Water

Emma Lazarus Doesn’t Need An Editor — The ‘New Colossus’ Is Exactly Right

How One City In Sweden Fought Back Against White Supremacy

'They' Is Here To Stay. Get Over It

Does Boston Show The Way Out Of Our Gun Madness?

Hope For The Homeless And Sick

We Can't Arrest Our Way Out Of The Opioid Crisis, And It's Cruel To Try

How Toni Morrison Might Say Goodbye

Terror Is Not A Mental Disorder

Another Mass Shooting. What More Is There To Say?

1 Political Party Has Ideas About How To Stop Mass Shootings. Will Democrats Meet The Moment?

Let's Stop Pretending These Mass Shootings Are A Coincidence

Forget Medicare For All. Obamacare For All Is The Only Way Forward

Turn It Up And Be Mad: Why Angry Songs Make Us Feel Good

Rejecting The Age Of The Sick Burn

The Value Of Fringe Candidates

Farewell To Mad Magazine

The Democratic Debates Aren’t Helpful. Here’s How To Make Them Better

Is America Heading For Another Civil War?

Gender Equality As A National Security Policy

Gov. Baker's Telecommuting Push Is Regressive

The Robert Mueller We Saw Testify Is Not The Man I Knew

Water Is More Expensive Than Ever. Massachusetts Should Do More To Help Residents

Trump Is Right: Fake News Is Real — But It's Not What You Think

Democrats Shouldn’t Be Afraid Of Socialism. It's OK — As Long As They Get To Define It