Editorial
Editor’s Note: The Long and the Short of It
The Violence of Trump’s Words
How do we assess blame for the consequences of dehumanizing rhetoric?
From the start, the essence of Donald Trump’s political project has been the dehumanization of others. When he descended the gilded escalator at Trump Tower i...Read More
A Time for Radical Thinking
We need more bold ideas that challenge Trump and restore democracy.
Give Donald Trump this: he’s brought a certain clarity to our present condition. With democratic norms shattered, institutions weakened and the illusion of a ...Read More
As a Son of Slaves and the Confederacy, I Implore Governor Abbott to Remove the Capitol’s Deceitful Plaque
Heritage is the word most often given for the celebration of Confederate monuments. But my heritage must also be respected.
In 1837, my white great-great-great-grandfather bought my black great-great-great-grandmother for $800. In 1871, his son — the half-brother of her son — bec...Read More
After Years of Working with ‘Ritmo’ Detainees, I Know the Inhumane Facility Doesn’t Deserve a Second Chance
A facility with such horrible history should not be allowed to reopen under the same management.
The news that Management & Training Corporation (MTC) plans on reopening its detention center to house immigrants for the Trump administration in Raymondvil...Read More
As a Pediatrician, I Know There’s No Way to Jail Migrant Families Without Hurting Kids
If we really care about migrant kids, we can’t stop at ending the obvious atrocity of family separation at the border.
In my daily life as a pediatrician, I sometimes care for kids who have been removed from their homes — just the day before, or even that same day — by Child...Read More
It’s Time to Decriminalize Immigration
Congress should repeal the law that allows for kids to be ripped away from parents and for migrants to be criminalized en masse at the border.
This week, the news has been dominated by horrifying scenes from the border of children being ripped apart from their parents who the federal government is crim...Read More
Militarization of Texas-Mexico Border a Sign of Complacency, but Not From Border Residents
You can come back to Brownsville, but be ready to put in some work.
Earlier this week, the Observer published a piece by Domingo Martinez titled, “I Grew Up on the Texas-Mexico Border, but Now I Barely Recognize It.” Martine...Read More
Meet the Oil-Friendly Federal Panel that Could Give Drillers a Sweetheart Deal
Will a state rep with industry ties go to bat for energy titans or everyday Texans?
Meet the Oil-Friendly Federal Panel that Could Give Drillers a Sweetheart Deal Will a state rep with industry ties go to bat for energy titans or everyday Texan...Read More
Could Austin’s Paid Sick Leave Victory Be the Start of a Progressive Labor Movement in Texas?
Progressive activists can take a lesson from Austin’s paid sick leave campaign, which succeeded in part because it reached people typically excluded from politics.
In my nearly three years covering city government in Austin, I’ve seen a lot of big crowds show up at City Hall. But the hundreds who showed up last Thursday ...Read More