Author: Syndicated

Today’s overdose problem is not the first time our country has faced a devastating drug crisis — and even though drug overdose death rates now exceed those due to firearms and cars, overdose deaths have been increasing since 1980. Many outlets are rightly pointing out that the social and political reactions we see in the current opioid crisis differ dramatically from the criminalized approaches of the 1980s “War on Drugs.” It is important to look at how structural racism has contributed to the opioid crisis, and recognize that structural racism has also created the public motivation to try and...

When the sun dawned on Oct. 31, 1517, Martin Luther prepared to share his 95 theses with the German church — not knowing the day would eventually be pegged as the birth of the Protestant Reformation, and a day that fundamentally changed the landscape of Europe. The parchment at hand had a laundry list of grievances against indulgence, a way to reduce the amount of punishment required to suffer for sin, as taught by the Catholic Church. In 1500s Europe, indulgences had become a practice that monetized salvation — for a monetary offering, the church would promise remission of...

Few local policy issues generate more emotional debate than the Milwaukee streetcar. And, if a recent Marquette Law School poll is any indication, this issue is likely to remain controversial even after the initial streetcar line opens a year from now. While there are several aspects to the streetcar debate, one of its core tenets is the contention of opponents that similar transportation benefits could be derived from much smaller investments in bus service. Supporters, on the other hand, contend that streetcars are more attractive to users than buses, provide a better ride, and do a better job attracting...

The book “The Color of Law” explores a forgotten history of the role America’s government played in segregation across the country. In The Color of Law, Richard Rothstein argues with exacting precision and fascinating insight how segregation in America—the incessant kind that continues to dog our major cities and has contributed to so much recent social strife—is the byproduct of explicit government policies at the local, state, and federal level. “We cannot address our nation’s firmly embedded racial inequalities unless we first can acknowledge how we got where we are, including the conscious creation of racial residential segregation,” said Lawrence...

Plenty of Kohl’s customers have been frustrated at the store’s pricing and promotional policies, particularly when using Kohl’s Cash, and several have even sued the retailer for not making its policies more clear. Kohl’s has been ordered in the past to better disclose its policies, yet it continues to apply coupons and discounts however it wants to. But not if two California shoppers have their way. Crystal Waters and Tony Valenti of Valencia, California are suing Kohl’s not because it hasn’t adequately explained its policies, but because they want Kohl’s to change those policies once and for all. Their...

Conspiracy theorists have been trying to pick apart the assassination of President John F. Kennedy for decades, and they’re about to receive a huge shipment of help. This month a massive dossier of relevant documents and recordings compiled by the CIA and FBI will be made available to the American public for the first time. That is unless President Donald Trump decides to keep them classified. Eighty-eight percent of the government documents regarding JFK’s assassination have been available to the public since the late 1990s, but the remaining files are scheduled to be declassified on October 26, 2017. According...