The Rise of American Autocracy: Lessons from North Korea’s Kim Dynasty about how dictators keep control
With his unpredictable political strategies, contentious policies, and efforts to centralize power, Donald Trump has been a highly polarizing figure in American politics. His style and tactics have often led to comparisons with various autocratic leaders worldwide,...
Victoria Amelina: Posthumous book by Ukrainian author documents war crimes since Russian invasion
A posthumous book by Victoria Amelina, the Ukrainian author killed last year during a Russian missile strike, will be published in February upon the war’s third anniversary. Looking at Women Looking at War: A War and Justice Diary, which draws upon...
Reggie Jackson: History teaches us that ignoring the elephant in the room will not make it go away
“My children, you are permitted in time of great danger to walk with the Devil until you have crossed the bridge.” – Old Balkan proverb Those words are an example of how and why people consistently ignore things and make alliances with evil forces in...
Podcast: A “Deep Dive” of Reggie Jackson’s “Elephant in the Room”
The Deep Dive podcast by Milwaukee Independent takes a closer look at the stories that matter most, uncovering the layers of complexity behind today’s pressing issues. From groundbreaking research to critical social movements and the intersection of local and global...
Scripture as a weapon: How the Confederacy’s biblical justification of oppression still echoes today
The twisted interpretation of Christianity by pro-slavery advocates in the Confederacy is one of the most troubling and insidious chapters in American history. To defend the indefensible institution of slavery, Southern theologians and politicians clung to a highly...
1000 Days of Defiance: Ukraine’s continued fight for survival and the looming impact of Trump’s return
November 20, 2024, marks the tragic milestone of the 1,000th day since Russia launched an unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. The brutal assault, intended to topple Ukraine’s government within days, instead ignited a fierce national resistance and a war that has...
Once upon a Tuesday: A political parable about running with scissors in America
Once upon a Tuesday … there was a schoolhouse in a small rural town where some young children spent their time learning in class, while others goofed around at play. Every morning semi-trucks would roar by the schoolhouse without regard to the speed limit or the...
Israel’s West Bank settlers hope Trump will pave the way for major land grabs in occupied territory
As Donald Trump’s victory became apparent after the U.S. elections, Jewish West Bank settlement advocates popped bottles of champagne and danced to the Bee Gees at a winery in the heart of the occupied territory, according to a post on Instagram. The winery said...
“Latine” emerges as popular alternative to “Latinx” term for describing Latin American identity
“Latino” and “Hispanic” have long been the most prominent terms used to describe people in the U.S. with roots in Latin America and Spain. But over the last several years, “Latinx” has become a de-facto gender-neutral alternative to...
1984 in 2024: Trump’s election renews interest in “The Handmaid’s Tale” and other dystopian books
“The Handmaid’s Tale” is selling again. Since convicted felon Donald Trump clinched his return to the White House, Margaret Atwood’s dystopian classic about a country in which women are brutally repressed has been high on the Amazon.com...
Tammy Baldwin: Re-elected Wisconsin Senator pledges to work with Trump and calls for less division
Democratic Senator Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin pledged during her reelection victory speech on November 7 to work with President-elect Donald Trump when possible, but she also vowed to fight him to protect the national health care law and abortion rights. Baldwin...
From Republic to Empire: How Rome’s fall foreshadows the future of American Democracy under Trump
As the United States of America continues to experience internal challenges, a historical parallel with ancient Rome, where democracy gave way to autocracy, seems more relevant after the re-election of convicted felon Donald Trump as the nation’s 47th president....
