THE CONVERSATION — College and university campuses across the U.S. have seen polarization and unrest since the Israel-Hamas war began with the Hamas attack on Israeli civilians on Oct. 7, 2023. Students and faculty have held protests and rallies, argued on social media and signed statements, some of which have increased mistrust and turmoil on campus. Some college leaders […]

As a legislator who is also a historian, I’ve been honored to weigh in on a number of bills that have improved the state’s relationship with Maine tribes. Maine’s history with the tribes has been a long ugly one of broken promises, and as a result, there’s also a history of poverty, oppression and discrimination […]

I’m slow. Very. I mean I do things slowly. Everything. Rushing about is for people who like to do that sort of thing. Rushing is just so bourgeois. Slow is the only way to go. Slow rules. At restaurants for example, I’m just chewing my way through the appetizer while my dinner companions are ordering […]

I have dreaded sitting down to write this week’s Giving Voice. My plan was to focus on the community reading of “Rough Sleepers” and how our community is taking care for those who experience homelessness. This book is about Dr. Jim O’Connell and his commitment to providing medical care for people who are unhoused in […]

Note from the author: I wrote this article before the horrendous mass shooting in Lewiston. The need for sensible gun legislation — including banning assault rifles — has never been greater. The stupidity of book banning has never been clearer. As a red-blooded teenager in the late 1950s, I was delighted to get a copy […]

In olden times, alchemists tried to turn lead into gold. They failed. In 1976, the U.S. decided to convert gold into political power. It worked. That year, the U.S. Supreme Court decided that free spending and free speech are the same. Because the Constitution allows no limits on political speech, the Court said it allows […]