in Gay Rights
Forget learning about the circulatory system, the respiratory system, the nervous system, or even the digestive system. Inside the health classes at Fresno City College, you're likely only to learn one thing: that homosexuals are a "misapplication of human sexuality," and that if you're queer, you should seek treatment.
in War and Peace
Rep. John Murtha, the first Vietnam combat veteran elected to Congress, died today at 77. Long a hawkish politician, Rep. Murtha’s last few years in office were marked by his sharp criticism of the Iraq War. Perhaps more than any other politician, Rep. Murtha gave cover for political and military officials to question the Bush administration’s handling of Iraq.
in Poverty in America
North Dakota has the nation's lowest unemployment rate at just four percent. Plenty of oil fields, major farms and customer service call centers are hiring. There's one problem: thousands of job-seekers streaming into North Dakota from other states can't find housing. So even though there's no unemployment problem, there is a poverty and homelessness crisis.
in Criminal Justice
Why are U.S. taxpayers paying to lock up immigrants who've committed no crime, save that of making an unauthorized crossing over the U.S. border? That's what one Austin, TX judge wants to know. The kind of waste involved in such a system, he says, is "simply mind-boggling."
in Environment
Transportation by bike and on foot has almost doubled in the United States since 2000, and 1 in 10 trips are now made carbon-free. But with our roads designed for cars, cyclists and pedestrians represent a disproportionate number of traffic fatalities -- a concern that the transportation budget makes no moves to address.
by Ethan Nadelmann
For the drug reform movement, the start of a new decade marks a watershed moment. A staggering 80% of Americans support medical marijuana, while on a state level, legalization efforts are gathering steam. But just how popular does something have to be before politicians are willing to stand up against the war on drugs?
in Gay Rights
Would allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly in the U.S. military really hurt unit cohesion like supporters of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" say it would? Not if you look at the more than two dozen foreign militaries, from South Africa to Israel, that have already integrated their militaries to allow openly lesbian and gay troops.
in Poverty in America
Even if you've long since graduated college, or didn't go, never fear -- school is not out. Dozens of professors are sharing syllabi from recent poverty-related courses with the National Poverty Center. You won't have the benefit of in-class lectures, but you will have the latest academic thinking on poverty in America. And no student loans.
in Environment
An avalanche of evidence is accumulating suggesting that the plastics ingredient Bisphenol A is anything but safe. With new evidence linking BPA to skyrocketing asthma rates, it's time for Congress to let the regulators regulate. Consumers can't do all the work on their own, when labeling isn't even required.
in Women's Rights
Though often portrayed otherwise, female genital mutilation is not prescribed by Islam. It’s not required by the Koran. And some Muslim imams are tired of having their religion blamed for this women’s health violation. That’s why a group of Muslim scholars and leaders have issued a fatwa calling for a stop to the dangerous practice.