The sad case of Esteban Santiago-Ruiz

The gunman at Fort Lauderdale’s airport had psychiatric problems, and the symptoms seem to have started after he was deployed to Iraq. Some researchers point to a link between combat stress and violence at home. But other research says there isn’t such a direct link between the two. Santiago-Ruiz killed five people in Florida, and now faces the …

Teach feminism to end violence

Intersectional feminism, that is.

Do that one thing

You’re hurt. You’re hurt because you’re black/brown and yet another black/brown man/woman has been shot and killed by the police. You’re hurt. You’re hurt because you’re white and yet another black/brown man/woman has been shot and killed by the police and YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO. And then the news breaks that there are …

Last week in the Hebrew Scriptures…

I’ve been reading the Bible this year, a few chapters a day, and though I’ve forgotten to update you on my progress, I bet you haven’t missed it. Still: As with dieting or a new running regime or any change of life, if I talk about it enough, I will feel compelled to continue. So …

A round-up of last week’s threats and violent acts against U.S. Muslims

The list, as compiled by Glenn Greenwald, is longer than you may imagine. And thanks, Cynical, for the link.

Check out “The Sweetest Land” op-doc

My Central Connecticut State University colleague Jeff Teitler has been working on a documentary at Hartford’s violence for six years. Check out the display at Mother Courant.

Why does violence in a sacred space feel so very wrong?

Mike the Heathen sends this, “Violence and Sacred Space” at The Wild Hunt. The piece includes this: …Pagans can respect the sacred nature of a Christian church, even if they don’t follow the religion; and vice versa, a Christian can recognize the sanctity of Wiccan circle or Heathen temple. “The intrinsic lines” separating the sacred …

Once more with feeling: Violence didn’t start with Freddie Gray’s funeral

It started with Freddie Gray’s death while in the custody of the Baltimore police department. A meditation by Rebecca Traister, at The New Republic, which includes this: Violence broke out and erupted not when students threw stones at police, but when Freddie Gray suffered a spinal cord injury while in police custody, and, eventually, died. But somehow …

Freddie Gray died because he looked at someone wrong

Eric Garner died for selling loosies. Walter Scott died because he ran. Michael Brown died…well, we’re not sure why. So when people decry the violence in Baltimore that follows the severed spine of Gray, I could not agree more. No one should use violence against someone — not police officers, not African American men. No …