In turbulent times it’s easier to know what we’re against than what we’re for. The old union anthem “Which Side Are You On?” urges us to stand up against the “other side.” This is the opposite of Zen Master Bankei’s advice to “not side with yourself.” A colleague of...
May Day has come and gone. I couldn’t stay home from work because I’m retired, and I couldn’t stay home from school because I’m not a student, but I abstained from shopping and attended my town’s local May Day Strong demonstration—one of 5,000 across the country. The...
The expression “jumped the shark” derives from a 1977 Happy Days episode in which Fonzie jumped over a shark while water skiing. The expression marks an inflection point when something—be it a TV series or a presidency—has passed its prime and entered a period of...
Why is it mostly boomers who show up at No Kings Day rallies? Where are all the college students? Why, when we old folks were college students, we were out there protesting the Viet Nam War. What is it with kids today? I’m told today’s youth has soured on peaceful...
No Kings Day 3 has come and gone. An estimated 8,000,000 people participated—we’ll never know the exact number—but the more important question is “what happens next?” I attended a smallish No Kings Day demonstration—one of seven in Westchester County, NY that...