“You want me to tell you what’s immoral? War is immoral. Poverty is immoral. Racism is immoral. Police brutality is immoral.” — a defendant in Punishment Park I read that director Peter Watkins had passed away last week and realized I’d never heard of him. As it turns...
Just a couple years ago, most Americans assumed that Nazis had been firmly relegated to the past, never to reappear outside the confines of history books. When Nazis did preoccupy the American mind they kindly restricted themselves to playing the role of evil villains in video games or on the silver screen. Unlike the fictitious Nazis of our...
Democrats in Virginia are eschewing corporate cash in favor of grassroots fundraising, focusing on the people behind the money. A report by the Virginia Public Access Project shows freshman democrats are taking the charge on giving power to the people. Legislators in 2018 have diversified their campaign funding, especially when it comes to...
I had the opportunity in May 2017 to visit and stay with some international friends working abroad in Taipei, Taiwan. This would be my first trip to Asia, and I was beyond excited to practice street photography outside of the United States. As a Republic of China, Taiwan is a democratic country, which helped with mentally preparing for the...
The city of Johannesburg, South Africa was literally built on a gold mine. Much of South Africa’s wealth was amassed through gold and diamond mining that began in the late 1800s, and it was this mining that shaped the social and political landscape for South Africans for generations. Gold mining also led to the discovery of South Africa’s rarest...
After his controversial Helsinki summit, President Trump was panned by Democrats and Republicans alike for seeming to side with Russia over American intelligence agencies. In Virginia’s 7th Congressional District, some constituents wondered why their congressman, Rep. Dave Brat, didn’t add his voice to the mix. Some went beyond wondering. An...
Like Richmond, Lebanon’s capital city Beirut is still grappling with the legacy of civil war. Unlike those in Richmond, though, many of Beirut’s current residents lived through the most recent civil war, which lasted from 1975 to 1990. The political structure that exacerbated the tensions of the war still exists. Lebanon’s 18 official sect...
As the FIFA World Cup approaches its final match, people around the world are united through a love of soccer, awaiting with fierce anticipation as France goes head-to-head with either England or Croatia, to be determined during today’s 2 p.m. match. It’s a scene anyone can relate to: a dark bar with darker beer, cramming too many people into a...
Call it trickle-down repulsion. GOP Senate candidate Corey Stewart, known for his fondness for Pres. Donald Trump and violent rhetoric, is already an unlikely challenger against Democratic incumbent Sen. Tim Kaine, but the Democratic Party of Virginia is hoping that his unpopularity will limit Republican turn-out statewide. The state party is...
School’s out for the summer, leaving this teacher wondering how to go on vacation without breaking the bank. The answer is Iceland. It’s no warm tropical paradise like the islands of the Caribbean, but it’s unique natural features and wild beauty make it a must-visit destination for the adventurous traveller–not to mention the unique, indigenous...
