Academic Rants

On February 8th, a poll from the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research reported: ”Just 16% of Americans say democracy is working well or extremely well, a pessimism that spans the political spectrum. Nearly half Americans, 45%, thin democracy isn’t functioning properly, while another 38% say it’s working somewhat well.” I wonder what the same poll would have revealed on February 15th? Now that Donald Trump has been impeached twice and acquitted twice, perhaps this is one of the signs that democracy isn’t working well.  Unfortunately there are more. And it is unfair to blame the former president for all of the problems. The events of January 6th might have been instigated by his words, but the people who took part in the acts at the Capitol had many of these sentiments and concerns long before Mr. Trump took office in 2017. While one can point to the hypocrisy of Mitch McConnell in criticizing the president after the vote (and after Trump had given him all ...

 On January 1st, Governor Andrew Cuomo introduced his latest achievement, the Daniel Patrick Moynihan Train Center.  Governor Cuomo is fulfilling his promise to redevelop the infrastructure of New York State. Within the last four years he has played a major role in the development and construction of the Second Avenue Subway (2017), the Mario Cuomo Bridge (2018), the Kosciuszko Bridge (2017-19), the reconstruction of the Robert Kennedy Bridge (2020), and the ongoing construction of new parking decks and terminals to create a new LaGuardia Airport.  While praise must be given to Governor Cuomo, this story is not about him. It is really about a vision. A very large vision of mass transit that is starting to take shape. Others are involved in this process including two late senators, both towering figures in mass transit. They are Frank Lautenberg (1924-2013) and Daniel Patrick Moynihan (1927-2003). Thanks to Governor Cuomo and the advocacy of countless transit and plan...

  I have some serious questions.  They are not simple ones.  I will start with a basic question: at what point do we acknowledge that we are on the verge of a Civil War? At what point do we realize that our government is falling apart and that we have some very uncomfortable decisions to make? At what point do we do something that is ethical, but perhaps not the best legal decision? And will that decision lead to armed conflict? I think that Majorie Taylor Greene presents us with that test case. If the Senate won't deal with Donald Trump and his Impeachment, will the House address the chaos surrounding the language and conduct of Majorie Taylor Greene?  Who is Representative Majorie Taylor Greene, and why is everyone talking about her? Ms. Taylor Greene has been discussed in many forums including, late night talk shows, Fox News, CNN, MSNBC, ABC News, the New Yorker, the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the Wall Street Journal  It seems like the media ca...

   Last weekend thousands of Russians were in the streets protesting. They did so in spite of extreme cold and a strong police presence. The protests took place in numerous cities and the protesters realized that their lives were in danger for challenging the authority of President Putin's government. Contrast that scene with recent protests in the United States. Americans are never afraid for their safety for their right to protest is protected by the Constitution. While the Russians knew they were protesting in support of opposition leader Aleksei Navalny and for democracy, often American protesters cannot fully articulate the issues for their anger or frustration. The January Washington protests are a case in point. Thousands of people came to Washington, D.C. for a rally and then afterwards were encouraged by the president to march to the Capitol. After gathering there, protesters decided to storm the building. However, why did they do this? What did they expect to achieve...

  Martin Luther King, Jr. was born in Atlanta, Georgia on January 15, 1929.  He was the second of three children born into a religious family, where his father and grandfather had been educated preachers.  Martin Luther King, Jr. is the first and only private American citizen celebrated with a national holiday. On the eve of his 92nd birthday, it is the right time to look back at his remarkable life.  At fifteen, an age when most youngsters are still playing with toys, Martin Luther King entered Morehouse College.  There under the guidance of its esteemed president, Dr. Benjamin Mays, young King began studies that would guide him for the rest of his life. It was a life of asking questions, seeking answers, and attempting to do what was right. Guided by educational, philosophical and Christian principles, Martin Luther King, Jr. graduated from Morehouse, and then studied at Crozer Theological Seminary and Boston University. At Crozer, a predominately white instit...

Educational organizations often provide statements when important events occur. I wanted to provide the views of several organizations that are associated with my academic disciplines: The American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education issued a statement on the storming of the U.S. Capitol: AACTE President and CEO Lynn M. Gangone issued the following statement today regarding the horrific events that took place yesterday, January 6, 2021, at the U.S. Capitol building: “Our nation experienced a serious threat to our treasured democracy as rioters stormed one of our nation’s sacred buildings, the U.S. Capitol, intending damage and insurrection. We witnessed a challenge to our democracy that none of us could ever have imagined. Generated by our nation’s President, some Members of Congress, and their denial of the results of our free and open electoral process, this unlawful invasion of the Capitol has left us all stunned. Never could we imagine such an event would occur in our nat...

Since 1775, the United States has claimed to stand for democracy and freedom. After the Revolution was won, the newly liberated colonists decided to make Philadelphia and then New York the seats of government. However, they eventually decided to build a new city, a unique capital, not attached to any state. This would be a federal district and it was named in honor of General George Washington.  The District of Columbia honored concepts of liberty while incorporating the best designs of ancient republics. Over time, the circular city has been filled with landmarks that are recognizable to people across the world.  One of those landmarks is the Capitol. Our Capitol is the home of our legislative branch and a shrine to democracy. It is our cathedral, a sacred place that holds all of our virtues and values. And while it has been the scene of tremendous battles, it is also representative of what we, as Americans believe is right and just.   Last week that facility was vi...