‘Dust’ ordinance protects homeowners

We can all agree that “dust ordinance” is a silly name; that aside, don’t believe the hype. This ordinance isn’t “overly restrictive” or “punitive.” Protecting Las Crucens’ health and property is exactly the type of thing the city council should be working on. Continue Reading

Support the 99 percent

I appreciate the meaningful ways that the Occupy movement has moved the national conversation in a direction that can now include not only retrenchment and austerity but also basic fairness and opportunity for everyone. But they need our help. Continue Reading

The NBA is right: We’re better than that

When I was one of the last people my best childhood friend told he was gay, I thought about all the times I’d said something or someone was gay (or more offensive versions of the word). I was heartbroken that I’d been a stumbling block during his journey toward being the man he wanted to be. I wanted to have been better than that. Continue Reading

Save our city! (But from what?)

A recent e-mail distributed by the Las Cruces TEA Party raised the call to “Save Our City,” as though Las Cruces teeters on the brink of moral and financial collapse. My personal experience directly contradicts this. Continue Reading

The dangers of being disagreeable

While we look for bigger antidotes for what ails our toxic public dialogue, each of us can hold ourselves and those we can influence to a higher standard of public discourse than we have before. Accepting dangerous rhetoric has become too costly. Continue Reading

Don’t call it a mandate

Regular readers of my blog will not be surprised that I hope Republicans and Democrats will now resume working together to address our problems. The American electorate seems to prefer when both political parties share responsibility for how the country works. Continue Reading

Be part of the solution

The recent suicide of Rutgers University student Tyler Clementi is a reminder that by working to increase access to freedom for everyone and taking care of each other, we can become a part of the solution. Continue Reading

Is compromise a virtue?

If we are committed to progress and to solving our problems, we will need to show courage in the face of extremists. We need to come together as well-meaning adults and see where we agree and disagree and what can be done to improve things for the most people. Continue Reading