Racism: Problem of the 20th Century Moves On
As I slid my key into the front door of my parents’ Hampton, Va. apartment, I heard screeching car wheels slide to a halt about [...]
Amid Chaos and Uncertainty Under Trump, America Totters on the Brink
I’m not super-hyped about casting my vote in the 2020 presidential elections. I know I should be; all freedom-loving Americans should be. Many of us, [...]
Hank Aaron stays in the box on issues of race
One of the more memorable moments of my career occurred more than 40 years ago when I, then a Newsday sports writer, interviewed Henry Aaron [...]
Resurrection of the N-word, Part II
For those determined to abolish the word, ‘nigger,’ from the National Football League (NFL) and, indeed, the vocabularies of humankind, consider the satisfaction you’ve brought [...]
The Problem of the Color Line, Not Politics Continues to Keep the Nation Veering Off Course
An unarmed black teen, stalked by an armed wanna-be policeman in a Florida gated community where the teen was visiting his father, is shot to [...]
Same Same, recognized as a 2013 Montaigne Medal finalist
Doug Smith was recognized as a 2013 Montaigne Medal finalist for his first novel, Same Same. The Montaigne Medal is given in honor of French [...]
Will Congress choose public service or politics in Health Care Vote?
Sometime soon, perhaps within the next few days, our congressional representatives will show us – by their vote on health care reform – what matters [...]
Are Big Brother Speed Traps Protecting or Bilking the Public?
Bear with me for awhile as I break away from the wide world of sports and plunge into the increasingly callous world of local governments, [...]
Protesters aim to destroy Obama presidency, not just his health care plan
The so-called protesters now prowling town meetings throughout the country aren't really interested in stopping President Obama's health care reform plan; they're about stopping Obama.It's [...]