U.S. Voters Pick 1: Back to Democracy or Road to Despotism
“We don’t need someone who can think. we need someone with enough digits to hold a pen.” - Grover Norquist, Republican strategist, In 2012 [...]
John Lewis’ Tentacles of Goodness Also Touched the Tennis World
A week-long celebration of the life of U.S. Congressman John R. Lewis ends in Georgia Thursday where the legendary Civil Rights leader will be buried, [...]
The Conscience of Congress’ Legacy Marches On
“I want to see young people in America feel the spirit of the 1960s and find a way to get in the way. To find [...]
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 [...]