our democratic republic
UPDATE: We inadvertently followed up with the two voters who were ticketed. Full update at bottom. so i drove to drop off my ballot downtown. parked in a metered spot and decided i would just …
Politics
VIDEO: Expert AU Panel Shines Light on ISIS
Two months after President Obama launched air strikes in an effort to “degrade and ultimately destroy” the militant group known as Islamic State or ISIS, the operation now has a name—”Enduring Resolve”—a reference to the …
Supreme Court Upholds Gay Marriage By Refusing To Hear Cases
Gay weddings can now move forward in 11 states in which lower courts had previously overturned marriage bans. In a much-anticipated (yet unexpected) decision today, the US Supreme Court decided not to hear cases with …
Video: Rachel Maddow Borrows “Your Moment of Zen”
Scroll down for video. Your Moment of Zen is probably the best and most loved long-running segment on Comedy Central’s The Daily Show, even if it is only a brief 5-10 seconds at the end …
Monday Morning Soapbox: What’s In A Name?
So this past week’s huge controversy* was the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPO) canceling the Washington Redskins’ trademark. More surprising than the USPO’s decision to cancel the trademark after 80 years is the fact …
Who Really Wants To Destroy America?
Growing up in a conservative evangelical environment meant being very aware of the fact that liberal groups were out to destroy America. Environmentalists? Closet communist pagans, one-world government their primary goal. Gays? Profligate sex-fiends intent …
Hey America! The Joke’s On Us.
Hey have you heard that joke about Canadians? The one where they’re, like, the biggest wimps AND they have socialized medicine? Or maybe you heard that one where their government vowed to help the U.S. …
Sunday Morning Soapbox: Cliven Bundy, Ambassador for Humanity
Do you remember a time when chocolate chip cookies came fresh from the oven? Pepperidge Farm remembers. Do you remember a time when women couldn’t vote and certain folk weren’t allowed on golf courses? Pepperidge …
FOX News to Launch New Mostly-Women Daytime Panel Show. War on Women Over.
With the midterms fast approaching, and GOP messaging on their one unifying platform beginning to fall apart, the party has decided to take on the Democrats’ successful “War on Women” theme. While the reality is …
#citycouncil
I attended a city council meeting for the first time the other day. I’m involved in various community organizations and they were voting on something (very simple) regarding something i’m involved in.. kind of embarrassed …
Sunday Morning Soapbox
I had a very different post planned for this week’s SMS, but saw two videos that completely made me rethink what I wanted to write. I tried to get it in by this last weekend, …
The Shady Execution of Tommy Lynn Sells
Late last week, after a long fought state court battle and a rejected hearing by the US Supreme Court, a very bad man was executed in Texas. And make no mistake about it, he was …
What Do The Bushes Have Against Broccoli, Anyway?
At a recent Florida business breakfast, current GOP presidential front-runner Jeb Bush continued a fine family tradition of maligning broccoli. “I was kind of the Eat Your Broccoli Governor,” he said in a reference to …
Anne-Marie Slaughter at SIS: Focus on Care at Home and Abroad
Renowned scholar and President of the New America Foundation, Anne-Marie Slaughter, visited SIS as part of the Dean’s Discussion lecture series. Titling her talk, Revaluing Care, at Home and Abroad, Dr. Slaughter spoke about a …
The Evangelical Abortion Evolution
In a really interesting piece last week, Slate’s Jamelle Bouie wrote about the evangelical community’s evolution (some might say regression) on the abortion issue. Like most folks these days, I’ve always just accepted as reality …
The Global War on Tribal Islam: An Interview with Akbar Ahmed
“After 9/11, I dedicated myself to creating bridges of understanding between different cultures and faiths. The relationship between the West and the Muslim world seemed to especially be fraught by much misunderstanding,” says Professor Akbar …
Saturday Morning Soapbox
I’m sitting at the bar in Salt Lake City International Airport listening to Kid Cudi while enjoying a Bloody Mary accompanied by a side of toast (it is 9AM). My bartender’s name is Andy and …
Denver Police To Be Issued Body Cameras
A little more than two weeks ago, Oklahoma police killed an innocent man in a movie theater parking lot, and his wife caught it on tape. The exact cause of death is in dispute, but …
The 1% Conspiracy
I’m prone to believing in conspiracies. It’s not something I talk about often–much less admit to in every day conversation–but I can’t deny that it’s true. It probably has something to do with my evangelical …
Saturday Morning Soapbox
Ok, I promised Alibi a weekly post after my recent birthday. I guess at 34 one should be more responsible and prone to keeping their promises. (Side note: I’m writing this with a glass of …