Outbreaks of violence during the past month amid street protests in Portland, Oregon, Kenosha, Wisconsin, and Rochester, New York, reflect the anger of some African-Americans over the disproportionate use of lethal force by police against Black people. But the feeling of most African-Americans seems to be more akin to bone-weariness, borne of more than a […]
Perspective
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When police stop Black men, the effects reach into their homes and families
As the country reels from a series of killings of Black men by the police, two scholars report that their research shows that stops by police of Black men can hurt their families.
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George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery deaths: Racism causes life-threatening conditions for black men every day
Police killings of black men gain widespread attention, but black men’s life-and-death issues are ignored on a daily basis, a physician who studies health gaps explains.
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Society turned to prejudice to justify exploiting French-Canadian children as labor
As we witness a renaissance of xenophobia and the rise of ethnic and racial discord, echoes of Maine historical threads of such intolerance quickly comes to mind. One in particular was sparked by a national investigation of child labor in the early 20th century by Mrs. John Van Vorst, author of The Cry Of The […]
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Have we forgotten the true meaning of Labor Day?
The holiday began as a strike against excessive workweeks but now bears little resemblance to its worker-centric origins, even as the founders’ gains are slowly lost.
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Political forecast models aren’t necessarily more accurate than polls – or the weather
Can political prediction models pick the election winner better than the polls, the weather or Washington’s football team?
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Stop bashing polls and learn how to read them
In defense of our obsession with horse-race politics.
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Conspiracy theories make sense of a topsy-turvy world — but undermine democracy
The rise of QAnon is a dangerous reaction to the tumult of the 21st century.
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The stories we tell and the power they hold
Every day on my way to school growing up, I passed by the Blockhouse in New Gloucester. I still remember the story I was told about its origins, as I’m sure most people who have grown up in this town do. The Blockhouse was where 12 founding families lived after relocating here from Gloucester, Massachusetts. The […]
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How the Trump campaign came to court QAnon
His press secretary interviewed a believer. His official ads include QAnon references. His top aides post QAnon memes. The FBI identified it as a violent threat.