Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Top Stories

Just another day in paradise

Just another day in paradise
Getty Images

Nevins is co-publisher of The Fulcrum, as well as co-founder and board chairman of the Bridge Alliance Education Fund.

Nelson is a retired American attorney and jurist who served as an associate justice of the Montana Supreme Court from 1993 through 2012, having been appointed to the court by then Republican Governor Marc Racicot.


Lewiston, Maine: 18 killed, 13 injured in a rampage by a guy with an assault rifle. The shooter: a certified firearms instructor and a member of the U.S. Army Reserves. The community locked down until he’s found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Press conferences; school classes canceled; politicians falling all over each other with their thoughts and prayers--and, choreographed for the evening news, bloviating frustration and rage (at least through that news cycle).

Soon the memorials and funerals; sermons about senseless murder and the deceased being in a better place; and CNN doing spots about the victims. Grieving family members being interviewed: “And, how are you feeling, Mrs. Jones?” Really?!

So, what’s new? Sadly, not a damn thing. Just another day in paradise.

Revolted by this latest massacre, a friend called us and said: “Do you know we’ve killed more people by gun violence in the last two years in America, than civilians killed by Russia in Ukraine.”

That was hard to believe, so we promised to do some research. He was right.

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights verified that as of September 12, 2023, a total of 9,614 civilians have died during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with 17,535 people injured.

But, It turns out the Russians are pikers when it comes to killing civilians. Gun Violence Archive is an independent data collection and research group unaffiliated with any advocacy organization and collected data on incidents from over 7,500 law enforcement departments, media, government and commercial sources in an effort to provide data about the results of gun violence.

According to their research, as of October 26, 2023, there have been 35,291 gun violence deaths in America year to date. Add to that the 20,200 gun violence deaths in 2022, and we have a total of 55,491 American civilians killed—about 5.8 times more than the number of civilians killed, in the same period in Ukraine, who is at war with a superpower, Russia.

In 2020 and 2021, firearms contributed to the deaths of more children ages 1-17 years in the U.S. than any other type of injury or illness. The child firearm mortality rate has doubled in the U.S. from a recent low of 1.8 deaths per 100,000 in 2013 to 3.7 in 2021.

With statistics like this, reasonable gun legislation should not be a partisan issue. Yet it is and for some reason despite the carnage support for assault weapon ban legislation is actually dropping.

How can this be?

Certainly, the Supreme Court ruling that has chosen to ignore the plain language of the 2nd Amendment in favor of broadly protecting personal gun ownership is a factor. However, at the same time the Court has left room for reasonable gun regulation as enacted in The Bipartisan Safer Communities act of 2022 that ended a nearly 30-year stalemate on any federal legislation. This legislation includes $750 million to help states implement so-called “red flag” laws to remove firearms from peoples deemed to be a danger to themselves and others. Additionally the law provided funding for mental health, and enhanced background checks for gun buyers under the age of 21.

Yet no significant weapons ban of any type has passed or is currently under serious consideration.

A major factor in the lack of progress, of course, relates to the extensive power and reach of the NRA. The NRA was formed in 1871 to promote marksmanship skills and sports shooting, but in the 1970’s a faction of the organization forced it away from sports and into opposing “gun control.” Awash in money, the NRA has one of the three most powerful lobbies in Washington. In the 2000s, after the assault weapons ban expired, the organization became involved in promoting the sale of assault rifle-type weapons and in 2016 spent more than $30 million on behalf of the Trump campaign, according to Federal Election Commission data.

The strength of the NRA does not lie solely in its cash contributions, to members of presidential candidates or Congress to thwart any gun control. The NRA's strength also relies on its staunch supporters who will, at the drop of a gun-control bill, write letters to their senators and congressmen threatening them with their vote if they pass even the most moderate gun legislation. Many of these people are single issue voters, and politicians whose concern is more about getting elected than doing what should be done are rightly scared of them. Add to this the power of the gun manufacturing lobby and one can easily see why no matter how many mass killings in America nothing ever changes.

However, it is not just the NRA. The National Shooting Sports Foundation, a business grade organization representing 10,000 gunmakers, dealers and other firearms firms zealously and single mindedly exerts enormous power.

Despite these powerful forces, 61% of Americans believe it is too easy to obtain a gun and 58% favor stricter gun laws and thus it is imperative that Congress act. Unfortunately, history proves that with the current makeup of Congress it is unlikely that meaningful gun legislation will be enacted.

And so once again we mourn and we weep and pray for action. If only our elected leaders would do what is right, instead of what is politically and financially expedient, these unnecessary tragedies could become less frequent.

But instead we have governors saying, as Maine’s governor recently did, “it’s time to heal and move on.” And instead of action we hear the old refrain as expressed by Mike Johnson the new speaker of the House that guns don’t kill people, hearts do.

These are words easy to say, but for the grieving families and victims, these words are hollow as they chart a nearly impossible journey.

In the end, it is up to Congress and up to us. If we do not elect leaders willing to enact reasonable, protective gun legislation then, sadly it is just going to be another day in paradise, someplace else, all over again.

Read More

news app
New platforms help overcome biased news reporting
Tero Vesalainen/Getty Images

The Selective Sanctity of Death: When Empathy Depends on Skin Color

Rampant calls to avoid sharing the video of Charlie Kirk’s death have been swift and emphatic across social media. “We need to keep our souls clean,” journalists plead. “Where are social media’s content moderators?” “How did we get so desensitized?” The moral outrage is palpable; the demands for human dignity urgent and clear.

But as a Black woman who has been forced to witness the constant virality of Black death, I must ask: where was this widespread anger for George Floyd? For Philando Castile? For Daunte Wright? For Tyre Nichols?

Keep ReadingShow less
Following Jefferson: Promoting Inter-Generational Understanding Through Constitution-Making
Mount Rushmore
Photo by John Bakator on Unsplash

Following Jefferson: Promoting Inter-Generational Understanding Through Constitution-Making

No one can denounce the New York Yankee fan for boasting that her favorite ballclub has won more World Series championships than any other. At 27 titles, the Bronx Bombers claim more than twice their closest competitor.

No one can question admirers of the late, great Chick Corea, or the equally astonishing Alison Krauss, for their virtually unrivaled Grammy victories. At 27 gold statues, only Beyoncé and Quincy Jones have more in the popular categories.

Keep ReadingShow less
A close up of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement badge.

Trump’s mass deportations promise security but deliver economic pain, family separation, and chaos. Here’s why this policy is failing America.

Getty Images, Tennessee Witney

The Cruel Arithmetic of Trump’s Immigration Crackdown

As summer 2025 winds down, the Trump administration’s deportation machine is operating at full throttle—removing over one million people in six months and fulfilling a campaign promise to launch the “largest deportation operation in American history.” For supporters, this is a victory lap for law and order. For the rest of the lot, it’s a costly illusion—one that trades complexity for spectacle and security for chaos.

Let’s dispense with the fantasy first. The administration insists that mass deportations will save billions, reduce crime, and protect American jobs. But like most political magic tricks, the numbers vanish under scrutiny. The Economic Policy Institute warns that this policy could destroy millions of jobs—not just for immigrants but for U.S.-born workers in sectors like construction, elder care, and child care. That’s not just a fiscal cliff—it is fewer teachers, fewer caregivers, and fewer homes built. It is inflation with a human face. In fact, child care alone could shrink by over 15%, leaving working parents stranded and employers scrambling.

Meanwhile, the Peterson Institute projects a drop in GDP and employment, while the Penn Wharton School’s Budget Model estimates that deporting unauthorized workers over a decade would slash Social Security revenue and inflate deficits by nearly $900 billion. That’s not a typo. It’s a fiscal cliff dressed up as border security.

And then there’s food. Deporting farmworkers doesn’t just leave fields fallow—it drives up prices. Analysts predict a 10% spike in food costs, compounding inflation and squeezing families already living paycheck to paycheck. In California, where immigrant renters are disproportionately affected, eviction rates are climbing. The Urban Institute warns that deportations are deepening the housing crisis by gutting the construction workforce. So much for protecting American livelihoods.

But the real cost isn’t measured in dollars. It’s measured in broken families, empty classrooms, and quiet despair. The administration has deployed 10,000 armed service members to the border and ramped up “self-deportation” tactics—policies so harsh they force people to leave voluntarily. The result: Children skipping meals because their parents fear applying for food assistance; Cancer patients deported mid-treatment; and LGBTQ+ youth losing access to mental health care. The Human Rights Watch calls it a “crueler world for immigrants.” That’s putting it mildly.

This isn’t targeted enforcement. It’s a dragnet. Green card holders, long-term residents, and asylum seekers are swept up alongside undocumented workers. Viral videos show ICE raids at schools, hospitals, and churches. Lawsuits are piling up. And the chilling effect is real: immigrant communities are retreating from public life, afraid to report crimes or seek help. That’s not safety. That’s silence. Legal scholars warn that the administration’s tactics—raids at schools, churches, and hospitals—may violate Fourth Amendment protections and due process norms.

Even the administration’s security claims are shaky. Yes, border crossings are down—by about 60%, thanks to policies like “Remain in Mexico.” But deportation numbers haven’t met the promised scale. The Migration Policy Institute notes that monthly averages hover around 14,500, far below the millions touted. And the root causes of undocumented immigration—like visa overstays, which account for 60% of cases—remain untouched.

Crime reduction? Also murky. FBI data shows declines in some areas, but experts attribute this more to economic trends than immigration enforcement. In fact, fear in immigrant communities may be making things worse. When people won’t talk to the police, crimes go unreported. That’s not justice. That’s dysfunction.

Public opinion is catching up. In February, 59% of Americans supported mass deportations. By July, that number had cratered. Gallup reports a 25-point drop in favor of immigration cuts. The Pew Research Center finds that 75% of Democrats—and a growing number of independents—think the policy goes too far. Even Trump-friendly voices like Joe Rogan are balking, calling raids on “construction workers and gardeners” a betrayal of common sense.

On social media, the backlash is swift. Users on X (formerly Twitter) call the policy “ineffective,” “manipulative,” and “theater.” And they’re not wrong. This isn’t about solving immigration. It’s about staging a show—one where fear plays the villain and facts are the understudy.

The White House insists this is what voters wanted. But a narrow electoral win isn’t a blank check for policies that harm the economy and fray the social fabric. Alternatives exist: Targeted enforcement focused on violent offenders; visa reform to address overstays; and legal pathways to fill labor gaps. These aren’t radical ideas—they’re pragmatic ones. And they don’t require tearing families apart to work.

Trump’s deportation blitz is a mirage. It promises safety but delivers instability. It claims to protect jobs but undermines the very sectors that keep the country running. It speaks the language of law and order but acts with the recklessness of a demolition crew. Alternatives exist—and they work. Cities that focus on community policing and legal pathways report higher public safety and stronger economies. Reform doesn’t require cruelty. It requires courage.

Keep ReadingShow less
Multi-colored speech bubbles overlapping.

Stanford’s Strengthening Democracy Challenge shows a key way to reduce political violence: reveal that most Americans reject it.

Getty Images, MirageC

In the Aftermath of Assassinations, Let’s Show That Americans Overwhelmingly Disapprove of Political Violence

In the aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s assassination—and the assassination of Minnesota state legislator Melissa Hortman only three months ago—questions inevitably arise about how to reduce the likelihood of similar heinous actions.

Results from arguably the most important study focused on the U.S. context, the Strengthening Democracy Challenge run by Stanford University, point to one straightforward answer: show people that very few in the other party support political violence. This approach has been shown to reduce support for political violence.

Keep ReadingShow less