Commentary
Missouri Attorney General: Anti-abortion activist?
Will you use taxpayer money to prosecute a woman for getting an abortion? That’s the question attorneys general candidates across the United States, and especially in Missouri, will have to answer in the lead up to 2024. Missouri is a unique case study for the role a state’s top prosecutor can play in the abortion […]
Campaigns to kill ‘wokeness’ are efforts to perpetuate racism, disenfranchisement
Spending time fighting “woke,” “wokeness,” and a so-called “culture war” instead of focusing on the real issues and problems we face as a nation is a downright miscarriage of the political and legislative processes. Legislators, political leaders and potential candidates have found a new strawman to use to reenergize and promote continued racism and disenfranchisement. […]
The ‘wanteds’ system must end
The painful and tragic reality we face is that it often takes the murder of a Black person on national news for people to start questioning the function of police. Take for example the excruciating case of Tyre Nichols, whose name has recently been added to the long list of those we’ll never forget. Just […]
Fate of ‘Tiger Connector’ depends on Missourians voicing their support
It is pretty cool that the largest proposed infrastructure project in Missouri would generate thousands of construction jobs, save hundreds of thousands of Missourians billions of dollars over its lifetime, and deliver reliable clean energy for decades to come. The Grain Belt Express and Tiger Connector, which is under consideration now, needs the support of […]
When major news sources report and promote lies, what is the public to do?
The recent revelation that multiple hosts on Fox News deliberately misled their audience — reporting and promoting the lie that there was rampant voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election when they knew there was none — may not be surprising but is definitely damning. Every American who cares about the role of the press […]
Capitol Perspectives: Mike Parson’s attacks on statehouse reporters
Missouri’s Gov. Mike Parson has engaged in escalating restrictions against journalists covering Missouri’s Capitol. His hindrances on statehouse reporters is unprecedented in the five decades I’ve covered Missouri state government. From Warren Hearnes until now, governors of both parties I’ve covered went out of their way to facilitate the efforts of journalists covering state government. […]
Losing my sister in a mass shooting
Rhonda’s bedroom was small. She did not have much stuff but I knew we had to triage: dispose of, give to Goodwill, or keep. Dad opened the three white garbage bags so it was easy to sort. Suddenly I heard this guttural noise behind my back and turned to see Dad staring into the large […]
Debate over minors carrying guns has implications beyond the Missouri House
State Rep. Lane Roberts is not someone most would deem a “RINO,” or Republican In Name Only. The three-term Joplin Republican served as the director of the Missouri Department of Public Safety and as Joplin’s police chief, having previously led police forces in cities throughout Washington and Oregon, where he served as president of the […]
It’s time for Missouri hospitals to find their voice and fight back
As one of the last abortion providers in Missouri, I was part of the fight to preserve reproductive freedom, a fight that was siloed, isolated and othered in the practice of medicine. Today, the same medical institutions that stayed silent on abortion are now the targets of attacks we, as abortion providers, long ago warned […]
Capitol Perspectives: Dealing with legislative misbehavior
Members of the U.S. Congress should take a look at Missouri’s legislature on how to deal with New York U.S. Rep. George Santos who is facing a number of allegations. Santos campaigned falsely portraying himself as Jewish, that his mother was at the World Trade Center on 9/11 and other claims subsequently proven as false. […]
America is the world’s most powerful democracy. Why is it impotent to stop mass gun violence?
Whether in a grocery store, a place of worship, a shopping mall, a community celebration, at work or in school, you are at risk for becoming a victim of senseless gun violence. Why is America the only industrialized nation in the world that is plagued by frequent mass shootings? Has our form of democracy allowed […]
The foster care system is overburdened. Missouri leaders should invest in prevention
Missouri is confronting a nightmarish crisis in child welfare. According to the Missouri Children’s Division, there are over 13,300 children currently in foster care. The Missouri Child Abuse/Neglect Hotline Unit received over 54,000 reported incidents involving over 77,000 children throughout 2021. At a recent hearing of the state House subcommittee overseeing the budget for the […]