As the first anniversary of the Newtown massacre approaches, we must continue asking ourselves about the true cause of such tragedies. We must start thinking about how the combination of men and guns is toxic and figure out what we can do about it.
No More Grassy Knoll: A Look at Conspiracy Theories
With the recent 50th anniversary of JFK’s assassination, conspiracy theories have been in full bloom. Perhaps it is time to consider what is behind our tendency to look for conspiracies where there might be none.
No Shopping on Thanksgiving: Changing the Frame from Greed to Good
Apparently Black Friday isn’t enough. Now we have to shop on Thanksgiving too. This slippery slope of consumerism will not stop until we change the way in which we view ourselves.
Remembering the Tragedy in Tucson
With our recent focus on mental illness, it’s time to revisit the tragedy in Tucson. We need to remember those who died and give their deaths meaning by correcting what went wrong.
What We Can Learn from 9/11
It’s been ten years since terrorists attacked the United States. Much has happened since then, but some of the lessons we learned seem to be the wrong ones. Instead of continuing down our path filled with rage, perhaps it’s time to learn from the examples of others and actually deal with our feelings. Only then we can move forward.
Another Case in the Annals of Injustice: An Open Letter to a Montana Judge
A Montana judge in the Cherice Moralez rape case not only allows the rapist to receive minimal punishment but also blames the victim. Perhaps an open letter detailing his mistakes will help him understand rape culture, acknowledge his own role in it and do better.
It’s the System, Stupid!
If we want to do something about the unjust Trayvon Martin verdict, we must stop thinking about vengeance, and prepare ourselves for a long, hard fight against a discriminatory infrastructure. The Stand Your Ground laws must be overturned. People who have a history of domestic violence and resisting arrest — people like George Zimmerman — should not be allowed to own or carry guns.
Becoming Color Blind: Can the Trayvon Martin Case Help Overcome Racial Conflict?
Trayvon Martin’s murder showed us that we need to do a lot better in facing our prejudices, and fortunately, social psychology has some of the answers. One possible solution lies with a classic psychological study, The Robbers Cave Experiment (named for the area in which the study took place), conducted in 1954.