2 Ways Homophobes Will Cope with Post-Obergefell America
Published: Good Men Project (June 30, 2015), Salon (July 4, 2015), Interview on LeGrande Green (August 4, 2015) SCOTUS' decision transformed the country, but don't expect its opponents to go quietly into that good night For the sake of argument, let’s take it as self-evident that Obergefell v. Hodges—the Supreme Court case that declared it unconstitutional for states to ban same-sex...
You Don’t Have To Like #MarriageEquality to See That It’s Right
Published: Good Men Project (June 27, 2015) Matt Rozsa dismisses the top three arguments against #MarriageEquality so everyone can embrace the change. ___ Now that the Supreme Court has ruled that same-sex couples throughout America have the right to get married, it’s time to confront the inevitable backlash that has already begun to erupt: From homophobes complaining that their civil liberties...
“#LoveWins on #MarriageEquality Because of One Brave Man: Justice Anthony Kennedy
Published: Good Men Project (June 26, 2015) The four liberal judges on the Supreme Court were expected to support marriage equality, but the fifth is going to take a lot of flak for it. A doff of the hat to Justice Anthony Kennedy. From a strictly political standpoint, it is a truly remarkable thing that homosexuals throughout America will be allowed to marry. In these hyper-partisan times, we...
Confessions of a (Diet) Cokehead
Published: Good Men Project (June 25, 2015) Matthew Rozsa discusses his love of soft drinks… and how he was tricked into believing they were safe. — Until recently I’d never seen Coca-Cola’s iconic “Hilltop” ad… but then again, I didn’t need to. I’ve always considered the sensation of having an ice cold drink slide down your throat to be one of life’s greatest simple pleasures, and among...
Solitary confinement is torture
Published: Daily Dot (June 24, 2015) The Eighth Amendment of the United States Constitution may not have as much political cachet as the First or Second, but it’s a safe bet you’re familiar with one of its most important phrases (italics added for emphasis): “Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.” This brings us to Barrett...
This Is What the Confederate Flag Actually Looks Like
Published: Question of the Day (June 23, 2015) As the debate rages on over the Confederate flag’s appearance on government land in South Carolina, it’s important to remember one thing: For all the talk of honoring the Palmetto State’s rich history, that flag isn’t the one they fought under during the Civil War.In fact, there is no single flag that consistently united the Confederate States of...
Dylann Roof isn’t mentally ill – he’s a terrorist
Published: Daily Dot (June 22, 2015) Why do we insist on claiming that Dylann Roof was mentally ill? In a recent segment on Fox News, the outlet blamed Roof’s actions on a “troubled past,” arguing that mental illness tends to be “swept under the rug” in these cases, but the exact true is opposite: We tend to use mental illness in place of a more troubling reality—Dylann Roof was a terrorist. “We...
The Charleston Shooter and the History of True Believers
Published: Good Men Project (June 20, 2015) Matthew Rozsa explains how terrorists justify their horrific actions and what we need to do to stop them. ___ I will only mention the name of the Charleston shooter once: Dylann Roof. And although I shall provide you with a few details about his biography, his identity can be aptly summed up with a single word: Terrorist. That is because a terrorist...
Donald Trump and Kim Kardashian have more in common than you think
Published: Daily Dot (June 16, 2015) Back in 2008, Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) released an ad attacking Democratic nominee Barack Obama for being a “celebrity.” To illustrate his point, McCain’s commercial included a picture of so-called “celebutante” Paris Hilton. After all, what better way to make Obama’s bid for the Oval Office seem absurd than to compare his...
The 4 worst things about Jeb Bush’s campaign announcement
Published: Daily Dot (June 16, 2015) If Jeb Bush is elected to the presidency in 2016, his victory will officially transformed the Bushes into the most successful political dynasty in American history. Never has a single direct family line produced three presidents (the Adamses, Harrisons, and Roosevelts each yielded only two), and polls have consistently found that grassroots Republicans are as...
Love Online, Love at First Sight, and Other Romances We Don’t Trust: An Interview with Dating Consultant Laura Gub
Published: Good Men Project (June 16, 2015) An interview with dating consultant Laura Gub on the kinds of love we’re least likely to trust. —- Last week the Internet was sent into a tizzy over news that actress Lark Voorhies, best known for her starring role in the ’90s sitcom “Saved by the Bell,” had married a man she’d known less than a year… and met on Facebook. Since then, Voorhies’ mother...
Our jobs are killing us – it’s time to give every American a paid vacation
Published: Daily Dot (June 15, 2015), Salon (June 17, 2015) Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) recently introduced the Guaranteed Paid Vacation Act to Congress. If passed, it would require employers with at least 15 workers to provide 10 days of paid vacation to every employee who has worked with them for more than a year. “What family values are about is that at least for two weeks a year, people can...
Seinfeld, Political Correctness, and Purity Tests
Published: Good Men Project (June 13, 2015) The online Social Justice movement has admirable goals, but it needs to stop applying purity tests to celebrities. — By now you’ve probably heard about the Jerry Seinfeld controversy. The legendary ’90s comedian got himself into a bit of trouble earlier this week by declaring that he wasn’t going to perform on college campuses because “they’re so PC.”...
3 things Americans need to do if they’re sick of money in politics
Published: Daily Dot (June 12, 2015) A new Iowa group wants to teach the Internet about the evils of money in politics. Called “Iowa Pays the Price,” the Washington Times reports that “the group plans to spend about $500,000 on an educational campaign that will include social media and online videos.” However, the Internet seems to already share the sentiment. Last week, a comprehensive survey...
An Interview With the Respectful Revolution
Published: Good Men Project (June 11, 2015) Can a little respect make a difference? The Respectful Revolution believes it makes all the difference. The term “respectful revolution” may sound like a contradiction, but the site is quite real indeed … and it is already making waves. “I’ve always resented meanness and wastefulness a great deal,” explained Gerard Ungerman in an interview with The...
“Why we need to remember Kalief Browder
Published: Daily Dot (June 9, 2015) Note: This article discusses themes of suicide and police abuse. On Sunday, Kalief Browder took his own life. You may have first heard about Kalief Browder last April, after the New Yorker obtained exclusive footage of the then teenager being beaten by prison guards and fellow inmates during his three-year stay in prison. Don’t do the crime if you can’t do the...
Why do we have ‘fish sandwiches,’ but no ‘bird sandwiches’ or ‘mammal sandwiches
Published: Good Men Project (June 9, 2015) Why don’t we care what kind of fish we eat? — As the title of this article indicates, I have a very simple question: If we wouldn’t be okay with eating a “mammal sandwich” or a “bird sandwich,” then why do we acquiesce in being fed something simply known as a “fish sandwich”? My first hypothesis was that, on a cultural level, Americans simply don’t care...