Sep 10, 2014 | Arts and Entertainment, Autobiographical, Mental Illness, Scandals
Published: The Morning Call (September 10, 2014) The New York Times, which is capable of producing great insights, puzzlingly expressed surprise at Robin Williams' legendary work ethic in its obituary. "Given his well-publicized troubles with depression, addiction, alcoholism and a significant heart surgery in 2009," it commented, "Mr. Williams should have had a résumé filled with mysterious...
Jun 16, 2014 | Autobiographical, Elections, Elections - Other, mic, Pennsylvania
Published: The Morning Call (June 16, 2014) After more than two years as a political columnist for PolicyMic and other publications, I made the decision last month to undertake a career hiatus and work as the Northampton County field organizer for Tom Wolf's gubernatorial campaign. Although I knew this would probably be a temporary position, I embraced it not only to help the Democrats nominate...
Apr 14, 2014 | Autobiographical, Extremism, Jewish Experiences, mic, Political Ideologies
Published: mic (April 14, 2014) The shooting yesterday at a Jewish community center in Kansas City was more than tragic. It was un-American. This crime strikes a deep personal chord with me, not only because I have also been the victim of an anti-Semitic hate crime, but because its motivations fly in the face of our nation's most important and fundamental ideals. Its perpetrator, Frazier Glenn...
Apr 2, 2014 | Asperger's Syndrome, Autobiographical, Conspiracy Theories, Health & Wellness (Physical), mic, Science and Technology
Published: mic (April 2, 2014) I have something uniquely in common with several million other Americans: I'm autistic. At a time when Jenny McCarthy is spearheading a dangerous movement that blames my condition on vaccines — a myth dispelled by WebMD here — I am naturally sensitive to any mention of autism in the news, of which there have been a lot lately, especially when it's discussed as if...
Dec 4, 2013 | Asperger's Syndrome, Autobiographical, Love and Dating, Mental Illness, mic, Original Source Salon.com
Nov 22, 2013 | Autobiographical, mic
Published: mic (November 22, 2013) Matthew Rozsa is a Pennsylvania patriot, a self-proclaimed history nerd, and our thoughtful politics pundit of the week. As part of the "pundit of the week" column, we spotlight one PolicyMic-er to share personal experiences with our community, and pose one never-been-asked question to a staff member. Matt asks me to take on his question about what PolicyMic...
Nov 11, 2013 | Autobiographical, Bullying, Jewish Experiences, mic
Published: mic (November 11, 2013) While I’m no stranger to covering stories involving discrimination, this one was especially personal to me. In the aftermath of a New York Times story on a rash of anti-Semitic incidents in New York’s Pine Bush Central School District, Governor Andrew Cuomo recently announced that he was directing the state police and Division of Human Rights to investigate any...
Dec 17, 2012 | Asperger's Syndrome, Autobiographical, Gun Control, Mental Illness, mic
Published: PolicyMic (December 17, 2012) ow am I supposed to begin an article describing what it's like to be autistic? I use the term "autistic" because, although I was officially diagnosed as a child with "high-functioning Asperger's Syndrome," the American Psychiatric Association recently voted to remove Asperger's Syndrome as a separate classification and instead place it under the broader...
May 3, 2012 | Autobiographical, General Advice, Health & Wellness (Physical), Mental Illness, mic
Published: PolicyMic (May 3, 2012) Like most of the writers I know, I don't sleep well. This is probably because when you're a writer, your mind never entirely shuts off. When it isn't busy whirring away on your next literary project(s), it is almost certainly seeking material that can inspire it to produce something new. Even when you don't think your mental roamings are going to build up to...