The World’s Most Dangerous Divide

In the beautiful and terrifying novel The City of Devi, communal hatreds escalate in India and Pakistan until the two countries feel compelled to threaten each other with nuclear weapons. At least, it starts out as a threat. Pakistan vows to take out Mumbai, and India will level Karachi. But everyone involved knows that nuclear … Continue reading “The World’s Most Dangerous Divide”

Conservatives Should Be Antiwar

When I was growing up in the early 2000’s, I just took it for granted that the Left was antiwar and the Right was militaristic. This perception pushed me to become a liberal in college before meandering my way into libertarianism through the Ron Paul campaigns of 2008 and 2012. Today I would consider myself … Continue reading “Conservatives Should Be Antiwar”

Would Social Media Have Censored Video of 9/11 or Kennedy Assassination?

According to CNN Business, “Facebook, YouTube and Twitter struggle to deal with New Zealand shooting video.” “Deal with” is code for “censor on demand by governments and activist organizations who oppose public access to information that hasn’t first been thoroughly vetted for conformity to their preferred narrative.” Do you really need to see first-person video … Continue reading “Would Social Media Have Censored Video of 9/11 or Kennedy Assassination?”

A Modest Proposal: Don’t Start a Nuclear War

In a matter of minutes, as easily as sending a tweet, a sitting U.S. president could decide to launch a nuclear attack, without anyone else’s approval or authorization. In a matter of minutes, millions of lives would be lost, and millions of futures halted permanently. At my organization, Physicians for Social Responsibility, we believe that … Continue reading “A Modest Proposal: Don’t Start a Nuclear War”

Uncle Sam Sent Me to Rehab for PTSD

This article originally appeared at TruthDig. I arrived an absolute mess; most of us did. Bloated cheeks, sunken eyes, wearing my PTSD and depression on every inch of my face. I can’t say I really wanted to be there, even if I had volunteered. Ironic, wasn’t it? This, a civilian treatment facility in nowhere, Arizona, … Continue reading “Uncle Sam Sent Me to Rehab for PTSD”

An Apology for a Different Plane Crash, 30 Years Later

The tragic Ethiopian Airline plane crash recalls another passenger plane crash some 30 years ago. The latter, however, was not due to a mechanical malfunction but to US missiles. And while very few Americans remember this incident, it still weighs heavy on the hearts of many Iranians – as we discovered on our recent trip … Continue reading “An Apology for a Different Plane Crash, 30 Years Later”