Opinion
A Tradition of Ignorance and Intolerance
Spectator
By Stephen Tuttle | Sept. 24, 2022
In 1637, Thomas Morton wrote a book called New English Canaan, a satirical put-down of Puritans and their customs. Among other things, Morton compared them to crustaceans, and the Puritans, a cranky lot to begin with, promptly banned the book. They followed that by banning John Eliot’s The Christian Commonwealth in the late 1640s, and works by Thomas Pynchon a decade later. Book banning has been an ugly tradition of ignorance and ... Read More >>
The Man Who Hated Women
Guest Opinion
By Isiah Smith, Jr. | Sept. 24, 2022
The Dobbs v. Jackson decision presented the Supreme Court with an opportunity to reaffirm women’s right to choose and to reassure them that the law respected their lives and their dignity. Justice Alito declined that opportunity, however, and instead gave them Hale. Matthew Hale that is. Although he lived from 1609 to 1676, Matthew Hale abides. Hardly anyone had ever heard of Hale until Justice Alito referenced him repeatedly in the controversial ... Read More >>
Midterm Surprises
Spectator
By Stephen Tuttle | Sept. 17, 2022
Midterm elections are always a little sketchy; without a presidential race, turnout is reduced and surprises often abound. Statistically, that first midterm for a new president’s party has not been good at all. Going all the way back to Harry Truman’s presidency, the party whose standard bearer occupies the White House has lost seats in the U.S. House every first-term midterm election but one. (Democrats picked up a handful of seats in ... Read More >>
A Clean Hoodie for the Queen
Guest Opinion
By Mary Keyes Rogers | Sept. 17, 2022
I am more of a British history buff than a modern-day royals watcher and consider the reign of Queen Elizabeth II to be of great historic significance. You will find me following the related series of events with a bowl of popcorn in one hand and a well-pressed handkerchief in the other. As I write this, I am immersed in the first official event following the queen’s passing: the Public Service of ... Read More >>
Sustainable Tourism
Guest Opinion
By Karen Mulvahill | Sept. 10, 2022
Traditionally, Labor Day marks the end of summer, the time when children return to school and tourists go home and locals breathe a huge sigh of relief. Following a gloomy, sometimes grueling winter, those of us who live in northern Michigan year-round feel like we’ve earned our beautiful summer. But by the time August comes around, we find ourselves longing for September. Rave reviews in national publications have increased visitors to northern ... Read More >>
He Is Us
Spectator
By Stephen Tuttle | Sept. 10, 2022
So, you woke up this morning in your cozy house, condo, or apartment courtesy of some utility company probably burning fossil fuels to generate power. Trees were cut down, transported, and milled to create the lumber that likely framed your residence. The copper for the wiring was mined, transported, and made into that wiring. The PVC pipes within and under your living space were manufactured using fossil fuel byproducts. The mattress on ... Read More >>
Classrooms and Buses
Spectator
By Stephen Tuttle | Sept. 3, 2022
According to a recent article in The Washington Post, we are facing a “catastrophic” teacher shortage. They report that some schools in Texas are going to a four-day school week, some in Florida are hiring veterans with no teaching training or experience, and some in Arizona are using college students as classroom teachers. If true, all or any of that will make for a very troublesome school year. The problem here is ... Read More >>
Rock the Native Vote
Guest Opinion
By Meredith Kennedy | Sept. 3, 2022
Aanii boozhoo, Meredith Kennedy izhinikaazh, Anishinaabekwe migiziindoodem. As a proud citizen of the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians and an active voter, I know how important it is to vote and how hard fought that freedom was for many. That history and the current needs of our community mean it’s crucial for each of us to register and use the power of our vote. When Indigenous communities bring together our ... Read More >>
The Second Amendment and the Supposed Right to Revolt
Guest Opinion
By Tom Gutowski | Aug. 27, 2022
There’s an increasingly common notion that the basis of gun rights in America is that every citizen has the right to oppose government—should it become tyrannical—through force of arms, and that therefore no limitation whatsoever on the ownership or use of firearms is valid. This is factually incorrect and extremely dangerous. There were two legal bases for gun ownership in the colonies. One was English common law. To risk over simplification: In ... Read More >>
More of the Same
Spectator
By Stephen Tuttle | Aug. 27, 2022
A Republican candidate for Congress in western New York says Attorney General Merrick Garland should be executed. (He subsequently claimed he was just being facetious.) A Republican candidate for the Florida House says he will introduce legislation making it legal to shoot federal agents from the FBI, ATF, and IRS on sight. This lunacy—and lunacy is the kindest way to describe the behavior—is a continuation of an onslaught of attacks on our ... Read More >>
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