Author Archives: jfarinelli

The Fallacy of a Post-Racial America

BY: SYLVIA FRANCA In 2008, America elected its first black president. “It seemed so heady – such a landmark moment in racial justice.”[1] The election of an African-American to our highest political office was alleged to demonstrate a triumph of integration.[2] Americans of all stripes were justifiably proud when the country elected President Barack Obama, […]

Felony Disenfranchisement & the Presidential Election

BY: SOFIA TARAFA As Lyndon B. Johnson once observed, “A man without a vote is a man without protection. He is virtually helpless.”[1] Sadly, millions of U.S. citizens are rendered helpless by felon disenfranchisement laws.[2] These laws not only leave those convicted of a felony without a vote, but also deprive the U.S. of a […]

The United States’ Response to Crime: Racial Bias is Alive and Well

BY: SAWYEH ESMAILI The United States has had the world’s highest incarceration rate since 2002.[1] A racialized perception of crime and a broken criminal justice system are behind the globe’s largest prison population. Our country’s response to crime and the media’s coverage of those who perpetrate it reflect the deeply ingrained racial bias of the […]

Social Justice Equals Clean Water

BY: SAMUEL BOOKHARDT IV Reasonable people may disagree about the definition of social justice; however, there is probably little disagreement that water provided by the government should be safe to drink. Indeed, the Safe Drinking Water Act delineates the standards with which all public drinking water should comply.[1] Under federal law, the Environmental Protection Agency […]