Monthly Archives: May 2011

The Price of Injustice

California has Arnold Schwarzenegger, New York has Dominique Strauss-Kahn, and here in Oregon we’ve got Dean Gushwa. A low-roller compared to the other two, Gushwa was still in a position as Umatilla County DA to strut like a bull among his female subordinates, one of whom finally accused him of rape when the sex turned […]

The Japanese Way to Prison Reform

The U.S. Supreme Court has given California two years to release or relocate 33,000 prison inmates. This is good news to those who think criminal justice reform is overdue. But how can we have criminal justice reform without reforming American culture? And how can we change American culture without offending someone’s civil rights? Mention prison […]

Who Forgives God?

Harold Camping’s Rapture flopped, but Michael Tolkin’s didn’t. While the media and Internet posters had fun with Camping, Tolkin’s 1991 movie, “The Rapture” was thought-provoking. It left viewers arguing, not laughing. In “The Rapture” a young woman named Sharon (played by Mimi Rogers) spends monotonous days working as a telephone operator and cruises L.A. by […]

The NRA vs. Planned Parenthood

Planned Parenthood needs a shot of testosterone, and I know just where they can get it: the National Rifle Association. For more than three decades abortion foes have whittled away at women’s reproductive rights while abortion supporters have compromised. Just earlier this month, House Republicans and 16 Democrats passed a bill that would limit abortions […]

Portland: Weird and White

It’s time Portland, Ore., got comfortable in its own skin, no matter what color that skin is. The city is proud of its reputation as the most liberal, quirky and livable city in America but can’t accept that prosperous black professionals may not be interested. “In Portland’s heart, diversity dwindles,” was the headline in The […]

Boehner’s Lust for Life

His mama was Catholic, and his daddy was horny. So it’s not surprising that John Boehner grew up in a family of 13 kids in a two-bedroom, one-bathroom home. But that’s not why he is moved to tears when he talks about the sanctity of life. It could have been worse. He could have grown […]

Erasing the Past

After Winona Ryder was convicted of shoplifting, her career suffered a setback and Cher noted, “It’s such a drag that some crimes are cool and some crimes are uncool.” Ben Price’s crime – distributing cocaine – could be cool or uncool depending on who’s judging him. Among some people a felony conviction calls for sympathy. […]