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What Minneapolis reveals about dehumanization, protest, and the limits of force George Cassidy Payne The shoes were placed carefully on the frozen sidewalk outside a downtown Minneapolis hotel. Hospital clogs. The kind worn by nurses who work long, unglamorous shifts keeping strangers alive. A handwritten sign leaned against them: Alex was here. Alex mattered. Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse and Minneapolis resident, was shot and killed by federal immigration agents duri

AI created image of President Donald Trump When Donald Trump has mused publicly about serving a third term as president, the response from many allies and critics has been familiar: dismiss it as a joke, provocation, or “Trump banter.” Supporters often frame the comments as sarcasm meant to irritate opponents or excite crowds, while even some Republican lawmakers insist the Constitution makes such speculation moot. But Trump’s political history complicates that dismissal. Aga

George Cassidy Payne Rochester knows something about divided houses. This city sits in the Genesee Country, once Seneca territory, shaped by abolitionists and suffragists, by Frederick Douglass’ North Star, by churches that doubled as organizing hubs, and by neighborhoods still bearing the scars of redlining, incarceration, and disinvestment. When we revisit the American Revolution—not as myth, but as moral struggle—we are not merely studying the past. We are tracing the root

When the president uses a word meant to wound, it is not a question of legality. It is a question of dignity. Every time a leader normalizes dehumanizing language, they signal who is worth respect, and who is expendable. George Cassidy Payne When Donald Trump called Minnesota Governor Tim Walz the R-word, some rushed to defend him: freedom of speech. He can say what he wants. He is protected. End of discussion. But this is not a freedom-of-speech issue. It is a freedom-of-dig

When news broke that a woman had held a wedding ceremony with her AI-generated boyfriend, many people reacted with disbelief or amusement. But the story is less about spectacle and more about what it reveals: the growing difficulty of distinguishing between what we feel and what is real in a society increasingly shaped by technology. The ceremony was symbolic. The partner was digital. Yet the emotions were genuine. That contradiction sits at the heart of the moment we are liv

Two explosions, a burning vessel, and the silent corpses of survivors clinging to life. In the Caribbean Sea, U.S. forces struck a Venezuelan-flagged boat twice, forcing Americans to confront a brutal question: how far will a nation go to preserve power and influence? Beneath the rhetoric of anti-narcotics and national security lies a calculus where morality bends, legality stretches, and human lives become collateral in a broader game of dominance. This is not just a strike;

Greetings Commissioner Simmons, This letter was inspired by your   recent Facebook post . It is my sincere hope that the letter will be received in the spirit it is being written—I want to provide a very important historical backdrop, which you may not be familiar with, and also a degree of constructive criticism.   Howard Eagle The Facebook post highlighted above is apparently concerning a recent conversation that you had with Dr. Jaime Aquino. Hopefully, you understand that

Make America Great Again has become Make America Meh. In the richest nation on earth, some priorities get the full measure, luxury renovations, foreign policy posturing, law enforcement budgets, while feeding children is negotiable. Half a meal for kids. Half a check for struggling families. Half a thought for communities in crisis. But no half measures for ICE, Israel, Air Force One, or the new ballroom. Pragmatism exists only where it inconveniences him least. Cruelty, wrap

Parents, teachers, and even pediatricians have tried everything to manage kids’ screen time — banning phones from bedrooms, requiring outdoor play, encouraging reading, even prescribing medications. But the pull of technology isn’t going away. Social media, streaming platforms, and artificial intelligence tools are programmed to grab the attention of young people with remarkable effectiveness.  Dr. Tisha Lewis Ellison That has raised alarms and prompted calls for a solution

HCR Home Care is a leading provider of home health services to individuals in Rochester, Monroe County and across New York state. Our home health care services meet the needs of people who require follow‐up care after a hospital stay or who require care and support in managing an illness.   Deanna Dudley, Compliance Coordinator, HCR Home Care Services include nursing; physical, occupational and speech therapy; social work; and care management. Unfortunately, home health care

What if I told you the biggest tax hike on working-class families in nearly a century didn’t come from Congress but from tariffs? George...

As reported by Minority Reporter , “the final in a series of Community Conversations designed to foster open dialogue and build...