Opinion
Editorial pieces from contributors and staff
Brianna Henries: Moderate This
Change for people and the planet has never happened by unanimous votes or coddling the powerful. It's always happened by a few brave people being willing to be vocal and hold the feet of powerful people to the fire. I'm honored to stand in a long line of Rhode Islanders who have done just that.
Andy Boardman: A popular, progressive agenda for Rhode Island lawmakers
Raising the Minimum Wage - Marijuana Legalization - Housing Affordability - Taxing the Rich - State leaders have committed themselves to winning causes... It's time to follow through...
Statement from Code Black on their protest at Governor Raimondo's home
"Mass incarceration is a threat to health equity and a public health crisis. As of December 17th, greater than 90% of the inmates in maximum security tested positive for COVID. Cases are rising at the surrounding facilities. None of these outcomes are due to happenstance..."
State legislators call for action in response to prison Covid outbreak
"The CDC recommends social distancing, frequent hand washing, and the use of PPE to prevent the spread of this deadly, airborne virus. The close quarters and shared communal spaces inherent in the ACI facilities, and prison setting in general, make these precautions impossible and create an unnecessary health and safety burden on the population..."
Oped: Patrick Tigue is a threat to healthcare in Rhode Island
"The working class - the majority of Rhode Island - is being cheated and killed by a predatory for-profit healthcare system, yet working people have little role in shaping the decisions of government officials. Until ordinary Rhode Islanders have better avenues to participate in democracy and strong organizations to represent them, progress will stop at the doors of the State House..."
OpEd: Neronha stands up for minorities
"With Neronha's new team, I believe our minority community will have more of a voice. It won't be perfect, but it will be an improvement over the status quo."
OpEd: Governor Raimondo, it is time to suspend indoor dining and close houses of worship
"A vaccine is on the way and frontline health care workers are scheduled to receive vaccinations next week. However, this will not provide instantaneous relief. Governor Raimondo can act now to push down transmission rates and save many lives in the interim."
OpEd: DARE speaks out on COVID Crisis at the ACI
"It is clear that the denial of even the few comforts available to our loved ones was never part of a coherent, well thought out plan to keep them safe. The absolute negligence we are seeing now only highlights the cruelty our loved ones experienced these last nine months."
OpEd: Office of Health Insurance Commissioner should not be headed by Patrick Tigue
The COVID-19 pandemic has made it even more urgent to ensure that the Director of OHIC aggressively protect the public interest – not private health insurance companies.
OpEd: Democratic Socialists call for an end to fossil fuels on Aquidneck Island
"Giving the people more say and ownership over their energy will allow Rhode Islanders to stop the vicious cycle of sunk cost in a false bridge fuel that leads nowhere. The Providence DSA firmly believes that true justice and equity comes when the utilities that heat our homes are owned by the people who live in them. Aquidneck Island represents a clear opportunity to make headway against the climate crisis here in Rhode Island."