Opinion
Editorial pieces from contributors and staff
Phil Eil: Rhode Island's Dark History
"At one point, a notice for a local Klan meeting appeared on the front page of the Woonsocket Call." On June 21st, 1924, the Ku Klux Klan held a rally in Foster, Rhode Island. Thousands of people attended from across New England, some tr...
Bad Policy Kills
"...landlords in our state may lawfully reject a tenant if the tenant receives assistance in paying their rent from non-traditional sources--like alimony, veterans benefits, or Section 8 vouchers." As the death toll in our country from t...
The 2021 budget picture is unclear - progressives need to be ready
The timing of the FY21 budget is far from clear, and there are many ways it could play out over the coming months. Concerned Rhode Islanders need to remain vigilant — especially in light of the likelihood that it could emerge with little...
RI Socialists stands in solidarity with Black Lives Matter and joins the call to abolish the police
Providence is a city with a hugely underfunded school system, unsustainable housing costs, average wages which barely clear the poverty line, and yet we are planning to spend $90M on the police. This is a massive mismatch between the pri...
Previous reform attempts have not made serious change: Why we must Defund the Police
In order to stop police violence in Rhode Island and nationwide, our officials should not be funneling more money to the police to increase their equipment and training. What we need in order to stop police violence is substantive, trans...
PHRC rejects city’s lack of accountability in addressing violence against Black communities
Anti-Racism Committee to work with community to reverse harm... On Thursday, June 18th, the Providence Human Relations Commission (PHRC) will be hosting the first of ongoing Anti-Racism Committee Hearings starting at 5pm on Zoom. The Com...
We must fix our broken system, and institute single-payer healthcare in our state...
"We must end this broken system, now. Single-payer healthcare is the only ethical alternative. It covers everyone, covers everything, and costs less money." More than ever before, Rhode Islanders are being forced to confront the outstand...
Today is the 50th anniversary of the Providence Draft Board Raid
"In November 1971, we pled guilty and were given two-year suspended sentences. Years later, when I attended law school, I was the only convicted felon in Harvard Law School’s graduating class of 1990." Today, June 13, 2020, is the fiftie...
Appoint an African American to the Supreme Court
"Governor Raimondo claims to be on the side of the “Black Lives Matter” movement and also has been very supportive of many of its leaders. Desegregating the Supreme Court would go down in the history books as an achievement for her, and...
Policy as Justice: Stop Utility Shut-offs in Rhode Island
"For all the concern about violence and protest these days, decision makers need to recognize that harmful economic policies can be violent. The policies we have, and how we follow them, can make or break justice." Pre-existing inequitie...