In the middle of August, a group of eight writers, prompted perhaps by chants of “12 more years!” at the Republican National Convention, began an online discussion about finding ways […]
Op-Eds
THE NEW OLD CAPE COD
You’re Sure to Fall in Love
Plan are underway to build a machine gun range at a Cape Cod base used for training by the Massachusetts Army National Guard. The proposal for Camp Edwards at Joint […]
OP-ED
Walking the Cape Cod Camino
An exercise in reflecting on systemic racism in a privileged community
WELLFLEET — In the middle of the current racism pandemic, many of us who are not black or brown — who do not worry that our sons will be murdered […]
OP-ED
Reasons to Reopen the Provincetown Schools
In-school learning is what’s right for this community
The Provincetown Schools plan to open next month with online learning only — at least, for the foreseeable future. At the same time, other Outer Cape schools are opening with […]
OP-ED
Quahogs and Culture Change
Having the courage to ask for help
EASTHAM — The quahog fritters were sensational. In the kitchen of this house I’d known for 68 years and had quietly rattled about in for three and a half months, […]
Taking Stock of What We’ve Done to Young Children
The pandemic gives new evidence of how play helps children cope
A friend who used to do a lot of substituting in Outer Cape schools once described a scene in a classroom for four-year-olds that was well-designed for all kinds of […]
OP-ED
We Must Act Locally on Climate
Building committee has wrongly nixed a net-zero emissions high school
Climate change is a clear and present danger to our community and to humanity as a whole. We are digging a hole for ourselves by continuing to produce greenhouse gas […]
OP-ED
A Great Leader Has Left Us
But most Americans do not know who John Lewis was
Every day, some ridiculous or explosive or dangerous or miraculous thing happens with our teenagers. I wish I could sit them all down and tell them about John Lewis. A […]
OP-ED
Racial Inequity in Our Back Yard
Truro’s Cloverleaf project and the costs of systemic exclusion
TRURO — In early June, many Outer Cape Codders joined in our shared reckoning over the crisis of white supremacy and racial inequity in this country. After the protests, many […]
OP-ED
The Bias Against ‘Pit Bulls’
Headlines can hide the truth behind dog bites
PROVINCETOWN — The Independent’s July 9 front-page story on the effects of the coronavirus crisis on dogs, “Pandemic Is No Treat for the Four-Legged,” fell into a common and unfortunate […]
BLACK LIVES MATTER
Racism in My Body
Recognizing and weeding out a dangerous invasive
“Lock your door.” That was the first insidiously racist thing my body remembers hearing. There were other words, heard earlier. Subtle, belittling generalizations. Words that didn’t match up with what I knew […]
OP-ED
Keeping Watch
Reflections of a retired English teacher
In 1872, Congress authorized the reorganization of the U.S. Life-Saving Service and the refurbishing of old and building of new stations along the Atlantic Coast. The waters off Cape Cod […]
BLACK LIVES MATTER
We Should Not Have to Be Afraid
Why sharing a black screen on Instagram isn’t enough
I am outraged and I am terrified. I am outraged by the deaths of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Breonna Taylor in Louisville, and so many other black American citizens. We […]
OP-ED
Pier Dispute Calls for Mediation
The fight over longtime fishermen who face displacement
The Provincetown Public Pier Corp. board, all volunteers, is trying to bring consistent application of rules and regulations to the pier, as well as rate increases that will meet the […]
OP-ED
A Time for Safe Communities
Raising voices to stop the heartless war on immigrants
Both the federal government and the state of Massachusetts are waging a heartless war on immigrants. While the Trump administration actively blocks asylum seekers, imprisons families, deports unaccompanied children, and […]
