The U.S. reached a staggering milestone in early May — more than one million people have died from Covid. And around the same time, I tested positive for the virus. […]
Op-Eds
PRIDE
Know Your Queer History
And ‘fly the flag that speaks to your soul’
The LGBTQ community continues to grow, continues to change. This progress happens even though we are living in an era backpedaling into conservatism and sanctioned homophobia. Sadly, states like Florida […]
GRAMMAR WATCH
Shrink, Shrank, Shrunk
The value of learning and agreeing to the rules
Browsing a New York Times newsletter, I have to stop and re-read several times before confirming, via Google, my sense that the writer has gotten it wrong. The line in […]
MOTHER’S DAY
Learning to Be the Parent My Child Needs
A mother’s call to stand up and stop the haters
It was four days before my son, who is transgender, was to have gender affirming surgery, and my insurance company, Aetna, informed me that it would not be covered. This […]
TRURO TOWN MEETING
For an Appointed Planning Board
The current elected board continues to advance an anti-housing agenda
As a lifelong Cape Codder striving to make a life in this community, I believe Truro must take bold steps to stem the housing crisis. That starts with fostering a […]
FLAG-WAVING
Stars, Stripes, and Sneetches
The ‘People’s Convoy’ calls to mind a Dr. Seuss classic
Barreling northeast on I-35 from Austin to Dallas in early March, my sister, husband, and I tried to ignore the flag-festooned caravan in the right lane. But we couldn’t avert […]
ON POLITICS
Why Rob Galibois Should Be the Next District Attorney
Balancing punishment and prison with intervention and treatment
The role of district attorney is crucially important in our civil society. It offers a unique opportunity to protect citizens, help people when they need it most, and build a […]
COUNTY LINE
Remembering Susan Quinones
An advocate for human rights who inspired by listening
Cape Cod lost a powerful leader last week, and I lost a dear friend and colleague. Susan L. Quinones, Esq., who was coordinator for the Barnstable County Human Rights Advisory […]
RIGHTS
Beyond Curb Cuts and Ramps
Fostering disability-affirming communities on the Outer Cape
The March 17 edition of the Independent had an important story about the Americans with Disabilities Act, “On the Outer Cape, the ADA Doesn’t Change Much,” by Michaela Chesin. Many […]
REFUGE
Children’s Worries About War
In Poland, a mother explains the politics of aggression
Many of my friends in Poland have families from Ukraine in their homes now. One friend, Marta Shaw, a philologist at the Institute of Public Affairs at the Jagiellonian University […]
COUNTY LINE
A Debate on Citizen Petitions
How many signatures should be required?
Basic issues of democratic process sometimes arise in the most apparently mundane proceedings. The Barnstable County Assembly of Delegates recently held a hearing on an ordinance proposed by the Cape […]
WAR AND COVID
Thinking Clearly About Brain Fog
Person-to-person contact burns off the mist
A friend told me the other day that she doesn’t know if it’s post-Covid brain fog she’s suffering from, or if it’s undiagnosed Lyme disease or some other sinister condition […]
ON POLITICS
The Death of Democracy and Capitalism
We live in a system that no longer serves citizens’ needs
Our two most significant institutions, democracy and capitalism, exist today in name only. Our political system has abandoned us, and our economic system has consumed us. Politics and social media […]
COUNTY LINE
Dividing the ARPA Millions
Helping neighbors who are having a hard time is a priority
Forty-two million dollars sounds like a pile of money. Until it gets divided up. Across the Cape this month, the glint of federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds has […]
SPECIAL DELIVERY
Suggestions From a Mail Enthusiast
She wants you to raise those little flags on your mailbox
I love my job. I get to deliver mail to people in the town where I live in all its splendor, all year round. The summer traffic is intense, and […]
