The Killing Heat (Part 4)

Susan DeFpolitical interludeLeave a Comment

Photo courtesy of the National Institute of Mental Health.Photo courtesy of the National Institute of Mental Health.

A recent article from Smithsonian entitled “Are Your Political Beliefs Hardwired?” shared the findings of a recent study at the University of South Carolina, which concluded that the brains of self-identified Democrats and Republicans are wired in different ways. Basically, the scientists found more neural activity in areas of the brain believed to be linked with broad social connectedness in Democrats … Read More

Susan DeFreitas’s Dedication

Susan DeFpolitical interlude, Protest PoemsLeave a Comment

At the time I’m sitting here writing–Friday morning, November 4th, 2016–people from all over this country have converged on North Dakota in an effort to stop the Dakota Access Pipeline. Many of those people are Native Americans, whose ancestors endured the very worst colonialism had to offer. All of them are risking arrest to be there; many of them are … Read More

Political Interlude: An Open Letter to My #StillBernie and #NeverHill Friends

Susan DeFpolitical interludeLeave a Comment

Today, Robert Reich posted the picture above–which, in light of Bernie Sanders’s recent endorsement, sums up my feelings exactly. But not all of my friends feel the same, especially those younger and to the left of me (which is really quite left indeed). I think there’s a great danger in assuming that everyone who’s on the other side of the … Read More