Christopher Schroeder

Kristen Monroe: We need another crystalline moment of human decency like the takedown of Joseph McCarthy President Donald Trump‘s vulnerability is readily apparent if we consult another moment when a bully was stopped.

"Trump’s vulnerability, however, is readily apparent if we consult another moment when a bully was stopped, a bully whose right-hand man Roy Cohn, ironically, later served as mentor and lawyer to Trump." @chicagotribune.com

www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/17/o...

Erin Carlson Mast and Shawn Healy: On Presidents Day, we should consider our civic legacy The question is not simply how we teach young people about civics but the role we all play in supporting civic learning.

"Students who experience high-quality civic education are more likely to complete college and develop employable skills, vote, discuss current issues, speak in public with confidence, contact public officials and volunteer in their communities. . . ."

www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/16/o...

David Greising: Why the Bears should give serious consideration to building on the former Michael Reese site If Gov. JB Pritzker wants to do the most good for Chicago, he could reconsider the Bears’ stadium plan that makes the most sense.

"Much of that could be realized in a Chicago stadium not far from downtown. Most of that likely would be a pipe dream for Arlington Heights." @chicagotribune.com

www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/13/c...

We Have Never Been Woke How a new “woke” elite uses the language of social justice to gain more power and status—without helping the marginalized and disadvantaged

press.princeton.edu/books/hardco... @princetonupress.bsky.social @musaalgharbi.bsky.social

Editorial: Illinois should consider pragmatic tweaks to its sanctuary law In Minnesota, Democratic politicians are negotiating pragmatic policy changes regarding their sanctuary policies. Illinois should do the same.

"If that debate is opened, there will be tough decisions to make in terms of what sorts of crimes qualify for cooperation with the feds from those running our state and local prisons and jails." @chicagotribune.com

www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/06/e...

Annelise Riles: The Fed can beat populist demagogues by educating the public The Federal Reserve actually has a very good story to tell the public about its choices.

"Legitimacy comes from collaboration with citizens, not autonomy from them. People need straightforward talk about trade-offs — between price stability and employment, between protecting savers and stimulating growth." @chicagotribune.com

www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/04/o...

Katie Hill and Jens Ludwig: Why are we seeing a drop in violence in Chicago? We are seeing big declines in crime across the country, suggesting that what’s going on may not be due to anything unique that Chicago’s doing.

"Even after last year’s progress, Chicago’s homicide rate is nearly 13 times London’s; our 'success' would be an unprecedented emergency in the United Kingdom." @chicagotribune.com

www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/01/o...

Democracy and Truth – Penn Press "Fake news," wild conspiracy theories, misleading claims, doctored photos, lies peddled as facts, facts dismissed as lies—citizens of democracies increasin...

www.pennpress.org/978081225084... @pennpress.bsky.social

Immediacy, or The Style of Too Late Capitalism Contemporary cultural style boosts transparency and instantaneity. These are values absorbed from our current economic conditions of "disintermediation": cutting out the middleman. Like Uber, but for ...

www.versobooks.com/products/303... @versobooks.bsky.social @annakornbluh.bsky.social

Paywall-free news coverage of ICE raids, deportation campaign aids those who need it most Paywalls create a two-tiered citizenry — one that can afford to be informed, and one that cannot, actor and political activist John Cusack writes.

"Paywalls don’t just limit the reach of news; they create a void often filled by lies and deceit."

@chicago.suntimes.com @johncusack.bsky.social

chicago.suntimes.com/other-views/...

Meta and YouTube head to trial over harm to children after TikTok settles A trial kicking off in a Los Angeles courtroom marks the first time a jury will hear claims that social media companies knowingly hook young users and cause harm.

"A key question will be whether tech companies deliberately built their platforms to hook young users, contributing to a youth mental health crisis. The jury's decision could have big consequences for the tech industry and how children use social media." @npr.org

www.npr.org/2026/01/27/n...

11-3-1-0

chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/...

MAGA’s Foundational Lie The movement claims to stand with the police. Trump’s decision to pardon the cop-beaters of January 6 exposed his movement for what it is.

"Much has been said, including by me, about Trump’s narcissism, his autocratic inclinations, his disconnection from reality, but not nearly enough has been said about his fundamental indecency, the characteristic that undergirds everything he says and does."

www.theatlantic.com/magazine/202...

How Hackers Are Fighting Back Against ICE A few enterprising hackers have started projects to do counter surveillance against ICE, and hopefully protect their communities through clever use of technology.

"Even in the face of a domestic law enforcement presence with massive surveillance capabilities and military-esque technologies, there are still ways to engage in surveillance self-defense." @eff.org

www.eff.org/deeplinks/20...

Exercise is as effective as medication in treating depression, study finds New research shows exercise is as effective as medication at reducing symptoms of depression. And you don't need to run a marathon to see benefits. So how much is enough?

"And while medications and therapy are important tools, Fabiano says exercise is recognized as a preferred treatment for depression." @npr.org

www.npr.org/2026/01/12/n...

Kenneth Seeskin: AI can’t do soul-searching. Here’s why we need philosophy. In the face of growing conformity, critical thinking skills are needed more than ever.

"But there is another price to pay, which cannot be measured in dollars and cents: the cost of intellectual stagnation." @chicagotribune.com

www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/11/o...

Chicago Under Siege: How Operation Midway Blitz Changed Our City Federal agents arrested thousands during an unprecedented immigration mission in Chicago. They also killed a man, shot a woman five times, tear-gassed a 1-year-old, separated families and brutalized p...

"Federal agents often used violent and unlawful tactics during the operations, advocates and lawyers said." @blockclubchi.bsky.social

blockclubchicago.org/2025/12/30/c...

David Blobaum: Admitting unprepared students into college isn’t equity We are seeing the consequences of SAT- and ACT-optional admissions policies at schools such as the University of California San Diego.

"According to the Higher Education Research Institute, in 2024, 84% of students in its survey of freshmen at four-year bachelor’s degree-granting universities had A averages in high school." @chicagotribune.com
www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/05/o...

Maduro's ouster on drug charges comes as Trump lets others free The military removal of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on US drug charges comes after Trump has freed other figures connected to narcotics trafficking.

The military removal of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on US drug charges comes after Trump has freed other figures connected to narcotics trafficking. n.pr/4skk4yB

Can Jollibee Beat American Fast Food at Its Own Game? A fast-growing Filipino chain is serving burgers and chicken that seem like typical American fare—until you taste them.

"The chain is based in the Philippines, which developed a taste for burgers and fried chicken during its years as a U.S. colony, and has since made the foods its own." @theatlantic.com @yeahyeahyasmin.bsky.social

www.theatlantic.com/magazine/202...

Inexperienced, poorly trained ICE and Border Patrol agents could face legal trouble When the government invites federal agents to claim powers beyond their proper control, it puts the public at risk of rogue conduct and places agents in potential legal jeopardy. Following orders woul...

"While much attention has been given to the broad legal challenges to the deployment . . . more attention should be directed to the legal vulnerability of these underprepared federal agents now patrolling our cities and towns." @chicago.suntimes.com.web.brid.gy

chicago.suntimes.com/other-views/...

The Neocons Were Right Not about Iraq. But the moral tenor of their political writings could be an antidote to Trumpism.

"Seduced by social-science rationalism, moral relativism, or political partisanship, people had trouble thinking clearly about what separates a morally healthy society from a morally unhealthy one." @theatlantic.com

www.theatlantic.com/magazine/202...

Accommodation Nation America’s colleges have an extra-time-on-tests problem.

"No one is more skeptical of the accommodations system than the academics who study it." @theatlantic.com

www.theatlantic.com/magazine/202...

Northwestern caved in a rotten deal with Trump administration The Trump administration extracted millions without proving discrimination. The agreement tramples academic freedom and privacy.

"In reality, though, the Northwestern bargain endangers academic freedom and institutional autonomy, subjecting the university to ongoing federal control." @chicago.suntimes.com

chicago.suntimes.com/other-views/...

ICEBlock app sues Trump administration for censorship and 'unlawful threats' The app lets people anonymously share the locations of immigration agents but Apple removed it from its app store under pressure from the Trump administration. Now, the app's developer is suing.

"'For what appears to be the first time in Apple's nearly fifty-year history, Apple removed a U.S.-based app in response to the U.S. government's demands,' according to the suit." @npr.org

www.npr.org/2025/12/08/n...

Walls closing in on Trump The rules — of law, of political gravity, of general decency — just don’t seem to apply to him. But it feels like it’s finally true: this might just be the beginning of the end for Trump.

"The things I find disturbing, revolting and utterly disqualifying are inexplicably the same exact things that a not small number of Americans find appealing. Racism, incompetence, corruption, to name a few." @chicago.suntimes.com

chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/2...

We are hardwired to sing − and it’s good for us, too Modern science is increasingly validating what many traditions have long held: Singing and chanting can have profound health benefits.

"Indeed, not only is singing a deeply ingrained human cultural activity, research increasingly shows how good it is for us." @us.theconversation.com

theconversation.com/we-are-hardw...

U.S. boycott of G20 shows contempt for international partnership, Africa Showing up matters. It matters in our neighborhoods, and it matters on the world stage.

"These videos, which falsely portrayed Ramaphosa as corrupt and incompetent, were not harmless political theater. They were an assault on truth and an affront to a nation that has stood as a beacon of democratic progress on the continent." @chicago.suntimes.com
chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/2...

‘His word means nothing’: Protester says dismissed assault case shows Border Patrol chief is dishonest Cole Sheridan was charged with assaulting Gregory Bovino in Broadview, but prosecutors tossed the case after a video appeared to contradict Bovino’s account. Several similar cases have been dismissed ...

"Sheridan’s run-in with Bovino is one of several occasions in which the Border Patrol boss appears to have invented facts, rearranged chronologies or distorted what happened. A string of similar cases has been dismissed. . . ." @chicago.suntimes.com
chicago.suntimes.com/the-watchdog...

Think Twice Before Giving Surveillance for the Holidays With the holidays upon us, it's easy to default to giving the tech gifts that retailers tend to push on us this time of year: smart speakers, video doorbells, bluetooth trackers, fitness trackers, and...

"One big problem with giving these sorts of gifts is that you're opting another person into a company's intrusive surveillance practice, likely without their full knowledge of what they're really signing up for." @eff.org

www.eff.org/deeplinks/20...