Autumn in New York
Diane Arbus in Central Park, two pills to help us fight Omicron, the Ahmaud Arbery verdict, and more
December 2, 2021
Letter from New York City
“Instead of playing in the park, which is what I’ve always imagined most city kids do, I was ordered to take a red rubber ball and smash it against a building a few doors down for two hours, three times a week.” Public Seminar’s Vicky Oliver shares the story of her love-hate relationship with Central Park and how the arrival of a Diane Arbus statue changed everything. (November 30, 2021)
Omicron
Donald G. McNeil Jr. outlines how we should tackle the new COVID variant Omicron. “Imagine fighting an opponent who has an ax and can only do one stroke—straight down on your head. If he lands it, you’re dead. But if you learn to step aside at the last second, you live, and he’s useless. That is the equivalent of a virus evolving resistance to a drug’s ‘mechanism of action.’” (November 30, 2021)
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Ahmaud Arbery
“Modern lynchings don’t require large crowds, only a willingness to confront perceived outsiders with force.” Mark Allan Williams discusses the conviction of three white men for the murder of Ahmaud Arbery—and how close the killers came to getting away with it. (December 1, 2021)
Black Histories
After watching a new documentary about civil rights lawyer and activist Pauli Murray, Benje Williams has questions for the filmmakers. “Is having Black people on the film’s production team really the same as having a Black person making those decisions as the film’s director or producer?” (December 1, 2021)
Shopping for Democracy
“I know, people like cheap stuff, but it comes at a cost to workers, suppliers, and ultimately the local community and its ability to stay independent and keep its wealth local.” Pat Garofalo outlines just how important it is to stop subsidizing big chains with public money and save local retail this holiday season. (November 29, 2021)
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