Samuel J. Crystal

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Jan 24, 2017, 7:19 PM

Orwellian Politics of Both the Left and Right

At some point in your academic career you were probably assigned George Orwell’s classic novel, 1984. If you were anything like me when I was assigned this book in 8th grade, you didn't actually read it. While looking for a...

Dec 7, 2016, 6:55 AM

Seeing the Trump effect first-hand

He witnessed the kind of bigotry he attributes to the Trump victory, but did he handle it the right way?

Nov 9, 2016, 10:37 AM

Democracy Did Not Fail Us, We Failed It

As I lay awake tonight, November 8, 2016, shocked at the decision our country has made, I remind myself that the sun will rise in the morning and that there will be a tomorrow. I am disappointed by the choice...

Oct 23, 2016, 7:11 AM

George Washington warned us of men like Donald Trump

The saga of the 2016 election saw another twist during the third presidential debate as Donald Trump implied that he might not accept the results of the election. As much of the nation sat in shock after hearing a...

Oct 1, 2016, 12:56 AM

America, we need our own Shimon Peres

Shimon Peres, Israel’s last living founding father, leader of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, former President and Prime Minister, has passed away at the age of 93. For those of you who do not know who Shimon Peres was, he was a man who served...

Sep 1, 2016, 6:36 AM

Confessions of a Center-Left Democrat

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair recently lamented to POLITICO that his style of centrist politics is losing its relevancy in today’s world. "It's a very open question whether the type of politics I represent has had its day or not,"...

Aug 13, 2016, 9:42 AM

What Happens on November 9? A look at what a Clinton victory may mean for Trump and the GOP

Let's say that the current polling for the presidential race holds true on November 8, 2016. Hillary Clinton wins the Electoral College by large numbers and Donald Trump and his supporters are faced with a difficult decision; what happens...

Jul 27, 2016, 11:56 PM

Clinton’s Victory is Historic, Whether You Like Her or Not

You don’t have to agree with Hillary Clinton and her policies to appreciate the historic importance of her nomination as the Democratic nominee for president. You may argue that “what matters is what is between their ears, not between...

Jul 12, 2016, 11:18 PM

Let’s make nuance and debate cool again

I challenge you to name a more complicated and nuanced geopolitical debate than the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. A lifetime of work and study on the subject will still yield new stories, fresh traumas, and more debate. The problem is that...

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