All of my clips for The Dallas Morning News can be found here.

Opinions related to culture:

• “Mike Godwin on Godwin’s Law of Nazi Analogies in the age of Trump” For a Point Person Q&A, I discussed technology, politics, Nazis, and the media with Mike Godwin.
• “Hate? That’s the easy way out; love takes work” “Hate won’t save anyone. Hate won’t stop these situations from happening again. No, no. Hate won’t do a damn thing. That’s what love is for.”
• “Dallas Police Department was impressive before Thursday night, especially so since” “Leading up to the ambush and after it, the Dallas Police Department continues to be at its best. DPD continues to protect and serve. DPD continues to make Dallas proud.”
• “Sex toys in Austin expose the right’s hypocrisy on political correctness” “At the end of the day, fake phalluses shouldn’t be more offensive than deadly weapons.”
• “What a ‘hillbilly’ folk singer can teach us about civil dialogue in the age of polarization” “Attacking people over disagreements isn’t going to change minds, and the last thing we need is even more polarization. So let’s take Joe’s advice and embrace civil conversations.”
• “For popular rapper, an unusual calling card: sobriety” “It takes incredible courage for anyone to battle addiction, but Macklemore is especially impressive for how open he’s been about his struggles. In our society, drugs and alcohol dominate not just hip-hop, but music as a whole, from Toby Keith’s “Red Solo Cup” to Jamie Foxx’s “Blame It (On the Alcohol).” Strangely, we live in a society that seems to promote the addiction but denounce the addict.”
• “Men, don’t tolerate ‘boys being boys’” “Rape culture needs to be addressed — and men have a responsibility to do so. All of us must stop tolerating “boys being boys.” Men must stop rape.”
• “I stigmatized mental illness — until I was diagnosed”  “By talking about mental illness only when a violent rampage occurs, we’re ignoring 57.7 million Americans who suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in any given year.”
• “I knew it: Flossing has no proven medical benefits” “Your dentist can no longer string you up for not flossing because, according to a new report from The Associated Press, ‘there’s little proof that flossing works.'”
• “Upcoming Sylvia Plath film should encourage us to peek inside ‘The Bell Jar’ of depression” “Without understanding what the world looks like through the bell jar of depression, we can’t adequately address the problems of depression. I encourage anyone and everyone to read The Bell Jar for that very reason.”
• “My first summer job – deal with internship rejection” – (A version of this column also appeared in the Austin American-Statesman and The Horn) “By no means is it the experience that I wanted, but it’s an experience that everyone needs. I’ll be learning one of the most common and most important skills of all: how to deal with rejection.”
• “Sorry Dr. Dre, it’s more than just a ‘G’ thang” “Rap is self-expression. Like a good film, a good book, or, indeed, a good friend, rap can provide comfort when nothing else can.”
• “It’s OK to give up — sometimes, at least” “Sometimes giving up is important, not because something is inherently bad for you (like smoking), but because it’s not the best use of your time.”
• “As we ponder deeper questions…” “But, really, it’s the 21st century — there’s plenty to keep me busy without ever having to really question my life and its purpose.”
• “Who’s to say what’s ‘natural’?” “Really, how authentic is my life? I woke up this morning and immediately had my morning Mountain Dew to get my caffeine fix to wake me up. I then took my ADD medication to help me focus. I got home and took an Advil for my headache. Who am I to talk about what is natural?”
• “Dr. Fenves, tear down this statue” – “By proposing the removal of the Jefferson Davis statue, I am not proposing the destruction of our history. Rather, I’m proposing that we should actually confront our history and admit the atrocities of our past. We should never be afraid to attempt to erase racism — even if it’s written in stone and sculpted in bronze.”
• “Millennials are individuals and so can you” “If anything, millennials realize that it’s impossible to define an entire generation, knowing, as Oscar Wilde knew, to define is to limit. When millennials are put in a box, it does nothing but limit us.”
• “Raise your glass to sobriety” “I’m by no means advocating a Carrie Nation approach — grabbing hatchets and destroying bars. I’m not even advocating prohibiting alcohol use. If it was up to me, we’d lower the drinking age to 18 and expose the problem for what it is — a social issue, not a criminal one.”
• “Happiness tastes better than health – at least for this college freshman” “Of course, taste and nutrition aren’t always at odds, but when they are, I’d rather be happy than healthy any day. At this point in time nobody has developed a magical super food, and until they do, don’t beat yourself up over reveling in junk food every once in a while.”

GuideLive articles:

• “Dallas hip-hop primer: 3 names to know, 3 can’t-miss venues and 6 tracks to play on repeat”
• “Dallas rapper who penned ‘Black America’ comes back with new album, ‘Grateful'”
• “Macklemore’s ‘Wednesday Morning’ is a hopeful, pop-friendly protest song for Trump’s America”
• “Dallas Cowboys help Dallas rapper Dorrough become a big name — again”
• “Local comedian Aaron Aryanpur releases first album ‘In Spite Of’ chaos”
• “Dallas musician developing an album about police brutality had years worth of music stolen”

Opinions related to religion:

• “How politicians profit from stoking conflict and how we can stop it” For a Point Person Q&A, I discussed politics and faith with Michael Wear, who worked on the Obama campaign’s faith outreach in 2012 and recently wrote the book “Reclaiming Hope.”
• “The Catholic Church is kinder, but still wrong on homosexuality” “In the mean time, let’s stop praising Pope Francis as if he’s done anything for gay rights. Instead, let’s start praying that Pope Francis actually does something, anything, for the LGBT community. Because, in the end, politely supporting homophobia is still supporting homophobia.”
• “Why the Southern Baptist Convention’s repudiation of the Confederate flag is so important” “While I disagree with Dr. Moore on almost everything, and while I have serious issues with how the Bible deals with slavery, I appreciate Dr. Moore and his fellow Southern Baptists for confronting their history, for acknowledging that their house was built by unrighteousness and injustice, and for attempting to correct it.”
• “The role of religion in homophobia and a Fort Worth area pastor’s dangerous words” “In the end, we must combat homophobia regardless of where it comes from. We must hold our leaders accountable, whether they’re imams, pastors, rabbis, politicians or anyone else.”
• “See the world from a different pew” “Going to different churches will by no means solve all our problems. But the understanding, the tolerance and the brotherly love that could result from attending various houses of worship is something that everyone could use.”
• “Don’t denounce the doubters” “This Easter, honor the legacy of Doubting Thomas — whether it’s the Apostle or Jefferson or Paine — and don’t fear asking questions.”
• “Why are public schools so afraid of religion?” “In a society with ever-increasing diversity, tolerance is increasingly important. But without understanding, there can be no tolerance. No matter how much of a cliché it may be, knowledge is, indeed, power. With 12 years of English, science, history and math, is one year of religious studies too much to ask?”
• “We should value religious uncertainty more”  “We always want all the answers, and we want them now. “I don’t know” is the most blasphemous phrase in our worship of certainty.”

Opinions related to politics:

• “DOJ’s decision to phase out private prisons is progress, but not enough” “The Justice Department plans to phase out its use of private prisons, after a report concluded that they are significantly inferior to government-run prisons. That’s a significant step forward, but America has much further to go if we hope to fix our deeply flawed criminal justice system.”
• “Trump takes office and suddenly, GOP doesn’t care about wasteful spending” “If conservatives can’t uphold conservative values under a Republican president, then what’s the point of supporting the GOP at all?”
• “Why Texans shouldn’t tolerate the Electoral College” “Opposing the Electoral College has nothing to do with Clinton or Trump. It’s about the people, making sure their votes are counted, and counted equally. Back in 2012, Donald Trump tweeted ‘The electoral college is a disaster for democracy.’ And he was absolutely right.”
• “On social issues, the GOP is behind and going backward” “For a party that supposedly stands for freedom and individual responsibility, it’s paternalistic for the GOP to continue to condemn and stigmatize adults who voluntarily and autonomously participate in consensual relationships, regardless of how much you may disagree with their choices.”
• “Texas detention center is yet another stain on Obama’s immigration record” “Of course, we’ll need the support of both parties to implement a lasting fix for our immigration policies. Although Obama can’t fix these problems alone, he can stop making them worse.”
• “The GOP is dying; let’s pull the plug” “While exploiting racism has benefited many political campaigns historically, the demographics are quickly making this strategy ineffective, if not downright counterproductive — as we’re seeing with Donald Trump.” (This column also appeared in Newsday.)
• “Dallas needs to lighten up about lighting up” “Across the board, we must demand that Dallas leaders, especially the mayor, city council and police, take a reasonable, common sense approach to a relatively harmless drug. Dallas needs to sober up and put an end to our war on marijuana.”
• “Johnson-Weld should be the obvious choice for Republicans” “At face value, perhaps, it seems as if Republicans have a tough choice to make this fall. But if the GOP can put principles over party, there’s an easy choice: Governors Gary Johnson and Bill Weld.”
• “How can we address border issues? Talk to people who live there, not Donald Trump” “Perhaps, when it comes to border issues, we should listen to the people living there rather than a New Yorker who thinks eating a taco bowl counts as supporting Hispanics.”
• “GMO fear-mongering shows that anti-science attitudes aren’t limited to the right” “Whether it’s climate change or GMOs, whether it’s the left or the right, the stakes are too high for Americans to dismiss science.”
• “Trump is a drug — exhilarating, terrifying and sure to bring a hangover” “And that’s when it hits you: Trump isn’t just a drug — he’s poison.” (A version of this column also appeared in the Athens Banner-Herald.)

• “Obama was smart, but wrong, to let Republicans off the hook for Trump” “While distancing Trump from the GOP might be good politics, it’s not realistic. It’s absurd to let the Republican Party off the hook for their role in the rise of Trump.”
• “Subsidizing grocery stores won’t make Dallas healthier” “It’s hard to justify offering $3 million to billion-dollar businesses when our city doesn’t seem to have enough resources to deal with much more pressing issues, like adequately funding the Dallas Police Department, staffing animal services or filling potholes.”
• “Former KKK leader praises Trump, exploits Dallas shooting for his Senate campaign” “It’s good that Republicans rightfully dismiss Duke as “a hate-filled fraud.” But that’s not enough.”
• “Reaction quickly turns partisan after Orlando shooting” “Partisanship was quickly evident after the tragic Orlando shooting, in which 29-year-old ISIS-supporter Omar Mateen killed at least 50 people and injured dozens more at a gay nightclub — the worst mass shooting in American history.”
• “Hate and violence are problems that harsher laws won’t fix” “We can appreciate and admire that the DPD consistently goes above and beyond without instituting unequal punishment.”
• “The segregated Second Amendment: America’s long history of unequal gun rights” “The tragedy is yet another example of a problematic truth: Black Americans don’t seem to have the same gun rights as white Americans. In theory, Americans of all races have the right ‘to keep and bear Arms,’ as the Second Amendment suggests. In practice, however, the picture looks much different.”
• “Maybe the only solution is to rewrite the Second Amendment” “The Second Amendment is one of the most contentious government texts in modern history. Pro-gun activists point to the part that says “shall not be infringed.” Gun control activists point to the “well regulated Militia” part. The only thing that seems clear is that the amendment and the resulting gun laws are far from clear.”
• “Congressman not ready for Texas’ undocumented valedictorians to leave the spotlight yet” “This week, when the congressman praises Ibarra and Martinez on the floor of the House, Americans across the country should be doing the same.”

• “Libertarians are right: taxation is theft” – “Admittedly, it is a bold statement. At first, it sounds hyperbolic, inflammatory, maybe even flat-out ridiculous. But, if thoughtfully considered, I don’t think it’s inaccurate to claim that taxation, at its very roots, is theft.”
• “Readers weigh in with tale after tale of DART woe”
• “Bernie’s bad joke about mental illness” “Bernie’s zinger brought laughter and applause from Hillary Clinton and the audience, but I was neither chuckling nor clapping. In his attempt to make fun of Donald Trump and the GOP, he insulted millions of Americans who actually suffer from mental illness.”
• “It’s good to see millennials venture beyond politics as usual” “According to the Pew Research Center, half of millennials identify as independents, making us the most politically disaffiliated generation Pew has ever recorded. In other words, we’re unusually sick of politics as usual.”
• “A word to my fellow whiners” “Complaining is an act of rebellion. Complaining is an attack on the status quo. Complaining is a spark to action. Complainers are both realists and idealists at the same time; they do see the world as it is, but they judge it by how it should be.”
• “Stand up to injustice, even if you stand alone — and remember the ‘tank man’” “He didn’t overthrow the government. He didn’t defeat any armies. He didn’t find fame. But his stand was not in vain. He stood up for what he believed in, despite standing alone – and that’s what life’s all about.”

Opinions related to education:

• “The ongoing battle to educate kids about everything non-whites have given society” “To King, it seems that recognizing the contributions of anybody but “old white people” must be a racist and sexist conspiracy. King’s view is problematic in and of itself. It’s even worse, however, when that view is inflicted upon students — which brings us back to the Texas textbook.”
• “Even after Supreme Court’s support for diversity, UT still has a long way to go” “Yes, it’s helpful to see the court’s ruling on Abigail Fisher, who almost certainly wouldn’t have gotten into UT regardless of her race. But when it comes to diversity, there’s still a whole lot more that needs to be done.”
• “Campus Carry is problematic, but not dangerous” “While it’s clear that campus carry has already hurt the academic environment, it should also be noted that, despite opponents’ bold rhetoric, campus carry is unlikely to make the campus any more dangerous.”
• “Documented or not, Austin valedictorian should make Texans proud” “Summoning the spirit of Davy Crockett, the namesake of Ibarra’s high school, Mayte Lara Ibarra’s should tell her critics that they can go to hell, but she’s going to Texas.”
• “It’s time to put an end to final exams” “In the real world, we should take advantage of how many available resources exist and learn how to use them, rather than focusing on memorizing a limited amount of information. After all, life is one long open-book test, rather than a short final exam.”
• “Writing can’t be standardized” “Writing is self-expression, and like all arts, it’s more a matter of taste than of skill. Many people enjoy J.K. Rowling or John Grisham over William Shakespeare and Jonathan Swift, but that doesn’t mean you can define them as better or worse. Writing isn’t about good or bad, it’s about appealing to an audience.”
• “To read or not to read so much Shakespeare, that is the question” “Shakespeare was a brilliant writer, but not everyone can relate to his writings. Students need choices in their English classes. Once we get students to open books, we open the doors of opportunity, and most important, we open minds.”

For the Editorial Board:

• “Why Texas needs to abolish one-punch straight-ticket voting” “Texas is one of the few states that still allow voters to cast their ballots entirely based on party affiliation rather than individual candidates. One-punch straight-ticket voting may seem convenient, but the problems it ushers in far outweigh mere expedience.”
• “Houston decriminalizes pot; let’s hope Dallas is paying attention” “And the next time we talk about DPD’s police officers being overworked, its budget being spread too thin, let’s think practically about what kind of police work we’re prioritizing.”
• “Dallas is taking a RIGHT step on mental illness” “Multiple studies show the U.S. relies too heavily on our criminal justice system to deal with the public health problem of mental illness, and our criminal justice system isn’t adequately prepared for this responsibility. The city of Dallas seems to realize it too, and has taken a big step to address the issues.”
• “Texas should halt execution of a man who never killed anyone” “Supporters of the death penalty argue that it is the appropriate punishment for ‘the worst of the worst.’ It’s difficult to see how that category includes people like Wood, who did not pull the trigger nor had any intention of doing so.”
• “We cannot afford to rely on the criminal justice system for mental health care” “We rely too heavily on our criminal justice system to deal with the public health problem of mental illness, and our criminal justice system isn’t adequately prepared to handle this responsibility.”
• “Rice University takes the lead in preventing sexual assault on campus” “It’s not yet clear how effective Rice’s new class will be, but it’s unquestionably worth a try. As Rice’s undergraduate dean John Hutchinson told the Houston Chronicle, ‘If our pilot is successful, which we’re optimistic that it will be, we do think this will set the gold standard that other universities are going to want to emulate.’ We hope he’s right.”
• “For adults with autism, planned community offers much-needed optimism” “A 2015 report from the A.J. Drexel Autism Institute found that an estimated 500,000 people with autism will enter adulthood in the next 10 years. What do they face?”
• “These donations shine rays of hope into corners of Dallas darkness” “For the 17th time in its 30-year history, The Dallas Morning News Charities has raised over $1 million.”
• “What’s one thing the Texas Legislature can do to make the world a better place? Ban one-punch voting” “HB 25 won’t solve everything that’s wrong with our electoral system. But banning the one-punch will place people over labels – and all Texans should support that.”
• “Ready to volunteer from the comfort of your home?” “Volunteering online can’t supplant the in-person needs your local community has, but it can help you spread your efforts wider.”
• “What’s causing Texas’ alarming spike in women dying after childbirth?” “Texas’ maternal mortality rate in 2010 was 18.6 per 100,000 live births; that shot up to 35.8 by 2014 — a level, researchers wrote, ‘not seen in other U.S. states.'”
• “3 things Dallasites can do in January for racial unity” “In a hyper-polarized age when the president-elect rants on social media, face-to-face personal interactions are more crucial than ever, especially on important issues like race.”
• “From the Girl Scouts setting an example to a crashed Ferrari, everything that went right and wrong this week” For ‘Hits and Misses’ I wrote “Girl Scouts offer example of good citizenship,” “Sasha Obama’s castle gets a new home,” “A worthy addition to the Baseball Hall of Fame,” and “Drunk idiot crashes $385,000 Ferrari off a bridge.”
• “From a wall we can all get behind to Berkeley rioters blocking free speech, everything that went right and wrong this week” For ‘Hits and Misses’ I wrote “Synagogue, churches offer to host Muslim services after mosque burns down,” “Living the Boy Scout oath,” and “Social media is not the same as news media.”
• “McCain takes stand on torture and tasteless tweets about first family; everything that went right and wrong this week” For ‘Hits and Misses’ I wrote “The future historic downtown Garland,” “Park rangers tweet the resistance,” “Teacher’s aide duped donors about cancer diagnosis,” and “Politicians offended by unattractive women.”
• “From a walking stick that saved lives to confused politicians, everything that went right and wrong this week” For ‘Hits and Misses’ I wrote “Rep. Mike Conaway fears Mexican pop stars’ influence on election.”

• “From a decrease in drunk driving to a garbage situation in North Texas, everything that went right and wrong this week” For ‘Hits and Misses’ I wrote “Refreshing to see U.S. drunk driving drop to 13-year low” and “Recycling efforts flame out due to Plano fire.”
• “From the many Christmas givers to missteps in Austin, everything that went right and wrong this week” For ‘Hits and Misses’ I wrote “Zeke’s touchdown, charity boost are worth celebrating.”
• “From a breakup gone right to the loss of two Hollywood greats, everything that went right and wrong this week” For ‘Hits and Misses’ I wrote “A few ole country boys, with Gibson guitars” and “Canary in the U.S. Postal Service mine.”
• “From neighbors supporting hard work to stealing from kids, everything that went right and wrong this week” For ‘Hits and Misses’ I wrote “Prosecutors agree: Wrongfully convicted man is innocent” and “France decides against policing women’s clothing.”
• “From a life-saving drug to excessive prison spending, everything that went right and wrong this week” For ‘Hits and Misses’ I wrote “Kudos to CVS for joining Walgreens in offering life-saving drug” and “Texas’ rate of prison spending growth far exceeds education spending growth.”
• “From voter ID laws to misguided dental hygiene practices: Everything that went right and wrong this week” For ‘Hits and Misses’ I wrote “New Associated Press report finds no proven medical benefits of flossing” and “FAA ignored calls for greater oversight of the hot-air balloon industry two years before deadliest crash in history.”
• “From a peaceful homeless demonstration to shameful police conduct, everything that went right and wrong this week” For ‘Hits and Misses’ I wrote “J.C. Penney helping autistic customers,” “Mellowing restrictions on marijuana research” and “Al Trautwig failed to stick the landing.”

Letters to the Editor & ‘Sounding Off’:

• “Edward Snowden is hardly ‘a self-absorbed traitor'” My letter to the editor in defense of Edward Snowden.
• “Ditch the lesser-of-two-evils decision – Vote for libertarian Gary Johnson for president” “Libertarian nominee and former two-time governor of New Mexico Gary Johnson is the only candidate proposing a balanced budget, advocating the legalization of marijuana, pushing for marriage equality as a constitutional right and wanting to repeal the Patriot Act. And, unlike his opponents, he’s got the record to back it up.”
• “Dems have ceded civil liberties” My letter to the editor about how Democrats have abandoned civil liberties.
• “Reader share what parts of the president’s State of the Union address gave them hope – and heartburn” (scroll down) “Unfortunately, for a president who loves to throw around the phrase “let me be clear,” Obama sure wasn’t clear about drones.”
• “Readers’ hopes vary on Pope Francis I” (scroll down) “I hope that he embraces, or at least stops attacking, the LGBT community; I don’t think Jesus intended “Love your neighbor as yourself” to be followed by “unless they’re gay.””
• “The real violence of war is better for kids than fake video game violence?” “If we truly want bully-proof children, let’s not raise our children to be bullies. Yes, Mr. Davis, it’s that … simple.”
• “How should we remember 9/11?” (scroll down) “We need to carefully and truthfully examine terrorists’ motives in order to understand and prevent the unimaginable evil that occurred on 9/11.”
• “Prepare for life, not just college” (scroll down) “In hope of preparing us for college, schools have failed to prepare us for life.”
• “Back to school advice” (scroll down) “A bad grade isn’t the end of the world, but don’t lose sight of your long-term goals, either.”
• “Paul makes me want to vote” (scroll down) “For the first time in my life I get to vote. As an extremely passionate supporter of U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, I could give you countless reasons of why to vote for him. But really, why not Ron Paul?”
• “Should Texas legalize gambling? Readers sound off” (scroll down) “If you don’t approve of gambling, don’t gamble. But even if you don’t agree in principle that people should have the right to risk their money, you can’t deny the practical benefits of allowing it.”