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News -

“Fratelli Tutti”: Pope Francis and the Conflict Between Politics and Spirituality

What exactly is the role of the papacy? Ostensibly the pope is the spiritual head of the church. More realistically, we should conclude that it is a political office. Encyclicals have always functioned not only as spiritual guidance, but as political statements. I don’t question Christian values, though I prefer to think of them as universal values shared by all religions, but there is a wide gap between spiritual ideals and Church policies and practices.
Torn photo of man and woman

Lifestyles -

Mourning the Loss of Our Country’s “Mojo” in the Midst of the Covid-19 Pandemic

With everything we’ve gone through as a country-- the loss, the discord, the mistrust, the violence—finding meaning in it all is the stage that will lead us through our grief. That’s what humans do: find meaning. There’s a lot of meaning to be gained for how we understand the pandemic and its effects, both nationally and personally. The Trump presidency will pass, our country will need healing and attention. So will the relationships with our friends and family who migrated across the divide. Finding meaning is something we all have the power to do.
Vincenzo Pietropaolo

Arts -

Vincenzo Pietropaolo: Italian-Canadian Photographer Turns His Lens on Injustice

“I wanted to show two things with my camera: the things that had to be appreciated, and the things that had to be corrected. Photography reveals beauty and truth. And truth sometimes is not very pleasant. I learned about the power of the camera when I was trying to take pictures in a garment factory on Spadina Avenue in Toronto. Because the owners were afraid that the camera could witness and record something that wasn’t right—like unsafe working conditions-- they made it almost impossible for me. If I had not become a photographer I would have been a human rights lawyer.”

New York -

Confronting a Downward Spiral: Life, Loss and Sadness in NYC During Covid-19

Many of us in NYC are now beginning to wonder if our pre-pandemic life may ever return. This ‘new normal’ may become our future. It’s the waiting that has paralyzed some of us with fears of the unknown. My hopes for the future are clear, I simply want a world in which science is led by scientists, health care is an entitlement for all who live in this country, and the environment to be managed by panels of experts educated to combat global warming.

People -

Antonio Decaro: How the Mayor of Bari Bewitched the Web During the Pandemic

The Mayor of this important city in the Apulia Region of South Italy shows how the content of its communication doesn’t call for the sovereignty of the people, doesn’t attack the elite, and doesn’t hate foreigners. He merged grassroot politics with online presence. This combination has proved to be just as successful as the polarizing tweets sent out by Matteo Salvini. “We are entering a new normal,” said Roberta Bracciale, Professor of Media Sociology at the University of Pisa. A normal where populist tools have become a part of the strategy for any ambitious politician.

News -

It’s Official, Joe Biden Picks Kamala Harris, a Woman with Experience and Credibility

The idea that women could only be ridiculous as leaders has persisted for a couple of millennia and is now embedded in our culture.What happened in the past does not count, we now have the chance to elect a female vice-president and make history. This time it's serious because should Biden win the election, he will be sworn in at the ripe age of 78.  Finishing out his term he would be 82. We all wish him well, of course, but we must consider the very real possibility that this time, the vice president, whose job is normally a sinecure, could become the president.

People -

Congressman Vito Marcantonio: “Tribune of the People”. A Study in Genuine Leadership

Gerald Meyer’s classic study "Vito Marcantonio: Radical Politician, 1902-1954" is a testament to a man who defined integrity and leadership, humanity and compassion. Proud Italian American with roots in Basilicata, "Marc" was Fiorello La Guardia's strong supporter and protege. As the East Harlem Congressman, Marcantonio fearlessly denounced Wall Street greed and Truman's foreign policies that he believed drove the Cold War. Dead at a tragically young age, history has not given him his full due. Until recently, most scholars have maintained that Marcantonio's politics were anomalous to his ethnic milieu. Dr. Meyer's book proves the opposite, Marcantonio's radicalism was formed in the crucible of his Italian American experience. 

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