Democracies have one fundamental feature that transcends nationalities and cultures. Every citizen has the right to vote. As I began to learn more about the political process and the system of this country of my naturalized citizenship, some simple truths began to dawn upon me. Disenfranchisement of the American citizenry…

It is commendable that the progressive wing of the Democratic party has resisted the “bait-and-switch” proposal of voting on the infrastructure plan first. The progressives did not blink or get hoodwinked by the old, insincere, and debunked worries about the risks of deficit spending put forward by the corporate wing…

A poem revisited: Part 1 of this work was written sometime in October 2001, when one of the narratives was to save the Afghan women. Part 2 was written last month when US troops began to pull out. Part 1 (2001) Where were you, my friend? They turned my soul into stone They…

When days became weeks and weeks became months, You realize it is just more than a year you have lost; Lives too many to count, souls too many to cry for, Milestones missed, parties forgotten, relationships broken, Childhood hastened, cradles unused, and lives uprooted; Last goodbyes forsaken, promises broken, generations…

As expected, the first bipartisan talks to upgrade the crumbling infrastructure of our nation failed. Apparently, there was a sudden awareness about deficits and over-spending by the born-again fiscal conservatives on the minority side even after they pushed through a trillion-dollar-plus tax-cut gift for the wealthiest Americans and corporations less…

Foreword: In memory of my father who made me understand the purpose of life long after his death. V-E-N-K-A-T-A-C-H-A-L-A-M, yep that is my last name. It is indeed a mouthful with thirteen alphabets and it gets tougher when you start spelling it. I usually end up breathless or missing a…

Racism is alive and well. It would require fundamental and structural changes to be uprooted from this country of immigrants. This essay would allow you to identify distinct types of racist and racist behaviors and help you avoid them or call them out when needed. I would also like to…

When I came to this country in 1990, one of the things that stood out was the limited number of colors people chose for their outfits. Having come from India, where there was color everywhere-in the clothes people wore whether it was casual, formal, or sleepwear; color in the food…