April is a time to focus on ways families âalong with professionals from realms including law, education, and social servicesâ can prevent harm to children year-round.
Josiah H. Brown
Posted inCT Viewpoints
The mentoring circle: Supportive relationships across generations
January is Mentoring Month, January 17 International Mentoring Day â with the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday a day of service.Â
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October: A time to think about domestic violence and substance abuse
The âSound of Hopeâ is a New Haven-area tradition, to remember those lost to domestic violence and reaffirm a commitment to a better future. This year, the Sound of Hope is online, October 7.
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Even at moment of social distancing, itâs ‘Volunteer Month’ and ‘Child Abuse Prevention Month’
While April is officially âVolunteer Month,â itâs always timely to recognize those who give their hours, skills, and thoughts to serve others. Whether mentors or tutors, helping in hospitals or disaster relief, volunteers assist those of all ages and bring us together.
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A Thanksgiving hope for children
November is National Adoption Month. Amid the opioid epidemic, with the number of Connecticut children in foster care increasing past 4,300 (after having earlier dropped below 4,000)â and with the total number of children under the juvenile courtâs jurisdiction due to abuse or neglect exceeding 10,000 per yearâ letâs consider ways to help these young people secure safe, permanent homes.
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An easy way to help: Give blood
âEmergency need for blood,â the ads proclaim. They have appeared widely on websites and social media recently, including across Connecticut. The normal five-day supply is reportedly down to a couple of days. If your health and other circumstances allow, please consider helping to meet this need for volunteer blood donors. Only three of 100 Americans currently give blood, indicating a great opportunity to increase the numbersâand the blood supplyâaccordingly.
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‘Summer Learning Day’ represents opportunities, gaps
âSummer Learning Dayâ on July 12 is a symbol of how much young people can learn outside of school âand of how those learning occasions can contribute to opportunity gaps.  âGapâ is actually an understatement.  There are opportunity gulfs, reflecting wider inequalities in this new âgilded age.â
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A century later, America’s values are betrayed again: A new ‘Asiatic Barred Zone’
History echoes in the Trump administrationâs ban on travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries. Our nation of immigrants has withstood periodic spasms of xenophobia â including creation of the âAsiatic Barred Zoneâ 100 years ago today. We must recall these errors to endure this era, too.
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The U.S. and Connecticut should do our share to welcome refugees
I reject Dale Dauphinais’ anti-refugee alarmism. If sometimes hard to quantify, the benefits the U.S. and Connecticut derive from accepting a moderate number of refugees exceed the costs.
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A Connecticut father reflects on reproductive choice
I had an abortion. Well, not exactly. But in supporting my then-girlfriend in her decision to end her pregnancy â using mifepristone and misoprostol, which make possible a âmedical abortionâ â I shared responsibility and the relief this option brought us. Men are free-riders, insulated from criticism of abortion. Men are also among the most vocal critics, denouncing women for controlling their own bodies. Yet men, too, benefit from choice â from womenâs ability to decide whether to carry a pregnancy to term.
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Basketball is enough. UConn should de-emphasize football, sharpen academic focus
A lifelong UConn Husky basketball fan and taxpayer argues that the since the University of Connecticut’s major football aspirations don’t seem to be panning out, it might make better sense to back down, rejoin the Big East and direct the financial savings toward strengthening the academic programs.
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Op-Ed: Interfaith efforts teach tolerance, both global and local
Conscientious people in Connecticut and elsewhere– from the Ahmadiyya to the Anti-Defamation League, from the Latino-Jewish Dialogue to the Jewish-Muslim Community Dialogue and the Interfaith Youth Core — are working to advance understanding and peace. Letâs join them, or launch our own such endeavors â individually and institutionally.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
Op-Ed: Interfaith efforts teach tolerance, both global and local
Conscientious people in Connecticut and elsewhere– from the Ahmadiyya to the Anti-Defamation League, from the Latino-Jewish Dialogue to the Jewish-Muslim Community Dialogue and the Interfaith Youth Core — are working to advance understanding and peace. Letâs join them, or launch our own such endeavors â individually and institutionally.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
Op-ed: How Holi(days) can promote unity
The approach of the Hindu festival Holi suggests ways that — in the U.S. as in India — holidays can bring people together across religions and cultures.
Posted inNews
History, civics and balancing ‘STEM’
September marked 50 years since the terrorist firebombing of a Birmingham church killed four girls. Summer saw the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg and 50th anniversary of the March on Washington. November marks 75 years since Kristallnacht and 50 since President Kennedyâs assassination; December, 100 years of the Federal Reserve. Studying history, we can recognize context, sharpen thinking and learn humility. We can inspire and caution young people. History can contribute to citizenship, to reading and writing skills.