Latest Stories

Most recently published stories in The Swamp.

On Poverty and Dignified Exits
"I don't understand the point of living in a capitalist society if the people aren't happy. And you know, I'm old I remember a time when you didn't have to work all of the time to make ends meet, just to pay the rent and get by..."
By Danielle Dragani8 years ago in The Swamp
Jean-Michel Basquiat and Neo-Expressionism: A Critique of the New York City Police Department
It was a mild summer night on September 15, 1983 when popular graffiti artist, Michael Stewart, was headed home and was confronted by a group of police officers after tagging a wall. New York City had been getting “tough on crime” in the 1980s and the emergence of street art and its rising popularity only served to heighten tensions between the artists and police. The details of what transpired on that night remain unknown due to unprofessional police reporting. However, eyewitness testimony stated that the New York City Police Department unlawfully attacked Michael Stewart, eventually hospitalizing and causing the death of the young artist. The exact cause of his death was highly contested, as both medical examination and autopsy reports changed; even the trial itself was shrouded in doubts as some claimed perjury on the part of the NYPD. Nothing about the proceedings of the night or Stewart’s death added up, but further inquiry suggested that his death was the result of asphyxiation due to a chokehold. When news of his death circulated through the art world, many were devastated by the loss, but fellow artist Jean-Michel Basquiat took it extremely hard. Basquiat’s friend and other famous New York artist, Keith Haring, stated “It was like it could have been him. It showed him how vulnerable he was.” Basquiat went on to create one of his most famous and haunting paintings later that year called "Defacement (The Death of Michael Stewart)" (1983) in honor of the late artist.
By Kristen F8 years ago in The Swamp
Best Political Comedy Movies to Keep Your Mind Off Politics
Political satires are some the most poignant and blunt of all artistic endeavors that which seem to make fun of the natural order. Without political comedies, like the beloved Saturday Night Live skits and MAD Magazine spoofs, how could we truly express ourselves in the light of our own democracy? As such, we can look to some of our most talented individuals for their satirical insights and comedic slapsticks pertaining to the governance of our own country.
By Donald Gray8 years ago in The Swamp
Funding Public Health Care Provision
Funding public health care, a world wide problem. Only the most draconian dictatorships decide to not provide some sort of public health care, funded at least partly by the state.
By Peter Rose8 years ago in The Swamp
Stop the Violence
Today, we live in a world where mental health and gun violence are the norm. Unfortunately, as of March 5th, 2018, there have been 19 school related shootings resulting in countless lives lost. Psychopathic behavior of copycat serial killers using AR-15s for premeditated murder and the dilemma of the individuals' 2nd Amendment to purchase guns. Unfortunately, “We the People” voted qualified representatives into Congress to protect children and adults, yet casualties do not meet the gun control standards. My heart pours out to the families begging for help while individuals in charge wait for the next incident to occur to act. How many people must be buried before it becomes a state of an emergency? America is in a crisis in the crimes against kids at schools. Urban community deaths are rising, and criminal offense acts, too.
By Charlene Ellison8 years ago in The Swamp
Equality Does Not Exist
In the last couple of years, equality has been the center of debates and discussion in politics, society, the workplace or just within our personal conversations. Gender equality especially, has definitely been one of the major topic within the equality discussion. However, equality does not exist because there is so much more to it.
By Aki Koizumi8 years ago in The Swamp
Immigrant: What's in a Name
Immigrants and immigration are no doubt the hottest buttons in political debates recently. On March 5th, 2018, many Dreamers, AKA DACA recipients, marched on DC demanding a resolution to the DACA deal. March 5th was the deadline, but so far, no final bipartisan agreement has been reached. So the Dreamers made their voice known.
By Lourdes Josephina Vitas8 years ago in The Swamp
The Importance of Nuance in Political Debate
Two things where opinion has gotten ridiculously polarized and any attempt at nuance will get your head bitten off, especially in the U.S.: Russia and Israel.
By K S8 years ago in The Swamp
Guns
Guns: When it comes to guns, we are stubborn, selfish, and foolish with the direction and mindset most of us to have on gun control. Most of the actions and opinions of these politicians and gun nuts have bewildered me and highlight the corruption and stupidity of our society. I wonder if there was a time when it didn't take a tragedy or a few kids getting shot to care about one another. How is it that when you're the age of 18, you are old enough to buy an AR-15—an assault rifle which was created to make it easier to slaughter humans—but be too young to buy a Bud Light.
By Pappa Plant8 years ago in The Swamp
Mental Health and Firearms
On December 14th, 2012, Adam Lanza committed the second most lethal mass shooting in American History. After killing his own mother and then twenty-six adults and children at the local elementary school, America was left with the burning question of not only why this happened, but how it could have been prevented(1). Lanza was clearly mentally ill, and it played a major role in him committing this atrocity. It did not take New York State’s Governor, Andrew Cuomo, and the State Senate and Assembly long to respond to this tragedy. On January 15th, 2013, the New York Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement Act, or SAFE Act, was signed into law(2). The SAFE Act has many different components, but one section that has bothered both Second Amendment supporters and mental health professionals is that regarding mental hygiene. Specifically, section 9.46. This section requires that a mental health professional file a report to the local director of community services if he or she feels that the patient is, “’likely to engage in conduct that would result in serious harm to self or others(3).’” While this sounds reasonable and productive in preventing future tragedies like Newtown, this law is deeply flawed when it comes to mental health.
By Evan Brady8 years ago in The Swamp
Gun Control Debate
The gun debate has two sides, one being gun control, the other being those who want to maintain the access to guns and change nothing. However, in my opinion as a former crisis interventionist, a lot of these situations stem from an inability to resolve conflict.
By L R8 years ago in The Swamp
Nazis and White Supremacists in the Mainstream
Since Donald Trump has been elected president, the hate groups seem to come out of the woodwork. The Klu Klux Klan and the neo-Nazis have been showing up to what should be peaceful rallies and causing harm and agitating crowds. They have been actively recruiting online, although a lot of them have went on the dark web, in order to remain hidden.
By James Howell8 years ago in The Swamp