Recently a Florida jury awarded $145 billion to more than 300 thousand people who filed a class-action suit against four tobacco companies. How would you assess the decision? Read more...

By Cynthia Mosqueda In the past year, there has been a tremendous increase in the visibility of Latina/o musicians and artists in the mainstream media. It is a Latin boom of sorts, with social and economic effects in the United States. Read more...

By Maisha Elonai Major California newspapers covered the “wedding” of two Vermont women on July 2, but the headlines were somewhat misleading. Carolyn Conrad and Kathleen Peterson were the first of many same-sex couples to enter into a civil union on July 1 under new Vermont legislation that allows committed same-sex couples hundreds of the same legal benefits accorded to heterosexual couples. Read more...

So much for the United States being the Great Eagle of democracy. Here in Japan, many think of the United States more as the Pigeon of Conceit. Read more...

By Jon Chang I am writing in order to clear up a large omission in regards to integration, sports and the NBA. Wat Misaka was picked in the first round of the professional draft in 1947 by the New York Knicks after playing for the University of Utah, the 1944 NCAA champion team. Read more...

Clerical workers take a cue, fight for rights I commend you for your July 10 coverage of the important issue of UCLA management’s abuse of employees in the “casual” category. Read more...

Mmmm, the sounds of summer. Crickets. The ice cream man. Violent, homophobic rap lyrics. On his latest release, “The Marshall Mathers LP,” Eminem proudly raps: “I’ll stab you in the head, whether you’re a fag or les/ Or a homosex, a hermaph or a trans-a-ves/ Pants or dress/ Hate fags? Read more...