The Latest Stories from Walter Rhein

We need mature, responsible discussions not hysterical, self-righteous ignorance — Every time I write an article that asserts abortion is a normal part of reproductive healthcare, I get the same response. “Abortion is murder!” I can imagine the type of person who would write such a spiteful and ignorant comment. It’s probably a middle-aged man sitting at home in a…

I can’t believe that real human beings actually think some of the things that turn up as responses to my articles — I first realized something was wrong after an inopportune systems update. Everybody’s had this experience right? You sit down to do some work. You’ve got an urgent deadline approaching. You have just enough time to finish your task… But then the dreaded “system update” flashes across your screen. You scream…

Radical justices are defying constitutional precedent and ignoring the will of the people — The Supreme Court has been tossing out insane decisions like Halloween candy. The ramifications of these decisions will be devastating. They are going to make life worse for 90% of all Americans. The oligarchs will be fine of course. The oligarchs are always fine. We’re in the midst of a…

This was never about babies, it was always about oppression and control — Lawyers don’t think like the rest of us. I’m not a lawyer, but my dad is. Growing up, every time I wanted to go on a bike ride with my friends I had to present my justifications in the form of a legal argument. The friends who witnessed these exchanges…

Repealing Roe v. Wade is an assault on all our freedoms, not just a woman’s right to reproductive health care — This is wrong. This is the wrong choice. We all knew it was coming, and yet it landed like a gut punch. The Supreme Court has three ultra-conservative justices that were appointed by a president who is under investigation for trying to overthrow a legitimate election. Yet, they get to…

Every white citizen is conditioned to be a racist because that’s the default thinking of our society — I remember being gripped by absolute, paralyzing terror on my first day of school. I have no idea why I felt that. All my life, I’d just assumed there was something wrong with me. It’s only now, closing in on 50 years of age, that I’ve begun to suspect something…

If you arrest the violent white supremacists, the violence and destruction of property goes away — A lot of insurrectionist apologists attempt to deflect from the January 6th attack on our Capitol by pointing to the summer protests of 2020. This tactic is intellectually dishonest for a number of reasons. For one thing, the January 6th insurrection is a specific event. When people use language to…

The tools mean nothing if you have to sacrifice all your time to get them — One of the great benefits of talking with young people is that they can blindside you with really honest and important questions. A few years ago a reporter from the college paper interviewed me about my most recent book release. During the interview, she asked, “Do you think college is…

Refusing to break the law isn’t “heroic,” it’s the basic expectation of an elected official — The January 6th committee continues to reveal information about one of the darkest days in American history. The insurrection that took place at the Capitol was a lawless and violent act that was allegedly designed to overturn the election. The events of the day hinged on whether or not Mike…