Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.
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Sufi Service Committee celebrates clothes and food drive
The Sufi Service Committee held their biggest event of the year on Friday, September 22, the annual Clothes and Food Drive. The celebration included featured speakers like Cambridge Mayor Denise Simmons and Executive Director of Somerville Homeless Coalition Mark Alston-Follansbee. Many other representatives from local organizations were also in attendance. Mo Nooraee lives by two…
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We Never Learn: Mass Carnage Reveals America’s Apathy
I watched the events unfold in Vegas last week with a deep sadness, and then utter disgust as I watched politicians and others on the left (including myself) spout off about gun control once again. I am always amazed how as Americans we react to a situation after tragedy strikes. The same thing happened with…
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Finding Laughs in Heavy Times: an Interview with Comedy Power Couple Cameron Esposito and Rhea Butcher
Photo: Left to right, Cameron Esposito and Rhea Butcher. Photo: Robyn Von Swank Cameron Esposito and Rhea Butcher have toured together for years, performing stand-up comedy all over the country. But this time around, for their “Back-to-Back” tour which hits the Wilbur Theater on November 4, things are feeling a bit different for the couple.…
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Students Urge Harvard to Honor Indigenous People, Not Columbus
A group of Native American students at Harvard University gathered on Monday and urged their colleagues to join their Indigenous People’s Day petition. This took place shortly after Harvard modified their academic calendar to list two holidays taking place on October 9: “Columbus Day”, as a federal holiday, and “Indigenous Peoples’ Day”, as a city…
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Marty Walsh and Tito Jackson meet for first debate
Mayor Marty Walsh and city councilor Tito Jackson, his challenger for the corner office, finally faced off in the first mayoral debate of the election. The overall topics were safety, economic development, education, and race and diversity. The debate was held in Hibernian Hall in Dudley Square, and the Wednesday night crowd often cheered,…
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Bill Aimed at Protecting Renters Needs Legislative Approval
Boston Mayor Marty Walsh signed The Jim Brooks Community Stabilization Act on Oct. 6, after the Boston City Council voted to pass it on Oct. 4. The bill requires landlords to notify the city whenever they serve an eviction notice, and to provide tenants with information and resources about their legal rights. Wages for middle…
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On Homelessness and Humanity
A couple of weeks ago, the executive director of the Homeless Empowerment Project, which publishes Spare Change News, read my column, “Homeless People Don’t Matter,” and it stayed with her for some time. “How did we get here?” she posted regarding the story, which was about the lenient sentencing of a security guard who assaulted…
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Boston seeks consultant in push to end youth homelessness
Mayor Walsh attends the opening of a new transitional shelter run by Bridge Over Troubled Water, an organization that helps homeless youth. On Tuesday, Oct. 10, the City of Boston announced it is searching for a consultant to assist its efforts to end youth homelessness. The new consultant will be responsible for gathering data, assessing…
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Book Review: ‘Cold City: The Early Years’
A Tor Book, published by Tom Doherty Associates, LLC, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N Y 10010 If you’ve never read a Repairman Jack novel, “Cold City: The Early Years” is the perfect place to start. Jack Moore, which isn’t his real name, dropped out of Rutgers and moved to New York City and has,…
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Bridge Over Troubled Water Opens New Transitional Home for Homeless Youth
Photo by Alejandro Ramirez On Friday Sept. 22, Bridge Over Troubled Water opened a new expansion for a transitional home in Brighton in an effort to double the amount of housing it can offer to homeless young adults in Boston. The new house offers meals, in-house counseling and employment assistance among other services. “We don’t…
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