The Lawrence Times runs opinion columns written by community members with varying perspectives on local issues. Occasionally, we’ll also pick up columns from other nearby news outlets. These pieces do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Times staff.
The Lawrence Times does not publish staff editorials (unsigned opinion columns, usually about the topics we cover, that many news publications run).
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OPINION COLUMNS
Fally Afani/Contributed
LarryvilleLife: Free State Festival 2021 preview — Let’s all go to the movies
Let’s take a brief look at each evening’s film along with a few other short statements submitted by Free State Festival participants.
Kimberly Lopez: One step forward, stinging steps back — using dating apps when you’re nonbinary (Column)
“You open the app and you’re pleasantly surprised that you’re able to identify as nonbinary, only to immediately be misgendered in the next step by being forced to be perceived as either a man or a woman to others,” Kimberly Lopez writes.
Matthew Herbert: 4 reasons why city commission districts are a bad idea for Lawrence (Column)
“I believe districts are a bad idea for these 4 reasons: Accountability; issue focus; voter turnout; candidate turnout,” Matthew Herbert writes.
Dot Nary: ‘Special needs?’ Nope, call me ‘disabled!’ (Column)
“I regard my needs as typical, not ‘special,’ and I prefer the term ‘disabled.’ This is the term favored by most disability activists who are involved in a civil rights movement and who are working to create a world where everyone with any type of disability is respected, accommodated, and can participate,” Dot Nary writes.
Audio Astra: Kansans taking down Asian stereotypes, training cybersecurity specialists (Column)
“It’s been an incredibly rich week for audio reporting in Kansas,” Eric Thomas writes.
Noah Taborda/Kansas Reflector
Mark McCormick: What the Kansas attorney general needs to know about critical race theory (Column)
The Kansas Reflector welcomes opinion pieces from writers who share our goal of widening the […]
Kimberly Lopez: On pronouns and perfunctory trans allyship (Column)
“It might start out as a minor annoyance, but after a while, whether those moments of misgendering come from a place of malice or not, it hurts,” Kimberly Lopez writes.
Erin-Queen Spiridigliozzi
LarryvilleLife: Lawrence musicians discuss getting back onstage after a year away (Column)
For this piece, LarryvilleLife reached out to six friends in local bands to see how they are feeling about returning to the stage this summer. A few of them have recent shows under their belts and a few are poised to re-emerge in the coming weeks and months. Here’s what they had to say.
Ask Cody: Lessons learned, Lawrence, and still no action or change; what will it take? (Column)
“What does it look like if you believe Black trans folks the first time? Why do you need to be convinced that anti-Black racism and transphobia exist?” Cody writes.
Marlo Angell: Where is city funding for arts and culture? (Column)
“I strongly believe that the mission of the Lawrence Cultural Arts Commission should not be tied to tourism dollars,” Marlo Angell writes.
Paul Samberg: Kansas lawmakers should just go ahead and legalize recreational use of marijuana (Column)
The Kansas Reflector welcomes opinion pieces from writers who share our goal of widening the […]
LarryvilleLife/@larryvillelife
LarryvilleLife heads back to the movies (Column)
“A raging pandemic that turned moviegoing into one of the supposedly more dangerous activities really cramped my style,” LarryvilleLife writes.
Courtesy of Syed Jamal
Syed Jamal: Islamic Center of Lawrence honors Ramadan traditions (Column)
“Drawing upon its rich tradition of volunteerism and civic engagement, the Islamic community of Lawrence stands ready to work with its neighbors to make positive contributions to the development of Lawrence and to world peace,” Syed Jamal writes.
Ask Cody: Are your articles only for People of Color? (Column)
“When I answer questions, I attempt to center the most marginalized people — that way the answer applies to everyone, not just white folks,” Cody writes.
Nate Morsches: Businesses can and must be part of the solution to the mental health crisis (Column)
“We as businesses, having access to resources and network connections, must do our part to reach a collective solution to the rapid increase in mental illness,” Nate Morsches writes.
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