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Response to Sen. Ernst

I am writing in response to “California wants to ban our bacon? Not on my watch” from April 21. Fortunately, there are certainly ways that farming conditions, and even the types of farms, can be transformed without removing the long-term livelihood and economic success of current meat farmers. I am an International Animal Welfare, Ethics and Law student and a year-round volunteer and leader in various animal welfare organizations, all of which has included extensive time spent with farmed animal species, including pigs, cows, horses, sheep, goats, chickens, ducks and more. I have ...

The fear campaign

I had a nightmare last night that ICE was putting my neighbors into a van. Not that it should matter, but these particular neighbors are white US citizens. When I went to confront their captors, they asked if I would answer some questions and if I would get into their van to answer them. When I refused, they began searching my home. Say what you will about my subconscious, at least it’s neighborly. Based on some rhetoric, the fear that inspired this nightmare is unfounded. Those who have nothing to hide, they say, have nothing to fear. People here legally need not be worried. If I ...

Day of Prayer event blurs church/state lines with Honor Guard appearance

What message does it send to the public when a group of military veterans in uniform takes part in a religious event that has nothing to do with military service? That’s the fair question many of us are asking after seeing the Marshall County Prayer Task Force post photos of an honor guard participating in this year’s National Day of Prayer event in Marshalltown. First, let’s not pretend this so-called “holiday” was about faith. It amounts to 1950s Red Scare political theater, an attempt to prove America wasn’t communist by becoming more theocratic. It laid the groundwork ...

Impact of tariffs

During the 2024 campaign for president, we heard many promises and many lies. One of those issues was the economy. It was painted by Trump as being terrible and only he could fix it on day one. If you believed that, let’s take a look at how the economy is today. The GDP decreased at a 0.3% annualized rate last quarter according to the Commerce Department. The U.S. economy contracted in the 1st quarter as a result of the disruptive nature of Trump’s tariff policy creating chaos for businesses trying to figure out how to function. Yesterday my husband and I were at a restaurant that ...

Laws of a nation

The other day I read that the Taliban, the extreme political right group in Afghanistan that our President calls terrorists, is now strictly enforcing the following: abortion is banned, gay marriage is outlawed, science and vaccines are rejected, church and the state are no longer separated, and religion (only theirs) is taught in schools. Gee, doesn’t that sound familiar?

Protect property rights from eminent domain abuse

As an Iowa landowner, for four years I’ve watched the Iowa House advance multiple bills regarding property rights protection from hazardous carbon pipelines to the Iowa Senate, where they are ignored. Thank you, Representatives Joshua Meggers and Dean Fisher, for joining the Republican Legislator Intervenors for Justice, a group united to protect landowners from eminent domain. Senators Annette Sweeney and Kara Warme have not chosen to join this group. Every attempt for a property rights bill in the Iowa Senate in 2022, 2023 and 2024 was directed by Senate President Amy Sinclair to the ...