The Suffering Contest
by Karen O'Mara Voytas

In a Saturday Night Live opening monologue during this election cycle, comedian Chris Rock scoffed at the idea that he would vote for Hillary Clinton, a white woman, over Barack Obama, a black man. (See http://jimbuie.blogs.com/journal/2008/01/chris-rock-on-h.html). He said the election was not a “suffering contest”, but that “even if it was, how can you even […]

The Assault on Reason: A Review of Al Gore’s Book
by Timothy Bossard
1 Comment

Change, as our current candidates keep telling us, is imminent and necessary, but so is a clear vision of the kinds of change

Choose My Poison? I Prefer None.
by Jack Straw
2 Comments

It’s amazing how much in radioactive poison emissions is considered acceptable for nuclear power plants already in operation.

Bad Sequels: 80s Cinema, Super-Villains, and Iran
by Eric Johnson
1 Comment

As we approach the 20th anniversary of the end of the Cold War it is uncanny how much we have begun to resurrect icons from the past, a past that the generation now reaching voting age is too young to have ever known

How will the next pandemic affect you?
by Louise Grim

The better prepared you are, the better able you will be to reduce the impact of these social disruptions and reduce the spread of disease until a vaccine is available.

Voices of the Elders
by Lauren Sicher
1 Comment

Legends of royal blood came about along with secret orders that were for men and women.

The Aesthetic
by Roberta Gould

Roberta Gould’s poems have appeared in literary magazines, anthologies, and web publications. She was editor of Light: A Poetry Review and co-editor of the N.Y. Poets’ Co-op Anthology. Among her books are Writing Air, Written Water , Only Rock, Not By Blood Alone, In Houses With Ladders, and Pacing the Wind. Currently, she gives readings, […]

Our Ties
by Allen Henriquez
2 Comments

Allen Henriquez, born in Brooklyn, has written many novel manuscripts, screenplays, short stories, and poems. He is also an artist and has exhibited at galleries and museums in New York City. Most recently his artworks were exhibited at ArtExpo New York 2006 (Jacob Javits Center). Married twice, he has two sons. Currently he resides in Queens, where he continues to work passionately at his crafts.

Televangelist
by Roberta Gould

Roberta Gould’s poems have appeared in literary magazines, anthologies, and web publications. She was editor of Light: A Poetry Review and co-editor of the N.Y. Poets’ Co-op Anthology. Among her books are Writing Air, Written Water ; Only Rock; Not By Blood Alone; In Houses With Ladders; and Pacing the Wind. Currently, she gives readings, teaches classes in Latin American poetry, and is involved with the Haitian People’s Support Project and other Latin American concerns.

Wire Foto
by Jack Romig

Jack Romig is no stranger to CS2 readers. As an invaluable copy editor and poetry editor, Jack also graces our pages with his excellent poetry.

GAMBIA, 1994
by John Grey

John Grey is an Australian-born poet, playwright, and musician. His latest book is
What Else Is There from Main Street Rag Publishing Co., Charlotte, N.C.. His work has appeared recently in The English Journal, The Pedestal, Pearl, and the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Mice and Men
by Allison Whittenberg

Allison Whittenberg is an author of young adult novels (Sweet Thang, Life Is Fine, Hollywood and Maine, all from Random House) but also enjoys writing for and about adults.

THE WORLD ACCORDING TO GUY
by Jack Lindeman

Literature and Presidents ever wonder about which Presidents are influenced by which writers?

CROSS CULTURE
by John Grey

John Grey is an Australian-born poet, playwright, and musician. His latest book is
What Else Is There from Main Street Rag Publishing Co., Charlotte, N.C.. His work has appeared recently in The English Journal, The Pedestal, Pearl, and the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Pillager of Live
by Serena Spinello

Serena Spinello is 26 years old and lives in New York. Her recent poems have been published in Clockwise Cat, The Houston Literary Review, Conceit Magazine, 63 Channels, Sien en Werden, The Centrifugal Eye, Cause and Effect, Mississippi Crow, Lachryma: Modern Songs of Lament, Zygote in My Coffee, Perspectives Magazine, The Flask Review, Contemporary Rhyme, Rogue Poetry Review, and The Verse Marauder.

Quotes To Ponder
by CommonSense2 Editor

America was not built by conformists, but by mutineers.

You Can’t Even Call it News
by Bob Johns

We’ve had Elephantiasis for nigh on to eight years now! My GOD: Haven’t we had enough?

What Happened To Liberal Christianity?
by Chuck Brown

The silence of liberal Christianity in the world today abandons the field to strident, single-minded fundamentalists. In our round table discussion, progressives of faith consider how Christians who are not right-wing extremists can regain their voice.

ELVIRA
by Jack Lindeman

“For the past
three days she had done virtually nothing but sit on the
edge of the couch-bed and stare at the blank walls while
listening to the rattle of the glass in the windows until it
seemed to come from a pair of drums beating a tattoo prelude
to her own execution.” Jack Lindeman, who’s poetry we have been privileged to publish in CS2 each month, turns his formidable talent to the art of the short story in Elvira.

Dave Kessler: Accenting The “Con” in Conservative
by Chuck Brown
12 Comments

The best cons are those in which the mark never realizes he’s been conned.