Hello, dearest Daily Kos Community, and welcome to the latest installment of Picks of the Week! I hope you’re having a great weekend. Thanks for all of your great writing this week. It was super hard to pare down the list, which is to say, y’all delivered an embarrassment of riches to your friendly POTW selection crew (honestly, that’s the norm). Better than the opposite of course.
The primary rages on, and we continue to eliminate any and all diaries that support or deride any given candidate. Things in POTW-land are going to get very exciting once we unite behind the Democratic nominee. This will be my first presidential election as an active member of the Orange Playground, and I’ve been thinking a lot about the myriad ways we can best support the fight as a Community and as a site writ large. Our perspectives are diverse and valuable, and even though we can’t choose stories of “why I’m Team XXX” for this particular series, they’re still fascinating to read. It’s with that in mind that I pose this week’s Community Question, which I really hope you’ll answer.
What can we, the staff of Daily Kos, do to help support, encourage, and/or improve your writing? Whether it’s a go-to cheat sheet on the editor system, a bootcamp on storytelling or sourcing, or even editorial assistance, we want to hear what tools you believe will most help you succeed! Sound off in those comments!
Without further delay, allow me to present this week’s picks!
Merchants of Death: NRA and the gun lobby know exactly what they are doing.
By Victor Klemperer Respawned
A quick journey through the NRA’s original opinions on assault weapons and the hypocrisy of their stance today.
I'm Dating While Mentally Ill: A Few Short Stories
By Eihenetu
Brutally honest and sometimes heartbreaking, this first-person journey will leave you hopeful.
Get The "Romance" Out of The "Wild West"
By anotherbarb
Despite the red hats and the rants of those who wear them, the “good ol’ days” weren’t actually that great.
The Black 14 receive a formal apology 50 years later
By ecowyoming
A 1969 civil rights protest led to over a dozen college football players being kicked off the team, completely changing the trajectory of their lives. Fifty years later, they finally got an apology, and the diary writer was there.
How to speak with someone who is suicidal
By AndyT
An extremely thoughtful and accessible how-to (and how-NOT-to) for dealing with fragile loved ones at their lowest point.
Homelessness in Los Angeles: the good, the bad, and the ugly
By liberaldad2
A great explainer that tackles misconceptions and realities of the homelessness crisis not just in the City of Angels, but nationwide.
Countering Trump's Polarization Strategy
By psychusa
The 2020 campaign is going to be a constant refrain of “us vs. them,” if Donald Trump has his way. This short diary explores the alternatives.
PA state senator forced to resign after being arrested on child porn charges
By Christian Dem in NC
Ugh. The title says it all.
The hardest part is that I never even knew her
By BoiseBlue
An emotional journey through the loss of a family member who did harm and caused heartbreak, yet still sparks positive memories.
Women demanded equality. The Army is about to give it to them……in spades.
By ksuwildkat
The Army’s “opening up” of previously men-only positions to women deserves a closer look before it’s celebrated.
Neutrality in the Commons
By pwoodford
There’s a reason the military doesn’t let CNN play in VA waiting rooms anymore.
Extreme Silence of the Media
By occupystephanie
During last summer’s brutal and seemingly endless heat wave, how much media coverage linked the temperatures to climate change? Not nearly enough.
Bam! That’s it. What do you think of this week’s list? Did I miss any gems? Let me know.
Keep on writing, folks. We’re so glad you’re here.