It's time to legalize jaywalking

The MoJo Daily newsletter, Monday through Friday. [View in browser]( [Mother Jones Daily Newsletter](     February 7, 2023 If you walk in an American city, you probably jaywalk. And, in many places, you could be slapped with a hefty fine if a police officer decides to enforce a ban on this common pedestrian behavior. When my city of Denver decriminalized jaywalking last week, I started looking into how crossing the street came to be a crime in the first place—and who it most often affects. Just over 100 years ago, pedestrians dominated American streets, and cars were forced to drive slowly and avoid them. Thanks to a concerted campaign by automotive interests, the term "jaywalker" became an insult for those who walked in the streets. Prohibitions—and policing along racial and economic lines—followed. It might be annoying when you're driving along and someone darts out into the road, or when throngs of pedestrians make it next to impossible to move your car, but I hope [this backstory]( on why we relegate pedestrians to sidewalks, and how we punish those who don't comply, will encourage you to be a little more patient behind the wheel—or a little more confident when traveling by foot. —Abigail Weinberg Advertisement [Domini Impact Investments]( [Top Story] [Top Story]( [Legalize Jaywalking!]( Bans hurt poor people and people of color. Cities and states are catching on. BY ABIGAIL WEINBERG SPONSORED CONTENT THE NATION   Visit Cuba: Havana to Viñales: April 15 – 22, 2023 Join fellow progressive travelers and long-time Nation contributor Peter Kornbluh in Cuba this spring. Experience the unique beauty, complex politics, and unmatched energy of Havana plus the dramatic landscape of the Viñales valley. Extend your stay in Cuba and also visit the beautiful colonial city of Trinidad. Use code “MOJO” to save $300 per person. [Learn more here.]( [Trending] [The allegations against one of soccer’s richest clubs tell the story of the sport's Gilded Age]( BY TIM MURPHY   [Senate Democrats are taking companies to task over invasive workplace surveillance]( BY RUQAIYAH ZAROOK   [Relax, New Yorkers. No one is coming for your gas stove.]( BY MAGGIE DUFFY   [For one small town, "forever chemicals" are a nightmare that won't end]( BY JOHN MCCRACKEN Advertisement [Domini Impact Investments]( [Special Feature] [Special Feature]( [How a wayward teen lost his life in the Phoenix heat]( Unhoused, addicted, and in crisis, Caleb Blair “didn’t need handcuffs—he needed help.” BY NINA LAKHANI [Fiercely Independent] Support from readers allows Mother Jones to do journalism that doesn't just follow the pack. [Donate]( Did you enjoy this newsletter? Help us out by [forwarding]( it to a friend or sharing it on [Facebook]( and [Twitter](. [Mother Jones]( [Donate]( [Donate Monthly]( [Subscribe]( This message was sent to {EMAIL}. To change the messages you receive from us, you can [edit your email preferences]( or [unsubscribe from all mailings.]( For advertising opportunities see our online [media kit.]( Were you forwarded this email? [Sign up for Mother Jones' newsletters today.]( [www.MotherJones.com]( PO Box 8539, Big Sandy, TX 75755