Opinion Today: U.S. employers are exploiting children

Twelve-year-olds are not the answer to the labor shortage — and they must be protected. [View in browser](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRmBq7kP4QoAWh0dHBzOi8vbWVzc2FnaW5nLWN1c3RvbS1uZXdzbGV0dGVycy5ueXRpbWVzLmNvbS90ZW1wbGF0ZS9vYWt2Mj9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD0zOSZlbWM9ZWRpdF90eV8yMDIzMDMyOSZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD04ODg5OSZubD1vcGluaW9uLXRvZGF5JnByb2R1Y3RDb2RlPVRZJnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD0xMjkwMzAmdGU9MSZ1cmk9bnl0JTNBJTJGJTJGbmV3c2xldHRlciUyRmI3ZTdmODNkLWE5NDItNWU0OS04ZTY3LTRjYzY0MDg3NzA4ZSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmQh5CkkZNGyZLFSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~)|[nytimes.com](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRmBq7kP0SwaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTM5JmVtYz1lZGl0X3R5XzIwMjMwMzI5Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTg4ODk5Jm5sPW9waW5pb24tdG9kYXkmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTEyOTAzMCZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDdXA255dEIKZCHkKSRk0bJksVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA)[Continue reading the main story](#a11y-skip-ad-marquee) [Marquee Ad](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRmBq7kP0SYaHR0cHM6Ly9saXZlaW50ZW50Lm5ld3lvcmt0aW1lc2luZm8uY29tL2NsaWNrP3M9MTYyMTM5JmxpPVRZJm09YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDcmcD1UWV8yMDIzMDMyOSZ0ZT0xJm5sPW9waW5pb24tdG9kYXkmZW1jPWVkaXRfdHlfMjAyMzAzMjlXA255dEIKZCHkKSRk0bJksVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA) [Read more from Opinion](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRmBq7kP0S_aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vc2VjdGlvbi9vcGluaW9uP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTM5JmVtYz1lZGl0X3R5XzIwMjMwMzI5Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTg4ODk5Jm5sPW9waW5pb24tdG9kYXkmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTEyOTAzMCZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDdXA255dEIKZCHkKSRk0bJksVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA) March 29, 2023 By Chris Conway Senior Staff Editor, Opinion Being a kid today isn’t what it used to be, and if you’re a kid, that generally seems to be a good thing. Especially when it comes to working. Around the turn of the 20th century, children as young as 10, and sometimes younger, were working — in dangerous settings like factories and mines, on farms and in home businesses, according to [a history of child labor](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRmBq7kP0T4aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYmxzLmdvdi9vcHViL21sci8yMDE3L2FydGljbGUvaGlzdG9yeS1vZi1jaGlsZC1sYWJvci1pbi10aGUtdW5pdGVkLXN0YXRlcy1wYXJ0LTEuaHRtP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTM5JmVtYz1lZGl0X3R5XzIwMjMwMzI5Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTg4ODk5Jm5sPW9waW5pb24tdG9kYXkmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTEyOTAzMCZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDdXA255dEIKZCHkKSRk0bJksVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA) by Michael Schuman, which was published in the Monthly Labor Review in 2017. Deaths and injuries were not uncommon, and some children were kept out of the classroom in favor of the factory or mill floor. Fixing this problem proved difficult because states, especially in the South, resisted. But hard-won reforms at the federal and state levels slowly changed the picture. The employment of young children was outlawed. And at least as of 2017, as Schuman [noted](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRmBq7kP4QMAWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJscy5nb3Yvb3B1Yi9tbHIvMjAxNy9hcnRpY2xlL2hpc3Rvcnktb2YtY2hpbGQtbGFib3ItaW4tdGhlLXVuaXRlZC1zdGF0ZXMtcGFydC0yLXRoZS1yZWZvcm0tbW92ZW1lbnQuaHRtP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTM5JmVtYz1lZGl0X3R5XzIwMjMwMzI5Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTg4ODk5Jm5sPW9waW5pb24tdG9kYXkmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTEyOTAzMCZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDdXA255dEIKZCHkKSRk0bJksVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA), children were “seldom found in the manufacturing and mill operations that gave rise to the movement against child labor.” But the clock may be turning back. As The Times’s [editorial board](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRmBq7kP0TnaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMy8wMy8yNC9vcGluaW9uL2VkaXRvcmlhbHMvYXJrYW5zYXMtY2hpbGQtbGFib3IuaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD0zOSZlbWM9ZWRpdF90eV8yMDIzMDMyOSZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD04ODg5OSZubD1vcGluaW9uLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD0xMjkwMzAmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmQh5CkkZNGyZLFSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) pointed out last week, Arkansas recently enacted legislation that would make it easier for companies to put younger children to work, and bills have been proposed in at least nine other state legislatures that “would expand work hours for children, lift restrictions on hazardous occupations, allow them to work in locations that serve alcohol, or lower the state minimum wage for minors.” And as Terri Gerstein, a labor law expert, noted in a [guest essay](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRmBq7kP0TYaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMy8wMy8yNy9vcGluaW9uL2NoaWxkLWxhYm9yLWxhd3MuaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD0zOSZlbWM9ZWRpdF90eV8yMDIzMDMyOSZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD04ODg5OSZubD1vcGluaW9uLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD0xMjkwMzAmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmQh5CkkZNGyZLFSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) this week, these “enacted and potential rollbacks are happening just when the country is experiencing a surge of child labor violations on a scale and of a type that we hadn’t heard about for many years.” [Continue reading the main story](#a11y-skip-universal-0) ADVERTISEMENT [Ad](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRmBq7kP0SXaHR0cHM6Ly9saXZlaW50ZW50Lm5ld3lvcmt0aW1lc2luZm8uY29tL2NsaWNrP3M9NTk3ODUmbGk9VFkmbT1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkNyZwPVRZXzIwMjMwMzI5JnRlPTEmbmw9b3Bpbmlvbi10b2RheSZlbWM9ZWRpdF90eV8yMDIzMDMyOVcDbnl0QgpkIeQpJGTRsmSxUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) We are hearing about them in part because of recent reporting by [The Times](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRmBq7kP0TzaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMy8wMi8yNS91cy91bmFjY29tcGFuaWVkLW1pZ3JhbnQtY2hpbGQtd29ya2Vycy1leHBsb2l0YXRpb24uaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD0zOSZlbWM9ZWRpdF90eV8yMDIzMDMyOSZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD04ODg5OSZubD1vcGluaW9uLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD0xMjkwMzAmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmQh5CkkZNGyZLFSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) and [Reuters](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRmBq7kP0TWaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cucmV1dGVycy5jb20vaW52ZXN0aWdhdGVzL3NlY3Rpb24vdW5kZXJhZ2Utd29ya2Vycy8_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9MzkmZW1jPWVkaXRfdHlfMjAyMzAzMjkmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9ODg4OTkmbmw9b3Bpbmlvbi10b2RheSZyZWdpX2lkPTc3Njc0OTUyJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9MTI5MDMwJnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkN1cDbnl0QgpkIeQpJGTRsmSxUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) revealing migrant children as young as 12 working at car factories, meat processing plants and construction sites. The U.S. Labor Department said last month that it saw a [69 percent](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRmBq7kP0TPaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZG9sLmdvdi9uZXdzcm9vbS9yZWxlYXNlcy9vc2VjL29zZWMyMDIzMDIyNz9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD0zOSZlbWM9ZWRpdF90eV8yMDIzMDMyOSZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD04ODg5OSZubD1vcGluaW9uLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD0xMjkwMzAmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmQh5CkkZNGyZLFSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) increase in children being employed illegally since 2018. Why is this happening? Gerstein explains: “Facing a labor shortage that could have been avoided, it appears that some business interests and lawmakers would prefer to expand the pool of exploitable workers to vulnerable children rather than improve working conditions to attract age-appropriate employees.” So what’s to be done? We need better enforcement of labor laws, for one thing. And, as the editorial argues, “comprehensive immigration reform would be the best insurance that migrant children have the protections they need.” What Our Readers Are Saying People fought and died to end the kind of child labor that my grandmother experienced as an 11-year-old immigrant working in the textile mills of Fall River, Mass. I always thought that we could at least agree that this period was forever behind us. — [Jo, Evanston, Ill.](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRmBq7kP0TAaHR0cHM6Ly9ueXRpLm1zLzNab2lwYnA_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9MzkmZW1jPWVkaXRfdHlfMjAyMzAzMjkmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9ODg4OTkmbmw9b3Bpbmlvbi10b2RheSZyZWdpX2lkPTc3Njc0OTUyJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9MTI5MDMwJnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkNyNwZXJtaWQ9MTIzOTk0MTIzVwNueXRCCmQh5CkkZNGyZLFSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) Right now there is low unemployment and a shortage of workers. When the inevitable business cycle changes this in the future, we will see businesses electing to hire lower paid, more exploitable 14-year-olds over unemployed adults. This is a horrific step backward. — [MC, Maryland](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRmBq7kP0TAaHR0cHM6Ly9ueXRpLm1zLzNsUmpzNmM_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9MzkmZW1jPWVkaXRfdHlfMjAyMzAzMjkmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9ODg4OTkmbmw9b3Bpbmlvbi10b2RheSZyZWdpX2lkPTc3Njc0OTUyJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9MTI5MDMwJnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkNyNwZXJtaWQ9MTIzOTkzNjgzVwNueXRCCmQh5CkkZNGyZLFSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) My head is spinning. I was just reading about a kid being grounded in her megamansion for trying to charter a helicopter with Daddy’s plastic, and now I’m reading about kids working long hours in dangerous conditions for minimal pay. All these kids live in the same country, and it isn’t Dickensian England. I’m so confused. — [Mairi, Canada](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRmBq7kP0TAaHR0cHM6Ly9ueXRpLm1zLzNKVDNBckE_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9MzkmZW1jPWVkaXRfdHlfMjAyMzAzMjkmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9ODg4OTkmbmw9b3Bpbmlvbi10b2RheSZyZWdpX2lkPTc3Njc0OTUyJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9MTI5MDMwJnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkNyNwZXJtaWQ9MTI0MDAwNzA0VwNueXRCCmQh5CkkZNGyZLFSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) [Read the editorial here](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRmBq7kP0TnaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMy8wMy8yNC9vcGluaW9uL2VkaXRvcmlhbHMvYXJrYW5zYXMtY2hpbGQtbGFib3IuaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD0zOSZlbWM9ZWRpdF90eV8yMDIzMDMyOSZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD04ODg5OSZubD1vcGluaW9uLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD0xMjkwMzAmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmQh5CkkZNGyZLFSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) and [the guest essay here](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRmBq7kP0TYaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMy8wMy8yNy9vcGluaW9uL2NoaWxkLWxhYm9yLWxhd3MuaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD0zOSZlbWM9ZWRpdF90eV8yMDIzMDMyOSZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD04ODg5OSZubD1vcGluaW9uLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD0xMjkwMzAmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmQh5CkkZNGyZLFSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~). [[Article Image] Illustration by Rebecca Chew/The New York Times; photograph by strelov, via Getty Images](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRmBq7kP0TnaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMy8wMy8yNC9vcGluaW9uL2VkaXRvcmlhbHMvYXJrYW5zYXMtY2hpbGQtbGFib3IuaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD0zOSZlbWM9ZWRpdF90eV8yMDIzMDMyOSZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD04ODg5OSZubD1vcGluaW9uLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD0xMjkwMzAmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmQh5CkkZNGyZLFSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) [THE EDITORIAL BOARD The Dangerous Race to Put More Children to Work States are rolling back basic labor protections, in defiance of federal standards. By The Editorial Board](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRmBq7kP0TnaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMy8wMy8yNC9vcGluaW9uL2VkaXRvcmlhbHMvYXJrYW5zYXMtY2hpbGQtbGFib3IuaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD0zOSZlbWM9ZWRpdF90eV8yMDIzMDMyOSZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD04ODg5OSZubD1vcGluaW9uLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD0xMjkwMzAmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmQh5CkkZNGyZLFSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) [[Article Image] Kirsten Luce for The New York Times](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRmBq7kP0TYaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMy8wMy8yNy9vcGluaW9uL2NoaWxkLWxhYm9yLWxhd3MuaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD0zOSZlbWM9ZWRpdF90eV8yMDIzMDMyOSZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD04ODg5OSZubD1vcGluaW9uLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD0xMjkwMzAmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmQh5CkkZNGyZLFSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) [GUEST ESSAY Are We Actually Arguing About Whether 14-Year-Olds Should Work in Meatpacking Plants? Rollbacks on child labor protections are happening amid a surge of child labor violations. By Terri Gerstein](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRmBq7kP0TYaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMy8wMy8yNy9vcGluaW9uL2NoaWxkLWxhYm9yLWxhd3MuaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD0zOSZlbWM9ZWRpdF90eV8yMDIzMDMyOSZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD04ODg5OSZubD1vcGluaW9uLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD0xMjkwMzAmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmQh5CkkZNGyZLFSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) [Continue reading the main story](#a11y-skip-universal-1) ADVERTISEMENT [Ad](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRmBq7kP0SYaHR0cHM6Ly9saXZlaW50ZW50Lm5ld3lvcmt0aW1lc2luZm8uY29tL2NsaWNrP3M9MjAxODEyJmxpPVRZJm09YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDcmcD1UWV8yMDIzMDMyOSZ0ZT0xJm5sPW9waW5pb24tdG9kYXkmZW1jPWVkaXRfdHlfMjAyMzAzMjlXA255dEIKZCHkKSRk0bJksVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA) Here’s what we’re focusing on today: Editors’ Picks [GUEST ESSAY We’re About to Find Out How Far the Supreme Court Will Go to Arm America The Biden administration has asked the justices to overturn an appeals court decision on guns that can charitably be described as nuts. By Linda Greenhouse](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRmBq7kP0TaaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMy8wMy8yOS9vcGluaW9uL2d1bnMtc3VwcmVtZS1jb3VydC5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTM5JmVtYz1lZGl0X3R5XzIwMjMwMzI5Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTg4ODk5Jm5sPW9waW5pb24tdG9kYXkmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTEyOTAzMCZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDdXA255dEIKZCHkKSRk0bJksVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA) [Article Image](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRmBq7kP0TaaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMy8wMy8yOS9vcGluaW9uL2d1bnMtc3VwcmVtZS1jb3VydC5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTM5JmVtYz1lZGl0X3R5XzIwMjMwMzI5Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTg4ODk5Jm5sPW9waW5pb24tdG9kYXkmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTEyOTAzMCZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDdXA255dEIKZCHkKSRk0bJksVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA) [GUEST ESSAY How Can We Be a Country That Does This to Our Children? We should judge a nation by a simple metric: the number of weeping parents it allows, the small caskets it tolerates. By Esau McCaulley](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRmBq7kP0T-aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMy8wMy8yOC9vcGluaW9uL2hvdy1jYW4td2UtYmUtYS1jb3VudHJ5LXRoYXQtZG9lcy10aGlzLXRvLW91ci1jaGlsZHJlbi5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTM5JmVtYz1lZGl0X3R5XzIwMjMwMzI5Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTg4ODk5Jm5sPW9waW5pb24tdG9kYXkmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTEyOTAzMCZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDdXA255dEIKZCHkKSRk0bJksVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA) [Article Image](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRmBq7kP0T-aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMy8wMy8yOC9vcGluaW9uL2hvdy1jYW4td2UtYmUtYS1jb3VudHJ5LXRoYXQtZG9lcy10aGlzLXRvLW91ci1jaGlsZHJlbi5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTM5JmVtYz1lZGl0X3R5XzIwMjMwMzI5Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTg4ODk5Jm5sPW9waW5pb24tdG9kYXkmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTEyOTAzMCZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDdXA255dEIKZCHkKSRk0bJksVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA) [LETTERS After the Nashville Shooting: What We Can Do About Gun Violence Readers expression frustration at inaction and urge strikes and a summit to prod government officials. Also: Antisemitism; Medicare Advantage plans; Netanyahu.](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRmBq7kP0TcaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMy8wMy8yOC9vcGluaW9uL2xldHRlcnMvZ3VuLXZpb2xlbmNlLmh0bWw_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9MzkmZW1jPWVkaXRfdHlfMjAyMzAzMjkmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9ODg4OTkmbmw9b3Bpbmlvbi10b2RheSZyZWdpX2lkPTc3Njc0OTUyJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9MTI5MDMwJnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkN1cDbnl0QgpkIeQpJGTRsmSxUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) [Article Image](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRmBq7kP0TcaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMy8wMy8yOC9vcGluaW9uL2xldHRlcnMvZ3VuLXZpb2xlbmNlLmh0bWw_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9MzkmZW1jPWVkaXRfdHlfMjAyMzAzMjkmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9ODg4OTkmbmw9b3Bpbmlvbi10b2RheSZyZWdpX2lkPTc3Njc0OTUyJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9MTI5MDMwJnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkN1cDbnl0QgpkIeQpJGTRsmSxUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) More From Opinion [GUEST ESSAY Do You Live in a ‘Tight’ State or a ‘Loose’ One? Turns Out It Matters Quite a Bit. What has happened to produce such intense hostility between left and right? By Thomas B. Edsall](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRmBq7kP0TiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMy8wMy8yOS9vcGluaW9uL3JlZC1ibHVlLXRpZ2h0LWxvb3NlLXN0YXRlLmh0bWw_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9MzkmZW1jPWVkaXRfdHlfMjAyMzAzMjkmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9ODg4OTkmbmw9b3Bpbmlvbi10b2RheSZyZWdpX2lkPTc3Njc0OTUyJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9MTI5MDMwJnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkN1cDbnl0QgpkIeQpJGTRsmSxUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) [Article Image](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRmBq7kP0TiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMy8wMy8yOS9vcGluaW9uL3JlZC1ibHVlLXRpZ2h0LWxvb3NlLXN0YXRlLmh0bWw_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9MzkmZW1jPWVkaXRfdHlfMjAyMzAzMjkmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9ODg4OTkmbmw9b3Bpbmlvbi10b2RheSZyZWdpX2lkPTc3Njc0OTUyJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9MTI5MDMwJnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkN1cDbnl0QgpkIeQpJGTRsmSxUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) [BRET STEPHENS In Israel, Democracy Still Holds The Jewish state’s political center shows it is capable of defeating the extremist fringe. By Bret Stephens](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRmBq7kP0TvaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMy8wMy8yOC9vcGluaW9uL2lzcmFlbC1wcm90ZXN0LWJpYmktbmV0YW55YWh1LWRlbW9jcmFjeS5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTM5JmVtYz1lZGl0X3R5XzIwMjMwMzI5Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTg4ODk5Jm5sPW9waW5pb24tdG9kYXkmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTEyOTAzMCZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDdXA255dEIKZCHkKSRk0bJksVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA) [Article Image](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRmBq7kP0TvaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMy8wMy8yOC9vcGluaW9uL2lzcmFlbC1wcm90ZXN0LWJpYmktbmV0YW55YWh1LWRlbW9jcmFjeS5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTM5JmVtYz1lZGl0X3R5XzIwMjMwMzI5Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTg4ODk5Jm5sPW9waW5pb24tdG9kYXkmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTEyOTAzMCZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDdXA255dEIKZCHkKSRk0bJksVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA) [ROSS DOUTHAT How the Right Turned Radical and the Left Became Depressed A new poll offers the outline of a unifying theory of right-wing recklessness and liberal anomie. By Ross Douthat](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRmBq7kP0TcaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMy8wMy8yOS9vcGluaW9uL2FtZXJpY2EtdW5oYXBweS1wb2xsLmh0bWw_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9MzkmZW1jPWVkaXRfdHlfMjAyMzAzMjkmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9ODg4OTkmbmw9b3Bpbmlvbi10b2RheSZyZWdpX2lkPTc3Njc0OTUyJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9MTI5MDMwJnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkN1cDbnl0QgpkIeQpJGTRsmSxUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) [Article Image](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRmBq7kP0TcaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMy8wMy8yOS9vcGluaW9uL2FtZXJpY2EtdW5oYXBweS1wb2xsLmh0bWw_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9MzkmZW1jPWVkaXRfdHlfMjAyMzAzMjkmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9ODg4OTkmbmw9b3Bpbmlvbi10b2RheSZyZWdpX2lkPTc3Njc0OTUyJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9MTI5MDMwJnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkN1cDbnl0QgpkIeQpJGTRsmSxUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) [GUEST ESSAY What Does It Mean to Be Ready to Die? It is easier to search for readiness than to process what its absence means. By Sunita Puri](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRmBq7kP0TbaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMy8wMy8yOS9vcGluaW9uL2hvdy10by1hY2NlcHQtZGVhdGguaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD0zOSZlbWM9ZWRpdF90eV8yMDIzMDMyOSZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD04ODg5OSZubD1vcGluaW9uLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD0xMjkwMzAmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmQh5CkkZNGyZLFSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) [Article Image](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRmBq7kP0TbaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMy8wMy8yOS9vcGluaW9uL2hvdy10by1hY2NlcHQtZGVhdGguaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD0zOSZlbWM9ZWRpdF90eV8yMDIzMDMyOSZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD04ODg5OSZubD1vcGluaW9uLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD0xMjkwMzAmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmQh5CkkZNGyZLFSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) [GUEST ESSAY Here’s How to Handle North Korea: Give Peace a Chance Pursuing a long-overdue official end to the Korean War could be a game changer. By Dan Leaf](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRmBq7kP0TdaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMy8wMy8yOS9vcGluaW9uL25vcnRoLWtvcmVhLXdhci1wZWFjZS5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTM5JmVtYz1lZGl0X3R5XzIwMjMwMzI5Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTg4ODk5Jm5sPW9waW5pb24tdG9kYXkmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTEyOTAzMCZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDdXA255dEIKZCHkKSRk0bJksVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA) [Article Image](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRmBq7kP0TdaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMy8wMy8yOS9vcGluaW9uL25vcnRoLWtvcmVhLXdhci1wZWFjZS5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTM5JmVtYz1lZGl0X3R5XzIwMjMwMzI5Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTg4ODk5Jm5sPW9waW5pb24tdG9kYXkmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTEyOTAzMCZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDdXA255dEIKZCHkKSRk0bJksVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA) [GUEST ESSAY Eastern Kentucky Needs Flood Relief, Not Another Federal Prison Exploitation is not an economic development strategy. By Sylvia Ryerson and Judah Schept](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRmBq7kP0TdaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMy8wMy8yOS9vcGluaW9uL2tlbnR1Y2t5LXByaXNvbi1mbG9vZC5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTM5JmVtYz1lZGl0X3R5XzIwMjMwMzI5Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTg4ODk5Jm5sPW9waW5pb24tdG9kYXkmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTEyOTAzMCZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDdXA255dEIKZCHkKSRk0bJksVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA) [Article Image](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRmBq7kP0TdaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMy8wMy8yOS9vcGluaW9uL2tlbnR1Y2t5LXByaXNvbi1mbG9vZC5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTM5JmVtYz1lZGl0X3R5XzIwMjMwMzI5Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTg4ODk5Jm5sPW9waW5pb24tdG9kYXkmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTEyOTAzMCZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDdXA255dEIKZCHkKSRk0bJksVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA) [GUEST ESSAY Will Ambitious Plans for a ‘New’ New York Get Crushed in Albany? The State Legislature appears ready to block plans to significantly expand housing in the city and suburbs. By Cara Eckholm](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRmBq7kP0TkaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMy8wMy8yOS9vcGluaW9uL2hvdXNpbmctZnV0dXJlLW5ldy15b3JrLWNpdHkuaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD0zOSZlbWM9ZWRpdF90eV8yMDIzMDMyOSZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD04ODg5OSZubD1vcGluaW9uLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD0xMjkwMzAmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmQh5CkkZNGyZLFSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) [Article Image](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRmBq7kP0TkaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMy8wMy8yOS9vcGluaW9uL2hvdXNpbmctZnV0dXJlLW5ldy15b3JrLWNpdHkuaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD0zOSZlbWM9ZWRpdF90eV8yMDIzMDMyOSZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD04ODg5OSZubD1vcGluaW9uLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD0xMjkwMzAmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmQh5CkkZNGyZLFSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) [JOHN MCWHORTER I Did Not Feel the Need to See People Like Me on TV or in Books As a Black man from a relatively comfortable background, I preferred stories that taught me about other people. By John McWhorter](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRmBq7kP0TtaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMy8wMy8yOC9vcGluaW9uL2JsYWNrLXJlcHJlc2VudGF0aW9uLXRlbGV2aXNpb24tYm9va3MuaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD0zOSZlbWM9ZWRpdF90eV8yMDIzMDMyOSZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD04ODg5OSZubD1vcGluaW9uLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD0xMjkwMzAmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmQh5CkkZNGyZLFSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) [Article Image](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRmBq7kP0TtaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMy8wMy8yOC9vcGluaW9uL2JsYWNrLXJlcHJlc2VudGF0aW9uLXRlbGV2aXNpb24tYm9va3MuaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD0zOSZlbWM9ZWRpdF90eV8yMDIzMDMyOSZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD04ODg5OSZubD1vcGluaW9uLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD0xMjkwMzAmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmQh5CkkZNGyZLFSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) [Continue reading the main story](#a11y-skip-universal-2) ADVERTISEMENT [Ad](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRmBq7kP0SYaHR0cHM6Ly9saXZlaW50ZW50Lm5ld3lvcmt0aW1lc2luZm8uY29tL2NsaWNrP3M9NzI2NTM3JmxpPVRZJm09YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDcmcD1UWV8yMDIzMDMyOSZ0ZT0xJm5sPW9waW5pb24tdG9kYXkmZW1jPWVkaXRfdHlfMjAyMzAzMjlXA255dEIKZCHkKSRk0bJksVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA) Subscribe Today New York Times Opinion curates a wide range of views, inviting rich discussion and debate that help readers analyze the world. 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