'Are mass shootings really like natural disasters?'
Opinion, comment and editorials of the day


'Treating mass shootings like earthquakes'
Peter Hanink in the Los Angeles Times
"No one was shocked" by this week’s mass shooting that killed 18 people in Maine, says Peter Hanink in the Los Angeles Times. Americans look at these massacres like natural disasters. "We can't prevent them; we can only prepare for them." We conduct active shooter exercises, and drill home the message of "run, fight, hide." But "common sense" reforms like background checks and assault rifle bans can save lives. "We must do better."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
'When the people who make up an economy say it is not doing well, it isn't'
Ramesh Ponnuru in The Washington Post
The economy grew at an annualized rate of nearly 5 percent last quarter, says Ramesh Ponnuru in The Washington Post. "Unemployment is low, and inflation is falling." So why are people "still unhappy about the economy"? The truth is, average wages have fallen, adjusting for inflation, since President Biden took office. "They are roughly 3 percent lower than their peak in April 2020." American workers "remember what a good economy looks like, and this isn't it."
'An emphatic win for second-wave feminism'
Jill Lawrence in The Bulwark
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Taylor Swift is "the antidote we need" in the poisonous Trump era, says Jill Lawrence in The Bulwark. "She shows young girls, women, and her many male fans that you can be a rich celebrity while also treating others with kindness and respect. You can give away extra money to people who work for you, instead of stiffing them." Crowds are flocking to Swift's concert movie because she's a "sorely needed role model for our times."
'The UAW deal will cost Ford'
The Wall Street Journal editorial board
Ford is paying dearly for "labor peace," says The Wall Street Journal editorial board. As the United Auto Workers threatened to expand a painful strike, the automaker reached a deal that will "raise wages 25% over four years and restore cost-of-living adjustments" — a big boost from its initial 15% offer. Now "the real test will be whether Ford can stay competitive" with heavily automated rivals like Tesla as it invests in "producing money-losing EVs that governments are mandating."
Harold Maass is a contributing editor at The Week. He has been writing for The Week since the 2001 debut of the U.S. print edition and served as editor of TheWeek.com when it launched in 2008. Harold started his career as a newspaper reporter in South Florida and Haiti. He has previously worked for a variety of news outlets, including The Miami Herald, ABC News and Fox News, and for several years wrote a daily roundup of financial news for The Week and Yahoo Finance.
-
September 14 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Sunday’s political cartoons include RFK Jr on the hook, the destruction of discourse, and more
-
Air strikes in the Caribbean: Trump’s murky narco-war
Talking Point Drug cartels ‘don’t follow Marquess of Queensberry Rules’, but US military air strikes on speedboats rely on strained interpretation of ‘invasion’
-
Crossword: September 14, 2025
The Week's daily crossword puzzle
-
Air strikes in the Caribbean: Trump’s murky narco-war
Talking Point Drug cartels ‘don’t follow Marquess of Queensberry Rules’, but US military air strikes on speedboats rely on strained interpretation of ‘invasion’
-
‘Peak consumption has become the Holy Grail of the energy debate’
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Brazil’s Bolsonaro sentenced to 27 years for coup attempt
Speed Read Bolsonaro was convicted of attempting to stay in power following his 2022 election loss
-
Calls for both calm and consequences follow Kirk killing
TALKING POINTS The suspected assassination of far-right activist Charlie Kirk has some public figures pleading for restraint, while others agitate for violent reprisals
-
Why does Donald Trump keep showing up at major sporting events?
Today's Big Question Trump has appeared at the Super Bowl, the Daytona 500 and other events
-
‘Democracy is under threat globally’
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Former top FBI agents sue, claiming Trump purge
Speed Read The agents alleged they were targeted by a “campaign of retribution”
-
Why does Trump keep interfering in the NYC mayoral race?
Today's Big Question The president has seemingly taken an outsized interest in his hometown elections, but are his efforts to block Zohran Mamdani about political expediency or something deeper?