'On arrival, workers faced a system of racial segregation'
Opinion, comment and editorials of the day


'Yes, the Panama Canal was built at a dear price — paid in Black lives'
Joan Flores-Villalobos at the Los Angeles Times
The "histories for the most part ignore that the great majority of the workers" at the Panama Canal "were Black migrants from the Caribbean," says Joan Flores-Villalobos. Rather than a "shining beacon of American progress, the canal construction was if anything one of the most glaring examples of Jim Crow exported abroad." The "construction also cost Panama decades of sovereignty." President Donald Trump "wants to ignore America's inconvenient legacy of Jim Crow and colonialism."
Subscribe to 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.
'Better gun storage can prevent tragedies'
Danielle N. Poole at The Progressive
New "national policies regarding secure gun storage could save children's lives," says Danielle N. Poole. Ensuring "all gun-owning households secure their firearms from unauthorized users — including children — could immediately decrease school shootings." Making "firearm owners prevent unauthorized access to firearms would have direct impacts on the safety of the nation's 50 million school-age children." We "need a prevention plan we can implement today, and we can't afford to ignore the data we have in hand."
'The Tulsi Gabbard I know is perfect for DNI'
Jake Mercier at The American Conservative
Tulsi Gabbard is "not only supremely qualified to serve as our nation's eighth director of national Intelligence — she's the best possible choice for the job," says Jake Mercier. Gabbard "believes in open dialogue and negotiation — even with our enemies." She has been a "consistent, clear voice against unnecessary American intervention." Gabbard has "never wavered in her commitment to our First Amendment rights: to speak and worship freely without fear of political retribution."
'The Los Angeles fires expose the problem with American conservation policy'
Jonathan K. Williams at Time
Conservation practices are" central to the ongoing battle between humans and nature in Southern California," says Jonathan K. Williams, and it's "crucial to understanding the destruction of the fires — and crafting policies to prevent future disasters." Conservation has "always been about economic growth and development in the public interest, and the environmental impact only became part of its focus in recent decades." The "top priority of conservation programs needs to be safeguarding the environment."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Justin Klawans has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022. He began his career covering local news before joining Newsweek as a breaking news reporter, where he wrote about politics, national and global affairs, business, crime, sports, film, television and other news. Justin has also freelanced for outlets including Collider and United Press International.
-
Why are student loan borrowers falling behind on payments?
Today's Big Question Delinquencies surge as the Trump administration upends the program
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
Not there yet: The frustrations of the pocket AI
Feature Apple rushes to roll out its ‘Apple Intelligence’ features but fails to deliver on promises
By The Week US Published
-
George Foreman: The boxing champ who reinvented home grills
Feature He helped define boxing’s golden era
By The Week US Published
-
'What is this Hungarian model they so admire?'
Instant Opinion 'Opinion, comment and editorials of the day'
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
'We should end this betrayal of man's best friend'
Instant Opinion 'Opinion, comment and editorials of the day'
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
'How quickly misogynistic videos show up in users' TikTok and YouTube feeds'
instant opinion 'Opinion, comment and editorials of the day'
By Anya Jaremko-Greenwold, The Week US Published
-
Supreme Court upholds 'ghost gun' restrictions
Speed Read Ghost guns can be regulated like other firearms
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
'Americans deserve immigration officials who are transparent about what they do and why'
instant opinion 'Opinion, comment and editorials of the day'
By Anya Jaremko-Greenwold, The Week US Published
-
'Even authoritarian regimes need a measure of public support — the consent of at least some of the governed'
instant opinion 'Opinion, comment and editorials of the day'
By Anya Jaremko-Greenwold, The Week US Published
-
The EPA: Let’s forget about climate change
Feature You’ll miss the EPA when it’s been gutted, said former EPA heads
By The Week US Published
-
'There is a certain kind of strength in refusing to concede error'
instant opinion 'Opinion, comment and editorials of the day'
By Anya Jaremko-Greenwold, The Week US Published