A poignant irony came wrapped in the news that Harry Belafonte had died of congestive heart failure Tuesday at age 96. Surely, one easily imagines, the iconic singer, actor and activist would take issue with that diagnosis. Although his body had failed after almost a century of history-making activism and award-winning artistic achievements, his spirit […]
Ben Bragdon
Staff Writer
Ben Bragdon is managing editor of the Sun Journal. Prior to that, he was deputy managing editor for news at the Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel. Ben was previously editorial page editor for those newspapers and Central Maine Sunday for more than 10 years. Before that, he was managing editor for weekly newspapers at Current Publishing in Westbrook. He began his career as a reporter at the Piscataquis Observer in Dover-Foxcroft and editor at the Moosehead Messenger in Greenville. He has a bachelor’s degree in history from Boston University.
Posted inOp-Eds, Opinion
Commentary: The US should help civilians escaping Sudan’s violence — before it gets worse
Sudan has descended into chaos as rival military leaders fight for power in the East African nation. Since the violence broke out April 15 in Khartoum, the capital, hundreds have been killed. The U.S. Embassy was shut down after the U.S. Navy’s SEAL Team 6 and the Army’s special forces evacuated American diplomatic staff. But […]
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Posted inEditorials, Opinion
Our View: Rail company responsible for Maine derailment should face consequences
CPKC should be held accountable for its mismanaged effort since the incident.
Posted inEditorials, Opinion
Our View: Maine’s school funding formula needs an update
State money is allocated unfairly in many cases, leading to inequities between wealthy districts and those that are less affluent.
Posted inOp-Eds, Opinion
Tom Waddell: Teach the real history of race in America
Critical Race Theory, or CRT, encourages accurate teaching of our nation’s history. If we don’t teach our children accurate history, young people will never learn from our nation’s failures or appreciate its successes. Unfortunately, some people only want to teach children a whitewashed version of history that portrays America as the mythical shining city on […]
Posted inOp-Eds, Opinion
Commentary: Businesses can help wishes come true for Maine kids
When we think of those in need, we think especially of children with critical illnesses. There are tens of thousands of such children across America, many of them in Maine. Not only are they suffering from a wide range of life-threatening medical conditions, but their families are also weighed down by the unspeakable burden of seeing their […]
Posted inEditorials, Opinion
Our View: As long as it’s easy to get a firearm, nowhere is safe
A majority of legislators seem to believe Maine is not at risk of gun violence, despite disturbing proof that it is.
Posted inEditorials, Opinion
View from Away: EPA wants to speed up EV switch. Good, the planet needs it
The Biden administration just proposed hitting the accelerator on the transition to electric vehicles. If these ambitious new rules are enacted, the U.S. could make major progress in fighting climate change. The Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday released new pollution standards for passenger cars and trucks that would be the strongest vehicle emission regulations to […]
Posted inEditorials, Opinion
Our View: Lisbon case lays bare exploitation of undocumented workers
More often than not, migrant workers are treated like criminals, while the real offenders avoid responsibility.
Posted inOp-Eds, Opinion
Jonathan Bernstein: Why isn’t Trump’s polling lead discouraging GOP challengers?
Judging by opinion polls, Donald Trump looks to be the overwhelming favorite for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, while Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is the clear alternative. But news this week from South Carolina suggests that Republicans aren’t nearly as sold on Trump as the polling suggests. Sen. Tim Scott declared Wednesday that he is […]