Abortion is essential to women’s reproductive health care. Some conditions that make abortion necessary include the criminal or medical ills of rape, incest, intimate partner violence, illness or illegal drug use during pregnancy that affects the fetus, and life-threatening fetal abnormalities. Where abortion is illegal, women often resort to unsafe means to end unwanted pregnancies, […]
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: With MAGA-led chaos in Congress, Gen. Milley’s warning rings loud and clear
In recent days, the country has been subjected to a chilling preview of what MAGA rule would look like if Donald Trump returns to power, as America’s allies looked on in shock while its enemies had good reason to cheer. Having failed to shut down the government, but succeeded in axing Ukraine aid, a handful […]
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Posted inEditorials, Opinion
Our View: Communities must step up on housing – or step aside
Local control of housing in Maine has resulted in high costs and low supply. Something has to change.
Posted inOp-Eds, Opinion
Commentary: People think drug use causes homelessness. It’s usually the other way around
A common perception among many Americans is that substance abuse is a chief cause of people losing their housing and living on the streets. But research debunks this myth. Findings from the recent California Statewide Study of People Experiencing Homelessness encompassing more than 3,200 adults — the largest and most representative sample of homeless individuals […]
Posted inOp-Eds, Opinion
Commentary: The US government once burned books it didn’t like
This year is on pace to set the record for the highest number of attempted book bans since the American Library Association began compiling data on library censorship more than 20 years ago. Last year, there were demands to censor more than 2,500 library books. In several states, legislatures have enacted censorship into law. In […]
Posted inOp-Eds, Opinion
Commentary: Courting workers in Michigan, Biden and Trump are waging two separate wars
The recent visit to Michigan by President Joe Biden, in a show of support to striking laborers, was more than a photo op. Donald Trump held a rally in Michigan just a few days later. The two are fighting over the same voters. But they’re engaged in two different wars. Biden, now the first sitting […]
Posted inOp-Eds, Opinion
Scholars Strategy Network: How to prevent school shootings in Maine
Fall is upon us, and so is another season of school shootings. Since Aug. 1, we have already seen 122 school incidents that involved guns, resulting in eight fatalities and 12 non-fatal injuries. While many may be shocked and horrified, these numbers are not surprising to those of us counting. In 2021 and 2022, we […]
Posted inLetters to the Editor, Opinion
Maine is on right course with Trap-Neuter-Return
Maine has dedicated advocates and organizations on the right path with Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) for community cats in the state (“Maine rescue leaders say it’s raining cats and cats, with shelters full and colonies growing,” Sept. 10), and yet much more can be done to expand, promote, and bolster these lifesaving efforts. Increased support for low-cost […]
Posted inOp-Eds, Opinion
Commentary: This is the missing puzzle piece to getting COVID-19 vaccines into arms
On Sept. 11, the Food and Drug Administration approved an emergency use authorization for updated COVID-19 vaccines. The next day, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a statement that recommended updated vaccines for people 6 months and older. As these new vaccines become available, it is critical that we improve access to save […]