Marilyn Katz - In These Times

Marilyn Katz is a writer, consultant, public policy communications strategist and long-time political activist. She is president of MK Communications, a partner in Democracy Partners and a founder and co-chair of the newly formed Chicago Women Take Action.

Marilyn Katz is a writer, consultant, public policy communications strategist and long-time political activist. She is president of MK Communications, a partner in Democracy Partners and a founder and co-chair of the newly formed Chicago Women Take Action. She was called to action by the civil rights movement and the war in Vietnam while a student at Northwestern. In 1968, as an organizer with JOIN Community Union, she organized Chicago high school students – an activity that led her to be head of the “marshalls” in the April and August demonstrations.

The “Me Too” Movement and the Rights of the Accused

Have the men and women accused of sexual harassment lost their right to a fair hearing?

Low Wages in Illinois: When Corporations Don’t Pay, the Public Does

To Impeach or Not To Impeach? That Is Not the Question.

The problems with the GOP are far greater than any one figurehead.

Trump Won Because Democrats Have Lost Touch With the Working Class

The Republican nominee tapped into the anger, pain and fear that motivated voters this election.

How Past Victories For Gender and Racial Justice Made U.S. Olympic Success Possible

Women and African-American athletes show us what’s at stake in this year's election.

Not With a Bang But a Whimper—Oreo Leaves Chicago Holding the Bag

Chicago Activists Should Be Commended, Not Scolded, for Shutting Down Donald Trump’s Rally

Peaceful resistance doesn’t egg on Trump’s supporters—it forces them to back down.

Stopping Trump: The Chicago Model

How the people of Chicago silenced Donald Trump.

The Talking Heads are Wrong: It’s Not Over Yet

Despite what the pundits say, the outcome of Democratic primary is far from inevitable

Bruce Rauner’s 1 Percent-Friendly Policies Are Making Things Worse for Illinois, Not Better

The near-billionaire governor keeps insisting his policies increase opportunities for Illinoisans. But the numbers tell a different story.

Where Are the Black Panthers and Corporate Philanthropists When We Need Them?

Real change requires that we expand our understanding of what actions are needed on the part of the mayor, the police and any one who claims the mantle of the city’s leadership. Two films that premiered this past fall provide guidance of the kind of leadership that today is missing.

What Was Won and Lost in Steven Salaita’s University of Illinois Settlement

Salaita’s settlement is a victory for him and academic freedom. But will we ever know who was watching him—and us?

As Nabisco Ships 600 Jobs Out of Chicago to Mexico, Maybe It’s Time To Give Up Oreos

Whose Race—And Gender—Is it Anyway?

Caitlyn Jenner and Rachel Dolezal trigger an important conversation.

Why Gay Rights Trump Women’s Rights

Why aren't we standing up against the assault on women's rights?

Netanyahu’s Not So Secret Plan

Netanyahu is creating an Israel that will stretch from the Jordan to the Mediterranean Sea.

Chicago Progressives: Examine the Election’s Numbers Before Patting Yourselves on the Back

The city's progressives should claim no easy victories.

Chicago Progressives’ Midterms Performance Actually Wasn’t That Bad

Far from wringing their hands about last week's election's implications, Chicago progressives should take heart at their performance.

It’s Time To Speak Out for Gaza

Why have American politicians and editorial boards been silent in the face of extreme violence?

Netanyahu’s Gaza Game Plan

Armed conflict will only lead to mounting numbers of dead on both sides.

Sipping Lattes on the Edge of a Volcano

What do Palestinians, human rights workers, progressive Israelis and Israeli settlers have to say about daily life in an occupied land?

Two Decades After Oslo, A Look at Life in Israel and Palestine

While in the Middle East last October, I saw firsthand why ending occupation is so necessary—and why it will be so difficult.

The Naiveté of Nihilism

How Occupy challenged the way we think, speak and act upon resistance.

A Different Path for Syria—and America’s Cities

Will U.S. diplomacy in Syria carve a new path towards peace at home and abroad?

A Half Century After Detroit Uprising, City Still Stranded by Capitalism and Federal Government

How federal policy and Big Auto drove black blight and white flight.

Where the Real Danger Lies

Some indisputable consequences of closing 50 Chicago Public Schools.

All Ye Progressives, Take Heart

The Grand Old Party will eventually be the Dead Old Party: the inexorable logic of numbers.

Hathaway’s Nipples and a Congressional Primary: Signs of the Times?

Has the liberal media switched sides in the war against women?

Obama in Israel: Some Dare Call It Victory

A speech can't do everything. But it can signal a new day.

As Obama Tours Israel, It’s Time for Action, Not Talk

During President Barack Obama's visit in Israel, he must focus on ending the occupation.

Guns? Don’t Wait for Congress—or Godot

With gun enthusiasts stockpiling weapons in light of impending federal regulations, what is a concerned citizen to do?

A Time to Choose

How will the United States respond to the UN resolution on Palestine?

Peace in Palestine Now

The latest round of killings in Gaza and Israel must spur the United States to broker a lasting peace.

Fast-Forward to 2013

What life in Mitt Romney’s America would look like.

Yes, GOP, ‘We Built It.’ But Not Alone.

The Republican Convention's theme implies--wrongly--that entrepreneurs don't rely on public help.

Whose Election Is This Anyway?

It’s not about Obama or Romney. It’s about us.

The Ties That Bind Paul Ryan and Todd Akin

Rape-denier Todd Akin is right in line with the GOP's staunchly anti-abortion platform. And so is Ryan.

West Bank Diaries

In May, the author spent ten days traveling around Israel, Palestine and Jordan with the liberal pro-Israel advocacy organization J Street. What follows are excerpts from the journal she kept during her trip.

Our Bodies, Their Politics

The last few months have made abundantly clear what women must do: Rid America's capitols of misogynists.

Israel Needs a New Narrative

Casting Jews as permanent victims is both outdated and counterproductive to the country's well-being.

What’s Next for the Occupy Movement?

There is much to celebrate, even as the tents come down. But it's time for new strategies.

Lessons from the 1960s for the 99 Percent

To build a truly mass movement, Occupy protesters must avoid militancy—and learn to like leaders.

A Deafening Silence

Why isn't the anti-war movement claiming victory for America's withdrawal from Iraq?

What We Lost After We Won in 2008

An anti-war activist explains what the Democratic establishment fails to understand.