Editorial

Immigration and prejudice: America’s long racist stroll

January 25th, 2018

America’s immigration policies have ridden the waves of prejudice for more than 250 years, and each refusal and denial takes its toll on the country’s core values.

First, our nation stole, tricked, and traded land from Native Americans, killing indiscriminately upon resistance. Then came the Acadians, devout Catholics, and the Irish and Germans, starving and persecuted. Norwegians and Swedes came soon after, seeking land to plow. Africans became slaves, which the nation fought a…

Our opinion: The great 2018 lapdance debate

January 17th, 2018

Oasis Bar - photograph by Sabrina Hornung Last week I was asked to appear and speak on behalf of Matt Pausch, owner of the Oasis, before the Public Works and Safety Committee in Wahpeton. The Pausches are great people and I will never forget the time I spent at the Oasis. If I didn’t agree with what they’re doing, I wouldn’t have driven two hours to appear on their behalf.

The intent of the meeting last week was to address safety concerns surrounding the proposed ordinance to amend their cabaret license, and allow lap…

Hats off to 2017, onward to 2018

December 27th, 2017

Artwork by Jessi Schmit 2017 has been quite a year. Like any year, we’ve had our own triumphs and tragedies.We survived a year of Trump in office and we said goodbye to Tom Petty. In local news we shared the shock and horror of the murder of Savanna Greywind and mourned together as a community. We also lost one of our longest contributors, Christopher Jacobs who contributed to the Reader since day one and is dearly missed.

On a lighter note, we met a lot of cool new people, ate at some killer new restaurants…

Rethinking hunger in our state

December 20th, 2017

Hunger has no specific face. According to feedingamerica.org: “41 million people struggle with hunger in the United States, including 13 million children. In 2015, 5.4 million seniors struggled to afford enough to eat.”

Over half (59%) of food-insecure homes participate in federally funded food assistance programs, whether they be food stamps, WIC, or school lunch programs. Another heartbreaking fact is that households with children are more likely to be hungry than those without.…

Pick ‘em cuter by computer, but protect yourself

December 13th, 2017

According to a New York Times article titled: “Tinder, the Fast-Growing Dating App, Taps an Age-Old Truth,” close to 50 million people use Tinder. On average they spend 90 minutes a day assessing their matches. Men are three times more likely (46%) than women (11%) to swipe right which is indicative of a “like.” Needless to say, a swipe left is the equivalent of a “meh.”

Granted, this information was from 2014. A 2017 statistic indicated that closer to 46 million people use…

Our Opinion: The Forum’s history of shoddy journalism repeats itself

December 8th, 2017

The Forum's 1989 story that prompted my interest in journalism In 1989, when I was 17 years old, Fargo Forum reporter Bob Lind became the inspiration for my desire to become a journalist. Lind wrote on my experiences during a string of surgeries I had while overseas in China. He came to my grandmother’s house, sat down on the old Victorian couch, pulled out his pad and pen, smiled, and asked intelligent questions. The interview didn’t last long, at most 30 minutes, but the interview is one I have never forgotten.

On Thursday, another Forum…

Our opinion: Is hate speech protected by the First Amendment? To what extent?

December 6th, 2017

sabrina@hpr1.com

According to our pal Merriam-Webster, the definition of “patriot” is as follows: “one who loves his or her country and supports its authority and interests.”

But what does it mean to be a true patriot? In today’s political climate we tend to believe that Mark Twain may have had a little Thundercat sight-beyond-sight insight when he penned: “Patriot: The person who can holler the loudest without knowing what he is hollering about.”

Keep in mind that when the…

Food for thought

November 29th, 2017

Our opinion: Culinary traditions are passed from one generation to the next.

There’s something communal about food, whether it be the preparation or consumption. It’s a matter of working together and enjoying the fruits of our labor. It’s nourishing your loved ones, it’s sustenance, and it’s love, whether it’s a decadent meal or a grilled cheese sandwich.

In fact Prince Harry proposed to his now fiancée while preparing a roasted chicken.

Food history and traditions are…

Thanksgiving dinner

November 24th, 2017

Our opinion: They’ve done it every year for decades and we salute them.

If Thanksgiving isn’t our favorite holiday, it’s because we don’t think about it or don’t rank them; but we can’t think of a holiday we like more. It’s the reuniting, seeing family and others we haven’t seen in awhile.

Forty years ago, Catherine and Dale Bergstrom, caterers and members of the First Presbyterian Church, started preparing Thanksgiving dinners in the kitchen of the church, then as now at…

‘Useful Idiots’ from Lenin to Putin

November 16th, 2017

“The experience of all ages has proved that the people constantly give away their liberties.”

- John Adams

“Man’s dishonesty with himself is his greatest enemy. When he makes a mistake, his memory admits, ‘I have done this,’ but his pride opposes by saying, ‘I cannot have done this,’ and pride wins out over memory.

- Friedrich Nietzsche

“In running away from ourselves we either fall on our neighbor’s shoulder or fly at his throat.”

– Eric Hoffer

“We have…