Mike Pilewski writes about life, politics and culture in the United States
The recent events in Ferguson, Missouri, have played out in a way that only Quentin Tarantino could have imagined. Tarantino’s films, which are very violent, often tell their story from more than one perspective. Scenes are not shown in the usual order. Key information is presented after the fact, reversing whatever conclusions one may have drawn up to that point. … >>
Few things are certain in this world, but there’s one prediction I can make: When the Mayan apocalypse comes and goes this weekend, life will continue as it always has. Unfortunately for the United States, this means that mall shoppers, moviegoers and schoolchildren will be gunned down on a regular basis. It sounds cruel and cynical of me to say … >>
You’ve just turned 17. You’re at your dad’s fiancée’s house, watching a basketball game. There’s a break, so you take a walk out to the local convenience store to buy some Skittles and a can of iced tea. On your way back, you notice a stranger in a car is watching you. You walk away from him, but he follows … >>
I have mixed feelings about this. The stated purpose of this column is to explain what America is really like, not to dwell on its extreme aspects. For example, I try to convince you that most Americans do not walk around carrying guns. But then something like this happens: once again, some deranged kid has brought a gun to school … >>
It’s one of those clichés about Americans that won’t go away: the idea that many of us have guns. Hollywood has done more to further this notion than any political lobby, any organization of outdoorsmen or any rap gangsters, so I won’t blame you for thinking it’s true. I also won’t blame you because it is true — in the … >>