March 25, 2025

Now, on to the news…

Policymakers have begun applying the concept of public health to the problem of violent crime in cities, but in doing so, they’re leaving out a crucial element: police departments. Advocates of the public-health approach to crime often shy away from involving police because they are “worried about racially disparate policing and incarceration statistics,” writes University of Pennsylvania criminologist Anthony A. Braga. But police departments play a critical role in curbing violent crime and should be involved in the public-health approach.

Broken Windows policing, in particular, is consistent with today’s public-health efforts, Braga argues. Evidence demonstrates that, when properly implemented, it works to prevent crime, as “it modifies environments, addresses harmful behaviors, and protects vulnerable people,” he writes.

Ancient anti-Semitic conspiracy theories are making a disturbing comeback, promoted by popular media personalities and gaining visibility across social platforms. Joe Lonsdale warns that these libels—blaming Jews for war, social unrest, and Christian persecution—echo those that fueled pogroms and oppression throughout history. To protect the shared values of Western civilization, Jews and Christians must reject these lies and stand together. Read his article here.

The Supreme Court is hearing Louisiana v. Callais, a case that could redefine the role of race in congressional redistricting. At issue is whether the Voting Rights Act requires states to create additional minority-majority districts—or if such mandates violate the Constitution. The ruling could restore the VRA to its original purpose: protecting access to the ballot, rather than guaranteeing racial outcomes in elections. Read James Piereson’s article here.

In his new book Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious, Ross Douthat argues that humans are central to creation. “Any vision of intelligence that ignores the rational structure of the universe and the unique role of human beings within it is, in his view, incoherent,” writes Nora Kenney. Read her review here.

“Colombia will not change until the people who run the university are gone. All of them. Gone.”

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David C., commenting on Columbia University’s PR campaign against the Trump administration 

Photo credits: Kena Betancur / Stringer / Getty Images News via Getty Images