Single Issue Blogs

Blogs are the perfect medium for collecting information to support a specific point of view. The following blogs have harnessed this power by posting news items, policy reports, and speeches to support the blogger's pet cause.

Pro-Gun Ownership

Jeff Soyer

http://www.alphecca.com/

Jeff Soyer's subheading says "Alphecca is an occasional blog by an independent, libertarian, gay gun nut from Vermont." Witty and informative, Soyer talks about current events and his own personal experiences with guns. He says that even his cats have guns, and there are pictures to prove it.

Civilian Gun Defense Blog

http://www.claytoncramer.com/gundefenseblog/blogger.html

Believing that the Second Amendment is in peril, Clayton Cramer and Pete Drum keep track of news stories involving civilians who use guns in self-defense. This site is also a great place to find weird news items such as the August 24, 2005, post about a guy in Louisiana who tried to rob a convenience store with a fork.

Joe Hoffman

http://www.blog.joehuffman.org/

An avid hobbyist, Joe Hoffman has an informative gun-use instruction page and limits his discussion to guns and warplaneseven his family vacations! There are ample photographs of Joe's activities and interesting quotations from historical figures.

John Lott

http://www.johnrlott.com/

Although the URL looks like a website, it's a blog about guns and gun-owner rights. John Lott doesn't limit himself to guns but covers crime and its causes. He has written four books and many academic papers on these subjects. With these kinds of credentials (including a B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. in Economics), it's not surprising how interestingly he writes.

Pro-Gun Control

Bullet Counter Points

http://www.csgv.org/news/blog.cfm

Bullet Counter Points is the blog of the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence organization. The blog regularly posts news items, action alerts, and commentary about gun violence.

Gun Guys

http://www.gunguys.com/index.htm

The Gun Guys blog counters the pro-gun lobby by posting news items about gun violence with a playful sense of humor. Under a heading that states "America's Shooting Gallery", the site posts links to news stories about adults and children killed by guns. One of the site's owners calls himself "Magnum Mike."

NRA Blacklist

http://www.nrablacklist.com/

Along with extremely annoying and repetitive music that can't be shut off, this site lists famous people blacklisted by the National Rifle Association, and various organizations that have donated to or otherwise support anti-gun measures. It's surely an honor to those who made the list.

Faith-Based Political Blogs

A Religious Liberal

http://www.religiousliberal.blogspot.com/

Dwight Welch is apparently a graduate student of Theology at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. His blog expresses disappointment in the Religious Right's interpretation of Christianity. It's interesting to see how someone immersed in studying the history of the Christian church feels about current events without a conservative spin.

Christian Alliance for Progress

http://www.blog01.kintera.com/christianalliance/

With a subheading like "The Movement to Reclaim Christianity and Transform American Politics", you can tell that this blogging collective has a lot of ambition. Subjects vary from current events to age-old questions, such as "what would Jesus think?" Author skills vary, but it is an attractive and informative site.

Daily Journal of a Lycian Witch

http://www.livejournal.com/users/seshen/

This proponent of Wicca doesn't limit herself to politics, but she's witty and fun, and her site includes links to the U.S. Library of Congress and a listing of fallen war heroes.

Jesus' General

http://www.patriotboy.blogspot.com/

This blogger uses humor and wry wit to make his point. Although it is set up like a conservative site, political satire is the meat and potatoes of most liberal-leaning entries. He signs himself "heterosexually yours" and mentions his university but otherwise does not reveal his identity.

Mystical Politics

http://www.mystical-politics.blogspot.com/

Although "Rebecca" doesn't tell us anything personal, she has a lot to say about her world travels and perspective on what she saw as a Jewish American. Her coverage is often moving and occasionally funny.

Ogre's Politics & Views

http://www.ogresview.blogspot.com/

Although Ogre's writing style is a little primitive, his take on South Carolina politics is interesting. He approaches the world as a conservative Christian and is politically conservative as well. There are many links on his site to news agencies, blogging sites, resource sites, and more, some that agree with his perspective and some that don't.

Punjab Panorama

http://www.punjabpanorama.blogspot.com/

This three-contributor blog looks at politics from a Sikh perspective. Well-written and fascinating.

Tricycle

http://www.tricycleblog.blogspot.com/

This blog is a subset of Tricycle magazine, which has articles and links to all things Buddhist, at least from a North American perspective. The blogs, which are not attributed to a specific person, take a Buddhist look at current events, focused mostly on how they affect Buddhists in the United States and Buddhists in Asia.

Veiled4Allah

http://www.muhajabah.com/islamicblog/veiled4allah.php

The thoughts of a Muslim woman, seeming mostly to be reports on what Muslims are doing around the world, from Palestinian women climbing mountains to the death of a British Foreign Secretary who resigned over the Iraqi war. She doesn't present opinions so much as what is happening in the world.

The Warning Track

http://www.warningtrack.leftfielder.org/

This political blogger looks at current events from a liberal Christian perspective. The entries are long, but fascinating. There is no personal information about this blogger, who goes simply by "Mike."

Reform-Minded Blogs

Legal System Reform

Over Lawyered

http://www.overlawyered.com/

Walter Olson edits this blog with colleagues who are committed to collecting news items and materials supporting the need for reform of the American civil justice system.

Tax Reform

I've Got Your Blog

http://www.ivegotyourblog.blogspot.com/

This blog supports the "fair tax initiative" and, although it's a fairly new blog, has much to offer in the way of information. Solo blogger Jeff Thompkins has only a few links as yet, but that will surely grow over time.

Tort Reform

Rove Spa

http://www.journals.aol.com/rovspa/LiabilityUpdate/

Blogger Mona Charen posts interesting articles and commentary on the state of medical lawsuits in America. This is a new blog but will soon be full of interesting and inspiring articles if she continues in her current vein.

Welfare Reform

Urban Institute

http://www.urban.org/Template.cfm?Section=ByTopic&NavMenuID=62&TopicID=141&TopicName=Welfare%20Reform%20and%20Safety%20Net%20Issues

Not a blog, but a fascinating study of the state of Welfare and some options for reform on a website devoted to a wide variety of social issues. Multiple authors.

Evolution and Creationism

Evolution Blog

http://www.evolutionblog.blogspot.com/

This pro-evolution blog tracks developments in the dispute between evolutionism and creationism.

Evolution News & Views

http://www.evolutionnews.org/

Maintained by staffers at the Discovery Institute, an organization that advocates the theory of intelligent design, Evolution News & Views posts items selected to combat inaccurate media reports about the new evolution controversy.

Dispatches from the Culture Wars

http://www.stcynic.com/blog/

Dispatches from the Culture Wars is a thoughtful blog that records the tensions between science, religion, and politics.

Intelligent Designthe Future

http://www.idthefuture.com/

Intelligent Designthe Future is maintained by Discovery Institute Fellows who are researching ways to support the case for intelligent design, from the Big Bang to the bacterial flagellum and beyond.

Panda's Thumb

http://www.pandasthumb.org/

This group effort addresses the controversial issue of teaching evolution and creationism in schools. With many references to legal and academic publications, it's a useful and fascinating foray into this ongoing debate.

Gay Rights

Gay Marriage: Struggle to End the Immoral Ban

http://www.blogs.salon.com/0001137/stories/2003/08/14/gayMarriageendTheBan.html

Journalist Dave Cullen's blog containing his essays on gay marriage legislation.

Independent Gay Forum

http://www.indegayforum.org/

This blog posts short articles by forum members, mainly gay or gay-friendly academics, attorneys, activists, and writers who want to address gay-related issues from a more intellectual, less emotional position. The authors represent a full spectrum of political affiliation.

Queer Visions

http://www.queervisions.com/

Although he calls himself "editor," Patrick Yaeger appears to be the sole contributor to this Gay Rights-focused blog. Covering everything from civil unions to hate crimes, he also espouses a few other liberal non-gay-specific causes in an informed style. Rife with statistics and references to resources, this blog is good reading, no matter your opinion on his topics.

Civil Rights

Michael Fauntroy

http://www.michaelfauntroy.com/

This articulate, erudite, and experienced writer blogs regularly on issues of civil rights, women's rights, and race. A Washington, DC, native, his blogs are sometimes regionally focused, and his focus on current events makes every blog informative and enjoyable.

The Pipeline

http://www.livejournal.com/users/islandguy/

This Hawaiian-based blogger addresses racism and racial equality in his home state. The site also features beautiful pictures of locations around Hawaii.

Death Penalty

Pro-Death Penalty

http://www.prodeathpenalty.com/

Not a blog, this website informs its readers about scheduled executions, changes in laws, and other pertinent details. There are articles on recidivism and deterrence, resources for victims and their families, and coverage of "innocents" lists (quotation marks theirs). A huge amount of effort goes into keeping the documents current, especially regarding victims and convicted murderers.

Amnesty International

http://www.amnestyusa.org/

Probably the most famous of the anti-death penalty organizations, this website provides statistics, details, campaign information, and other resources for those interested in preserving human rights worldwide. Although the cited website is United States-specific, its coverage is not.