The #BernieOrBust slogan was widely adopted in the 2016 Presidential Elections by ardent supporters of Senator Bernie Sanders. These devotees insisted that they would not vote for any candidate (namely Hillary Clinton, the eventual Democratic Party nominee) in the eventual general election showdown with Trump. Four years later, the slogan has resurfaced as a credible threat directed toward what many perceive to be a recalcitrant Democratic Party establishment. In what follows, I do not claim that “#BernieOrBusters” are morally justified (all things considered), but merely offer a possible defence for why some #BernieOrBust advocates are behaving in a rationally justified manner.  I grant two premises amenable to most critics of #BernieOrBusters: first, Trump is a highly problematic candidate in his actions and dispositions; second, whilst not …

What began as a protest against a controversial extradition bill in Hong Kong has rapidly spiraled into one of the worst political crises to confront the Chinese city. As the movement enters its fifth month, violence has continued to escalate in the streets of what once was a bustling cosmopolitan city.     It is difficult to not feel disillusioned as a Hong Konger. To watch one’s city descend into flames and chaos through belligerent confrontations between law enforcement and the public is an experience that is surreal for many amongst the 7.4 million inhabiting one of the world’s leading financial centres. Animosity that once felt confined to seemingly distant corners on Earth has now become a recurrent, daily fixture in our politics.  …