Author Archives: Marty Ryan

Everyday People

I am no better and neither are you We are the same, whatever we do You love me, you hate me, you know me and then You can’t figure out the bag I’m in I am everyday people Sly Stone, … Continue reading

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Poverty vs. Poor

Johanna Scanlon has been on my mind, lately. I’ve been thinking of her because I have been diagnosed with osteopenia, “a condition characterized by lower-than-normal bone density, which can increase the risk of fractures and may progress to osteoporosis if … Continue reading

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The rest of the story

Almost any curmudgeon from the previous century has heard Paul Harvey say, “And now you know — the rest of the story.” Let’s hear the rest of the story. State Republican representatives are flaunting an initiative this year with a serious … Continue reading

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What are you afraid of?

As technology advances, law enforcement agencies seek innovative methods of utilizing newfound technology in the name of public safety. However, any legislative proposal that would change public access to the information acquired through those methods are met with strong opposition. … Continue reading

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“You’re in the wrong place!”

Each year, for a period of about four or five years straight, a group of nine guys from around Denison, Iowa, traveled in a van to Kansas City to watch a Kansas City Royals game on a Saturday afternoon. I … Continue reading

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Caught off guard

In 1997, when I was lobbying for the Iowa Civil Liberties Union (the forerunner to the ACLU of Iowa), a bill was introduced in the Iowa House of Representatives that would have allowed school officials to randomly conduct searches of … Continue reading

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