Harvard University
John Cowles Professor of Sociology at Harvard University and author of several books including the forthcoming, The Enigma of Jamaica
PROFILE
Orlando Patterson
Guest
FROM Orlando Patterson
To the Point
The secret of Jamaica's runners A photographer catches up with Bolt after his gold-medal win at the London's Olympics Photo by Hilts uk Usain Bolt is billed as the fastest man on Earth, and other Jamaicans are right behind him. This week's 100-meter dash was the third straight victory in that Olympic event for the man now called the fastest on Earth. Fellow Jamaican Elaine Johnson is billed as the fastest woman on Earth. In fact, 19 of the fastest 26 times for 100 meters were run by Jamaicans. How do they do it? Dr. Orlando Patterson is a Jamaican-born American sociologist who teaches at Harvard. He wrote " The Secret of Jamaica's Runners ," an op-ed piece for the New York Times.
Recommended
To the Point
Is the threat from Russia missing from the Russia meddling probe? There's much being made about the Trump administration's possible ties with Russia. But the bottom line is Russia's effort to influence American democracy. Do the President and his aides care enough to take action before voters go back to the polls?
To the Point
Terrorism and tweets, hate speech and murder Just days before an election, Britain is coping with a rash of deadly terrorism, and Prime Minister Theresa May is on the defensive. And again today, President Trump has tweeted criticism of the Mayor of London. Later, a double murder in Portland, Oregon has revealed the ugly past of a supposedly “progressive” city. One immediate question: is “hate speech” protected by the First Amendment?
To the Point
Who's to blame for the opioid crisis? Some of the lawyers who took on Big Tobacco are now going after Big Pharma. It’s all about the deadly epidemic of opioid use. Are the drug companies to blame? What about the users? Later, on today’s Talking Point: making sense of Britain’s upset election.
To the Point
Janesville and the American Dream Janesville, Wisconsin is the hometown of Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan. But he couldn’t prevent the closing of the General Motors factory after 100 years. On this Memorial Day rebroadcast of To the Point, we hear what’s happened to what once was a model of American middle-class unity.