Conor Friedersdorf

Conor Friedersdorf is a staff writer at The Atlantic, where he focuses on politics and national affairs. He lives in Venice, California, and is the founding editor of The Best of Journalism, a newsletter devoted to exceptional nonfiction.

It's Come to This: Debating Death by Autopilot

It's Come to This: Debating Death by Autopilot

Drones aren't going away. The controversial question today is whether they should ever be allowed to kill on their own. More »

A Very Silly Argument Against the Gay-Marriage Movement

A Very Silly Argument Against the Gay-Marriage Movement

A writer at the Claremont Review of Books misunderstands why a majority of Americans now favor marriage equality and makes several errors along the way. More »

Newt Gingrich Wants to Protect Some Religions More Than Others

Newt Gingrich Wants to Protect Some Religions More Than Others

The former Freddie Mac historian warns of a drive to limit Christianity months after trying to limit American Islam. More »

What 4 Decades of Marriage Taught a Grateful Husband

What 4 Decades of Marriage Taught a Grateful Husband

A wisdom-filled "letter-to-the-editor" More »

Cops Who Shoot Innocent People Should Have Their Guns Taken Away

Cops Who Shoot Innocent People Should Have Their Guns Taken Away

That simple rule is the least bad way there is to protect residents from being wrongfully shot. More »

Team Obama to Banks: Issue Home Loans to Riskier Borrowers

Team Obama to Banks: Issue Home Loans to Riskier Borrowers

The housing bust proved that the federal government isn't particularly good at anticipating how many people will default. More »

The War on Drugs Is Far More Immoral Than Most Drug Use

The War on Drugs Is Far More Immoral Than Most Drug Use

A prohibitionist says libertarians dismiss moral considerations when they call for legalization. The truth is quite the opposite. More »

John Yoo Criticizes Liberals for Caring More About Torture Than Diversity

John Yoo Criticizes Liberals for Caring More About Torture Than Diversity

The man who helped institutionalize torture argues it's hypocritical to oppose the promotion of a woman who destroyed evidence of brutal interrogations. More »

A Heartbreaking Drug Sentence of Staggering Idiocy

A Heartbreaking Drug Sentence of Staggering Idiocy

A first-time narcotics offender, father to three, sold pain pills to a friend. His punishment: 25 years in prison. It's just the latest evidence that U.S. drug policy is madness. More »

An Urgent Proposal to Protect People From Domestic Drones

An Urgent Proposal to Protect People From Domestic Drones

A Rhode Island bill is among the best being considered by state legislatures, according to an ACLU analysis. More »

What It Means to Treat Kate Upton Like the Successful, Autonomous Person That She Is

What It Means to Treat Kate Upton Like the Successful, Autonomous Person That She Is

Asked to prom by a high schooler, the supermodel responded with acumen. Why are some making her out to be a victim? More »

What Progressives Can Learn From Their California Failures

What Progressives Can Learn From Their California Failures

The Democratic Party has conquered the Golden State's levers of power. But political victory doesn't guarantee good governance. More »

Can Voters Fight Domestic Drones at the Ballot Box?

Can Voters Fight Domestic Drones at the Ballot Box?

Referenda banning unmanned aerial spying by police agencies could save whole states from a future of pervasive surveillance. More »

What False Equivalence Looked Like in the Civil War Era

What False Equivalence Looked Like in the Civil War Era

A Harper's essayist reflects on his distaste for both factions in the conflict -- and why he got over it and chose sides. More »

Is My Marriage That Different From My Grandparents' Marriage?

Is My Marriage That Different From My Grandparents' Marriage?

The institution is always changing. But it doesn't feel as though the emphasis on love and companionship is significantly different now than it was in the past. More »

The Right-Wing Hucksters Who Dare Not Be Named

The Right-Wing Hucksters Who Dare Not Be Named

John Podhoretz and Jonah Goldberg believe disingenuous conservative pundits are doing irreparable harm to their movement. So who are they? More »

The Key to Same-Sex Marriage's Fast Acceptance: The Courage to Come Out

The Key to Same-Sex Marriage's Fast Acceptance: The Courage to Come Out

Chief Justice John Roberts suggested activism is responsible for changes in public opinion. But the fact that many Americans now know openly gay people matters more. More »

The Horrifying Effects of NYPD Ethnic Profiling on Innocent Muslim Americans

The Horrifying Effects of NYPD Ethnic Profiling on Innocent Muslim Americans

A new report describes the concrete ways a clandestine spying program has caused individuals and communities to suffer. More »

Let's Make Drone Strikes Safe, Legal, and Rare

Let's Make Drone Strikes Safe, Legal, and Rare

It would be easy to replace our current killing program with a slightly altered one with sufficient protections for innocent civilians, American citizens, and rule of law. More »

Here's What Frank Bruni Gets Wrong About Rand Paul's Senate Record

Here's What Frank Bruni Gets Wrong About Rand Paul's Senate Record

Like many in the media, the New York Times columnist emphasizes minor positions while minimizing the Kentucky senator's more important stands. More »

The Biggest Story in Photos

Photos of Tornado Damage in Moore, Oklahoma

Subscribe Now

SAVE 65%! 10 issues JUST $2.45 PER COPY

Newsletters

Sign up to receive our free newsletters

(sample)

(sample)

(sample)

(sample)

(sample)

(sample)