Stories by Steven Hsieh

Steven Hsieh is an editorial assistant at AlterNet and writer based in Brooklyn. Follow him on Twitter @stevenjhsieh. subscribe to Steven Hsieh's feed

Senate Does Nothing as Student Loan Rates Set to Double

Posted on: Jun 28, 2013, Source: AlterNet

Borrowing rates for federal student loans will double from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent on Monday.

Minister Seduced Girls with Promise that Sex Would 'Heal' STDs and Early Pregnancy

Posted on: Jun 28, 2013, Source: AlterNet

S.C. pastor accused of abusing girls during 'private prayer' sessions.

Incoming Police Chief Shoots Woman—Intended Target: Dog

Posted on: Jun 27, 2013, Source: AlterNet

Then he "backed away" and made a phone call instead of helping her, says victim.

Ohio Protestors Rally Against Anti-Abortion Budget

Posted on: Jun 27, 2013, Source: AlterNet

Reproductive rights of Ohio's women hangs on pro-life governor John Kasich's decision.

The NYPD Embedded Four CIA Officers After 9/11

Posted on: Jun 27, 2013, Source: AlterNet

One analyst says he was bound by “no limitations.”

Kickstarter Apologizes For Not Removing Pro-Sexual Assault 'Seduction Guide'

Posted on: Jun 21, 2013, Source: AlterNet

"We were wrong," the funding platform site said in a statement.

Tennessee Official Says Complaining About Water Quality Could Be Considered 'Act of Terrorism'

Posted on: Jun 21, 2013, Source: AlterNet

The claim was made during a meeting with residents who say the "cloudy, odd-tasting water" is making their children sick.

Goodwill Legally Pays Disabled Workers As Low as 22 Cents an Hour

Posted on: Jun 21, 2013, Source: AlterNet

Republican Congressman's bill would phase out the exploitative practice.

Lawsuit Claims Border Patrol Lets Agents Get Away with Murder

Posted on: Jun 20, 2013, Source: AlterNet

Maria Del Socorro Quintero Perez, along with her two children, claim U.S. Border Patrol treats rock throwing as “deadly force,” allowing agents to respond with deadly gunfire.

Howard Dean Is Cool with the Government Spying on Us, Just as Long as It's Not a Secret

Posted on: Jun 20, 2013, Source: AlterNet

The one-time presidential candidate: "I think the American people are willing to give up some privacy in exchange for safety."

Co-Founder of Notorious Anti-Immigrant Minutemen Group Arrested on Suspicion of Sexually Molesting Three Girls

Posted on: Jun 20, 2013, Source: AlterNet

Chris Simcox of the Minutemen once cried out against migrants for "jeering at little girls walking on their way to school."

BEST VIDEO OF THE DAY: This Union-Made Dance Video Actually Kicks Ass

Posted on: Jun 14, 2013, Source: AlterNet

Working America demonstrates through dance the power of coworker collectivism.

Fraternity Watched As African American Mail Carrier Hauled 79 Boxes Labelled "F*ggot N*gger" Backward

Posted on: Jun 14, 2013, Source: AlterNet

UPDATED

Attorney Wants to Use NSA Phone Records For Accused Bank Robber's Defense

Posted on: Jun 13, 2013, Source: AlterNet

Could this set a precedent?

Catholic School Fires Teacher for Being a Domestic Violence Survivor

Posted on: Jun 13, 2013, Source: AlterNet

“I mean that’s why women of domestic violence don’t come forward."

Sacramento District Ignores Report Suggesting Closing Schools for Affluent White Kids, Instead Shutters Seven Schools Filled with Poor and Minority Kids

Posted on: Jun 13, 2013, Source: AlterNet

"The district applied an arbitrary and illegitimate standard to target schools that are predominantly high in low-income and minority populations."

Defense Bill Could Give 'License to Bully' Gay and Lesbian Service Members

Posted on: Jun 6, 2013, Source: AlterNet

Rep. John Fleming's amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act would make it more difficult to punish anti-gay behavior.

New York Lawmakers Want to Make It a Felony to 'Annoy' a Police Officer

Posted on: Jun 6, 2013, Source: AlterNet

Because cops sure need another law to abuse!

Hundreds of Garment Workers in Bangladesh Factory Potentially Sickened by 'Contaminated' Water

Posted on: Jun 6, 2013, Source: AlterNet

As if Bangladeshi workers did not have it bad enough.

'Pot-Friendly' Colorado to Regulate Marijuana Publications Like Porn

Posted on: May 31, 2013, Source: AlterNet

Three marijuana publications are suing the state for first amendment violations.

Big Brother is Watching Your Kids: Florida School District Scans Students' Irises Without Parents' Permission

Posted on: May 31, 2013, Source: AlterNet

Parents are outraged at Polk County School District's privacy violation.

St. Louis Protestors Rally Over Death of Honors Student Shot 25 Times by Police

Posted on: May 30, 2013, Source: AlterNet

Witnesses say Cary Ball, Jr. was unarmed when police opened fire, killing him.

Black 14-year-old Carrying a Puppy Tackled and Choked by Police for Giving Them a "Dehumanizing Stare"

Posted on: May 30, 2013, Source: AlterNet

Grown police officers allege that the unarmed teen looked at them funny.

El Salvador Court Denies Seriously Ill Woman Potentially Life-Saving Abortion

Posted on: May 30, 2013, Source: AlterNet

The fetus stands practically no chance of survival.

Christian Radio Host Says Husbands Should Get Their Sense of Worth from Outearning Their Wives

Posted on: May 30, 2013, Source: AlterNet

"That's the way God set it up."

George Zimmerman's Defense Team Releases Texts and Photos to Fit Their Racist Narrative

Posted on: May 24, 2013, Source: AlterNet

"Is the defense trying to prove Trayvon deserved to be killed by George Zimmerman because of the way he looked?"

Best Thing of the Day: WikiLeaks Leaks Transcript of Hollywood's Doc on the Online Activists

Posted on: May 24, 2013, Source: AlterNet

"We Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks" premieres today -- but the transcript hit the internet last night.

'Operation Swill': 29 NJ Restaurants and Bars Including 13 TGI Friday's Accused of Selling Bottom-Shelf Booze in Premium Bottles

Posted on: May 23, 2013, Source: AlterNet

Don't try to rip off New Jersey drinkers.

Former British Soldier: London Attackers Motivated By US and UK's Imperial Foreign Policy

Posted on: May 23, 2013, Source: AlterNet

"We are lucky that these attacks are so few and far between."

Watch: Jon Stewart Asks Bill O'Reilly if Obama Scandals Bring Him 'Sexual Arousal'

Posted on: May 23, 2013, Source: AlterNet

Meanwhile, O'Reilly acts his usual bigoted self.

Amid Sexual Assault Crisis in Military, Sergeant Accused of Filming West Point Cadets in the Bathroom

Posted on: May 23, 2013, Source: AlterNet

A Pentagon survey revealed 26,000 reports of sexual assault in the military in 2012.

Time to Take Newspapers from Billionaires and Return Them to the People

Posted on: May 17, 2013, Source: AlterNet

'Free the Press' activist group tries to raise $660 million to buy Tribune newspapers and turn them over to local communities.

4 Inhumane Realities about the Guantanamo Hunger Strike

Posted on: May 17, 2013, Source: AlterNet

As the hunger strike stretches into its 100th day, here are the four worst things about how the U.S. is handling the ongoing protest.

84 Percent of NYC Fast Food Workers Report Wage Theft

Posted on: May 16, 2013, Source: AlterNet

The report arrives in the midst of a national movement in the industry for better wages and the right to unionize.

Finally! Researchers Clone Human Embryonic Stem Cells

Posted on: May 16, 2013, Source: AlterNet

Medical breakthrough brings us one step closer to tissue replacement therapy.

Boston Suspect's Note Says Brothers Bombed Marathon in Retaliation to U.S. Foreign Policy

Posted on: May 16, 2013, Source: AlterNet

"When you attack one Muslim, you attack all Muslims," the note reportedly states.

Does God Hate Climate Change?

Posted on: May 10, 2013, Source: AlterNet

Democrat lawmaker is trying to sell environmental legislation as "God's work" -- but is he pandering to religion to push progressive legislation?

U.S. Census Confirms: Mitt Romney Won Abysmal 17 percent of Votes among People of Color.

Posted on: May 10, 2013, Source: AlterNet

Black voters turned out at a higher rate than whites for the first time in history

The Horrifying Letter Found in Ariel Castro's House

Posted on: May 9, 2013, Source: AlterNet

"I don't know why I kept looking for another. I already had 2 in my possession."

Amazon Warehouse Workers Forced to Wait at Security Checkpoints Without Getting Paid

Posted on: May 9, 2013, Source: AlterNet

Attorneys representing the workers estimate that 100,000 warehouse workers are owed more than $100 million in back wages.

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