Lincoln Project, campus speech, critical race theory, Trump Org. charges and other top columns

In today's fast-paced news environment, it can be hard to keep up. For your weekend reading, we've started in-case-you-missed-it compilations of some of the week's top USA TODAY Opinion pieces. As always, thanks for reading, and for your feedback.

— USA TODAY Opinion editors

1. I'm joining the Lincoln Project to make sure Republicans don't win Congress in 2022: Trippi

By Joe Trippi

"As citizens, we must join each other in a pro-democracy coalition that confronts the authoritarian movement in our midst at every turn. President Biden and those trying to govern must find compromise and common ground wherever they can to get things done, and we all must give them the room to do so. But there is no compromising with those who continue to fuel the authoritarian movement with lies."

2. I'm an addiction doctor. Let Sha'Carri Richardson compete – and stop testing athletes for cannabis

By Dr. Scott E. Hadland

"Many of us list of prohibited substances – including me, an addiction doctor – found ourselves scratching our heads at the World Anti-Doping Agency’s seemingly antiquated rules on cannabis. The Agency classifies substances as “prohibited” if they meet two of three criteria – that the substance is performance-enhancing, is a health risk to the athlete, or violates the ‘spirit of sport.' I assert that cannabis does not meet this definition."

3. What I discovered about critical race theory in public schools and why it shouldn't be taught

By Christopher F. Rufo

"Next, this framework teaches students to think that they bear responsibility for and are the beneficiaries of historical crimes committed by individuals who shared the same skin color; consequently, they must atone for their “white privilege." Critical race theorists in practice sometimes refer to this as "internalized racial superiority" within white people."

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4. Trump meets his match in Manhattan DA. Tax fraud charges show accountability is coming.

By Michael J. Stern

"Because an indictment triggers discovery obligations on the DA’s part, Weisselberg will now have access to virtually all the evidence against him. I cannot count the number of times a defendant initially told me to “shove” my cooperation offer, yet ended up cooperating after seeing everything I was going to show to the jury that would decide his fate."

5. After Bill Cosby and Fox News, something good is going to come of this

By Gretchen Carlson

"More than 60 million Americans are under the thumb of forced arbitration in their employment agreements, and over a third of American workers are bound by NDAs. They cannot tell their own truths; they cannot tell their own stories. It’s time to remove the muzzles, not just to make people safer but to also create more productive, positive businesses. No one can be expected to do their best work in the presence of predators and their protectors."

6.  Terrible presidents followed by better and best: Biden and Lincoln show US resilience

By Paul Brandus

"Trump was astonishingly easy to grade. I gave him a “10” – as in horrible – in “Moral Authority,” “Administrative Skills” and “International Relations.” Others obviously had similar views. He finished rock bottom, the worst of the worst in the first two categories and 43rd (second-to-last) in “International Relations.” 

7. First George Floyd, now her uncle: Darnella Frazier grieves another Black man killed by police

By Suzette Hackney 

"Leneal Lamont Frazier, 40, died Tuesday after his vehicle was struck by a squad car as police chased a robbery suspect, according to Minneapolis police spokesman John Elder. Police spotted a driver in a vehicle believed to have been stolen during a carjacking and linked to multiple robberies. The driver fled as officers attempted to make a traffic stop. As an officer pursued the suspect, he collided with Frazier's vehicle."

8. Fix qualified immunity travesty that lets police off the hook after violating civil rights

By The Editorial Board 

"The Supreme Court could toss out qualified immunity but has repeatedly passed up that chance. In the past year, the court has taken a few baby steps to modify the doctrine, but it could take years for that to make a substantial difference. Fixing this travesty is a job for Congress, after lawmakers promised police reform in response to nationwide calls for change. The House passed a measure that among other changes would eliminate “qualified immunity” for law enforcement officers, but most Senate Republicans have sharply objected."

9. In defense of offensive speech: Our progress is linked to ideas that once angered many 

By Abigail Anthony 

"A fundamental flaw in supporting speech limitations is the assumption that the arbiters who would impose restrictions share your precise evaluation of what should be limited. I challenge those willing to relinquish free speech to ask themselves whether they are comfortable with their political opponents legislating the regulations."

10. Ben Crump: Black lives have always had a price. Floyd case brought new accountability.

By Ben Crump

"Too often, Black life is treated as disposable, and those who threaten or end it face little or no consequence. How do we correct that? Changing hearts and minds is a lengthy, stubborn and often fruitless process. But the American justice system offers remedies –criminal justice, which applies a punishment for taking a life, and civil justice, which attaches a monetary value for lost life. Of course, putting Chauvin behind bars for two decades doesn’t equate to full justice. It doesn’t give Floyd his life back. And no amount of money can make up for the loss of a human being. But both remedies are critical forms of accountability, and both can drive change."

11. My faith is a source of comfort. Defending that to fellow progressives puts me in a mood.

By Connie Schultz

"Now that Joe Biden is president, a majority of U.S. Catholic bishops want to force a debate on whether he and other Catholic politicians who support abortion rights should be allowed to receive communion. The Vatican has warned against punishing support for a right, and Pope Francis recently preached that communion “is not the reward of saints, but the bread of sinners.”