In Focus delivers deeper coverage of the political, cultural, and ideological issues shaping America. Published daily by senior writers and experts, these in-depth pieces go beyond the headlines to give readers the full picture. You can find our full list of In Focus pieces here.

It was a Tuesday. A brilliant blue sky sparkled overhead as an unseasonably early chill hung in the air. My mother dropped me off half a block from my high school in suburban New Jersey. I was just months away from getting my driver’s license, an exhilarating prospect for any teenager. Everything felt ordinary. We were shaking off the summer cobwebs and settling back into a normal routine.