Welcome! This is an unapologetic, agenda-free zone. Just commentaries on current events that’ll move you to think, laugh, rage, and even cry.
Exactly! His letter makes no sense. I am on record hailing Russell Simmons for his political activism in such commentaries as “Black Political Leadership in America Is Dead! Thank God for Hip-Hop Mogul Russell Simmons,” April 26, 2005. Notably, his activism includes chairing The Foundation for Ethnic Understanding, whose “sole mission is to fight bigotry… Read more.
White policemen beating (or even killing) minorities has become commonplace in the United States. But they would be loath to beat (and risk killing) a uniformed Black soldier here. White policemen beating (or even killing) minorities has become commonplace in Israel too. But they appear to have no compunctions about beating (and risk killing) even a… Read more.
Jeffrey Goldberg is the critically acclaimed correspondent for The Atlantic, America’s top news and ideas magazine. His October 28 report, “The Crisis in U.S.-Israel Relationship Is Officially Here,” set political and media tongues a wagging from Washington to Jerusalem and all points in between. And nothing in his report caused more wagging than Goldberg quoting… Read more.
I feel obliged to note that Israel and Gaza agreed to another truce on Tuesday – with both sides insisting that it will prove more lasting than their eight previous ceasefire agreements. Alas, this might only mean that, in about two or three years, Gaza will be rocketing Israel and Israel will be bombing Gaza… Read more.
Truth be told, I have mixed feelings about commenting on this latest flare up between the Israelis and Palestinians for dominion over the Promised Land. After all, commentators (like me) have been no more able to make sense of this conflict between the Israelis and Palestinians than envoys (like U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry) have… Read more.
Last July, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry made quite a show of announcing his Mideast peace initiative: ‘All of the core issues are on the table for negotiation, with the goal of reaching a final status agreement over the course of the next nine months,’ Kerry said. ‘The time has come for a lasting… Read more.
Iran struck an historic agreement today with the United States and five other major nuclear powers: namely, China, France, Germany, Russia, and the UK – all represented by their respective foreign ministers. It calls for Iran to temporarily suspend developing its nuclear program in exchange for these powers (specifically the United States) temporarily suspending (only… Read more.
The flak Israel is getting for repatriating Africans who entered the country illegally is as unfair as it is uninformed. Israel has launched a forced repatriation of Eritrean migrants that amounts to a grave violation of their human rights because of the risk of persecution in their reclusive homeland…. (Reuters, July 16, 2013) Human rights… Read more.
Israel has become [as sacred a cow in American politics as Mom, apple pie … and guns] because, on the one hand, evangelical Christians consider its security key to their salvation; and on the other hand, politicians of every stripe consider pandering about its security key to their election. (“Americans More Jewish than Jews in… Read more.
It was truly surreal watching Republicans interrogate Chuck Hagel about his support for (or loyalty to) Israel during last week’s Senate hearing on his nomination to serve as defense secretary. In fact, Israel figured so prominently that I felt moved to title my commentary on the hearing, Was Hagel Nominated as Defense Secretary for the… Read more.
