What I Saw at Unite the Right 2
When I set out to cover the “Unite the Right 2” rally, scheduled for 5:30 p.m. at Lafayette Square, I didn’t know what to expect.
14
Aug
29
Sep
Ask the Rabbis | What Does Kneeling Mean to Jews?
Jewish discussions over the NFL protests cover some extra ground. What’s the significance of kneeling, anyway?
12
Jan
The Polish Republic of Untruth
It didn’t take long for the recently elected government to have a troubling impact on the state of the country’s democracy.
03
Mar
The New Sultan of Turkey
Former Prime Minister—now President—Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Islamist Party are more powerful than ever. Is the nation’s democracy under siege?
By Yigal Schleifer
Adiminutive 63-year-old with dyed blond hair and a raspy smoker’s cough, Mücella Yapici hardly fits the profile of a criminal mastermind. But Turkish judicial authorities see it differently. Since last year, the architect and urban planner has been on trial for organizing and maintaining an “illegal criminal organization.” If convicted, Yapici could face 30 years in jail.
Despite the legal proceedings, I found Yapici in a buoyant mood during a visit to her office, located in Karaköy, a neighborhood on the European side of the Bosphorus that has served as one of Istanbul’s ports since Byzantine times. “I am Al Capone!” Yapici told me by way of introducing herself and her case. “It’s not a...
16
Feb
Let My People Vote!
By Steven Philp
Egypt may lack a president, but it is not bereft of direction. Meeting two primary demands of pro-democracy protestors, Egyptian military leaders have dissolved the parliament, suspended the constitution and set a schedule for drafting a new one ahead of September elections. As the Washington Post details, this is one of the first steps towards civilian rule following the resignation of authoritarian leader Hosni Mubarak. The ruling council has communicated that these changes will remain in effect for six months until presidential and parliamentary elections can occur. In the meantime a committee is being formed to amend the constitution, and provide a vehicle for popular referendum to approve these changes.
What is remarkable about these changes is their genesis within the citizens of Egypt. As noted by columnist and author Thomas L. Friedman, one...
11
Feb
A Revolution By Any Other Name
By Niv Elis
For the Czech Republic it was Velvet. For Serbia, it was a Bulldozer. For Iran, it was distinctly Islamic. But nobody has yet settled on what the freshly minted Egyptian Revolution will be called. Will it be floral, like Tunisia's Jasmine, Kyrgyzstan's Tulips, Georgia's Roses and Portugal's Carnations? Will it be woody, like Croatia's Log and Lebanon's Cedar Revolutions? Perhaps it will be colorful like Ukraine's Orange and Iran's failed Green one, or maybe, like the bloodless overthrows in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, the revolution will be a Singing one.
Some have bandied about Papyrus as a descriptor for the Egyptian popular uprising. Other suggestions might include the Pyramid revolution, the Mummy revolution, the Tahrir (liberation) Revolution, the Facebook Revolution or, in a tribute to the Bangles hit, simply "Revolt Like an Egyptian." Ultimately,...
08
Feb
For Israel, Tough Choices on Egypt
By Steven Philp
On Saturday Israeli President Shimon Peres offered a defense of beleaguered Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak, on the grounds that his rule has been characterized by three decades of stability between their respective nations. According to Haaretz, Israeli officials are concerned that if Mubarak is forced to step down the 1979 peace deal between their respective nations could be compromised. Peres seemed particularly concerned about the Muslim Brotherhood, saying that their participation in the opposition movement casts doubt over continuing peace with Israel. Addressing members of the European Parliament, Peres lauded Mubarak for maintaining accord with Israel, stating, “His contribution to peace, as far as I'm concerned, will never be forgotten.”
Egyptian opposition leader Mohamed El Baradei attempted to assuage these fears in an interview with NBC’s Meet the Press, stating that the peace established...
11
Nov
The Limits of Political Protest
By Doni Kandel
In 21st century American culture, political correctness has become a mainstay of the national discourse. While the idea of political correctness is honorable, the practical implications of its virtue are tainted by political interests and subjectivity. While the battle over what is considered politically correct continues to be waged, one specific usage of terminology should be established as strictly taboo. This is the blatant and unconscionable usage of Nazi and Hitler comparisons. While this phenomenon is prevalent in many societies, Israel included, there has been a dramatic and troubling rise in its usage in the modern American political dialogue.
While the 1st amendment protects the free speech of all people, and taking issue with what every single citizen says in the privacy of their own homes is futile, the alarming rise in Nazi...