Essays
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Page 82
Wanda Sykes vs. Rush Limbaugh
Limbaugh's antidote
The difference between Rush Limbaugh and Wanda Sykes is the latter's freedom from hatred and putdowns. Rush stokes the fires of resentment, Wanda smiles her teasing ways to a collective giggle.
Essays
2 minute read
Aaron Schneider's "Get Low'
The conscience of a Calvinist
Robert Duvall delivers a career performance in Get Low, a modest but penetrating film about the secrets of the heart by first-time director Aaron Schneider. Amid the summer's usual trash, it's a small gem.
Essays
4 minute read
In defense of the Reverend Jones
What's worse than burning the Kuran?
Burning a book for any reason is a bad idea. But preventing the Reverend Terry Jones from burning the Kuran is even worse. If he's not free to express his views however he sees fit, the rest of us will lose that freedom as well.
Essays
4 minute read
The day I wore a veil
On wearing a head covering after 9/11
Until 2001, a scarf was an accepted fashion statement among Western women. Veils and shawls have played important roles in both Judaism and Christianity for thousands of years. Only after 9/11 did wearing them become an exclusively Muslim practice.
Essays
3 minute read
My pool, my summer, my community
Mayor Nutter's smartest move: How my neighborhood pool built a community
Despite the recession and Philadelphia's budget crisis, this summer Mayor Nutter opened all 70 of the city's public pools for six weeks. Was this public expense wise? Consider my firsthand experience.
Essays
5 minute read
The imam, the mosque and Ground Zero
The delusions of monotheists, or: The imam, the mosque and Ground Zero
The controversy about whether to build a huge Muslim study and worship center two blocks from Ground Zero in lower Manhattan isn't about freedom of religion or constitutional rights. It's about a decent respect for the dead.
Essays
4 minute read
Dr. Laura and the "n' word
The ‘n' word and other casual racial slights: What Dr. Laura doesn't know about me
Dr. Laura Schlessinger thinks black people are oversensitive about the “n” word. To me, as a black woman, it suggests that my accomplishments and character are irrelevant.
Essays
5 minute read
Farewell to the '50s
Dear Beaver, Howdy, Adlai et al: You made me what I am today
It's high time I faced the facts: My beloved '50s are indeed dead, and I need a new set of conversational reference points. But before I take my leave, allow me one last farewell to my faithful '50s friends.
Essays
4 minute read
Why the 'U.S.S. Olympia' matters
Save that ship!
I was shocked to learn that scuttling may be the fate of the cruiser Olympia, Admiral Dewey's flagship at the Battle of Manila Bay in 1898. It's the world's oldest steel warship afloat. It's also the sole surviving example of a turning point in America's life as a nation.
Essays
3 minute read
The case for professional soccer
A sport whose time has come: The case for professional soccer
With its low-scoring games and British roots, soccer may never be America's game. But for connoisseurs, it's the ideal niche sport in an age of niche markets.
Essays
5 minute read