Author Archives:

by Judith Weisenfeld On December 5, 2009, the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles elected out lesbian Rev. Mary Glasspool assistant bishop, pending consent by the national church.  Press attention has, understandably, focused on how Glasspool's election is likely to exacerbate … Continue reading →

Just this month, Carl Jung's Red Book began its American tour at New York's Rubin Museum of Art. The Red Book, which Jung wrote and illustrated over a six-year period, is a graphic chronicle of the Swiss psychiatrist's exploration of … Continue reading →

by Courtney Bender The New York Times' response to the Swiss referendum banning minarets takes the moral high ground. “Disgraceful” says the Times, reminding us that intolerance and xenophobia spread fast. American warnings about European fascism are quickly losing their … Continue reading →

by Rebecca Wanzo When Maurice Clemmons became the lead suspect in the shooting of four officers in the state of Washington, many people gleefully condemned Mike Huckabee for commuting the 108 year sentence Clemmons received in Arkansas. While some on … Continue reading →

In recent weeks, we've posted a variety of viewpoints on news coverage of the role Islam played in the Fort Hood shootings. But the press' problematic reporting on Major Nidal Hassan's motives reflects a larger national problem. Most Americans know … Continue reading →

by Don Lattin It's been nearly a month since Army Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, shouting “Allahu Akbar,” gunned down 13 soldiers and civilians at the Fort Hood Readiness Center. Looking back at four weeks of news coverage and commentary, it … Continue reading →

Lots of scary things in Sunday's New York Times, including a rise in food stamps, bank resistance to helping troubled homeowners and a horrific detention center at an American base in Afghanistan. But nothing, not even news of Med Grow … Continue reading →

I played hooky Friday to catch a 9:15 a.m. screening of “New Moon”—with, to my surprise, a theater full of women over 40. I hadn't expected so many of my contemporaries, much less my mother's, but when Jacob tore off … Continue reading →

J. Terry Todd Sarah Palin returned in full force this week to promote her just-released Going Rogue—and to use media appearances to settle scores with “the media” for its treatment of her during the 2008 campaign. She was in the … Continue reading →

by Brie Loskota In last weekend's New York Times, science writer Nicholas Wade argued that new discoveries in archeology and evolutionary biology might allow us to bridge the gap between religion and science.  Religion, he notes, has historically provided cohesion … Continue reading →