The contrast was striking. The setting was the placid, bucolic Bent Pine Golf Club House at Vero Beach, Florida. The topic was the so-called Black Cats, a group of ambulance drivers in World War One, many of whom were students or graduates of Amherst College, which I, too, attended somewhat later. Their wartime experience was harrowing, their performance heroic. The ambulance was as vital as the trench in this war to end all wars. Continue reading “Black Cats of War”
Month: March 2019
The Threat of Identity Politics
Newly elected U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar is well situated to speak her mind. In today’s identity politics, she is top drawer: a woman; a black, in addition from Africa; a Muslim. It’s all here. Who could ask for more? Seizing the opportunity of her elevated status, she proceeded to touch on the third rail of politics – American support of Israel. Continue reading “The Threat of Identity Politics”
America Come Home
It’s not easy to end a war even when it’s not going very well. President Trump promised to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan and Syria, but under pressure from the war community in Washington changed his mind about Syria. Some troops will remain to make sure peace, or its approximate, is secured. He has also calmed tensions with nuclear-armed North Korea but recently ended a summit with the North Korean leader with nothing accomplished, again owing to the resistance of the Washington warriors who fight, to be sure, from a distance. Continue reading “America Come Home”
Exotic Invasion
Nice little Python. Cute and crawly. But he grows and grows – too long for the room and somewhat menacing as pythons have been known to squeeze and sometimes strangle unwary humans. What to do? Euthanizing a pet is not fair. The solution: the watery everglades where he can join many thousands of fellow snakes in eternal combat with the other animal discards – alligators. Continue reading “Exotic Invasion”