Zohran Mamdani
A socialist mayor for New York. What could go wrong?
Let’s find out. Let New York be a test case, the canary in the coal mine, for Zohran Mamdani’s radical ideas.
Anti-Semitism
Feds bash Philly schools for enabling anti-Semitism
I once wrote, with sincerity, that Philadelphians divide their time between bragging about Philly, and trashing it. As a columnist, I’ve done more of the latter. Because problems seem to have a longer lifetime than achievements. Some columnists, like the famous Herb Caen, wrote what he called a series
Anti-Semitism
Does it mean much Mexico has chosen a leader with Jewish roots?
Normally, the election of a Jewish person to lead a nation (outside of Israel, of course) would be a cause for pride among most Jews. It would be seen as a sign of acceptance. Even if the politician was a non-practicing Jew, which is the case of Claudia Sheinbaum, a
Anti-Semitism
Palestinians did not invent anti-Semitism, but benefit from it
Anti-Semitism is the oldest hate. In the past, it was naked. Today, it often hides behind “causes.” Historically, a hallmark of anti-Semitism was persecution, culminating in murder and the expulsion of Jews from much of Western Europe, including England, France, Germany, Portugal, and Spain. There was nothing subtle about it.
Anti-Semitism
Biden makes a muddle with off-the-cuff comment
President Joe Biden got it right on paper -- condemning the surge of U.S. anti-Semitism — but tripped over his tongue in an off-the-cuff remark to a reporter. His critics are calling it his “Charlottesville moment,” but that’s not quite right. The “Charlottesville moment” refers to the statement made
Race
Haley’s comment ignites talk about race
Nikki Haley’s clumsy fumbling of questions about American racism — call it Haley’s comment — leads me to wonder how many of us truly understand what is perhaps the most divisive factor among Americans. It eclipses class, politics, gender, religion, geography, even IQ. Do I believe America is a racist
Education
Viewing collegiate anti-Semitism as new history
Journalism is the first draft of history, they say. Written fast, with deadlines bearing down on the reporter, those drafts are incomplete at best, deeply flawed at worst. Having been on vacation when the presidents of three elite universities were grilled by congress, I did not write about the first
Anti-Semitism
The attack on Goldie’s was anti-Semitism
With their anti-Semitic attack on Goldie’s on Sansom Street, the Philly Palestine Coalition has revealed (again) its true colors, which are these: Despite a remarkably soft Inquirer story on the attack, the words and actions of the group convict them in the court of public opinion, condemned as anti-Semitism
Anti-Semitism
Philly’s Palestinians organize a Kristallnacht
Thursday will be the 85th anniversary of Kristallnacht, or the Night of Broken Glass, during which the Nazis went on a two-day rampage throughout Germany, smashing Jewish stores, buildings, and synagogues. Streets everywhere were filled with broken glass. It was the harbinger of things to come. Those things included isolating,
Anti-Semitism
Stopping anti-Semitism at Penn ain’t that hard
There’s been an outbreak of anti-Semitism at the esteemed University of Pennsylvania, and new president Liz Magill is going about combating it in exactly the wrong way. Actually, she sort of encouraged it when her first mealy-mouthed statement rebuking the Oct. 7 massacre of Israelis did not use the
Journalism
I am not a “Jewish journalist”
I have been an American journalist for 64 years. I am Jewish by birth, and proud of my heritage, but I never wanted to be known as a “Jewish journalist.” Once I became a columnist at the Philadelphia Daily News, and was free to choose my subjects, I avoided writing
Politics
What the Brits’ Labour can teach U.S. Democrats
I was happy and relieved by some recent statements by Keir Starmer, who leads Labour, the Left party that hasn’t governed Great Britain since 2010. Labour leader Keir Starmer embraces patriotism (Photo: Financial Times) His predecessor was a Labourite given to making anti-Semitic statements, not too unusual in a