Remember the Buddhas of Bamiyan? These were two 6th century enormous statues of the Buddha that were carved into giant niches in Central Afghanistan, in the Bamiyan valley. They became national news when they were destroyed by dynamite by the Taliban in 2001, and while there continue to be talks about possible rebuilding, currently…… Continue reading Targeting Cultural Sites for Destruction
Category: Politics
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Yesterday there were a bunch of events going on in the morning at the college, in conjunction with the inauguration of Gettysburg College’s new president, Bob Iuliano. One of the sessions I attended was on immigration, and one of the presenters read this poem. I thought it was incredibly powerful, and I think more people…… Continue reading Home
What Decade is this, Anyway?
One of my favorite shows these past few years has been “Call the Midwife.” It’s a BBC show that follows a lovely, interesting group of midwives and nuns in the East End of London. I find the characters really compelling and engaging, and the storylines thoughtful and poignant. In the course of the different seasons…… Continue reading What Decade is this, Anyway?
The Danger of Silence
Here we are, again. Once again, we find ourselves in a place we have been all too many times before, and only too recently. Here we are, again, mourning the tragic, senseless loss of life in a mass shooting. This time, at a mosque. Last time at a synagogue, and before that, at a church, and…… Continue reading The Danger of Silence
Women, Religion, Violence and Power
The title of this blog post is the subtitle of Jimmy Carter’s latest book (well, unless he has cranked out another one in the last year or two–which wouldn’t surprise me!), A Call to Action. It came out in 2014, and mine is autographed–I will always wait in line for Jimmy Carter! I finally got…… Continue reading Women, Religion, Violence and Power
Who Do You Say that I Am?
No, this post is not about Jesus’ identity, but about the identity of roughly 1.4 million Americans who identify as transgender. The story broke on Sunday that the Trump administration is seeking to more narrowly define gender as something immutable and unchangeable, determined exclusively and definitively by genitalia at birth. [Read about it here: Transgender Could…… Continue reading Who Do You Say that I Am?
The Catholic Church, The President & Abuses of Power
If you don’t live in Pennsylvania, you might have missed the story, but those of us who live here couldn’t escape it. And, if you are a regular news reader/watcher, surely you saw something about it: it has received national news coverage. Of course, I am talking about the huge scandal in the Catholic Church…… Continue reading The Catholic Church, The President & Abuses of Power
Zoos and Hope for the Future
So, like lots of people, I have mixed feelings about zoos–I’ve written about this before. On the one hand, I loved the zoo when I was little and I think they provide lots of people–grown-ups and children alike, especially those in cities–a way to connect with wildlife they only would ever be able to see…… Continue reading Zoos and Hope for the Future
Recent Perversions
According to the first online dictionary that comes up with a Google Search [the extent of my research], the first definition of “perversion” is the following: “the alteration of something from its original course, meaning, or state to a distortion or corruption of what was first intended.” It is only the second definition that references…… Continue reading Recent Perversions
Lessons from an Epic Vote in Ireland
I have been thinking a lot about Ireland these past couple weeks. Did you see the news about the vote on the abortion amendment? You can see the story here: Ireland Votes to End Abortion Ban. Since 1983, Ireland has had an amendment to the Constitution that recognized equal right to life for the fetus…… Continue reading Lessons from an Epic Vote in Ireland
