Book Review: Jews Don’t Count by David Baddiel

In his short polemic, Jews Don’t Count, the writer and comedian David Baddiel argues that progressives have left out one identity in their commitment to anti-racism and identity politics. As will be obvious: this group is the Jewish people. Here Baddiel makes the case – with incisiveness, nuance, and even-handedness (in my opinion) – for…

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The Value and Impact of Controversial Art

In many areas of life, controversy can carry negative connotations. When something is controversial, you might assume the worst, thinking that it must involve an opinion or action that is hateful, prejudicial, dangerous, or deplorable in some way. In art, controversy is a very different thing. There is a long history of artists and artistic…

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Mark Twain on the Root Cause of Antisemitism

In 1898, Harper’s Magazine published an essay by Mark Twain titled Concerning the Jews, in which the author responds to a letter from a lawyer who asks Twain to explain why antisemitism is so rampant in society and why Jewish people throughout history have born the brunt of so much hatred and hostility. Twain essentially…

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