“Precious Jewish daughter, please move to the side when a man approaches.” So read a number of signs hanging on trees in Williamsburg, a mostly Hasidic Jewish community in Brooklyn,
Barbara’s Riffs on Life
A Case of the Human Condition: My Daughter the Trash Heap
My daughter is beautiful. But I wonder if she wants to be. If she liked being beautiful, why did she dress up as a heap of trash for Halloween when she was 11? A “Doctor Who” space alien at 28? Read more.
Book Openers: Is Polygamy Normal?
Is polygamy normal? If gays can get their marriages legalized, what’s to keep all those polygamists from seeking legalization of their status as well? Read more.
Post 9/11 Active Duty Vets: Country, Yes. God, Not So Much
82 percent of veterans who served on active duty since 9/11 say they would advise a young person close to them to sign up for the military.
Book Openers: Good News — Life Is Flawed and There Is No Fixing It
There comes a time, in the second half of life, when we must realize that we are doomed to failure, says Richard Rohr.
Twenty-two Years Later, A Tiananmen Survivor Finally Tells All
Twenty-two years after the crack-down at Tiananmen Square, a leader of the protests there finally tells her story. Why did it take so long? Read more.