I Object

Why am I so willing to forgive many of those whose past sexist and racist statements or behaviors are exposed, sometimes to great fanfare? I wince every time I hear about the resignation or ousting of an otherwise apparently worthy individual because of conduct, text message, email, or even a published article, uncovered in that … Continue reading I Object

At a Loss for Words

                                                For many of us, months of relative isolation have meant insular living, interacting for the most part with like-minded friends or family, working remotely, not experiencing those day-to-day meetings with people we would normally see in our work or social life. In some ways, this made life simpler, always on reasonably sure ground. … Continue reading At a Loss for Words

End Days

I live in one of five condominium units built around a common courtyard. One morning, on opening my front door to retrieve my newspaper, there in the center of the courtyard, just a few yards from where I stood, lay what at first appeared to be a human figure with outstretched arms. Momentarily alarmed, it … Continue reading End Days

Healing the Divide Revisited

                                                I rarely look back on failed ventures with lasting regret. I take account of what went wrong and move on with a new plan. But now I’m worried. Credible scholars of history, noting the current partisan political rift, suggest that a country divided is most at risk of succumbing to autocratic rule, the end … Continue reading Healing the Divide Revisited

It’s Complicated

                                                       Recently I submitted an essay to a Journal that had previously published my work. This time it was respectfully rejected. I had written about a personal experience of discriminatory treatment in 1980 and my involvement many years later with the very man who had earlier stood in my way. It was clear to me … Continue reading It’s Complicated