The Supremes latest shandas. Bible-quotin' leftie could beat TX Gov. Abbott. Jim McGovern names the shame. Immigrant sells donuts, models generosity. Gourmet toddler eats adventurously, wins hearts
Newsletter #142
POLITICS
*One picture is worth…. Rather than add to the cacophony about the High Court’s latest decisions, I’ll defer to the political cartoonists.
*Please thank Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA) for calling out the GOP’s loathsome behavior now substituting for governance in the pathetic “people’s house.”
* I put this video under “Politics” because it’s a poignant refutation of Republicans’ vicious hate campaign against immigrants. America would truly be “great” if we had fewer mean-spirited MAGA-ites and more enterprising, kindhearted immigrant entrepreneurs like this humble donut seller. Watch to the end.
*I’m rooting for up-and-comer James Talarico to challenge Texas Gov. Greg Abbot in 2026. The progressive 34-year-old state legislator (and bible-quoting seminary student), supports “Medicaid for Y’all.” Watch his acid take down of a retrograde bill that would erase Native American history, MLK, Jr., Caesar Chavez, and Susan B. Anthony from Texas school curricula.
* If we don’t act now to protect voting rights, fight racist redistricting, and register new voters, the following memes about our multiply indicted, hereafter unmentionable, ex-Pres won’t be so funny next year.
*Variations on a meme:
*Lots of interesting history in The New Yorker’s conversation with Jill Lepore about how Unmentionable compares with past presidents who burned their papers.
*Click here if you missed this lacerating, humiliating attack on our Unmentionable exPres. by, of all people, a Fox TV host whose weapons are incontrovertible, irrefutable facts. The target of his bombardment looks on impassively. When it’s his turn to speak Unmentionable ignores every word and simply blitzes the airwaves with lies. Biden better start rehearsing for the first debate right now.
SEX & GENDER
* I’m all for protecting kids from porn but the Puritans of the GOP want to ban dirty jokes, romance novels, and nipples on breast pump ads. What is wrong with these people? Why are they so sex-obsessed? Are they pissed that they’re not getting any? Or are they passing laws to protect themselves from their own perversions?
*I’ve heard that “What would Jesus do?” is Christians’ guide to moral action on earth. Since “Love Thy Neighbor” was their savior’s baseline message, that sounds like a fine template. But it doesn’t explain how some Christians can bully, stigmatize, and deny medical care to nonbinary people. Last year, such maltreatment led 40% of LGBTQ+ youth to seriously consider taking their own lives. I doubt that’s what Jesus wants
*Evangelicals aren’t the only culprits. Ultra Orthodox Jews have shown the same cruel insensitivity despite certain ancient rabbinic teachings to the contrary. For a comprehensive discussion of “Transgender Jews & Halacha (Jewish law), see paper by Rabbi Leonard Scharzer, M.D. who answers 12 knotty questions, such as, Are trans men permitted to become pregnant? Must preoperative trans women be circumcised? How to prepare the body of a transgender person for burial?
JEWS
“The subject of tonight's discussion is: why are there no women on this panel?”
* Rabbi Jill Jacobs critiques Jewish organizations for presenting “manels” (all male panels) and quoting male experts exclusively whenever the subject of a meeting, article or discussion is the State of Israel.
*As Mel Brooks did with, “Springtime for Hitler”(in “The Producers”) Jewish comics roasted Kanye West, Proud Boys, and Unmentionable at packed LA comedy event skewering antisemitism. Wish I were there.
*Last month, the Biden Administration released a national strategy for combating antisemitism that, thankfully, does not automatically equate or conflate criticism of the Israeli government with hatred of Jews simply for being Jews.
JUST FOR FUN
*Comedian Lachlan Patterson riffs on “old people” today, and 50 years from now.
*Four-star highchair cuisine. Forget Gerber, Levi will have Green Eggs and Ham. Or endive leaves stuffed with black rice, shrimp and avocado. Kudos to Levi’s dad, Jack, for his sophisticated culinary choices and artful presentation. Plaudits to Levi, the endearing, astonishing gourmet toddler for his precocious vocabulary, good manners, knife skills, refined palate, and total recall of Dr. Seuss lyrics.
*Hard not to laugh at bawdy babies. If you disapprove, blame loose-lipped grownups.
My book, Shanda, explores how shame can either destroy us or motivate us to do better. But I’ve never seen this form of public shaming until now. Next thing, stocks in the public square.
SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION
*Albert Stern, editor of the Berkshire Jewish Voice, interviewed me about Shanda: A Memoir of Shame and Secrecy, in advance of my upcoming talk at “Knosh & Knowledge,” Fri. July 14, 10:45 AM at Hevreh, Great Barrington, MA. Register here
*For the rest of my speaking schedule, click here.
Especially good this time. Read at dawn sat., and was cheered enough by the jokes to get up and face the continued degradation of all our hopes.❤️