A quick Internet search on sexual assault might give you the idea that 2014 was, as one article put it, “The Year the Crusade Against ‘Rape Culture’ Stumbled.” News such as the misinformation in the Rolling Stone’s account of an alleged rape at the University of Virginia (UVA) or the re-examination of commonly espoused … Read more
Binyamin Netanyahu has a habit of getting reelected. But make no mistake, the United States is the only place these days where Bibi still gets standing ovations. Inside Israel, the attitude towards Bibi is one of resignation, at best. Etgar Keret, the famed Israeli short story writer, put it best in a letter to fellow … Read more
As ballot day approaches for Israelis, observers and commentators around the world perk up their ears, make their predictions, and voice their opinions. Some of these opinions, however, tend to be louder than others. Staunchly opposed to Israeli nationalist policy, the international “hacktivist” group Anonymous has carried out its now-annual take-down-Israel cyber operation, which they … Read more
When the Israeli public goes to the polls on March 17, the legacy of one man will sit firmly at the forefront of their mind, regardless of their voting preference: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Mr. Netanyahu has sought to demonstrate his importance as the defender of the nation, speaking to the U.S. Congress on March 3rd … Read more
International issues of security and terrorism have traditionally represented Israel in the world headlines. However, voters in the upcoming parliamentary elections face questions other than just those of Palestinian settlements and the ongoing threat of Iran. They are looking at wildly volatile prices and an economy that has arguably become more inequitable under Netanyahu’s stewardship, … Read more
Last week, the Harvard Undergraduate Council brought the issue of feminism to the forefront of public discourse through the launch of their campaign Side by Side. The feminist ideal seems simple: it is a movement fighting for gender equality. Its moral code seems as indisputable as the golden rule, and yet people see the feminist movement … Read more
Sahara As soon as our plane crossed the Saharan coastline, I was hooked. Truly the continent of dreams—mine, at least. We flew over Egypt. I reveled in the beauty, the mystery of no apparent inhabitants, the expanse of land. The desert stretches, stretches until its mottled beige meets clear blue and the horizon burns, a … Read more
On October 28, 2013, Lady Gaga exited a hotel in London sporting eerily chalk-white skin, an eccentric pale dress made of flyaway ribbons, and a mess of a teased platinum mane. Just a day later, she emerged from a taping of The Graham Norton Show as an entirely different person. With her skin tone back … Read more
In the late hours of Tuesday, February 11, social networks such as Twitter and Facebook were abuzz with news of a horrific and shocking story out of Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Three young people—Deah Shaddy Barakat, his wife Yusor Mohammad, and her sister Razan Mohammad Abu-Salha—all under the age of 23 and all students in … Read more
On Tuesday, President Obama vetoed a bill that would have approved the Keystone XL pipeline. The pipeline is known more than anything for the debate it has stirred between Republicans and environmentalists. While Republicans largely support the measure as a job creator, environmentalists condemn it as a threat to our atmosphere and climate because of … Read more