Blog

THE MIDDLE-FINGER TEST 

By David Perlstein | January 30, 2026 |

At lunch, a man hassles you. Your friend starts videoing. The man curses and raises his middle-finger. Your friend shows the video to the restaurant manager. “I held up all five fingers,” the hassler insists. What does the manager believe? Images can be—and frequently are—manipulated through AI and various programs. But the restaurant video was…

BARWD OF PEECE 

By David Perlstein | January 23, 2026 |

Only creative spelling can express two disastrous horrors foisted on the United States by its would-be emperor. Donald Trump is bored with peace. He threatened force and tariffs to seize Greenland, an autonomous territory of NATO ally Denmark. Why? Trump texted Norwegian prime minister Jonas Gahr Store: “Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace…

KING AND THE KING 

By David Perlstein | January 16, 2026 |

Martin Luther King Day will be celebrated Monday, one day before the first anniversary of Donald Trump’s second presidential—and first royal—term. Talk about irony! Martin Luther King, Jr. roused many Americans with his speeches and marches promoting civil rights while espousing nonviolence. Donald Trump incites violence—think January 6th, Venezuela, possibly Greenland, maybe Iran, definitely Minnesota—while…

OSTRICHES, TURTLES AND CROWS 

By David Perlstein | January 9, 2026 |

Opponents of America’s direction on both the internal and international fronts consist roughly of three basic species.  Much has impacted these Americans: The Trump regime—a more fitting word for an autocracy than administration—seizing Venezuelan oil after kidnapping its president (not a good guy to be clear) and leaving turmoil in its wake. Threatening Colombia. Threatening Greenland. Homeland…

HAPPY CHANUKAH? DAMN RIGHT! 

By David Perlstein | December 19, 2025 |

After last Sunday’s ISIS-inspired shootings at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, two non-Jewish friends asked if it was okay to wish me “Happy Chanukah.” The title of this post gives you my answer.  When the Jewish world lost fifteen souls with dozens more wounded, I was shocked but not surprised. Why? Jews around the world…

MY CHANUKAH WISH LIST

By David Perlstein | December 12, 2025 |

Don’t think me greedy, but I have a long wish list for Chanukah presents, and I want everything.   Chanukah is the Jewish “Festival of Lights.” The eight-night (and day) holiday begins on the 25th of the month of Kislev which, in the lunar-solar calendar, falls anywhere between late November and the end of December. Chanukah…

VENEZUELA AND DELUSION

By David Perlstein | December 5, 2025 |

America is being led down the rabbit hole of self-deceit and towards potential war with Venezuela. I believe that our bellicose commander-in-chief has three goals in mind. Donald Trump’s fixation on small boats crossing the Caribbean from Venezuela to the U.S. goes beyond restricting drug-running. But first, let’s agree that the drug trade is horrible.…

BIAS VS. BALANCE IN MIDDLE-EAST REPORTING 

By David Perlstein | November 28, 2025 |

Just as the Israel-Hamas/Hezbollah/Iran conflict seems perpetually muddled despite ceasefires, so does reporting on the region. Does mainstream journalism adhere to the objectivity it holds dear? On last Saturday’s PBS Weekend News, Leila Molana-Allen presented a televised report from Lebanon on Israeli air strikes in Beirut and its southern suburbs. This, despite Israel reaching a…

WHEN ISRAEL SHAMES ME

By David Perlstein | November 21, 2025 |

It pains me to write that an avowed Zionist and practicing Jew can be shamed by a nation he loves. October 7, 2023 focused much of the world’s attention on Hamas’ horrific attack on Israel. The brutality of that day, which claimed 1,200 lives, had nothing to do with finding a political settlement establishing two…

SHOULD WOMEN VOTE?

By David Perlstein | November 14, 2025 |

Last Sunday, we saw the Broadway road-show musical “Suffs” about the suffragist movement. The Tony Award®-winner made a powerful and entertaining case for the 19th Amendment, ratified on June 4, 1919. Yet some (many?) Christian nationalists oppose women’s right to vote. On October 9, New York Times columnist Ross Douthat interviewed Doug Wilson, pastor of…