Tag: Brian Lehrer

The Dignitas Infinita is Close, But No Cigar

Progress, as I see it, is when a legal, governmental, cultural, or religious institution acknowledges the error of the past and tries to correct itself.

Recently, the Catholic Church released a document called the Infinite Dignity. It states the following:

Every human person possesses an infinite dignity, inalienably grounded in his or her very being, which prevails in and beyond every circumstance, state, or situation the person may ever encounter.

But it is far from perfect. The flaws were discussed on an episode of The Brian Lehrer Show last week. The problem is how it views transgender people and surrogacy.

“It follows that any sex-change intervention, as a rule, risks threatening the unique dignity the person has received from the moment of conception.”

“A child is always a gift and never the basis of a commercial contract,” the document says. “Every human life, beginning with that of the unborn child in its mother’s womb, cannot be suppressed, nor become an object of commodity.”

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Obviously, I am not Catholic. But understanding and respecting another’s humanity applies to everyone, regardless of religion (or lack thereof). I take the statement about transgender folks personally because I have beloved family members who identify as such.

The thing about surrogacy is that it allows people to become parents who otherwise would be childless. While some might wish to bring the next generation into the world the old-fashioned way, it is not always possible. So why not take advantage of the scientific breakthroughs that make dreams come true?

So close, but no cigar.

Chuck Schumer on the Current Israeli/Palestinian Conflict-Right Message, Wrong Time

Sometimes, the only way to end a conflict is for an intermediary to step in. But that does not mean that this outside person will be recognized or appreciated.

Last week, US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said that he was tempted to call Benjamin Netanyahu and advise him to step down from office. On Thursday, he addressed Congress. His speech started with the following passage:

I speak for myself, but I also speak for so many mainstream Jewish Americans, a silent majority whose nuanced views on the matter have never been well represented in this country’s discussions about the war in Gaza.

He called out both the Israeli and Palestinian leadership for their inability to come to the table. He also stated that it was time for new elections in Israel. Now granted, one democracy cannot suggest that another democracy should hold a new round of elections. But he is right about Netanyahu.

While I admire Schumer for speaking out and trying to balance both sides, now is not the time. Once the arms have been put down, then change can really happen.

A Light in the Darkness: Chanukah

Tonight is the first night of Chanukah. Tonight we remember our ancestors who fought against assimilation and destruction.

Today is also the 2-month anniversary of October 7th.

On Monday, one of the segments on The Brian Lehrer Show was about the divides in the Democratic party. One of the topics was the current conflict between Israel and Hamas. Among the callers was a Palestinian woman who detailed what her family had been through. My heart broke for her.

While Israel has every right to defend herself, that does not include harassing Arab/Palestinian residents because they can. That only adds fuel to the fire and gives the other side additional bodies and manpower.

Two related stories have come up this week. The first is that the powers that be in Gaza are not spreading the wealth when it comes to resources coming from outside nations.

The second is that several presidents of major American universities were unable to answer basic yes or no questions when it came to protecting Jewish students and staff. My regular readers know that I veer to the left when it comes to politics. But, in this case, I thank the members of the GOP for doing what is right.

I am all for freedom of speech, but targeting a specific group for murder does not require context. It’s as if they are waiting for someone to be injured or killed before real action is taken.

Happy Chanukah.

P.S. Today is the anniversary of Pearl Harbor. I can’t think of a better reminder of what we need to fight for as Americans.

Flashback Friday: The Brian Lehrer Show (1989-Present)

The game of politics has always been contentious. It takes a cool head to let everyone share their opinion without getting into a verbal or physical argument.

The Brian Lehrer Show has aired on WNYC since 1989. Hosted by Brian Lehrer, the program airs every weekday morning from 10:00 to 12:00. Hosting politicians, journalists, and other newsmakers, the conversations revolve around politics and news from the around the block and around the world.

Brian one of the mainstays of NYC media personalities and a local legend. Attempting to do the impossible, he allows all voices from the political spectrum to be heard, regardless of how the listener feels about the topic. His show is my weekday morning fix and one of the few journalistic voices that is truly trying to be objective.

Do I recommend it? Absolutely.

Thoughts On the 50th Anniversary of the Stonewall Riots

Major change for good comes when we stand up against hatred and prejudice.

This weekend, we remember the Stonewall riots at the Stonewall Inn in New York City and celebrate the remarkable achievements and opportunities that the LGBTQ community has had since then.

Coming out of the closet is often a painful years long process of learning to love yourself and finding the courage to tell the ones you love who you truly are. If you are lucky, your relationship with your loved ones will not change. But not everyone is so lucky.

This week, The Brian Lehrer Show discussed various aspects of the modern LGBTQ movement and how it was created by the Stonewall riots. Yesterday, one of the callers was a woman named Lisa. Lisa called in to tell the story of her son’s coming out and the reaction to the revelation of who he revealed himself to be. The call starts at 21:02.

I would hope that when one comes out, they are seen by their loved ones and their community as no different than before coming out. But the reality is that many members of the LGBTQ community are often ostracized and forced out of their families and communities because they do not fit into the traditional hetero-normative/binary labels.

Change, especially on the cultural and legislative levels, does not not happen in an instant. It takes years of work, fighting for acceptance and facing the demons of the past. But it does happen if you believe and continue to push for it. The members of the LGBTQ community have proved that and will continue to use that model to inspire all of us to push for a just and equal society.

When Does A Review Cross The Line?

The basic definition of a reviewer, regardless of whether they are reviewing a book, a film, etc, is to give the audience or the reader an overview of the narrative and tell them if it is worth their time to watch or read it.

But the question is, when does a reviewer cross the line?

Recently, I’ve started listening to the Brian Lehrer show on WNYC in the morning just to get a handle of what is going on in the world. One of the people interviewed yesterday was Vulture writer Kat Rosenfield about her recent article entitled “The Toxic Drama on YA Twitter“.

The book in question is The Black Witch by Laurie Forest. I’ve not read the book, but hearing the response on twitter to the book and the negative reviews brings up a few questions.

One of the things that pointed out during Ms. Rosenfield’s segment was that the writer was basically pandering to her potential readers. I get it, I’m also a writer. If your writing feels false and your only writing to make a buck, the reader will know it. One of the most common quotes associated with writing is “write what you know”. On one level that makes sense. But on another level, if every writer only wrote what they know, the science fiction and fantasy genres would never exist.

The reviewers job is to review the art without hurting the artist(s). The problem is that the line between a review and a personal attack is subjective. The other issue is that social media so pervasive in our daily lives that one review where the reviewer goes too far can potentially damage of the career of the artist.

I welcome your comments on this topic. Listen to the link (the interview with Ms. Rosenfield is the last 20 minutes of the show) and read the article. Where is the line and how far can a reviewer push it before it morphs into a personal attack and ruins careers?