A Reminder to American Jews: Civilization Is Fragile
Civilization is fragile because civilization consists of human beings, and human nature is profoundly flawed.
Civilization is fragile because civilization consists of human beings, and human nature is profoundly flawed.
Sixty years ago this week, many residents of Los Angeles became aware of the Nazi Holocaust for the first time, thanks to a dramatic pageant staged at the Hollywood Bowl by an alliance of Jewish activists and Hollywood celebrities.
The legacy of Athens was not only the glory of Western democracy. It was also the brutality of Roman tyranny.
Chan Chan is the world\’s largest mud city. Lying just outside the town of Trujillo, on Peru\’s northern coast, Chan Chan\’s high earthen walls feature pre-Columbian carvings paying tribute to the civilization\’s many gods.
Only three weeks ago it was possible to speak in optimistic terms about a united front against terrorism. History seemed to be blowing at our back, pushing the forces of civilization onward and upward to victory against the scourge of modern times. Writing in this space in early October, I quoted with admiration the prediction made by former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak; that the nations of the world would now join together against terrorism much as the nations of the post-Napoleonic period had defeated piracy. For a brief heady moment, it looked like we American Jews could sit back in the warm protection of our nation acting out of grief and righteous revenge.