Category: History

May new joy wait on you

  COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS (page 1) Delivered by William Blakemore at the graduation ceremonies of the class of 1974 of the American Community School of Beirut, Lebanon, held in the American University of Beirut Assembly Hall/Chapel, Friday, June 21, 1974 at 9:00 A.M.   Thank you Mr. Usellis. Parents, teachers, friends and guests, and especially graduating …

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Permanent link to this article: https://levantium.com/2019/10/12/may-new-joy-wait-on-you/

Gristle in your tea (deep thoughts for dark times)

Love and be killed   The Gospels insist upon two antithetical truths which express the tragedy of the human condition: the first is that if you do not love you will not be alive; the second is that if you do love you will be killed. If you cannot love you remain self-enclosed and sterile, …

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Permanent link to this article: https://levantium.com/2019/07/15/gristle-in-your-tea-deep-thoughts-for-dark-times/

An era of shamelessness

Donald Quisling Blathers On By Sasha Abramsky, 06/14/2019   In 1933, shortly after Hitler assumed power in Germany, a Norwegian army officer, Vidkun Quisling, founded Norway’s very own fascist party, the National Union. More than six years later, in the closing days of 1939, with the Second World War now underway and Nazi armies rampaging …

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Permanent link to this article: https://levantium.com/2019/06/19/an-era-of-shamelessness/

Titanic America

Dear editor, Today is May 1, 2019 CE. May Day. This is my last letter. When I called The Sentinel Record a few weeks ago to stop my subscription, they graciously extended it one more month. Additional time only reinforced my decision to abandon this inky old boat. She is listing hard to starboard, desperate …

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Permanent link to this article: https://levantium.com/2019/05/01/titanic-america/

One more time

  A concise defense of Palestinians   Dear editor, Cherry-picking Torah is a [favorite] hobby of fundamentalist Christians, but Israel is not America’s [magical] lucky charm. Rather, Israel is a festering injustice that only incubates fanaticism and terrorism [around the world]. On the [assumption biblical presumption] that truth will set you free, consider this alternative …

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Permanent link to this article: https://levantium.com/2019/04/08/one-more-time/

Sick of patriotism

America Is Exceptional—in All the Wrong Ways By Major Danny Sjursen, March 21, 2019   I was born and raised in an America far more Orwellian than many now remember. Matters have gone so far off the rails since 9/11 that few seem to recall the madness of the 1980s. The U.S. had a celebrity …

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Permanent link to this article: https://levantium.com/2019/03/23/sick-of-patriotism/

A worrisome weasel affectation affliction

Socialist bandwagon Dear editor: Where is that little Hollywood elitist weasel Sean Penn? A few years ago he was making news palling around with his communist buddies in Cuba and Venezuela and now that millions have fled and millions are starving where is the little socialist communist weasel along with some of his other Hollywood …

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Permanent link to this article: https://levantium.com/2019/03/13/a-worrisome-weasel-affectation-affliction/