Sublime

Such meetings had become standard in formulating U.S. policy toward the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The assumption was that American Jewish leaders, though often divided on domestic and ritual issues, were united in their support for Israel and served as a natural bridge between the White House and Jerusalem.

The deeper I went, the more I noticed this phenomenon all around me: individuals not guided by legible principles or beliefs, but acting as members of groups playing yin to the other’s yang—well versus weak; awake versus sheep; righteous versus depraved. Binaries where thinking once lived.

The firm hosted a dinner for me at The Mansion. Jack Hauer, another named partner who was a very well known and respected litigator around town, was the lead host. When we were down to the brandy and cigars, Jack said, "I'd like to ask you a question.""Sure," I replied."You write a column for the Dallas Times Herald," he said, referring to the

At the close of Russell’s 1938 speech against lynching legislation, Borah of Idaho walked over to him and congratulated him—and then took the floor himself to echo Russell’s argument that the bill was a violation of states’ rights. (Whereupon Russell rose in his turn to say, “The people of the South will ever revere the name of William E. Borah.”)

Privately admired for its pioneering spirit, intelligence, aggressiveness, and tenacity, the State of Israel has been publicly condemned as racist, militant, xenophobic, uncompromising, authoritarian, and stiffnecked.

We should favor those who seek peace over those who have shown a preference for war. We should favor those who are not seeking to destroy a U.N. member state over those who are.