Andrew Sullivan's Blog, page 2610

The Case Against Envy

by Conor Friedersdorf

Cletus writes:

What I find most annoying is...envy. 
Have you ever spent an evening with the envious type? This is the guy or (or woman) who will bend your ear for hours speculating at great length about what a co-worker or neighbor is earning---usually with an undertone of resentment. Generally, the envious mind tends to focus on the material possessions of other people --- the exact amount of Pete's bonus, what Randy paid for his house, the cost of Gretchen's new phone...

Can Church Be Hip? Ctd

by Chris Bodenner

A reader writes:

Whenever anyone mentions religious musicians, my first thought is always Nick Cave. The man's no model Christian; he was in and out of prison for petty crimes when he was young, was a heroin addict for many years, and writes a lot about death and murder. His faith, though, is something that always shines through in its own inimitable way (not unlike Leonard Cohen, actually).

Probably the most blatant instance of this is the song 'There is a Kingdom', off the...

Police, Firefighters, And Their Salaries, Ctd

by Patrick Appel

A reader writes:

I work for a law enforcement agency.  I want to add to your previous reader's statement "This isn't comparing apples and oranges as much as it is comparing apples and filet mignon" but not just because of the cost of pensions.  Compensation numbers include regular benefits not unlike those associated with any other job – for example employer cost of health insurance, worker's comp, and employer matching 401K.  If that $47,000 figure reflects only average wages...

"I'm Sorry" Ctd

by Chris Bodenner

A reader writes:

Your reader wrote, "What I do knowis that isn't what I think of as a sincere apology. When one is sorry, theyrealize the error in their way." Right there is an encapsulation of everything that infuriates me about thisdebate. I'm what most would consider a fairly conservative EvangelicalChristian pastor. And I firmly believe in the right of homosexuals to haveevery civic right that any other citizen of this nation enjoys. I believe thatgays and lesbians should...

The Cultural Imperialism Of Poking, Ctd

by Chris Bodenner

From France to Israel to Turkey:

Chris Bodenner - Republican - Chris Bodenner From France - Facebook - United States

Renters As Second Class Citizens, Ctd

by Patrick Appel

Steve Clowney defends rental inspections. So does a reader:

I work for a local government in Maryland. We also have regularinspections of rental properties -- mostly when the landlord isapplying to renew his/her license, but at other times as well. Theseinspections are never used to investigate illegal activities on thepart of the renters, as your scary post seems to imply. Rather, theinspections are almost always for the sake of the renters -- that is,to ensure landlords are...

Dropout Factories, Ctd

by Patrick Appel

Pivoting off the experience of this Cal State professor, a reader writes:

Years ago (in about '81 and '82) I tutored introductory physics to engineering students in the "women and minorities" program at UC Berkeley.  Many of these young people came from backgrounds I can't even imagine, and had to show a level of grit and perseverance that still astonishes me.  I remember two of my students who came from very tough areas - one in Richmond and one in Oakland.  They would often...

The Annals of Long Form Journalism

by Conor Friedersdorf

Jonah Weiner has managed to make the magazine celebrity profile interesting again. If you don't get why, this should help.

The headline in Mr. Weiner's effort is an allusion to the famous Gay Talese piece "Frank Sinatra Has a Cold." It's taught in journalism schools as an early example of New Journalism, and a demonstration of what can be produced when a profile subject refuses to cooperate. This celebrity profile of Val Kilmer is my favorite ever, largely due to the...

Mental Health Break

by Chris Bodenner

I had wanted to post this amazing song when it first came out, but the music video is pretty underwhelming. I didn't have to wait long for a mashup:

Music video - Mental Health - Health - Music - Arts

Why Mehlman Matters, Ctd

by Chris Bodenner

A reader writes:

Your reader is absolutely incorrect when he or she writes, "Mehlman is in a position to knock some folks back in their chairs and rethink their positions on gay people - and their civil rights." Twenty-five years ago, I would have (barely) agreed with that statement. But not these days. Stonewall was in 1969. The AIDS plague and Silence=Death began in the '80s and '90s. Will and Grace ended ... well, not soon enough, but a few years ago.  We already have SSM...