A new issue of Public Diplomacy is out. From Tablet, Lee Smith on how Orientalism shaped Obama: The White House’s response to the anti-Islam video is proof of the enduring influence of Edward Said’s ideas. A slob’s apology: Why is it so difficult for slobs to keep belongings consolidated and in order when other people can keep their spaces (and “souls” — or let’s switch to “minds”) neat with ease? Mike LaBossiere on anti-abortion as a “cheap” moral position. William Gibson on why sci-fi writers are (thankfully) almost always wrong. "It's not a hobby, it's a post-apocalyptic skill": Although knitting has a tame reputation, it can be political — yarnbombing gives political activists another medium through which to express themselves Alexander Klein reviews Of Men and Manners by Anthony Quinton. Matthew Harwood interviews David Shipler on why bad guys deserve rights, how small-town officials wield big-time power, and why Obama has been bad for the Constitution. Pussy Riot's Theology: The jailed Russian musicians weren't just up to punk mayhem — they were taking part in an esteemed strain of Christian liberation activism. Is America broke? Not with a Robin Hood Tax: John Nichols on why the country should look to Congressman Keith Ellison, not Paul Ryan for a fiscal vision.
