This Week's Writing 8/19/23

James Baldwin on antisemitism; Biden's primary challengers, and more

Goose is chewing on her favorite cow…and I don’t have any clever transition, really. Next week I think I’ve got a piece on Deadwood and the politics of Al Swearengen…and probably other things? In the meantime! Here’s what I wrote last week:

If you read one thing by me this week, read:

What James Baldwing got wrong about Black antisemitism. (Sojourner)

Politics

No, Biden is not going to have a serious primary challenger. (Public Notice)

Trump’s indictments make it hard for his primary opponents to get any coverage. (Independent)

Free speech wasn’t meant to protect presidents. (EIH)

Jordan Peterson’s anti-leftism leads him to fascism. (EIH)

Cultural criticism

The 25th anniversary of Blade is a moment to reflect on just how completely superhero films went in another direction. (Observer.com)

Blue Beetle is a decent idea, but the execution is terrible. (Chicago Reader)

Strange New Worlds struggles to be true to a progressive canon that’s not that progressive anymore. (EIH)

Star Trek TOS: Catspaw and the creepy pleasures of colonialism. (EIH)

Poetry

At Synchronized Chaos I wrote a sonnet about Nerf bikinis and nostalgia. (Synchronized Chaos)

A little, “jeez I’m old” poem. (Five Fleas)

Who would have thought
the telephone would disappear
before the telephone pole?

Little robert frost erasure/variation. (Five Fleas)

*Less*

I took the one less
I took the one
I took the
I took
I