“We know what we are, but know now what we may be.”

Very strange… very strange indeed….







Now, I try very hard to respect other people’s beliefs. Really I do. And I genuinely find a lot to admire in most religions. But sometimes I just gotta wonder…..



The thing that’s bothering me today has to do with sexism. I’m having a hard time with the fact that in 2011 some groups still view women—half the world’s population, and the beings from which all men are born—as second-class citizens. Or worse, as possessions.



What got me going on this was the news that a Brooklyn-based Hassidic newspaper airbrushed Secretary of State Hilary Clinton and Counter-Terrorism Director Audrey Tomason from the iconic “Situation Room” photo of the President, Vice-President and administration officials watching the raid on bin Laden’s compound. The publication, Di Tzeitung, based this decision on centuries-old tenets of their faith; they do not publish photos of women in their paper ever because of issues of “Female modesty.” Apparently they feel any images of women may be sexually suggestive/stimulating. As a female who went thru the Catholic school system in the 60s, I can relate. The Sisters (hello—all women) often referred to girls as occasions of sin. Yeah—it’s always our fault if a guy gets a chubby. (And people wonder why I’M SO WARPED….how would you feel being told that?)



First the paper trotted out the ol’ “Freedom of the press” thing to justify their editing of history. Then they brought in the religious reasons. Um, if you are hanging on to such antiquated ideas, why not just write about the event and not publish any picture at all rather than play fast and free with the facts?


It’s the equivalent of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad denying the Holocaust.



Sorry, guys—Hilary Clinton was there—as was Ms. Tomason. Women are in positions of power—we keep cracking that glass ceiling bit by bit.

I guess it’s bugging me because there are still so many inequities in the world. If you stick that closely to the Bible, consider the fact that it says God made Eve from Adam’s rib—his SIDE. To me that says we’re equals.

The common curse of mankind, folly and ignorance. — Troilus and Cressida, Act II, sc. Iii

Let the annual debates begin...

“Horrors a nativity scene at Town Hall.” God forbid. [get it? “God forbid” tee-hee]

I don’t get what the big deal is. Why can’t we have nativities and menorahs and whatever other holiday symbols there are? Put ‘em all up! I mean, wasn’t America supposed to be “The Great Experiment?” “The Great Melting Pot?”

As far back as my freshman year of high school—back in the dark ages—I have felt that the best way to have true liberty and equality in this country was to teach kids about all of the religions and cultures of the world. And let’s face it people—as time progresses, the world is getting smaller and smaller. The chances of having dealings with people of other cultures, etc. have increased considerably, even in my lifetime. What we fear is the “unknown”. If we erase that lack of knowledge, we’ll erase the fear—and hopefully the hate.

I’m not religious now—I’m more spiritual, I guess. I believe in a higher power, but I got kind of turned off by the negative spin man has put on all of it. I want to check out various services as I get a chance. I spent 12 years in Catholic school, but I was always very curious about other faiths. My neighborhood was a mixed bag, so I had exposure to other possibilities at a young age. Heck—like I said, I was raised Catholic, my husband was raised Methodist and we got married in a Baptist church. I used to joke that when we had our first son, we should have a bris at the local synagogue.

Over the years I have tried to learn as much as I can about other people and their history. It fascinates me—I guess that’s why I love doing dramaturgy. The thing that has intrigued me the most is not so much the differences between religions, races, cultures, etc, BUT THE SIMILARITIES. We just all have slightly different rituals. Let’s meet on that common ground AND celebrate those differences.

Happy Chrismakwanzakah to all!!!