The Brownshirts of Our Time

As you read this, I will be away from my desk. While I am gone, I will be posting a mini-retrospective of some of my previously published, copy-righted work. The articles seem to hold up. In some cases, I will introduce the piece. In most instances, I will let the piece speak for itself.

I originally wrote this for Frontpage Magazine hard on the heels of what happened to me at Barnard in November of 2003. What I had to say about Islamic gender apartheid caused a near riot. I further refined and expanded the piece for Hadassah Magazine. This is the Hadassah version.

“The Brownshirts Of Our Time.” FrontPage Magazine, November, 2003; Expanded as “Letter From New York: Left Behind. Hadassah Magazine, April, 2004

On November 8, 2003, the anniversary of the eve of Kristallnacht, I addressed a woman’s “networking” conference of mainly black and Hispanic-American feminists. The conference, sponsored by WERISE (Women Empowered through Revolutionary Ideas Supporting Enterprise), held at Barnard College, was described as a grassroots, multicultural, multigenerational and multidisciplinary organization for women in the arts.

Indeed, the women seemed to range in age from 20 to 65 and were dressed in corporate business suits, various ethnic attire, youthful jeans.

Booths were arranged in a semicircle-it was as if the panels and performances were taking place in an African outdoor marketplace. Scented candles, beaded drums, photographs, Citi-banking for women consultants and colorful skirts vied for my attention…Continue Reading >>