History

On June 14, Americans recognize Flag Day. It is not a holiday, but it is a day honoring the establishment of our nation’s most visible and moving symbol on June 14, 1777: the “Red, White, and Blue.”

Goldman responds to commentators who believe that Americans must return to some overarching identity and purpose. He argues that this task is difficult when the conditions that allowed previous unity no longer exist. Moreover, nationalists do not reasonably explain programs that could reignite a meaningful shared identity.

Browsing among the books, articles, and editorials of the past is instructive and exceedingly disturbing. One discovers the same concerns and anxieties as is everywhere apparent among thoughtful people now. Many paragraphs or sentences are as applicable today as they were then.

This week the editors discuss Paul D. Miller’s article about Israel and Hamas, an editorial from 1946 explaining how Americans needed to understand world religion better, a look at religious freedom in South America, and Dunkirk.

In May 1940, Lord Halifax urged Winston Churchill to call for a national day of prayer to aid in the evacuation of the troops in Dunkirk.

Just war should aim at a better peace. It is unclear how a Palestinian war against Israel would do that in Palestine, Israel, or the region.

If we are to take a constructive part in world politics our leaders cannot assume that religious questions are unimportant.

Robert Draper’s book To Start a War details why the Bush administration made a gravely mistaken decision, despite having clearly met the jus ad bellum criteria of “right intention.”

In this episode, the editors discuss articles by Peter Burns and Alberto M. Fernandez about the Armenian Genocide and President…