The Importance of History
Posted in Main Blog (All Posts) on August 29th, 2014 11:08 pm by HL
The Importance of History
Michael Gerson, RealClearPolitics
WASHINGTON — The monumental tapestry triptych by Marc Chagall, hanging in the State Hall of the Israeli Knesset in Jerusalem, hints at some of the artist’s own memories, including from his childhood in Vitebsk, Russia. But these float among images of Jewish history: of Moses with his tablets, of David with his harp. Images of wandering and vulnerability: a village burned, a dead body surrounded by six candles, standing in for 6 million. Images of return and security: pioneers, soldiers and a new flag among the nations. The viewer is immersed in the sweep of a great, inexplicable story — of…
Another Bad War in Iraq
Steve Chapman, RealClearPolitics
In fighting disease, aggressive action is not always advisable. Two years ago a federal panel recommended against routine use of a test for prostate cancer because it carries “a very small potential benefit and significant potential harms.” Some men get false positives, and many true positives lead to risky surgery for cancers that grow so slowly as to pose no threat. Then there is power morcellation, which uses a device to shred uterine fibroids. The Food and Drug Administration has warned against its use in hysterectomies because “there is a risk that the procedure will spread the cancerous…