I was disappointed the Democratic National Convention refused what was an incredibly modest request from the Uncommitted Movement: allow a Palestinian-American or a doctor who served in Gaza to give a brief, vetted speech from the main stage. Somehow, there was time for a variety of Republicans to speak.
It doesn’t bode well for the possibility Vice President Kamala Harris will break with President Joe Biden’s Israel policy. I’m glad Biden dropped out and hope Harris beats former President Donald Trump, but the truth is we have very little idea what her political agenda will be on foreign policy or domestic issues.
She’s quietly disavowed most of her progressive stances from the 2020 Democratic presidential primary. These include her prior support for single-payer healthcare, a fracking ban and other things. In the event Harris is elected, leftists should begin planning a 2028 challenge, if only to prevent her drifting further right.
Moving on, my next letter will make the animal-welfare case for increased federal funding for cultivated-meat research. If you’d like to write your own letters, give this a look: https://slaughterfreeamerica.substack.com/p/how-to-write-letters-to-newspapers-6eb
Anyway, let’s do (Cell) Culture Talk. Here’s what I’ve been reading, watching and listening to recently.
Book — After Noah by Andrew Linzey and Dan Cohn-Sherbok. I’ve appreciated Linzey’s work, but I wish he devoted more space to the question of what kind of Christology is needed to make sense of Jesus eating and riding animals. To me, that’s worthy of a whole manuscript, not just a page or two.
Movie — Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga. The latest entry in George Miller’s post-apocalyptic franchise isn’t quite as good as the 2015 addition, which was a masterpiece, despite its grimy nihilism. Anya Taylor-Joy takes a surprisingly long time to show up as the titular hero. Chris Hemsworth gives an odd performance as the villain.
Movie — Challengers. This is an engaging drama, directed by Luca Guadagnino, about three tennis players trapped in a love triangle. They’re played by Zendaya, Mike Faist and Josh O’Connor. In romantic competition, each resorts to mind games and bad behavior. It doesn’t seem like a healthy dynamic!
Movie — Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. It’s another strong installment in the Hollywood series with perhaps the most to say about the relationship between humans and animals. Owen Teague and Freya Allan star in the science-fiction adventure directed by Wes Ball. The story is set generations after the last film.
Music — The Documentary by The Game. Hate it or Love It is the highlight for me. I listened to the song half a million times during my freshman year of college. 50 Cent steals the show. I’ve always enjoyed the retro sample. Apparently, it comes from Rubber Band, a 1975 song from the Trammps.
Music — Ultimate Dolly Parton. Before my wife and I got together, the only country artists I really listened to were Johnny Cash and Parton. There are a lot of great tracks on this compilation, so it’s hard to choose a favorite. I especially like the regretful yearning of I Will Always Love You and the class politics of 9 to 5.