Note: It seems that long absences with occasional bursts of posts is just going to be the norm on here now. Since my last post, I got married, which is pretty cool, and I’m now looking ahead to my last semester of PhD coursework and having to start thinking about exams, which is another sign of how long it’s been. Anyway, I’ve returned for the moment with a long read to make up for lost time, so welcome back and thanks for reading!

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past week, it’s pretty likely you noticed the testimony of Lt. Col. Alexander S. Vindman, the top Ukraine expert on the National Security Council. The main headline has been his testimony regarding Trump’s phone call with the President of Ukraine, but equally prominent has been the effort by some to attack and discredit Vindman. There are two aspects of Vindman’s story I’d like to look at a little more closely: the criticism he received because he is Jewish and the criticism he received in spite of the fact he is a soldier.

Continue reading “Nothing New Under the Sun: Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, Judaism, and Patriotism”