Can We Talk About The Elephant In the Room?
For FAIR’s Substack, Julian Adorney writes about a new film that asks whether love can survive America’s political divide.
That's why a movie like The Elephant In the Room is so important. Stories can shape our social norms. Will and Grace, the 1998-2006 series featuring two gay main characters, shaped how our country perceived gay and lesbian Americans. When we tell stories about characters who try to date across party lines, that matters. Leah and Vincent's relationship is messy, and the film doesn't shy away from the hard parts of their relationship (Leah, for instance, is extremely upset when Vincent wants to attend the January 6 protest). But the characters also push through, and that's important. When we see characters on the silver screen who are willing to build relationships with people across the aisle, it can make us more willing to do the same.
How to be the kind of man women actually want to marry
For The Washington Post, FAIR Advisor Shadi Hamid speaks with Richard Reeves about what young men can do to to address the challenges they face.
I think the role of a father is to model the kinds of relationships they should be having with women, including their mom. It’s about equipping them with the skills and way of being in the world that will be good in the dating market. But you’re not doing it as dating. I didn’t set out to make my kids like, you know, catches. I wanted them to be kind and competent. If you’re kind and competent, you’re probably going to do pretty well in dating.
One of the things I’ve tried to raise my boys with is to have the courage to ask a girl out, the grace to accept no for an answer, and the responsibility to make sure that either way she gets home safely. Actually, I used to extend their curfews if they convinced me that the reason they were late was because they were getting someone home safely.
Why Burning the Flag is More American Than Saluting It
For Medium, FAIR’s chairman of the board Angel Eduardo writes about how the only way someone can truly disrespect a symbol of freedom is to limit the freedom of anyone to do with it what they wish.
But this very fact is exactly why the attitude that one should “respect” the flag and the national anthem is nonsensical. You aren’t respecting freedom if you are forcing others to respect freedom your way. In fact, shirking the anthem, and even burning the flag, are more respectful to the idea of America than standing and saluting.
What many seem to forget is that defiance is our country’s lifeblood. From The Declaration of Independence to Colin Kaepernick taking a knee, the spirit of America has been questioning authority, asserting one’s inalienable right to speak their mind and do as they will. Americans don’t kowtow. Americans don’t submit. Americans protest. Americans resist. Americans want freedom.
Competencies in Civil Discourse: Episode 2
FAIR Advisor Erec Smith continues his series, Competencies in Civil Discourse, examining how people engage with one another and why they often shy away from discussions with those who hold opposing views. This edition explores the role of comedy as a valuable tool in civil discourse. Smith sits down with filmmaker Rob Feld, director of Jesters and Fools, a film that highlights the use of comedy during polarized times.
Med schools still accept black students with lower MCATs than rejected Asians, whites
For The College Fix, Ethan Savka writes about a new investigation that reveals medical schools in the U.S. may still be employing race-based admissions practices that disadvantage white and Asian applicants, accepting black students with lower MCAT scores.
Monica Harris, a spokesperson for the civil rights group FAIR for All, told The Fix that the data “suggests that race may still be a significant factor in admissions decisions.”
“The disparities reported appear to meet the standard of discriminatory treatment that violates both the letter and spirit of civil rights law,” she said via email.
In his article, Kingsbury called for the Trump administration to investigate medical schools for their apparent lawbreaking.
“This will make it much more difficult for colleges and universities to engage in racial discrimination,” he told The Fix. “Sunlight is truly the best disinfectant.”
According to Harris, her legal advocacy group stands with Kingsbury.
“FAIR supports immediate and comprehensive federal investigations into all medical schools,” she said. “[R]ace cannot be used as a factor in admissions decisions.”
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