Good Reads: From women senators, to Appalachia鈥檚 woes, to a shadow war
Women in the Senate
Do women make better US senators than men? Jill Lawrence looks at that question, and the women of the Senate, in The 20 women of the Senate 鈥� 16 Democrats and four Republicans 鈥� may not always agree, but in an era of polarization, they demonstrate a remarkable commitment to collegiality. Nearly all say they bring collaborative problem-solving skills to the Senate.听
As Ms. Lawrence chronicles, 鈥渢here is plenty of evidence, in the form of deals made and bills passed, that women know how to get things done鈥� in the Senate 鈥� by leveraging their caucus and through bipartisan, bicameral consensus-building. Now, after decades of hard-fought gains by pioneering women senators, traditional 鈥渨omen鈥檚 issues鈥� (such as health and education) are mainstream, making up roughly a third of the Senate docket. And women senators lead on key committees 鈥� budget, intelligence, and defense.听
Lawrence writes that 鈥渢here are too few [women in the Senate], and their arrival on the scene has been too recent, to draw any conclusions鈥� as to whether they are more effective than their male colleagues. But their personal connections and the bills they champion point to a needed cooperation missing in Congress.
Mandela, the patriarch
In a commentary in South Africa鈥檚 newspaper, Colleen Lowe Morna, founding chief executive of the country鈥檚 Commission on Gender Equality under Nelson Mandela, writes, 鈥淚f we are to learn from Mandela, we need to acknowledge that his gender legacy is chequered.鈥澨�
Mr. Mandela鈥檚 journey from 鈥渙ld-school patriarch to a modern husband in his third marriage鈥� 鈥� teaches about the evolution of gender equality as well as his humble commitment to personal growth. The same holds lessons for societal progress now 鈥� and for Mandela鈥檚 feuding family, struggling with what Ms. Morna sees as the consequences of patriarchy.
Among them: Mandela named his eldest grandson heir to his tribal legacy, bypassing his oldest daughter. Morna questions 鈥渨hether this legacy would not have been safer in the hands of an older daughter than in those of an ill-prepared, younger grandson鈥� who has fueled family controversy. But Morna is certain that as a good leader, Mandela 鈥渨ould ask us to learn from his greatness and from his human failings.鈥�
Telling Appalachia鈥檚 story
Brooklyn film director Sean Dunne turned a three-week chronicle of drug addiction in Appalachia into a harrowing and award-winning documentary. But the backlash from residents of Oceana, W.Va., (dubbed Oxyana for the widespread abuse of the prescription painkiller Oxycontin) has called into question the journalistic veracity of the film and the logic of Mr. Dunne鈥檚 evasive response to those who question the same. But as Alec MacGillis explores in , the issue involves more than just a cultural clash of hipsters versus hillbillies.
Residents have taken issue with Dunne鈥檚 portrayal of Oceana as 鈥渁 hellscape鈥� where, in the words of one film subject, 鈥淎in鈥檛 nothing but junkies and hookers hanging out on the streets.鈥� But the film has also evoked 鈥渞esolute self-scrutiny鈥� of the region鈥檚 drug problem. Frustrated residents say the addiction pandemic in Appalachia gets little attention and few resources. Mr. MacGillis wonders if documentary filmmakers should tell that broader story.
Journalists lose favor
has released its latest poll on which occupations Americans perceive as contributing to society the most. Not surprisingly, the military continues to be held in high regard (78 percent say the armed services contribute 鈥渁 lot鈥� to society鈥檚 well-being). Teachers rank second on the list of 10 professions. And lawyers rank at the bottom, close behind business executives 鈥� ironically the only group whose percentage has improved since the 2009 survey.听
Americans continue to have a 鈥渕iddling鈥� view of clergy (just 37 percent of Americans feel they make a big contribution to society, and still only 52 percent among regular churchgoers). But perhaps most notable, since 2009, journalists have dropped the most in public esteem, particularly among women.
The shadow war you don鈥檛 know about
War correspondent David Axe has posted an excerpt of his forthcoming book 鈥淪hadow Wars鈥� at 鈥� a long-form, social blogging platform. The post looks at America鈥檚 little-known 鈥渟hadow war鈥� fighting Al Qaeda-affiliated rebels in the northern jungles of the Philippines from 2001 to 2012.
All told, 600 US military and civilian personnel worked with the Filipino military over the past decade, officially only as advisers, unofficially waging a war, complete with drones and missiles (according to reports that the military denied). In February 2012, with a tip from an informant, the United States killed several key Al Qaeda leaders with an airstrike.听
Philippine President Benigno Aquino saw an opportunity to extend a hand to the rebels. Perhaps foreseeing further doom, the rebels cut their alliance with Al Qaeda and joined in peace talks. 鈥淲ith the signing of the peace deal,鈥� Mr. Axe explains, 鈥淎merica could tentatively claim victory in its Philippines shadow war.鈥�听
