On The Posner Show, Sarah talks with Sigal about last week’s violence at the Western Wall by ultra-Orthodox men opposed to the activities of the group Women of the Wall. They discuss the background of this controversy, including the arrest of the group’s leader a month ago. Sigal argues that last week was a watershed moment for Israeli feminism. Are mainstream Israelis following this story closely? Sarah observes that women from fundamentalist backgrounds often find secularism to be a major challenge to their identity. Will American Jews be able to play a role in resolving this issue?
On Foreign Entanglements, Rob speaks with Colin about the recent conviction of former Guatemalan dictator Efrain Rios Montt for genocide. Rob and Colin talk about why it took so long to try Rios Montt, the role that Cold War politics played in the Guatemalan civil war (including the culpability of the US), and the wave of democratization that swept across Latin America. They end by discussing whether this wave is being rolled back, and how convicting figures like Rios Montt can help stabilize Latin American democracy.
On the debut of The Score, Michael and Freddie talk baseball. They discuss the nostalgic vs. sabermetric views of baseball, and whether the stat-heads have forgotten about human nature. Freddie highlights the inherent irrationality of sports. If you were given total power over the MLB, what would you change? Freddie rhapsodizes over simulated baseball. Plus: Has the Internet made managers less likely to take risks?