Entries by Tobias Langdon

Pak Attack: Human Rights with a Vibrant Twist

“May you live in interesting times” runs the Chinese curse. You could also say: “May you live in an interesting country.” Pakistan, for example. It’s full of corruption, violence, misogyny, sectarian hatred and all manner of other pathologies, from cousin marriage to state torture. Any advanced Western democracy would be lunatic to accept immigrants from […]

Helen Suzman’s Perpetual Rage Helped Create the Liberal Paradise of South Africa

Heard these jokes about Jewish mothers? Q: Why aren’t there any Jewish mothers on parole boards? A: They’d never let anyone finish a sentence. Q: What did the waiter ask the group of Jewish mothers? A: “Is anything all right?” Q: What’s the difference between a Rottweiler and a Jewish Mother? A: Eventually, the Rottweiler […]

Tony Obama: A Guide to Gas, Greed and Gold

A progressive young leader sweeps into power on a tide of euphoria, consigning a discredited right-wing regime to history. He promises huge changes to his jubilant supporters, vowing to re-shape politics and govern for the benefit of the ordinary and the oppressed, not for the mega-rich who waxed fat under his predecessors. Adoring profiles of […]