“Love is love” is a lazy argument Finally, “Pride Month” has ended. Or has it? Rachel Levine, born Richard Levine, the United States Assistant Secretary for Health, declared it a “summer of pride.” Granted, Rachel is a man wearing a dress and he should be in prison for advocating the…

“Heroes” (for more than just one day) The late David Bowie song “Heroes” (released in 1977) was reportedly inspired by him witnessing two lovers kissing at the Berlin Wall. The lyrics, co-written with early Roxy Music member Brian Eno, include the memorable refrain: We can beat them, just for one…

Looking back to look forward “During my time in Kosovo and since then, I have always had the strong feeling that my country, the US, was an unwavering supporter of Kosovo through thick and thin.” These are some of the closing thoughts by retired US Judge Dean Pineles, who served…

Abdication of responsibility “When you abdicate your responsibility, others will use it for their own grim purposes.” Canadian clinical psychologist, author, and lecturer, Jordan B. Peterson Put another way, when you abdicate your responsibility, others will step in and do what they want. The Social Democratic Union of Macedonia —…

“Shut up, peasants” This is essentially what James P. Rubin, a special envoy from the US Department of State, told Macedonians recently. Rubin, whose official title is Special Envoy and Coordinator for the Department’s Global Engagement Center, was in Macedonia as part of a tour of countries in Southeastern Europe…

On being a normal country I think that most of Macedonia’s citizens — regardless of ethnicity, class, or any other marker of identity — simply desire to see — and experience — Macedonia as a normal country. And what is “normal” in today’s hot mess of a world? An American…

Albanians and “Orthodox people” And how NATO avoids the adjective First up: Apparently this is official policy from the State Department of the United States of America: in Macedonia, there are Albanians and “Orthodox people.” Not Macedonians, but “Orthodox people.” So says U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary Gabriel Escobar. Now, I…

The irony of the US Department of State and their “Sanctions Team” The US Ambassador to Macedonia, Angela Aggeler, caused quite a storm the other week when she tweeted the following: “Sanctions Team from Washington here to take a more aggressive look at past and current corrupt actors, and to…

Are you comfortable, Macedonia? Are you comfortable, Macedonia, in your current situation? Is life just gliding along without a worry? Inflation in Macedonia is the highest in the region. There are worries about heating for the winter. There continues to be a real lack of foreign investment and job creation…