Some comments on recent events. Headlines in all the papers:

1. More on gay marriage and the Defense of Marriage Act:

It is hard to know living in New York City what the sense of the thing is. And I have alluded to the fact on these pages that I did not know how I felt about gay marriage and the Defense of Marriage Act. However, and I may be late to this particular game, you have to realize that when the Vice President of the United States has an openly gay daughter, when Newt Gingrich has an openly gay sister

Then the game is already over.

People who are fighting gay marriage have already lost the hearts and minds battle. Now, world history is full of jihadists taking us backwards. The bloody history of the United States has, however, tended to be one of forward progress,

The Palmer Raids and Prohibition coupled with the woman's right to vote. J Edgar Hoover and McCarthyism coupled with the African Americans increase in rights. Richard Nixon coupled with the 18-year old's right to vote. And now John Ashcroft will lead this charge.

The long-term prospects tend to be favorable, although, not, I guess, if it is the blood of your family given up in sacrifice.

Slavery. Reconstruction. Genocide of the American Indian. Concentration Camps for Japanese-American citizens.

2. Bush runs tasteless ads on World Trade Center

I have not seen the ads, and I do not know if they are tasteless. I do know that if Bush feels it is impossible for him to win in New Jersey (as it is impossible for him to win in New York), why should he bother worrying about what people in New York and New Jersey think of his ads?