Somalia's president declared a state of emergency last weekend, a move that made me wonder, "What state?" And that's the real emergency.

The nation has been in the grips of an increasingly ugly civil war since 1991, when tribal forces -- backed by Ethiopia -- toppled President Siad Barre's totalitarian...

I've been thinking a lot about institutions. No, not the kind of institution necessary when one's lost their mind -- although perhaps that should be an option -- but the larger-than-life organizations, edifices and assemblies that are often considered "the establishment." Or, at the very least, the established. The United...

Fifteen years ago the world turned its eyes to South Africa, which was holding its first democratic elections. Nelson Mandela and his African National Congress swept the polls and officially pushed race-based apartheid into the past. Enthusiasts of political science -- and human justice -- rejoiced, and it seemed South...

Gay-rights advocates -- including myself -- cheered this week when Vermont legalized gay marriage. But it's not necessarily that the state gave same-sex nuptials the green light -- that's happened three times before, including last week in Iowa. The Vermont vote isn't exciting in and of itself; it's the way...

History has a way of weighing on a nation. Whether it's Germany and the Holocaust, Japan's struggle with the horrors of Hiroshima, or Argentina's drawn-out Dirty War, a nation's history -- and how that nation's people digest it -- can shape generations and change the way it's perceived by the...

The right and Republicans have found an enemy far more terrifying than terrorism. It's insidious. It's dangerous. It's un-American. It's, it's nationalization! Oh, the horror!

You may have heard the conservative set toss that word around in recent days, especially in terms of the banking crisis. While they may think...

Clay Aiken's coming out really doesn't come as much of a surprise.

We've all known for many years that the crooner goes for the guys. Nor is Aiken's lavender revelation the most revolutionary. Scores of celebs have come out before him - Ellen DeGeneres, George Michael, Lance Bass...

Hillary Clinton's campaign may come to an end this week. And, on the eve of a decisive primary, we can't help but wonder if she made a fatal mistake: downplaying her femininity.

No doubt Mrs. Clinton's womanhood has played a pivotal role in this campaign, but usually on other people's...

Democratic National Committee Chief of Staff Leah Daughtry may not have been entirely honest with Washington DC.

The New York-born Pentecostal minister turned politico allegedly exploited DC's property tax exemptions. That's not a scandal, of course. Countless citizens use the Homestead Deduction to cut their tax rates nearly in half....

There's a war brewing in the Democratic National Committee -- and, no, it's not about race. This battle, however, does involve another so-called minority group: the gays. And the results may cost the party some serious trouble -- and dough.

For those of you not paying...