Friday, February 22

The downfall of Romney?

What Is It About Mormonism? (New York Times Magazine)

I have always found it to be strange that even among my most open-minded peers, disdain for Mormons (or at least a wholesale rejection of their beliefs) is commonplace, and jokes about the Mormon faith and culture are accepted far more casually than they would be if the topic was race or gender. Given these personal experiences, I was surprised how well Mitt Romney did (at least for a while) on the Presidential campaign trail, and even more surprised how little attention was paid in the mainstream press to the challenges any Mormon candidate for President would face in this climate.

I was glad, then, to see this article in the New York Times Magazine, which helped me to better understand the history of the Mormon church (better known as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) and how views about church members have evolved in this country over the last two centuries.

Wednesday, February 20

Culture of an epidemic

Death March (New York Times)

South African journalist Jonny Steinberg, in a new book about the AIDS epidemic in Africa, wanted to find out why people in his country still aren't getting tested for HIV and/or obtaining treatment for AIDS, despite the presence of strong AIDS treatment programs in certain areas. His answers are a stark reminder of how much the practice of medicine is a function of culture as well as science.