Author Archives: wallwritings

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About wallwritings

From 1972 through 1999, James M. Wall was editor and publisher of the Christian Century magazine, based in Chicago, lllinois. He was a Contributing Editor of the Century from 1999 until July, 2017. He has written this blog, wall writings.me, since it was launched April 27, 2008. If you would like to receive Wall Writings alerts when new postings are added to this site, send a note, saying, Please Add Me, to jameswall8@gmail.com Biography: Journalism was Jim's undergraduate college major at Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia. He has earned two MA degrees, one from Emory, and one from the University of Chicago, both in religion. He is an ordained United Methodist clergy person. He served for two years in the US Air Force, and three additional years in the USAF reserve. While serving on active duty with the Alaskan Command, he reached the rank of first lieutenant. He has worked as a sports writer for both the Atlanta Journal and Constitution, was editor of the United Methodist magazine, Christian Advocate for ten years, and editor and publisher of the Christian Century magazine for 27 years. James M Wall died March 22, 2021 at age 92. His family appreciates all of his readers, even those who may have disagreed with his well-informed writings.

“Anti-Massacree Movement” In London

By James M. Wall Near the end of Arlo Guthrie’s classic 1967 folk tale, Alice’s Restaurant, Guthrie sings these words: “Can you imagine, three people walking in singing a bar of Alice’s Restaurant and walking out, they may think it’s an organization. … Continue reading

Posted in Folk Music, Gaza, Human Rights, Israel, Middle East Politics, Palestinians, USA | 1 Comment

Bibi Knows “where the spots formerly were”

by James M. Wall  In the Damon Runyon-inspired Guys and Dolls, a movie musical tale of “gangsters, gamblers and dolls”, Nathan Detroit (Frank Sinatra, left) descends to the sewers of New York with Big Julie, a gambler from Chicago. Big Julie … Continue reading

Posted in Media, Middle East, Middle East Politics, Movies, Netanyahu | 2 Comments

From Sykes-Picot to “Degrade and Destroy”

by James M. Wall U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson spoke earlier this week in Ottawa, Canada. At one point in his  Tuesday remarks to the Canadian American Business Council, Johnson followed the current fear/hate U.S./Israel script when he said: “ISIL is a stateless … Continue reading

Posted in Middle East, Middle East Politics, Movies, Netanyahu | 3 Comments

Abbas To UN: “End This Settlement Occupation”

by James M. Wall On Friday, September 26, Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas told the United Nations General Assembly, “The time has come to end this settlement occupation.” The New York Times described Abbas as “visibly enraged” when he spoke to the General … Continue reading

Posted in Middle East, Middle East Politics, Netanyahu, Obama, USA, War | 4 Comments

A Fan Base Lament: “Say it ain’t so, Senator”

by James M. Wall Writing in Intercept, Glenn Greenwald delivered bad news to progressive Democrats under the glaring headline: Elizabeth Warren Finally Speaks on Israel/Gaza, Sounds Like Netanyahu. As I reported in an earlier posting, the information on Warren’s views on … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Hillary Clinton, Media, Middle East, Middle East Politics, Politics and Elections | 9 Comments

U.S. Fear/War Mongers Win This Round

by James M. Wall The American public doesn’t want to go to war unless there is something out there that frightens them. This explains why all of our wars have been preceded by dire warnings of what will happen if … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Middle East, Middle East Politics, Obama, Politics and Elections, US govermemt, War | 6 Comments

Did Israel Have the “Right” to Kill This Child?

by James M. Wall  “Israel has the right to defend itself” was the Orwellian doublespeak Israel used to justify its latest invasion of Gaza, carried out at the same time as its under-reported increased military action inside the West Bank. President Obama, eagerly joined by … Continue reading

Posted in Middle East, Middle East Politics, Netanyahu, Obama, Religion and politics | 7 Comments

“We want to exchange personal experiences, Sir.”

by James M. Wall The personal report that begins below, first appeared in the website, Mondoweiss.  This report conveys the horror of war experienced by young Palestinian college students in Gaza during recent summer weeks of unrelenting and vicious attacks by Israel. … Continue reading

Posted in Human Rights, The Human Condition, Uncategorized, War | 4 Comments

“Exodus” Now Hurling Real 5,000 Pound Bombs

by James M. Wall Israel still retains absolute mind control over the western world, thanks to the selling of an Israel narrative which was boosted high into the literary lights and onto movie screens with the fictional Israeli narrative written by Leon Uris in … Continue reading

Posted in -Movies and politics, Middle East Politics, Movies, Netanyahu, Obama, Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Has Clinton Made Her Second Pro-War Mistake?

by James M. Wall Cease fire talks between Israel and Hamas have been extended for an additional five days. The extension in the talks was made possible because the Gaza Palestinians are standing firm in their humanitarian demand that Israel lift the … Continue reading

Posted in Hillary Clinton, Media, Middle East, Middle East Politics, Netanyahu, Obama | 5 Comments