The Los Angeles Lakers' selection of Lebron "Bronny" James Jr. in the NBA Draft last week was an immense occasion. To the NBA fan, it was simply a testament to James Sr.'s longevity as a player; his twenty-second year in the NBA will be the first in which a father plays alongside his son. To the sociologist, it signified Lebron James' accession to the American elite. The best player of the past twenty years gave his son, an unremarkable college basketball player, a remarkable first job. Such an action would have been impossible for James Sr's parents, and so such nepotism demonstrated that the James family are members of some elite, even if it lacks the shields and signet rings of the old European aristocracies. Lebron James drinks the wine of the American Dream vineyard. Though born poor, he was, more importantly, born into a society that rewarded his blend of physical giftedness and hard work. Lebron the elite talent became Lebron the elite performer and has
The history of the modern state of Israel would be incomplete without mention of its relationship with the West and, in particular, the United States. While Israel has nominally "fought alone" in the majority of her wars since 1948, the invisible hand of American financial and diplomatic support has been an ever-emboldening presence for Zionist ambition. The United States was the principal promoter of Resolution 181, the 1947 proposal which brought about the partition of the then-dying British Mandate of Palestine into distinct Jewish and Arab states. Following the Israeli declaration of independence in the following May, President Truman immediately announced American recognition of the state. In the 75 years of Israel's existence, she has been the greatest beneficiary of American foreign aid, receiving $158 billion (not adjusted for inflation) in this period. Support for Israel and its policy objectives, foreign and domestic, have become a fact of life in Washington DC.