Word: distracter
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...Italian gay rights association Arcigay says the Vatican's opposition to the anti-discriminatory measure is "unprecedented," and the citing of gay marriage is an "excuse" to distract people from the real intent of criminalizing gays. One Rome-based priest was disappointed that the Vatican decided to publicize its opposition to what appears a rather innocuous declaration. "When you're always trying to look for new ways to make your point, you lose credibility," says the priest. "Better sometimes to keep quiet...
...mistake. After all, women are relatively new to presidential campaigns and thus are still looking for the right tone to strike—a way, perhaps, to transcend their gender identity without abandoning it. Palin’s overtly feminine, and ultimately disastrous, attempt may have served only to distract this progress and to reinforce the regrettable sexism of our society. All we may hope is that Palin’s candidacy will help provide some perspective on the truly historic (if imperfect) campaign of Hillary Clinton, rather than set female politicians back in the years to come...
...America hasn’t known in decades, and it will be left up to the most talented artists amongst us to bring their struggle to film, books, poetry, painting, and anything else in a way that might finally bring change.Maybe we will finally have our own Steinbeck to distract us from the horrors of the market and the changes to our earth. Where are the Malcolm Xs, Janis Joplins, or Andy Warhols of today? Who will create the next “Guernica?” In the face of this social turmoil, where are the successors...
...Cutting arts funding is a symbolic measure more than it is a practical one. As Frank Rich ’71 said in The New York Times, “Bashing the NEA, like boosting school prayer, is a high-profile, low-cost way for the Gingrich G.O.P. to distract the faithful while avoiding the hard choices about cutting multibillion-dollar entitlements that might really downsize the budget.” The NEA got cut off at the knees because it was easier—and much more popular—for House Speaker Newt Gingrich to blame Robert Mapplethorpe...
...perfect number of people for a human pyramid. There were six of us, varied enough in height and weight to make tiers without breaking anyone’s back. We had a carpet to fall on and a slew of problem sets, papers, and readings to distract ourselves from. I was on the bottom tier, trembling and giggling alternately as each roommate added herself to the structure. After quite a bit of debate, shrieks, and near-arm-collapses, our pyramid existed for just a few moments. Then we dissolved into a jumble of limbs and exclamations that, I imagine, made...