less other anti-ERA activists all over thencountry) who, if we were to believe Mr.nBroder’simplications, apparently are notnwomen. Actually, it was men, accordingnto the polls, who were, in their majority,nfirmly pro-ERA. We know little aboutnthe attitudes of children and house pets.nThe ERA went down to defeat notnbecause of its substance but because of itsnimage, failing because it became associatednwith the antinormative ontologynand ethics of radical feminism, the permissivensubculture of the 1960’s and withnthe elitist behavioral left. As such, it hadnto be eliminated. Any attempt to revivenit with the same rhetoric and in the samensociocultural ambiance is likely to meetnthe same end.nCommerce and CulturenIn June, the American Enterprise Institutenheld a round-table (actually ansquare formed by tables) conference onnthe above subject. The interconnectionnbetween commerce and culture wasndebated for a day and a half under thenThe Lebanon ObfuscationnAs if the situation in Lebanon werennot sufficiendy confijsing, the taking ofnsides here at home verges on hell’z-apoppin.nTime magazine was bitterlynanti-Israeli without being able to shapenits own sullenness into a cogent argument:none could feel that beneathnTime’s feelings lurks something morenmysterious than the pursuit of reportorialntruth and the quest for politicalnjustice. In glaring contrast, the WallnStreet Journal, whose very nature mightnprompt one to suspect some discreet connectionnwith such a hub of modernnfinancial opulence as the Saudis, wasnrabidly pro-Israel. Does this mean thatnJOURNALISMncourteous, yet firm and insightful,nstewardship of Messrs. Michael Novaknand Stephen Miller. People from JohnsnHopkins, Columbia, Chicago University,nthe Universities of Virginia,nMassachusetts and Maryland and othernprestigious sites of higher learning participated,nas did representatives fromnassorted journals of intellectual researchnand cultural sophistication—Commentary,nThe New Criterion, Newsweek,nThis World, Chronicles of Culture. It wasna lively and edifying discourse betweenngendemen-scholars, and it affirmed thatnthe bonds between commerce andnculture are multiple, complex, seminal,nmutually beneficial and firmly groundednin the history of mankind. No one, however,nprovided a clear answer as tonwhether a contemporary New Yorknmainstream (readUberzl) publishernwould buy, print and promote a novelnabout a captain of industry (e.g. capitalist,nbusinessman, entrepreneur) withna heart of gold—a question which seemsnto us essential in the context of thenwisdom and knowledge generated at thenconference. Dnat the very bottom, where ideology andnmorality converge, the organ of corporatenfinanciers is pure at heart whilenTime, the journalistic conscience of ThenMiddlebrow Super Powers That Be, isnmotivated by greed and impure investmentsn? No one knows, but there’ s plentynto think about. It’s also worthy of mentionnthat The New Republic, a staunchlynpro-Israeli organ, recently featured andelightful profile of Mr. Frederick G.nButton, the symbol and shining light ofnthe Kennedy-McGovern wing of thenBemocratic Party. Mr. Button is now anregistered foreign agent and ardent lobbyistnfor the Saudi kingdom, where thennnconcept of human rights is the right tonsquat on a carpet in the royal palace andneat shish kebab with various crownnprinces. Mr. Button claims that henassumed this duty only to defend thensacred principle of evenhandedness innAmerica’s foreign policy; the fact that henis being paid millions for his heroic exertionsnhas nothing to do with the noblenessnof his intentions.nWe would speculate that the JointnChiefs of Staff are privately delighted atnthe opportunity to observe the IsraelimannednAmerican-built F-l6’s in actionnagainst the Soviet weapon systems. Innpublic, of course, they arrogantlyncastigate Mr. Begin’s policies, forgettingnthat according to our tradition, on-dutynmilitary personnel are forbidden to expressnpublicly political opinions.nWhereas the Pope, a man of unquestionednhonesty, decency and intelligence,nhas yet to mention the fact thatnthe Israelis are the only forces that cannrelieve the Maronite Christians fromntheir dire predicament. In Polish, suchnsilence is called “to have a lot of water innone’s mouth.” •nThe Proliferation of PunksnThe subtle distinction between thenterms “new wave” and “punk,” we havenbeen advised, is that the former is appliednto things with a certain anti-chicnthat haven’t made it into the mainstreamnwhile the latter refers to the samenthat have. As far as journals go, RollingnStone is new wave and the New YorknTimes punk. Or so we thought. PeternBonanni, newly hired publisher oi RollingnStone, told Advertising Age:nI know this sounds odd, but RollingnStone has a lot in common with thenNew York Times. Rolling Stone hasnthe same commitment and intimacynwith its audience—and that audience’snrespect—that the New YorknTimes has.nFunny, he’s right. Dnmm^mmmoXnSeptember 198Sn