Lawrence (Laurie) Baron, now retired, served as the Nasatir Professor of Modern Jewish History at San Diego State University. He served from 1988 to 2006 as director of SDSU’s Lipinsky Institute for Judaic Studies. He was the founder in 1995 of the Western Jewish Studies Association.
He writes two satire columns for San Diego Jewish World: “Humoring the Headlines” under his byline, and “Hounding the Headlines,” under the byline of his dog Elona.
“Making Room for the Jews: The House I Live In (1945),” AJS Perspectives, Summer 2023, 86-88.
“The Revolt of Job: Salvaging the Lost World of Rural Hungarian Hasidim,” Journal of Jewish Identities, 16:1-2 (January/July 2023), 181-198.
“Persistent Parallels, Resistant Particularities: Holocaust Analogies and Avoidance in Armenian Genocide Centennial Cinema, in Armenian and Jewish Experience between Expulsion and Destruction, ed. Sarah M. Ross and Regina Randhofer (Berlin: De Gruyter Oldenbourg, 2021), 267-296.
“The Pioneering American Jewish Women Directors from Elaine May to Claudia Weill,” Jews and Gender (Studies in Jewish Civilization), ed. Leonard Greenspoon (W. Lafayette, IN: Purdue University Press, 2021), 217-243.
Given his priorities of avoiding foreign wars and troop deployments abroad, Donald Trump surprised the world when he announced that the United States will “take over” Gaza, relocate its Palestinian residents in Egypt and Jordan, and oversee but not pay for its reconstruction. [Laurie Baron]
It has been one week since Donald Trump renamed the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America. There are rumors that he wanted to rename it the Golf of America since he owns three golf courses in Florida and the new name was intended to increase business. [Laurie Baron]
Watching Sallah Shabati at the San Diego International Jewish Film Festival at the Lawrence Familiy JCC — accompanied by Professor Laurie Baron’s insightful historical context — left me reflecting deeply not only on the film’s satirical brilliance but also on how it portrays Mizrahi immigrants, particularly those from Yemen. [Shahar Masori]
By Laurie Baron SAN DIEGO — Although Vice President J.D. Vance recently assured an interviewer that Trump would decide to pardon the 1/6 rioters on a case-to-case basis, Trump pardoned all of them, even those convicted of assaulting Capitol police. The Pride Boys and Oath Keepers immediately disbanded and reconstituted themselves as the Stormtroopers under
Shameless lackies of the Prez.
Repeating all the things he says.
To procure financial favors
For the loyalty he savors.
The man, whom they once had hated
Must be sated
With acts of their compliance. … {Laurie Baron]
Donald Trump is livid over Biden being chosen to deliver the eulogy at Carter’s funeral instead of him. He claims the selection was rigged. After all, Trump is not only the president elect but also the only legitimately elected president for the past four years. [Laurie Baron]
San Diego University President’s ecumenical statement expressing sympathy for the loss of life on 10/7 and the ensuing war in Gaza was condemned as “hateful and divisive” by the school’s chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine, I composed an innocuous template for such presidential statements in the future. [Laurie Baron]
Last week President Biden signed legislation designating the bald eagle the national bird of the United States. Intent on undoing everything President Biden has done, Trump plans to rescind this legislation and pick a national bird that better symbolizes his vision for America. He also doesn’t like the bald eagle because it obviously hasn’t figured out that it can cover baldness with a comb-over. [Laurie Baron]
‘Twas the week before Christmas, the Reps in the House
Had struck a deal with nary a grouse.
The budget was set with no debt increase.
In hopes that ‘til March, there’d be fiscal peace. … [Laurie Baron]
Looking back over my past columns, I found my column for Hanukkah 2014. Since I’m always accused of being too partisan (guilty as charged), I want to reprint it in the spirit of Hanukkah which is ultimately about fighting for tolerance. [Laurie Baron]
Upon declaring our independence from British bulldogs in 1776, all creatures living in this land established the United States of Animals whose government parallels that of the human USA. This year the ostriches convinced us to put our heads in the sand and elect the Golden Deceiver while parrots incessantly repeated his lies. Since the Deceiver is rabid, he has nominated dangerous beasts to serve in his cabinet. [Elona Baron as barked to Laurie Baron]
My son asked me what I’m thankful for this year. I gave the standard answer: my creature comforts, dog, family, friends, health, and house. Then he queried if I was grateful that Trump was elected president. I struggled to find some reasons I hadn’t abandoned all my hope for the future. Here’s what I came up with. {Laurie Baron]
The Trump transition team plans to introduce a mandatory civil service exam for all federal government employees. It is considerably shorter than its predecessors. Here’s the first draft. [Laurie Baron]
