To count yourself as a liberal, you have to stand up for liberal principles. Free speech, separation of church and state, freedom to practice any religion or no religion without the threat of violence. Respect for minorities including homosexuals, equality for women. It amazes me how here in America we go nuts over the tiniest violations of these values while gross atrocities are ignored across the world.

Jonah Hill yells “suck my dick faggot” at the paparazzi and an entire nation goes into Twitter outrage until he is forced to perform that most debasing of acts — the talk show apology tour. Meanwhile, in 10 countries actually sucking a dick can get you stoned, and not a good way.

We hear a lot about the Republican war on women. It’s not cool. Rush Limbaugh called somebody a slut. Okay. But Saudi women can’t vote or drive or hold a job or leave the house without a man. Overwhelming majorities in every Muslim country say a wife is always obliged to obey her husband. That all seems like a bigger issue than an evangelical Christian bakery refusing to make gay wedding cakes.