If "Words are violence", and "Silence is violence.", then are we to just mumble incoherently like Biden does is his speeches?
What I suspect this really means is that the APL has assumed the responsibility for deciding what words or silence is appropriate, and what words or silence gets you cancelled or doxxed.
https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/30/europe/russia-dagestan-airport-anti-israel-intl-hnk/index.html
No, it's not antisemitism at all.
"From the river to the sea.", doesn't really mean eradicate all the Jews between the Jordan and the Med.
No, there's no reason to be concerned about pogroms.
Hep! Hep! Hep! Hep!
https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/cooper-union-pro-palestinian-rally-jewish-students-library/
No, don't worry, it's all fine.
https://abcnews.go.com/Health/flu-covid-shot-reasonable-amid-safety-review-potential/story?id=104308950
"Older adults who received last year’s COVID booster and a high-dose version of the flu vaccine in the same visit may have a potential increased risk of stroke, according to a new FDA-funded study.
Experts urged that the results were preliminary and may be explained by other factors such as the fact that older adults are already at a higher risk for stroke due to their age."
One wonders why they didn't study the effects of these boosters before they pressured millions of people into getting them?
One further wonders why they'd continue to recommend that older people, who are already at increased risk of stroke, pile risk upon risk and get more of these un researched boosters.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/27/world/middleeast/palestine-gazans-hamas-food.html
Hamas has spent years stockpiling desperately needed fuel, food and medicine, as well as ammo and weapons, in the miles of tunnels it has carved out under Gaza.
"Hamas has hundreds of thousands of gallons of fuel for vehicles and rockets; caches of ammunition, explosives and materials to make more; and stockpiles of food, water and medicine, the officials said. A senior Lebanese official said Hamas, which is estimated to number between 35,000 and 40,000, had enough stocked away to keep fighting for three to four months without resupply.
One of the four Israeli hostages released by Hamas even described the group providing captives with medicine, shampoo and feminine hygiene products. All are now said to be extraordinarily scarce in Gaza more than two weeks after Israel, aided by Egypt, imposed what it called a “complete” blockade following the attack by the terrorist group on Oct. 7."
But the conditions in Gaza are all the fault of Israel.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1718153125125574695
"I was on the board of my kids' school during COVID. I wanted a harsher lockdown policy. In retrospect: I was wrong. The damage to kids of keeping them out of school longer was greater than the risk. But here's the bottom line: We were doing our best. But let's give a little grace and forgiveness for the shit show that was COVID."
Scott Galloway
How long will it take before the "trans" medical-industrial complex says something similar? When will we hear Drs and politicians saying "How could we have possibly known? We did our best, how about a little forgiveness and grace?"
https://www.memri.org/tv/ziyad-miqdad-islamic-university-gaza-husband-beat-wife-father-son-mother-daughter-therapeutic-not-vindictive
What an interesting take.
https://www.npr.org/2023/10/17/1206359187/how-does-hamas-explain-an-attack-on-civilians-a-hamas-spokesman-has-answers
Apparently NPR interviewed a Hamas spokesperson and asked about their targeting of civilians. Yet, I can find no links to the actual interview anywhere.
All we have is the statement that "Israel has no right to exist in this region.".
One wonders what is being hidden if this in the only "quote" from the interview available.
In all seriousness, if there's a copy of the entire interview out there that I can't find, please copy paste it in the comments.
As part of the wanton, barbaric, rampage that Hamas engaged in they took hostages back to Gaza. Israel has mobilized the IDF to move into Gaza, eradicate Hamas, and free the hostages. As a part of this mission, it's unavoidable that things will be broken and people will be injured or killed. Many people are criticizing Israel for this, while completely ignoring that Hamas could end this quickly by releasing the hostages. It's strange how so many people are completely unwilling to understand that Hamas has brought all of this on themselves and on the people in Gaza.
It's amazing how many people will argue over whether or not children were decapitated, had their throats cut, or were merely brutally murdered but accept without question that the hospital damage was from the IDF, not from a Hamas rocket that misfired.
"In the 1st study of trans teens, Lisa Littman at Brown U found that 63% had been diagnosed with at least 1 mental health disorder prior to the onset of their gender dysphoria (anxiety, depression, ADHD, OCD, self-harm, eating disorders, bipolar, autism) These are troubled kids."
Nancy Pearcey
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0202330
There's nothing to see here, it's just a coincidence.
"It should not be controversial to assert that Palestinian lives matter just as much as Israeli lives. Or that Black lives matter just as much as white lives. These are matters of fact. The equality and value of human lives should never be up for debate."
Karen Attish
After years of the APL telling us otherwise, now all lives matter.
"Israel is often accused of being a colonizer. The general argument is that Zionism is evil because it is a colonizing force. OK, is there a religion in that region that has engaged in the colonizing of an extraordinarily greater number of people and territories, over a profoundly longer time period? If colonizing is evil and bad, it should be so for anyone who engages in it no?"
Gaad Saad
"Tactics of Online Manipulators
1. They find a shortcoming or sin of someone you are in some way associated with (often loosely) and they don’t like for other reasons.
2. They then ask why you haven’t publicly called them out.
3. If you haven’t, they then claim you are complicit in and/or soft on that sin.
4. If you acquiesce to their demand, they repeat this over and over until you merely become a tool they use against people."
Michael Foster
These are excerpts from the Charter of Hamas from 1988. As I read these points, I can't help but conclude that the goal of Hamas is the destruction of Israel, the genocide of the Jews, and the establishment of a Muslim theocracy in "palestine". Now, I'm not a liberal, but I can't understand how anyone could support an organization dedicated to those goals. I especially couldn't support an organization that explicitly rejects any peaceful, negotiated, solution. But y'all have your protests, change your profile pics, and keep supporting the genocidal, theocratic, terrorist organization.
'The Islamic Resistance Movement is a distinguished Palestinian
movement, whose allegiance is to Allah, and whose way of life is
Islam. It strives to raise the banner of Allah over every inch of
Palestine.' (Article 6)
On the Destruction of Israel:
-----------------------------
'Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will
obliterate it, just as it obliterated others before it.' (Preamble)
The Exclusive Moslem Nature of the Area:
----------------------------------------
'The land of Palestine is an Islamic Waqf [Holy Possession]
consecrated for future Moslem generations until Judgment Day. No one
can renounce it or any part, or abandon it or any part of it.'
(Article 11)
'Palestine is an Islamic land... Since this is the case, the
Liberation of Palestine is an individual duty for every Moslem
wherever he may be.' (Article 13)
The Call to Jihad:
------------------
'The day the enemies usurp part of Moslem land, Jihad becomes the
individual duty of every Moslem. In the face of the Jews' usurpation,
it is compulsory that the banner of Jihad be raised.' (Article 15)
'Ranks will close, fighters joining other fighters, and masses
everywhere in the Islamic world will come forward in response to the
call of duty, loudly proclaiming: 'Hail to Jihad!'. This cry will
reach the heavens and will go on being resounded until liberation is
achieved, the invaders vanquished and Allah's victory comes about.'
(Article 33)
Rejection of a Negotiated Peace Settlement:
-------------------------------------------
'[Peace] initiatives, and so-called peaceful solutions and
international conferences are in contradiction to the principles of
the Islamic Resistance Movement... Those conferences are no more than
a means to appoint the infidels as arbitrators in the lands of
Islam... There is no solution for the Palestinian problem except by
Jihad. Initiatives, proposals and international conferences are but a
waste of time, an exercise in futility.' (Article 13)
Condemnation of the Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty:
----------------------------------------------
'Egypt was, to a great extent, removed from the circle of struggle
[against Zionism] through the treacherous Camp David Agreement. The
Zionists are trying to draw other Arab countries into similar
agreements in order to bring them outside the circle of struggle.
...Leaving the circle of struggle against Zionism is high treason,
and cursed be he who perpetrates such an act.' (Article 32)
Anti-Semitic Incitement:
------------------------
'The Day of Judgment will not come about until Moslems fight Jews and
kill them. Then, the Jews will hide behind rocks and trees, and the
rocks and trees will cry out: 'O Moslem, there is a Jew hiding behind
me, come and kill him.' (Article 7)
'The enemies have been scheming for a long time ... and have
accumulated huge and influential material wealth. With their money,
they took control of the world media... With their money they stirred
revolutions in various parts of the globe... They stood behind the
French Revolution, the Communist Revolution and most of the
revolutions we hear about... With their money they formed secret
organizations - such as the Freemasons, Rotary Clubs and the Lions -
which are spreading around the world, in order to destroy societies
and carry out Zionist interests... They stood behind World War I ...
and formed the League of Nations through which they could rule the
world. They were behind World War II, through which they made huge
financial gains... There is no war going on anywhere without them
having their finger in it.' (Article 22)
'Zionism scheming has no end, and after Palestine, they will covet
expansion from the Nile to the Euphrates River. When they have
finished digesting the area on which they have laid their hand, they
will look forward to more expansion. Their scheme has been laid out
in the 'Protocols of the Elders of Zion'.' (Article 32)
'The HAMAS regards itself the spearhead and the vanguard of the
circle of struggle against World Zionism... Islamic groups all over
the Arab world should also do the same, since they are best equipped
for their future role in the fight against the warmongering Jews.'
(Article 32)
"I have no idea and never said that Hamas are nice guys. I know it's been going on for many decades and it never seem to end. That's the tragedy... and to me, both sides to blame. Not important to me if it's a 30/70, 40/60, 50/50 blame. Too many kids and innocent people killed."
I was having a conversation about the current situation in Israel and this comment came up after I suggested that perhaps knowing the history that led us to this point might be valuable. But what struck me about this is the notion that even if one side is 70% responsible for the situation, that both sides should be held equally to blame. If Hamas is 70% responsible for the current situation, then shouldn't at least some of that responsibility be publicly placed on them? Shouldn't acknowledging their responsibility be more than a CYA aside, "Well, Hamas isn't a bunch of saints, but...".
The problem is that the rich, white, western, liberals don't like Israel and never really have. I'm not sure exactly why. Maybe it's the whole underdog thing. They took a crappy piece of land, fought off multiple invasions and genocide, and managed to build a modern democratic, prosperous society without one drop of oil. It seems strange that anyone would cheer against the underdog who prevails over prohibitive odds.
I have to note that I had this conversation on FB, which is something I never do, and it was notable for being respectful, civil, and even friendly. Something that can be rare here.
As we know Hamas supporters are calling for a World Jihad Day, so that all of the adherents to the religion of peace can celebrate.
While I agree that it is probably wise for people and governments to take precautions and prepare, I think that the response to this proclamation tells us a lot.
I'm going to backtrack a little, and start with a fact that apparently is not very well known among those on the pro Hamas side. Gaza is NOT surrounded by Israel. Israel DOES NOT control all possible entry and exit points in Gaza. But what might that mean?
Well, for starters, it means that Egypt doesn't want Hamas either. Egypt has chosen NOT to offer food, water, medical services, or asylum to the residents of Gaza. Further no other Arab/Muslim country has used the Mediterranean Sea and these handy devices called boats to supply the needs of those in Gaza. I could be wrong, but it seems like it's kind of important to note that Hamas is being hung out to dry by it's fellow Muslims. We constantly hear people whine that Israel should be supplying food, water, electricity, and medical services to those in Gaza who actually want to eliminate Israel and the Jews. What a strange notion. That the avowed enemy of Hamas should be required to offer these things to Gaza, while their "friends" are not even mentioned as they behave the same way.
Why this relates to World Jihad Day is that it'll be interesting to see if any one else in the Muslim world (or any of the Hamas supporters who aren't Muslim), decide to play today. I believe that if the rest of the Muslim world turns their backs on Hamas and their jihad, that it's probably gotten to a point where Hamas has gone too far for even the jihad loving folks across the world. This doesn't mean there might not be a few crazies who use this as an excuse for violence or mayhem, but I think that silence from the greater Muslim community signals that Israel might be on the right track.
It'll also be interesting to see if any actual Muslims join these protests that are mostly rich, white, suburban, liberal college students and their support of Hamas' brutality.
I'm actually in an interesting position to watch. Given that MPLS has one of the larger Muslim populations in the US, it seems reasonable that some of those folks would take to the streets and protest in support of their fellow Muslims. But, if they don't, I think it might send a message about what Muslims think of Hamas as opposed to what rich, white, liberals think of Hamas.
I was curious about the amount of aid that flows into "Palestine" from across the globe. What I learned was that well over $40 billion in aid has gone to "Palestine" between 1994-2020. It seems likely that aid didn't magically start in 1994, nor did it stop in 2020. So it seems reasonable to conclude that over $60 billion has been donated in total. .Much like BLM, if one looks at the results of that aid, one must wonder what it's been spent on. More importantly, how much of those billions are spend on funding Hamas terrorists. It seems like the aid spigot has been flowing for years to the tune of billions/trillions of dollars, and it seems reasonable to ask how that money has made life better. It also seems reasonable to ask if there are people or groups who've become millionaires/billionaires from this aid.
Maybe electing Hamas as the governing entity was a mistake. Maybe those suffering now are paying for that mistake.
I don't to sports often, but as I think about the Thursday Night game coming up this week, my mind naturally went to the people a few years ago that were convinced that the AFC West was the best division in the NFL. Well, as we look at 2023 that certainly isn't the case.
What I'm wondering though, is why. Is it possible that as a response to Mahomes and the success of The Chiefs that all three other teams made increasingly bad decisions both in therms of players and salary cap which led to the current state of affairs? It is really possible that Patrick Mahomes single-handedly caused the downturn of the AFC West?
https://irp.fas.org/world/para/docs/880818a.htm
This is the organization y'all are supporting.
"To all scholars who teach jihad... to all who teach and learn, this is a moment for the application (of theories)," Meshaal said.
As if Hamas wouldn't oppress the Israeli's much worse than they've been "oppressed".
https://winteryknight.com/2023/10/10/new-study-sex-reassignment-surgery-does-not-bring-mental-health-benefits-2/
https://winteryknight.com/2023/10/09/new-study-trans-women-on-hormones-have-elevated-risk-of-heart-disease/
What happens to the narrative as the data starts to undermine it?
I think WK does a great job of including links to the actual, raw data instead of simply summarizing it. Therefore it makes more sense to me to simply post the links to his posts, and the included research and give him credit for all of the hard work.
As we've seen over the last Week, Hamas has engaged in a brutal attack against Israel. Killing, maiming, kidnapping, and desecrating innocent civilians. As we watch the coverage, we have to wonder why. What is the goal? What constitutes a win for Hamas and Iran?
To that and, some questions.
What does Iran gain by maintaining a terrorist army in Gaza?
Why does Iran not improve the infrastructure, and provide necessities for those in Gaza, rather than weapons and military training?
How many military aged, Hamas trained fighters have migrated across the globe? How many to the US? Why?
What does Hamas hope to win by publicly engaging in acts of barbarism?
How do such acts help them achieve their larger goal?
Does engaging in these acts engender sympathy for their situation?
Is the complete and total destruction of Israel, a legitimate policy goal in 2023?
What does Iran gain by providing weapons, money, and training for the people who engage in these barbaric acts?
I've heard it suggested that the Goal of Hamas is to provoke Israel into a reaction that results in massive destruction and death in Gaza and other territories they control. If this is their strategy, then how can anyone support a strategy that relies on barbaric acts committed against innocent people in order to provoke a response that kills or harm the innocent people Hamas claims to represent?
Given the insistence that all people have a basic human right of "self determination", which includes the absolute right to live anywhere they choose and the responsibility that they be welcomed into those chosen destination countries without question, why are the surrounding Islamic nations not accepting and helping these refugees?
Given that one of the 5 pillars of Islam is charity for fellow Muslims in need, isn't this refusal of the surrounding Islamic nations to offer refuge and succor to those affected by Hamas' depredations a religious failure as well as a human rights failure?
That's plenty for now.
It is clearly impossible that there could be even the most remote or tiny connection between Joe Biden's choice to release of $6 billion to Iran, well know as a sponsor of terrorist groups including Hamas, and the brutal attack on Israel over the last few days.
FYI, any of y'all with Ukraine flags, or who've been uncritically supporting unaccountable billions to Ukraine need to step up, be consistent, and support Israel. Of course, it's more likely you'll support those who are indiscriminately raping, beheading, kidnapping, and killing innocent civilians.
There's a wonderful photo going around that shows a small group of people holding a handmade banner which reads "Queers for Palestine" signed by the "Queer Pride Collective" with a Palestinian flag and a pride flag. One is forced to wonder if these folx even understand the irony of their banner. I think that a GoFundMe should be set up so that they can emigrate to Palestine and see how Hamas treats them as a reward for their support.
I've been opposed to allowing children to have access to books that contain explicit sexual content in school libraries. But I'm re thinking this position. Given the reality that an increasingly large number of kids in school can't read, I'm thinking that as long as it's not illustrated, who cares?
