The Majority of Americans Want an End to the Slaughter of Palestinian Civilians. The UAW Has Asked the Democrats to Allow Free Speech Tonight and a Call for Peace
There can be no peace in the Middle East for as long as both Democrat and Republican Congressional members and Presidential candidates accept hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, and General Dynamics.
I have not heard of that Daphne. Given that a bipartisan majority in the House just gave Netanyahu a rapturous welcome and the white house sent him hone with $20 billion worth of attack planes I’d say Bibi has no intention of settling anyway. As long as the Americans keep the bombs and the cash flowing why should he?
As soon as we have defeated the White Christian Nationalists, then we need to start getting the money out of politics, starting with the reversal of the citizens united decision
Hold on Paul. Our most elite American universities have accepted billions from Qatar alone for their Middle Eastern studies’ departments.
These universities have done a terrible job educating their students. How stupid it was for them to take that money and allow Qatar to influence young American students. Not to mention the professors.
The brightest among us? They get their history lessons from Tic Toc and think Osama Bin Laden was just a very misunderstood genius. It’s anti-American.
Julia Simmons is just about everything that’s wrong with mainstream Democratic Party liberals. Those opposed to US complicity in genocide as Kamala Harris are “terrorist sympathizers” she says - a vile slander used to intimidate the anti-genocide movement and justify both the violent repression of the movement at home and the continuing butchery of tens of thousands of Palestinian women and children and the blatant racism at the heart of the apartheid Zionist state and its brutal illegal occupation. Their racism and her own. Disgusting.
Democrats, cheered on by the Julia Simmonses in their ranks, are betting they can win the key battleground states of Michigan and Wisconsin and perhaps others without the half million Uncommitted, otherwise reliably Democratic votes they have sacrificed on the bloody altar of AIPAC money. The numbers say otherwise.
Think about it. Julia Simmons and, apparently Harris and the party leadership, would rather lose the election to Donald Trump than end their deep complicity in mass pedicide in Gaza.
Remember that the next time some online Democratic hypocrite declares this the most important election in American history. For fuck sake its not even important enough for them to stop killing Arab babies.
Can you at least get your story straight. What about “Genocide Joe” Mort? Did you forget about him already? This is why you don’t get invited to parties. This is America, not Gaza. We have our own problems.
This reaction to 10/7 did not seem spontaneous. How many Arabs inside and outside of America knew that pogram had been planned for years?
We need immigrants who are vetted properly. They need to share American values. Not ingrate weirdos who chant “Globalize the Intifada,” and “Death to America”.
We must remember that these conventions are staged propaganda events. Let us not confuse the charade with the reality of policies that will be pursued. Yes, we must vote for Kamala to prevent a return of Trump, but let us not be fooled by the PR at the convention. The NYT had an article today about how Harris is "driven by the art of the possible." It reminded me of a billboard in VT back in the 90s, a U.S. Air Force advertisement with the slogan "In the Air Force, anything is possible." Someone correctly altered the billboard by adding "except peace." The PR convention machine might want people to believe that under Harris "anything is possible," but we can add "except peace," except the abolition of nuclear weapons, except the creation of a non-profit universal health care system, except work to produce the forms of political, economic, cultural, and social transformations needed to challenge, overcome, and replace the system of corporate capitalism that is wrecking the present for all too many people and arguably the future for everyone; except the promotion of a public education system that works to nurture and nourish informed, involved, and energized citizens who understand the importance of working collectively to democratize the economic system from which will follow a democratization of the political system; except the promotion of a truly public media system under public management and control and geared to promote public interests and concerns and to challenge and replace the corporate media monopoly; except an end to U.S. military, economic, propaganda, and diplomatic support for the genocide perpetrated against fellow humans in Gaza by the State of Israel, etc., etc., etc. So, we keep working...
“Driven by the art of the possible”. Harris offers a vision for the future Americans can embrace. She’s a strong, highly intelligent, and a respected politician. Also, she’s going to be the next POTUS. She’s vibrant and, as a former prosecutor, may not be impressed with intimidation from terrorist sympathizers.
Maybe get a one way ticket to Paradise? (no pun intended).
conventions are about "visions" but the visions presented often have little to do with the policies implemented. Some of Reagan's "visions" in public speeches sounded like he was a socialist, but the policies had little to do with the pronouncements. Eduardo Galeano's "upside/down rule" comes to mind: "When the powerful say one thing, believe the opposite, and we will be much closer to the truth." It tends to work.
Ksandra, I'd say that it is not perfection we are seeking, for that would be to seek the impossible. There will never be a perfect society comprised of perfect people. Your question is, of course, one of the BIG and CRUCIAL QUESTIONS, and there are no easy answers. In brief, it seems to me, as one with great faith in our human capacity to work together, care for one another, and love one another in support and solidarity in ways that open opportunities to carry out systemic transformations, that we can follow the advice of. The Wobblies (IWW): EDUCATE, AGITATE, and ORGANIZE. That is surely sound advice. We need to construct animating and energizing visions of credible, commendable, and sustainable alternatives to current dominant systems and simultaneously form what we might call "oppositional/constructive" organizations and movements geared to oppose current dominant institutions and ideologies, while also working to construct alternatives based on the energizing and animating visions. And there must always be room for critical self-reflection. In principle, the resources exist to build a decent society and world, but bringing into reality is the challenge. We must identify the obstacles standing in way and work to overcome the obstacles. There are lessons to be learned from the "radical" union movements in the 1930s, e.g., the CIO.
I suggest that, instead of letting one Palestinian speaker advocate for an arms embargo to encourage a lasting cease fire, the DNC Convention leadership allow a team of 3-5 speakers advocate for an arms embargo consisting of a Palestinian Muslim, Palestinian Christian, Israeli Jew, a Palestinian Hindu, and Palestinian Buddhist. That would underscore the inclusiveness of the Democratic Party. The leadership could recruit these speakers from the sit-in noncommitted delegates, or they could call Chicago based Parliament of the World's Religions Executive Director, Stephen Avino, (312) 629-2990. This would be more powerful than one person.
That would be quite a performance wouldn’t it. Just gang up on Israel. Have a ceasefire so Hamas can regroup and we can do this all over again. Just like Hamas wants. Joe, get off Tic Toc. Get some real history lessons.
What should the movement do if, as seems likely, the Democrats refuse? Harris has taken over half a million dollars from AIPAC over the years and has a long history of blind support for the murderous Zionist colonial project and their apartheid occupation. That support has included lying directly to the American people about Israeli human rights violations in order to keep the bombs and money flowing unencumbered by mere US law.
What a stupid comment. Israel is our closest ally. They actually add value to humanity through innovation, technology, scientific research, medicine. They provide intelligence to our military. The USA- gasp- is ZIONIST, and pro Israel.
Gazans spend their time hating Jews and building tunnels to carry out attacks against Jews.
There can be no peace in Palestine while it is run by a terrorist organization instead of a real government. There will be no peace in Palestine until its leaders stop their philosophy of Jihad and acknowledge Israel's right to exist. There can be no peace in Palestine while Palestinians are pariahs to other Muslim countries. Why are the borders closed to Palestinian refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt and Syria? Why do you think that may be? Could it be that the population is indoctrinated with Jihad when children are young? When they are brought up to martyr themselves so the Hamas pays off their families? Perhaps you would like to dig deeper into "human rights violations". There are Arab, Druze, Jewish and Christian citizens of Israel, with all the privileges of citizenship. 1200 people are murdered and 200+ more are kidnapped, yet you cheer on the terrorists? Blaming the victim. It's an old anti-Jewish trope.
Murderous, Zionist, Colonial, Apartheid. I don't think you have a clue what these words really mean.
Murdering decapitating children is NEVER a solution. Children are NOT Hamas. This is NOT anti Jewish. Many Jewish souls are sickened by our funding this brutal genocide.
It’s interesting but not surprising that no one talks about the 12 Druze children murdered by Hezbollah on a soccer field on July 30th of this year. In The Golan Heights. CHILDREN. Murdered by Hezbollah, who is Hamas’s counterpart in Iran, funded by Iran. Druze, Jews, it doesn’t seem to matter. Only if they are Gazan does anyone give a shit about dead children. There were no protests in the streets, no tent cities erected on campuses, no protests when these children were murdered. The hypocrisy is stunning.
I am sorry there are so many confused Jews. I’m a former Catholic and I am passionate about the safety of the Jewish state. No, not Bibi…The Jewish state, which must be protected at any cost.
I listened to a podcast hosted by a Jew who absolutely TRASHED Israel right after 10/7. He kept urging his listeners to send Rashida Tlaib, of all people, campaign donations. I kid you not. I cut so many ties after 10/7/2023 w/ progressives. I can’t even stand Bernie Sanders anymore. I gave generously to his 2016 and 2020 campaigns.
So what should we have done differently when fighting the Nazis ? “Oh there are innocent children, we can’t possibly attack Germany. We’ll just have to live under The Third Reich I guess”.
Accusing anyone who criticizes the actions of the Israeli government of being "anti-Jewish" &/or of cheering on terrorist, is an old Zionist trope. Large numbers of Jewish people are publicly actively opposing the slaughter in Gaza. No doubt you will insist that they are all "self-hating Jews". All of them??
Actually I find it hard to believe that those who offer 100% support of the Israeli government actions, do not have some recognition, somewhere deep inside their hearts & minds, of why so many are horrified by what that government is doing in Gaza.
Quit hiding behind radical Jews. That’s not the norm and you know it. It’s weird but most Americans don’t look kindly upon Islamic terrorists. Palestine gives gays and women no rights at all. They kill gay people.
Israelis have their religious crazies too. I’d take them any day over quasi-religious, politically motivated suicide runners. I have no intention of becoming a Muslim ever. That clashes with the wold domination Muslim leaders have in store for non Muslims.
This could be a real problem down the road, don’t ya know.
Neither Hamas nor Netanyahu seem to want peace. The question is does the US have the power to move the needle with either Hamas or Netanyahu regardless of funding. The US right now is trying to prevent a wider war with Iran, which does not seem to want one either. Campaign contributions from major weapons manufacturers seems to me a very weak recipe for ending the fighting in Gaza and improving the chances for a ceasefire. The IDS from what I understand has already made it clear to Netanyahu that there are no more worthwhile military targets in Gaza and that continuing the conflict will not produce much more degradation of Hamas. If Netanyahu will not respond to his own military leaders, what chance is there for Biden to convince Netanyahu to cease and desist and sign on to a ceasefire. We all know that Netanyahu is clinging to this war on the Palestinians and Hamas to prolong his political life. I need to know, if the call the put strict conditions on any more military aid to Israel will actually force Netanyahu to sign on to a cease fire. For those who believe this is a realistic policy, please explain and/or send links to serious articles that examine this. We have to take Michael's word that there is a road to peace by putting these conditions on military aid.
I’m confused about your comment that mentioned “Hamas doesn’t want peace”. Israel assassinated the Hamas peace broker so Sinwar could take over, and that peace would be harder to come by, (the same reason Bibi started and funded Hamas in the first place),but that doesn’t mean all of Hamas is happy t0 lose its peaceful leader! And anytime a “deal” including the mythical “ceasefire” gets even close to working, and is presented to Israel- BOMBS AWAY!!!
Hamas are disgusting genocidal maniacs. They had their ceasefire on 10/7/2023. They invaded Israel by land, sea and air. On their holiest day.
They maimed, tortured and killed everything and everyone in their path; inflicting as much pain and misery as possible. Many weren’t Jewish. Even pets could not be spared. They raped with abandon. Shot babies as they slept in their cribs.
Beheaded who knows what…because of course the MFs just can’t help themselves. How exactly is Israel, a thriving democracy, supposed to protect their people under these circumstances?
Maybe, just a suggestion, LEAVE THE JEWS ALONE.
Hamas did all this with absolute glee and pleasure. “Hey Mom and Dad, I killed 10 Jews with my bare hands.” Oh son we’re so proud of you. How sadistic.
How can any normal person be this confused about basic right and wrong? This surprises me about MM. Normally, he and I are on the same page.
I’m a Democrat and a liberal. I don’t want these people at the DNC Convention. Apparently I’m not alone.
I think Kamala has voiced her opinion about the massacres in Gaza, which differs from Biden’s. However, this election is the most important ever, I believe she is being cautious in discussing it, but after being elected, I’m sure she will end support for Israel.
I was disappointed with Kamala’s message tonite on Israel. No acknowledgment of our funding of the “devastation” she lamented in Gaza. Appears she has everyone’s back except the children of Gaza. “A harm against one of us is a harm against all of us”, except the innocent we bomb in Gaza.
What harm would it had done to let the Palestinian American speak? I can’t ignore this. The DNC forgets we have eyes and can see hypocrisy even when it is from our own teams.
There is zero evidence that this is true. Once she's elected, she's free to deal with this issue however she pleases, and history tells us this will probably not be good for Palestinians.
There might not be any Palestinians left to kill by then since her administration takes zero steps to stop arming Israel. There are no bombs dropped or bullets shot without our support.
Just think for a moment what would happen to Jews if it were the Palestinians controlling Israel. Do you think Hamas would spare one single Jew ? No, they would not.
Palestinian Hamas would revel in the blood and agony of every last Jew and anything that got in their way.
This is the stark contrast between Israelis, who try to spare civilian casualties, and Palestinian Hamas, who would take immense pleasure in killing every singe Jew.
Hamas only exists because of Israel's constant harassment, theft, murder of Palestinians. How do you explain Israel's behavior before Hamas existed? Hamas is a raggedy resistance group against a nuclear power. Israel is not the victim. But nice try.
A raggedy resistance group? There was evidence of 5 Islamic Palestinian groups that took part with Hamas in the 10/7 surprise attack on Israel. An estimated 3,000 fighters invaded Israel by land, sea and air.
There were crimes against humanity and war crimes committed by Hamas and the other militant groups on 10/7. Have you looked at the footage Hamas themselves filmed ?
Her administration could've ended this a long time ago. We kept sending bombs even after Netanyahu defiantly said he won't listen to us and will do exactly what he wants to. Words, at this point, mean nothing. Only actions do.
I'm not sure why you subscribe to this Substack, but you should definitely get some alternative viewpoints in your life. If you think people who don't want tens of thousands of children murdered are terrorists, I'm not sure how you function in society.
I understand how it may appear to you that I’m heartless. Because of what I’ve witnessed since 10/7, I’m less compassionate. 4.00 was worth the entrance fee. Not having to listen to a Palestinian American at the Democratic convention was pure bliss.
You mean the war their elected officials HAMAS inflicted ?And they use their own women and children as shields. Shame. Hamas needs a high body count to make the world feel sorry for them. Of course #s are exaggerated by Hamas. People fall for this is amazing and tragic.
Tooling around, reading how thrilled my favorite pundits are with how things are going at the convention, this is the first even mention of Gaza both by them and in the hundreds of comments they've gotten. Are we kidding? How to reconcile the urgency of defeating Trump with ignoring what could cause a civil war here -- and could get Trump elected by Democrats refusing to vote for anyone? That it gets no mention at this convention is as insane as Trump is.
Quite a shame Marianne couldn't even get a pass to attend let alone a chance to speak. She has the level headed voice!
Remember Syria? Yeah me neither. It reaches a saturation point Suz. Why aren’t more people worried about Ukrainians? They are the ones who deserve our help and attention. There is no controversy there.
The violent and destructive pro Hamas riots didn’t help. Just ask any British, Canadian, European or Australian native.
Maybe go join MAGA? They are looking for people just like you.
Thank you very much for all the work that you were doing on behalf of the Palestinian people. 12 years ago, I spent four different medical mission trip to Nobis Ramallah and the West Bank and Gaza to take care of children who needed medical attention. I got to know the people very well and understood a little bit more of the difficulties they have living under occupation.
Since that time, I have been a strong supporter of the Palestinian state the end of the occupation and have been called anti-Semitic and have been demonize by my local Democratic Party even I had a state representative seat in the Connecticut State House. I will not be able to run again as they have abandoned me and I have no support
I take this issue very seriously and want to know what’s going on and unfortunately, when you talk to people, especially Americans and especially Americans Jews they refuse to believe that Israel could be responsible for the behavior that is occurring over there.
Thank you for your help and I will work with you in anyway possible to make this a better world for them and all.
What occupation ? Israelis left Gaza in 2005. They even dug up their dead. What did Israel get in return: bombings of their civilians. Palestinians can’t handle self rule. They proved it yet again. Egypt has its borders closed to the Palestinians. Just like Israel. Check points have to be maintained; otherwise, parents will strap suicide vests on their children and send them in to kill the kid and the Jews. It’s for their God. The kid will enter paradise.
Israel has had military control of Gaza the entire time. They control every person and item that goes in and out. They control food and water. You are either lying or ignorant. But this is an old trope that Palestinians can't rule themselves. It's very convenient for Israel.
Great question. Ask yourself if you understand fully how the Israeli government Controls the water supply, the electricity, who comes in and who goes out of the territories and that includes Egypt. And that they limit and often times will find restrict or confiscate materials that they don’t want in the territory. I can testify this myself as I was given five bags of medical supplies, full suitcases from people in the United States to take to Gaza, and all of them are confiscated by the Israeli when I went to the checkpoint into Gaza. How would you like to have bombs coming at you randomly which I know you do. And the same thing goes for what is or was doing to Gaza. We need to allow a free people access to territory to freely to have the opportunity to advance the opportunity for education and for external investment, just as Israel has done . Until Israel realizes that they cannot allow a neighbor who is friendly to live with them better than a neighbor who is angry with them the fight will continue. I’m not letting him off the hook. Their violence has to be and the only way to convert a Hamas, which is an ideology to somebody who wants to be a neighbor is giving them opportunity to grow to build our families to take care of themselves , I have proof that Israel, the state restricts that
10/7 should prove to you why Israelis had to be extremely careful. Hamas tells us point blank that they want to exterminate the Jews. Did the Israelis fail miserably to protect themselves on 10/7 ? Yes. That should not have happened.
There are people in the Israeli government who openly want too exterminate the Palestinians. Fighting over land. Stop the occupation of the West Bank and Gaza completely. The Gaza has a beautiful Mediterranean Sea and the people are not allowed to build a dock due to Israeli government control. Both sides are committing atrocities. They US must demand more responsible behavior for help on both sides and to recognize the Palestinian state.
My name is Ted Martin. I just finished writing a book about my first hand encounters with a morbidly corrupt federal judicial system. The book is titled: The Illusion of Justice and contains documented, incontrovertible proof of widespread systemic corruption in the District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, the United States Supreme Court, the Administrative Office of United States Courts, the Senate Judiciary Committee, and the U.S. Department of Justice.
The Supreme Court not only ignored two of the most egregious cases of judicial misconduct imaginable (my cases) but also an amicus brief by former Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Richard Posner in which he blows the whistle on rampant corruption in the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals.
Judge Posner’s amicus brief is posted on the Supreme Court’s website at www.supremecourt.gov and can be accessed by typing in the following case number: Martin v. Living Essentials (Case No. 17-8352)
It will be painfully obvious to anyone who reads my book (or Judges Posner’s amicus brief) that the Supreme Court denies certiorari without even bothering to read the petitions submitted by the citizens of the United States. This obscene betrayal of the public trust is a clear-cut violation of every Justice’s judicial oath and a crime under federal law that is commonly referred to as honest services fraud.
In short, my book proves that the leaders of both the Republican and Democratic parties have been conspiring together to pack the courts with corrupt corporate judges who will never side with the American people. This was abundantly clear when Senator Chuck Schumer and the other Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee repeatedly refused to use irrefutable evidence of judicial misconduct by Amy Coney Barrett (a Republican nominee) at her Supreme Court confirmation hearing.
This bipartisan band of seditious conspirators also refused to address the underlying corruption in clear violation of their oath to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.”
The only difference between the two major political parties is the rhetoric. The special interest groups running this country don’t give a damn which bribe taking stooge you vote for or even if you vote at all. They have already successfully rigged every election by controlling “our” choices.
The leaders of both the Republican and Democratic parties have been caught red-handed conspiring to pack the courts with corrupt judges who will never side with you. If there was ever a reason to be a one issue voter, this is it. Besides, any politician caught lying about their fidelity to the Constitution and laws of the United States is obviously lying about everything—particularly their agenda.
Republicans push the corrupt corporate agenda. Democrats pretend to be opposed. Together, they sell their offices to the highest bidders. They foment war for the military industrial complex, promote racism for the prison industrial complex, refuse to restrict access to assault weapons for the gun manufactures, permit large quantities of toxic cancer causing chemicals to be dumped into our air, land, and water for the chemical manufactures, deny needed medical care to our country’s citizens for the health insurance and pharmaceutical industries, and turn a willful blind eye to the catastrophic effects of global warming for the fossil fuel industries. The list of their greed fueled crimes against humanity goes on and on.
Voting your current elected representatives out of office should be a no brainer. But, to make sure that they are not replaced with another batch of equally corrupt corporate stooges, we’re also going to have to take back both the Republican and Democratic parties and get the money out of politics.
While this may appear to be a daunting task, all we really need is a sound plan. After giving this matter some careful consideration, I have the following proposal: We agree to put aside all of our ideological differences and unite as Americans in support of the Constitution of the United States.
If you read my book, it really won’t be that difficult. You will know who the real enemy is and it certainly isn’t your fellow citizens. We just need to become one issue voters. Ignore their contrived wedge issues, bullshit talking points, and cringe worthy campaign ads. If they are not fighting tooth and nail to get the money out of politics—don’t legitimize them with your vote.
Seriously, if in doubt—throw them out. Besides, any government official who is not forcefully calling for the resignations of the corrupt leaders of their own political party is, by definition, violating their oath to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.”
Whether Republican or Democrat, a treasonous corporate criminal is a treasonous corporate criminal, they serve the same master and nothing is going to change until we get the money out of politics.
*You get the money out of politics by publicly funding elections, banning all campaign contributions, and, in exchange for their broadcasting/operating licenses, requiring news organizations to give every candidate for public office an equal amount of free advertising space.
In the future, I may write a book titled: The Illusion of Journalism. But for now, I’m just going to say that the media is not going to help anyone blow the whistle on their partners in crime. In the past four years, I couldn’t find a single news organization that hadn’t sold us out.
All an honest journalist would have to do is read Judge Posner’s amicus brief to know that the courts are irretrievably corrupt. Reading my book will conclusively show that the courts are corrupt by design.
I agree Michael~ Let a Palestinian American speak to the DNC gathering they were invited to....I bet AIPAC nixed the invite to have Palestinian American to Speak~And Call for Peace~~~~~~~~Also time for AIPAC to stop running the US Government~
Have you watched the CSPAN coverage of the Palestinian protests outside the DNC? It was nothing but a lot of hate and vitriol toward Israel. (See the link below.) If a Palestinian would call for actual peace and coexistence, I would be all in favor of them speaking at the DNC, but this is unlikely.
The pro-Palestinian protests have collapsed. There were 300,000 protesters in DC in January. There were 5,000 in May and 5,000 at the DNC. They have lost 98% of their support. The protesters that were there at the start were there to promote peace and security for both sides, but that was never the goal of the leadership. It has always been the destruction of Israel, so those protesters who truly wanted peace stopped coming.
Because of their hate, the protest leadership has failed their followers and they have failed the children of Gaza.
How can you actually call wanting the end of a country being butchered by Israel “hate”? What you aren’t somehow processing is that what you’re seeing is called “love”. Love for humanity, and guess what, that includes YOU. Love and respect for every human soul, sorry. But go to Gaza if you want to witness what hatred looks like! Israel isn’t above all international law, even conducting themselves like butchering, raping terrorists as they so proudly are.
The only ones responsible for keeping the children of Gaza safe are HAMAS. Feed and PROPERLY educate these children not to hate Jews. Stop building military command centers in and under hospitals, schools, etc. Where civilians are present.
Oliver takes aim at the treatment by the Israelis of the Palestinians living in the West Bank. For Oliver, who more often than not is very fair in taking on issues head on presenting them with humor and wit, it seemed strange, almost surreal.
As the plight of the Palestinians began to be unraveled the show was hard for me, as a Jew, to watch. The Israel of the movie Exodus is long gone. That folklore has been replaced by regimes that are ruthlessly pursuing a policy that can no longer be passed off as simply, hardline conservative and justifiable. as a bulwark against terrorism. The settlements can no longer be explained away as a means to create a security buffer to protect Israel or a bargaining chip in the unlikely event that somehow a two-state solution is ever realized.
The settlements have simply become an appendage of Israel, a stick in the eye to Palestinians who long for an end to war and conflict with Israel, a stable government, in which they can provide a path to prosperity for themselves and their offspring that allows them to live in dignity alongside Israel as a sister state in the region.
For Jews who have for thousands of years bore the brunt of horrific brutality and persecution at the hands of countless governments culminating in a holocaust that murdered millions, it was difficult to witness the shameless treatment of Palestinians as second-class citizens with no rights and no hope of prosperity who were aggressively persecuted by the IDF, the Israeli government, and the Jewish settlers.
My first reaction was anger and disbelief. Why was Oliver singling out the Jews? I always saw him as a comedian who mixed humor with social commentary. But this presentation seemed at first to me antisemitic and filled with a veiled anger. Why was he targeting the Jews? This was not the Oliver that I knew. But as I watched, I began to accept and understand the hopeless lives of Palestinians on the West Bank. Watch the episode and decide for yourselves. It was, using the words of Al Gore describing the destruction of our planet, "an inconvenient truth."
After watching the episode, I was desperate to find a way to process the first-person accounts captured on video of the persecution of the Palestinians on the West Bank. Oliver was unrelenting in his presentation of the facts of their miserable existence. I sent emails to Jewish friends hoping that they would share my angst and that a meaningful dialog would ensue. But nobody responded.
So, the moment passed. The world continued to spin around the sun and the cycle of violence continues. The sun sets far away from the jubilation, the tears of joy, the tears of compassion, and the dancing at the emergence of new political force with cries of freedom! drowning out the cries of anger, frustration, and desperation of the protestors on the streets decrying the perils of the thousands of beleaguered Palestinians in Gaza who have no place to go to find shelter from the carnage.
Richard - Thank You! I just watched the John Oliver show you reference. Fantastic perspective that gives understanding that we rarely are privy to. Good to know. Please send this to Kamala Harris and Tim Walz and all members of Congress. Let's see what happens.
Yes John is an entertainer. Hardly an expert on ME matters. John shows up and reads a script written for him by writers. He lives far away from harm, protected from terrorists and/or obnoxious, violent pro Hamas protesters in his gated community. I suspect the same can be said for MM.
This is all abstract to people with lots of money.
Mr. Moore, I was a member of the UAW at International Harvester in Fort Wayne, at the Ford assembly plant in River rouge, the Fisher body plant on South Saginaw road in flint. In all of those venues and times the UAW was a corrupt organization which ignored the plight of those of us who were "on the line." It does not have to be that way. My father in law was a Ford worker at the 1937 Battle Of The Overpass in River Rouge. There have been times in the distant past when the UAW demonstrated that it had guts and stood up to the police and the hired Pinkerton Goons of management.
When I was "on the line" at fisher Body the UAW ignored the conditions in the plant until the breaking point was reached in 1966. We had a wildcat strike which was, of course, not supported by union leadership.
I am delighted to see that with Shawn Fain the unions might once again show some guts and stand up for the downtrodden here and abroad.
When the Palestinian people stop lobbing rockets and calling for the eradication of the Zionist state there will be a chance for peace. Stop putting a halo around these racist misogynistic Jew hating murderers. Yes I agree Israel should not have prosecuted a war against a society that would push its people under bombs and then complain they are being murdered. Would you be happier if Israel instead threw its civilians into the streets while the hundreds of Palestinian rockets rained down on them. Or would you say those Jews deserved it. Stop it Mike! You are not helping the Palestinians nor are you stopping the war being prosecuted by Israel.
Not only are Palestinian Hamas mass murderers, rapists, baby killers, they ENJOYED their work. Nothing more entertaining than killing Innocent Jews apparently.
Setting people on fire? That is as gruesome as it gets. The most painful way to die I’ve been told. You sit here and compare numbers. You have no understanding of how life works do you?
There aren’t that many Jews left ! I have little compassion for people who started this. Disappointed no one in Palestine stood up to Hamas.
Naomi - please educate yourself. If you are truly not studied in this (agree) horrific situation) - look closely at the history of Israel both pre and post 1948. How many Jews were murdered when this particular Palestine was established? How old is Israel? It pre-dates Islam and the country of Israel is mentioned in the Quran 43 times. It is very easy to fall back to old anti-Jewish tropes. Israel is by no means perfect. But Palestine (currently) with the help of the US put a TERRORIST ORGANIZATION in charge of the country in 2006. A terrorist organization whose sole goal is Jihad - the destruction of the state of Israel - then the world until all is Islam. What is Islam? Anti Jewish, anti-woman, anti LGBTQ, oppressive, violent. THESE are the people Michael Moore is cheering on. Also understand that you must dig deep - the MSM is anti-Jewish and anti-Israel. The most virulent of these are the NYT (see www.jns.org) "The New York Times blatant antisemitism" March 24, 2023. Having been a Michael Moore fan most of my life I joined this substack but I will not renew my membership. Moore is an antisemite. While I agree with his politics in every other way, I can no longer stomach his anti Jewish stance, and the comments here in the comments section. Most tragically (for me) are the anti-Jewish anti Israel hatred coming from Jews. As Jews we have a privilege but also an obligation to report on Israel fairly. We can criticize Israel without rooting on HAMAS, which the world must be reminded of daily is a TERRORIST ENTITY, posing as a government, victimizing both Palestinians and Israelis, whose sole purpose is JIHAD = "holy war." Islam is a religion that preaches destruction, is deeply misogynistic, promotes violence and is anti LGBTQ. "Gays for Gaza" would be funny were it not so tragic in the complete misunderstanding of what this society promotes.
Judith Sachs, American Jew, Zionist, Democrat, Psychotherapist
Please look through the things I have posted. This "horrific situation" has been LONG in the making. Long before the Nazis and the Holocaust. I tried to break down SOME of the key points in history, and would look forward to discussing more.
Great convention but every night this moral blindness sticks in my craw, I’ve emailed the DNC but I’ll be cynical, we know this won’t happen and if all this hope fails it will be because we will lose Michigan and that will be tragic on many levels.
There can be no peace in the Middle East for as long as both Democrat and Republican Congressional members and Presidential candidates accept hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, and General Dynamics.
https://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/lockheed-martin/recipients?id=D000000104
https://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/rtx-corp/recipients?id=D000072615
https://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/general-dynamics/summary?id=D000000165
And hundreds of thousands of dollars from AIPAC
I have not heard of that Daphne. Given that a bipartisan majority in the House just gave Netanyahu a rapturous welcome and the white house sent him hone with $20 billion worth of attack planes I’d say Bibi has no intention of settling anyway. As long as the Americans keep the bombs and the cash flowing why should he?
You are right
As soon as we have defeated the White Christian Nationalists, then we need to start getting the money out of politics, starting with the reversal of the citizens united decision
Hold on Paul. Our most elite American universities have accepted billions from Qatar alone for their Middle Eastern studies’ departments.
These universities have done a terrible job educating their students. How stupid it was for them to take that money and allow Qatar to influence young American students. Not to mention the professors.
The brightest among us? They get their history lessons from Tic Toc and think Osama Bin Laden was just a very misunderstood genius. It’s anti-American.
Julia Simmons is just about everything that’s wrong with mainstream Democratic Party liberals. Those opposed to US complicity in genocide as Kamala Harris are “terrorist sympathizers” she says - a vile slander used to intimidate the anti-genocide movement and justify both the violent repression of the movement at home and the continuing butchery of tens of thousands of Palestinian women and children and the blatant racism at the heart of the apartheid Zionist state and its brutal illegal occupation. Their racism and her own. Disgusting.
Democrats, cheered on by the Julia Simmonses in their ranks, are betting they can win the key battleground states of Michigan and Wisconsin and perhaps others without the half million Uncommitted, otherwise reliably Democratic votes they have sacrificed on the bloody altar of AIPAC money. The numbers say otherwise.
Think about it. Julia Simmons and, apparently Harris and the party leadership, would rather lose the election to Donald Trump than end their deep complicity in mass pedicide in Gaza.
Remember that the next time some online Democratic hypocrite declares this the most important election in American history. For fuck sake its not even important enough for them to stop killing Arab babies.
FREE PALESTINE
Can you at least get your story straight. What about “Genocide Joe” Mort? Did you forget about him already? This is why you don’t get invited to parties. This is America, not Gaza. We have our own problems.
This reaction to 10/7 did not seem spontaneous. How many Arabs inside and outside of America knew that pogram had been planned for years?
We need immigrants who are vetted properly. They need to share American values. Not ingrate weirdos who chant “Globalize the Intifada,” and “Death to America”.
Thanks, Julia Simmons
We must remember that these conventions are staged propaganda events. Let us not confuse the charade with the reality of policies that will be pursued. Yes, we must vote for Kamala to prevent a return of Trump, but let us not be fooled by the PR at the convention. The NYT had an article today about how Harris is "driven by the art of the possible." It reminded me of a billboard in VT back in the 90s, a U.S. Air Force advertisement with the slogan "In the Air Force, anything is possible." Someone correctly altered the billboard by adding "except peace." The PR convention machine might want people to believe that under Harris "anything is possible," but we can add "except peace," except the abolition of nuclear weapons, except the creation of a non-profit universal health care system, except work to produce the forms of political, economic, cultural, and social transformations needed to challenge, overcome, and replace the system of corporate capitalism that is wrecking the present for all too many people and arguably the future for everyone; except the promotion of a public education system that works to nurture and nourish informed, involved, and energized citizens who understand the importance of working collectively to democratize the economic system from which will follow a democratization of the political system; except the promotion of a truly public media system under public management and control and geared to promote public interests and concerns and to challenge and replace the corporate media monopoly; except an end to U.S. military, economic, propaganda, and diplomatic support for the genocide perpetrated against fellow humans in Gaza by the State of Israel, etc., etc., etc. So, we keep working...
“Driven by the art of the possible”. Harris offers a vision for the future Americans can embrace. She’s a strong, highly intelligent, and a respected politician. Also, she’s going to be the next POTUS. She’s vibrant and, as a former prosecutor, may not be impressed with intimidation from terrorist sympathizers.
Maybe get a one way ticket to Paradise? (no pun intended).
conventions are about "visions" but the visions presented often have little to do with the policies implemented. Some of Reagan's "visions" in public speeches sounded like he was a socialist, but the policies had little to do with the pronouncements. Eduardo Galeano's "upside/down rule" comes to mind: "When the powerful say one thing, believe the opposite, and we will be much closer to the truth." It tends to work.
Gee, it almost makes me think you hate the American way of life.
disappointed with what is compared to what could be and should be
Excellent comment. I think you covered it all. Thank you.
Do you have any helpful suggestions for us about what we should do to remediate all of those exceptions?
If so, please do tell because I think we would all like the world to be perfect, or less bad.
Ksandra, I'd say that it is not perfection we are seeking, for that would be to seek the impossible. There will never be a perfect society comprised of perfect people. Your question is, of course, one of the BIG and CRUCIAL QUESTIONS, and there are no easy answers. In brief, it seems to me, as one with great faith in our human capacity to work together, care for one another, and love one another in support and solidarity in ways that open opportunities to carry out systemic transformations, that we can follow the advice of. The Wobblies (IWW): EDUCATE, AGITATE, and ORGANIZE. That is surely sound advice. We need to construct animating and energizing visions of credible, commendable, and sustainable alternatives to current dominant systems and simultaneously form what we might call "oppositional/constructive" organizations and movements geared to oppose current dominant institutions and ideologies, while also working to construct alternatives based on the energizing and animating visions. And there must always be room for critical self-reflection. In principle, the resources exist to build a decent society and world, but bringing into reality is the challenge. We must identify the obstacles standing in way and work to overcome the obstacles. There are lessons to be learned from the "radical" union movements in the 1930s, e.g., the CIO.
I suggest that, instead of letting one Palestinian speaker advocate for an arms embargo to encourage a lasting cease fire, the DNC Convention leadership allow a team of 3-5 speakers advocate for an arms embargo consisting of a Palestinian Muslim, Palestinian Christian, Israeli Jew, a Palestinian Hindu, and Palestinian Buddhist. That would underscore the inclusiveness of the Democratic Party. The leadership could recruit these speakers from the sit-in noncommitted delegates, or they could call Chicago based Parliament of the World's Religions Executive Director, Stephen Avino, (312) 629-2990. This would be more powerful than one person.
People are getting tired of the Hamas terrorist sympathizers.
That would be quite a performance wouldn’t it. Just gang up on Israel. Have a ceasefire so Hamas can regroup and we can do this all over again. Just like Hamas wants. Joe, get off Tic Toc. Get some real history lessons.
Michael
What should the movement do if, as seems likely, the Democrats refuse? Harris has taken over half a million dollars from AIPAC over the years and has a long history of blind support for the murderous Zionist colonial project and their apartheid occupation. That support has included lying directly to the American people about Israeli human rights violations in order to keep the bombs and money flowing unencumbered by mere US law.
Why can't the Biden administration at least explain why we must keep supplying Israel with bombs?
What a stupid comment. Israel is our closest ally. They actually add value to humanity through innovation, technology, scientific research, medicine. They provide intelligence to our military. The USA- gasp- is ZIONIST, and pro Israel.
Gazans spend their time hating Jews and building tunnels to carry out attacks against Jews.
He’s a politician.
There can be no peace in Palestine while it is run by a terrorist organization instead of a real government. There will be no peace in Palestine until its leaders stop their philosophy of Jihad and acknowledge Israel's right to exist. There can be no peace in Palestine while Palestinians are pariahs to other Muslim countries. Why are the borders closed to Palestinian refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt and Syria? Why do you think that may be? Could it be that the population is indoctrinated with Jihad when children are young? When they are brought up to martyr themselves so the Hamas pays off their families? Perhaps you would like to dig deeper into "human rights violations". There are Arab, Druze, Jewish and Christian citizens of Israel, with all the privileges of citizenship. 1200 people are murdered and 200+ more are kidnapped, yet you cheer on the terrorists? Blaming the victim. It's an old anti-Jewish trope.
Murderous, Zionist, Colonial, Apartheid. I don't think you have a clue what these words really mean.
Murdering decapitating children is NEVER a solution. Children are NOT Hamas. This is NOT anti Jewish. Many Jewish souls are sickened by our funding this brutal genocide.
It’s interesting but not surprising that no one talks about the 12 Druze children murdered by Hezbollah on a soccer field on July 30th of this year. In The Golan Heights. CHILDREN. Murdered by Hezbollah, who is Hamas’s counterpart in Iran, funded by Iran. Druze, Jews, it doesn’t seem to matter. Only if they are Gazan does anyone give a shit about dead children. There were no protests in the streets, no tent cities erected on campuses, no protests when these children were murdered. The hypocrisy is stunning.
I am sorry there are so many confused Jews. I’m a former Catholic and I am passionate about the safety of the Jewish state. No, not Bibi…The Jewish state, which must be protected at any cost.
I listened to a podcast hosted by a Jew who absolutely TRASHED Israel right after 10/7. He kept urging his listeners to send Rashida Tlaib, of all people, campaign donations. I kid you not. I cut so many ties after 10/7/2023 w/ progressives. I can’t even stand Bernie Sanders anymore. I gave generously to his 2016 and 2020 campaigns.
I'm not cheering on terrorists. I resent that you accused me of that. Those starving children in Gaza aren't to blame.
So what should we have done differently when fighting the Nazis ? “Oh there are innocent children, we can’t possibly attack Germany. We’ll just have to live under The Third Reich I guess”.
Give us a break.
War is hell and people die. Leave Jews alone.
They aren’t starving! That territory gets the world’s attention constantly. As if it’s the only place on Earth.
Palestinians are going to have to stand up and show the world they are not Jew haters constantly conniving to obliterate Jews and the Jewish state.
WHY is that so hard. Palestinians need to be protected from themselves. They are their own worst enemies.
Accusing anyone who criticizes the actions of the Israeli government of being "anti-Jewish" &/or of cheering on terrorist, is an old Zionist trope. Large numbers of Jewish people are publicly actively opposing the slaughter in Gaza. No doubt you will insist that they are all "self-hating Jews". All of them??
Actually I find it hard to believe that those who offer 100% support of the Israeli government actions, do not have some recognition, somewhere deep inside their hearts & minds, of why so many are horrified by what that government is doing in Gaza.
Quit hiding behind radical Jews. That’s not the norm and you know it. It’s weird but most Americans don’t look kindly upon Islamic terrorists. Palestine gives gays and women no rights at all. They kill gay people.
You know who does ? Democratic Israel.
I’m tired of being called “Islamophobic”. That’s an absurd label. Members of Hamas are devout Muslims. They are martyrs to Islam.
If that doesn’t scare you, you’re denial.
Beautiful Judith ! Thank you.
Israelis have their religious crazies too. I’d take them any day over quasi-religious, politically motivated suicide runners. I have no intention of becoming a Muslim ever. That clashes with the wold domination Muslim leaders have in store for non Muslims.
This could be a real problem down the road, don’t ya know.
Billions from Qatar to elite American universities to influence our best and brightest with terrorist propaganda.
Neither Hamas nor Netanyahu seem to want peace. The question is does the US have the power to move the needle with either Hamas or Netanyahu regardless of funding. The US right now is trying to prevent a wider war with Iran, which does not seem to want one either. Campaign contributions from major weapons manufacturers seems to me a very weak recipe for ending the fighting in Gaza and improving the chances for a ceasefire. The IDS from what I understand has already made it clear to Netanyahu that there are no more worthwhile military targets in Gaza and that continuing the conflict will not produce much more degradation of Hamas. If Netanyahu will not respond to his own military leaders, what chance is there for Biden to convince Netanyahu to cease and desist and sign on to a ceasefire. We all know that Netanyahu is clinging to this war on the Palestinians and Hamas to prolong his political life. I need to know, if the call the put strict conditions on any more military aid to Israel will actually force Netanyahu to sign on to a cease fire. For those who believe this is a realistic policy, please explain and/or send links to serious articles that examine this. We have to take Michael's word that there is a road to peace by putting these conditions on military aid.
I’m confused about your comment that mentioned “Hamas doesn’t want peace”. Israel assassinated the Hamas peace broker so Sinwar could take over, and that peace would be harder to come by, (the same reason Bibi started and funded Hamas in the first place),but that doesn’t mean all of Hamas is happy t0 lose its peaceful leader! And anytime a “deal” including the mythical “ceasefire” gets even close to working, and is presented to Israel- BOMBS AWAY!!!
Yep
Hamas are disgusting genocidal maniacs. They had their ceasefire on 10/7/2023. They invaded Israel by land, sea and air. On their holiest day.
They maimed, tortured and killed everything and everyone in their path; inflicting as much pain and misery as possible. Many weren’t Jewish. Even pets could not be spared. They raped with abandon. Shot babies as they slept in their cribs.
Beheaded who knows what…because of course the MFs just can’t help themselves. How exactly is Israel, a thriving democracy, supposed to protect their people under these circumstances?
Maybe, just a suggestion, LEAVE THE JEWS ALONE.
Hamas did all this with absolute glee and pleasure. “Hey Mom and Dad, I killed 10 Jews with my bare hands.” Oh son we’re so proud of you. How sadistic.
How can any normal person be this confused about basic right and wrong? This surprises me about MM. Normally, he and I are on the same page.
I’m a Democrat and a liberal. I don’t want these people at the DNC Convention. Apparently I’m not alone.
Sometimes war is necessary. Hamas are genocidal maniacs. Everyone knows this.
I think Kamala has voiced her opinion about the massacres in Gaza, which differs from Biden’s. However, this election is the most important ever, I believe she is being cautious in discussing it, but after being elected, I’m sure she will end support for Israel.
I was disappointed with Kamala’s message tonite on Israel. No acknowledgment of our funding of the “devastation” she lamented in Gaza. Appears she has everyone’s back except the children of Gaza. “A harm against one of us is a harm against all of us”, except the innocent we bomb in Gaza.
What harm would it had done to let the Palestinian American speak? I can’t ignore this. The DNC forgets we have eyes and can see hypocrisy even when it is from our own teams.
Legitimate points, but as someone said earlier " If Trump is elected, there is ZERO chance that the bloodshed in Gaza will end."
There is zero evidence that this is true. Once she's elected, she's free to deal with this issue however she pleases, and history tells us this will probably not be good for Palestinians.
I do not share your pessimism, but you could be right. If Trump is elected, there is ZERO chance that the bloodshed in Gaza will end.
There might not be any Palestinians left to kill by then since her administration takes zero steps to stop arming Israel. There are no bombs dropped or bullets shot without our support.
Kamala is not the president of the USA.
This is not Kamala's administration
Kamala cannot undermine Joe Biden's foreign policy decisions.
Kamala will be far more sympathetic to plight of the Palestinians than Donald Trump will be.
If you really care about the fate of the Palestinians, you'll vote for Kamala, and not some third party spoiler.
If you really care about the fate of the Palestinians you'll vote for Kamala instead of not voting at all.
This one is a no brainer
Just think for a moment what would happen to Jews if it were the Palestinians controlling Israel. Do you think Hamas would spare one single Jew ? No, they would not.
Palestinian Hamas would revel in the blood and agony of every last Jew and anything that got in their way.
This is the stark contrast between Israelis, who try to spare civilian casualties, and Palestinian Hamas, who would take immense pleasure in killing every singe Jew.
Hamas only exists because of Israel's constant harassment, theft, murder of Palestinians. How do you explain Israel's behavior before Hamas existed? Hamas is a raggedy resistance group against a nuclear power. Israel is not the victim. But nice try.
A raggedy resistance group? There was evidence of 5 Islamic Palestinian groups that took part with Hamas in the 10/7 surprise attack on Israel. An estimated 3,000 fighters invaded Israel by land, sea and air.
There were crimes against humanity and war crimes committed by Hamas and the other militant groups on 10/7. Have you looked at the footage Hamas themselves filmed ?
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-67480680
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https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2024/07/25/harris-israel-gaza-war-palestinians-netanyahu.html
Her administration could've ended this a long time ago. We kept sending bombs even after Netanyahu defiantly said he won't listen to us and will do exactly what he wants to. Words, at this point, mean nothing. Only actions do.
Her administration?
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I find some of her comments made in July a bit stronger then tonight's comments
One can only hope.
Angie,
I admire your positive attitude! Let’s keep in touch & never give up!🙂🥰
Naomi Blum, LCSW, DCSW
Psychotherapist
California
mzngb@yahoo.com
If she doesn’t act now, she’ll never be seeing “being elected” TO end support.
She is not president, and cannot undermine his policies.
You think so ! I don’t think she appreciated pro Hamas protesters interrupting her speech. Homey don’t play that. Seriously, she’s fabulous.
I'm not sure why you subscribe to this Substack, but you should definitely get some alternative viewpoints in your life. If you think people who don't want tens of thousands of children murdered are terrorists, I'm not sure how you function in society.
I understand how it may appear to you that I’m heartless. Because of what I’ve witnessed since 10/7, I’m less compassionate. 4.00 was worth the entrance fee. Not having to listen to a Palestinian American at the Democratic convention was pure bliss.
Also, it was a small win against Islamism.
Dream on. Americans hate terrorists.
You mean the war their elected officials HAMAS inflicted ?And they use their own women and children as shields. Shame. Hamas needs a high body count to make the world feel sorry for them. Of course #s are exaggerated by Hamas. People fall for this is amazing and tragic.
Tooling around, reading how thrilled my favorite pundits are with how things are going at the convention, this is the first even mention of Gaza both by them and in the hundreds of comments they've gotten. Are we kidding? How to reconcile the urgency of defeating Trump with ignoring what could cause a civil war here -- and could get Trump elected by Democrats refusing to vote for anyone? That it gets no mention at this convention is as insane as Trump is.
Quite a shame Marianne couldn't even get a pass to attend let alone a chance to speak. She has the level headed voice!
Kamala just stated her position on Israel and the Palestinians.
Remember Syria? Yeah me neither. It reaches a saturation point Suz. Why aren’t more people worried about Ukrainians? They are the ones who deserve our help and attention. There is no controversy there.
The violent and destructive pro Hamas riots didn’t help. Just ask any British, Canadian, European or Australian native.
Maybe go join MAGA? They are looking for people just like you.
Mr. Moore,
Thank you very much for all the work that you were doing on behalf of the Palestinian people. 12 years ago, I spent four different medical mission trip to Nobis Ramallah and the West Bank and Gaza to take care of children who needed medical attention. I got to know the people very well and understood a little bit more of the difficulties they have living under occupation.
Since that time, I have been a strong supporter of the Palestinian state the end of the occupation and have been called anti-Semitic and have been demonize by my local Democratic Party even I had a state representative seat in the Connecticut State House. I will not be able to run again as they have abandoned me and I have no support
I take this issue very seriously and want to know what’s going on and unfortunately, when you talk to people, especially Americans and especially Americans Jews they refuse to believe that Israel could be responsible for the behavior that is occurring over there.
Thank you for your help and I will work with you in anyway possible to make this a better world for them and all.
Kind regards,
Keith Denning state rep 42nd district Connecticut
What occupation ? Israelis left Gaza in 2005. They even dug up their dead. What did Israel get in return: bombings of their civilians. Palestinians can’t handle self rule. They proved it yet again. Egypt has its borders closed to the Palestinians. Just like Israel. Check points have to be maintained; otherwise, parents will strap suicide vests on their children and send them in to kill the kid and the Jews. It’s for their God. The kid will enter paradise.
They think of everything don’t they.
Israel has had military control of Gaza the entire time. They control every person and item that goes in and out. They control food and water. You are either lying or ignorant. But this is an old trope that Palestinians can't rule themselves. It's very convenient for Israel.
Why did Palestinians elect a known terrorist group to represent them ? A large % approve of what Hamas did to Israelis.
Great question. Ask yourself if you understand fully how the Israeli government Controls the water supply, the electricity, who comes in and who goes out of the territories and that includes Egypt. And that they limit and often times will find restrict or confiscate materials that they don’t want in the territory. I can testify this myself as I was given five bags of medical supplies, full suitcases from people in the United States to take to Gaza, and all of them are confiscated by the Israeli when I went to the checkpoint into Gaza. How would you like to have bombs coming at you randomly which I know you do. And the same thing goes for what is or was doing to Gaza. We need to allow a free people access to territory to freely to have the opportunity to advance the opportunity for education and for external investment, just as Israel has done . Until Israel realizes that they cannot allow a neighbor who is friendly to live with them better than a neighbor who is angry with them the fight will continue. I’m not letting him off the hook. Their violence has to be and the only way to convert a Hamas, which is an ideology to somebody who wants to be a neighbor is giving them opportunity to grow to build our families to take care of themselves , I have proof that Israel, the state restricts that
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10/7 should prove to you why Israelis had to be extremely careful. Hamas tells us point blank that they want to exterminate the Jews. Did the Israelis fail miserably to protect themselves on 10/7 ? Yes. That should not have happened.
Israelis got complacent.
There are people in the Israeli government who openly want too exterminate the Palestinians. Fighting over land. Stop the occupation of the West Bank and Gaza completely. The Gaza has a beautiful Mediterranean Sea and the people are not allowed to build a dock due to Israeli government control. Both sides are committing atrocities. They US must demand more responsible behavior for help on both sides and to recognize the Palestinian state.
My name is Ted Martin. I just finished writing a book about my first hand encounters with a morbidly corrupt federal judicial system. The book is titled: The Illusion of Justice and contains documented, incontrovertible proof of widespread systemic corruption in the District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, the United States Supreme Court, the Administrative Office of United States Courts, the Senate Judiciary Committee, and the U.S. Department of Justice.
The Supreme Court not only ignored two of the most egregious cases of judicial misconduct imaginable (my cases) but also an amicus brief by former Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Richard Posner in which he blows the whistle on rampant corruption in the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals.
Judge Posner’s amicus brief is posted on the Supreme Court’s website at www.supremecourt.gov and can be accessed by typing in the following case number: Martin v. Living Essentials (Case No. 17-8352)
It will be painfully obvious to anyone who reads my book (or Judges Posner’s amicus brief) that the Supreme Court denies certiorari without even bothering to read the petitions submitted by the citizens of the United States. This obscene betrayal of the public trust is a clear-cut violation of every Justice’s judicial oath and a crime under federal law that is commonly referred to as honest services fraud.
In short, my book proves that the leaders of both the Republican and Democratic parties have been conspiring together to pack the courts with corrupt corporate judges who will never side with the American people. This was abundantly clear when Senator Chuck Schumer and the other Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee repeatedly refused to use irrefutable evidence of judicial misconduct by Amy Coney Barrett (a Republican nominee) at her Supreme Court confirmation hearing.
This bipartisan band of seditious conspirators also refused to address the underlying corruption in clear violation of their oath to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.”
The only difference between the two major political parties is the rhetoric. The special interest groups running this country don’t give a damn which bribe taking stooge you vote for or even if you vote at all. They have already successfully rigged every election by controlling “our” choices.
The leaders of both the Republican and Democratic parties have been caught red-handed conspiring to pack the courts with corrupt judges who will never side with you. If there was ever a reason to be a one issue voter, this is it. Besides, any politician caught lying about their fidelity to the Constitution and laws of the United States is obviously lying about everything—particularly their agenda.
Republicans push the corrupt corporate agenda. Democrats pretend to be opposed. Together, they sell their offices to the highest bidders. They foment war for the military industrial complex, promote racism for the prison industrial complex, refuse to restrict access to assault weapons for the gun manufactures, permit large quantities of toxic cancer causing chemicals to be dumped into our air, land, and water for the chemical manufactures, deny needed medical care to our country’s citizens for the health insurance and pharmaceutical industries, and turn a willful blind eye to the catastrophic effects of global warming for the fossil fuel industries. The list of their greed fueled crimes against humanity goes on and on.
Voting your current elected representatives out of office should be a no brainer. But, to make sure that they are not replaced with another batch of equally corrupt corporate stooges, we’re also going to have to take back both the Republican and Democratic parties and get the money out of politics.
While this may appear to be a daunting task, all we really need is a sound plan. After giving this matter some careful consideration, I have the following proposal: We agree to put aside all of our ideological differences and unite as Americans in support of the Constitution of the United States.
If you read my book, it really won’t be that difficult. You will know who the real enemy is and it certainly isn’t your fellow citizens. We just need to become one issue voters. Ignore their contrived wedge issues, bullshit talking points, and cringe worthy campaign ads. If they are not fighting tooth and nail to get the money out of politics—don’t legitimize them with your vote.
Seriously, if in doubt—throw them out. Besides, any government official who is not forcefully calling for the resignations of the corrupt leaders of their own political party is, by definition, violating their oath to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.”
Whether Republican or Democrat, a treasonous corporate criminal is a treasonous corporate criminal, they serve the same master and nothing is going to change until we get the money out of politics.
*You get the money out of politics by publicly funding elections, banning all campaign contributions, and, in exchange for their broadcasting/operating licenses, requiring news organizations to give every candidate for public office an equal amount of free advertising space.
In the future, I may write a book titled: The Illusion of Journalism. But for now, I’m just going to say that the media is not going to help anyone blow the whistle on their partners in crime. In the past four years, I couldn’t find a single news organization that hadn’t sold us out.
All an honest journalist would have to do is read Judge Posner’s amicus brief to know that the courts are irretrievably corrupt. Reading my book will conclusively show that the courts are corrupt by design.
If you want a government that actually acts in your best interests, I urge you and everyone you know to read my book as soon as possible. You can get a digital copy of my book free of charge at the link below: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_vaMH1riLodzOfQn0kI7ow0RDrPM0NqE/view?usp=sharing
I agree Michael~ Let a Palestinian American speak to the DNC gathering they were invited to....I bet AIPAC nixed the invite to have Palestinian American to Speak~And Call for Peace~~~~~~~~Also time for AIPAC to stop running the US Government~
Tell Qatar that.
please explain~
I just called the DNC, have called and emailed president and vice president many previous times.
Suzanne Keehn
Have you watched the CSPAN coverage of the Palestinian protests outside the DNC? It was nothing but a lot of hate and vitriol toward Israel. (See the link below.) If a Palestinian would call for actual peace and coexistence, I would be all in favor of them speaking at the DNC, but this is unlikely.
The pro-Palestinian protests have collapsed. There were 300,000 protesters in DC in January. There were 5,000 in May and 5,000 at the DNC. They have lost 98% of their support. The protesters that were there at the start were there to promote peace and security for both sides, but that was never the goal of the leadership. It has always been the destruction of Israel, so those protesters who truly wanted peace stopped coming.
Because of their hate, the protest leadership has failed their followers and they have failed the children of Gaza.
https://www.c-span.org/video/?537819-1/march-democratic-national-convention-rally
How can you actually call wanting the end of a country being butchered by Israel “hate”? What you aren’t somehow processing is that what you’re seeing is called “love”. Love for humanity, and guess what, that includes YOU. Love and respect for every human soul, sorry. But go to Gaza if you want to witness what hatred looks like! Israel isn’t above all international law, even conducting themselves like butchering, raping terrorists as they so proudly are.
Hamas loves me !!? I wish I could say I’m flattered.
The only ones responsible for keeping the children of Gaza safe are HAMAS. Feed and PROPERLY educate these children not to hate Jews. Stop building military command centers in and under hospitals, schools, etc. Where civilians are present.
Thanks Andy!
John Oliver did a piece on his show on the treatment of the Palestinians on the West Bank that shook me to the core.:
https://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/relatedvideo?q=john%20oliver%20west%20bank&mid=3E7EE5CDD69C06A825573E7EE5CDD69C06A82557&ajaxhist=0
If you have not seen it, watch at your peril.
Oliver takes aim at the treatment by the Israelis of the Palestinians living in the West Bank. For Oliver, who more often than not is very fair in taking on issues head on presenting them with humor and wit, it seemed strange, almost surreal.
As the plight of the Palestinians began to be unraveled the show was hard for me, as a Jew, to watch. The Israel of the movie Exodus is long gone. That folklore has been replaced by regimes that are ruthlessly pursuing a policy that can no longer be passed off as simply, hardline conservative and justifiable. as a bulwark against terrorism. The settlements can no longer be explained away as a means to create a security buffer to protect Israel or a bargaining chip in the unlikely event that somehow a two-state solution is ever realized.
The settlements have simply become an appendage of Israel, a stick in the eye to Palestinians who long for an end to war and conflict with Israel, a stable government, in which they can provide a path to prosperity for themselves and their offspring that allows them to live in dignity alongside Israel as a sister state in the region.
For Jews who have for thousands of years bore the brunt of horrific brutality and persecution at the hands of countless governments culminating in a holocaust that murdered millions, it was difficult to witness the shameless treatment of Palestinians as second-class citizens with no rights and no hope of prosperity who were aggressively persecuted by the IDF, the Israeli government, and the Jewish settlers.
My first reaction was anger and disbelief. Why was Oliver singling out the Jews? I always saw him as a comedian who mixed humor with social commentary. But this presentation seemed at first to me antisemitic and filled with a veiled anger. Why was he targeting the Jews? This was not the Oliver that I knew. But as I watched, I began to accept and understand the hopeless lives of Palestinians on the West Bank. Watch the episode and decide for yourselves. It was, using the words of Al Gore describing the destruction of our planet, "an inconvenient truth."
After watching the episode, I was desperate to find a way to process the first-person accounts captured on video of the persecution of the Palestinians on the West Bank. Oliver was unrelenting in his presentation of the facts of their miserable existence. I sent emails to Jewish friends hoping that they would share my angst and that a meaningful dialog would ensue. But nobody responded.
So, the moment passed. The world continued to spin around the sun and the cycle of violence continues. The sun sets far away from the jubilation, the tears of joy, the tears of compassion, and the dancing at the emergence of new political force with cries of freedom! drowning out the cries of anger, frustration, and desperation of the protestors on the streets decrying the perils of the thousands of beleaguered Palestinians in Gaza who have no place to go to find shelter from the carnage.
Richard - Thank You! I just watched the John Oliver show you reference. Fantastic perspective that gives understanding that we rarely are privy to. Good to know. Please send this to Kamala Harris and Tim Walz and all members of Congress. Let's see what happens.
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Yes John is an entertainer. Hardly an expert on ME matters. John shows up and reads a script written for him by writers. He lives far away from harm, protected from terrorists and/or obnoxious, violent pro Hamas protesters in his gated community. I suspect the same can be said for MM.
This is all abstract to people with lots of money.
Mr. Moore, I was a member of the UAW at International Harvester in Fort Wayne, at the Ford assembly plant in River rouge, the Fisher body plant on South Saginaw road in flint. In all of those venues and times the UAW was a corrupt organization which ignored the plight of those of us who were "on the line." It does not have to be that way. My father in law was a Ford worker at the 1937 Battle Of The Overpass in River Rouge. There have been times in the distant past when the UAW demonstrated that it had guts and stood up to the police and the hired Pinkerton Goons of management.
When I was "on the line" at fisher Body the UAW ignored the conditions in the plant until the breaking point was reached in 1966. We had a wildcat strike which was, of course, not supported by union leadership.
I am delighted to see that with Shawn Fain the unions might once again show some guts and stand up for the downtrodden here and abroad.
I'm 70+ years old, and Shawn Fain has been the first public figure in decades, to excite me and give a little bit of hope.
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This is bit last minute if you ask me.
This should have been suggested last Sunday if you really wanted it to happen.
So if it doesn't happen, who are you gonna blame?
Just thank God it didn’t happen. It would have wrecked the whole mood. It was a fabulous convention. Jews invited to speak, but not Palestinians.
Fair point, but I still think the suggestion should be applauded. It certainly has stimulated some interesting ideas here.
As I suspected there would be a scapegoat.
The Democrats are to blame, because they can't solve the problems between Netanyahu and Hamas.
Therefore they deserve to lose the election.
It was obvious where this thread was leading from the start.
Are you suggesting that that was Moore's intent?
But you can ask him for yourself if that was his intent
Yes
When the Palestinian people stop lobbing rockets and calling for the eradication of the Zionist state there will be a chance for peace. Stop putting a halo around these racist misogynistic Jew hating murderers. Yes I agree Israel should not have prosecuted a war against a society that would push its people under bombs and then complain they are being murdered. Would you be happier if Israel instead threw its civilians into the streets while the hundreds of Palestinian rockets rained down on them. Or would you say those Jews deserved it. Stop it Mike! You are not helping the Palestinians nor are you stopping the war being prosecuted by Israel.
You call the Palestinians murderers because they killed 1,400 Jews, but killing over 40,000 Palestinians doesn't make Israelis murderers?
You call the Palestinians Jew haters. Would you not hate someone who stole your home and land?
You steal my home and guess what I will do. (It won't be limited to lobbing rockets.)
The land issue has been resolved long ago. It’s an excuse many of us see right through.
Not only are Palestinian Hamas mass murderers, rapists, baby killers, they ENJOYED their work. Nothing more entertaining than killing Innocent Jews apparently.
Setting people on fire? That is as gruesome as it gets. The most painful way to die I’ve been told. You sit here and compare numbers. You have no understanding of how life works do you?
There aren’t that many Jews left ! I have little compassion for people who started this. Disappointed no one in Palestine stood up to Hamas.
Agree,
The only thing that this will accomplish is to help Trump steal the presidency from Kamala.
Your precious point isn't worth that Ralph Nader
Sorry, I am not studied in this horrific situation like you. Please break down the history here, AND WHAT CAN LIVING COMPASSIONATE PEOPLE DO …
TO PROTECT “INNOCENT PEOPLE… PALESTINIANS, HOSTAGES & ISRAELI …
From UNDESERVED BRUTALITY & ILLNESS & DEATH!?!?!?!?!?!?‼️‼️‼️‼️
Naomi
mzngb@yahoo.com
American Jew
Naomi - please educate yourself. If you are truly not studied in this (agree) horrific situation) - look closely at the history of Israel both pre and post 1948. How many Jews were murdered when this particular Palestine was established? How old is Israel? It pre-dates Islam and the country of Israel is mentioned in the Quran 43 times. It is very easy to fall back to old anti-Jewish tropes. Israel is by no means perfect. But Palestine (currently) with the help of the US put a TERRORIST ORGANIZATION in charge of the country in 2006. A terrorist organization whose sole goal is Jihad - the destruction of the state of Israel - then the world until all is Islam. What is Islam? Anti Jewish, anti-woman, anti LGBTQ, oppressive, violent. THESE are the people Michael Moore is cheering on. Also understand that you must dig deep - the MSM is anti-Jewish and anti-Israel. The most virulent of these are the NYT (see www.jns.org) "The New York Times blatant antisemitism" March 24, 2023. Having been a Michael Moore fan most of my life I joined this substack but I will not renew my membership. Moore is an antisemite. While I agree with his politics in every other way, I can no longer stomach his anti Jewish stance, and the comments here in the comments section. Most tragically (for me) are the anti-Jewish anti Israel hatred coming from Jews. As Jews we have a privilege but also an obligation to report on Israel fairly. We can criticize Israel without rooting on HAMAS, which the world must be reminded of daily is a TERRORIST ENTITY, posing as a government, victimizing both Palestinians and Israelis, whose sole purpose is JIHAD = "holy war." Islam is a religion that preaches destruction, is deeply misogynistic, promotes violence and is anti LGBTQ. "Gays for Gaza" would be funny were it not so tragic in the complete misunderstanding of what this society promotes.
Judith Sachs, American Jew, Zionist, Democrat, Psychotherapist
Please look through the things I have posted. This "horrific situation" has been LONG in the making. Long before the Nazis and the Holocaust. I tried to break down SOME of the key points in history, and would look forward to discussing more.
Right on Michael Heller. I honestly don’t know what is wrong with MM. You are absolutely right.
Great convention but every night this moral blindness sticks in my craw, I’ve emailed the DNC but I’ll be cynical, we know this won’t happen and if all this hope fails it will be because we will lose Michigan and that will be tragic on many levels.
Tragic. Just think of all the Palestinian Americans who will be forced to flee or be deported. That’s a toughie.
Gaza is not the problem of the United States. What are you all children? We’re not responsible for you.
The US will send Israel whatever Israel
Needs.