It’s bad enough to face hatred. But it's worse to be both hated and isolated. Misery, after all, loves company, so let's combat antisemitism by combating all hate.
Reading your newsletters keeps me grounded and faithful to my inner core of spiritual beliefs. I am an Episcopalian. But I NEED to hear what you say because you speak the language of true spiritual love and our bonding as human beings. We are living in a time of turmoil. But I have gone through my own difficult times of turmoil and it is through these times that I reach out to God to help me. Your newsletter is one of the answers to my prayers. God bless you.
So civilized people need to respond to these provocations with love, not hate. That's the thrust of my message (and my piece was taken down by Facebook earlier today - hmmm)
I hadn’t heard Tom Lehrer sing “National Brotherhood Week” since University days. I absolutely loved him. When I listened to him play, I knew every word and sang along with him. I wish I still had the old vinyl record of his songs. I really “enjoyed?” today’s news letter this morning, although I found it dark and unsettling. I HATE the new president with every fiber of my being. He doesn’t care about anyone but himself. Those EO’s aren’t written by him, he’s incapable of stringing two thoughts together. They’re being chucked out by Steven Miller and his abhorrent crowd. It’s going to be a long 2 years. Hang in there and keep writing. Thank you for that. I love Footnotes.
Excellent article. I tried to post it to Facebook, it took a couple minutes to be rejected. So much for the first amendment or any amendment, or the Constitution for that matter. Sad days ahead.
Thanks so much for trying! Several have had this problem, including me. I was able to circumvent the censor-bot by posting the link but not letting it generate a preview. Something about the preview screaned “spam” to the bot. My prior pieces that were more overtly anti Trump skated through on FB with no problem. maybe post the link to my Substack home page and tell them which one to click on. Meanwhile, more than 7,000 have read it - so FB’s tactic is backfiring
This is an excellent piece. Hope it is spread far and wide. Punish all criminals for criminal behavior within the law, period. No distinctions for race, sex, nationality, etc. Just lawless behavior. Peaceful disagree.ts are fundame.tal to learning, however long it takes. Violence just leads to suppression and resentment that boils and boils.
Interesting - I shared this post on Facebook, using the quote "What American Jews are - if nothing else..." and it was blocked as "spam" literally within minutes, if not seconds. I walked away from the computer and when I came back there was a popup telling me that. Gotta wonder what Zuckerberg (or his minions, robotic or otherwise) finds so threatening about it. (I see this has happened to others as well.)
I shared a screenshot of the block and gave people the date and your Substack URL, along with a paraphrase of Stephen King's quote that "if people don't want you to read something, do your darnedest to find it and read it." That seems to have gotten around it...so far.
I totally agree that antisemitism is hate. However, there are those who define the word differently. The assertion that one must do away with hate is nebulous and unspecific. When a legislator writes law, they must define the key words they use in writing that law. Just so, in this case, it really depends on how you define hate. There are, for example, many people who define hate simply as the truth they disagree with. Are you really talking about hate? Or do you just want an excuse to attack those with whom you disagree? I would really like to know? Those who claim to love their neighbor, often place conditions on that love—agree with me, or else!
Like the Beatles: “Come together…right now…OVER ME!” That’s not really unity. Perhaps we can agree that hate is as hate does. It’s what one says, to be sure, but even more defined by what one does.
FYI, I’ve tried twice this morning to share this on Facebook and it was removed twice as spam. I’m gonna keep trying because I refuse to let them speak for me.
Thank you. It would be nice to know why. You can let them know that you're also “asking for a friend” - in fact for my 15,000 followers. Meanwhile I encourage people to consider cutting back their consumption of that corrupted platform
Good morning, The sun has risen, just can't see it yet as it is cold and foggy out. Though everything appears dreary and does nothing to raise my spirits, I know that there is better weather ahead. Anyway, I sure hope so.
To my mind there is a difference between "snitching" and "reporting an injustice". Sometimes people who report injustices are called snitches. Snitches have ulterior motives not related to righting a wrong.
I believe that Trump and his minions are promoting snitching, i.e. "Messages circulating in Jewish and Israeli WhatsApp groups ask participants to report those perceived as "supporters of Hamas," often with minimal evidence."
"Trump understands the limits of external force. The real power of authoritarianism lies in subverting norms, so a society turns against itself – where even whispered criticism in private bedrooms or the slightest suspicion of disloyalty becomes justification for betrayal."
This is also evidenced by wanting people to report if they think that someone might have committed a crime and are illegal aliens. This opens the door for distrust and further alienates people from each other. I would wonder who I could trust.
I do agree with Claudia that it is doubtful that Trump actually wrote any of the numerous Executive Orders that he signed. I think that he is very happy playing golf and letting his minions promote project 2025.
Meidas Touch predicted that organizations were preparing to take him to court and that is happening. Also, I've noticed that there seem to be more news outlets calling him out. Further, Federal Civil Servants are being warned not to believe that they will get 8 mos paid leave if they respond to that e-mail and say resign.
Hard to believe that so much chaos could be created in such a short time. I know that this has been developing for a long time so maybe better to say that it has come to a head in such a short time.
Thank you for taking time to share your views and insight into these current events.
Ironic that he calls for snitching on the one hand, Soviet style, but fires all the whistleblowers, Soviet style, on the other. Thanks for your analysis
Shout out to my former dorm room neighbor!😊You are pulling on some really important threads that need to be pulled! I need to get you down to Sarasota to speak to my CATA Project community (look it up).
Joshua, my friend! Think of it as an oak tree whose seed was planted six months ago… it’s too early to know for sure, but the early results are promising!😊
Reading your newsletters keeps me grounded and faithful to my inner core of spiritual beliefs. I am an Episcopalian. But I NEED to hear what you say because you speak the language of true spiritual love and our bonding as human beings. We are living in a time of turmoil. But I have gone through my own difficult times of turmoil and it is through these times that I reach out to God to help me. Your newsletter is one of the answers to my prayers. God bless you.
Elizabeth is it ok for me to feature this in my next newsletter? Thanks for your beautiful words.
Thanks so much!
Well spoken. I really think they want to provoke violence so they can destroy civil society and rule of law.
So civilized people need to respond to these provocations with love, not hate. That's the thrust of my message (and my piece was taken down by Facebook earlier today - hmmm)
Disturbing. Deeply disturbing—that FB would be motivated to police this speech—specially considering all they’ve pledged NOT to police.
I agree Rabi. I’m the son of a survivor and fully understand the only path is one of non violence. Thank you for all that you do!
I cannot imagine why FB would remove this beautiful article.
Thanks. Neither can I.
I hadn’t heard Tom Lehrer sing “National Brotherhood Week” since University days. I absolutely loved him. When I listened to him play, I knew every word and sang along with him. I wish I still had the old vinyl record of his songs. I really “enjoyed?” today’s news letter this morning, although I found it dark and unsettling. I HATE the new president with every fiber of my being. He doesn’t care about anyone but himself. Those EO’s aren’t written by him, he’s incapable of stringing two thoughts together. They’re being chucked out by Steven Miller and his abhorrent crowd. It’s going to be a long 2 years. Hang in there and keep writing. Thank you for that. I love Footnotes.
Excellent article. I tried to post it to Facebook, it took a couple minutes to be rejected. So much for the first amendment or any amendment, or the Constitution for that matter. Sad days ahead.
Thanks so much for trying! Several have had this problem, including me. I was able to circumvent the censor-bot by posting the link but not letting it generate a preview. Something about the preview screaned “spam” to the bot. My prior pieces that were more overtly anti Trump skated through on FB with no problem. maybe post the link to my Substack home page and tell them which one to click on. Meanwhile, more than 7,000 have read it - so FB’s tactic is backfiring
This is an excellent piece. Hope it is spread far and wide. Punish all criminals for criminal behavior within the law, period. No distinctions for race, sex, nationality, etc. Just lawless behavior. Peaceful disagree.ts are fundame.tal to learning, however long it takes. Violence just leads to suppression and resentment that boils and boils.
Interesting - I shared this post on Facebook, using the quote "What American Jews are - if nothing else..." and it was blocked as "spam" literally within minutes, if not seconds. I walked away from the computer and when I came back there was a popup telling me that. Gotta wonder what Zuckerberg (or his minions, robotic or otherwise) finds so threatening about it. (I see this has happened to others as well.)
Today’s seems to have gotten thru the censor. Not sure what it was about Friday’s. Thanks for trying
I shared a screenshot of the block and gave people the date and your Substack URL, along with a paraphrase of Stephen King's quote that "if people don't want you to read something, do your darnedest to find it and read it." That seems to have gotten around it...so far.
I totally agree that antisemitism is hate. However, there are those who define the word differently. The assertion that one must do away with hate is nebulous and unspecific. When a legislator writes law, they must define the key words they use in writing that law. Just so, in this case, it really depends on how you define hate. There are, for example, many people who define hate simply as the truth they disagree with. Are you really talking about hate? Or do you just want an excuse to attack those with whom you disagree? I would really like to know? Those who claim to love their neighbor, often place conditions on that love—agree with me, or else!
Like the Beatles: “Come together…right now…OVER ME!” That’s not really unity. Perhaps we can agree that hate is as hate does. It’s what one says, to be sure, but even more defined by what one does.
Thanks for commenting!
FYI, I’ve tried twice this morning to share this on Facebook and it was removed twice as spam. I’m gonna keep trying because I refuse to let them speak for me.
Thank you. It would be nice to know why. You can let them know that you're also “asking for a friend” - in fact for my 15,000 followers. Meanwhile I encourage people to consider cutting back their consumption of that corrupted platform
Good morning, The sun has risen, just can't see it yet as it is cold and foggy out. Though everything appears dreary and does nothing to raise my spirits, I know that there is better weather ahead. Anyway, I sure hope so.
To my mind there is a difference between "snitching" and "reporting an injustice". Sometimes people who report injustices are called snitches. Snitches have ulterior motives not related to righting a wrong.
I believe that Trump and his minions are promoting snitching, i.e. "Messages circulating in Jewish and Israeli WhatsApp groups ask participants to report those perceived as "supporters of Hamas," often with minimal evidence."
"Trump understands the limits of external force. The real power of authoritarianism lies in subverting norms, so a society turns against itself – where even whispered criticism in private bedrooms or the slightest suspicion of disloyalty becomes justification for betrayal."
This is also evidenced by wanting people to report if they think that someone might have committed a crime and are illegal aliens. This opens the door for distrust and further alienates people from each other. I would wonder who I could trust.
I do agree with Claudia that it is doubtful that Trump actually wrote any of the numerous Executive Orders that he signed. I think that he is very happy playing golf and letting his minions promote project 2025.
Meidas Touch predicted that organizations were preparing to take him to court and that is happening. Also, I've noticed that there seem to be more news outlets calling him out. Further, Federal Civil Servants are being warned not to believe that they will get 8 mos paid leave if they respond to that e-mail and say resign.
Hard to believe that so much chaos could be created in such a short time. I know that this has been developing for a long time so maybe better to say that it has come to a head in such a short time.
Thank you for taking time to share your views and insight into these current events.
Ironic that he calls for snitching on the one hand, Soviet style, but fires all the whistleblowers, Soviet style, on the other. Thanks for your analysis
Screw Snoop. Was a fan. Not any more
Shout out to my former dorm room neighbor!😊You are pulling on some really important threads that need to be pulled! I need to get you down to Sarasota to speak to my CATA Project community (look it up).
Thanks Bill. So, Conversations Across the Aisle - Has it made any progress?
Joshua, my friend! Think of it as an oak tree whose seed was planted six months ago… it’s too early to know for sure, but the early results are promising!😊
And let’s hope there isn’t a forest fire…😧