"...the October 7 attacks were a trap by Hamas to egg Israel into attacking..."
As if Israel had a choice, or was too dumb to see the trap. Of course it was a trap (albeit one that's backfired very badly on those who set it), that's the point. A trap set by a Fascist Death Squad so vile they deliberately, through premeditated atrocity, made failure to react impossible. Sometimes you have to walk into the trap, even though you know it's there.
What you DON'T do is blame those the trap was set for.
One of many questions on my mind is this: How many Gazans did Hamas shelter in their tunnels? Strangely enough, I have not seen a single article or even a single mention of this. Why not? Because, at least as far as I know, it never happened.
This should tell us everything about the role Hamas assigned to the civilians of Gaza: "Your role is to die, as many as possible. Maximizing collateral civilian deaths helps Hamas’ narrative!"
PS. If anyone here knows of credible mentions of Hamas sheltering civilians in their tunnels, please post a link.
Quibble: It’s not alone Arabs and “Palestinians” (also mostly Arabs) who want to annihilate Jews; it’s also Iranians, who are mostly Persians and not Arabs.
The Iranian people actually are in majority very supportive of Jews and Israel. It is the Islamist Ayatollah who is the problem for both Iranians and Jews.
Damn Pat, that was such a wonderful moving essay. It gave me a chill when at the end of the essay you answered the question of When will it end? No exaggeration, no hyperbole .... just the straight damn truth. So simple and so to the point. I am going to copy and paste that part of the essay and post it on my FB site ... perhaps even the whole article?
A point I want to make is that what you said about Jews fighting back and not rolling over IMHO applies strictly to Israli's. On the whole, I think Diaspora Jews have done a terrible job fighting back. They have rolled over, not so much because they dont want to fight back but because they are not given the tools and the direction by Jewish leadership and organizations in the Diaspora. I say it so often but the only united leadership we get from Jewish Organizations is their endless drive for donations. Other than that, they all go there separate ways and do their own thing and have no accountability whatsoever.
Like you, I was and still think of myself as a pacifist but an "Armed" Diaspora Jew (who will not roll-over) Is A Necessity!
Thanks so much Jerry. I appreciate your words. And your comments about diaspora communities are certainly something to think about. Certainly the global Jewish community is overwhelmingly supportive of Israel, so there is that, to be positive!
Our staunchest allies are religious Christians; the bit about the mass being a stand in for the murder of Jews is based on a total misunderstanding of the mass.
A clear and simple analysis that any thinking person can understand. If they're not too blinded by hatred, of course. Thank you for this. Sharing it on FB.
Thank you. You are so right and above all a RIGHTEOUS GENTILE. I especially liked the paragraph about Jesus being the scapegoat because I always thought that. Merry Christmas to you and yours.
"transgender rights, which affect no one but the individuals directly affected"?
You flaming idiot, it affects the rights of women and girls to fairness in their sports, the rights of youth not to be sterilized and desexualized before they're old enough to experience their sex or decide whether they want to have children.
If affects their rights not to have males in their spaces, regardless of how they "identify".
The rights of everyone not to be forced to play along with a delusion for fear of their jobs, personal relationships, custody of their children.
She shouldn’t have called you a name but she is right. Perhaps it might be worth reading the PITT Substack or some of the writing by Bev Jackson among others and thinking about how hard it is for you to hear the pain of us parents and other family members, not to mention parts of the general public (ie the LGB communities) who are absolutely affected by gender ideology and maybe this thought process will give you new ideas about how to reach people who have a similarly hard time hearing the truth you are telling about antisemitism.
I see both and the willful blindness is so disturbingly similar in both cases. Sigh
98% spot-on and so well articulated. I disagree with and refute two “facts” as stated: 1) “Palestine” is not a country; 2) biological males who have transitioned to female, certainly post-puberty, participating in girls’/women’s sports is inherently unfair and violates the intent of Title IX (your claim that transgender is personal and affects no one else).
I didn't say Palestine was a country, exactly. But it is a place. And that is how I use the term. Whether we agree or disagree on women's sports, is there really any justification for the obsession around it? Frankly, I really don't care enough about amateur (or professional) sports to get worked up about it. I just can't imagine people laying awake at night worrying about THAT when the world is confronting the challenges it is. It is a red herring people use to distract from serious issues.
Your response is reactive, dismissive, and defensive. Both points are valid concerns. “Palestine” as an Arab country—claimed to have been stolen from Arabs by “colonizing” Jews who don’t belong there—is a made up narrative used to demonize/delegitimize and erase/replace Jews and Israel. It’s a major source of modern antisemitism! Sports and physical endeavors—from team sports to ice skating—for girls/women IS a big deal and life/character builder, whether you care about it or not. People should hold true to their true selves as long as their pursuits do not *unfairly* squash others.
I think you're kind of making my point for me. By no standard or measure should transgender issues be taking the prominence they are in a world filled with existential challenges. The only reason we are talking about it is because it subverts the longstanding narratives and that really upsets people. It's not really aobut the sports, is it? By challenging my argument, you're pretty much proving it. It's a "communists under the bed" social contagion.
Israel has the right to defend a nation they managed to construct, fair enough. However I don't get how you can grant a people and religion the right to defend themselves and not grant women the same right to defense against obvious unfairness, discrimination, harassment, etc. Nations are lines drawn maps, sex goes far deeper.
Why is this a big deal? Because you've decided that a self-selected 0.1% of humanity should have the right to hurt 50% of humanity and gaslight nearly 100% of it purely to support their own self-image. Yes, it's a huge deal, and it's going to remain that way until people like you stop.
You wrote a whole column just now about how Zionism means Jews won't take shit from the entire world. Well, just pure common decency means 50% of humanity should t be the weird fetishized punching bag of a small screeching minority.
You’re not proving anything other than you don’t like being corrected and that you’re a bit of a bully. Instead of being thoughtful, you are accusingly and incorrectly characterizing me. You included the topic in your article! And you made a blanket statement that did not ring true! It could have been on any topic, and I still would have called it. I have no skin in that game other than my baseline of “live and let live.” Instead of falsely accusing me, why don’t you just admit you misstated something. Wow.
The fact that you "have no skin in the game" suggests perhaps this is a topic you should leave to those who do. Again, you prove my point. People who have no claim on the issue seeing fake bogeymen all around them while ignoring the things that really matter.
This obviously is a topic that you cannot discuss in a rational or civil manner. Resorting to exaggerations, mischaracterizations, and blatantly false accusations is a cop-out.
The arrogance of these people is mindblowing:
"...the October 7 attacks were a trap by Hamas to egg Israel into attacking..."
As if Israel had a choice, or was too dumb to see the trap. Of course it was a trap (albeit one that's backfired very badly on those who set it), that's the point. A trap set by a Fascist Death Squad so vile they deliberately, through premeditated atrocity, made failure to react impossible. Sometimes you have to walk into the trap, even though you know it's there.
What you DON'T do is blame those the trap was set for.
You blame those who set the trap.
One of many questions on my mind is this: How many Gazans did Hamas shelter in their tunnels? Strangely enough, I have not seen a single article or even a single mention of this. Why not? Because, at least as far as I know, it never happened.
This should tell us everything about the role Hamas assigned to the civilians of Gaza: "Your role is to die, as many as possible. Maximizing collateral civilian deaths helps Hamas’ narrative!"
PS. If anyone here knows of credible mentions of Hamas sheltering civilians in their tunnels, please post a link.
About 400 miles of tunnels, apparently.
Quibble: It’s not alone Arabs and “Palestinians” (also mostly Arabs) who want to annihilate Jews; it’s also Iranians, who are mostly Persians and not Arabs.
Yes, well, the list goes on. Sadly.
The Iranian people actually are in majority very supportive of Jews and Israel. It is the Islamist Ayatollah who is the problem for both Iranians and Jews.
But most Persians are shiite muslims. It is Islam that unites Iranians and Arabs against Jews
https://theconversation.com/irans-secular-shift-new-survey-reveals-huge-changes-in-religious-beliefs-145253
Thanks. Very interesting
You really tell it like it is. Thank you!
Damn Pat, that was such a wonderful moving essay. It gave me a chill when at the end of the essay you answered the question of When will it end? No exaggeration, no hyperbole .... just the straight damn truth. So simple and so to the point. I am going to copy and paste that part of the essay and post it on my FB site ... perhaps even the whole article?
A point I want to make is that what you said about Jews fighting back and not rolling over IMHO applies strictly to Israli's. On the whole, I think Diaspora Jews have done a terrible job fighting back. They have rolled over, not so much because they dont want to fight back but because they are not given the tools and the direction by Jewish leadership and organizations in the Diaspora. I say it so often but the only united leadership we get from Jewish Organizations is their endless drive for donations. Other than that, they all go there separate ways and do their own thing and have no accountability whatsoever.
Like you, I was and still think of myself as a pacifist but an "Armed" Diaspora Jew (who will not roll-over) Is A Necessity!
papa j
Thanks so much Jerry. I appreciate your words. And your comments about diaspora communities are certainly something to think about. Certainly the global Jewish community is overwhelmingly supportive of Israel, so there is that, to be positive!
One of the best things I’ve ever read on Substack. Thank you for your clear voice on this, and for up-standing.
Thank you Kip!
Thank you Pat - this was The Most honest piece I have ever read...I only wish that all of the willing-idiots would read it
Our staunchest allies are religious Christians; the bit about the mass being a stand in for the murder of Jews is based on a total misunderstanding of the mass.
Fair. But a couple of points. My argument is that the current hatred is a distorted variation of the ancient ritual.
Which came first- the hatred or the Jew?
Spot on. Thank you.
Thank you for your powerful, provocative words. You’re a coat of armor for those of us who are feeling fragile amidst the hatred. Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you so much.
A clear and simple analysis that any thinking person can understand. If they're not too blinded by hatred, of course. Thank you for this. Sharing it on FB.
Thank you. You are so right and above all a RIGHTEOUS GENTILE. I especially liked the paragraph about Jesus being the scapegoat because I always thought that. Merry Christmas to you and yours.
Thank you Pamela. Your words are deeply appreciated.
"transgender rights, which affect no one but the individuals directly affected"?
You flaming idiot, it affects the rights of women and girls to fairness in their sports, the rights of youth not to be sterilized and desexualized before they're old enough to experience their sex or decide whether they want to have children.
If affects their rights not to have males in their spaces, regardless of how they "identify".
The rights of everyone not to be forced to play along with a delusion for fear of their jobs, personal relationships, custody of their children.
Stick to what you know, numbnuts.
Bahaha. Well, you certainly have your little opinions, don't you?
She shouldn’t have called you a name but she is right. Perhaps it might be worth reading the PITT Substack or some of the writing by Bev Jackson among others and thinking about how hard it is for you to hear the pain of us parents and other family members, not to mention parts of the general public (ie the LGB communities) who are absolutely affected by gender ideology and maybe this thought process will give you new ideas about how to reach people who have a similarly hard time hearing the truth you are telling about antisemitism.
I see both and the willful blindness is so disturbingly similar in both cases. Sigh
Zionism is the revolutionary idea that Jews won’t take the world’s shit anymore.
That is just perfect!!
Will check out Einaf- תודה
98% spot-on and so well articulated. I disagree with and refute two “facts” as stated: 1) “Palestine” is not a country; 2) biological males who have transitioned to female, certainly post-puberty, participating in girls’/women’s sports is inherently unfair and violates the intent of Title IX (your claim that transgender is personal and affects no one else).
I didn't say Palestine was a country, exactly. But it is a place. And that is how I use the term. Whether we agree or disagree on women's sports, is there really any justification for the obsession around it? Frankly, I really don't care enough about amateur (or professional) sports to get worked up about it. I just can't imagine people laying awake at night worrying about THAT when the world is confronting the challenges it is. It is a red herring people use to distract from serious issues.
Your response is reactive, dismissive, and defensive. Both points are valid concerns. “Palestine” as an Arab country—claimed to have been stolen from Arabs by “colonizing” Jews who don’t belong there—is a made up narrative used to demonize/delegitimize and erase/replace Jews and Israel. It’s a major source of modern antisemitism! Sports and physical endeavors—from team sports to ice skating—for girls/women IS a big deal and life/character builder, whether you care about it or not. People should hold true to their true selves as long as their pursuits do not *unfairly* squash others.
I think you're kind of making my point for me. By no standard or measure should transgender issues be taking the prominence they are in a world filled with existential challenges. The only reason we are talking about it is because it subverts the longstanding narratives and that really upsets people. It's not really aobut the sports, is it? By challenging my argument, you're pretty much proving it. It's a "communists under the bed" social contagion.
Israel has the right to defend a nation they managed to construct, fair enough. However I don't get how you can grant a people and religion the right to defend themselves and not grant women the same right to defense against obvious unfairness, discrimination, harassment, etc. Nations are lines drawn maps, sex goes far deeper.
Why is this a big deal? Because you've decided that a self-selected 0.1% of humanity should have the right to hurt 50% of humanity and gaslight nearly 100% of it purely to support their own self-image. Yes, it's a huge deal, and it's going to remain that way until people like you stop.
You wrote a whole column just now about how Zionism means Jews won't take shit from the entire world. Well, just pure common decency means 50% of humanity should t be the weird fetishized punching bag of a small screeching minority.
You’re not proving anything other than you don’t like being corrected and that you’re a bit of a bully. Instead of being thoughtful, you are accusingly and incorrectly characterizing me. You included the topic in your article! And you made a blanket statement that did not ring true! It could have been on any topic, and I still would have called it. I have no skin in that game other than my baseline of “live and let live.” Instead of falsely accusing me, why don’t you just admit you misstated something. Wow.
The fact that you "have no skin in the game" suggests perhaps this is a topic you should leave to those who do. Again, you prove my point. People who have no claim on the issue seeing fake bogeymen all around them while ignoring the things that really matter.
This obviously is a topic that you cannot discuss in a rational or civil manner. Resorting to exaggerations, mischaracterizations, and blatantly false accusations is a cop-out.