I agree with Hedges on this issue. I always have. But I have to express a feeling of deep ambivalence about Kennedy, as well as for a system of government which allows so little nuance. Let’s not forget that he’s also sworn to free Assange on his first day in office.
Kennedy’s opinions on the genocidal occupation of Palestine are ignorant, mistaken, and vile.
But I refuse to throw the Bobby out with the bath water.
I'd throw Bobby out and keep the bathwater. It's good for watering plants.
Bobby's support for the brutal, fascist, apartheid regime means that as president, he would continue enabling these monsters. He's not qualified to represent me.
Julian Assange advocates for Palestinian rights. Do you think a lackey for Israel's fascist right is really going to free an opponent of Empire? If so, think again.
I was anticipating that response, but I think that point is moot because I don’t believe his candidacy has any chance of succeeding. What I value is a Democratic candidate who speaks positively about Assange. That exposure, is to me, of value.
Not ending the Russian Ukraine war? Not continuing his fight against GMO food control and Monsanto? Or reigning in the corrupt intelligence agencies that killed his uncle and father?
We all know what would happen to anyone trying to act on these ideas. Still, I admire intelligent, incorruptible and courageous people, and I admire RFK... with reservations.
I have no idea. But I already answered that question twice, in earlier comments.
There’s little point in speculating on a circumstance so unlikely to occur. But, I understand the value of colloquy, and in the same way that Cornel West and Marianne Williamson open their minds to new possibilities, this discussion also could be about discovery, understanding and redemption. That’s a direction I’d value. There are plenty of enemies, somehow, we need to find common ground. And as to that, if I could somehow know that Donald Trump would end the Ukraine war on his first day in office, I’d support him to hell and back.
He has suffered for over 18 years personally and politically for standing up to corporations, of course he'll continue. If by some miracle RFK Jr wins he will dismantle the 'Intelligence' apparatus, and I believe he'll be shocked at the extent Israel's hands have blood on them.
None of the alternatives are any better on Israel. Why reject the best alternative, on account that he’s wrong on one issue. Good people not voting for anyone won’t help Palestine. Nor will abusing people online for not wanting to similarly rejecting any chance on significant change on other issues, for the lack of change on one.
Would an ‘anti-Israel’ candidate have any chance of becoming a candidate, let alone President.
Exactly. If anyone is looking for the humanistic, compassionate, world saving, egalitarian, candidate - on every issue - well... of course, that's silly.
Please do read my other comment on this thread, there is a lot there. I am glad that you want to know more because Israel is one of the critical points of American world policy and as Dr. Mads Gilbert (Norwegian doctor who worked in Gaza for 30 years) once said, "Palestine is the moral imperative of our time"
As important as it is to learn all the facts about Israel, it is also important to learn things from the inhabitants' perspective. The Palestine Museum shows cultural and historical films every week that are intensely informative, emotionally and academically. Just saying that as a viewer and as someone who was already very informed on the subject.
Here's a link to this week's film, and I guarantee that it will be a big awakening:
The ol' "change" promise. Hah. That sounds eerily reminiscent of a campaign promise by a recent President. Did we get any of significance (for the better)? Not a bit.
BTW, why would any candidate want to be "anti-israel" ? How about just being anti-israeli/palestinian apartheid or anti-genocide? Wouldn't that get more at the heart of the problem? More civil and productive to attack the issue(s), not the person(s)/people.
It's a settler-colonial state built upon genocide and the extermination and displacement of people already living there with tellingly named military operations such as Operation Broom. The apartheid state and genocide is popularly supported by 95% of the Israeli state's people with little resistance, it's not as if they are opposed to it. They are not innocent and we should not confuse them for being so, they are the issue as much as the policies themselves. Further they have mandatory military conscription and a great number of them have blood on their own hands besides supporting the apartheid, they are almost all responsible. I think it's more than fair to be "anti-Israel."
You're certainly entitled to your opinion on the issue of being "anti-Israel", but as far as adopting such a platform as a U.S. Presidential candidate (you seem to have broadened your scope of addressing the original post to include anyone-why??) I believe it to be overly broad, wouldn't get you out of the starting gate, and would piss away a significant amount of money a candidate had gathered getting there. In other words, don't look for it anytime soon.
I was so shocked by RFK's recent comments regarding the Palestinians
"‘Are You Kidding Me?’ RFK Jr Throws Down With Krystal Ball After Calling Palestinians ‘Pampered’ While Defending Israel"
I went looking see to is there were any previous articles admonishing his staunch support of Israel - hence my stumbling upon this piece and my response. I too had been a huge RFK supporter and this coming from someone who has nor will ever vote. I truly believed he might be the only person and candidate to save what little is left of the USA. He really did have great convictions but little by little he got sidetracked and lost his way. It's sad. Kucinich said it best when he said he can't be bought or bullied or so we thought. So not true. Israel has invested one billion dollars on this disinformation campaign and boy has Bobby come out swinging on their behalf. So much for not being able to be bought or bullied. Strike one. That's for starters. He was always his own man in the beginning when he came out against the Covid shots but then I think it all went to his head. He started talking about his wife and that he does what she says! Strike two! Someone called him pussy whipped rightfully so. The shirtless work-out video was an absolute disgrace the man is 70 years old exactly who was this video geared to? That's was clearly her idea. Now all of a sudden he's a sex symbol? Just what we need another Kennedy philanderer in the WH. Puh-leeze! The worst however was the video I quoted where he came out and actually said the Palestinian people are the most pampered in the entire world! It's just goes to show you how weak he is. But then again most severe addicts are extremely insecure. He always said he would gladly change his opinion about anything if someone could prove him wrong! Wow his stance on Israel could not be more wrong and yet he continues to double down.
I stopped following him months ago - he really could've made a difference but sadly he's to weak - insecure and obviously can be bought and certainly bullied.
Sworn to "free" Assange on his first day in office? How would he do that? There are a lot of "if"s between making that statement and it actually happening. For one, I don't believe he is even under U.S. custody, much less languishing in a U.S. prison facility. Second, he has absolutely no executive authority in Britain, and likely never will.
So much for Kennedy's support (and your own ) of Julian Assange in making such a statement --and inference.
If the US President had “absolutely no executive authority” in Britain as you say, Assange would not be in prison in Britain. What with not having committed a crime, n’all. He’s on an extradition warrant. Mr. Blinken says that Mr Assange has been assisting the enemy. But Assange has no enemies other than the enemies of journalism. He designed an “ap” for whistleblowers so subversive to the subversion industry that the longer he rots in prison, the better chance the US has of having their unjust attempts to exterminate him succeed before having to put him on trial and risking having no case to answer, compounded by the spying the CIA did on his lawyers. Britain has violated several UN Torture protocols in their shunning of Nils Melzer, the former UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, who took an interest in Assange.
There's no "if" about it. I said the U.S. President has no executive power in Britain because its an undeniable fact.
Certainly a U.S. President might apply political persuasion upon another soverign country (happens every day) which might be inferred as illegal and corrupt...and I take no issue with that. In fact, you provide good evidence for that position--which Hedges (and others) have laid out many times before (in more detail and eloquence than you or I could). Not to say that it shouldn't be heard from you (or anybody else) ad nauseam, but your arguments are besides the points of critique regarding the original post.
Interesting point. I think the issue of pardons (certainly with respect to the U.S. Constitution) is inherently vague, subjective, and dangerous. As written, it does appear to give the President broad power to pardon someone for just about anything at anytime. Indeed, according to Wikipeidia ,"... the president's power to pardon is not restricted by any temporal constraints except that the crime must have been committed." Thus, I would argue it is slippery slope to apply to someone who has not been convicted of a crime. In other words, if Assange has committed no crime (as many believe) why should a Presidential pardon apply to any legal consequence of a false accusation?
This is why I would prefer that the DOJ simply (and immediately) drop any and all charge against Julian Assange. I believe it would make his freedom a MUCH more straight forward (and just as expedient) legal affair. Of course, it would make it obvious that past and current administration(s) made a mistake. That's likely why it hasn't happened. Totalitarian regimes never admit to mistakes.
We, the people could make our government act on the freedom of Julian Assange if enough of us speak up...he did not endanger our national security...he told the truth that we needed to see. I have always been a staunch supporter of Julian and his journalistic efforts.
More precisely, every able bodied U.S. citizen should request of their Congressional Representatives that they advocate for the Department of Justice to immediately drop any and all criminal charges against Julian Assange. If charges were dropped., then I think extradition efforts by the DOJ would become a moot point. Being a moot point, I believe he would then be compelled to be immediately released from the British jail system (Belmarsh).
Please write your representatives today on this issue. Heck, write them repeatedly on the matter. You may believe it to be useless; but it's not hard to do in this age of internet--and may produce the result most of us are looking for, after all. Resolve to try and make that difference today. Even if the worst happens (extradition), you can say you did your reasonable best to prevent such a universal travesty of justice
of course he has "executive authority" in Britain. Why do you think Assange is being held now. Because the U.S. gubment said to. Justice Dept lawyers have been involved in the trial for months. years.
The U.S. D.O.J. attorneys may have legal standing in the British courts, but a U.S. President does not control British courts anymore than a soliciter or barrister does when addressing courts in their country. In other words, they cannot tell a judge or jury how to rule; they merely plead their cases. This is exactly what the U.S. D.O.J. prosecutors are doing against Julian Assange as they try to extradite him to the U.S. If they had executive authority, he would have been on U.S. soil years ago. Correspondingly, a U.S. President cannot pardon or "free" a prisoner jailed in Britain either.
As an aside, the most troubling aspect I find about Julian Assange's request for extradition to the U.S. on espionage charges (besides the fact that he is not a U.S. citizen) is that The Espionage Act of 1917 does not allow the legal right to be presumed innocent before being found guilty in a court of law. The only possibility , as I understand it, of not getting convicted of violating the U.S. Espionage Act is proving that it was not you had nothing to do with the charge. In other words, proving the charge involved a case of mistaken identity. Since that will not be the case with Assange, his extradition is in effect, an automatic conviction. This why, in my opinion, it is paramount for every U.S. citizen to request of their Congressional Representatives to immediately submit and/or vote for repeal this barbaric law.
You, I think, have a naive understanding of US power. They do as we say. law not withstanding. C.I.A. guided spying on Assange via Spain. the new Ecuadorian Prez kicking Assange out of the emabassy because he is a lap dog of the US. Yes. The U.S. is the mob boss. the underlings do what it wants. law, not withstanding. POWER
I have a good understanding of the U.S. constitution...and the rule of law that ostensibly has been put in place to support it. I choose to act within those parameters. What you're referring to is corruption that can manifest along with it; particularly when folks like you are apathetic enough to accept the inability of law to thwart against it. While I don't make any apologies for it, I concede that operating within the uncivilized "might is right" doctrine is a zero sum game and race to bottom--or oblivion.
I, I think we, admire these principles. Power is power. It will always trump law or principle.
Unfortunately. Hopefully at times they are aligned. In the case of Assange, they have not been. Thus, if RFK jr. were elected and he wanted to, the case against Assange would disappear. Trump says he would also make it disappear. who knows.
with Biden - far more likely Assange will die in a US supermax prison.
Your country constantly violates just about every part of your own beloved constitution, it's a worthless piece of paper that is not respected by anyone in reality.
I suppose the problem is there is no law for Julian Assange. That’s what makes me so cynical of the whole thing. The immense hypocrisy of a government supposedly working within constitutional restrictions. No, they aren’t. The powerful interests are looked after - end of story. The law doesn’t apply.
But more people realizing this maybe leads to real change.
I agree wholeheartedly. Is this what it takes to run for political office with any chance to succeed. Apparently, Kennedy thinks so. It is time that the people started to support basic fundamental human rights for our brothers and sisters worldwide. This idea of Nationalism and the separation it brings in terms of political positions is totally unacceptable. As the world shrinks, the needs of humanity must be met equally with no oppression or domination. What Israel has done and is doing is so repugnant to any reasonable mind that in todays world it should not be allowed to exist.
What a great thing to do! I hope he reads it. Miko is all over this board today. He’s a man I’ve admired for a long time, and I would love to see him educate RFK on this. That would restore in me some tiny fragment of hope. Another commenter mentioned an open letter which Peled wrote to RFK recently and it’s filled with his typical reason, compassion, and hope.
Chris - of course you are right on Israel, Palestine, and criticism of RFK, Jr.s false and absurd statements in support of Israel. I heard him talk at length on the topic and was appalled and disgusted.
But, I have two problems with this piece.
This statement is false and constitutes a smear on RFK Jr., because he is demonstrably NOT a Democratic Party hack and his policy positions sharply contradict the Democratic Party positions on numerous important issues, including war and peace, nukes, and corporate power (and regularly capture). You wrote:
"It makes him another Democratic Party hack who dances to the macabre tune the Israeli government plays."
Second, you are an advisor to Cornel West, yes? As such, you have a conflict and really should stay clear of this crap.
We voted for Obama with the belief that he would end Bush's wars, close Gauntanamo, and reign in the banks. RFK is saying some good stuff about peace (maybe). But we've been fooled before. Obama expanded the wars. With this big doozey of a bad position held by RFK, are we really prepared to believe he will be effective at standing for anything?
"are we really prepared to believe he will be effective at standing for anything?"
I am focused on RFKs message, analysis, and policy positions - many are very very good. I'm not focused on electoral politics or governing at this point, but he clearly stands for lots of god things.
I think his chances are vanishingly small. However, yes, many of his policy positions are very good. As president, would he be able to make all of this happen?. If he, by some fluke, became the Dem nominee, would you vote for him? If it were Donald or him?
Would the deep creepy state allow him to live to take the oath.
The only reason Obama's policies didn't make it, such as Medicare For All and the wars, was because Democrats refused to support him strong enough for the same reason they would never support Bernie Sanders for president...too many things to do that would put many Democrats in difficult places for having to support real ideals and better things in government and for we, the people. Republicans assured Obama's presidency because then they had the ability to say, "Look...America isn't racist...we have a black president!" and then opposed his policies so hard they hoped there would never again be a black president. I know this because I was involved, although somewhat on the sidelines, with Obama's campaign, and I actually heard that statement along the way...
Agreed. The signs about Obama were there from the beginning. Anybody who thinks Obama was ever an idealistic person needs to read Tariq Ali's 'The Obama Syndrome'. Many people were able to see Obama for what he was early, I regret I was not one of them.
You are not alone. Obama was groomed by Penny Pritzker, a member of the Hyatt Hotel family and also a crook, see her savings and loan scandals.
She organized the dinners where Obama served as Sydney Poitier in a grand farce.
His community organizing was not with actual working people or people in his community, but he asked that his campaign for Senate be treated as a community organizing venture.
Most people do not know it but Obama was elected not only to serve those who cheated the public in 2008, but also to privatize th then $650 billion dollar public school system from K-privatized colleges.
And that i precisely what Obama did with his flunkie Arne duncan. They charterized what they could and allowed the for-profit predatory colleges suck the blood out of poor college students leaving them with Joe Biden as president and also as the author of "you cannot erase student loans in bankruptcy".
The corporate democrats are and have always been since Truman, the real face of the military industrial complex.
Carter was a grifter who helped concretize Reaganism. His anti-union stance at a time of financial bleeding led the way for an all out assault on workers.
Clinton repealed the New Deal, Obama went after more whistle blowers than any other president while selling off the public commons to hucksters like himself.
With no opposition it seems all roads lead to Rome or at least Weimar.
Democrats forced poor widdle Obama to attack Libya and assist in the Saudi genocide in Yemen, they said they'd take away his lunch money if he didn't renew and extend the so-called "Patriot Act" etc. etc.
The Israeli question is the only subject I disagree with RFK Jr on as far as I know. It appears many Democrats still believe the Israelis are the victims and our friends. I hope he softens his position and comes to have a more nuanced view of the tragedy of Palestine.
I am with you there, Judith. I am all for Bobby, but also desire he enlightens himself on the barbarity of the Israeli state. He claims to have spent huge amounts of time around the kitchen tables of average Americans. He needs to spend a little time aorund a Palestinian kitchen table; if he can find one remaining.
Yes, there is corruption among the Israeli elites as there are among the US power brokers. Every insight he has had about US institutions he should transfer to the similar institutions in Israel.
Bill - so what, if he's a Cornel West adviser? Kudos to Chris for taking a stance. Doesn't mean you can't take a stance. Go ahead...take your best shot.
What is the conflict, Bill? That he disagrees with Kennedy and apparently wouldn't vote for him for President, given the opportunity? As a journalist and/or political advisor, Hedges has not legal or moral obligation to keep his mouth shut--on any topic! If you don't like, then don't read it...or fall for self perceived click bait.
I love Hedges, strongly support his work, and have read him for man years and correspondence with him as well. I consider him. personal friend and we have shared friends in NJ.
I have no personal conflict with him. Apparently, you can not understand honest disagreement.
Im glad you've changed your position of accusing Hedges of having a "conflict" to one in which you now simply believe you have an honest disagreement with. Two entirely different positions...and I don't begrudge you the latter opinion at all. Cheers, Bill!
Yes, when you single out one issue and ignore everything else that RFK stands for and that Hedges himself has often written about, while officially representing a coming political candidate and not disclosing it.
If RFK Jr can't or won't support justice for the Palestinians, why should he be expected to support justice for anyone else? Thanks, Mr Hedges. As always, great work.
Yeah, I used to be a psyched RFK Jr supporter until I realized he is an ardent Zionist, and I cannot look away from that. It really shows his character. At this point Cornel West seems the best candidate although his chances seem quite slim at this point. I'm done with voting for the best of two horrible choices.
The significance of supporting Cornel West is not the expectation of winning the presidency, but to garner enough support, votes to have swing power and therefore some measure of electorate standing. In other words, the uniparty would have to engage. Otherwise in the current political environment, they don’t have to listen. They don’t care about you. They know we have no place to go.
An effective New Deal in the '30s and the Great Society civil rights reforms of the '60s seemed reasonable and preferable to the well organized and vocal presence of a strong radical left. Which kept the liberals in progressive mode by not allowing them to escape into tepid safety. Cornel West winning is not necessarily the main goal--reviving a real "democratic" party is.
Getting back to areal democratic party means we have to end the corporatocracy. As long as politicians are dependent on corporate donations, the two parties will be a distinction without a difference.
Let’s not pay too much attention to what a candidate says, at the end of the day all policy makers, including the president, will take orders from the neocons the likes of Victoria Nuland and Elliott Abrams, we learned. Obama was the ultimate test. If we want hope for our global community to thrive in harmony with nature and with one another we must find a way to remove this wicked group of individuals from power.. All they have made this far is wreak havoc throughout Africa the Middle East, Central America, Ukraine and, if we don’t stop them, Asia will be next. I wonder how on earth they can still sleep, eat and laugh knowing that they caused so much suffering, destruction and irreversible environmental damage.
RFK JR.’s position on Israel is vile, full stop. He believes holding this position will grant him access to the big club. The hope he will evolve (ha remember that phrase) on Israel’s crimes against humanity one would have to be flat out gullible. Furthermore, the Democratic Party will never, ever let him within whiffing distance of a nomination. He should have run outside the DP if he was serious about being on a ballot.
It is seductive to be attracted to his stated positions on many other important topics of our time, but sadly he is a sheepdogger for the Democratic Party and again, nothing substantial will change.
It is shocking and surprising that Kennedy would believe and parrot the Israel lobby talking points. However, he has an incredible record of courage and integrity so I can only hope he might change his mind. RFK was a glamorous environmental lawyer who took on the vaccine safety issue when he was convinced by a mother of a vaccine damaged child, to read the research. He had everything to lose and nothing to gain publicly question vaccines and become labelled as an "anti-vaxxer;" RFK was honest about covid and went on a discovery journey with the rest of us who started asking " what the hell is going on?" RFK also took an honest and lucid position on the Ukraine War. I am going to vote for him as he a million times better than Dark Brandon who is taking us into WWW3. And better than clown car Trump too.
Kennedy is a psyop sheepdog operation. Hedges is clear here in his essay about this fringe rightwing take that Kennedy is putting forward. Of course, the bootlickers like Aaron Good (don't buy his book its worthless garbage) will attempt to assail Hedges for stating the obvious. We all have to understand that wealthy families will not save the working class in this country. I don't care which family it is. The Kennedys are a bunch of womanizing philanderers. They always have been and they always will be.
Based on the fact that RFK jr will destort and lie about the Israeli- Palestinian situation, I would not trust anything he says about Covid vaccines, other vaccines and other issues. He sounds like he knows what he is talking about which is a great danger because it causes people to incorrectly believe what he is saying. The man who always tells the truth and has high moral and ethical standards is Green Party candidate Cornel West. Compared to Cornel West RFJ jr is second rate.
Read his book on Fauci and the corruption of the health agencies. It’s exhaustively annotated. Absolutely nothing in it that is not on public record and certifiably proven. I don’t like RFK jrs. Israeli stance either, but when it comes to the Covid response and vaccine lies he is way ahead of the liberal geo political intellectuals. Neither Chris Hedges nor Cornell acknowledge or even address what is the biggest most immoral scam of our time. The discrimination against vaccine sceptics and people demanding bodily autonomy was worse than the McCarthy era. Absolutely appalling, but silence and no apologies from the likes of Chomsky and co. Even as the facts prove daily that they were dead wrong. So....nobody gets is right all the time.
In Canada we have John Ralston Saul, Irving Abella and Rene Levesque to tell us real history as Canadian historians. Canada was never an Empire. Today it is mostly a US colony but here in Quebec we speak a Latin Language. We are Latinos who are better educated than Americans. We are healthier, wealthier on average and far more secure and freer than our southern neighbours. We are a secular humanist liberal democracy. We had a quiet revolution and went from the 19th century to the 21st century during my lifetime.
Levesque served in FDR's European command during the second world war as a journalist and covered the liberation of Dachau.
If I want to know about Russia Ukraine I read Twain. He knew Russia and he knew Ukraine. His The American Claimant is a Jewish Pale of Settlement story that explains the wise men of Chelm.
The truth is as one of our alumni the evolutionary linguist Steven Pinker says we got what we wanted.
I am sure Chris is responding; careful what you wish for.
Fiction is often a telling of a story which we have often heard before with some squiggles. Of course I don't believe everything I read but in fiction there is empathy/evil/pain etc.
I learned how to write in my fifties. It is hard to watch tv and it is hard to read. I love writing but time just seems to slip away. I don't wear a watch and neither does my wife. We don't really care what time it is Sometimes she gets to bed at 4 AM and I am just getting up to write. We eat all our meals together and they can be anytime we want. We still share a bed.
I suppose so. Israel is the most important thing we never discuss and this thread is one rare opportunity to do so. I hope that you will read my long comment in the thread.
Admittedly, RFK Jr.'s stance on Israel is a problem. But I don't think he even pretends to be "progressive" at least not as that term is understood in today's culture. He could be a liar, but he's certainly more well-informed on a broader scope of issues than any other candidate for President.
I agree that listening to RFK JR on Israel is viscerally painful and disappointing. Frankly, I click off. But his diatribes on this topic are like outdated hasbara from the 70s -- almost as though the sheer stupidity of what he is saying is a signal. On other topics, that go far beyond his training as a lawyer, he is fully informed and erudite. For example, on vaccines, you would think he has a PhD in virology or immunology. In fact, he has a real-life PhD in the history of the JFK administration and his father’s Dept of Justice within it. JFK and RFK, unlike many in their day, knew what was going on with Israel. It seems improbable the RFK JR would not know this at his core and have taken up their cause. Consider, he knows who killed his uncle and father. Consider, he is a supporter of Palestinian Sirhan Sirhan’s innocence in his father’s murder. Consider, he is playing dumb to insure his own survival.
Oh come now. To cast any group as all the same is the very definition of prejudice! More to the point, the Palestinian Christians (mostly Arab, plurality Eastern Orthodox) corroborate the testimony of Muslim Palestinians.
Of course the western empiricists, rationalists, materialist reductionists, and economic determinists did away with all of that. Better living through chemistry, A bombs for peace, genetic engineering, whatever. Euro and Euro-American thinkers must believe technological quick fixes will solve any subsequent problems by the very same abstract mental processes that created them. More cultural blindness seen quite clearly by us indigenous thinkers.
I agree with Hedges on this issue. I always have. But I have to express a feeling of deep ambivalence about Kennedy, as well as for a system of government which allows so little nuance. Let’s not forget that he’s also sworn to free Assange on his first day in office.
Kennedy’s opinions on the genocidal occupation of Palestine are ignorant, mistaken, and vile.
But I refuse to throw the Bobby out with the bath water.
I'd throw Bobby out and keep the bathwater. It's good for watering plants.
Bobby's support for the brutal, fascist, apartheid regime means that as president, he would continue enabling these monsters. He's not qualified to represent me.
Julian Assange advocates for Palestinian rights. Do you think a lackey for Israel's fascist right is really going to free an opponent of Empire? If so, think again.
I was anticipating that response, but I think that point is moot because I don’t believe his candidacy has any chance of succeeding. What I value is a Democratic candidate who speaks positively about Assange. That exposure, is to me, of value.
Freeing Assange is a very good point. My only reason why I would consider supporting RFK Jr at this point.
Not ending the Russian Ukraine war? Not continuing his fight against GMO food control and Monsanto? Or reigning in the corrupt intelligence agencies that killed his uncle and father?
We all know what would happen to anyone trying to act on these ideas. Still, I admire intelligent, incorruptible and courageous people, and I admire RFK... with reservations.
You think when he gets into office he will continue this way?
I have no idea. But I already answered that question twice, in earlier comments.
There’s little point in speculating on a circumstance so unlikely to occur. But, I understand the value of colloquy, and in the same way that Cornel West and Marianne Williamson open their minds to new possibilities, this discussion also could be about discovery, understanding and redemption. That’s a direction I’d value. There are plenty of enemies, somehow, we need to find common ground. And as to that, if I could somehow know that Donald Trump would end the Ukraine war on his first day in office, I’d support him to hell and back.
He has suffered for over 18 years personally and politically for standing up to corporations, of course he'll continue. If by some miracle RFK Jr wins he will dismantle the 'Intelligence' apparatus, and I believe he'll be shocked at the extent Israel's hands have blood on them.
None of the alternatives are any better on Israel. Why reject the best alternative, on account that he’s wrong on one issue. Good people not voting for anyone won’t help Palestine. Nor will abusing people online for not wanting to similarly rejecting any chance on significant change on other issues, for the lack of change on one.
Would an ‘anti-Israel’ candidate have any chance of becoming a candidate, let alone President.
Exactly. If anyone is looking for the humanistic, compassionate, world saving, egalitarian, candidate - on every issue - well... of course, that's silly.
Principles, who needs them. right?
So few people really understand Israel. So it will continue.
So help us understand Israel.
Please do read my other comment on this thread, there is a lot there. I am glad that you want to know more because Israel is one of the critical points of American world policy and as Dr. Mads Gilbert (Norwegian doctor who worked in Gaza for 30 years) once said, "Palestine is the moral imperative of our time"
As important as it is to learn all the facts about Israel, it is also important to learn things from the inhabitants' perspective. The Palestine Museum shows cultural and historical films every week that are intensely informative, emotionally and academically. Just saying that as a viewer and as someone who was already very informed on the subject.
Here's a link to this week's film, and I guarantee that it will be a big awakening:
https://www.palestinemuseum.us/events
The ol' "change" promise. Hah. That sounds eerily reminiscent of a campaign promise by a recent President. Did we get any of significance (for the better)? Not a bit.
BTW, why would any candidate want to be "anti-israel" ? How about just being anti-israeli/palestinian apartheid or anti-genocide? Wouldn't that get more at the heart of the problem? More civil and productive to attack the issue(s), not the person(s)/people.
It's a settler-colonial state built upon genocide and the extermination and displacement of people already living there with tellingly named military operations such as Operation Broom. The apartheid state and genocide is popularly supported by 95% of the Israeli state's people with little resistance, it's not as if they are opposed to it. They are not innocent and we should not confuse them for being so, they are the issue as much as the policies themselves. Further they have mandatory military conscription and a great number of them have blood on their own hands besides supporting the apartheid, they are almost all responsible. I think it's more than fair to be "anti-Israel."
You're certainly entitled to your opinion on the issue of being "anti-Israel", but as far as adopting such a platform as a U.S. Presidential candidate (you seem to have broadened your scope of addressing the original post to include anyone-why??) I believe it to be overly broad, wouldn't get you out of the starting gate, and would piss away a significant amount of money a candidate had gathered getting there. In other words, don't look for it anytime soon.
Vote for Cornel West!
David:
I was so shocked by RFK's recent comments regarding the Palestinians
"‘Are You Kidding Me?’ RFK Jr Throws Down With Krystal Ball After Calling Palestinians ‘Pampered’ While Defending Israel"
I went looking see to is there were any previous articles admonishing his staunch support of Israel - hence my stumbling upon this piece and my response. I too had been a huge RFK supporter and this coming from someone who has nor will ever vote. I truly believed he might be the only person and candidate to save what little is left of the USA. He really did have great convictions but little by little he got sidetracked and lost his way. It's sad. Kucinich said it best when he said he can't be bought or bullied or so we thought. So not true. Israel has invested one billion dollars on this disinformation campaign and boy has Bobby come out swinging on their behalf. So much for not being able to be bought or bullied. Strike one. That's for starters. He was always his own man in the beginning when he came out against the Covid shots but then I think it all went to his head. He started talking about his wife and that he does what she says! Strike two! Someone called him pussy whipped rightfully so. The shirtless work-out video was an absolute disgrace the man is 70 years old exactly who was this video geared to? That's was clearly her idea. Now all of a sudden he's a sex symbol? Just what we need another Kennedy philanderer in the WH. Puh-leeze! The worst however was the video I quoted where he came out and actually said the Palestinian people are the most pampered in the entire world! It's just goes to show you how weak he is. But then again most severe addicts are extremely insecure. He always said he would gladly change his opinion about anything if someone could prove him wrong! Wow his stance on Israel could not be more wrong and yet he continues to double down.
I stopped following him months ago - he really could've made a difference but sadly he's to weak - insecure and obviously can be bought and certainly bullied.
PLEASE re-think this.
Sworn to "free" Assange on his first day in office? How would he do that? There are a lot of "if"s between making that statement and it actually happening. For one, I don't believe he is even under U.S. custody, much less languishing in a U.S. prison facility. Second, he has absolutely no executive authority in Britain, and likely never will.
So much for Kennedy's support (and your own ) of Julian Assange in making such a statement --and inference.
If the US President had “absolutely no executive authority” in Britain as you say, Assange would not be in prison in Britain. What with not having committed a crime, n’all. He’s on an extradition warrant. Mr. Blinken says that Mr Assange has been assisting the enemy. But Assange has no enemies other than the enemies of journalism. He designed an “ap” for whistleblowers so subversive to the subversion industry that the longer he rots in prison, the better chance the US has of having their unjust attempts to exterminate him succeed before having to put him on trial and risking having no case to answer, compounded by the spying the CIA did on his lawyers. Britain has violated several UN Torture protocols in their shunning of Nils Melzer, the former UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, who took an interest in Assange.
There's no "if" about it. I said the U.S. President has no executive power in Britain because its an undeniable fact.
Certainly a U.S. President might apply political persuasion upon another soverign country (happens every day) which might be inferred as illegal and corrupt...and I take no issue with that. In fact, you provide good evidence for that position--which Hedges (and others) have laid out many times before (in more detail and eloquence than you or I could). Not to say that it shouldn't be heard from you (or anybody else) ad nauseam, but your arguments are besides the points of critique regarding the original post.
The President could not issue a blanket pardon, thus obviating any extradition?
Formally, the UK is a sovereign country. De facto, another question.
Interesting point. I think the issue of pardons (certainly with respect to the U.S. Constitution) is inherently vague, subjective, and dangerous. As written, it does appear to give the President broad power to pardon someone for just about anything at anytime. Indeed, according to Wikipeidia ,"... the president's power to pardon is not restricted by any temporal constraints except that the crime must have been committed." Thus, I would argue it is slippery slope to apply to someone who has not been convicted of a crime. In other words, if Assange has committed no crime (as many believe) why should a Presidential pardon apply to any legal consequence of a false accusation?
This is why I would prefer that the DOJ simply (and immediately) drop any and all charge against Julian Assange. I believe it would make his freedom a MUCH more straight forward (and just as expedient) legal affair. Of course, it would make it obvious that past and current administration(s) made a mistake. That's likely why it hasn't happened. Totalitarian regimes never admit to mistakes.
For that matter, the president could order the DoJ to drop charges.
Either way, there would be nothing to extradite Assange over.
We, the people could make our government act on the freedom of Julian Assange if enough of us speak up...he did not endanger our national security...he told the truth that we needed to see. I have always been a staunch supporter of Julian and his journalistic efforts.
More precisely, every able bodied U.S. citizen should request of their Congressional Representatives that they advocate for the Department of Justice to immediately drop any and all criminal charges against Julian Assange. If charges were dropped., then I think extradition efforts by the DOJ would become a moot point. Being a moot point, I believe he would then be compelled to be immediately released from the British jail system (Belmarsh).
Please write your representatives today on this issue. Heck, write them repeatedly on the matter. You may believe it to be useless; but it's not hard to do in this age of internet--and may produce the result most of us are looking for, after all. Resolve to try and make that difference today. Even if the worst happens (extradition), you can say you did your reasonable best to prevent such a universal travesty of justice
of course he has "executive authority" in Britain. Why do you think Assange is being held now. Because the U.S. gubment said to. Justice Dept lawyers have been involved in the trial for months. years.
No. he does not.
The U.S. D.O.J. attorneys may have legal standing in the British courts, but a U.S. President does not control British courts anymore than a soliciter or barrister does when addressing courts in their country. In other words, they cannot tell a judge or jury how to rule; they merely plead their cases. This is exactly what the U.S. D.O.J. prosecutors are doing against Julian Assange as they try to extradite him to the U.S. If they had executive authority, he would have been on U.S. soil years ago. Correspondingly, a U.S. President cannot pardon or "free" a prisoner jailed in Britain either.
As an aside, the most troubling aspect I find about Julian Assange's request for extradition to the U.S. on espionage charges (besides the fact that he is not a U.S. citizen) is that The Espionage Act of 1917 does not allow the legal right to be presumed innocent before being found guilty in a court of law. The only possibility , as I understand it, of not getting convicted of violating the U.S. Espionage Act is proving that it was not you had nothing to do with the charge. In other words, proving the charge involved a case of mistaken identity. Since that will not be the case with Assange, his extradition is in effect, an automatic conviction. This why, in my opinion, it is paramount for every U.S. citizen to request of their Congressional Representatives to immediately submit and/or vote for repeal this barbaric law.
You, I think, have a naive understanding of US power. They do as we say. law not withstanding. C.I.A. guided spying on Assange via Spain. the new Ecuadorian Prez kicking Assange out of the emabassy because he is a lap dog of the US. Yes. The U.S. is the mob boss. the underlings do what it wants. law, not withstanding. POWER
I have a good understanding of the U.S. constitution...and the rule of law that ostensibly has been put in place to support it. I choose to act within those parameters. What you're referring to is corruption that can manifest along with it; particularly when folks like you are apathetic enough to accept the inability of law to thwart against it. While I don't make any apologies for it, I concede that operating within the uncivilized "might is right" doctrine is a zero sum game and race to bottom--or oblivion.
I, I think we, admire these principles. Power is power. It will always trump law or principle.
Unfortunately. Hopefully at times they are aligned. In the case of Assange, they have not been. Thus, if RFK jr. were elected and he wanted to, the case against Assange would disappear. Trump says he would also make it disappear. who knows.
with Biden - far more likely Assange will die in a US supermax prison.
Your country constantly violates just about every part of your own beloved constitution, it's a worthless piece of paper that is not respected by anyone in reality.
and - here - some fun about the Constitution and power.
https://www.creators.com/read/judge-napolitano/05/23/fisa-and-freedom
just one small example.
I suppose the problem is there is no law for Julian Assange. That’s what makes me so cynical of the whole thing. The immense hypocrisy of a government supposedly working within constitutional restrictions. No, they aren’t. The powerful interests are looked after - end of story. The law doesn’t apply.
But more people realizing this maybe leads to real change.
I agree wholeheartedly. Is this what it takes to run for political office with any chance to succeed. Apparently, Kennedy thinks so. It is time that the people started to support basic fundamental human rights for our brothers and sisters worldwide. This idea of Nationalism and the separation it brings in terms of political positions is totally unacceptable. As the world shrinks, the needs of humanity must be met equally with no oppression or domination. What Israel has done and is doing is so repugnant to any reasonable mind that in todays world it should not be allowed to exist.
Kennedy is a capitalist in an era when people are fleeing capitalist domination.
That he is an imperialist is no surprise.
I am afraid that Bobby's youth on drugs, the death and murder of both his father and uncle has left the man mentally ill.
I certainly would never support any capitalist politicians but especially the morbidities that are filling the horizon these days.
I absolutely agree that his trauma and fear are driving his thinking and he has not come to terms with any of it.
What a great thing to do! I hope he reads it. Miko is all over this board today. He’s a man I’ve admired for a long time, and I would love to see him educate RFK on this. That would restore in me some tiny fragment of hope. Another commenter mentioned an open letter which Peled wrote to RFK recently and it’s filled with his typical reason, compassion, and hope.
Chris - of course you are right on Israel, Palestine, and criticism of RFK, Jr.s false and absurd statements in support of Israel. I heard him talk at length on the topic and was appalled and disgusted.
But, I have two problems with this piece.
This statement is false and constitutes a smear on RFK Jr., because he is demonstrably NOT a Democratic Party hack and his policy positions sharply contradict the Democratic Party positions on numerous important issues, including war and peace, nukes, and corporate power (and regularly capture). You wrote:
"It makes him another Democratic Party hack who dances to the macabre tune the Israeli government plays."
Second, you are an advisor to Cornel West, yes? As such, you have a conflict and really should stay clear of this crap.
We voted for Obama with the belief that he would end Bush's wars, close Gauntanamo, and reign in the banks. RFK is saying some good stuff about peace (maybe). But we've been fooled before. Obama expanded the wars. With this big doozey of a bad position held by RFK, are we really prepared to believe he will be effective at standing for anything?
"are we really prepared to believe he will be effective at standing for anything?"
I am focused on RFKs message, analysis, and policy positions - many are very very good. I'm not focused on electoral politics or governing at this point, but he clearly stands for lots of god things.
I think his chances are vanishingly small. However, yes, many of his policy positions are very good. As president, would he be able to make all of this happen?. If he, by some fluke, became the Dem nominee, would you vote for him? If it were Donald or him?
Would the deep creepy state allow him to live to take the oath.
The only reason Obama's policies didn't make it, such as Medicare For All and the wars, was because Democrats refused to support him strong enough for the same reason they would never support Bernie Sanders for president...too many things to do that would put many Democrats in difficult places for having to support real ideals and better things in government and for we, the people. Republicans assured Obama's presidency because then they had the ability to say, "Look...America isn't racist...we have a black president!" and then opposed his policies so hard they hoped there would never again be a black president. I know this because I was involved, although somewhat on the sidelines, with Obama's campaign, and I actually heard that statement along the way...
No. Obama was a Trojan Horse from the get go. Simply look at the people he appointed to his Cabinet. right out of Wall St., from Sumners to Gheitner.
and of course we now know that Obama's parents were CIA assets.
Agreed. The signs about Obama were there from the beginning. Anybody who thinks Obama was ever an idealistic person needs to read Tariq Ali's 'The Obama Syndrome'. Many people were able to see Obama for what he was early, I regret I was not one of them.
You are not alone. Obama was groomed by Penny Pritzker, a member of the Hyatt Hotel family and also a crook, see her savings and loan scandals.
She organized the dinners where Obama served as Sydney Poitier in a grand farce.
His community organizing was not with actual working people or people in his community, but he asked that his campaign for Senate be treated as a community organizing venture.
Most people do not know it but Obama was elected not only to serve those who cheated the public in 2008, but also to privatize th then $650 billion dollar public school system from K-privatized colleges.
And that i precisely what Obama did with his flunkie Arne duncan. They charterized what they could and allowed the for-profit predatory colleges suck the blood out of poor college students leaving them with Joe Biden as president and also as the author of "you cannot erase student loans in bankruptcy".
The corporate democrats are and have always been since Truman, the real face of the military industrial complex.
Carter was a grifter who helped concretize Reaganism. His anti-union stance at a time of financial bleeding led the way for an all out assault on workers.
Clinton repealed the New Deal, Obama went after more whistle blowers than any other president while selling off the public commons to hucksters like himself.
With no opposition it seems all roads lead to Rome or at least Weimar.
Democrats forced poor widdle Obama to attack Libya and assist in the Saudi genocide in Yemen, they said they'd take away his lunch money if he didn't renew and extend the so-called "Patriot Act" etc. etc.
The Israeli question is the only subject I disagree with RFK Jr on as far as I know. It appears many Democrats still believe the Israelis are the victims and our friends. I hope he softens his position and comes to have a more nuanced view of the tragedy of Palestine.
I am with you there, Judith. I am all for Bobby, but also desire he enlightens himself on the barbarity of the Israeli state. He claims to have spent huge amounts of time around the kitchen tables of average Americans. He needs to spend a little time aorund a Palestinian kitchen table; if he can find one remaining.
Yes, there is corruption among the Israeli elites as there are among the US power brokers. Every insight he has had about US institutions he should transfer to the similar institutions in Israel.
WHAT???? I hope that is sarcasm...
and the headline is clickbait.
Bill - so what, if he's a Cornel West adviser? Kudos to Chris for taking a stance. Doesn't mean you can't take a stance. Go ahead...take your best shot.
I guess you missed the part where I supported Palestine and completely agree with Hedges' criticism of RFK.
I prefaced my criticism with that statement (which you missed).
People seem completely incapable of understanding principled honest disagreements.
What is he then?
A truly honest man?
sorry for typo: that's "regulatory capture".
What is the conflict, Bill? That he disagrees with Kennedy and apparently wouldn't vote for him for President, given the opportunity? As a journalist and/or political advisor, Hedges has not legal or moral obligation to keep his mouth shut--on any topic! If you don't like, then don't read it...or fall for self perceived click bait.
The obvious conflict is that he's part of the Cornel West campaign (who I support, BTW).
This hit piece is beneath his journalistic and political advocacy integrity.
The only thing that is obvious is that you have a personal conflict with Hedges. I suggest you get over it.
I love Hedges, strongly support his work, and have read him for man years and correspondence with him as well. I consider him. personal friend and we have shared friends in NJ.
I have no personal conflict with him. Apparently, you can not understand honest disagreement.
Your point is taken, but not well taken for it really sheds little light on what faces America: capitalism and imperialism
Im glad you've changed your position of accusing Hedges of having a "conflict" to one in which you now simply believe you have an honest disagreement with. Two entirely different positions...and I don't begrudge you the latter opinion at all. Cheers, Bill!
Who cares? Neither Kennedy or West have any chance of winning.
Yes, when you single out one issue and ignore everything else that RFK stands for and that Hedges himself has often written about, while officially representing a coming political candidate and not disclosing it.
sorry for typo - that's "competing" not coming
He is worse than a democratic hack. He is a geek that resides in a little cut rate carney called America.
All of this was seen in Rome.
for all roads in America lead to Rome
If RFK Jr can't or won't support justice for the Palestinians, why should he be expected to support justice for anyone else? Thanks, Mr Hedges. As always, great work.
Thank you, Chris, for speaking truth to power. Sam from Occupied Palestine
Yeah, I used to be a psyched RFK Jr supporter until I realized he is an ardent Zionist, and I cannot look away from that. It really shows his character. At this point Cornel West seems the best candidate although his chances seem quite slim at this point. I'm done with voting for the best of two horrible choices.
The significance of supporting Cornel West is not the expectation of winning the presidency, but to garner enough support, votes to have swing power and therefore some measure of electorate standing. In other words, the uniparty would have to engage. Otherwise in the current political environment, they don’t have to listen. They don’t care about you. They know we have no place to go.
Exactly
An effective New Deal in the '30s and the Great Society civil rights reforms of the '60s seemed reasonable and preferable to the well organized and vocal presence of a strong radical left. Which kept the liberals in progressive mode by not allowing them to escape into tepid safety. Cornel West winning is not necessarily the main goal--reviving a real "democratic" party is.
Getting back to areal democratic party means we have to end the corporatocracy. As long as politicians are dependent on corporate donations, the two parties will be a distinction without a difference.
Alas. Won't Happen. Why not have the US surrender - we can all vote for Xi.
More bullet trains, fewer bullets. - maybe we're on a bullet train evolutionarily speaking - outta here. Oy. onward
I think it is the ONLY way to go in the US unless you want more of the same shit ad infinitum.
Even without Biden as candidate, who it seems may not survive the Hunter Biden expose. Dem party especially sucks.
RFK uses more hasbara in his talking points than Netanyahu. Can't be more of a shill than that.
Don't make excuses.
Let’s not pay too much attention to what a candidate says, at the end of the day all policy makers, including the president, will take orders from the neocons the likes of Victoria Nuland and Elliott Abrams, we learned. Obama was the ultimate test. If we want hope for our global community to thrive in harmony with nature and with one another we must find a way to remove this wicked group of individuals from power.. All they have made this far is wreak havoc throughout Africa the Middle East, Central America, Ukraine and, if we don’t stop them, Asia will be next. I wonder how on earth they can still sleep, eat and laugh knowing that they caused so much suffering, destruction and irreversible environmental damage.
Yup
That why West is the best😉
RFK JR.’s position on Israel is vile, full stop. He believes holding this position will grant him access to the big club. The hope he will evolve (ha remember that phrase) on Israel’s crimes against humanity one would have to be flat out gullible. Furthermore, the Democratic Party will never, ever let him within whiffing distance of a nomination. He should have run outside the DP if he was serious about being on a ballot.
It is seductive to be attracted to his stated positions on many other important topics of our time, but sadly he is a sheepdogger for the Democratic Party and again, nothing substantial will change.
It is shocking and surprising that Kennedy would believe and parrot the Israel lobby talking points. However, he has an incredible record of courage and integrity so I can only hope he might change his mind. RFK was a glamorous environmental lawyer who took on the vaccine safety issue when he was convinced by a mother of a vaccine damaged child, to read the research. He had everything to lose and nothing to gain publicly question vaccines and become labelled as an "anti-vaxxer;" RFK was honest about covid and went on a discovery journey with the rest of us who started asking " what the hell is going on?" RFK also took an honest and lucid position on the Ukraine War. I am going to vote for him as he a million times better than Dark Brandon who is taking us into WWW3. And better than clown car Trump too.
Kennedy is a psyop sheepdog operation. Hedges is clear here in his essay about this fringe rightwing take that Kennedy is putting forward. Of course, the bootlickers like Aaron Good (don't buy his book its worthless garbage) will attempt to assail Hedges for stating the obvious. We all have to understand that wealthy families will not save the working class in this country. I don't care which family it is. The Kennedys are a bunch of womanizing philanderers. They always have been and they always will be.
I'd like to remind you that most great leaders were "womanizing philanderers". Not trying to justify it, just stating fact.
Kennedys weren't great leaders. Great leader would be Eugene V Debs or Paul Robsen.
Kennedys were a corrupt organized crime linked family. Joseph P Kennedy was openly fascist and anti-working class.
If there is one thing I believe it is in not making excuses for erstwhile allies.
Thank you Chris for "keeping" ppl honest, or at least exposing the situation for what it is.
Based on the fact that RFK jr will destort and lie about the Israeli- Palestinian situation, I would not trust anything he says about Covid vaccines, other vaccines and other issues. He sounds like he knows what he is talking about which is a great danger because it causes people to incorrectly believe what he is saying. The man who always tells the truth and has high moral and ethical standards is Green Party candidate Cornel West. Compared to Cornel West RFJ jr is second rate.
Read his book on Fauci and the corruption of the health agencies. It’s exhaustively annotated. Absolutely nothing in it that is not on public record and certifiably proven. I don’t like RFK jrs. Israeli stance either, but when it comes to the Covid response and vaccine lies he is way ahead of the liberal geo political intellectuals. Neither Chris Hedges nor Cornell acknowledge or even address what is the biggest most immoral scam of our time. The discrimination against vaccine sceptics and people demanding bodily autonomy was worse than the McCarthy era. Absolutely appalling, but silence and no apologies from the likes of Chomsky and co. Even as the facts prove daily that they were dead wrong. So....nobody gets is right all the time.
Brilliant editorial Chris.
Concise.
I am 75 years young and I am autistic whatever that may mean.
I was just talking to my wife of many years and I suddenly realized the power of false perceptions.
My wife is a Doctor of Philosophy and I could not do school. I thought she was an academic but she is a philosopher. You can't serve two masters
At 85 she is a reader and we aren't very mobile and the library isn't friendly to our infirmities.
It took a long time to understand how much my wife loves reading and even longer to realize she loved reading fiction.
We are taught fiction is fictitious and history is fact.
If I want to know real history I don't read Bechloss or Meacham I read Melville, Steinbeck, Miller or Twain.
It is only through fiction that we can speak our real truths.
I was thinking of a name for America's third party lead by Brother Cornell. Rosebud came to mind.
Orson Wells was a truthteller, William Randolph Hearst not so much.
You can look up Rosebud and learn how we got here.
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/apr/25/citizen-kane-rosebud
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citizen_Kane
In Canada we have John Ralston Saul, Irving Abella and Rene Levesque to tell us real history as Canadian historians. Canada was never an Empire. Today it is mostly a US colony but here in Quebec we speak a Latin Language. We are Latinos who are better educated than Americans. We are healthier, wealthier on average and far more secure and freer than our southern neighbours. We are a secular humanist liberal democracy. We had a quiet revolution and went from the 19th century to the 21st century during my lifetime.
Levesque served in FDR's European command during the second world war as a journalist and covered the liberation of Dachau.
If I want to know about Russia Ukraine I read Twain. He knew Russia and he knew Ukraine. His The American Claimant is a Jewish Pale of Settlement story that explains the wise men of Chelm.
The truth is as one of our alumni the evolutionary linguist Steven Pinker says we got what we wanted.
I am sure Chris is responding; careful what you wish for.
It is the story of King Midas.
I am also a reader.no TV.
What one learns from fiction is endless.
Fiction is often a telling of a story which we have often heard before with some squiggles. Of course I don't believe everything I read but in fiction there is empathy/evil/pain etc.
Put your TV's away and read.
I learned how to write in my fifties. It is hard to watch tv and it is hard to read. I love writing but time just seems to slip away. I don't wear a watch and neither does my wife. We don't really care what time it is Sometimes she gets to bed at 4 AM and I am just getting up to write. We eat all our meals together and they can be anytime we want. We still share a bed.
Life is good.
Happy days for you.
TV free America, the environmental movement of the mind.
Wish we could have stuck to the topic of genocidal Israel.
Are you a hall monitor?
I suppose so. Israel is the most important thing we never discuss and this thread is one rare opportunity to do so. I hope that you will read my long comment in the thread.
Yes, read fiction and non-fiction. They both increase our knowledge and understanding of ourselves and the world and also stimulate our imagination.
Thank you, Chris, for tearing the mask of 'progressivism' from Kennedy's face. Lying is nothing new for him.
Admittedly, RFK Jr.'s stance on Israel is a problem. But I don't think he even pretends to be "progressive" at least not as that term is understood in today's culture. He could be a liar, but he's certainly more well-informed on a broader scope of issues than any other candidate for President.
I agree that listening to RFK JR on Israel is viscerally painful and disappointing. Frankly, I click off. But his diatribes on this topic are like outdated hasbara from the 70s -- almost as though the sheer stupidity of what he is saying is a signal. On other topics, that go far beyond his training as a lawyer, he is fully informed and erudite. For example, on vaccines, you would think he has a PhD in virology or immunology. In fact, he has a real-life PhD in the history of the JFK administration and his father’s Dept of Justice within it. JFK and RFK, unlike many in their day, knew what was going on with Israel. It seems improbable the RFK JR would not know this at his core and have taken up their cause. Consider, he knows who killed his uncle and father. Consider, he is a supporter of Palestinian Sirhan Sirhan’s innocence in his father’s murder. Consider, he is playing dumb to insure his own survival.
Then he is not being honest!
- I vaxxed
- I masked
- I stayed away from
crowds
- I did what the infection
disease expects said was
the prudent thing to do.
- I followed and 'had faiths' in the science.
*Kennedy should have taken a few science courses during his schooling.*
If you disagree I'm happy that you lived thru your bad choices. Live long a prosper. Comrades
Oh come now. To cast any group as all the same is the very definition of prejudice! More to the point, the Palestinian Christians (mostly Arab, plurality Eastern Orthodox) corroborate the testimony of Muslim Palestinians.
Of course the western empiricists, rationalists, materialist reductionists, and economic determinists did away with all of that. Better living through chemistry, A bombs for peace, genetic engineering, whatever. Euro and Euro-American thinkers must believe technological quick fixes will solve any subsequent problems by the very same abstract mental processes that created them. More cultural blindness seen quite clearly by us indigenous thinkers.