Public Posts

"Since October 7th, 2023, fault lines around Palestinian solidarity have changed the landscape of visual art.....A wave of anti-Palestinian repression has swept the Western art world in the aftermath of October 7th, 2023. From Amsterdam to San Francisco, artists who have criticized Israel’s brutal war on Gaza have seen their exhibitions canceled, their work deinstalled, and other opportunities rescinded. Some of these incidents have been met with major backlash" More at Hyperallergic ➜

"Survey after survey has found that Americans agree that the political system is not serving them......Americans say they are angry at the political dysfunction, disgusted with the divisive rhetoric, weary from the lack of options, and feel unheard and unrepresented" More at The Conversation ➜

It has been reported that 11,000 Political Groups have spent $14.7 Billion to Influence the 2024 U.S. Election. What can we do? ...We can allow to be persuaded by all the disinformation, or we can let our conscience be our guide and vote for the candidate who we would be proud to invite into our homes, talk to our family and inspire our children or grandchildren. Anything else is a compromise we cannot afford.

Larry Joseph Sabato - American political scientist, political analyst. and author. He is the founder and director of the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics, which also  publishes Sabato's Crystal Ball, an online newsletter and website that provides free political analysis and electoral projections. He is the author of over twenty books on politics including the Pendulum Swing. He is the co-author with Glenn R. Simpson of Dirty Little Secrets: The Persistence of Corruption in American Politics

 "The plight of Palestinian civilians trapped in North Gaza is unbearable. Just in the past few weeks, hundreds of people have been killed, according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, and more than 60,000 others have been forced to flee yet again, many fearing not being able to return.  

The Secretary-General is shocked by the harrowing levels of death, injury and destruction in the north, with civilians trapped under rubble, the sick and wounded going without life-saving health care, and families lacking food and shelter, amid reports of families being separated and many people detained. 

Repeated efforts to deliver humanitarian supplies essential to survive – food, medicine and shelter – continue to be denied by the Israeli authorities, with few exceptions, putting countless lives in peril. The postponement of the final phase of the polio vaccination campaign in northern Gaza is putting the lives of thousands of children at risk.

The Secretary-General warns that the widespread devastation and deprivation resulting from Israel’s military operations in North Gaza – especially around Jabalya, Beit Lahiya and Beit Hanoun – are making the conditions of life untenable for the Palestinian population there. This conflict continues to be waged with little regard for the requirements of international humanitarian law. 

The Secretary-General underscores that the parties to the conflict must respect and protect civilians, including humanitarian workers and first responders whose vital work must be facilitated and protected – not impeded and jeopardized.

In the name of humanity, the Secretary-General reiterates his calls for an immediate ceasefire, the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, and accountability for crimes under international law."

"The U.S. military trained him in explosives and battlefield tactics. Now the Iraq War veteran and enlisted National Guard member was calling for taking up arms against police and government officials in his own country"...  More at AP NEWS ➜

"Every year has been catastrophic for Palestinians around the world, but the past 12 months have been unimaginable".... More at The Guardian ➜

"For 365 days we have watched unspeakable horrors unfold in front of our eyes. It is hard to believe that one year later, the same atrocities continue unabated, not only in Gaza but across Palestine and the Middle East"  More at Mondoweiss ➜

..."Tariffs are essentially taxes on imported products, and they are paid not by foreign countries but by American consumers. Economists warn that Trump’s tariff plan would cost a typical family an average of more than $2,600 a year, with poorer families hardest hit; spike inflation as high as 20%; result in 50,000 to 70,000 fewer jobs created each month; slow economic growth; and add about $5.8 trillion in deficits over ten years".....More at Letters from an American

A political ideology is a certain set of common ethical ideals, principles, and doctrines of a social movement, institution, or group, which promotes the gathering of like minded individuals and groups to pursue and support those common ideals and goals. So, what happens when political leaders outright lie to us or purposely mislead us?... Each one of us has our own opinion in answer to this question, the bottom line is, if we are fed misinformation we are not able to pursue our ideals, as we are being channeled to pursue the goals of those who are lying to us and ignore our own. This happens in different degrees and on both sides of the political spectrum. As an example, please read yesterdays issue of Letters from an American by Heather Cox

On September 18, 2024, 124 of the 181 member states voted in favor of the measure. The United States, alongside 13 other nations, voted against the resolution, that sets a 12-month time frame to end Israel’s "illegal occupation of the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza".  More at The Intercept➜

"Grace Fischer survived the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School by staying quiet and huddled, as her first grade teacher softly read “The Nutcracker.”...Then she spent the rest of her childhood watching mostly from the sidelines as dozens of similar shootings shattered other schools across the country." More at NBC News ➜