Tulsi Gabbard is, if nothing else, ideologically consistent about international affairs. Here she is talking to the Wolfman in January 2016, blaming President for "refusing to recognize who our enemy is," whom she identified as "radical Islam."
Her message earlier this week was almost exactly the same:
The United States must stand with Israel in the face of this terror attack by the Islamist terrorist group Hamas. This is just the latest example of the greater war being waged by both Sunni and Shia Islamist jihadists throughout the world. This should be a wakeup call to leaders…
There are few if any places in American media today which acknowledge the impact of radical Islam on the global scene. For the hundreds- perhaps thousands- of cable news segments about the invasion of Israel by Hamas militants/terrorists, including acknowledgment upon the impact upon the Jewish community of Israel, there is a brazen avoidance of mentioning "Islam" or "Muslim" or even "Islamic extremists."
That's not surprising on CNN and especially not on MSNBC, home to Ali Velshi, Ayman Mohyeldin, and Mehdi Hasan, at least the latter two who have blamed Israel in part for the calculated, murderous rampage of the radically Islamist Hamas. But even Fox News, perhaps stung by being criticized over the years as being "Islamophobic," appears unable to consider the impact of the Middle East's religious fanatics.
Fox News may have the best motive for avoiding talking about religious extremism because it might elicit comparison with our own nation's religious extremists, usually Republican and invariably conservative. The unwillingness to engage on that issue is unfortunate, not only because we have not fully addressed our domestic problem, but also because of the contrast between the fanaticism in the USA and that exhibited through the Muslim world, now fully on display in the Middle East.
As a current member of the Science of Identity Foundation, Gabbard has her own motive to criticize radical Islam because SIF is an offshoot of Hinduism, whose adherents presently are at odds with Muslims in several nations. She thus is an imperfect messenger, also because....
🚨New: Tulsi Gabbard responds to Sean Hannity's question if she would be Trump's Vice President in 2024. @TulsiGabbard said, “I look forward to having that conversation. That would be a very serious conversation. I want to be in a position to help protect our country's freedom.” pic.twitter.com/idmKQsOWm4
— The Calvin Coolidge Project (@TheCalvinCooli1) October 10, 2023
Still, Gabbard had a point in 2016, and she does now. Moreover, it would be clarifying if both (or either, let's not be greedy) legacy media and social media at least would identify Hamas properly. Now that the terrorist organization and political entity has made good on its goal of slaughtering hordes of Jews and appears ready to murder hostages, we shouldn't ignore the obvious.
Stacy M. Brown is Senior National Correspondent of the
National Newspaper Publishers Association, which describes itself as "the
collection of more than 200 Black community news." She writes
Black Americans have expressed a range of emotions regarding
Hamas’ recent and deadly attack on Israel, with many taking to social media to
highlight what they perceive as a lack of support from Israel and some members
of the Jewish community for the Black Lives Matter Movement.
The sentiment was especially pronounced after George Floyd’s
assassination in Minnesota in 2020.
Brown notes that in a statement released Saturday, her own
organization
representing the Black Press of America, forthrightly
condemns the brutal, fatal terrorist attacks today on the Jewish people and the
nation of Israel by Hamas. Terrorism against innocent civilians in Israel and
in any other place in the world can never be justified, tolerated, or
sanctioned. We stand firmly in solidarity with Israel.
As heartening as that is, she explains also
Numerous posts on social media platforms feature hashtags
like #BLM and #PLM, underscoring the perceived parallels between the struggles
of Palestinians and African Americans in their fight against systemic racism.
One widely circulated message emphasized the cross-border nature of these
movements, stating, “Palestinians & African Americans have been [creating]
a social movement, without borders, to fight systemic racism. As part of
international protests, in Palestine/Israel signs read ‘Justice for Eyad.
Justice for George.’, ‘Black lives MATTER. Palestinian lives MATTER.’”
Black Lives Matter Grassroots, a collection of
racial-justice activists, released a statement “in solidarity with the
Palestinian people” on Tuesday, days after Hamas terrorists slaughtered at
least 900 Israeli civilians.
“When a people have been subject to decades of apartheid and
unimaginable violence, their resistance must not be condemned, but understood
as a desperate act of self-defense,” the group said.
The organization said it “stands in solidarity with our
Palestinian family who are currently resisting 57 years of settler colonialism
and apartheid.”
“As Black people continue the fight to end militarism and
mass incarceration in our own communities, let us understand the resistance in
Palestine as an attempt to tear down the gates of the world’s largest open air
prison. As a radical Black organization grounded in abolitionist ideals, we see
clear parallels between Black and Palestinian people,” BLM Grassroots said.
They may flatter themselves by considering themselves
"abolitionist," but there are numerous nations with widespread
practice of slavery, of which two are not Israel or the USA. Still
“We, too, understand what it means to be surveilled, dehumanized,
property seized, families separated, our people criminalized and slaughtered
with impunity, locked up in droves, and when we resist they call us
terrorists,” the statement adds. “We, too, dream of a world where our people
may live freely on decolonized land. May the borders, checkpoints, prisons,
police and watchlists that terrorize our communities crumble and may the world
we build from their ashes honor those who have fallen in struggle.”
Those police and prisons sure make living in the USA resemble
hell on earth. I'm not sure who is being surveilled, their properties seized
while they are being slaughtered, but it's nowhere I'd want to live. And
nowhere I, as an American, recognize. Moreover
The group concluded by calling for the dismantling of the
“entire apartheid system” and urging the U.S. government to “immediately stop
funding war and redirect the $4 billion in annual spending from the Israeli
military to repair the damage caused by U.S.-backed wars, military air strikes,
coups, and destabilizing interventions against oppressed people around the
world.”
Black Lives Matter Grassroots apparently is no breakaway
faction of the Black Lives Matter Global Network. Rather, as explained by
Wikipedia
The establishment of Black Lives Matter Grassroots and the
establishment of the BLM PAC were simultaneously announced on October 9, 2020,
in the "2020 Impact Report" document. It seeks to retain the original
BLM movement's origins and unify its many chapters under the new BLM Grassroots
name. It pushes for more unified, targeted stances on various issues which
impact the black community, along with social and economic justice in general.
Understanding a social justice movement is typically
imperfect, though some comprehend better than others. Amar'e Stoudamire was raised in
the USA as a Baptist, played in the National Basketball Association, moved to
Israel and played in its league and for the Canadian men's national basketball
team, became an Israeli citizen (though owning property in the USA), and
converted to Judaism. Saturday, on an Instagram post
I woke up this morning with some disturbing news out of
Israel that Hamas [are] kidnapping children, putting them in cages, killing
women, killing the elderly. That's some coward s**t. That's cowardly. And for
all y'all Black Live Matter [supporters] who ain't saying nothing, [saying]
'Let me figure out exactly what's happening before saying anything', f**k
you," he said passionately.
"Figure out what? It ain't never been cool to kidnap
kids and put them in cages, ain't never been cool to kill women and [the]
elderly. Never been, no matter where you're from, what you represent, or trying
to be. Don't matter. They never been no cool," he continued.
Stoudemire singled out people who struggle to pick a side or
stay quiet when people are dying.
"And then you go on high and put the kids in front of
you as a barricade. That's some coward shit. All you politicians who always
have to say something on the contrary, I see you, f**k you. All you Black Lives
Matter people who always have something to say and always support everything
else and are quiet now, f**k you too," Amar'e said.
"Only place in the world where I can go tour, study,
and eat cultured food. Only place in the world," he said about Israel.
"Some coward s**t dawg... If y'all support it, f**k you. Me and my momma,
we don't respect none of y'all for that. Peace."
The response of private individuals, politicians, organizations, and other parties to the terroristic war launched by Hamas tells us a great deal about the values of those parties, and that includes- profanity aside- Mr. Stoudamire and the increasingly reprehensible Black Lives Matter.
As Nikki Haley hasn't quite learned, the key to Republican hearts is not to criticize President Biden for almost anything, but to criticize him for everything.
This is not just an attack on Israel—this was an attack on America.
At least, it's a good sentiment, and it wasn't until 1:13 into her remarks that she mentioned "Iran." By contrast, most GOP politicians are selling a fixation on Iran and Joe Biden::
Not missing a beat, the ever-confused governor of Florida got in on the bashing.
Israel is now under attack by Iranian-backed Hamas terrorists. Iran has helped fund this war against Israel and Joe Biden's policies that have gone easy on Iran have helped fill their coffers.
We are going to stand with Israel as they root out Hamas and we need to stand up to… pic.twitter.com/FENQtAxiDE
These latter two were the much more typical Republican responses to the invasion by Hamas of the ancient land of Palestine- uh, er, the state of Israel despite (or because) the $6 billion hasn't even been received by Iran. According to State Department spokesman John Kirby, the funds now are held by the Qatari National Bank and though available for withdrawal if requested by Teheran, "are paid to vetted third-party vendors for food, medicine, medical products and agricultural products to go into Iran over a period of years. If there is any diversion, we'll know it and we'll lock up these accounts."
The deal with Iran, which included the return of five Americans held hostage there, played no role in the invasion by Hamas, with weaponry supplied by Iran, of the only democratic nation in the Middle East. Nor did the money come from American taxpayers, but instead funds seized as part of the sanctions imposed upon Iran.
Haley understands the need for Israel to prevail over Hamas, even apart from Iranian influence, though her lust for the GOP presidential nomination may color her emphasis in the coming days. However, there is otherwise reason for skepticism about her comment, especially in regard to "finish them."
Presumably- and hopefully- she's referring specifically to Hamas, rather than to the Gazans generally. And 'tis the rub. There are several dozen- maybe more- Israelis being held hostage by the terrorists of Harakah al-Muqawaman al-Islamiyyah. They may be held in a dining hall, tunnels, and/or "safe places."
Rescuing these hostages may be tricky, requiring a major invasion at the least, which may result in the deaths of numerous innocent civilians in Gaza. And when you're a democratic nation which always has prioritized minimizing casualties among non-combatants of your own and the enemy, the operation becomes even more difficult to pull off successfully.
So "finishing them" will be very difficult even for, ironically maybe especially for, the Israeli Defense Forces. The idea of finishing off Hamas itself may be unrealistic, yet would be, as Haley seems to understand, the best possible outcome of the war.
Raheem Kassam, the editor in chief of The National Pulse and
former director of Breitbart News London recently interviewed Donald Trump and
asked
And I wonder, you know, between the crime, especially in the
cities, immigration, the border, what's going on overseas at the moment, did
you ever think you would see this level of "American carnage"?
No, nobody has ever seen anything like this. And I think we
could say worldwide. I think you could go to the... you could go to a banana
republic and pick the worst one, and you're not going to see what we're
witnessing now. No control whatsoever. Nobody has any idea where these people
are coming from, and we know they come from prisons. We know they come from
mental institutions [and] insane asylums. We know they're terrorists. Nobody
has ever seen anything like we're witnessing right now. It is a very sad thing
for our country. It's poisoning the blood of our country. It's so bad, and
people are coming in with disease. People are coming in with every possible
thing that you could have.
Snopes flags six passages in Adolph Hitler's infamous Mein
Kampf in which the world's worst-of-all-time (WOAT) fascist invoked the same
theme; "poison of foreign races;" "poisonous fluid"
seemingly "injected by some mysterious hand into the bloodstream of this
once heroic body;" "poison which was allowed to enter the nation's
bloodstream;" "poisons the blood;" and "poison of
miscegenation." However, in the
closest parallel
the poison which has invaded the national body, especially
since the Thirty Years' War, has destroyed the uniform constitution not only of
our blood but also of our national soul. The open frontiers of our native
country, the association with non-German foreign elements in the territories
that lie all along those frontiers, and especially the strong influx of foreign
blood into the interior of the Reich itself, has prevented any complete
assimilation of those various elements, because the influx has continued
steadily.
When Donald Trump says "these people," he's not
referring to a few among many, but to all immigrants who are "poisoning
the blood of our country (and) coming in with disease," he is presaging
the fascist state he intents to construct if again elected President.
He is also exhibiting something though a little less
dangerous, yet worth noting. When Donald
Trump remarks "it's poisoning the blood of our country, " he's not
speaking of history or culture, not of nurture but of nature. It's reminiscent
of Trump's alleged comment, reported in July 2016, which had appeared in a 1991
book written by John O'Donnell. O'Donnell had been Chief Operating Officer of
Trump Plaza casino and recounted a conversation he had with Trump which
included
I couldn't believe I was hearing this. But Donald went on
"Besides this, I've got to tell you something else. I think that the guy
is lazy. And it's probably not his fault because laziness is a trait in blacks.
It really is, I believe that. It's not anything they can control.... Don't you
agree?" He looked me square in the eye and waited for my reply.
We are accustomed in the USA circa 2023 of accusations of
"racism," usually invoked by the left but sometimes by the center and
occasionally by the right. The term
shouldn't be tossed around like styrofoam but more like a manhole cover. Not
all- not even most- bigotry or prejudice is racism, which has its root in a
belief in one's superiority or inferiority by dint of their birth. That is what
Donald J. Trump and Adolph Hitler have meant by 'blood."
We've undermined the significance of "racism"
while dumbing down its significance. In so doing, we underappreciate the
malevolence of racism when it emerges. When Donald Trump exhibits racism, it
should not be a one-day story or lost in the avalanche of "crazy" or "offensive" or even cruel statements he makes.
To be accurate, as I'm able to do absent advertising and
political ambition- it was not a Muslim ban but a ban on travel to the USA from
several nations, most of them Muslim. Still, point made and six years ago
Last year Kelly incorrectly said that (US Representative
Frederica) Wilson derailed the dedication of a Federal Bureau of Investigation
building to brag about having “called up President [Barack] Obama for the funding,”
characterizing her as part of a “long tradition of empty barrels making the
most noise.” A video of the event proved that claim to be false.
Wilson said that Kelly’s “empty barrel” insult had racial
connotations. Sociologists have described the treatment of Wilson by the White
House — namely President Donald Trump’s tweet ridiculing her as “wacky” — as
out of a historic playbook characterizing people of color and black
professionals as unfit.
In October, Trump and Kelly sought to undercut Wilson after
she criticized Trump’s comments in a call to Myeshia Johnson, the widow of an
Army sergeant killed in an ambush in Niger. Wilson overheard a call in which
Trump told Myeshia Johnson that the sergeant “knew what he signed up for.”
Kelly’s claim inflamed supporters of the president. Wilson
became the target of death threats, including threats of lynching and nooses
through the mail. The threats became so severe that she could not cast votes.
If Kelly didn't want to acknowledge that his accusation was
inaccurate, he might have at least called for calm among Trump supporters
Nonetheless
Kelly has stood by his comments.
Days after video footage disproved his account of Wilson’s
behavior, in an interview with Fox News’ “Ingraham Angle,” host Laura Ingraham
asked if the chief of staff if he felt he had a reason to apologize, to which
Kelly responded “No. Never.”
“I’ll apologize if I need to, but for something like this,
absolutely not,” he said.
Kelly set the record straight with on-the-record
confirmation of a number of damning stories about statements Trump made behind
closed doors attacking US service members and veterans, listing a number of
objectionable comments Kelly witnessed Trump make firsthand.
“What can I add that has not already been said?” Kelly said,
when asked if he wanted to weigh in on his former boss in light of recent
comments made by other former Trump officials. “A person that thinks those who
defend their country in uniform, or are shot down or seriously wounded in
combat, or spend years being tortured as POWs are all ‘suckers’ because ‘there
is nothing in it for them.’ A person that did not want to be seen in the
presence of military amputees because ‘it doesn’t look good for me.’ A person
who demonstrated open contempt for a Gold Star family – for all Gold Star
families – on TV during the 2016 campaign, and rants that our most precious
heroes who gave their lives in America’s defense are ‘losers’ and wouldn’t
visit their graves in France.
“A person who is not truthful regarding his position on the
protection of unborn life, on women, on minorities, on evangelical Christians,
on Jews, on working men and women,” Kelly continued. “A person that has no idea
what America stands for and has no idea what America is all about. A person who
cavalierly suggests that a selfless warrior who has served his country for 40
years in peacetime and war should lose his life for treason – in expectation
that someone will take action. A person who admires autocrats and murderous
dictators. A person that has nothing but contempt for our democratic
institutions, our Constitution, and the rule of law.
“There is nothing more that can be said,” Kelly concluded.
“God help us.”
In the statement, Kelly is confirming, on the record, a
number of details in a 2020 story in The Atlantic by editor-in-chief Jeffrey
Goldberg.
With or without exposing Trump, Kelly could have walked away
from him before the election in 2016. He could have exposed Trump prior to the
election of 2020, thereby doing his part to help Joe Biden win. Or he could
have exposed DJT soon before the first or the second impeachment trial.
Interestingly, in this statement from Gen. Kelly excoriating Trump, he mentions awful things Trump did during the 2016 election and yet… Kelly happily went to work for Trump after 2016, first at DHS and then at the White House, as chief of staff. 🤷🏽♂️ https://t.co/WIpacKUnw0
General Kelly finally is speaking out about Donald Trump's blatant contempt for members of the Armed Services and adding to the historical record, so let's not look a gift horse in the mouth. But the gift needs to be put into perspective. Kelly is no Milley. Timing, like size, matters and Kelly's timing suits his interests and not the best interests of the American people. He is a careerist- of far greater integrity than those who still are keeping their silence, but still self-interested.
Everyone is talking about Biden's age, and yet Trump has gone downhill very fast. When he gets back on TV, folks are going to see that. https://t.co/2oJsCezksO
While Noah Smith believes Trump is suffering from cognitive dysfunction, a Democratic ex-Senator believes he is deranged, out of control, bizarre, and sick.
The speech he gave today was beyond meandering. It was deranged, vicious, out of control, bizarre, and sick. And they all laughed. And it was on a teleprompter. So someone wrote that shit? Seriously scary. And they all laughed. https://t.co/L0Kxan2aBc
If Biden said something as whacky as dampening forest floors with water (Trump says he cost us nothing) the media would be filled with stories about how he was completely senile and lost touch with reality. https://t.co/puoHgU9gbG
Hamsters, sharks, forests, old men getting beaten by hammers. You'd almost think Trump likes to ramble about subjects which are off-topic, irrelevant, and expose him to ridicule. But playing the part of Isaiah- the voice of one crying in the wilderness- is an ex-Republican, ex-congressman active on Twitter/X.
The former president this past week said he wanted to kill the nation’s top-ranking military officer and Republicans didn’t say a damn thing. Republicans were silent.
Don’t tell me my former political party can be saved.
On September 24, the day after Trump condemned General Mark Milley for "an act so egregious that, in times past, the punishment would have been DEATH!" he tweeted
They are almost all dishonest and corrupt, but Comcast, with
its one-side and vicious coverage by NBC NEWS, and in particular MSNBC, often
and correctly referred to as MSDNC (Democrat National Committee!), should be
investigated for its “Country Threatening Treason.” Their endless coverage of
the now fully debunked SCAM known as Russia, Russia, Russia, and much else, is
one big Campaign Contribution to the Radical Left Democrat Party. I say up
front, openly, and proudly, that when I WIN the Presidency of the United
States, they and others of the LameStream Media will be thoroughly scrutinized
for their knowingly dishonest and corrupt coverage of people, things, and
events. Why should NBC, or any other of the corrupt & dishonest media
companies, be entitled to use the very valuable Airwaves of the USA, FREE? They
are a true threat to Democracy and are, in fact, THE ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE! The
Fake News Media should pay a big price for what they have done to our once
great Country!
The maximum punishment for treason- levying war against the USA
or giving aid and comfort to its enemies- is death under the US code. Donald Trump promises that as President,
NBC/MSNBC will be "thoroughly scrutinized" for being "the enemy
of the people" and will pay "a big price for "country-threatening treason."
Last December, the election denier posted "A Massive
Fraud of this type and magnitude allows for the termination of all rules,
regulations, and articles, even those found in the Constitution. Our great
'Founders' did not want, and would not condone, False & Fraudulent Elections!"
No rules, regulations, article, or Constitution- one man will make the rules,
and all the rules. Anyone reporting it will will be charged with
treason and dealt with accordingly.
But after Trump promised he would prosecute a media company, obliterate the Constitution and criminal laws, and execute
generals who don't fight this battle with him, he spoke of hamsters, forests,
and Paul Pelosi. The attention of the media was briefly diverted to matters for
which the ex-President can be accused of being bizarre, senile, or wacky.
He has tweeted that US
District Judge Tanya Chutkan, presiding over the 2020 election interference
case, is "VERY BIASED & UNFAIR!" but not that she should be executed. Under indictment in four cases, he went to
the Palmetto State Armory Outlet in South Carolina and declared "I want to
buy one" (Glock firearm) but did not actually request one. He did not declare that Milley should be killed, only that in the past he would have been- and added DEATH" in all caps to remove any possibility of hyperbole.
Yet, he can't be expected to say explicitly "I intend to impose one-man rule" or "I am a fascist" or "I will execute my enemies." It won't happen. He will go up to the edge, prompt great concern, then back off.
It works for children, and it works for him. Also effective
is making several ostensibly weird statements amidst some very dangerous ones, so
the latter are lost in the confusion. With the astonishing but less bizarre
remarks, he's telling us what he would do if elected President again, which is far more dangerous than he has done previously and far more destructive to the country than is senility.
In Acts 7:32 (ESV) of the New Testament, Stephen explains that at
the burning bush, God notified Moses "I am the God of your fathers, the
God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob.’ And Moses trembled and did not dare
to look."
Sad (not surprising) to say, Tulsi Gabbard's followers on Twitter/X seem
unaware this probably is not who the former US Representative from Hawaii, now
a political Independent, is referring to:
When we feel the pressure to conform to the insanity of a God-less culture driven by a totalitarian power elite, we must ask ourselves: who are we trying to please? Whoever we are trying to please, that is who we serve. God gives us free will to choose - will we serve Him, or… pic.twitter.com/1ypnyOuuo7
The first Samoan and Hindu member of the United States
Congress was raised in an offshoot, headed by a Chris Butler, of the Hare
Krishna movement. The Science in
Identity Foundation appears to hold Hindu beliefs with a dose of extreme anti-gay, anti-Muslim sentiment. Raised by a Catholic father and Hindu mother
Gabbard has described her experience growing up in the group
as one that was seemingly positive, some other ex-members have described
themselves as survivors of a cult.
"I was raised to believe Chris Butler was God's voice
on earth, and if you questioned him or offended him in any way, you were
effectively offending God," someone who identifies as a former member of
the SIF wrote in a 2017 Medium post. "Questioning the leader was spiritual
suicide, which was seen as worse than death."
Another former member told New York Magazine that Butler was
vulgar and vindictive, excoriating people for small slip-ups like driving
poorly or failing to clean water cups properly.
The congresswoman has cited
"my gratitude to (Butler), for the gift of this wonderful spiritual
practice that he has given to me and to so many people." However
Gabbard has often downplayed the influence of Butler,
telling the New Yorker that she has "had many different spiritual
teachers, and continue[s] to." But she acknowledged that he had shaped her
Hindu identity, referring to him as her "guru dev," or spiritual
guide. Gabbard also told the New York Times in 2019 that Butler and his work
still guide her.
The guru dev brooks no criticism and is described by former members as controlling the members of a cult but
Butler has denied these claims, and Gabbard told the New
Yorker that these experiences didn't chalk up to her own: "I've never
heard him say anything hateful, or say anything mean about anybody,"
Gabbard said. "I can speak to my own personal experience and, frankly, my
gratitude to him, for the gift of this wonderful spiritual practice that he has
given to me, and to so many people."
A year ago, Tulsi's aunt, a retired University of Hawaii
English professor, told The Independent
Once again I find my niece’s
apparent penchant for parroting extremist toadies such as Tucker Carlson and
vile ‘strongmen’ such as Vladimir Putin, to be problematic and deeply
troubling.... It gives me no pleasure to note that Tulsi’s single governing
principle seems to be expedience, which is in effect no principle at all.
The snide smile sported by Gabbard at the 1:00 mark of the
tweeted video supports Caroline Sinavaiana Gabbard's opinion that her niece is guided by
expedience rather than faith. Or perhaps Gabbard, as a Hindu, believes in the religion's many deities, a theological belief contrasting sharply with the monotheism of
Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.
We may never know, though.
All a public figure needs to do to get a free pass is to say
"God" (or perhaps "god") as the media shrinks from its
responsibility to ask for clarification. But Tulsi Gabbard, who once
substituted for Tucker Carlson on Fox News and is a critic of the Democratic
Party she once belonged to, is still a player, slightly diminished. When an
individual cites God in promoting a political agenda, especially one legitimately
considered hateful, her remarks should not be taken at face value.
