Ilhan Omar, Who Accuses Jewish Students of Being "Pro-Genocide", Supports The Pro-Genocide Hamas

During a visit to the occupation encampment at Columbia University on Friday, Minnesota Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar said this about Jewish students:

I actually met a lot of Jewish students that are in the encampment. And I think it is really unfortunate that people don't care about the fact that all Jewish kids should be kept safe and that we should not have to tolerate antisemitism or bigotry for all Jewish students, whether they're pro-genocide or anti-genocide.

Well, for starters, Omar doesn't give a flying fuck about the safety of Jewish students. Her agenda was to willfully promote hatred against Jews by claiming that Jewish students who support Israel are supporters of genocide. 

In reality, however, Omar is projecting her own qualities on those Jewish students at Columbia and elsewhere with whom she disagrees. Those who are occupying Columbia and other campuses have made it clear they support Hamas. By visiting Columbia, Omar has made it equally clear she is in solidarity with the occupiers including her own daughter. 

Indeed, if anyone can be considered to have pro-genocide views it is occupiers at Columbia University who chant "Long Live Hamas!!!"

The only reason Hamas exists is to kill Jews. That makes Hamas an inherently genocidal organization. If you doubt me then please go ahead and read the Hamas Covenant for yourself.

Thus, any student occupying Columbia or any other college campus who chants "Long live Hamas!!!" or "We are Hamas!!!" can be considered pro-genocide.

This also extends who stands in solidarity with the college occupiers. That means you, Ilhan Omar.

The Cinematography is The Story in Days of Heaven

 

On Saturday night, I went to the Brattle Theatre to see Days of Heaven. Released in 1978, it stars Richard Gere, Brooke Adams, Sam Shepard and Linda Manz and directed by Terence Malick. Nominated for four Academy Awards, the late Nestor Almendros earned an Oscar for Best Cinematography.

It was a well-deserved win for Almendros because the cinematography is the story in Days of Heaven. Never have wheatfields, turkeys and even locusts looked more beautiful. While the story is set in the Texas panhandle, Days of Heaven was filmed in southwestern Alberta not far from where my Mom grew up. The vast farmland and skyline reminded me of the times I visited the Crowsnest Pass in the late 1970's around the time Days of Heaven was released. I could also tell Days of Heaven was shot in Canada because of the use of Canadian Pacific Rail freight trains. 

If not for the picturesque scenery, the story itself is fairly ordinary. Gere and Adams star as a couple (Bill and Abby) posing as brother and sister who find work on a large farm owned by Shepherd. The farmer, who is never named, falls in love with Abby and Bill persuades Abby to pursue the farmer after overhearing the farmer has a year to live. Bill and Abby are accompanied by Bill's real younger sister Linda (Linda Manz) who also narrates the film. 

Manz was only 15 when the film was shot and would be brought in to narrate the film a year later as Malick was struggling to edit the final product. Manz's narration is a stream of consciousness yet at the same time sounds like a teenaged girl who came of age during WWI nowhere near a classroom. Sadly, Manz passed away in 2020 of lung cancer at the age of 58. 

Days of Heaven was Malick's second film after Badlands which was released in 1973. I have never seen Badlands but understand Days of Heaven is in some ways not dissimilar from his debut film and would very much like to see it. Remarkably, Malick did not make another film for 20 years until the The Thin Red Line. Malick has been more prolific in this century and is currently at work in post-production on a new film called The Way of the Wind which is now due for release next year.

As for Days of Heaven, the farmer and Abby marry while Bill and Linda move into the big house. They all seem happy except for Bill who yearns for Abby. You know the good times aren't going to last. The days of heaven are short-lived. But its images stay with you for eternity.

Memo to Antony Blinken: Students Occupying College Campuses Are Silent About Hamas' Actions Because They Are Pro-Hamas

While in Beijing, Secretary of State Antony Blinken characterized the occupations of university campuses such as Columbia, NYU and Yale as a "hallmark of our democracy" while decrying their silence on Hamas:

In our own country, it's a hallmark of our democracy that our citizens make known their views, their concerns, their anger, at any given time, and I think that reflects the strength of the country, the strength of democracy. It is also notable that there is silence about Hamas, as if it wasn't even part of the story.

One could make the case that Blinken made a point of characterizing these occupations as a "hallmark of our democracy" because he was in China and wanted to draw a contrast between our two countries. Yet I cannot imagine Blinken calling a congregation of election deniers, COVID deniers or Tea Partiers a "hallmark of our democracy."

Yet I think Blinken's comment concerns the occupiers' silence on Hamas is far more dubious. Why should this come as any surprise to Blinken? There have been demonstrations in praise of Hamas attack on Israel from day one. Why would these occupiers have anything to say about Hamas when they are busy chanting, "Kill the Jews!!!" as was the case at Northeastern University here in Boston? Why would these occupiers have anything to say about Hamas when they are busy telling us "Zionists don't deserve to live" as was the case at Columbia University?

In fact, the only time these occupiers aren't silent on Hamas is when they praise Hamas with chants like "Long live Hamas!!!" "We're all Hamas!!!"

In other words, those who are occupying college campuses nationwide are pro-Hamas. They have made this loud and clear. So why hasn't Secretary Blinken gotten the message?

Lowering The Barr: How Does The Former AG Believe Trump is Less Harmful To The Country Than Biden?

In his testimony to the January 6th Committee in June 2022, former Attorney General Bill Barr characterized defeated, former President Donald Trump's claims that the 2020 election was stolen as, among other things, "bullshit", "completely bullshit", "absolute rubbish", "complete nonsense" and "a great, great disservice to the country." .

In August 2023, Barr characterized the charges brought against Trump for the events of January 6th as "a legitimate case."

So naturally Barr, like any "good Republican" has endorsed Trump:

I’ve said all along, given two bad choices, I think it’s my duty to pick the person I think would do the least harm to the country. And in my mind, I will vote the Republican ticket. Trump may be playing Russian roulette, but a continuation of the Biden administration is national suicide in my opinion.

Last I checked Russian roulette was an act of suicide. In Trump's case, he has the gun pointed at America's head. How is this not an act of national suicide? How is this less harmful conduct than that of President Biden?

Barr testified under oath that Trump's election lies are a great, great disservice to the country. 

What greater disservices to the country has President Biden committed? 

Barr also acknowledges the January 6th case against Trump is legitimate. Presumably Barr believes Trump ought to be convicted of the charges against him. So why does Barr prefer to have convicted Trump in the White House than a clean Biden? Is it simply because Biden has a D next to his name? If not, what sin has Biden committed that are greater than Trump's crimes? 

Whatever the answer, by endorsing Trump, Bill Barr has once again done a great, great disservice to the country. Barr deserves the insults Trump hurled at him following his endorsement. After all, he has lowered the Barr.

Israelis Can Call Upon Netanyahu to Resign; Nancy Pelosi Shouldn't

In an interview while traveling in Ireland, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called upon Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to resign:

We recognize Israel’s right to protect itself. We reject the policy and the practice of Netanyahu. Terrible. What could be worse than what he has done in response?

He should resign. He’s ultimately responsible.

I don’t know whether he’s afraid of peace, incapable of peace, or just doesn’t want peace, but he has been an obstacle to the two-state solution.

Is Pelosi claiming Bibi's response is worse than Hamas' attack? If Bibi is an obstacle to peace, then what exactly does that make Mahmoud Abbas not to mention Hamas? Or Syria's Bahsar al-Assad

Mind you, this is the same Nancy Pelosi who 17 years ago this month had an audience with Assad against the advice of the White House and State Department. Pelosi praised Assad, “We were very pleased with the assurances we received from the president that he was ready to resume the peace process. He’s ready to engage in negotiations for peace with Israel.” 

Needless to say, this has not aged well.

But in the grand scheme of things, it isn't Nancy Pelosi's place to call for Netanyahu's resignation nor any head of state or head of government of an ally. Ditto for Chuck Schumer. 

Netanyahu's fate is up to the Israeli people. If they want to demand his resignation, I have no objections. Indeed, tens of thousands of Israelis made this very demand earlier this month. They are within their rights to do so. 

But for Pelosi, Schumer or any American public official, elected or appointed, to demand Netanyahu's resignation helps no one except Hamas, Iran and Syria. 

David McCarty Passes Away Only 10 Days After The 2004 Red Sox Reunion at Fenway Park

Former MLB player David McCarty passed away on Friday of "a cardiac event". He was 54. 

McCarty's death comes only 10 days after he was in Boston on Opening Day at Fenway Park to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the 2004 Boston Red Sox' World Series championship. 

During the ceremony, McCarty and his teammates paid tribute to Red Sox pitcher Tim Wakefield who died of cancer last October. McCarty is now the second member of the 2004 Red Sox to leave this mortal coil. 

The Red Sox were actually the final stop in McCarty's 11-year big league career which began with the Minnesota Twins in 1993. McCarty was the Twins first round draft pick in 1991 and third overall in the nation after a distinguished collegiate career at Stanford University. 

Despite being a high draft pick, McCarty's baseball career was arduous, and he vacillated back and forth between the majors and minors while with the Twins before being traded to the Cincinnati Reds during the 1995 season. McCarty's brief tenure with the Reds was spent at Triple-AAA Indianapolis before being traded to the San Francisco Giants in an 8-player deal which included Deion Sanders. 

Although McCarty saw some playing time with the Giants in 1995 and 1996, by the late 1990's he appeared to be stuck in Triple-AAA playing all of the 1997 season in Phoenix before the Giants traded him to the Seattle Mariners. McCarty spent nearly all of 1998 playing in Tacoma although he did get into 8 games with the Mariners. In 1999, McCarty signed with the Detroit Tigers but would spend all year with the Toledo Mud Hens before finally catching a break with the Kansas City Royals when he played a career high 103 games hitting .278 with 12 HR and 53 RBI. 

Unfortunately, McCarty did not repeat those numbers with KC in 2001 and would be released by the Royals in early 2002. McCarty would repeat the MLB-Triple AAA shuttle during stints with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and Oakland A's in both 2002 and 2003 until the Red Sox picked up him on waivers late in the 2003 season. 

By the time McCarty joined the Red Sox, he was a 33-year-old journeyman who knew his role and yet saw new opportunities. While primarily a backup outfielder and first baseman, McCarty was also brought in to pitch during blowouts on several occasions during the 2004 season giving much needed a relief to the Red Sox pitching staff. His willingness to try something new endeared McCarty to his teammates and the organization. Although McCarty did not play in the 2004 post-season, he nevertheless earned his World Series ring. 

McCarty would retire early in the 2005 season after declining yet another minor league assignment. In 630 career games, McCarty collected 362 hits for a lifetime batting average of .242 with 36 HR and 175 RBI. He would remain tied to the Red Sox through the 2008 season as a studio analyst for NESN before returning home to Northern California to begin his real estate career. 

Naturally, time will always remain undefeated. Indeed, Carl Erskine, the last surviving member of the 1955 World Series champion Brooklyn Dodgers, passed away earlier this week at the age of 97. Erskine would live nearly 70 years after that triumph in Brooklyn. Who among the 2004 Boston Red Sox will still be among us in 2074? Will Manny still be Manny? 

Still, both Wakefield and McCarty were only in their 50s (as am I). Wakefield's absence loomed large at the reunion and McCarty's passing so soon after it only reinforces the fact that mortality is a line thinner than the between the big leagues and Triple AAA and far more permanent. Big Papi managed to dodge death nearly five years ago but who among us gets more than one lifeline?

David McCarty has lost his life, but our memories will keep him alive such as this walk off HR off J.J. Putz on May 30, 2004. R.I.P.

Sorry Jared Moskowitz!!! Marjorie Taylor Greene Has Been To The Holocaust Museum & It Didn't Do a Bit of Good

Yesterday, Florida Democratic Congressman Jared Moskowitz called upon Georgia Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, "Get yourself over to the Holocaust Museum."

Moskowitz was prompted to do so during a House Oversight Committee after Greene likened Ukrainians to Nazis. 

Now I like Jared Moskowitz. He isn't afraid to go toe to toe with the Marjorie Taylor Greenes of the world.

However, there was one problem with his suggestion. Greene did go to the National Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C. back in June 2021 after she had likened COVID restrictions to Nazism. Greene claimed, “Vaccinated employees get a vaccination logo just like the Nazi’s forced Jewish people to wear a gold star.”

At the time of her visit, Greene was full of contrition stating, "There is no comparison to the Holocaust". Yet less than a month after her visit, Greene called the Biden Administration "brown shirts" for their COVID vaccine distribution program. 

During an interview with Steve Bannon in November 2021, Greene declared, “They’re ruining our country, these vaccine Nazis. I’m sorry. I know I’m using the word Nazi and everybody gets mad when I say it, but that’s exactly what they are.”

Needless to say, another visit to the National Holocaust Museum would be wasted on her and wouldn't do anyone a bit of good. Ditto if she came up to Boston to see the Auschwitz: Not Long Ago Not Far Away exhibit or even Auschwitz itself. For her part, Greene claims she visited Auschwitz as a teenager. In which case, Marjorie Taylor Greene will never understand the horrors of the Holocaust nor does she want to do so. As I observed in June 2023, Greene calls everyone and everything Nazis except for actual Nazis.