It has come to my attention that Iran’s supreme ruler Ayatollah Khamenei has written an open letter to American college students commending their anti-war, pro-Palestine protests. The gall of the man…trying to score points with his virtue signaling. Modern day #Iran is the WORST kind of #Theocracy - run by pious, self-righteous ultra conservative mullahs. The fact the state has a “morality police” tells you all you need to know. This is the country that murders young girls for not having their hair properly covered, after beating them. The country that sentences rappers to death for speaking truth to power. What a sorry state the once great #Persia has become. Thanks to Yashar Ali for alerting me to this matter. I highly recommend his newsletter. #protests#Gaza#GazaProtests
I am in total support of the #protests around Parliament and the rest of Aotearoa today, but please, please wear a good KN95 mask.
We’re currently experiencing the highest peak of COVID cases in 18 months. You can’t fight the system if you’re sick.
My wife just came with a saying to explain the way so much of the news is distorting the protests and the concerns of Jews:
"Justice vs Jewish"
Reject the false "Justice vs Jewish" narrative.
I'm sad to have to explain this more, but so there's no ambiguity:
Reject the "Justice vs Jewish" narrative means to reject the idea that on one side is justice and the other side are Jews, and so you must choose.
Very importantly, this also means not saying "it's not antisemitic to...", because that is speaking over Jews, rather than listening to them and rejecting the narrative.
It means to listen to Jews and to protest if you want to, in a way that doesn't use antisemitic language, or perpetuate violence against Jews.
It also means to reject media narratives that position these two positions as in opposition.
Alarm as German climate activists charged with ‘forming a criminal organisation’
“This is the first time in German history that a climate protest group that uses measures of peaceful civil disobedience is charged as a criminal organisation."
“Paragraph 129 of the German criminal code is to combat organised crime. Its application to non-violent protest criminalises civic engagement and thus restricts democratic freedoms."
As expected Lord Walney's report ('welcomed' by James Cleverly) represents an agenda to stifle and criminalise democratic protest.
This is a real and present danger, not so much from the Tories who will likely have too little time to get much of this near any legislative change, but from Labour whose instincts seems to have been becoming less & les permissive of protest over the last few years.
Democracy is in danger of being further constrained
The new McCarthyism aiming at university professors
More than 90 professors have been murdered & all universities obliterated during Israel’s genocidal assault.
Globally, academics in various fields have been targeted by pro-Israel groups - fired, suspended, or removed from the classroom for pro-Palestine, anti-Israel speech.
"Russia monitors its internet and can identify protesters there. But women banging pots and pans to make noise to protest the war are another matter. The women arrange these, noise against the war, sessions by word of mouth or via encrypted email services like WhatsApp and Telegram. The anti-war noise protests are spreading and more Russian towns and city neighborhoods hear the noise on Saturday afternoons."
Graduate workers in California to strike over treatment of Gaza protesters. Widespread disruption expected after workers vote to hold series of strikes, starting Monday with UC Santa Cruz. California’s huge university system is facing widespread disruption after workers voted to hold a series of strikes in protest of its...
After the arrests of pro-Palestine student protesters occupying a Columbia University building last month, New York Mayor Eric Adams and senior police officials repeatedly said there were "no injuries," no "violent clashes" and minimal force used....
John Woodcock, formerly a Labour MP & now a crossbench peer, has prepared a review of “far-left” involvement in disruptive protest, including activism against climate change & war. At the same time, he has been chairing & advising lobby groups representing arms manufacturers & fossil fuel firms.
Woodcock gained his peerage for his part in smearing Corbyn. He resigned from Labour to avoid investigations of sexual assault allegations.
A nasty little grifter.
"Police were pushing into the camp after an hours-long standoff. Chan, 31, a medical tent volunteer, said protesters limped in with severe puncture wounds, but there was little hope of getting them to a hospital through the chaos outside. Chan suspects the injuries were caused by rubber bullets or other 'less lethal' projectiles, which police have confirmed were fired at protesters."
A #CNN review of footage, #SocialMedia posts, and interviews found that some of the most dramatic attacks caught on camera that night were committed by people outside #UCLA – not the #university students and faculty who were eventually arrested.
Violent tribalistic #protests as well as disastrous political ideas are the results of irrationality in our culture.
Key to cultivating a more rational culture is improving the quality of #education.
To that end, on May 18 The #AynRand Institute is officially launching the Conceptual Education Program to further promote rational ideas in primary and secondary education.
The Republic of Congo has granted more than 22,000 hectares of agricultural land to Rwanda for a period of 25 years. An agreement that is starting to face increasing criticism from Congolese citizens. Dave Mafoula, an unsuccessful candidate in the 2021 presidential election, calls on his fellow citizens not to accept "things...
Graduate workers in California to strike over treatment of Gaza protesters (www.theguardian.com)
Graduate workers in California to strike over treatment of Gaza protesters. Widespread disruption expected after workers vote to hold series of strikes, starting Monday with UC Santa Cruz. California’s huge university system is facing widespread disruption after workers voted to hold a series of strikes in protest of its...
New York City said 'no injuries' at Columbia arrests; students' medical records say otherwise (www.reuters.com)
After the arrests of pro-Palestine student protesters occupying a Columbia University building last month, New York Mayor Eric Adams and senior police officials repeatedly said there were "no injuries," no "violent clashes" and minimal force used....
In Brazzaville, Republic of Congo, Congolese protest following Sassou Nguesso's ceding of part of their land to Rwanda. (www.digitalcongo.net)
The Republic of Congo has granted more than 22,000 hectares of agricultural land to Rwanda for a period of 25 years. An agreement that is starting to face increasing criticism from Congolese citizens. Dave Mafoula, an unsuccessful candidate in the 2021 presidential election, calls on his fellow citizens not to accept "things...