|
January 26, 2025
Key Developments and What We're Discussing Today:
1) It's been 478 days since October 7, 2023, when Hamas terrorists infiltrated Israel on Simchat Torah and murdered 1,200 people (including 44 Americans). More Jews were murdered on that day than on any day since the Holocaust. Hamas wounded 3,300 and took 251 hostage during a day of brutal savagery and sexual violence. The Trump administration must follow through and ensure that all 90 remaining hostages are accounted for and freed.
2) Four more hostages came home yesterday. The 90 remaining hostages include seven Americans. Keith Siegal and Sagui Dekel-Chen, both thought to be alive, are among the 33 on the list for the first phase of hostage releases, leaving Edan Alexander as the only American thought to be alive not in the first group. Hamas holds the bodies of Omer Neutra, Itay Chen, Judi Weinstein Haggai, and Gad Haggai.
3) Trump called the January 6 insurrectionists he pardoned "hostages" while families of hostages held in Gaza stood behind him.
4) Yes, it was a Nazi salute. Actually, two Nazi salutes. Not one Republican member of Congress had a problem with it.
5) Remember the faux controversy about university presidents saying that whether something is antisemitic depends on the context? Harvard agreed to a settlement requiring it to consider the IHRA definition of antisemitism, which says that its examples of antisemitism depend on the context. The irony was lost on Harvard's critics and the IHRA definition's supporters.
6) We should condemn Trump and Musk's performative outrages but we should focus our energy on the executive orders Trump signed last week and the pardons he issued, which will cause more damage.
This is a reader-supported newsletter. You're welcome to read for free, but if you get something out of this newsletter, you can give something back by credit card or PayPal, by Venmo @Steven-Sheffey (last four phone digits are 9479), or by check. Thank you.
Hi Steve,
Yesterday, Hamas released Karina Ariev, 20; Daniella Gilboa, 20; Naama Levy, 20; and Liri Albag in exchange for 200 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, some of whom were convicted for their roles in attacks that killed dozens of Israelis.
They were released in military uniform but this is how they were kidnapped.
Imagine how the families of the hostages must be feeling. Imagine how the families of those murdered by terrorists Israel is releasing to get the hostages back must be feeling.
Yahya Sinwar, the mastermind of October 7, was one of more than 1,000 prisoners Israel exchanged for Gilad Shalit in 2011.
Israel decided, correctly, that the certainty of getting back the hostages outweighs the possibility that more Israelis might be murdered in the future by the terrorists that Israel is releasing to win them back.
Those who falsely accuse Israel of war crimes based on a misunderstanding of disproportionality might want to consider why Hamas thinks one Israeli hostage, dead or alive, is worth dozens of Palestinian prisoners.
Last week, Trump disrespected the hostages by calling the violent January 6 insurrectionists he pardoned "hostages" while families of hostages held in Gaza were standing behind him.
Another day, another unmistakable sign of fascism. The attempts to defend Elon Musk's salute put The Onion to shame. Yes, you can find photos of other politicians waving to crowds with their arms raised. That's a natural gesture.
But who does this? Who does this? Musk did it twice. Find me a credible medical source that includes Nazi salutes among the symptoms of autism.
Our friends who tout the IHRA definition of antisemitism might want to note that one of its examples is "using the symbols and images associated with classic antisemitism."
The IHRA definition is flawed but organizations that support it should at least apply it consistently. Then again, when was last time any of these organizations used the IHRA definition in real life to identify antisemitism?
Context matters according to the IHRA definition, so let's look at some context: Musk supports a far-right extremist German political party, recently spoke at its rally, and has a long history of antisemitism. Instead of clarifying concerns about his salutes, he mocked them.
Musk is a close advisor to a president who repeatedly invokes Hitler and Nazis and called for the "creation of a unified Reich" on May 21, 2024. No less an authority than Vice President JD Vance once called Trump "America's Hitler."
Rep. Dan Goldman's (D-NY) statement is the moral clarity we need.
Or maybe it was just an awkward gesture. That he made twice. Who can say for sure?
The irony of Harvard's settlement. Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) gained notoriety by mocking presidents of three universities, including the president of Harvard, who said, in response to questions about antisemitism on campus, that context matters.
Last week, Harvard agreed to a settlement that includes using the IHRA definition of antisemitism when investigating complaints. Many complaints are about excluding Zionists or using anti-Zionist slogans. The IHRA definition does not mention the words "Zionism" or "Zionist."
The IHRA definition's list of contemporary examples of antisemitism in public life includes the caveat that whether they are antisemitic "depends on taking into account the overall context." Pretty much what the university presidents said.
This settlement is bad news.
Responding to the settlement, the Nexus Project noted that "the IHRA definition was never meant to be applied as an enforcement tool in academic settings, where it risks stifling open debate. Moreover, a federal court in Texas recently found that codifying the IHRA definition on campuses improperly restricts First Amendment-protected speech."
Joshua Shanes updated his short primer on what constitutes antisemitism and when anti-Israel rhetoric crosses the line to include the Harvard settlement. It's a good place to start if you are confused.
Did we fall for it? Trump's strategy, as Steve Bannon once put it, is to "flood the zone with shit." Last week, Trump signed a slew of dangerous, outrageous executive orders that included a blatantly unconstitutional end to birthright citizenship, withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accords, withdrawal from the World Health Organization, revocation of LBJ's Equal Employment Order, and rescission of Biden's order to lower the cost of prescription drugs.
Trump halted all refugee resettlement, proving again that for Trump and the GOP, the cruelty is the point.
Cruelty and intimidation explain why Trump removed security protection for Anthony Fauci, John Bolton, Mike Pompeo, and Brian Hook.
Trump put all of us at physical risk by ordering the FDA, CDC, and NIH to pause all external communications. Good luck when (not if) the next pandemic strikes. Good luck getting updates on bird flu. Good luck if there is bacteria in lettuce or bad flu shots that the FDA cannot warn us about. Too bad if you die from cancer because Trump stopped clinical drug trials. So much for science under MAGA.
Trump pardoned all 1,500 January 6 rioters, including five who committed horrifying acts of violence. Hilter pardoned his goons too.
Trump issued a "full and unconditional pardon" to two police officers convicted for the 2020 murder of Karon Hylton-Brown, a 20-year-old Black man, in Washington D.C.
Musk's salutes and Trump's disrespectful treatment of hostage families matter. We should be outraged. But as Rob Eshman writes, we cannot let the performative outrages du jour, including Musk's salutes, distract us from the tangible, unprecedented damage Trump is doing to our country.
Many articles have been written about how to oppose Trump while staying sane during the next four years. This from Marc Elias is among the best I've read.
Corrections. I'm entitled to my own opinions but not to my own facts, so I appreciate it when readers bring errors to my attention. No one pointed out any errors in last week's newsletter so I guess it was perfect.
In Case You Missed It:
1) The full January 21 sermon from The Right Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde at the National Cathedral.
2) Ilan Goldenberg outlines three scenarios for where the hostage deal and ceasefire go next.
3) David Schraub asks whether the ADL cares that Republicans admire Hitler.
4) Timothy Snyder's 20 lessons on tyranny. Any seem familiar lately?
5) Trump's special envoy to the Middle East wants to reach understandings with Hamas, admits that Trump did not try to get any additional hostages out, and praised Qatar.
6) Michael DiMino, Trump's new top official for Middle East Policy at the Pentagon, in August suggested on Glenn Greewald's anti-Israel podcast that he opposed even "defensive support" for Israel from Hezbollah attacks.
7) Trump made more than 20 false claims in his Inauguration Day remarks.
8) Still don't think the GOP is a cult? The Senate confirmed Pete Hegseth for Secretary of Defense. Only three Republicans voted against him. Hegseth supports a new Christian crusade. For those who are not history buffs: Christian crusades are not good for Jews. Timothy Snyder lists Hegseth's blatant anti-qualifications for office. Tom Nichols writes that Republican support for Hegseth means the GOP is no longer the party of national security.
9) Late Friday night, Trump attempted to fire at least 12 inspectors general illegally.
Social Posts of the Week. Steve Blair and Michael Ian Black.
Thread of the Week. Rep. Pat Ryan (D-NY), for those who want to know how Democrats are fighting back.
Facebook Post of the Week. Julie Gray.
Video Clips of the Week. Key & Peele and what really happened on January 6.
Vintage Music Clip of the Week. Love Shack.
For those new to this newsletter. This is the newsletter even Republicans have to read and the original home of the viral and beloved Top Ten Signs You're At a Republican Seder (yes, I wrote it). If someone forwarded this newsletter to you, why not subscribe and get it in your inbox every Sunday? Just click here--it's free.
I periodically update my posts on why Democrats are better than Republicans on Israel and antisemitism and on the IHRA definition of antisemitism. My definition of "pro-Israel" is here (it's a work in progress, as am I).
I hope you enjoyed today's newsletter. It takes time to write and costs money to send. If you'd like to support my work, click here and fill in the amount of your choice. You don't need a PayPal account. If you see something that says "Save your info and create a PayPal account," click the button to the right and it will go away. Or you can Venmo @Steven-Sheffey (last four phone digits are 9479). Or you can send a check.
| 