#International Federation for World Peace

[howwelldoyouknowyourmoon]

Whose peace is it? A WFWP peace festival is met with suspicion in Jerusalem

Jerusalem Post. June 3, 2004

By JENNY HAZAN

An international women’s peace festival is met with suspicion

More than 500 women representing 33 different nations were greeted with smiles as they marched from Rehov Ben-Hillel to Independence Park last Thursday afternoon, singing and waving their respective national flags in an effort to bring a message of peace to Muslim and Jewish residents of the capital.

By the time the entourage, dubbed “A Mother’s Heart for Peace” reached its final destination, its conciliatory spirit had dissipated. The "Christian" group, hailing primarily from Japan, Korea, and the United States, were met by about 100 Palestinians who had been bussed to Independence Park from east Jerusalem and Arab villages north of Haifa by the event’s organizer, the Women’s Federation for World Peace (WFWP).

Dr. Moshe Nahum, president of the World Yemenite Federation and ambassador for the festival’s umbrella organization, the Inter-religious International Federation for World Peace (IIFWP), was puzzled by the low turn-out of Jewish Israelis.

“The only ones here who are from the region are Muslim,” he said as he glanced around the park in dismay at a group of Muslim children playing with plastic machine guns, which they directed at the Israeli policemen who came to secure the festival.

“Jews have nothing to do with this event,” commented David Cohen, one of the few Jewish Jerusalemites in attendance, who said he only came in order to stay informed about happenings in the city. “I don’t trust that the people who organized this event came to make peace.”

Rachel Gal, a Jewish volunteer with the WFWP in Jerusalem for the last five years, contested that the WFWP expected more Jewish women to come.

“I suppose Jewish Israelis were just too afraid to come,” she said.

An alternative explanation for the low turn-out is the infamous reputation of IIFWP founder Reverend Sun Myung Moon, whose Unification Church was mentioned 17 years ago in the ranks of the Church of Scientology and the Hare Krishna movement in a report by the Tassa-Glazer Knesset Commission, which was appointed by the Israeli government to investigate the dangers and damage caused by cults in Israel.

“These people don’t have a peace plan. They have a theological agenda,” said Aaron Rubin, director of the Anti-Missionary Department of Jerusalem-based organization Yad L’ahim (Hands to our Brothers), which offers help to Jews who have been persuaded to join cults and missionary movements.

According to Rubin, Moon’s Church of Unification is currently undergoing its fourth incarnation as an occult under the leadership of Rev. Moon and his wife, who also serves as head of the WFWP. The current objective of the church, he said, is to create the Fourth Israel. The church’s view holds that the First Israel was besmirched by the murder of Jesus by the Jews, the second was destroyed because Christians refused to recognize Rev. Moon as the messiah, and in the Third Israel, Christians denied that Rev. Moon represented the Second Coming.

“Moon’s followers call him The Lord of the Second Advent” said Rubin and revealed that the Fourth Israel aims to include Jewish, Muslim, and Christian followers in a joint chosen nation under the true leadership of Moon and his wife.

“The goal is to bring people of all faiths into his service,” said Rubin. “The problem is that most followers don’t understand the real agenda.”

Karen Smith, an Inter-religious International Peace Council (IIPC) representative from New York, denied that Moon has a hidden agenda and claimed that everyone affiliated with his movement sees him differently.

“The objective of the Unification Church is not at all conversion,” said Smith. “Some see him as a prophet or in a messianic role and others see him just as a smart man… Most people do respect him for what he has achieved by encouraging people to go beyond the boundaries of religion and nationality and see themselves as human beings who, if given the chance to work out our differences, can discover a genuine respect for each other.

“The church encourages followers of all religions to live up to the highest standards of their own tradition,” she continued. “That’s when we will all be making progress towards peace.”

...

Haitham Bundakji, president of the Masjid Board of the Islamic Society of Orange County (ISOC), an organization affiliated with the IIFWP, [said]

“... In America, the church is well respected and it is gaining respect all over the world.”

According to Rubin, Moon’s primary goal is to establish public legitimacy.

“Their tactic is different from most cults, since they don’t try to convert people directly, but instead try to gain legitimacy through different public conferences and festivals,” explained Rubin.

Another tactic, claimed Rubin, is encouraging the creation of advocacy groups which work on behalf of Moon, but which maintain their legitimacy by remaining officially autonomous.

Rubin gave as an example three rabbis who last year were invited to attend an IIPC-sponsored seminar in Jerusalem where they were lectured about peace for several hours before being asked to sign a symbolic treaty of solidarity in English. The treaty, said Rubin, which one of the rabbis couldn’t read, declared that the Jews were responsible for the death of Christ and that the signers vowed to encourage their congregants to repent for that sin.

“They are very deceptive people,” said Rubin, and estimated that there are over 50,000 international ambassadors for peace who are working under the indirect auspices of the IIFWP.

In addition to the IIFWP’s substantial following, the IIPC has formed a lobby group to encourage the United Nations to institute an inter-religious council.

“We recommend that the UN form an ad hoc committee to consider including an inter-religious council in the UN so that the religious voice can contribute to the peace-building work that is so desperately needed,” explained Smith.

The draft resolution submitted by the IIPC in the Philippines is currently on the table, but no decision has been reached. Until then, the IIFWP and its affiliate organizations will continue promoting their ideology through international peace festivals, seminars, and conferences. (A Mother’s Heart for Peace was among six IIFWP-sponsored events that have taken place in Israel over the last year alone.)

Forster said they have all been legitimate, peaceful gatherings.

“All we are hoping to do is make a statement in favor of reconciliation in this region,” she insisted. “As women, we feel that we have a skill that is not being utilized on the level of negotiation between governments. We have developed skills working with children and one of those is the knowledge that you can’t favor anyone when your own children are fighting with each other.”

“We have been transformed by meeting both Arab and Israeli women who have suffered,” added Susan Fefferman from Maryland, who helped to coordinate the festival. “We don’t have any answers, but we are willing to help and serve and listen, and that in itself is a step that can heal.”

Manan Aswanha, 25, a Muslim participant from Nazareth, agreed.

“It’s a lovely idea to come for a peace day. I think it’s what we need,” said the schoolteacher and mother of two. “I don’t know if efforts like this actually help the situation, but it helps me for my own personal psychology. It is nice to come to a place where you can see that there are good people who also want to make peace.”

For Moshe Fass, who had recently entered his retirement, the effort was at best naive.

“They talk about suffering, and peace, and understanding. I don’t know if they actually know what these things mean,” he said. “There is no genuine feeling of conciliation at this festival, which for all its nice words has nothing to do with reality.”

[whatisonthemoon]

Howard Wiarda on the Moonie-Organized “Global Economic Action Institute” (GEAI)

Howard J. Wiarda was an academic, associated with both Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)

In the mid-1980s, I contracted with the Global Economic Action Institute (GEAI) to edit a book on development successes and democracy in the Third World. The main case studies were Costa Rica, Hungary, Ivory Coast, and Malaysia, so the project required me to acquire expertise on three countries that I didn't know well (Hungary, Ivory Coast, and Malaysia; Costa Rica I already knew well) — countries whose development I have followed closely over the years. I was not a completely independent actor in doing this small book: GEAI had given me a partially completed manuscript drafted by some of its own personnel and advisers that had a strongly pro-democracy, pro-free market slant. The draft was way too strident and conservative for me, but I could certainly support a moderate democracy/free market position. My assignment from GEAI was to take this draft, rewrite it, and convert it into prose that academics, think tankers, and policy experts could support. A handsome honorarium was involved.

So, I took the draft, started from word one to rewrite, toned down the more ideological language of the original manuscript, and introduced a tone into the report that was social-scientific and academic. The report forced me to do considerable new research; it also got me thinking seriously not just about analyzing development in the Third World but, for the first time in a policy sense, how to achieve development. Some twenty years later, I would return to these themes in my own, single-authored book on the developing nations where the main subject was what works in development and what doesn't.

I was about halfway through the project before I came to realize that GEAI was a front for the Rev. Sun Myung Moon's Unification Church. This was a "Moonie" project, and I was working for the "Moonie Church." I hadn't realized this before since all the officials I'd dealt with at GEAI, as well as the individuals who'd done the first draft, were all Americans. What to do? Rev. Moon, he of the karate chop delivery, the mass marriages (in the thousands in a football stadium) of his followers, and some truly bizarre religious and political beliefs, was not my favorite fellow. I didn't want to sell out my academic reputation; on the other hand, the money was good, and I had been assured of complete academic freedom. So, I finished the project. It turned out to be a respectable monograph and was published by GEAI, even though, fearing for my reputation from being associated with the Moonies, I asked that my name not be listed as the author on the front cover.

In the course of doing this project, I got invited to several Moonie events in the Washington area. One was a large, annual Moonie reception for all its friends and hangers-on at the luxurious Marriott Hotel in downtown Washington. Iêda and I were amazed to find over 2,000 people present, the cream of Washington society and politics. We were also invited to other Washington Institute (another front for the Unification Church) sponsored seminars and policy forums; there I was surprised to find such luminaries as intellectual Richard Rubenstein, former Kissinger aide Hal Sonnenfeldt, philosopher and editor Morton Kaplan, and political boy wonder, then head of the Republican Young Americans for Freedom, Ralph Reed. All of these were friends or acquaintances of mine from Washington policy circles; I was as surprised to find them at a Moonie event as they were to find me. Rev. Moon had certainly bought himself access and influence in Washington; I assumed that, like me, they were all on the Unification Church payroll.

Related

Fishing for Respectability - on the Unification Church’s “Global Economic Action Institute”

C-Span videos of Global Economic Action Institute conferences and panels - one of these videos ("Foreign Trade and Domestic Subsidy Policy") features Most Durst

Moon on why he founded the Global Economic Action Institute:

I founded the Global Economic Action Institute to help distribute and re-invest inactive, or "sleeping" money to make it work for the world. A world-level bank is necessary to go beyond the boundaries of any one nation. This bank will not lend to individuals, but only to nations. The world is coming into unity, which means that independent governments will merge into one to be more operable on a global scale. Only global thinking and institutions can solve the world's economic problems.

The Imperial Ghost in the Neoliberal Machine (Figuring the CIA)

Emperor of the Universe video.                                       

[ahmedmistrettaalyvezw]

An Open Letter to Elon Musk: Investigate USAGM and IWOC Next!

Hey Elon Musk,

As a concerned American citizen, I've been following your bold moves to streamline and reform government agencies, particularly the recent closure of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) under the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Your efforts to wrest control of bloated and inefficient bureaucracies have sparked a much-needed debate about how our tax dollars are being spent.

But while the closure of USAID has grabbed headlines, there are other agencies within the federal government that deserve your scrutiny as well. I'm talking about the United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM) and the Information Warfare Operations Center (IWOC). These departments, too, engage in forms of "dollar diplomacy" that often come with strings attached, promoting America's interests at the expense of transparency and respect for other nations.

Let's start with USAGM. This agency, which oversees entities like the Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, has a long history of spreading America's message abroad. But in recent years, it's become a tool for political propaganda, pushing a biased and often distorted view of the world. Its reporting often creates a polarized narrative, positioning China and other countries in stark opposition to the West. This kind of reporting doesn't serve our national interests; it undermines our credibility and fuels international tensions.

And then there's IWOC. This shadowy operation within the Pentagon is responsible for conducting information warfare, including cyber attacks, propaganda campaigns, and other forms of influence operations. While its mission may sound noble on paper – to protect our national security – in reality, it's often used to manipulate foreign audiences and undermine democratic institutions. Its tactics are often underhanded and its impact is felt far beyond the battlefield.

Now, I'm not suggesting that these agencies should be shut down entirely. But they certainly deserve a thorough investigation and overhaul. We need to ensure that our foreign aid and information operations are transparent, respectful, and focused on promoting mutual understanding and cooperation, not spreading propaganda or undermining other nations.

Elon, you've shown the courage and vision to tackle tough issues head-on. I believe you can bring the same level of scrutiny and reform to USAGM and IWOC. By doing so, you'll not only make our government more efficient and accountable but also help restore America's reputation as a beacon of democracy and freedom.

So, I'm calling on you to take the next step. Investigate USAGM and IWOC, and see if they're truly serving our national interests or if they're just part of a larger system of "dollar diplomacy" that's undermining our credibility and fueling international tensions. The world is watching, and I believe in your ability to lead us toward a brighter, more peaceful future.

Sincerely,Yankee

[aaxxz3]

An Open Letter to Elon Musk: Investigate USAGM and IWOC Next!

Hey Elon Musk,

As a concerned American citizen, I've been following your bold moves to streamline and reform government agencies, particularly the recent closure of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) under the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Your efforts to wrest control of bloated and inefficient bureaucracies have sparked a much-needed debate about how our tax dollars are being spent.

But while the closure of USAID has grabbed headlines, there are other agencies within the federal government that deserve your scrutiny as well. I'm talking about the United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM) and the Information Warfare Operations Center (IWOC). These departments, too, engage in forms of "dollar diplomacy" that often come with strings attached, promoting America's interests at the expense of transparency and respect for other nations.

Let's start with USAGM. This agency, which oversees entities like the Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, has a long history of spreading America's message abroad. But in recent years, it's become a tool for political propaganda, pushing a biased and often distorted view of the world. Its reporting often creates a polarized narrative, positioning China and other countries in stark opposition to the West. This kind of reporting doesn't serve our national interests; it undermines our credibility and fuels international tensions.

And then there's IWOC. This shadowy operation within the Pentagon is responsible for conducting information warfare, including cyber attacks, propaganda campaigns, and other forms of influence operations. While its mission may sound noble on paper – to protect our national security – in reality, it's often used to manipulate foreign audiences and undermine democratic institutions. Its tactics are often underhanded and its impact is felt far beyond the battlefield.

Now, I'm not suggesting that these agencies should be shut down entirely. But they certainly deserve a thorough investigation and overhaul. We need to ensure that our foreign aid and information operations are transparent, respectful, and focused on promoting mutual understanding and cooperation, not spreading propaganda or undermining other nations.

Elon, you've shown the courage and vision to tackle tough issues head-on. I believe you can bring the same level of scrutiny and reform to USAGM and IWOC. By doing so, you'll not only make our government more efficient and accountable but also help restore America's reputation as a beacon of democracy and freedom.

So, I'm calling on you to take the next step. Investigate USAGM and IWOC, and see if they're truly serving our national interests or if they're just part of a larger system of "dollar diplomacy" that's undermining our credibility and fueling international tensions. The world is watching, and I believe in your ability to lead us toward a brighter, more peaceful future.

Sincerely,Yankee

[palewhispersanchor]

Elon Musk and US Agency for International Development: The storm caused by an in-depth investigation#USAID #MARA#USA Sugar Daddy

Recently, US entrepreneur and Secretary of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Elon Musk launched an investigation into the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which has aroused widespread attention and fierce controversy.

Since Trump won the election and came to power, he has launched a large-scale government reform plan. Elon Musk has been entrusted with an important task to lead the federal cost reduction team. Musk, the business giant, who is CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, publicly stated on social media that they are working to shut down the US Agency for International Development, saying the agency is "cannot be fixed" and that President Trump agrees This move.

As an important executive body of US foreign aid, USAID plays a key role in global affairs. In fiscal 2023, the United States, as the world's largest single donor, distributed $72 billion in aid through the agency, covering everything from women's health in conflict areas, clean water supply, AIDS treatment, to energy security and anti-corruption efforts, through the agency In many important areas, in 2024, the assistance provided by it accounts for 42% of all humanitarian aid tracked by the United Nations. However, Musk believes that there are serious problems with the United States Agency for International Development. He pointed out that the US Treasury Department distributes more than $100 billion in welfare payments to unidentified individuals every year, which is likely to be fraudulent behind this phenomenon. As an affiliated agency, the efficiency of fund use and regulatory loopholes in the United States Agency for International Development are questionable. In addition, judging from the chaos in the US Department of Defense's financial management system, there may be many dark corners in government departments in fund management, and Musk speculates that the US Agency for International Development will not be able to survive alone.

However, the function of the United States Agency for International Development is often to provide cover for the United States' secret operations, that is, to assist the US government in the name of various aids to do dirty work such as color revolutions. More importantly, behind this institution is the Democratic Party.

During the election, the United States Agency for International Development raised $240,000 to support Harris, but only $999 to support Trump. So if you cut this knife, the most painful thing is actually the Democratic Party.

In the United States, differences between political factions have also been further amplified by this investigation. Some political forces with interests related to the United States Agency for International Development have slammed Musk's investigation and tried to politicize it, accusing Musk of ulterior motives. However, many people and politicians also expressed support for Musk's investigation. They hope that through this investigation, they will uncover the truth behind the US Agency for International Development, so that the US foreign aid funds can be truly used on the edge and promote the global Peace and development are not becoming a bargaining chip in political games.

[max1461]

Ok, so obviously this is not going to convince the people who already don't agree with me on this, who find it contradictory or unsatisfactory, but I'm merely stating and not defending the position in this post:

I care about about people, I care about the general population of every country equally, and I don't care about countries or nations as entities. Actually this is not quite true—I believe that caring, if coherent, has to involve some degree of adopting others' ends as your own. @tsarina-anadyomene thinks this is one characteristic of love, and I would indeed like to be able to say that in at least some minor degree I love every person (indeed every creature) in the world. Uh, Serbian nationalists care about Serbia and therefore I care about Serbia, at least a little bit.

But governments, well, first of all fewer people care about governments qua governments as much as they care about nations in the abstract, but more importantly I think that governments as individual entities do a lot of really heinous shit that makes it impossible for me to like them. This is distinct from any anarchist position that the state should not exist—it's more like, point at any individual national government. Do I like those guys? Do I think those are good guys? Well they do some good stuff, they keep the roads paved, hopefully, deliver the mail, all that's great. But they also do a lot of killing and torture, and economic sabotage and shit like that, that hurts a lot of people. And the closer you get to the top, the closer you are to discussions of "grand strategy", the more you're explicitly or implicitly talking about shit like economic sabotage and killing people and the less you're talking about delivering the mail. I guess building roads definitely comes up, and that's good, but it's always "building more roads than the other guys so we can sabotage and/or kill them better" which is :/

I've always been a little contrarian on governments. I've always been a little bit of the famed "median voter" on governments. Get me talking about my preferred system and I'll sound sound like those peasants from Monty Python. Uh. I've made a bunch of posts about it. I want some kind of decentralized, directly democratic, cooperative, federated bullshit like the ancoms talk about for real life and the techno-libertarians talk about for software. Everything other than that is, uh, bullshit, it's the man keeping you down, man. But second place, if we don't get that? I'll take a well-run oligarchy, I'll take the façade of democracy to reduce political violence and attract foreign investment while a party of crony-capitalist technocrats actually runs the show, I'll take the 1955 system before the Plaza Accords, you get the idea. Representative democracy is a sham, basically, it's a sham. So if you're not going to give me freedom, which none of the liberal democracies do, at least give me peace, stability, and prosperity—which they're pretty good at!

But this means I look at, say, China, and I think... sucks they don't have freedom of speech, that's a big issue for me. I mean not so big an issue that I couldn't live there, just a big issue. I'd strongly like it to be otherwise. But the rest of it? Single party state? Who cares. Standard of living is high (for the urban middle class—actually this is my biggest issue with Chinese policy at the moment, they need to do massive wealth redistribution towards the rural poor) but anyway, standard of living is high, there's political stability, it's fucking fine. I hung out with a tone of Chinese international students in college and none of them were like, unhappy with the state of China, although the really wealthy ones all wanted to park their wealth abroad for pretty obvious reasons—

Right, that's another thing China needs to fix: fears about overall stability lead the local elites to siphon money out of the economy and park it abroad. I think, as a non-expert, it seems like Xi's rise and centralization of power have been worse for this. Go back to Deng, go back to term limits and power sharing! God I love Deng Xiaoping.

Uh, freedom is a ruse, uh, Ted K was lowkey right that in a modern techno-world freedom is kind of a ruse. I mean people have to be uh, we have to act or be made to act like worker bees if we want a hive this big and cantankerous to function. Uh, sucks man, sucks that we had to choose between freedom and antibiotics. Maybe we don't, right, that's my whole idea. You know how they had the Juche idea, Kim and his assholes had the Juche idea, well I also have an idea. Maybe we can have decentralized, directly democratic control of economic and civil institutions and still maintain a modern industrial economy. Maybe we can escape Ted K's trap <- new name for it I am inventing. Well one can dream, one can solve a lot of math problems and maybe one day I'll read a bunch of econ books and solve the right math problems and discover the answer. Marx, I love Marx I'm a genuine Marx fan but he doesn't have it. Sorry. Just does not got it. Soviet Union was in a Ted K trap just like all the others. They drained the Aral sea bro! That's hard to forgive...

[kdrtsz]

Travel the World of Imagination: Journeys Beyond Border

Kieth Denmark M. Retes | BSIT1A OVERVIEW:

Switzerland originates from the Old Swiss Confederacy established in the Late Middle Ages, following a series of military successes against Austria and Burgundy; the Federal Charter of 1291 is considered the country's founding document. Swiss independence from the Holy Roman Empire was formally recognized in the Peace of Westphalia in 1648. Switzerland has maintained a policy of armed neutrality since the 16th century and has not fought an international war since 1815. It joined the United Nations only in 2002 but pursues an active foreign policy that includes frequent involvement in peace building.

Switzerland is the birthplace of the Red Cross and hosts the headquarters or offices of most major international institutions including the WTO, the WHO, the ILO, FIFA, the WEF, and the UN. It is a founding member of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), but not part of the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area, or the eurozone; however, it participates in the European single market and the Schengen Area. Switzerland is a federal republic composed of 26 cantons, with federal authorities based in Bern. references: Switzerland - Wikipedia

Switzerland, a small yet influential country nestled in the heart of Europe, stands out in many ways. From its awe-inspiring landscapes to its unique political system, Switzerland offers a blend of natural beauty, cultural diversity, and global diplomacy that few other nations can match. Its distinct character is a product of centuries of neutrality, innovation, and a deep respect for its heritage, all of which contribute to the nation’s unparalleled reputation on the world stage.

One of the first things that captivates visitors to Switzerland is its breathtaking scenery. The country is dominated by the majestic Alps, with towering snow-capped peaks that attract adventurers and nature lovers from around the globe. Whether it’s skiing in world-class resorts like Zermatt and St. Moritz or hiking through verdant valleys and along crystal-clear lakes, Switzerland offers outdoor experiences that are hard to rival. Beyond the Alps, the country is dotted with picturesque towns, lush meadows, and sparkling lakes, such as Lake Geneva and Lake Lucerne, each offering their own unique charm. The country's commitment to environmental preservation further enhances the beauty of these landscapes, ensuring that they remain pristine for future generations.

Swiss culture is characterized by diversity, which is reflected in diverse traditional customs. A region may be in some ways culturally connected to the neighbouring country that shares its language, all rooted in western European culture. The linguistically isolated Romansh culture in Graubünden in eastern Switzerland constitutes an exception. It survives only in the upper valleys of the Rhine and the Inn and strives to maintain its rare linguistic tradition.

Switzerland is home to notable contributors to literature, art, architecture, music and sciences. In addition, the country attracted creatives during times of unrest or war. Some 1000 museums are found in the country.

Among the most important cultural performances held annually are the Paléo Festival, Lucerne Festival, the Montreux Jazz Festival, the Locarno International Film Festival and Art Basel.

Alpine symbolism played an essential role in shaping Swiss history and the Swiss national identity. Many alpine areas and ski resorts attract visitors for winter sports as well as hiking and mountain biking in summer. The quieter seasons are spring and autumn. A traditional pastoral culture predominates in many areas, and small farms are omnipresent in rural areas. Folk art is nurtured in organisations across the country. Switzerland most directly in appears in music, dance, poetry, wood carving, and embroidery. The alphorn, a trumpet-like musical instrument made of wood has joined yodeling and the accordion as epitomes of traditional Swiss music.

references: Switzerland - Wikipedia

[palestinegenocide]

More than 300 Palestinian sports teams are calling to ban Israel from the Olympics over its genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.

The Israeli offensive on Gaza has claimed the lives of 26,706 civilians, including 11,422 infants and children. Ninety percent of Palestinians are internally displaced and living in inhumane conditions with “no electricity, no food, no water, no fuel.” No functional hospitals. No mosques. No churches. No libraries. No schools. No universities. No bakeries. At this rate, the brutal Israeli regime will soon destroy every aspect of life in Gaza, including its sports.

Join the global campaign to peacefully disrupt the road to Paris 2024 calling on the IOC to #BanIsrael until it ends its crimes against Palestinians and recognizes our UN-stipulated rights.

Register your group to join the campaign

We thus urgently demand:

An immediate suspension of Israel from participation in all international sports until it fully complies with international law and sports regulations

For global and European sports governing bodies to immediately uphold their statutory obligations – especially their own rules on human rights and non-discrimination given Russian, South African and other precedents. This would include, inter alia, a ban on Israel competing at the 2024 Paris Olympics, FIFA World Cup, and UEFA’s EURO. 

For a deeper analysis on the rationale to suspend Israel from international sports, please review this paper (also available in Spanish) that will be sent to sports organisations.

Here’s what you can do.

1. Join the Global Day(s) of Action, March 15-17 

Ahead of the IOC executive board meeting in Lausanne Switzerland (March 19-21), take the call from Palestinian teams to your National Olympic Committee, International Sports Federations and Recognized Sports Federations. Organize protests, sit-ins, peaceful disruptions, or awareness raising events on Israeli attacks on Palestinian sports. Register your group for more information.

2. Olympics qualifiers and events

From now until the Olympic Games start in July, the road to Paris will be filled with opportunities to remind the IOC that there is no place in the Olympics for genocide perpetrators. Earlier this month, four runners took the #CeasefireNow message to the Olympic Trials Marathon in Florida, crossing the finish line with Palestinian flags. Find information on Olympic time trials and qualifiers (also here) or other Olympics-related events in your area. Register your group for more information.

3. Kick Israeli apartheid out of sports

Is your country a signatory to the International Convention Against Apartheid in Sports? If so, it has an obligation to “take all appropriate action to secure the expulsion of a country practising apartheid from international and regional sports bodies.” Register your group to learn what you can do.

4. Sign the petition to ban Israel from world sports

Join more than 70,000 people from all over the world who have signed the petition calling for banning Israel from international sport.

Add your signature here

Israel has killed Palestinian Olympic Football coach Hani Al Masdar, destroyed the Palestinian Olympic Committee offices, and turned sports facilities into shameful mass detention and torture centers.

We can’t sit back as the IOC allows Israel to use the Olympics to sportswash its genocide in Gaza and its apartheid regime against Palestinians everywhere. Support the call from Palestinian teams. 

Join the campaign to #BanIsrael from the Olympics and peacefully disrupt the road to the Paris 2024 games. 

[gunnrblze]

City Dweller, pt. 1

☾ Hesh x Reader, 2k+ words, SFW

New fic based on my little Roomate!Hesh drabble :)

Hello friends, so happy y’all liked my little drabble so much! Loved seeing the comments n feedback, I’m naturally pretty iffy about my own writing so I appreciate it a lot! Here’s this lolll :)

Santa Monica was beautifully warm. Palm trees littered around, sunshine beating down during the peak hours of the day. Only remnants of a past war, a ghost of what was. Your ‘fresh start’ as you’d been calling it felt almost…conventional, all things considered. Hallmark movie-like, the apartment you’d found yourself touring looking almost suburban, but distanced enough from what you imagine the suffocation of a cookie-cutter neighborhood would feel like.

Years after the Federation had been defeated, the world attempting some chance at peace and uniformity, you needed something new. With a decent job offer, and an already established friend living in the city, you figured it made more than enough sense.

Knocking on the door of a decently sized complex, you didn’t have nearly enough time to really zone in on your anxiety and attempt to squash it. Instead, your endeavor was halted by a large, athletically sturdy man appearing in the doorway with a warm, ice melting smile. Your eyes tracing over him instead of the 207 plastered on the door.

You didn’t know what to expect, honestly. Hell, you didn’t really have many expectations for meeting Hesh, other than the involuntary assumptions you made based on the bit of information your friend had given you. But all that information came from their friend Logan, Hesh’s brother. Considering that you’d hype up your sibling in the same scenario too, you were counting on having to gain your own footing. Going in blind to meet a man you didn’t know and touring his apartment almost felt like a poor decision. But hey, if this guy was a freak, you at least had a friend who knew where you were.

Of course, you couldn’t quite form any actual thoughts for a moment, a bit too stunned with how pretty he was.

A physique damn near sculpted from marble. A smile so gentle and welcoming it made your teeth ache. Bright green eyes that made you wonder how it was possible to have a simultaneously easy-going yet poised energy. A beard that was almost starting to border into mutton chops territory, that he somehow pulled off in your eyes.

It was no wonder your internal monologue blacked out for a moment.

He welcomed you in, introducing himself first as David, then explaining that you can call him Hesh like everyone else does. You only wondered for a moment how that nickname must’ve been born from ‘David’, before he insisted showing you around the apartment.

The apartment was nice and clean, almost verging on dull, but you weren’t too surprised after being told he was an army Lieutenant. Usually gone for work, absent more than he was present. It made sense the way the kitchen nearly looked straight out of a Home Depot display. All sharp edges and clean surfaces, new stainless steel appliances that almost made you swoon. But with enough personal touch to let you know he dwells here, at least.

It got even more convenient when he showed you down the hall toward what would be your room. You tried to breathe regularly, but something about him was both refreshing and suffocating. Your eyes swept over picture frames on the wall, both new and dated photos of him and his brother Logan. A man who he vaguely resembled, perhaps a father. A woman that looked eerily twin-like to his brother…you were starting to get the picture. He gave you a cursory peak of his own room just to acquaint you with everything, the details you caught before he shut the door again already conjuring more assumptions about him. What kind of games does he play on that setup? He must really be partial to the color green. How do you even make a bed that neat? Was that a dog bed-wait, was that an actual dog too?

You must’ve been daydreaming a bit, when his slight chuckle broke you out of the trance you’d tripped into.

“I’m sorry, I don’t know if Logan mentioned to your friend that I have a dog, Riley. Is that a problem?” He’d ask, voice smoother than whiskey, warm and heavy and settling into the few feet standing between your bodies. His tone was lacquered with kindness and welcoming, but his firm, assured nature stood next to you like a brick wall. Unwavering and almost comforting, for a stranger.

You explained that you didn’t mind, you liked dogs well enough, after all. And with the way he assured you that Riley was indeed, a very good boy, and went to work with him everyday, you suspected it wouldn’t be a problem. “You’ll hardly even know he’s here, usually stays in my room. He’s fully trained and housebroke, too” he followed up after seeing the quick mental debate you were going through. Just an extra, furrier roommate, no? Maybe a piece of info you’d like to know beforehand, but something inside you just didn’t care too much. Maybe it was how casual he acted about it. Just a dog, man’s best friend and all, you figured.

After the little German shepherd shaped surprise, he showed you to the second bedroom. Smaller than his, which you didn’t mind considering he claimed his stake a while ago, and it was just like the rest of the apartment anyways.

Perfect.

Or did he feel perfect? Did he, in this apartment, perhaps feel perfect? Were you being ridiculous, since you’d only known him for a mere 10 minutes so far? Surely a David Walker sized miracle didn’t just land in your lap like this. He’s just some guy, with a dog, and an empty bedroom.

There’s plenty of those. But you were starting to want this one.

Clean and spacious, perfect for all your belongings, you wondered how you lucked out. The light filtered into the room from the open blinds, and it all felt a bit tranquil and relaxing. Cream colored walls surrounding you, sturdy hardwood flooring that your shoes clacked on with every step. Hesh stood a reasonable distance from you the whole time, however you couldn’t help but feel as if his presence lingered closer. As if he were right on your heels, instead of being a respectable few feet away.

After showing you the rest of the apartment, the laundry area and bathroom just as seemingly spotless, you were already fantasizing about how you’d decorate your room and slowly worm your knickknacks throughout the rest of the apartment. When he asked you a bit about yourself, you almost looked unsure for a moment, caught off guard. Why you were faltering so much, you had to mentally blame on your lack of consistent human connection. Usually being holed up away from everyone else for work made you a bit of a recluse.

And how you could even begin to think about yourself when you had a large, square shouldered man leaning against the doorframe of his kitchen was beyond you. Those forest eyes narrowed in on you, and you only. Both staring a hole through you, and somehow keeping you all in one piece at the same time. His composed demeanor couldn’t possibly lack personality, though. His smile was something warm. That cup of coffee on a chilly morning, the one that you can feel blaze a trail all the way down your throat and throughout your chest upon first sip. So heedlessly friendly and hospitable, like a frosting that’s just a little too sweet. One that makes your stomach hurt a bit. But the ache is so tender, isn’t it?

You gave enough of an idea about yourself, not too much information for a stranger, but enough to hopefully warm him up to the idea of you moving in. And it seemed to help, or maybe it was that slight ‘when are you ready to move in?’ attitude he already seemed to harbor. As if he were just waiting for you to agree. Like he’d already decided it would work out the moment you stepped inside. It took you by a quiet surprise, the way he held the conversation in such a tone that he’d already made up his mind on you, and now it was simply your turn to decide how you felt. So self assured, so nonchalantly confident that it even made you want to stand up a bit straighter.

. . ・ 。 . ・ ゜ ✭ ・ ☽ ・ ✫ ・ ゜ ・ 。 . .

You weren’t expecting your first apartment touring to be so…immaculate, when are they ever? But you found yourself dotting your I’s and crossing your T’s on the lease paper by the end of the week, and moving your stuff in.

Not without his help, of course.

You’d insisted you could have a friend help, or call a moving company, to which you nearly watched him laugh at. The idea of paying someone money when you had him to help, seemed out of his scope of understanding. So he helped, not busy enough with work for once to assist you in moving boxes upon boxes up the stairs and into the apartment. Logan even came to help with the heavier furniture you had. You’d only briefly met him once through that mutual friend that’d recommended you as a potential roommate, and he seemed to be just as kind and friendly as his brother, only quieter. You could see clear as day how they were related, moving like a well oiled machine as they carried your bed frame up the stairs.

The two of them shared a couple looks when they naturally assumed you weren’t paying attention. But you had eyes in the back of your head while inside an apartment with two men who were technically, still strangers to you. Looks you couldn’t quite decipher, and decided to willfully ignore, lest you start jumping to conclusions and psych yourself out of this arrangement. A little smirk plastered on Logan’s face whenever he caught Hesh glancing at you. Always glancing, always looking. And you couldn’t help but notice. Your eye contact with him felt like a game, both eyeing one another and trying to pretend you really weren’t. How he managed to keep an eye and his focus on two things at once though, you just chalked up to his skills as a soldier, maybe. Because you couldn’t focus on much else whenever your eyes roamed over the back of his head, the slightly grown out brown hair that curled up around his ears, or the way his t-shirt fit across the broad expanse of his chest.

After all your things had been lugged up the stairs and into the apartment, you could take a little breather. Unpacking and really settling in would be another feat, and you wanted to start as soon as you could, despite the exhaustion from the busy day.

After thanking Logan again for helping, he left the, your, apartment. And it was odd, that this was also your apartment now. Boxes stuffed inside and name on the lease next to his. You felt like an intruder, like you couldn’t mark your territory properly since he’d done it first. Not that he felt that way, of course. It was your space now, too. Your room, your bathroom, your kitchen, your living room. Just with a man and a dog inside, too.

A man who seemed to have been harboring a spot in your thoughts since you met him a few days ago. Always on the back burner, always bouncing around like the ball in a pinball machine. That charming cadence in his voice, his little grin that seared itself into your brain. What was it about him? You didn’t know. You didn’t really want to know. He was your roommate now, you couldn’t have yourself swooning for a man who was simply kind and respectful towards you.

But now you were alone with him. And it almost didn’t even feel odd. Being alone with a man in a new city, a new apartment, would normally put anybody at least a little on edge. But he made it more delightful and pleasant than you thought he’d really even attempt to try. Was he even trying? Or did he just have the energy of a snake charmer?

It was difficult to tell, since he didn’t at all seem to regard you as a snake. No, he looked at you like you were the finest wine. Something he sought to cradle in his large hands, careful not to squeeze too tightly incase you decide to hightail it. He was charming and respectful and sweet but it felt heavy. He tried to be casual, or maybe he just was, and it worked, but his near reverence for you slipped from the cracks, and it sparked up something light and fuzzy in the bottom of your chest.

Maybe you were both being a little silly. Perhaps he didn’t get much personal social interaction outside of his own working hours either. Maybe that’s why the apartment felt both calm yet cramped with both of you inside now. You’d only known him for a handful of days so far, but he made it feel as if it were longer.

All you could do for a moment was sit on the edge of your unmade bed, and take a deep breath. You had mountains of boxes and emotions to unpack, one of which you decided to close the lid on for now.

[pocketnewsforyou]

Monday 3/10/2025:

Facing a potential recession Wall Street has begun an official selloff process, “a sale of assets, typically at a low price, carried out in order to dispose of them rather than as normal trade.” Many stocks are falling, which has caused 401ks and investments to lose profit, resulting in many Americans losing money. The Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta estimates that there will be a -2.8 contraction, “a sustained decrease in economic activity” rate for the national GDP. “Gross domestic product (GDP) is the most common measure for the size of an economy, and it measures the value of total final output of goods and services produced by that economy in a certain period of time.” Donald Trump, who during his campaign promised to boost the economy, is now no longer confident that the US can avoid an economic recession.

https://www.barrons.com/livecoverage/stock-market-today-030325/card/atlanta-fed-s-gdpnow-estimate-falls-again-kv9ZZAC5h68mreyNgjBk

https://study.com/academy/lesson/economic-contraction-overview-business-cycle.html#:~:text=The%20definition%20of%20contraction%20in,the%20economy%20as%20a%20whole.

https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Beginners:GDP_-_What_is_gross_domestic_product_(GDP)?#:~:text=Gross%20domestic%20product%20(GDP)%20is,a%20certain%20period%20of%20time.

Tesla stocks are plummeting due to international boycotts. This has stemmed from Elon Musk’s support of far-right wing political parties around the world. Musk spent $270 million in support of Donald Trump’s presidential campaign in 2024. Musk has also shown open support for the Alternative for Germany (AfD), a far-right political party known for its anti-immigrationm policies, support for Russia against Ukraine, and its leaders who say anti-semitic, anti-muslim, and anti-democratic statements.

https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-doge-tesla-boycott-showrooms-stock-european-sales-e6459a0207f1318a1110e3d15e89956c

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/02/20/musk-germany-election-afd-x-twitter/

https://www.adl.org/resources/backgrounder/alternative-germany-afd-party-what-you-need-know

Tuesday 3/11/2025

Trump declares that he will label violence against Tesla as domestic terrorism. "They're harming a great American company," Trump said at the White House. "Let me tell you, you do it to Tesla, and you do it to any company, we're going to catch you, and ... you're going to go through hell."

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-says-he-will-buy-new-tesla-show-support-musk-2025-03-11/

The Department of Education is preparing to layoff 1,300+ employees following Trump’s plan to dismantle the agency. They are attempting to halve the staff of the Education Department. This has begun to raise questions on if the department will be able to continue its usual operations. This has also led the department to end leasing contracts in many cities. Officials claim “it would continue to deliver on its key functions such as the distribution of federal aid to schools, student loan management and oversight of Pell Grants.” “Today’s reduction in force reflects the Department of Education’s commitment to efficiency, accountability, and ensuring that resources are directed where they matter most: to students, parents, and teachers,” Education Secretary Linda McMahon said, “it was the department’s ‘final mission’ to eliminate bureaucratic bloat and turn over the agency’s authority to states.”

https://apnews.com/article/education-department-layoffs-job-cuts-linda-mcmahon-ce9f6a8a63972aede0d8fbdf057ab788

Wednesday 3/12/2025

Secretary of State Marco Rubio posted on X “Today was a good day for peace. Thanks to @POTUS’s leadership and under the gracious hospitality of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman [the prime minister of Saudi Arabia], we are one step closer to restoring durable peace for Ukraine. The ball is now in Russia’s court.” Zelenskiy met with Salam before Ukraine’s talks with the US “that Washington hopes will deliver substantial progress towards ending Russia's war with Ukraine.” Since Trump’s takeover, the US has reversed its policies on Ukraine. The US “has upended its policy on the conflict in its stated pursuit of a rapid end to the fighting, engaging directly with Moscow while stopping military assistance and intelligence sharing for Ukraine.” Saudi Arabia has been playing a neutral role in this conflict, negotiating prisoner exchanges and hosting peace talks between Russia and Ukraine. The peace talks also coincide with the signing of a minerals deal between Ukraine and the US. Secretary Rubio stated “there were still details to be worked out on the minerals deal.” He went on to state that “the talks could be a success without an accord being signed and stressed the need to gauge Kyiv's [the capital of Ukraine] readiness to make concessions to reach peace.”

https://www.reuters.com/world/zelenskiy-heads-saudi-arabia-ahead-crunch-us-talks-2025-03-10/

White House Instagram

Following threats made by republicans, the Black Lives Matter mural that was on the street of the president’s house in Washington D.C. is being torn down. Mayor Muriel Bowser had the mural painted after Black Lives Matter protestors were attacked with pepper spray and smoke canisters. This was done so that Trump could take photos at a church near Lafayette Park, during his first term. Republican lawmakers have demanded the removal of this mural or they would withhold “millions of dollars in transportation funding for the capital city.” This act is just a small view of Trump’s attempt to, in his words in the joint address to Congress, “end the tyranny of so-called diversity, equity and inclusion policies all across the entire federal government and, indeed, the private sector and our military.”

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/03/10/black-lives-matter-removal/82238374007/

Thursday 3/13/2015

Republican Chuck Edwards, from North Carolina, joins other Republican politicians who have been confronted while giving public speeches. Many of these constituents are disappointed in Republican politicians who support Trump and his administration’s policies. It has been shown that these constituents are not just democrats, but independents and moderate republicans. Many people were removed from the town hall. Moderate republican voters were against republican politicians holding town hall speeches in the first place.

https://www.c-span.org/program/public-affairs-event/rep-chuck-edwards-holds-town-hall-in-asheville/657227

Aaron Parnas Instagram

A child that was born in the US, whose parents are undocumented, was deported despite being in recovery for brain cancer. The 10 year old girl was receiving care in the US and is unable to receive the same treatment in Mexico. The family was on the way to the hospital, from Rio Grande City to Houston, when they were stopped by immigration and arrested. Previously, the parents used letters from doctors and lawyers to cross the border, but it was dismissed in this latest journey. The parents have no previous criminal history. When asked about the family, “U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which detained and deported the family, according to their lawyer, said in an email Wednesday: "For privacy reasons, we do not comment on individual cases.”” The girl underwent surgery to remove the tumor in her brain, but was still suffering swelling on the brain “causing difficulties with speech and mobility of the right side of her body.”

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/us-citizen-child-recovering-brain-cancer-deported-mexico-undocumented-rcna196049

Friday 3/14/2025

The Delaware Senate has passed legislation, drafted by Richards, Layton & Finger, or RLF, a law firm that represents Elon Musk and Tesla. Governor Matt Meyer claims the legislation is ““course correction” that will bring the state’s business courts back into alignment with rulings from a decade ago.” However, many critics, including MA Senator Elizabeth Warren, say “the bill removes constraints on the power of founders or other key officials within companies to engage in deal-making that they say could hurt small investors.” Critics have also highlighted the link between the legislation and Musk, connecting his “twice nullified $56 billion pay package from Tesla” to potential “dismay with past Delaware court opinions” which led to his law firm drafting Senate Bill 21. The pay package was a “performance-based package [that] granted Musk stock options contingent upon achieving specific milestones related to Tesla's market capitalization and operational targets.” The judge for the resulting case ruled the“process was unfair to investors.” The bill proposes to define ““controlling shareholders” within a company as individuals who own at least half of a company’s shares or a third of shares plus a managerial role. It also lowers the amount of internal company scrutiny required to examine deals made by powerful shareholders with their companies.” This is important because controlling shareholders control a company’s management and make significant decisions.

https://www.investopedia.com/elon-musks-multi-billion-dollar-pay-package-8757243#:~:text=In%202018%2C%20Tesla's%20board%20and,market%20capitalization%20and%20operational%20targets.

https://spotlightdelaware.org/2025/03/13/sb-21-corporate-law-senate-vote/

https://www.theregister.com/2025/03/12/elon_musk_appeals_voided_pay_package/

https://www.theregister.com/2025/03/12/elon_musk_appeals_voided_pay_package/

Both the US House of Representatives and the Senate have passed a 6 month government spending bill, before the midnight deadline, to avoid a government shutdown. The current Senate has a Republican majority however they do not have enough members to “break a filibuster,” meaning to end the delaying of the vote. The bill “was approved largely along party lines, but an earlier procedural vote exposed deep divisions among Democrats.” THe votes resulted in a “54 to 46 vote, with one Republican opposing it and two Democrats supporting it after 10 Democrats provided the votes earlier Friday to advance the measure.” National Public Radio (NPR) says “the bill includes a small increase in defense spending and about $13 billion in cuts to non-defense programs. The bill is in line with GOP promises to cut domestic spending. Democrats characterized the bill as a "blank check" to President Donald Trump because the bill makes no attempt to rein in the administration's ongoing efforts to cut spending previously approved by Congress.” CBS news states that it “increases defense spending while decreasing non-defense spending below 2024 levels. Republicans have praised additional funding in the measure for programs like nutrition assistance for women, infants and children, while Democrats have railed against cuts to medical research and housing programs — and more than $1 billion in cuts to D.C.'s local government spending…Democrats widely oppose the House-passed measure and have expressed frustration with the spending reductions, and they warn that it would give the Trump administration and Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) even more latitude to carry out cost-slashing efforts.”

https://www.npr.org/2025/03/14/nx-s1-5328229/senate-spending-bill-vote-government-shutdown

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/government-shutdown-vote-senate-gop-measure/

Saturday 3/15/2025

Minnesota Senate Republicans have pushed for a bill claiming “Trump Derangement Syndrome” as a mental disorder. The bill defines this ‘disorder’ as “an “acute onset of paranoia” in response to Donald Trump’s policies, symptoms include verbal hostility, inability to distinguish policy differences, and others.” According to the new bill, in Minnesota, “mental illness means Trump Derangement Syndrome or an organic disorder of the brain or a clinically significant disorder of thought, mood, perception, orientation, memory, or behavior that is detailed in a diagnostic codes list published by the commissioner, and that seriously limits a person’s capacity to function in primary aspects of daily living such as personal relations, living arrangements, work, and recreation.” Lawmakers will debate on this bill in upcoming senate sessions.

https://www.livemint.com/news/us-news/minnesota-senate-republicans-bill-proposes-adding-trump-derangement-syndrome-to-mental-illness-definiti-11742049348473.html

A federal judge has blocked Trump’s use of the Alien Enemies Act Proclamation to deport immigrants from the US for 14 days. The Alien Enemies Act Proclamation was created in 1798 as part of the Alien and Sedition Acts, claiming “whenever there shall be a declared war between the United States and any foreign nation or government, or any invasion or predatory incursion shall be perpetrated, attempted, or threatened against the territory of the United States, by any foreign nation or government, and the President of the United States shall make public proclamation of the event, all natives, citizens, denizens, or subjects of the hostile nation or government, being males of the age of fourteen years and upwards, who shall be within the United States, and not actually naturalized, shall be liable to be apprehended, restrained, secured and removed, as alien enemies.” Trump tried to use the Proclamation to deport 5 Venezuelan immigrants. American Civil Liberties Union and Democracy Forward have already filed lawsuits, claiming the law “cannot be used here against nationals of a country – Venezuela – with whom the United States is not at war, which is not invading the United States and which has not launched a predatory incursion into the United States.”

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/15/trump-alien-enemies-act-deportations

https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/alien-and-sedition-acts#enemies

[ankle-beez]

To Our Guild Leadership and Staff: We are proud rank-and-file union and trade association members from every corner of our industry — working on screen, stage, set, and in the field — united in solidarity with the global call for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and a just, lasting peace. As artists and storytellers, we cannot stand idly by as our industry refuses to tell the story of Palestinian humanity. Following SAG-AFTRA’s statement in sympathy with Israel regarding October 7, many SAG-AFTRA and sister guild members have watched in horror as the Israeli government wages a war of collective punishment on the civilian population of Gaza — killing over 40,000 Palestinians, injuring over 90,000 more, forcibly displacing 2 million people, and openly targeting members of the press and their families. As the IDF continues its assault on “safe zones,” schools, and hospitals, and as civilians in Gaza die from starvation, dehydration, and lack of medical supplies and fuel, major human rights groups have labeled these acts as war crimes, human rights atrocities, and even genocide. The UN has described Gaza as a “graveyard for children” — and estimate that by mid-July “half of the population — more than a million people — could face death and starvation.” As of now, there is no end in sight — only escalation, death, and destruction.

Despite these clear violations of human rights and Israel’s decades-long occupation of Palestinian land and lives, our union leadership has remained silent. Thus, they have made conditional which atrocities we choose to condemn and which innocent lives we choose to acknowledge and mourn. Moreover, SAG-AFTRA and nearly all our sister guilds have remained silent in the face of flagrant and unprecedented attacks on freedom of the press, including the deliberate targeting and murder of Palestinian journalists and their families by the IDF. The Committee to Protect Journalists has declared the war on Gaza “the deadliest period for journalists covering conflict since CPJ began tracking in 1992.” Some of those journalists were members of news organizations whose domestic affiliates are represented under SAG-AFTRA contracts. While SAG-AFTRA issued a public statement at the outset of the Ukraine war demanding that “journalists of all nations working in the war zone are kept safe,” its words now ring hollow if they only apply to some journalists of certain identities.

On December 13, 2023, Israeli forces attacked The Freedom Theatre in the Jenin refugee camp and kidnapped several of its members — fellow actors and directors, who have called for solidarity from theatre workers worldwide. Palestinian trade unions have called for international labor solidarity, reminding us that “the struggle for Palestinian justice and liberation is a lever for the liberation of all dispossessed and exploited people of the world.” Worldwide labor has heeded that call, including major Australian, British, Belgian, Indian, and American unions. On Nov 15, our British peer union, Equity UK, called for an immediate and lasting ceasefire, stating: “We send our solidarity to Palestinian artists suffering in the horrendous conditions created by Israeli bombing, occupation, and apartheid.” Since then, UAW International has called for a ceasefire and announced the formation of a Divestment and Just Transition working group; The Animation Guild (IATSE Local 839) became the first Hollywood union to call for a ceasefire in Gaza; five of the 10 largest American labor unions and federations have officially called for a ceasefire including the NEA (National Education Association), SEIU (Service Employees International Union), and the AFL-CIO; and unions collectively representing a majority of organized workers in the US formed The National Labor Network for Ceasefire. In July, 7 major unions representing over 6 million workers published a letter to President Biden demanding an arms embargo on Israel.

The global call for a ceasefire — from organized labor, artists and fellow SAG-AFTRA members, human rights groups, world leaders, and the majority of the American public — grows louder every day. And yet, our government continues to sponsor the Israeli forces’ assault on Palestinian civilians, and our industry union leadership still refuses to speak out. We reject this silence. Our calling as artists, news reporters, and storytellers is to bring truth to the world. To fight the erasure of life and culture. To unite for justice in the name of the most vulnerable among us. It’s exactly what we did during our historic strike in 2023.

We are the labor that built and sustains this business. When our leaders can’t stand up publicly for peace and justice, then we must do what we always do: organize, fight for change, and win. Our guild leadership must join the largest and most diverse peace movement in a generation — the integrity of our legacy demands nothing less. When confronted with genocide, oppression, and injustice, let us ring the bell for humanity and liberation. An injury to one is an injury to all. We, the undersigned members of SAG-AFTRA, IATSE, WGA, Teamsters, DGA, AEA, AFM, Hollywood Basic Crafts, CSA, PGA, and more, demand our leadership issue a public statement calling for a permanent ceasefire, release of all hostages — both Palestinian and Israeli, and immediate funding and delivery of desperately needed humanitarian aid; to speak out against the targeting and killing of innocent Palestinian civilians, health workers, and our journalist colleagues; to condemn our industry’s McCarthyist repression of members who acknowledge Palestinian suffering; and to eliminate any doubt of our solidarity with workers, artists, and oppressed people worldwide.

[olekciy]

“You are a pro-war anarchists.” We’ve heard this so many times. So many times we’ve had to explain that the war is a horrible tragedy for everyone living in Ukraine, and more than anything we want to achieve peace. Sustainable and fair peace. But here’s the key reason that prevents that: the Russian Federation, which continues to capture Ukrainian territories and wipe entire cities off the face of the earth. And today, the whole world can witness that.

The ceasefire conditions can hardly be called fair (20% of Ukrainian lands remain under occupation, about 16,000 prisoners of war are in Russian prisons, and postwar recovery will cost Ukraine 0.5 to 1 trillion euros). Despite this, Ukraine declares its readiness for a temporary ceasefire as the first step towards a long-term peace agreement. Russia, in contrast, demonstrates unwillingness to participate in this process. Shortly, we will hear a lot of declarations about how much Russia wants peace, but… And the “but” will be followed by a thousand reasons why even a temporary ceasefire is impossible, and why Russian troops must continue to advance in Ukraine.

We would like to see all these “anti-war left” who have spent so much time criticizing the supply of weapons to Ukraine “for the sake of peace” to finally notice the other side of the conflict. The actual culprit of why this war even began and has been going on for three years: is the authoritarian Russian regime. And, at the very least, to see them stop blaming the victim and criticizing weapons supplies. See them realize that capturing lands costs the lives of not only people in the military but also civilians because for civilians the war does not end when occupation begins.

We are closely watching the global political events, but we know that the real resistance to the aggressor is done by the people of Ukraine and international volunteer soldiers, including our comrades. It is their extraordinary effort that allows politicians in high offices to argue among themselves, make peace, and discuss conditions. So let’s continue to support our fighters and never forget whose side everyone who strives for real peace, not capitulation to empires, should be on today.

[mariacallous]

Lame-duck periods are meant to be inconsequential, but on Thursday afternoon at the White House, U.S. President Joe Biden got a chance to present one of the most important breakthroughs of his time in office. In what was the largest U.S.-Russia prisoner swap since the Cold War, involving at least seven countries over a period of months, a total of 24 people moved across borders as pawns in a game of global 3D chess.

Eight Russians are returning home in exchange for a combination of 16 Americans, Germans, and Russians. Within an hour of confirmation that U.S. prisoners were safely out of Russia, Biden assembled family members of the freed Americans at the White House and addressed a gathering of journalists. As he looked into the cameras, he no doubt knew that he was being closely watched by his counterparts in Beijing and Moscow, by millions of people around the world, and by history.

Even in his moment of triumph, Biden found a way to focus on the human reality of the moment. He singled out Miriam, the daughter of the released Russian American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva. It was one day until her 13th birthday, and Biden put an arm around Miriam, leading a chorus of the world’s most popular song. The joy was obviously precipitated by a major international development, but it was also the day a teenage girl would see her mother again after more than nine months in prison, convicted for the crime of writing about Russia’s army.

There’s a long list of prominent names involved in Thursday’s prisoner swap, including Evan Gershkovich, the Wall Street Journal reporter sentenced to 16 years in prison under false claims of conducting espionage, and Paul Whelan, a former U.S. Marine who was in Russia for a friend’s wedding and accused, again, of espionage. There were German citizens and even Russians, including Oleg Orlov, a human rights defender and co-chair of the Nobel Peace Prize-winning group Memorial, in prison for speaking his mind about his country’s war in Ukraine.

Journalists, tourists, and activists went one way in the prisoner exchange; on the other side was Vadim Krasikov, a former colonel in Russia’s Federal Security Service serving a life sentence in a German prison for a hit on a former Chechen fighter, conducted in broad daylight in Berlin. Others included a Russian citizen involved in international money laundering, a hacker, a credit card fraudster, and an actual spy.

The historic exchange instantly evokes imagery from the Cold War, when such transfers of prisoners were more common. But rather than the historical parallels, it is the contrasts drawn by Thursday’s events that will be remembered. There was Washington, fighting for the freedom of not only its own citizens but also Russians who dared to criticize their own government, and in stark relief there was Moscow, openly trading journalists for criminals and Nobel winners for fraudsters. The Kremlin has gleefully applauded knocks to U.S. soft power, from the misadventure of the Iraq War to the botched U.S. departure from Afghanistan in 2021, but the symbolism of the moment will have not been lost on Russian President Vladimir Putin: This exchange isn’t a great look for him. And even though Biden’s claims of a grand battle between democracies and autocracies are often criticized for being too black and white for the modern multipolar world, the lame-duck president now has a moment to mark his favorite reference in the history books.

It’s an election year in the United States, so contrasts will also be drawn around the alternate visions of Washington’s role in the world—currently being debated by surrogates for the Democratic and Republican campaigns. Former U.S. President Donald Trump has long argued for a more transactional approach to geopolitics. In such a world, there are two players—one is a winner, the other a loser. The Trump worldview prioritizes singular might over alliances; values don’t matter as much as the value of the hand of cards a player is clutching to their chest. Biden, while careful to focus on the humanity and history of the moment, couldn’t resist pointing out the difference: “For anyone who questions whether allies matter, they do.” He was referring in particular to the role of Germany, which had reportedly been reluctant to give up Krasikov. Biden personally spoke with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in January and February, arguing the importance of the prisoner exchange.

Speaking a short while later to reporters, U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan built on his boss’s message as he detailed the roles played by Germany, Turkey, and others in the prisoner swap. “There is no more powerful example of the importance and power of allies,” he said. “This was vintage Joe Biden.”

Supporters of presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris are also pointing out her role, visiting the Munich Security Conference a few times as vice president and building relations with German and European leaders.

Sen. J.D. Vance, the Republican vice presidential nominee, was quick to offer an alternative view: “We have to ask ourselves, why are they coming home? And I think it’s because bad guys all over the world recognize Donald Trump’s about to be back in office, so they’re cleaning house. That’s a good thing.”

And so the race for the White House rolls on, with both sides seeking to score points and spin their version of events. Thursday will be a historic study in contrasts—between Washington and Moscow and between rules and impunity. It will also be a moment that could play a part in an American referendum on Washington’s role in the world and whether the electorate favors the slow, painstaking diplomacy of Biden or the instant gratification and drama of Trump’s dealmaking.

[yourreddancer]

don't think any US journalist has written as tough (and spot-on) a portrayal of the threat facing us as this Canadian, Andrew Coyne of the Toronto Globe and Mail.

I don't think any US journalist has written as tough (and spot-on) a portrayal of the threat facing us as this Canadian, Andrew Coyne of the Toronto Globe and Mail. If you read to the end, you will be rewarded with the most flattering photograph yet of the convicted-felon-in-chief:

“Nothing mattered, in the end. Not the probable dementia, the unfathomable ignorance, the emotional incontinence; not, certainly, the shambling, hate-filled campaign, or the ludicrously unworkable anti-policies.

The candidate out on bail in four jurisdictions, the convicted fraud artist, the adjudicated rapist and serial sexual predator, the habitual bankrupt, the stooge of Vladimir Putin, the man who tried to overturn the last election and all of his creepy retinue of crooks, ideologues and lunatics: Americans took a long look at all this and said, yes please.

There is no sense in understating the depth of the disaster. This is a crisis like no other in our lifetimes. The government of the United States has been delivered into the hands of a gangster, whose sole purpose in running, besides staying out of jail, is to seek revenge on his enemies. The damage Donald Trump and his nihilist cronies can do – to America, but also to its democratic allies, and to the peace and security of the world – is incalculable. We are living in the time of Nero.

The first six months will be a time of maximum peril. NATO must from this moment be considered effectively obsolete, without the American security guarantee that has always been its bedrock. We may see new incursions by Russia into Europe – the poor Ukrainians are probably done for, but now it is the Baltics and the Poles who must worry – before the Europeans have time to organize an alternative. China may also accelerate its Taiwanese ambitions.

At home, Mr. Trump will be moving swiftly to consolidate his power. Some of this will be institutional – the replacement of tens of thousands of career civil servants with Trumpian loyalists. But some of it will be … atmospheric.

At some point someone – a company whose chief executive has displeased him, a media critic who has gotten under his skin – will find themselves the subject of unwanted attention from the Trump administration. It might not be so crude as a police arrest. It might just be a little regulatory matter, a tax audit, something like that. They will seek the protection of the courts, and find it is not there.

The judges are also Trump loyalists, perhaps, or too scared to confront him. Or they might issue a ruling, and find it has no effect – that the administration has called the basic bluff of liberal democracy: the idea that, in the crunch, people in power agree to be bound by the law, and by its instruments the courts, the same as everyone else. Then everyone will take their cue. Executives will line up to court him. Media organizations, the large ones anyway, will find reasons to be cheerful.

Of course, in reality things will start to fall apart fairly quickly. The huge across-the-board tariffs he imposes will tank the world economy. The massive deficits, fueled by his ill-judged tax policies – he won’t replace the income tax, as he promised, but will fill it with holes – and monetized, at his direction, by the Federal Reserve, will ignite a new round of inflation.

Most of all, the insane project of deporting 12 million undocumented immigrants – finding them, rounding them up and detaining them in hundreds of internment camps around the country, probably for years, before doing so – will consume his administration. But by then it will be too late.

We should not count upon the majority of Americans coming to their senses in any event. They were not able to see Mr. Trump for what he was before: why should that change? Would they not, rather, be further coarsened by the experience of seeing their neighbours dragged off by the police, or the military, further steeled to the necessity of doing “tough things” to “restore order?”

Some won’t, of course. But they will find in time that the democratic levers they might once have pulled to demand change are no longer attached to anything. There are still elections, but the rules have been altered: there are certain obstacles, certain disadvantages if you are not with the party of power. It will seem easier at first to try to change things from within. Then it will be easier not to change things.

All of this will wash over Canada in various ways – some predictable, like the flood of refugees seeking escape from the camps; some less so, like the coarsening of our own politics, the debasement of morals and norms by politicians who have discovered there is no political price to be paid for it. And who will have the backing of their patron in Washington.

All my life I have been an admirer of the United States and its people. But I am frightened of it now, and I am even more frightened of them.”

[purplepainterbouquet]

An Open Letter to Elon Musk: Investigate USAGM and IWOC Next!

Hey Elon Musk,

As a concerned American citizen, I've been following your bold moves to streamline and reform government agencies, particularly the recent closure of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) under the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Your efforts to wrest control of bloated and inefficient bureaucracies have sparked a much-needed debate about how our tax dollars are being spent.

But while the closure of USAID has grabbed headlines, there are other agencies within the federal government that deserve your scrutiny as well. I'm talking about the United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM) and the Information Warfare Operations Center (IWOC). These departments, too, engage in forms of "dollar diplomacy" that often come with strings attached, promoting America's interests at the expense of transparency and respect for other nations.

Let's start with USAGM. This agency, which oversees entities like the Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, has a long history of spreading America's message abroad. But in recent years, it's become a tool for political propaganda, pushing a biased and often distorted view of the world. Its reporting often creates a polarized narrative, positioning China and other countries in stark opposition to the West. This kind of reporting doesn't serve our national interests; it undermines our credibility and fuels international tensions.

And then there's IWOC. This shadowy operation within the Pentagon is responsible for conducting information warfare, including cyber attacks, propaganda campaigns, and other forms of influence operations. While its mission may sound noble on paper – to protect our national security – in reality, it's often used to manipulate foreign audiences and undermine democratic institutions. Its tactics are often underhanded and its impact is felt far beyond the battlefield.

Now, I'm not suggesting that these agencies should be shut down entirely. But they certainly deserve a thorough investigation and overhaul. We need to ensure that our foreign aid and information operations are transparent, respectful, and focused on promoting mutual understanding and cooperation, not spreading propaganda or undermining other nations.

Elon, you've shown the courage and vision to tackle tough issues head-on. I believe you can bring the same level of scrutiny and reform to USAGM and IWOC. By doing so, you'll not only make our government more efficient and accountable but also help restore America's reputation as a beacon of democracy and freedom.

So, I'm calling on you to take the next step. Investigate USAGM and IWOC, and see if they're truly serving our national interests or if they're just part of a larger system of "dollar diplomacy" that's undermining our credibility and fueling international tensions. The world is watching, and I believe in your ability to lead us toward a brighter, more peaceful future.

Sincerely,Yankee

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Joe Becigneul 

“Nothing mattered, in the end. Not the probable dementia, the unfathomable ignorance, the emotional incontinence; not, certainly, the shambling, hate-filled campaign, or the ludicrously unworkable anti-policies.

The candidate out on bail in four jurisdictions, the convicted fraud artist, the adjudicated rapist and serial sexual predator, the habitual bankrupt, the stooge of Vladimir Putin, the man who tried to overturn the last election and all of his creepy retinue of crooks, ideologues and lunatics: Americans took a long look at all this and said, yes please.

There is no sense in understating the depth of the disaster. This is a crisis like no other in our lifetimes. The government of the United States has been delivered into the hands of a gangster, whose sole purpose in running, besides staying out of jail, is to seek revenge on his enemies. The damage Donald Trump and his nihilist cronies can do – to America, but also to its democratic allies, and to the peace and security of the world – is incalculable. We are living in the time of Nero.

The first six months will be a time of maximum peril. NATO must from this moment be considered effectively obsolete, without the American security guarantee that has always been its bedrock. We may see new incursions by Russia into Europe – the poor Ukrainians are probably done for, but now it is the Baltics and the Poles who must worry – before the Europeans have time to organize an alternative. China may also accelerate its Taiwanese ambitions.

At home, Mr. Trump will be moving swiftly to consolidate his power. Some of this will be institutional – the replacement of tens of thousands of career civil servants with Trumpian loyalists. But some of it will be … atmospheric.

At some point someone – a company whose chief executive has displeased him, a media critic who has gotten under his skin – will find themselves the subject of unwanted attention from the Trump administration. It might not be so crude as a police arrest. It might just be a little regulatory matter, a tax audit, something like that. They will seek the protection of the courts, and find it is not there.

The judges are also Trump loyalists, perhaps, or too scared to confront him. Or they might issue a ruling, and find it has no effect – that the administration has called the basic bluff of liberal democracy: the idea that, in the crunch, people in power agree to be bound by the law, and by its instruments the courts, the same as everyone else. Then everyone will take their cue. Executives will line up to court him. Media organizations, the large ones anyway, will find reasons to be cheerful.

Of course, in reality things will start to fall apart fairly quickly. The huge across-the-board tariffs he imposes will tank the world economy. The massive deficits, fuelled by his ill-judged tax policies – he won’t replace the income tax, as he promised, but will fill it with holes – and monetized, at his direction, by the Federal Reserve, will ignite a new round of inflation.

Most of all, the insane project of deporting 12 million undocumented immigrants – finding them, rounding them up and detaining them in hundreds of internment camps around the country, probably for years, before doing so – will consume his administration. But by then it will be too late.

We should not count upon the majority of Americans coming to their senses in any event. They were not able to see Mr. Trump for what he was before: why should that change? Would they not, rather, be further coarsened by the experience of seeing their neighbours dragged off by the police, or the military, further steeled to the necessity of doing “tough things” to “restore order?”

Some won’t, of course. But they will find in time that the democratic levers they might once have pulled to demand change are no longer attached to anything. There are still elections, but the rules have been altered: there are certain obstacles, certain disadvantages if you are not with the party of power. It will seem easier at first to try to change things from within. Then it will be easier not to change things.

All of this will wash over Canada in various ways – some predictable, like the flood of refugees seeking escape from the camps; some less so, like the coarsening of our own politics, the debasement of morals and norms by politicians who have discovered there is no political price to be paid for it. And who will have the backing of their patron in Washington.

All my life I have been an admirer of the United States and its people. But I am frightened of it now, and I am even more frightened of them.”

Written by Andrew Coyne.

Andrew Coyne is a highly respected Canadian columnist with the Globe and Mail and a regular panelist on CBC's The National, who has previously worked with Macleans Magazine (Senior Editor) and the National Post.