#sharing things by palestinian fans is very important

[bandzboy]

words by a palestinian stay on twitter

[spinnysocks]

hi friends, making an important post today

with the Mufasa movie's official trailer released yesterday, i feel it is important to remind my fellow fans: Do Not Give Disney Your Money.

// pt: Do not give disney your money. //

Disney has donated $2 MILLION to Israeli organisations.

// pt: Disney had donated $2 million to Israeli organisations. (Embedded link: https://www.tumblr.com/beardeddetectivepaper/741952465658953728?source=share) //

they are not a company we should support. they have chosen to use the power of money given to them from producing prominently kids' films to fund the genocide of palestinians.

even if they have made our favourite films or shows, disney do not deserve our support of their company. it is time to separate the art from the artist. we should not and will not support disney's actions against palestine.

this is why i urge you to:

1) Do not pay to see the Mufasa movie, in cinemas or on Disney's streaming service. Alternatively, pirate the film. (Don't worry, pirating websites are very quick and the movie is likely to be uploaded within a day or two of releasing in cinemas.)

// pt: 1) Do not pay to see the Mufasa movie //

2) Do not buy merch, if any is released. If you want the merch, it will be resold second hand etc. Edit: Not sure how I forgot this, but of course buying secondhand still means that Disney has earned money from the merch bought firsthand. My recommendation is to buy TLK or Disney merch from small businesses, such as those making pins, keychains and the like.

// pt: 2) Do not buy merch //

3) Outside of regarding the Mufasa movie, do not support Disney in any way.

// pt: 3) Outside of regarding the Mufasa movie, do not support Disney in any way. //

i understand that this can be difficult - hell, even i've accidentally bought something Disney and couldn't return it before the refund date was up because of my disabilities. we can make mistakes. the important thing is to stay vigilant and remember who we are doing this for: the people who can't, the people who are suffering. Disney is funding their ongoing suffering and we will not give them our support.

if you want to give money to a good cause, i recommend looking under the “vetted fundraisers” tag for displaced Palestinians and others who need our help.

thank you for reading and please reblog/share this for reach if possible /gen, nf, info, advice

[hard--headed--woman]

I briefly talked about it with someone here and it made me think so much that I had to make a post about it - why don't misandrist men get as much hate as misandrist women ?

They are men who think men are horrible and say it. Yet they do not receive the same amount of hate as a feminist saying "I hate men".

There's an example that I find interesting and that I thought I'd share : some decades ago, a very famous leftist french singer, Renaud, made a song that quickly became very popular and loved. It's called "Miss Maggie" and it basically says that men are trash and that women are superior. The thing is, absolutely everyone praises him for it and loves that song. I guess there are some conservatives and incels who hate it, but the vast majority of the country, men and women, loves it ; people say Renaud is amazing and a genius for writing it and that the song is wonderful. Here is a link if you want to listen to it :

(He also criticizes Margaret Tatcher in that song but I won't talk about it in this post because it's not the point).

Here are some lyrics (with the english translation) just so you understand what I'm talking about :

(Bourgeois women or whores

Who are often the very same

Normal women, stars or uglies

Females of all kinds, I love you

Even to the worst moron

I dedicate these few verses

Born of my disgust for men

And their warrior morality

Because no woman on the planet

Will ever be more stupid than her brother

Nor prouder nor more dishonest)

(Woman I love you because

When sport becomes war

There are no chicks, or very few

In the hordes of fans

Crazy fanatics

Drunk on hate and beer

Defying the morons in blue

Insulting the bastards in green)

(The atomic bomb

Didn't come from a female brain

And no woman has on her hands

The blood of Native Americans.

Palestinians and Armenians

Testify from their graves

That genocides are a male thing

Like SS, bullfighters

In this fucking humanity

Murderers are all brothers

Not a woman to compete)

(Woman I love you, above all, at last

For your weakness and for your eyes

When a man's only strength

Is his gun or his cock

And when the last hour comes

Hell will be full of morons

Playing soccer or war

Playing who pisses the farthest)

Everyone loves that song and Renaud didn't receive any hate for writing it. Now imagine if a woman had written it? Just imagine the amount of hate a female singer would receive if she wrote a song like this. That could ruin her carreer and I am not exaggerating.

Renaud is also known for saying other misandrist things. I remember watching an interview with him, in which he's said that "Women are always there to heal wounds, repair damage, get things done... Unfortunately, there are still too few of them in important positions where they can participate in decision-making", "The oldest form of discrimination is discrimination against women. They are the first group we decided to hate and oppress", "Politicians and religions don't want to let women be more than virgins or whores. They don't want to let them be human beings, women, fulfilled people, with a personality, who work...", "It's not long since women have had the right to vote in France. And what's more, when I see women voting for a man, it gives me the same feeling as if I saw a crocodile going to a leather shop of its own free will...".

And in the comments, absolutely everyone was praising him, calling him a king, an angel and what not. No one to call him names or to tell him horrible things. No one to act as if he's said the craziest thing ever, no one to act as if he committed a crime. Sure some people disagree and insult women, but there is not a lot of hatred against him. Again, a woman would have received a lot of hate if she had said things like that. Just read what men have to say about Delphine Seyrig criticizing the patriarchy and the "indifference of men".

The point of that post isn’t to say that Renaud is The Feminist Ally, that he's perfect and one of the good guys or whatever. I just want to point out that a man criticizing men, saying he hates them, calling out their behaviour (and even saying women are superior!) will never receive the same amount of hate as a woman barely saying "I hate men" or ever way "nicer" things. Sounds like everyone knows why we hate men and even agrees with us deep inside, and just hate when women speak up about it. Sounds like they don't have a problem with misandry but with women 🤷🏽‍♀️

[imperiuswrecked]

i wanted to thank you for your post on sabra. i don't know much about marvel, especially the actual comics, so this was very informative for me (and i'm sure it was for many others).

i'm just in so much shock over how blatantly racist and vile the examples you used were. i had to do multiple double takes at times and sometimes i'd just stop and stare in disbelief. i really felt it when you added feeling like you'd throw up because i was feeling the exact same.

apologies for rambling. i'm just... wow. what an absolutely evil character. thank you again for spreading awareness.

You're welcome, and I'm glad my Boycott Sabra post has helped people understand the serious nature of promoting a racist Zionist character and how harmful it would be to support that and why Palestinians & their allies are boycotting the Captain America movie until Sabra is removed.

Not a lot of people have the time to read comics, and with a character as minor as Sabra (who really isn't important at all and has had no impact on comics except as a Israeli Zionist IDF Propaganda Character and she never even interacts with Captain America/Sam Wilson), it would be difficult for people to understand this isn't just a Jewish character who lives in "Israel" but that she's a character who literally embodies racism, and is the personification of Zionist Israel.

So I really hope that people continue to share and also call/e-mail/text/post online @ Marvel & Disney to let them know we won't support Zionism and to remove the character. Also posting online with the captainamerica tags, etc. is another way to help spread awareness and it's an important thing fans can do. Hopefully the character is removed from the movie and people can enjoy Sam as Captain America. Thanks!!!

[dreamingofscully]

Gonna be making a list of XF authors who have shown support for Palestine aka shared information over social media.

Feel free to DM me if you are an author and want to be included, or know of other authors that should be included (or if you would like your name off of this list).

I’m doing this for my own interest (I like to support ppl who deserve it, and don’t like supporting those who are problematic). Since October I’ve distanced myself from the fandom bc I’ve been extremely disappointed by former friends/fans and the actors involved. I’ve found my way back, though, and am enjoying it in my own way. And just like enjoying other books and media, I am much more intentional with what I choose to read and support.

Fandom spaces aren’t a place where you should bury your head in the sand and forget about the world. Pretending that Palestinians/Sudanese/Congolese/etc aren’t suffering only helps their oppressors. I’m not trying to pass myself off as the most moral person in the world, but sharing information on social media is an extremely easy and effective thing to do, and people that are not or refuse to do that very basic minimum (nevermind actual fucking zionists 🤢) are not worth my time.

Mulder and Scully have shown me that it’s important to fight for truth and justice, even if it’s uncomfortable or if you have to go against conventional thought. To me, it’s a no brainer to be against the genocide of Palestinians, to want to end the slave labour of the mines in Congo, and to help the Sudanese as they are caught between two opposing forces, funded by wealthy interests who don’t care who lives or dies. And there are other examples all over the world that stem from the same cause.

No one has the right to more than any other person. No one has the right to kill, or steal, no matter the reason, but least of all because the “other” has been dehumanized to the point that people feel like it is okay to treat them worse than animals.

And if you think these rich people playing games with people lives and lands won’t reach you here, you are kidding yourselves. It’s already here, it has been here, but people are too distracted by celebrity and fandom to give a shit. It’s intentional, and you can remain asleep, or wake up and do something about it.

It might seem impossible to fight a system when we’re so disconnected and so small in the face of politics and billionaires and corporate interests, but there’s more of us than them. All it takes is the truth. It’s what Mulder and Scully fight for, them against the world. We should follow their lead.

[dearweirdme]

https://www.tumblr.com/dearweirdme/742681340769681408/i-have-noticed-something-about-armys-behavior?source=share

I love jk and have always supported him to the best of my ability, but I draw the line at supporting zionists. I will never put my fav over my morals. I don't necessarily agree with all the boycotts that were going on but people need to realise that it was not just people who don't like jk that were boycotting his music. He is one of my biases, but I'll be dammed if I support a zionist while thousands of Palestinians are being brutally murdered. I don't agree with the whole narrative of having to support your fav regardless of what they do. We're allowed to disagree with the choices that they make, and we don't have to blindly follow and support everything they do. I don't think it's fair to hate on those of us who simply cannot support certain songs or remixes of jk's because of the featuring artists. There's bigger and more important things going on in the world than charts and how many views a music video gets or how many sales a song achieves. I want jk to succeed and be the best he can be as well, but I won't compromise my morals for him. No one should do that just because someone is their favourite artist. If you're not bothered by the people jk has collaborated with that's fine, but don't try and make us out to be haters and bad guys. I hate how a lot of fans think you have to be all or nothing when it comes to supporting the boys.

Hi anon!

Ah, I'm sorry... I think my post was a bit too hasty there. I understand how you took my words that way.

I was really talking about hate on Jk and his projects in a more general way. People shit on him for tons of reasons outside of who he cooperates with. It is obviously your very right to not support artists you don't agree with. I know you are not the only one who has struggled with this issue, and I by no means think you are wrong.. sorry if I offended you (and anyone else).

I don't want to go into a debate on this topic on my blog (not because I disagree, my heart absolutely goes out to Palestine) because I get enough shit thrown at me already... and I do not need more to be honest. In general I think Jk's choice of artists to cooperate with has little to do with his politic views.

[ezra-returns]

Hey I haven’t rlly interact with you before but I saw your post about the Eurovision boycott and I wanted to point out some things:

Not participating in a boycott just because it brings you joy isn’t a very good excuse. People said that about Starbucks, about Disney, but still boycotted. McDonalds fries were a sensory hyperfixation for me for YEARS, but I still boycotted. If my favorite game show supported Israel, I would boycott them too, even tho they’re like what Eurovision is to you i think

Eurovision banned Russia from participating in 2022, like they should have, because they invaded Ukraine. Eurovision has the ability to ban countries even if it was controversial. The reason they’re not banning Israel is because they know they would lose money if they did.

There’s ways to invest in hyperfixations or special interests without supporting them. Make art/fic for yourself, think about them, etc etc, without sharing or participating online. Generating fandom to Eurovision still promotes them, and that’s money preventable from being earned. That’s what I did when I found out abt JKR, I quietly made headcanons and make my own merch and talked about it irl with my friends without ever buying or promoting the books.

It doesn’t matter how small u are a boycott needs EVERYONE involved.

From what I’ve seen of your posts, you seem pretty young, which is why I’m trying to not be too hard on you. But Palestinian lives are more important than fandom. Boycotting is supposed to suck- It’s been really hard for me too to change my routines. But you just need to do it if you really believe in it, otherwise you’re just preforming activism until it actually hinders you in a meaningful way. Please don’t make excuses not to boycott Eurovision with us ❤️🇵🇸

hold on people other than my like 5 mutuals saw my post?? wtf

thank you for being nice about this, i'm always worried that my words can hurt people without me intending to and so i really appreciate your calm and polite response especially about such controversial subject matter.

this was a really nice and well written reply and i am happy to report that you've changed my stance on the matter a bit as well. this year, even if i make fanart or fan content, i won't be sharing it online. i may still watch the competition, but since my family already has a peacock subscription i don't think it provides more revenue to the ebu.

again i really appreciate this ask, it was polite and helped enlighten me a bit on the matter. sorry to anyone i've upset, and as always, free palestine!

[tangerinesperfume]

I’ve been a fan of yellowjackets since it came out. I was OBSESSED! I consumed all the contents, podcasts, and interviews they released and engaged with the fandom because I was just so invested and loved the show and cast alike.

But for a while now, I’ve found my love for it going down and down.

A lot of the cast members started posting or liking Zionist or Zionist-leaning insta posts and it just rubbed me the wrong way that I haven’t been able to look at them the same way since then.

Like the main cast. The faces of the show. Liking and sharing posts that go wayyy against my beliefs in a way I can’t ignore.

I don’t follow sammi but I read on twt that she’s been reposting pro-Israeli shit, Courtney liking questionable posts, the adult cast are either neutral or pro-Israel (and I don’t accept neutrality on this matter), Jane doubling down on thier Israeli support…

Even Sophie T who posts about a lot of social issues made some questionable posts and when people contacted her, she retracted and started posting the opposite thing very quickly which made me feel like she’s always been posting shit she didn’t even properly understand ://

Jasmin shared pro-Palestinian posts only for her to share an awful take by zoey deutch and saying “well said”. Mind you zoey’s a big Zionist and was spreading very harmful rhetoric recently…nothing well said about that.

Before I’m a fan of anything, I am arab. I can’t ignore that a show I love so much has a cast full of people who simply refuse to acknowledge that my Palestinian brothers and sisters are oppressed under the bloody Israeli government and have been for 75+ years.

The Palestinian liberation cause in not a new case for me, I’ve known about it since forever.

And that show has gone sour to me ever since I learned that our morals just don’t align whatsoever.

What a shame.

Anyway, I’m just ranting/venting here and I hope it doesn’t seem like I’m exaggerating, this case has been important to me my entire life and it’s bigger than my love for a show, I’m aware.

[deancaslover]

As a poc who grew up in the middle east and have family in the middle east and have experienced know the impact of islamaphobia my take on m.c is definelity complicated. He should not have made the comments on the denial of genocide 100% and I'm glad he deleted those tweets hopefully because he understood it was wrong and not simply due to backlash. And I do believe that's the main part that he should be held accountable with

I do think misha has a emotional stake with family/ friends that are Jewish that probably has strong opinions and is also giving out information, working and helping with Ukraine, having the chance to talk to President of Ukraine abt the war, etc whilst Ukraine is still allies with Israel. I do see how that would have influenced his opinion on isreal and Palestine.

I think what's not stopping me from my support or whatever is in general I believe in the intentions and I just don't see the malicious intent. When reading his article it was very pro anti war and very attempted neutral on both parts, made sure to condemn only hammas and not the Palestinian ppl, humanising the Palestinian ppl. (Which is not special take but I do think when america talk abt middle east and war they usually talk about the humans (women are forced to wear hijab and have no rights! Which yea bs) and not talk specifically about the terrorist groups) so I do think that part was crucial and important. I also can appreciate that he replied to a person against islamaphobia in one of his replies. And in his substack which now has 106 comments the majority is in support of Palestine and there's links being shared about either genocide or more information that's currently happening in Palestine so for ppl looking to get informed there's links. So I do appreciate that the comments are not being filtered. And perhaps I am being too generous or looking at cup half full perspective but the positive part that I do see in this is that m.c main fanbase will also be other white fans who when going to look for his article they are being exposed to information.and is also learning if they haven't.

Idk like should he have written an article? No. But he has, and I'm glad he said this part

" Israel has a right to defend itself against terrorism, but when Israel does so by committing atrocities and war crimes of its own, then it defends itself without moral authority and only further entrenches both sides in an interminable conflict where there are no “good guys” and there will be no “winner.”  

Like again I'm glad when he's talking negatively about Palestine he specifically talks about hammas and in then in general terms isreal commiting war crimes. I just think it's important that for his fanbase that probably consists of white fanbase that is already been fed from the western media that it is important that it was neutral and humanisation of the Palestinian ppl

And again maybe because I have been in the spn fandom and have been exposed to gishwishes. Allowing them to pay medical bills, and other good things, his open support if the lgbt community I do have a soft spot and perhaps I'm looking at this in rose tinted glasses but i genuinely am not seeing the malicious or hateful intent when talking about the isreal/ Palestine that I see when others talk I.e piers Morgan etc . what I do condem is his comments on genocide and the denial of it so I'm glad those got deleted quick, hopefully because he understood that was just wrong. And he needs to address that. But yea in general I suppose the support is still there,

I read this as soon as I got it and thought, "I'll definitely answer it," so thank you, anon. I value your input on this.

First, you're totally entitled to your feelings and thoughts about him and his words. My intention is never to tell others how to react; I'm just very vocal about what I think.

I can understand your position. I'm not Muslim, and I'm not from the Middle East, but I'm a POC (basically half indigenous and half colonizer) in Latin America, and we, too, share a very dark history with imperialism from the USA and his son Israel but maybe it's a bit more invisible here.

That's why I'm so radical and unforgiving about privileged people's stances regarding colonization and genocide. To me it's not enough that he says he wants peace, that the bare minimum and the least we can expect from someone like him. I don't see how having family and friends who are Jewish is an impediment to understanding what is going on in Palestine when many Jewish people go out to the streets to claim they're 100% against occupation and don't support a Jewish Estate. Zionists want to make us believe they are the eternal victims, and Misha decided to go with that. In his statement he mentioned the Holocaust several times but he fails to see that Israel is doing the same to Palestinians right now. "Well, they have committed some war crimes, but it's not a real genocide like the Jewish one." Ugh, disgusting. There's no coming back from that in my opinion.

Like I've said, we as fans have given him the benefit of the doubt more than once, for both little and bigger things. Knowing his intentions are "good" isn't enough for me anymore. He's been in politics for decades; he's always doing political activism, so he's not particularly ignorant. He's not your average dumb American, and he has followers from all over the world. I expect(ed) a lot of him, because he put himself in that position from the start. I've been a fan for over a decade, and I even did gishwhes three years in a row, so yes, it's not easy to just say goodbye to all that overnight. But I'm being true to myself, and so I have to walk away.

Whatever path you follow on all this, whether it's the same as now or it changes, I send you my support, stay strong and you can write to me whenever you want <3

[wejustvibing]

thank you for the response. no hate or anything but i think talking about these things is what gets us somewhere! i defo do think think this is something that we will all never agree on and that’s fine but hope that we can continue to have conversations around it

just to pick up on the idea that - “celebs don't know half the shit going on in the world. they don't have the education, world view or the time for it and that's the sad reality. it's always a losing cause waiting for celebs to come through” - i think this is a very privileged and ignorant stance to have. there is no one stopping you from seeking out the knowledge, open a book, watch a video, do a google search. if we as people, in the context of palestine as this is what we are talking about, are having to wade through this biased media narrative and fight for what we believe to be right then celebs have the same access if not more, to educate themselves. that should not absolve them of responsibility.

@copsehamilton on twt/x said the following which i think best words what i believe a lot of people are trying to say about lewis’ stance - “I promise you guys, you can be a Lewis fan & have conversations as his fans about how he uses his platform. We all come from different backgrounds & our lived experiences are different. For those of us who have lived and breathed the Palestinian liberation, language matters”

this is especially what i was trying to say when talking about the stance that celebs are taking. wording matters because unfortunately celebs do have more reach than us and right now palestinians are fighting not just the settler colony but the rest of the western world - their appreciation when someone posts shadowing light on their situation means more than anything to them, they are begging for people to share their stories because that’s how social change happens. while i say this please do not think that this absolves western nations, humanitarian organisations from their responsibilities, but imagine if a celeb was to post that no humanitarian aid is getting in to gaza through the rafah crossing - it would reach a target audience that perhaps could not be reached by regular people who are sharing & posting, or by politicians etc.

i don’t know, i don’t want to clog your inbox so will just leave it there, but i am glad these conversations are being had

honestly i'm frustrated reading some bullshit takes these celebs have been sharing the past few days. outright support for the colonizer and their lies. onesided foul cries, i've seen them. it's disgusting and needs to be called out. they're loud and wrong out of whatever influence, ignorance or privilege they have.

i mean privilege is literally synonymous with most celebs isn't it? so that tracks. and that's what i'm saying. they're privileged as fuck. for someone so out of touch to start educating themselves they first need to even clock there's something wrong somewhere. that they're probably on the wrong side of history. you feel me? and we're expecting these people to pick up a book and influence others then it's over before it can even start.

lewis is privileged in many senses too but one thing he's not allowed is ever taking a step wrong. we see that every day. and i'm not victimizing him, it's just a fact. he's decided to champion social and political causes and he's actively trying to educate himself and do better in these spaces. and he does from time to time but it's always nitpicked to hell with always losing focus from the actual cause. same happened with this one. first it was his silence that was harmful and now it's his neutrality that is harmful. so like business as usual with the moving goalposts.

and let's not forget, if you're his follower you know where he stands. so what has changed?

yes, language matters. but it's also important to know where the discourse has gone. the nuance is lost. he simply said let's have peace and let's not kill children. what's wrong with that? what's wrong with being on the side of innocent lives? how did that turn into oh look he's promoting genocide? he shared links for funds of the orgs working in the region, he legit amplified them to his 35m followers like everyone wants him to, he's still getting hated on. how's he getting called worse person than that racist piket spawn?

imo at the end of the day this is misplaced anger. we're all feeling helpless for Palestine. we can see how the world's moving. we want more voices in their corner. which is valid and so is the disappointment. but there's global superpowers supporting is*ael and vetoing ceasefire so let's ask this one guy who mind you wants ceasefire, to change the world's direction? how is that even an option? seems to me he's just an easy target for frustrations and pain everyone is feeling atp (both are valid btw) but how's that fair to him?

and yeah, you're probably right. we might never agree on this. but same. no hate at all. these are terrible times and i do want to learn more too.

[songsforthepierce]

Album Showcase: The Sickness - Disturbed

Update: I have decided instead of deleting the review to update that I do not endorse the band Disturbed anymore. The review does not reflect my current views on the band. The lead singer David Draiman supports Israel and even signed one of the bombs. Beyond disgusting and vile. I cannot stand this zionist and his disregard to the humanity of Palestinians. Instead go donate eSims to Gaza, share and donate  to various fundraisers, do daily clicks, etc. For any Disturbed fans finding this, I am sorry you had to find this out about the band though I suggest that while you be sadden by his lack of compassion towards Palestine that you can move on from the band and support better metal bands. I get metal fans at times can be very dickish about not caring about politics and just want to listen to good music regardless of the artist but the music here doesn’t matter. Human lives are more important. Long live Palestine, from the river to the sea.

Back in high school I was friends with this guy who hated Disturbed and I never fully knew why. All I remember was him saying all their songs sounded the same and at one of their live performances they sucked. I haven’t seen this guy in years and I don’t really care for his opinion on the band (or his opinions in general at the time). This is one of my memory associations I have with Disturbed besides “It was that nu metal band I would listen to some of their songs back in high school”.

content/trigger warning for some light discussions to mentions of domestic abuse, and racism. Oh and ableism since this album does I guess touch on like mental illness (?) and like going uh...insane.

So the album cover is of some man or humanoid...flesh...thing...and it has a label saying this is “The Sickness”. I know that is the album title but I am just gonna assume this is the name of this being as well. Are they like an SCP or something? That is my best guess. Also the description beneath the title...I wonder if that’ll be relevant?

Doing research on this it made me realize I actually didn’t know much about Disturbed besides them being a nu-metal band. The band formed in Chicago in 1994. The guitarist, bassist, and drummer were originally part of a band called Brawl. They had a singer by the name of Erich Awalt but he left not long after recording their demo. So they advertised for a new singer in the Illinois Entertainer. David Draiman answered the ad and joined the band. This album was their debut released back on March 7th, 2000. Even though it was released in 2000 they recorded this from November to December of 1999. I guess it took them awhile to record. I would usually go more into the process here but I actually will save that when we talk more about the songs and near the end. So I should say that I am only familiar with five songs on this album. Actually let me correct myself, growing up I only listened to two songs from this album and a year or two ago I listened to three more of their songs through an unlikely source. Also before you ask, I do not remember how I first heard about the band.But before going further I should at the very least mention that around the early 2000s nu metal was getting big and for the metal community at the time a lot of metal elitist types HATED nu metal. I get there were some acts that weren’t good but like every metal genre has good to mid to bad bands. Nu metal is not like an outlier in this. Based on the fact I only would listen to a few Disturbed songs growing up I want to see if the rest of the album has some hidden gems that were overlooked.

Track 1: Voices

The starting track is something. At first I didn’t consider it that strong but then I had to remember this was early in nu metal so this would actually be unique for the time...maybe. I will say that David Draiman does have a unique voice delivery though there is something about how he sings that reminds me of something...it’ll come to me later. So this song is uh about the mental state of the narrator. That he is going through some psychosis. Apparently in the early days of the band’s live performances David would be wheeled onto the stage in a straitjacket and muzzle, before breaking free to perform the track. Uh...hmmm...the early 2000s were sure a time for this sort of deal. I am gonna take a good guess that nowadays he doesn’t do that when he performs the song. Oh and this song became a single and got an official music video. I don’t understand why this song got a music video and was somehow a hit-HEY the main guy in the music video is listening to a Disturbed song! And it is one of the tracks I genuinely like. Though that changes into well Voices. I know I could talk about the plot of the music video being about an overworked office worker but I am more focused on the fashion of both the band and the audience. Mainly because that type of fashion I remember from when I was a kid to teen. That and David’s outfit is cool and I wish I had it.

Track 2: The Game

Okay, now this track I like the energy behind it. The more tech to dance-like sound mixed with metal really works here. The rhythm and pace are steady and keep building. I can understand why this became a hit. Funnily, I first heard this around two years ago when I was watching the old Funimation dub of Dragon Ball Z: Cooler’s Revenge. I was caught off guard when I first heard it there since I hadn’t watched that movie in YEARS. But it weirdly worked for the movie. Nowadays it is not used for the newer Funimation release of the film. Probably for licensing reasons. As far as I could find this song did not get a music video. Weird. So the song is about...actually I didn’t think about it until now. When I read the lyrics what it seemed like it is about a lady biting off more than she can chew with someone and this has deadly consequences. According to David,

“speaking about the manipulative nature of most people. That you should be cautious when playing with another person’s emotions or someone may make you accountable at some point in time.” 

Ah, yeah that makes sense I guess. This is a decent track and I do prefer it over Voices but nothing has really gotten me like “Oh I really like this track a lot” emotion yet.

Track 3: Stupify

Oh my god this track. Okay so I love this track. I genuinely thought this track would be later on in the album but no it is number 3. I first heard this in the end credits of Funimation’s Dragon Ball Z: Lord Slug which this was the SECOND Disturbed song in the movie but the third song from the band to be in a DBZ movie. This makes me wonder of there are some Disturbed themed DBZ amvs. I know there are a TON of Linkin Park ones so there has to be some. This track along with Fear and The Game was what made me want to listen to the whole album. I know I could sit here and analyze the lyrics but the song is called “Stupify” and the beginning lyrics are,

Yeah, bringing you another disturbing creation From the mind of one sick animal who can't tell the difference And gets stupified

Do really expect me to find anything deeper in this song? This song isn’t meant to be deep and I am satisfied with that. I find it really funny this became another single for them but at the same time I get it. It is a genuinely fun song. But if you want me to see if this has deeper meaning I’ll look. WAIT THIS SONG IS ABOUT BEING AGAINST RACISM??? FUCKING WHAT??? Okay so this was written about one of David’s past relationships where he was dating a woman he loved who was a different ethnicity than him and her parents forced them to break up because of their relationship being interracial. I would have NEVER guess this song was about this at all. I read the lyrics three times and I am just baffled. Like it is cool this song is anti-racism but it is more of me being like surprised that is what it is about. Well, maybe the music video will help. Well, that didn’t help me. It had nothing to do with being against racism. It was about a neglected child that might be the lead singer (??) being haunted by people who do the shaky head effect from Jacob’s Ladder (?????). Oh and there is some Christ imagery I guess. The music video doesn’t do anything for me. Now, does this song good a good job getting it’s message across? Uh, I am not the right person to answer that. But is it an entertaining song in general? Yeah, big time. Oh, fun fact, this song mostly uses synthesizers. That’s pretty neat.

Track 4: Down With The Sickness

Oh fuck it’s the “OO WA HAHA” song. This was one of the two songs I would listen to on the album as a teen (they were the only two songs I owned). I know there were bits of David’s weird noises from previous songs but it is way more noticeable here. Now if we put aside the funny noise this is an actually solid song. The whole “becoming a monster” to “being taken over by an entity and becoming inhuman” is a fun theme and one that tends to common in metal which here it is no exception. I also got why this got as big as it did. It has this nice build up throughout the song. However, the song is notable with the inclusion of the odd domestic abuse interlude around 3:24 in the song. I know there are those who don’t like it either because of the subject matter, or how it is inserted in awkwardly, or because it comes off jarring. Now, I would not blame people for thinking it was inserted in for edgy shock value. But that isn’t the case here. David has stated he has had “crap kicked out of me when I was a kid, on more than one occasion," but stated the song is not about his personal experience but instead,

 "I'm really talking about the conflict between the mother culture of society, who's beating down the child yearning for independence and individuality, and the submission of the child."

I know in the same interview he did discuss difficulties opening up about his more personal life to write lyrics for the album. That is no easy task, I don’t deny that. Now did he pull it off well? That is up to you. This also got a music video and I find it jarring they use concert footage for this song than like make a story based video.

Track 5: Violence Fetish

Well that is a title I didn’t expect from Disturbed but uh so this song is about the human necessity for some violent release. Though I guess my view of the song was more about the narrator’s justifying the violent desires. This album is called The Sickness so maybe the narrator got infected by the creepypasta violence desire syndrome or something. Despite the title this song is not really sexual or really provocative. Maybe in 2000s this was for both the mainstream music world and maybe even in the early nu metal scene but there had to have been nu metal songs WAY more very in your face about violence than this. The instrumentals for this track are decent, especially around 2:25. One of the weaker tracks for me.

Track 6: Fear

This was the other Disturbed song used in the Funimation DBZ Lord Slug movie. Hearing this first from there was both jarring yet funny. My friends made jokes that Lord Slug was just playing his playlist throughout the movie. Though I will say that Fear is my other favorite track from this album. I know this is supposedly about like how little we really are and how people say we are significant but we really aren’t or some shit. And that the narrator wants to do something significant or something. But I really don’t care about that. The lyrics not deep but something about this song does hit all the right buttons for me as like a junk food song. I am a bit sadden though this didn’t become a single (still am baffled Voices became a single).

Track 7: Numb

Funny there are two nu metal songs from the early 2000s called Numb. It isn’t surprising since “numb” is a common word. Though I do prefer Linkin Park’s Numb over this one. The beginning doesn’t benefit the song but once you get passed the slower singing then it gets a bit better. But this song doesn’t really do much for me. Out of all the heartache songs I have listened to, I would not have this as my go to.

Track 8: Want

The song begins with this nice somewhat industrial sounding instrumental until the 30 second mark were David sings “She wants me, no!” then begins mimicking the sounds of an ambulance. Okay when I say that it made me think of that nurse duck from Dingo Pictures’ Animal Soccer World. ALSO, I realized what all of the “oo wa ha has” and “ra ras” reminded me of. Korn, more specifically Freak on a Leash. Is that bad? No, not really. But it is a very obvious influence. Though Korn was big in the early 2000s and was influential in the nu metal scene. Anyway, while funny noises part is funny the rest of the song is about a woman who wants to dominate the narrator but is denying herself that. I think that is what it is about. Okay, that is how I am choosing how to interpret the song because it makes it more interesting to me. Outside of my interpretation this is another weak song. Wait, this song got a music video too? But why? This makes my belief that Fear should have a single and got a music video much stronger.

Track 9: Conflict

It is about enemies and eliminating them. It is a very simple song with decent instrumentals. I do find David singing “ow, ow!” funny. I don’t really have much to say about a song like this because it is...generic. Not even fun generic but more boring type. Well except near the end where the narrator talks about someone loving life but also wants to kill life. Mainly because the instrumentals and vocals really bring it out. It makes me wish the sound of the whole song was that section.

Track 10: Shout 2000

Now this is a cover of Tears for Fears’ Shout. This stands out as a track to me because how it sounds more different compared to the other songs. But it being a cover probably helps that. Also, when I was listening to this album at work I legit forgot this was a cover and that this song was on here so when it got to these lyrics,

They gave you life And in return, you gave them hell As cold as ice (Now, bitch, you're ice, ice, baby)

I lost it. I was just both confused but also amused by the Vanilla Ice Reference. Fun fact, that reference was not in the original Tears for Fears version meaning they added it. You know what? I like that. I think that adds character to the cover. Now how does this cover compare to the original? While I do like the original both instrumentally and lyrically I actually like Disturbed’s cover. The main reason because the song is meant to be a call to action and be angry about what is going on in the world. Which Disturbed made it sound like that with the heavier instrumentals and vocals.

Track 11: Droppin’ Plates

This was the other song I would listen to as a teen by the band and I am gonna be honest, I love this song. Not because I saw this as a deep song as a teen. Actually I never thought it was deep. I genuinely find the idea of a song about hitting plates on your head stupidly funny. For years I actually thought that was what the song was about. Smashing plates. Well color me surprised to learn that is not what this song about when I actually read the lyrics of the song. It is a brag song about how many records they are selling and that their music is the best. Hence dropping plates I guess being a slang term for making records (??). You know what? I am gonna go back and continue believing this is about smashing plates. I feel like if you are gonna make a “Our music is great” song then maybe don’t release it on your debut album and put it on a future album.

Track 12: Meaning of Life

Okay the instrumentals on this track are good. I love the faster pace, the higher energy, and the nice rhythm. The lyrics of the song about the narrator wanting to do more rougher sex with his partner. Though the rough sex is more on the REALLY rough side. I will say it’s strength lyrically that this is very gender neutral so the song can be made gay if you want. Which I am gonna do. Though the lyrics “I wanna get psycho” makes me giggle because all I can think is going joker mode.

Bonus Track 1: God of the Mind

This song was released on the 10-anniversy edition of the album and this is a decent to good song. It is fun I’ll give it that. It feels like a more polished early Disturbed song which benefits it.

Bonus Track 2: A Welcome Burden

This was the second song released on the 10-anniversy edition of the album. The sound of the song itself is okay. Not great but all right. Reading the lyrics this is a political song calling all metal fans to tell them that the world is dark and how this can blended in music. The thing is the song really isn’t deep. Look, I do like both deep and not deep music. There is a time and place for a song to have a simple message or a song to have a deep message. However the thing about Disturbed I have noticed on this album is that they aren’t really great on trying to make deep songs. When I would listen to the songs without reading the lyrics, they were weirdly fun background noise. I don’t go to Disturbed for deep lyrics, I go to turn off my brain. Though I am not against bands trying to be deeper if they are genuine and put effort into it. It just comes off that the band is awkward about it.

Well, this album was just...there. Was it bad? Well it is not the worse album I have listened to. But was it good? Uh, I don’t think it was amazing. I know this was their first album but they got lucky at the time they got big in general. The songs I did like on this album were Fear, Stupify, The Game, Shout 2000, Droppin Plates, and Down with the Sickness to an extent. I enjoyed those as mainly fun junk food metal songs. But the last two songs had more polish to them which for the time does mean they have done some improvement and that’s great. In 2015 David did an interview on Loudwire talking about the first album and he states the success of the band overnight. That it was gradual taking around two to three years as a local band. Which I can get that, being a local band there is a lot of hurdles you have to go through to get noticed. But one part stood out to me and it was this,

“So there was a long period of time before that and a lot of struggle in a city that wasn't conducive to hard rock and heavy metal. Chicago was an alternative town. It was Smashing Pumpkins, Local H. It was not metal. So we were blacklisted. We couldn't even play inner-city clubs. We weren't cool enough. We were too metal. That was something that wasn't considered cool enough. We had to force our way in."

This was just a reminder to me that metal isn’t a popular and mainstream genre. Even nu-metal which did get popular and radio hits as still not gonna be as popular to accepted compared to other acts. It is funny thinking that back then in their town Disturbed was considered too metal when there are many metal elitist types who don’t consider Disturbed metal at all. It weirdly reminds me when I told one of my friends that Black Sabbath is metal and he was shocked. Note, he is not well versed in metal as I am. I know by modern metal standards bands like Black Sabbath would not be considered heavy in sound nor metal. But they are for their time. Disturbed is metal as well, doesn’t matter if you think they are good or not. Now as nu metal is concerned, I do think Disturbed for a time stood out but I would not consider them the best of the genre. But I will give some credit for them helping the nu metal scene and for them being some people’s gateway into metal. I saw many of the reviews for this album being three stars out of five to five out of ten. The album for me is a middle score album and that’s okay. This does though make me wonder if the album Indestructible holds up. I have a few songs from that album so I will check that out eventually. Not soon though, I need some break from Disturbed for a bit.

[40sandfabulousaf]

大家好! KY decided to buy dinner for the 'gang of 14'. This gathering was held in a private room at a traditional Chinese restaurant with KTV so we could eat, drink, sing and make merry. At first we joked around, then, as the dishes were served and we had a glass of beer, it started to get more rambunctious. We sang, we danced, we laughed, we clapped and cheered, it was a very fun night. Oh and the food was delicious! We had a mixed platter of smoked duck breast, fried white bait, hae cho (prawn and pork rolls) and seasoned jellyfish, Peking duck, chicken soup with abalone and clam, steamed fish, veggies and bee hoon (rice vermicelli) with meat from the leftover peking duck! I made a slide show to get around the 10-photo limit per post. Enjoy!

After such a heavy dinner, thank goodness for my weekly simple breakfast out of compassion for Palestinians in Gaza. My bloated tummy needed a break from heavy meals. I bought red cheddar imported from Ireland and had it with crackers. Lunch and dinner were similarly light, including cai fan salad of stirfried bittergourd, sambal kangkong, mixed vegetables including cauliflower, cabbage and button mushrooms, as well as a small steamed pork patty. Dinner was bee tai mak, fu juk (dried tofu skin sticks) and okra. I also ate less meat for a few days in order to manage nutritional balance. Eating like this, coupled with my usual daily exercise worked. I stopped feeling bloated after that.

We had rainy days recently, which meant only 1 thing: tang mian (soup noodles)! A stall located at a hawker centre near my home specialises in jian cai tang (Chinese spinach soup) and I made a beeline for it. They have a few variations - 3 eggs, fish and seafood - and different noodles or rice for carbohydrates. I went with fish and bee tai mak (short rice noodles). For $6.50, this large bowl was very filling. Besides fish and a whole lot of vegetables, there were goji berries and dried shiitake slices. The broth wasn't too salty and had a strong ginger taste. It warmed me up after my WFH lunch. Yum! I should have jian cai tang more often!

This week is a shorter one because Vesak Day is a public holiday. I welcome any opportunity to sleep in and do everything apart from turning on the office laptop. Besides this, I'll also have a simple breakfast out of compassion for starving Palestinians in Gaza. Instead of cheese and crackers or kuai shu mian (instant noodles), I'll try something different and share my thoughts in the next post. I've been doing this for weeks now and it's been a very humbling experience. I did experience hunger until lunch, when I could load up on vegetables and protein. Whenever my stomach rumbled, I was reminded that the Palestinians' hunger pangs are far worse.

I'm cognizant of the fact that what I do barely scratches the surface where the tremendous suffering Palestinians endure is concerned. It's better than doing nothing though. At a time when some celebrities and influencers choose to stay silent whilst this genocidal war is killing thousands of innocent civilians, every little bit, every voice counts. For what it's worth, I'll do my bit and pray that a permanent ceasefire will happen soon, as well as for those who continue to arm Israel to be severely punished. Because to me, they deserve nothing less. Pray with me please. 下次见!

[therossgarden]

Hi, I’m Ross! <3

(I will link my Ao3 account here when I’ll start posting there.)

A little more about me

I’m 19

I’m Italian

I’m a straight demisexual

I dream of being a published fantasy author

My tags

Ross rants — my tag for rants of all sorts

Ross writes — my little drabbles of writing

Ross writing — all the author memes/considerations I’ve ever reposted and commented on

Asks — asks of all sorts

Ross reading — book recs or reviews, fic recs or “advertisement” (I don’t like to call that, but I don’t know how else to say it😭)

Ross’ personal life ig — the tag where things end up in when I’m over sharing about my life

​tgfgwtw4palestine — stands for TheGirlFromGoneWithTheWind4Palestine. Every request for aid by Palestinian families in need of money and all fundraisers are there, if you wish to donate or spread the posts and boost them. I try to always verify if the accounts are shams or not, but if you want to be sure before donating or sharing, it’s at your own discretion. If you find out any of the accounts I’ve shared is a fake, contact me immediately and I will remove it.

Some fandoms I’m part of (I mostly post about ATLA and Marvel tho)

Marvel

ATLA

Interview with the vampire

Bridgerton

Percy Jackson

Disney classics

Brooklyn 99

Jane Austen verse (mostly Pride and Prejudice)

Mamma Mia, Hamilton, Heathers (yes I’m a theatre kid)

Taylor Swift

Barbie

And more!

My fav characters

Steve Rogers (MCU)

Bucky Barnes (MCU)

Mai (ATLA)

Zuko (ATLA)

Azula (ATLA)

Lestat de Lioncourt (IWTV)

Elizabeth Bennet (Pride and Prejudice)

Raymond Holt (B99)

Kate Sharma (Bridgerton)

My OTPs/ships I like

Stucky (MCU) {number one OTP of all time, OTP of MCU}

Maiko (ATLA) {number two OTP of all time, OTP of ATLA}

Loustat (IWTV) {number three OTP of all time, OTP of IWTV}

Kataang (ATLA)

Kanthony (Bridgerton) {OTP of Bridgerton}

Rapunzel x Flynn Rider (Disney)

Mulan x Li Shang (Disney)

Percabeth (PJO)

Sokkla (ATLA) {yes it is a crackship. I am a Sukka fan but Sokkla has completely taken over my brain so there it is}

Bonus: Tayvis {I like the couple itself, but I’m not actively shipping them because I do not feel comfortable with shipping real people farther than commenting on how cute they look}

Characters/ships I don’t like

Tony Stark (MCU)

Peggy Carter (MCU)

Kei lo (ATLA)

Steggy (MCU, Steve x Peggy)

Stony (MCU, Steve x Tony)

Zutara (ATLA, Zuko x Katara)

Jinko (ATLA, Jin x Zuko)

Mai Lo (ATLA, Mai x Kei lo)

Any incest ship from any fandom

Please DNI if

You are racist, homophobic, xenophobic, transphobic, promote animal cruelty and genocide, a pedophile, a rapist, a TERF, an Andrew Tate fan, a bully or overall a shitty person

You are under 18. While I do not post overly sexual stuff, I occasionally use colorful language, and advise you to not interact with me if you can’t handle it. If you still choose to visit my profile, it might be at your own risk.

You can’t ignore the difference in taste regarding characters or ships. If you like Tony or Zutara, that I do not like, or any other thing I listed above you are still welcome here, just know that I am not responsible of your contempt if you choose to stick around and end up stumbling upon a negative rant about your favs. If you are conscious to lack the needed restraint, please feel free to block me. I’d rather not have hostility under my posts.

You support genocide. I already said this, but I feel like repeating it is important.

You don’t like Multi fandom blogs

You are a troll of any kind

You don’t like rants/long posts, I tend to write a lot of those

A little warning about my boundaries

Although I try to be polite with everyone I interact with, I do not take any form of disrespect towards my posts, my time or my analysis lightly.

I will not be nice in any way if you are hostile or rude towards me unprovoked, If I don’t like your attitude, I will block you.

I am very open in regards of my takes. Im not afraid of sharing them or discuss them when it’s appropriate. But if you are arrogant in your analysis or rant, I will block you. Your argument isn’t with me just because I posted someone else’s take. It’s not that deep either.

I will NOT be kind or polite when the precise general public I am addressing is fundamentally an asshole with no morals, and the reason to address them is to criticize them. If you are a group of ignorant fat shamers (example), I will treat you with the same courtesy you gave to those you fiercely insult, because you do not deserve my respect. I AM petty and I believe in treating people how they deserve to be treated. If you don’t like my take on this, I kindly ask you to get out of my blog and block me.

If you don’t like what I say or how I say it, feel free to block me. If whatever bothers you is not directed to you, then feel free to ignore or block me. I am not willing to put up with your agendas and tantrums because you don’t like a choice of words I’ve used.

If these terms aren’t ok with you then I’m sorry to see you go, if not, stick around on this blog of crazy girlies <3

[updated: 2/4/2024]

[neptune-scythe]

Posting private messages to your account to drag someone is so weird of you. No one is going to trust you if you act like this and just because someone posts something fandom related doesn’t mean they don’t support Palestine. Social media isn’t everything and it’s just a fan account. Taking screenshots of a private conversation and posting it to your public account makes you a bad person and it doesn’t do anything but take attention away from Palestine so you can call out someone like you’re a school kid.

I don't ever post private messages between myself and an individual, but that was from a multiple person run account and I don't even know who specifically I was talking to, so it's not like I'm incriminating a specific person or violating anybody's privacy. If the person I was talking to feels violated, I apologize but I have no idea who you are so your privacy is maintained.

And honestly I don't care if people trust me or not, I'm not here to make friends. I saw a repeated behavior that I disagree with that I wanted to bring attention to so other people could be aware if they weren't already.

And Palestinians themselves have said many times that social media is very important and sharing content and information about Palestine is very important, regardless of the type of account it is. Think of it this way

If every fan account thought this way, no one would post anything, no one would share. If one person doesn't matter than no one matters.

Thinking this way is just an excuse to not post.

I'm a fan account, I have much less followers than the save sab account, but I still post about Palestine, I still participated in the strike because it's the very least I can do. And frankly I don't care if it's not making a difference I want to see an end to the Palestinian genocide and I am going to do everything in my power to help achieve that. No excuses.

I don't know how else to make you understand that a strike is the simplest way to support Palestinians, and if you don't even want to do that then you don't actually care that much. If you can't take seven days to stop posting about your fandoms and bring attention to the millions dying every day then that says a lot about you.

Six of Crows is one of the most important things in my life, I will shout about it all day every day if people would listen, but the people being massacred every fucking day in Palestine is more important than that no questions asked.

And frankly I don't care if you think I'm a bad person. I am just brining attention to a hypocritical behavior that I disagree with and I want other people to be aware of. And I waited until after the strike was over to post this because I wasn't going to take attention away from Palestine. I followed the strike, it's over now, I am going to bring attention to this. And I'm still posting about Palestine just as much as I was during the strike and I have every intention of posting the same amount strike or not.

[creepingsharia]

New Jersey: Gov Christie praised Hamas-linked imam (who lied on immigration papers) as “man of great good will”

Originally posted August 6, 2011

As we told you back in 2008, when then U.S.  Attorney and now New Jersey governor Chris Christie spoke out for the Hamas-linked imam, that imam was in the process of being deported for lying on his entrance application and shortly thereafter would be granted permanent residency. But it’s all “crap” according to Christie.

Chris Christie holding Koran

via Re: Standing up to Anti-Muslim American Bias « Commentary Magazine.

As I wrote back in January, Sohail Mohammed’s religion is not the issue. Nor would his role as a defense attorney for those who were arrested in the wake of 9/11 because of their ties to terror groups disqualify him for the bench. What is of interest is his role as a board member of the American Muslim Union, an extremist group that has its own questionable record in terms of rationalizing terror attacks and supporting others who do so. Of particular importance is one of Mohammed’s clients: Mohammed Qatanani, the imam of the Islamic Center of Passaic County and an influential member of the AMU. Qatanani is a Palestinian supporter of the Muslim Brotherhood. He also admitted to being a member of Hamas when Israeli authorities arrested him in 1993. Qatanani lied about all of this when he subsequently came to this country. But he evaded deportation in 2008 because his lawyer was able to persuade a judge to accept his unproven claim the Israelis had tortured him. He also benefitted from the intervention on his behalf by, of all people, the man who was then United States Attorney for New Jersey: Chris Christie.

Acting on the behest of Mohammed and the American Muslim Union, Christie spoke out on Qatanani’s behalf and even appeared at his mosque and praised the Hamas supporter as a “man of great good will.” Christie’s willingness to make nice with the AMU and help keep Qatanani in this country had very little to do with opposition to religious prejudice and everything to do with an effort to gain sympathy among New Jersey Muslims during the prelude to his campaign for the governorship in 2009.

I happen to agree with Governor Christie that much of the discussion about sharia law in this country is absurd and possibly based in prejudice. While the effort to impose Muslim religious law on non-Muslims is a critical issue in Africa and Asia where the threat of Islamist theocracy is real, in most instances sharia is probably no more of a problem for the American justice system than is Jewish religious law.

So until the imposition of Islamic sharia law becomes a critical issue, challenging sharia and those who want to impose it in the U.S. is “absurd and possibly based in prejudice?” That sounds eerily Chamberlain-esque. Would things be different in Africa and Asia if more absurd and possibly based in prejudice discussions on the threat of Islamic sharia law took place?

But the questions raised about Sohail Mohammed, the American Muslim Union and Christie’s own conduct in the Qatanani case have nothing to do with such nonsense. Rather, this is about the willingness of some Americans to turn a blind eye to the prominent role of Islamists and terror supporters like Qatanani and to the political influence of fixers like Sohail Mohammed. Smearing as bigots those who have posed questions about Christie’s bad judgment is not the same thing as standing up against religious prejudice.

Hamas imam Qatanani - Christie’s “man of great good will”

Andrew McCarthy has more on Christie’s ‘Crazies’:

Governor Christie would have you believe opposition to Mr. Mohammed was sheer bigotry: “It’s just unnecessary to be accusing this guy of things just because of his religious background,” he railed to reporters. It’s a narrative Christie fans would like to help cement. It’s not true.

For the record, Sohail Mohammed is not just an attorney. He served as a board member for an Islamist organization, the American Muslim Union, which, as Commentary’s Jonathan S. Tobin and terrorism expert Steve Emerson have shown, has a checkered past of rationalizing jihadist attacks and supporting jihadists.

Indeed, when the Holy Land Foundation was shuttered in 2001 for its facilitation of terrorist groups, Mohammed told the Bergen Record that the federal government was unjustly singling out Muslim organizations. Seven years later, a jury convicted several HLF operatives for channeling millions of dollars to Hamas, the terrorist organization that is the Muslim Brotherhood’s Palestinian branch. Mohammed also ripped the Justice Department’s prosecution of al-Arian as a “witch-hunt” and a “politically motivated indictment.” Al-Arian eventually pleaded guilty to a terrorism charge in a case that showed him to be a key operative of the murderous Palestinian Islamic Jihad organization.

One of the AMU’s most influential members is Mohammed Qatanani, a 47-year-old Palestinian firebrand from Jordan, who is not just an associate but a client of Sohail Mohammed’s. According to federal law enforcement, Qatanani is a former Muslim Brotherhood member who, when apprehended by Israeli authorities in 1993, confessed to being a member of Hamas. Not surprisingly, Qatanani is also an avowed enthusiast of the Brotherhood-Hamas one-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. As Mr. Tobin notes, he’d have the Jewish state disappear by its absorption into an Islamic “Greater Syria.”

New Jersey has one of the country’s largest Islamic populations, and Qatanani has been the imam of one of the state’s largest Muslim communities, the Islamic Center of Passaic County. His predecessor as imam there, Mohammed el-Mezain, is among the five defendants convicted of financing Hamas in the HLF case. In fact, el-Mezain boasted of raising money at the mosque for Hamas. No surprise, then, to learn, as Steve Emerson recounts, that imam Qatanani included his predecessor and the other HLF defendants in a 2007 prayer for relief from oppression

Oh Allah assist our brothers and sisters in Philistine [Palestine], and Iraq and Chechnya . . . Oh Allah remove occupation and oppression, and oh Allah improve the matters of our community . . . to assist our brothers and sisters in the Holy Land Foundation, ask oh Allah . . . to assist them and to remove the difficulty that they have been inflicted with, all of the brothers and sisters in this country, oh Allah to prove them non-guilty.

The Department of Homeland Security has been trying for some time to deport Qatanani for lying on his 1999 immigration paperwork. He’d been granted a religious-worker visa in 1996, enabling him to be the imam at the Islamic Center. When it expired in 1999, he sought to become a permanent U.S. resident. Though specifically asked about his criminal history, Qatanani failed to disclose that he was convicted in an Israeli military court for his membership in, and support of, Hamas. Mohammed’s firm helped Qatanani prepare the I-485, and Qatanani later claimed that he’d signed the form because he “trusted his attorney, Sohail Mohammed.” (See Homeland Security Investigation, Appendix, p. 4.)

The deportation case against Qatanani was heard by an immigration judge in 2008. Christie was then the Bush-appointed U.S. attorney for New Jersey, though his office did not handle the case. In light of Qatanani’s track record and the Islamic Center of Passaic County’s connections to the Bush Justice Department’s then-ongoing HLF prosecution, it is nothing short of shocking that U.S. attorney Christie went to Qatanani’s mosque for a Ramadan celebration while the immigration case was underway. There, he is reported to have embraced Qatanani and praised the former Hamas operative as “a man of great good will.”

More astoundingly, Christie permitted one of his assistant U.S. attorneys, Charles B. McKenna, to testify at the immigration hearing as a character witness on behalf of Qatanani — i.e., a Justice Department official was dispatched to undermine the Homeland Security Department’s case against Qatanani, which was built in part on an investigation conducted by the FBI, an agency of the Justice Department.

The immigration judge, Alberto Riefkohl, ultimately ruled in Qatanani’s favor, an absurd decision in which he baselessly discredited two federal agents who’d testified about Qatanani’s admission that he’d been arrested for Hamas activities, and irrationally discounted the evidence of Qatanani’s Israeli conviction. The judge stressed, in arriving at this ruling, how impressed he’d been by “law-enforcement officers that took time from their respective duties to appear before the court.” I’m sure. But the feel-good hallucinations of bridge-building can’t erase the reality of terror promotion. Judge Riefkohl was later reversed by the Board of Immigration Appeals, which found that there was no basis for Riefkohl to have ignored the government’s evidence.

The questions about Governor Christie’s appointment of Sohail Mohammed and his exertions on behalf of Mohammed’s client, Mohammed Qatanani, have nothing to do with either sharia or the all-purpose smear of Islamophobia. They are about the governor’s judgment. They are about a U.S. attorney with political ambitions pandering to a politically active constituency at the expense of national security and enforcement of the immigration laws. They are about his decision to award a state judgeship to an attorney who was an active and vocal board member of a very troubling Islamist organization — and who has a penchant for presuming that perfectly valid anti-terror prosecutions are, instead, anti-Muslim persecutions.

Read it all.

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[askamydaily]

This year -- put a Book on EVERY Bed

This year: put a Book on EVERY Bed

By “Ask Amy” advice columnist Amy Dickinson

10 December, 2020

Dear Readers: Every year at Christmastime, I delight in promoting a Book on Every Bed. I do so in memory of my mother, Jane, who raised her children to understand that if you have a book, you are never alone.

The idea originally came from historian David McCollough, who recounted the Christmas mornings of his youth, when the very first thing he woke up to was a wrapped book at the base of his bed, left there by Santa.

The most important part is what happens next: Family members reading together.

That’s it! That’s the whole idea!

Over the last ten years, working with my local literacy partner Children’s Reading Connection (childrensreadingconnection.org), this campaign has grown to include schools, libraries and bookstores, who have donated scores of books to families that might not have access to them. The goal – and our dream – is that families will experience the intimate and personal connection of diving into and sharing stories, the way my mother and I did throughout her life.

Over the years, important literacy advocates, such as the Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden and LeVar Burton, and bestselling children’s authors Brad Meltzer and Peter Reynolds, have endorsed and helped to spread the good word.

This year is different. So many of us are alone, hurting, and separated from family and familiar holiday routines.

All of us – not just children – need a good book on our beds.

I have broadened the scope to include specific recommendations for books spanning all ages. I’ve reached out to some of my favorite writers, literacy advocates, and independent booksellers across the country for their special picks.

Whether you purchase a book or share an old favorite, I hope you will be inspired to put A Book on Every Bed this year. It is not necessary to make a Christmas deadline – this idea is one to sustain people throughout what might shape up to be a very long winter.

Following are recommendations for all age groups.

Baby and Toddlers: From Brigid Hubberman, Children’s Reading Connection, Ithaca, NY (childrensreadingconnection.org):

“Words are the language of love for babies.  The best books for infants should be about the world they know. Parents should choose books to surround babies with an abundance of loving and delightful words.”

Baby Cakes, by Karma Wilson and Sam Williams

Haiku Baby, by Betsy E. Snyder

Shine Baby Shine, by Leslie Staub and Lori Nichols

Ages 3-5: From Lisa Swaze, Buffalo Street Books, Ithaca, NY (Buffalostreetbooks.com)

“If You Come to Earth,” by Sophie Blackall is one of my favorite picture books of 2020. This book is beautiful both visually and lyrically, and it will feel like a warm hug to any child or family who receives it.

“You Matter,” by Christian Robinson is a bright and elegant book that takes children on a journey around the world to make it clear that everyone matters, and perhaps more importantly, reassure them that they matter, no matter what they look like or where they are from.

Early Readers: From Sandra Dear, owner of The Little Boho Bookshop, in Bayonne, NJ (thelittlebohobookshop.com)

“The Suitcase,” by Chris Naylor-Ballesteros: This beautiful story about immigration, is full of heart and humanity as it teaches our littlest ones about hope, tolerance and kindness.

“Home in the Woods,” by Eliza Wheeler: This stunningly beautiful picture book has fast become a customer favorite. A story about starting over, of overcoming! A story of family, love and joy of being and growing together.

Middle Grade Readers: From Becky Anderson, co-owner of Anderson’s Bookshop, in Naperville, Illinois (andersonsbookshops.com):

“Ways to Make Sunshine,” by Renee Watson: Watson writes her own version of Ramona Quimby, one starring a Black girl and her family, in this start to a charming new middle grade series about spirit, kindness, and sunshine.  Ryan, a fourth grader, finds the positive in difficult situations and when trouble strikes. She is that character to love and bring in the sunshine!  Grades 3-6

Skunk and Badger by Amy Timberlake, illustrated by Jon Klassen: Winnie-the-Pooh and Frog and Toad meet in a fresh take on a classic odd-couple friendship.  Klassen’s illustrations add much to a story of an unlikely friendship that proves that opposites can see the good in one another. The first in a series.  Grades 3-7

“The Silver Arrow,” by Lev Grossman: Kate’s humdrum life is transformed when her eccentric Uncle Herbert brings her a colossal locomotive train, the Silver Arrow, as her eleventh birthday gift, leading her and her younger brother on a mysterious journey.  The train will remind readers of the Hogwart’s Express. A story that is environmentally aware and calls readers to action. Perfect for fans of Roald Dahl and The Chronicles of Narnia.  Grades 3-7

YA Readers: Danielle Kreger, Blue Bunny Books, Dedham, MA (bluebunnybooks.com):  "One of Us is Lying" by Karen M McManus: An edge of your seat mystery that takes place in Bayview High school during detention. Simon, a so-called "outcast," never makes it out of detention alive. What follows is a tale of twists and turns that has the reader questioning the reliability of the characters, and the secrets they keep.

"Burn" by Patrick Ness: A fast-paced young adult fantasy that begins with fifteen-year-old Sarah, who meets Kazimir – a dragon who has been hired to help on her family's farm. Still reeling from the death of her mother, Sarah finds herself feeling an intense and unusual connection with Kazimir. As the story unfolds secrets, dangers and Kazimir's true purpose are revealed.

"The New Kid" by Jerry Craft: A spot-on graphic novel about navigating a new school, new friends and identity. Jordan Banks is in seventh grade when he is sent to a rigorous private school and grapples with staying true to himself- his love for creating cartoons, how to maintain his old friends and how he fits in in a less than diverse new school. A totally lovable and relatable character!

Adult Non-fiction: From Alex George, the author, most recently, of The Paris Hours, founder and director of the Unbound Book Festival, and the owner of Skylark Bookshop, in Columbia, MO (skylarkbookshop.com)

“Wintering,” by Katherine May: This is a deeply personal, quietly beautiful book, written with grace and immense thoughtfulness. We all go through difficult times; by mulling over her responses to her own misfortunes, the author offers insight as to how we might think differently about low points in our lives. Instructive, inspiring, and ultimately profoundly hopeful.

“The Book of Delights,” by Ross Gay: This utterly charming book of micro-essays by Ross Gay, a beloved and renowned poet, is a perfect gift for – well, just about anyone. Gay set himself the challenge of finding one thing that delighted him each day for a year, and then writing about it. The result is a quirky, brilliant book that you can dip in and out of, always finding something to make you smile, and think. A guaranteed lifter of spirits.

“Intimations: Six Essays,” by Zadie Smith: I’ve always loved Zadie Smith’s nonfiction work, and this small but powerful book shows her talents at their finest. Written during the pandemic, these six pieces are sharp, and funny, and thought-provoking. Smith’s deeply personal reflections on this strangest of years is essential reading. If ever there was a book for these strange times, it’s this one.

Adult Fiction: Mark LaFramboise, Senior Book Buyer at Politics and Prose in Washington, DC (politics-prose.com)

“The Butterfly Lampshade,” by Aimee Bender: This is a beautiful story of mental illness, the bonds of sisterhood, and the liveliness of a child's imagination.  Francie is 8 years old when the book begins, the daughter of a single mom.  This is the story of her odyssey after her mother is committed to a mental hospital, and she is sent to be raised by an aunt and uncle.

“Luster,” by Raven Leilani: Edie, the young protagonist in Luster, Raven Leilani's debut novel, is daring, sexy, hilarious, super smart, and drop dead beautiful.  Her affair with a married man takes a turn for the strange when she meets and befriends the man's wife and daughter.  Edie is whip smart because Raven Leilani is whip smart and her voice propels this beguiling novel.

“What Are You Going Through,” by Sigrid Nunez: Sigrid Nunez writes so beautifully that plot feels irrelevant.  The writer's confidence and authority are apparent from the first page.  Ultimately, it's the story of a woman who is asked by an old college acquaintance to be with her when she takes her life, after a cancer diagnosis.  But, like her previous book The Friend (about a woman who inherits a large Great Dane), it doesn't matter what story she tells because her words bristle with life.

Elders: Gayle Shanks, Changing Hands Bookstore, in Tempe and Phoenix, AZ

(changinghands.com)

“Apeirogon,” by Colum McCann: Two fathers, one Palestinian and one Israeli have both lost their young daughters to violence but have decided that reconciliation, not revenge, is what they needed to seek. In the process, they became best friends. McCann describes the insanity and senseless violence bred in the Middle East, the Occupation under which the Palestinians are forced to live, but also the beauty of the country, the migration of birds, the many ways humans overcome adversity and find solace in the natural world and each other. In a series of 1001 fragments, McCann walks us through his imaginary polygon, the Apeirogon of the title, containing an infinite number of sides, an infinite number of gorgeous sentences, and ultimately an infinite number of ways to view the human condition.  

“All the Way to the Tigers,” by Mary Morris: Travel writer Mary Morris’ book, written in small chapters, was in some ways similar to reading Colum McCann's, Aperagon, also written in small bits (in his case 1001, in Mary's -- 112 chapters). Morris travels to India in search of the elusive Bengal tiger, but in so many ways she is searching for herself and her place in the world as she recovers from a serious ankle injury that leaves her debilitated but determined.  

In her short vignettes, she quotes Rilke, Wendell Berry, other writers she admires and reminds us how important it is to listen intently to others as in active listening we are rewarded with deeper understanding.

“The Chair Rocks,” by Ashton Applewhite: From childhood on, we’re barraged by messages that it’s sad to be old. That wrinkles are embarrassing, and old people useless. Author and activist Ashton Applewhite believed them too—until she realized where this prejudice comes from and the damage it does. Lively, funny, and deeply researched, This Chair Rocks traces Applewhite’s journey from apprehensive boomer to pro-aging radical, and in the process debunks myth after myth about late life. The book explains the roots of ageism—in history and in our own age denial. Whether you’re older or hoping to get there, this book will shake you by the shoulders, cheer you up, make you mad, and change the way you see the rest of your life. Age pride!