COMMENT | Malaysia is full of non-Malay parents who complain about how the government has been very oppressive with the New Economic Policy (NEP). As a result, they made it their life's mission to send their kids overseas and told them not to return to this racist country.

But in the process of doing so, many of them (not all) robbed their kids of not only the joy of childhood but also the experience of living and growing up in Malaysia.

These children may have been growing up in Malaysia physically but they have not a clue about what being Malaysian is really like. Their worldview is mainly shaped by books written by Westerners instead of by their lived experiences of growing up in Malaysia.

Worse still, they grow up despising anything they see around them that does not "measure up" to the Western standards they have read so much about from their books. They know more facts about the states in America than any well-read New Yorker.

And yet they know nothing about the states of Malaysia other than the one they live in. Or maybe just their home district within their home state. All they know about Malaysia is nasi lemak, teh tarik, and maybe kuih lapis.

And when they finally get to live abroad, they realise that so many things there are so familiar - just like what they read in books or watched on TV. But eventually, as time goes by, they begin to discover that no matter how familiar the Western world may seem to them, they somehow do not fit in. They somehow feel like aliens to the people they heard so much about.

They may think they are more Westernised than the new Chinese migrants who speak broken English but to the Westerners, both Johnny Teoh (from KL) and Johnny Zhang (Beijing) are the same because they look the same.

Banana or not banana, the westerner can't tell if you are white or not on the inside. Maybe when you open your mouth, then they can tell the difference. But as long as you don't speak in English, the only difference between these two Johnnies is the spelling of their names.

This unfortunate consequence was caused by their parents, not them. In trying to give their children more options by equipping them with Western education in Malaysia, parents have inadvertently robbed their kids of a culturally rich experience growing up in a multi-racial country.

Worse still, they harbour a very unhealthy aloofness, ignorance, and even hatred against people from races other than their own.

They also look down on members of their own race by prohibiting their kids from playing with their "not-so-educated" neighbours. To them, that means people who can't speak proper English. It does not matter if you can speak perfect Beijing Mandarin, Maharaja's Telugu, or classic Vedic Sanskrit. No English means "not educated"!

This is so wrong.

The saddest part of the story is this. Their children end up as strangers in their home country and later as unwelcome guests in their adopted countries in the West which they thought they could just fit in like fish in water. It's still water but highly toxic. Too much fluoride and chlorine in it.

In giving your children an "advantage" of good English, don't rob them of the opportunity to learn other Malaysian languages well, such as Malay, Mandarin, Cantonese (and other dialects), Tamil, Punjabi, Hindi, and whatever languages your children will naturally pick up in the process of growing up in Malaysia. Only then, you can pride yourself in genuinely giving your children more options.

Equipping children with the Queen's BBC English at the expense of other languages and cultures that are readily accessible in Malaysia is not giving them more options nor more freedom. You are merely replacing the ultra Malay oppression with an equally ultra Anglo-Saxon form of oppression.

In truth, the oppressors are not those of other races but those in the government and the people who wrote and implemented oppressive policies - regardless of what race they may belong to.

Those politicians and policy-makers oppress under-privileged non-Malays as much as they oppress under-privileged Malays. I know it's hard to agree with me on this, but trust me. If you are Chinese Malaysian, you only know how you're being oppressed as a Chinese Malaysian but you cannot know enough how other races are being oppressed, including the Malays.

Do all those kiasu parents out there get what I'm saying? If you know one, just explain to them. No need to share this post. They won't agree with me anyway. Nor do I need their approval. But they will be doing their children a big favour, if only they would consider looking at things from their children's point of view.

Being successful in life is not only about being able to speak fluent English or being Westernised. It's also about being yourself, being able to accept everything about yourself.

If you were born and grew up in Malaysia, you need to understand what being Malaysian really means - more than just understanding intellectually. Being Malaysian is more than just loving nasi lemak and teh tarik.

More importantly, it is experiencing what being Malaysian truly feels like, in your heart, gut, and soul!

KEN SOONG is a Malaysian living in Australia since 2004.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.

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COMMENT | More than just nasi lemak and teh tarik - Malaysiakini

In the midst of coronavirus pandemic, an election complaint to the Arizona State University Associated Students Student Government was filed against two candidates in response to a statement one of them made during an Instagram live video between the two conservative candidates.

The statement in question was posted on Instagram and made byCampus Reform correspondent Cameron Decker, who told Campus Reform he said the following of his opponent: It speaks to the credibility of a candidate when they support Stalin and their communist regimes. Especially when they are spouting that they want to purge non-leftist students, theres not a place in USG for individuals who wont welcome a free market of ideas."

"With every new case, free speech was redefined, and with every new instance, a new precedent was set. I was disappointed in their inability to follow a set of concrete rules, let alone their own!

[Related: Free speech zones galore: 5 Times students First Amendment rights were violated on campus in 2019]

Deckers opponent in the student government race, Alexia Isais, whose Twitter profile bio states that she is a "Marxist-Leninist," alleged that Deckers comments violated article 21 of the student code of conduct, which prohibits engaging in discriminatory activities, including harassment and retaliation, as prohibited by applicable law or university policy.

In her official complaint, Isias called the behavior of Decker and running mate Joe Pitts absolutely disgusting.

They chose to use their platform in spreading pure lies and hatred against our campaigns candidates, calling us anti-Semitic, establishing that we are not exactly qualified for office, she added. These candidates state that our candidates have 'expressed support for Joseph Stalin,' this is unrelated to the campaign and again is a smear against the personal political views of some candidates on the ticket.

Isias then brought race and sexual orientation into the equation, insisting, It is extremely discriminatory for two white, cis, heterosexual, right-wing men to decide whether a coalition that includes black and brown people, LGBTQ+ people, women, and progressive people is qualified for office.

[Related: [VIDEO] Professor praises Stalin, claims he never committed one crime]

But one of these two white, cis, heterosexual, right-wing men is in fact a proud and outspoken member of the LGBTQ+ community, as Decker clarified. in his response to the complaint, Decker said, In fact, I, Cameron Decker, am a proud and outspoken member of the LGBTQ+ community. I identify as gay, and to say the least, my journey of coming to terms and coming out to the world has been a journey I wish no LGBTQ+ person has to deal with anymore."

Subjecting me to the same discriminatory smears through baseless assumption reveals the very nature of oppression that LGBT people face on a daily basis, Decker continued. This assertion places me as an excluded member of the community I relate with and come to for comfort. Moreover, being gay and being open about it has placed me in the very shoes of the people who are victims of systemic oppression. In a time when I thought I had acceptance, the claim rooted in false accusations has subjected me once again to exclusion from a community I so admire and belong to."

Elections Commissioner Carla Naranjo and Tempe Assistant Elections Commissioner Amanda Andalis ultimately punished Decker and Pitts by issuing them a three-point election infraction. The students have nine points before they are prevented from running for office.

[Related: Survey: Most students favor colleges restricting speech]

"The elections department has determined that the plaintiff has sustained injury from the comments made on Instagram by defendants, Cameron Decker and Joseph Pitts. Given that the alleged discriminatory comments were in reference to the United Voices for ASU senate candidate coalition, the defendants will be given one (1) level one (1) three (3) point infraction despite the multiple plaintiffs on the United Voices for ASU coalition that sent in identical complaints.

Isais v. Decker & Pitts by Campus Reform on Scribd

But when Decker made a similar complaint against Isias just weeks before, he was told by Andalis that the Article 21 complaint was outside my jurisdiction as the Assistant Election Commissioner.

Deckers complaint was also in reference to violations of Article 21, citing a tweet by Isias saying: Going to purge all the non-leftist friends Ive made in poli sci classes/ This girl just argues [sic] with me about how colonization never happened. White liberalism is toxic."Another tweet from Isias cited in Decker's complaint involved her telling her followers "ur gonna get decked" for wearing something she didn't like. Yet another one of Isias' tweets read, "stop objectifying the 'okay boomer' girl or else," followed by a knife emoji.

Andalis, the Assistant Elections Commissioner who charged the two conservative students, stated in emails obtained by Campus Reform that I have received this complaint. This is outside my jurisdiction as the Assistant Election Commissioner and has been forwarded to Assistant Director Rosenkratz. This will be sent to the Student Rights and Responsibilities as there is a possible violation of the ASU Student Code of Conduct. Interpreting the Code of Conduct is outside of my authority and therefore I will not be able to render the decision on this case."

[Related: POLL: Millennials would prefer to live in a socialist country]

However, another email obtained by Campus Reform shows that the ASU election commission determined that Isias' tweets referenced in Decker's complaint did not constitute a violation because they are "free speech." Just a few weeks before, Isias and her running mates were issued infractions for tweets the university described as "threatening" to ASU President Michael Crow and "several student organizations."

Screenshots obtained by Campus Reform show that Isias has previously shared another person's tweet that read, "Israel has no fucking right to exist." In another tweet, she acknowledged that Twitter locked her account after she tweeted "Fuck you @DougDucey literally you deserve to eat shit and die." Twitter cited its rules against "abuse and harassment" as justification for locking the account.

Isias makes no secret of her affection for communism, either. In a December 2019 opinion editorial published by the Arizona State-Press, she explained to readers "why I am a communist." She quoted Leila Khaled, a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine who hijacked an airplane in 1969. The United States designated the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine as a terrorist organization in 1997.

Months later, as the storm of the coronavirus continues to blow over, Pitts said the dust of the election controversy has relatively settled.

The actions taken by the Elections Department were a muddle of refusing to establish (or adhere to) precedent, incompetence, and inconsistency in rule-making and enforcement. With every new case, free speech was redefined, and with every new instance, a new precedent was set. I was disappointed in their inability to follow a set of concrete rules, let alone their own!Pitts toldCampus Reform.

When I asked for clarification regarding their free speech policy after several incongruous rulings, I was met 5 days after the fact one day before Election Day with a one-sentence response: just dont run a negative campaign, said Pitts. If it was this simple, I had been fooled! But of course, it wasnt. And in their attempt to subtly slander our campaign, they ended up once again rewriting a code that seems not to be enforced by the Commission at all.

Decker toldCampus Reform that he inquired about why he was disciplined for his Instagram live comments while Isias was not disciplined for her tweets cited in Decker's complaint. Decker said he never received a response from the school.

Follow the author of this article on twitter:@allisonrobison_

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Conservative student government candidates penalized for criticizing communist opponent - Campus Reform

Last Saturday morning I watched and listened to a video recording of Britains High Commissioner to Jamaica, Asif Ahmad, laying out, as best he could, Her Majestys Governments official positions on issues relating to slavery, reparations, the global reverberations from the Black Lives Matter protests, actions against offensive statues, renaming of institutions and places named after promoters and defenders of slavery and racism during colonialism and the myriad of issues put to him during the discussion on Challenging the symbols of oppression.

The discussion was spurred by the Jamaica governments decision to suspend use of a medal awarded by Her Majesty to loyal British subjects for splendid services rendered to the Crown, because it was belatedly discovered, in the wake of the George Floyd death, that this particular medal bears a symbol of a white angel standing over a black devil.

High Commissioner Ahmad is partly of Pakistani origin, which helped color his dissertations in the eyes of many watching in Jamaica and listening to a blue-blooded brown-skinned Englishman explaining Her Majestys Governments positions on CARICOM nations joint call for Reparations from Britain and the European Union (EU) member-states involved for centuries of Slavery and Native Genocide in the Caribbean.

As I watched, my mind drifted to those times often recorded in history when the house slaves could always be depended upon to best explain to fellow slaves why Massa is good and Slavery is better.

Id heard declarations of Britains positions on slavery and reparations before, but never like this from a representative of the brown and black British minority, the descendants, heirs and successors of Indian and African immigrants to Britain.

He spoke in Jamaica, where Britain left 60 percent of its loyal colonial island subjects illiterate at independence, where African descendants are in the vast majority and the government and opposition are both in support of pursuing reparations.

Id heard worse from the mouths of those whose minds and hands actually drove and drive the policies that High Commissioner Ahmad so dutifully espoused.

When British PM David Cameron visited Jamaica in 2015 to ask CARICOM leaders to forget the past and lets move on with 350 million devalued pounds worth of peanuts on the table to be shared between 14 countries as adequate compensation for over 400 years of slavery and native genocide, he knew more than anyone else that his slave-owning ancestral family not only owned over 500 slaves in Jamaica, but had also benefitted immensely from the 20 million pounds (worth over 300 billion pounds sterling today) that they were compensated over time for loss of their slaves and property. He knew too that the British government had only finished paying that hefty amount in 2015, the same year he visited Kingston and requested that it use part of its share of the peanuts to build prisons to house Jamaican immigrants his Conservative Party was most likely, with the benefit of hindsight, already planning to send back home through mass deportation of the Windrush generation.

When PM Theresa May replaced David Cameron with a promise to deliver on the Brexit that her party had opposed in the national referendum and lost by a razor-thin but large dividing margin, her very first announcement was that she would assign 30 million pounds to the fight against Modern Slavery. Mrs May showed no interest in Britains role in and responsibility for the atrocities associated with the original Atlantic Slave Trade, acknowledged as the Greatest Crime Against Humanity, during which at least 30 million Africans were shipped through the infamous Middle Passage to Europes West Indian (Caribbean) colonies. But it didnt take long to see that her declaration was no more than just that. Modern slavery lived on happily in the UK while Prime Minister May held on firmly to the British position that it would not apologize or atone, in any way, for its role as an architect of and benefactor from the criminal transatlantic slave trade, as both the original and final ports of call in the so-called Great Triangle.

Just as Mrs May ousted Cameron over Brexit, she too was outfoxed by Boris Johnson, whose position on slavery and colonialism was spelt out decades ago when he covered the European Union as a journalist and held that Britain should never have left Africa. His response in office today to the Black Lives Matter protests across the UK and targeting of statues of racist and colonial figures has reinforced that the current British PM, like his two predecessors, also maintains that Britain should simply not apologize for slavery, lest it legally bind itself to paying for its past sins of commission and omission.

All three PMs Cameron, May and Johnson were in office after the CARICOM nations in July 2013 established the Commission (CRC) and immediately requested dialogue with Britain and the EU regarding reparations for slavery and native genocide. Seven years later, London and Brussels have simply refused to even formally reply, far less agree, to the joint request of the leaders of 14 former mainly British, French, Dutch, Portuguese, Spanish, Italian and Scandinavian colonies that are now sovereign states and members of the United Nations (UN) and the British Commonwealth.

The faithful deliverer of Downing Streets message in Jamaica was no different from that consistently sent out by Britain since 2013 in response to issues like slavery and reparations and in defense of symbols of the Empire.

Its all in keeping with Britains strategy over time to maintain its position as a leading European nation with the wealth it gained from slavery and the industrial revolution that followed its involvement in the capture and export of over 12 million African slaves, over three million of whom were shipped on British vessels, insured by the likes of Lloyds of London, Barclays Bank, HSBC and others still very much alive today.

The abolition of slavery did not in any way affect Britains plans for expansion beyond the royal realm. In the 19th Century, Queen Victoria expanded Britains influence across Europe by marrying her nine children into other European royal families in Germany, Russia, Spain and other parts of the continent, some eventually ending-up fighting on opposing sides after she died, during the First World War.

Several decades later when Britains African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) colonies started gaining independence, London created the British Commonwealth, with Queen Elizabeth II as the eternal head, to keep the new sovereign states within the Royal realm.

The nations seeking reparations for slavery and native genocide are only asking for Britain to act in like manner as when it paid slave owners for the losses after abolition; and which France happily extorted from Haiti by way of reparations for loss of French planters properties and slaves as a result of the 1804 Revolution, which debt Haiti only finished paying in 1947.

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Time for CARICOM to up the Reparations ante! - The Voice St. Lucia

Balance of rights

Im anti big government.

Im for free speech

Im all for peaceful protests

I support the right of ALL people to live, work and play in a racist- and bigoted-free world.

I support the idea that a system of law and order as mandated by the majority of people is the foundation for a peaceful and successful society.

I support the fight to prevent the spread of COVID-19 by mandating that face masks be required if you are out in public places and cannot maintain social distancing.

I support the right of people to disagree, but would support a government initiative to make wearing of masks mandatory based on the recommendations by medical/scientific professionals.

I support the right for people to point out that my first sentence is in conflict with a government mandating mask wearing, but my fifth sentence deals with this. Im convinced that the majority of Canadians would agree.

Malcolm F. Brown, Dartmouth

Normally, I would not counter an opinion letter to the editor, because I believe everyone has the right to express an opinion, but Gavin Giles criticism (Stop sniping from sidelines, July 6) of Professor Tom Urbaniak requires examination.

Urbaniak does not snipe from the cheap seats, as Giles put it in his letter. He suggests that this highly qualified professor somehow does not have the right to be critical of our government. Because of Urbaniaks depth of knowledge in political science and government, he is more capable than most to see flaws. And we are lucky he shares his insight with the public.

Urbaniak understands government structures that are intended to promote the democratic process. Premier Stephen McNeils authoritarian proclivity has been evident time and time again throughout his two mandates. His centralization policies, use of legislation to abort collective bargaining, shut-out of the media, contempt for elected opposition MLSs, his hyper-control of ministers and neutralization of committees have culminated in government by one or two people.

Giles letter supports unilateral decision-making. But the best decisions are made through a democratic process, where all the players get to participate, because the wisdom is in the group. And Tom Urbaniak understands this.

Jane MacNeill, Ben Eoin

On July 1, in your article Hundreds take to Halifax streets with Indigenous activists, your photo script stated calling for an end to apartheid in Palestine.

The term apartheid is from the Afrikaans word for apartness. It was a policy via legislation for strict racial segregation and discrimination. It was best illustrated in South Africa, where it obtained a meaning of hardhearted oppression. South African Judge Richard Goldstone wrote in October, 2011, while there exists a degree of separation between Israeli Jews and the Arabs in Israel, there is no apartheid. Nothing there comes close to the definition of apartheid under the 1998 Rome Statute.

Concerning the territories, Goldstone wrote that the situation is more complex. But here, too, there is no intent to maintain an institutionalized regime of systematic oppression and domination by one racial group. Goldstone also wrote in that New York Times article, the charge that Israel is an apartheid state is a false and malicious one, that precludes, rather than promotes, peace and harmony.

To claim that apartheid is going on in that land is a war propaganda phrase, which tries to portray the war as a quasi civil rights dispute and has the purpose of delegitimizing Israel.

Larry A. Riteman, Bedford

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VOICE OF THE PEOPLE JULY 16, 2020 - TheChronicleHerald.ca

Jessica Yorko, guest writer Published 12:18 p.m. ET July 16, 2020 | Updated 3:09 p.m. ET July 17, 2020

Jessica Yorko(Photo: Courtesy photo)

A palpable power shift is underway in our nation and community. We stand at the precipice of bending the arc of the universe towards justice for centuries to come.

Listen and you will hear grief, frustration, exhaustion, pain and uncertainty. Look and you will see courage in the face of great risk, soul searching, glimmers of reckonings and comeuppances, healing spaces for people harmed by anti-Blackness and refrains of Time's Up on Racism.

You will also see head-ducking, blame-shifting and doubling down on racism.

When we look back on this moment in history, what will we say about the role we played? Did we bear witness to pain and injustices that have gone unseen and unheard for far too long? Did we amplify the truths being elevated in this moment? Did we create accountability to Black, Indigenous and other people of color in all levels of government and society?

How are we, as white individuals, taking responsibility for harms we have caused to Black people and other people of color, regardless of intent? Do we have the humility and resilience to hear things that need to be said while working towards reconciliation and reparation? How do we listen and truly value the myriad Black and brown voices and lives in our community loud and quiet; rich and poor; queer and straight; transgender, non-binary and cis-gender; office-holders and private citizens; young and old?

Are we willing to talk about eliminating government-sanctioned use of captivity and lethal force against fellow humans?

Are we willing to re-envision government so it no longer includes institutions created to keep people in captivity? Captivity that, per the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, allows for the ongoing, legalized use of free labor (also known as slavery) among incarcerated peoplewho are disproportionately Black and brown?

What are our reservations, fears and concerns about eliminating vestiges and tools of human enslavement in our nation?

Lansing can seize this moment to abolish and restructure the systems that repress, subjugate, terrorize and murder Black and brown people. Lansing residents are leading a movement that re-envisions government structures, policies and budgets to eliminate racial oppression.

When you look back on this moment, what will you say about your role? Were you an accomplice in eliminating human enslavement? Or are you a sympathizer with those fighting to maintain the status quo of legal enslavement and use of deadly force against fellow humans?

I implore the people of this city, elected and otherwise, to look deep within themselves, seize this moment and work together until thatbright day of justice emerges.

The status quo has never been good enough. We owe it to ourselves and to each other to do better.We have a clear road map and mandate to do better. Followingthat road map is not only the work ofBlack and brown people. It is incumbent upon each of us to seize this moment and bend the arc toward justice.

Jessica Yorko isLansing residentwho served as a member of the Lansing City Council from 2010-2017.

Read or Share this story: https://www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/opinion/contributors/viewpoints/2020/07/16/lansing-must-work-together-protect-people-color-viewpoint/5434226002/

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All of Lansing must work to protect Black, Indigenous and other people of color - Lansing State Journal

Mayawati 

New Delhi: Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati launched a scathing attack on Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led BJP government in Madhya Pradesh over Guna incident saying the party talks about Dalit empowerment but indulges in their harassment.

He further said that the oppression of Dalits continue under the BJP and the Congress saying they need to ponder over the fact too.

A couple in MPs Guna consume poison after they were manhandled by police during an anti-encroachment drive.

The incident took place on Tuesday when the police tried to remove people who had encroached land allotted for college in the district.

Tehsildar N Singh said that the duo is in stable condition and claimed that the land which had been allotted for college was encroached upon by people and that the cops were there to remove it.

Taking to her Twitter, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BJP) chief said that the condition of Dalits remains unchanged under Congress or the BJP rule and said that they need to think about it.

Meanwhile, after the incident, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan directed immediate removal of Collector and SP of Guna and also ordered a high-level inquiry into the incident.

To force that couple to attempt suicide by forcing the couple to attempt suicide by borrowing the crop from the JCB machine in the name of encroachment by the Guna Police and Administration of Madhya Pradesh.

The nationwide condemnation of this incident is natural and the government should take strict action, tweeted Mayawati.

The video of the incident went viral on social media showed the police beating the man with batons severely.

Talking to the media, District Collector S Vishwanathan said that the farm was reserved for a government model college and said that Rajkumar Ahirwar (38) and his wife Savitri (35) were working on the land which was encroached by Gabbu Pardi.

Read more here:

Oppression common under Congress-BJP rule, Dalits need to ponder over the situation: Mayawati on Guna incident - Times Now

A Bexar County Jail deputy stood by while six inmates brutally beat another in a shower and then waited 30 minutes for the assailants to clean up while the victim laid bleeding before he called for help, authorities said in announcing that the deputy had been charged and fired from his job.

Jean Camacho-Morales, 33, was arrested on Tuesday, which was a day after the attack, the San Antonio Express-News reported. He faces counts of official oppression, tampering with government records and aggravated assault with substantial bodily harm -- the last count because Texas law requires all parties involved in a crime to be charged with the offense. His bail was set at $25,000.

"Though he didn't lift a finger in assault, he also didn't lift a finger to help or do his job," Sheriff Javier Salazar said in announcing the charges.

News from around the state of Texas.

Camacho-Morales said he immediately called for assistance when he found the 44-year-old victim brutally beaten in the shower, but surveillance footage showed otherwise, Salazar said. Camacho-Morales had prior knowledge of the attack and stood by as the victim was beaten by at least six other inmates. He then left the man "to lay in a pool of his own blood for 30 minutes while the other inmates had time to clean up and destroy evidence," the sheriff said.

Camacho-Morales allegedly turned off the lights in the shower unit in an attempt to conceal the crime from the jail's cameras, Salazar said.

The victim was rushed to the hospital, unable to breathe on his own. He had several facial fractures and damaged vertebrae.

The sheriff's office's public integrity unit, internal affairs department and the FBI are investigating the attack. There is no indication that it was gang-related or how Camacho-Morales was connected to the inmates involved, Salazar said.

One inmate, Justin Rodriguez, has been charged in the beating. He was already facing murder and other charges.

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Fired Texas Jail Deputy Allowed Attack On Inmate: Sheriff - NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth

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16 July 2020

Middle East

On 16 July, Al-Haq issued the report De Facto Annexation Continues with House Demolitions Using Hyundai Bulldozers, Destruction of Palestinians, Infrastructure and Pillage where the NGO documented and monitored a number of incidents pertaining to land and natural resource appropriation in the week of Israels planned de jure annexation of parts of the occupied West Bank. According to the report, incidents included the raiding of a village, northwest of East Jerusalem by Israeli forces accompanied by the Israel Antiquities Authority, the firing of bullets by settlers at Palestinian farmers to displace them from their lands, and house demolitions in Al-Issawiya, a neighbourhood in East Jerusalem.

On 16 July, BADIL Resource Centre for Palestinian Residency & Refugee Rights reported that 22 Members of the European Parliament sent a letter in support of Israel to the European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement to request that Palestinian organizations and individuals belonging to or sympathetic with alleged terrorist groups be included on the EU sanctions list. BADIL rejected the letter and called on European organizations, among others, to reject the imposition and application of the counter-terrorism clause and measure to Palestine and the Palestinian people, including their civil society.

On 15 July, Al-Haq and SOMO (Stichting Onderzoek Multinationale Ondernemingen) submitted a joint report to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on the involvement of the German company HeidelbergCement in human rights violations in the OPT and suggested the inclusion of the company in the UN Database on business activities related to illegal settlements during its annual update, because one of its subsidiaries, Hanson Israel, operates in the Nahal Raba stone quarry in the occupied West Bank.

On 15 July, the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) published the report Silencing the Press: Israeli Occupation Forces Attacks on Journalists, which documents a significant escalation of Israeli attacks and violations against media personnel in the OPT for the period from May 2019 to April 2020. PCHR details the violations committed by Israeli forces against the Palestinian media demonstrating a well-planned scheme to isolate the OPT from the rest of the world and to provide cover-up from crimes against civilians, and impose a narrative opposite to the reality on the ground.

On 13 July, HaMoked Centre for the Defence of the Individual and the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel informed about their letter to the Internal Affairs and Environment Committee of the Israeli parliament to voice objection to the proposed law Prevention of Entry of Visitors and Lawyers to Incarceration Places, Police Stations and Prisons, Guard Rooms and Military Prisons (Temporary Order), 5780-2020, drafted as part of the fight against the Coronavirus pandemic. The NGOs warned that this legislation could result in a continued inability of Palestinian inmates to see their families from the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

On 13 July, 83 Palestinian, regional and international civil society organizations from across 16 countries submitted a joint urgent appeal to the UN Special Procedures on the extrajudicial execution and wilful killing of Ahmad Erekat, a resident of Abu Dis, East Jerusalem, by the Israeli forces on 23 June. The organizations urged international justice and accountability for Israels shoot-to-kill policy targeting Palestinians and to recognize it as contributing to the maintenance of Israels apartheid regime of systematic racial oppression and domination the Palestinian people as a whole, which, embedded in a system of impunity, prevents Palestinians from effectively challenging Israels apartheid policies and practices.

On 9 July, Yesh Din published the report The Occupation of the West Bank and the Crime of Apartheid: Legal Opinion. The opinion, drafted by human rights lawyer Michael Sfard, concluded that the crime against humanity of apartheid is being committed in the West Bank, the perpetrators are Israelis and the victims are Palestinians. He argues that a crime is committed because the Israeli occupation comes with a gargantuan colonization project that has created a community of citizens of the occupying power in the occupied territory [] and because the Israeli authorities implement policies and practices that constitute inhumane acts in international law, including inter alia the denial of rights to a national group, denial of resources to one group and their transfer to another.

Europe

On 9 July, the Palestinian Return Centre (PRC) informed that it had submitted two documents to the UN Human Rights Council to draw the international communitys attention to the crises endured by Palestine refugees as a result of the pandemic related lockdown. The written statements, which were passed on to the Council as part of agenda items 2.4 and 4 of the 44th Regular Session, tackled the impact of the decline in humanitarian services by UNRWA on the Palestinian refugee community at a time when quarantine measures have led to a deterioration of humanitarian conditions, and called on the UN and donors to take their share in this struggle undergone by over 5 million Palestine refugees registered with the Agency.

North America

On 4 August, The Jerusalem Fund for Education & Community Development will hold the virtual event Hisham Sharabi Memorial Lecture From Oslo Accords to BDS: Topography of Palestines Activism in the US to discuss the shift in American public opinion around Palestine, as the result of an accumulative process that took shape during the 1980s and early 1990s, and finding contexts in several national and transnational movements by the Palestinian diaspora.

On 23 July, The Peoples Forum will host the virtual discussion The Deal of the Century and Ongoing Imperialist Attacks on Palestine with Ali Abunimah, journalist, author and co-founder of the Electronic Intifada.

On 9 July, Americans for Peace Now (APN) urged members of the US Senate to co-sponsor Senator Chris Van Hollens amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act, which would block the Israeli government from using any US aid to fund the annexation of parts of the West Bank. In the letters APNs President Hadar Susskind stated that the United States should not be supporting annexation and certainly should not be paying for it and that West Bank annexation is antithetical to APNs mission of Israeli-Palestinian peace [].

United Nations

On 14 July, the UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People held its 401st meeting, which called for sustained international pressure to stop Israels annexation of parts of the Noting that Israeli settlements in the OPT are a violation of international law and UN resolutions including UNSC 2334 (2016), the Chair (Senegal) said that annexation would undermine the credibility of the United Nations and increase the suffering of the Palestinian people already hard-hit by the coronavirus pandemic. Afghanistan, Cuba, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Malaysia, Namibia, Sierra Leone, and South Africa called the threat of annexation a threat to international peace and stability and endorsed the SGs statement at the 24 June Security Council open debate on the Middle East. Sierra Leone highlighted the African Unions rejection of the US peace plan and the Israeli annexation. The State of Palestine spoke of stepped-up advocacy within the General Assembly and of the upcoming Security Council meeting on 21 July on the issue. Member States also highlighted their recent pledges to UNRWA.

On 13 July, the Office of the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process (UNSCO) organized a workshop with Israeli and Palestinian civil society on their peacebuilding work and the need for dialogue, keeping the prospect of peace alive amid the grave risks of potential annexation.

This newsletter informs about recent and upcoming activities of Civil Society Organizations affiliated with the United Nations Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People. The Committee and the Division for Palestinian Rights of the UN Secretariat provide the information as is without warranty of any kind, and do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, or reliability of the information contained in the websites linked in the newsletter.

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Civil Society and the Question of Palestine - NGO Action News 16 July 2020 - occupied Palestinian territory - ReliefWeb

It is difficult to make progressive social change under a Conservative government, where their whole ethos is about preserving the status quo. Under Theresa Mays government, this was set to change; plans had been made to allow transgender people to change their gender on their birth certificate without having a medical diagnosis. This would have been a progressive step forward to allow transgender people the right to live freely and authentically.

However, under Boris Johnsons government, these plans have been scrapped entirely and instead replaced by the protection of female-only public spaces which is regressive and harmful to both transgender and non-binary people.

Would this mean that police would stand outside of public toilets judging whether or not a woman was feminine enough?

The reasoning behind the scrapping of these plans is unclear, yet the consequences will be detrimental to the transgender community. Not only this, but the fact that the government plans to make female-only public spaces will force transgender women to use the male bathroom in public.

This is extremely derogatory and is a violation of the dignity of transgender women. The youth charity Mermaids stated that, If we legislate to police gender in toilets, then how and at what point do we decide who is and isnt a woman?

Would this mean that police would stand outside of public toilets judging whether or not a woman was feminine enough to use the bathroom facilities?

This would be an uncomfortable experience for all women, but transgender women would suffer the most as a result. What right does anyone have to determine someone elses gender expression?

Whilst this is a step towards acceptance of the LGBT community, it is not enough to dismantle our heteronormative and homophobic systems

It is invasive and wrong, and this legislation would only increase transphobia within the country, making it a hostile environment that transgender people would be forced to live in.

Why are we going backwards in equality for transgender rights? Especially as Pride month just passed, we should be establishing equality for all genders and sexualities. The government also has decided to ban gay cure therapies, which has been described as an attempt to placate the LGBT community.

Whilst this is a step towards acceptance of the LGBT community, it is not enough to dismantle our heteronormative and homophobic systems. It is meant as a distraction to take the focus off the scrapping of the self-identifying gender plans.

The protection of female-only spaces will only increase transphobia and hate crimes within the UK. Many transgender people have already begun dreading what these plans will mean for their lives, and are particularly fearing a US-style bathroom bill which will be extremely harmful.

Questioning someones gender identity every time they use the bathroom in public discriminates against and ostracises transgender people. This could potentially increase the cases of gender dysphoria a medical condition that some trans people experience which can cause depression, anxiety and suicide.

One of the proposing arguments to securing female-only spaces is that it would protect women from male sexual predators pretending to be women.

However, having researched into this, this statement was a myth perpetuated by the former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee in the US and has since been used by conservatives as an excuse to uphold their transphobic beliefs.

The discrimination that transgender people face every day is bad enough; let alone adding in further legislation preventing them from using the toilet in public spaces

The organisation Media Matters investigated in 2014 into the number of sexual assault cases across the US, comparing the 12 states who protect trans rights against the rest who dont. It was found that the states with non-discriminatory laws on the books found no increase in sexual assault cases since the law had passed, and had zero allegations of bathroom assault.

Therefore, the argument that allowing transgender people to use the bathroom of their choice would make public toilets unsafe for cis women is not valid and was a myth fabricated to stop the progress of trans rights.

We need to prevent this from happening. The discrimination that transgender people face every day is bad enough; let alone adding in further legislation preventing them from using the toilet in public spaces.

Write to your local MP asking them to prevent the government from scrapping the self-identifying gender plans and to protect trans rights. Sign any petitions that want to protect trans rights.

Petitions that reach 100,000 signatures on the petition.parliament.uk website will be considered for debate by the Petitions Committee of the House of Commons, and will ultimately make more of an impact than the petitions signed on Change.org.

We need to make progress towards achieving equality in a society that celebrates our differences, rather than regressing into oppression that only spreads fear and hate.

Jasmin Lemarie

Featured image courtesy of Foreign and Commonwealth Office via Flickr. Image license found here.No changes were made to this image.

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We Need To Protect Trans Rights Against The Government's Plans To Regress Back To Transphobia - Impact Magazine - Impact Magazine

An expert explains the need to wear face masks to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Wochit

Many Americans have embraced health officials' recommendationto wear masks in public, and those who refuse tomaskupare likely to encounter increasing pressure in the coming weeks and months.

There is asizable minority of Americans who are skeptical,AshishJha, director of the Harvard Global Health Institute, told USA TODAY evidenced in part by numerousviral videos showing shoppers floutingmask rules.

Critics say mask mandates infringe on their personal freedom.Some right-leaning Americans callmasks a tool of oppression, Democratic conspiracyand even sacrilege.

Evidence showsface coverings are an effective way of slowing the spread of COVID-19, leadingmore state leaders to enact mask mandates. Friday,Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, said face coverings were the only way to avoid another shutdown of the state's economy.

Officials voting to require face masks in public have faced lawsuits and have been shouted down by their constituents.

Jha and other experts compare theemergingrules to traffic regulations.

Jorge Meneses obeys the sign on Main Street in Hackensack, N.J., on July 8.(Photo: Anne-Marie Caruso/NorthJersey - USA TODAY NETWORK)

Just as speeding and drinking and driving are dangerous,not wearing a mask during a pandemic is similarly reckless it puts your and others' lives at risk, Jha said.

Asgovernment-issued mask mandatesbecome more common, expertstold USA TODAY those rules along with fines, free masks and education could help shape the behavior of a nation, similar to how traffic enforcement discourages bad driving.

Here's a look at how mask rules are being enforcedand what experts said will work best in changing the behavior of people skeptical of masks.

Like many government actions relating to the coronavirus, states have unveiled a patchwork of rules governing masks. About half of states mandate masks in public.

Enforcement of those rules is uneven. Somelocal governments, including inWest Hollywood, California andPensacola, Florida,plan to use fines to enforce the regulations. Other law enforcement agenciespublicly declinedto enforce the laws.

Some of the most consistent, nationwide enforcement comes from businesses,which have the right to deny service to customers who are not wearing a mask.

R-0 may be the most important scientific term youve never heard of when it comes to stopping the coronavirus pandemic. USA TODAY

Cincinnati's enforcement strategy serves as an examplefor the rest of the country,Angela Duckworth an author, professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania andco-director of the Penn-WhartonBehavior Change for Good Initiative told USA TODAY.

In that system,health inspectors respond to complaints by approaching the unmasked individualandasking, Would you like a mask?

Antonio Young, the Cincinnati Health Department'sdirector of environmental health, said that most of the time, people will comply with the rule at that point. If not, the inspector can issue a $25 fine.

That's the kind of systemDuckworth and Jha hope to see rolled out more widely. They said hallmarks of an effective campaign include:

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Many Americans cherish their individualliberties, and shaping cultural norms even under the best of circumstances can take years.

As the virus has taken hold in more conservative regionsin the South and West,face coveringshave become an unlikely focus of political partisanship, leading to mass refusals to wear them.

Complicating things further, theCenters for Disease Control and Prevention acknowledges somehealth concerns in its mask guidance: Wearing a mask"may exacerbate a physical or mental health condition, lead to a medical emergency, or introduce significant safety concerns" in some people.

Some of the most common claims around this exception, such as mask wearingcausing low oxygen levels, have been debunked.Businesses can make reasonable modifications for people with disabilities includingcurbside pickup, offering appointments and face shields instead of face masks,the Southeast ADA Center in Atlanta said.

Other factors contributing to challenges around mask wearing, according toDuckworth and Jha:

President Trump is getting a fresh push to don a face mask during the pandemic from some Republicans and members of Fox News. Buzz60

Social pressure around masks continues to grow.

What started out months ago as a "#maskon" hashtag and online tools that allow users to add a digital mask to theirprofile picture morphed into public shaming ofpeople who have made a scene while defying mask rules,often with political overtones.

The intensity surrounding the issuehas left Jha with mixed feelings.

On one hand, he supports using social pressure to normalize mask wearing. On the other, he worries it could turn into vigilantism.

Most peoplewant to do the right thing," he said. Those who pushback against mask rules have probably been"fed a lot of misinformation.

Contributing:Gus Garcia-Roberts,Adrienne Dunn andKelly Tyko, USA TODAY;Hannah K. Sparling,Cincinnati Enquirer

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Some Americans refuse to mask up. Rules, fines and free masks will change that, experts say. - USA TODAY

As Black Lives Matter protests spread across the globe, Russia has proven a notable exception. There have been solidarity demonstrations and localized movements against racism and police violence in Helsinki; Almaty, Kazakhstan; and Vilnius, Lithuania; but no such scenes in Moscow. Instead, Russia has used the civil unrest in the United States to continue its history of reflecting the United States most unbecoming aspects on itself. The Russian government and its liberal opposition alike have used their platforms to discredit the relatively peaceful spirit of the demonstrations and project ideas of U.S. weakness. And in doing so, the opposition stands to harm its larger fight against Russian state oppression.

The development of the Russian Lives Matter social media movement is perhaps the strongest example of how the liberal opposition in Russia has unwittingly aided its government in subverting a global anti-racist effort. Russian Lives Matter started after police raided a home in Yekaterinburg and killed a resident on May 31. Since the police shooting, members of Russias libertarian movement, including Libertarian Party leader Mikhail Svetov, have used the hashtag to shed light on Russian police violence against citizens. The hashtag is not a show of solidarity with the internationally known Black Lives Matter movement. Instead, #RussianLivesMatter has been used to undermine the American fight against systemic racism by downplaying the impact of racism against African Americans, by suggesting police killings of Black Americans were deserved, and by framing empathy towards victims of police violence in Russia as a zero-sum game.

The hashtag itself hints at the exclusionary undertones of the movements participants. In a recent podcast interview with the independent Russian media site Meduza, Svetov made clear that his concern was not racism, but police violence against ethnic Russians (a point he drove home by using the word russkie, meaning ethnic Russian, rather than the more all-encompassing rossiyane). Asked whether policing in Russia is influenced by race, Svetov demurred saying it depended on the region, noting that in Chechnya, for example, police violence is focused on Russians. In truth, much Russian police violence is targeted at ethnic minorities and migrants from Central Asia, Africa, and elsewhere, as can be seen in recent cases such as the September 2019 police torture of two Uzbek migrants and the June interrogation of Afro-Russian blogger Mariya Tunkara.

The omission of minorities from the Russian Lives Matter movement coincides with outright dismissals of Black Lives Matter, as Meduza noted, with supporters on Twitter saying things such as I dont give a damn about blacks in America when theyre lynching Russians in Yekaterinburg. Prominent Russian journalist Oleg Kashin added to the racist imagery online by posting a meme of Martin Luther King Jr. surrounded by shoeboxes and cellphone boxes with the text Martin Looter King.

Such racist sentiments have placed members of the Russian opposition in strange proximity to the government. Russian liberals who have vociferously opposed President Vladimir Putins regime are now silent at best and parrot Moscows messaging at worst. Russian liberals such as Ksenia Sobchak, who ran against Putin in 2018, and the high-profile journalist Yulia Latynina have gone a step further, writing articles and creating social media posts that focus on looting, property damage, and a perceived lack of law and order in the United Statesa near mirroring of government media, which portrays U.S. society in a state of chaos. Sobchak recently lost her job as a spokeswoman for Audi after posting a racist tirade on Instagram describing Black Americans as stupid and lazy. Latyninas recent op-ed in Novaya Gazeta compared the Black Lives Matter movement with Ukraines Euromaidan protests to undermine African American complaints of racism. That is why it is ridiculous and shameful to regard these pogroms as rebellion against the system, and to equate the rioters and even peaceful protests with those who really risk their lives when they go to the Maidan or Tiananmen Square. The protests, she wrote, were pogroms and the protesters hooligans.

The language echoes that of Russian state-controlled media. News sites such as RT and Sputnik have published articles decrying the woke mafia and focusing on an alleged rise in crime following demands to defund the police. Even the famous film Brother 2 received a new endingRussian viewers of state-controlled Channel One were surprised to see images of looting and police violence at the U.S. protests juxtaposed with the song Goodbye America.

Moscow, meanwhile, has used the opportunity to undermine U.S. legitimacy at home. In a recent interview, Putin pointed to the U.S. protests and Washingtons mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic to contrast Russias rigorous law-and-order response.

This instance is hardly the first time Russia has sought to exploit U.S. racial issues, particularly police and civilian violence towards African Americans, for domestic and geopolitical purposes. During the 2016 presidential election, Russian operatives targeted African American communities with disinformation, including posts on police mistreatment of African Americans and posts on Instagram promoting Black women and beauty. The Internet Research Agency also created content on YouTube that focused on the Black Lives Matter movement.

These well-documented efforts demonstrate how systemic racism and police brutality against American civilians and specifically African Americans present a national security problem for the United States. Of course, the genesis of the threat is not Russias meddling, but the United States failure to address centuries-old systemic racism, which hands authoritarian regimes such as Russias an opportunity to undermine U.S. foreign policy in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. When Russia uses state-sanctioned violence against ethnic minorities and political opponents, can the United States project itself as a counter to this regime? As U.S. policymakers learned in the competition against the Soviet Union for influence in the newly independent African states during the 1960s, they cannot successfully promote democratic values abroad when U.S. citizens are denied their rights at home.

With the 2020 election on the horizon, Ukraines pivot toward the European Union, and an impending revision of the Russian Constitution that would extend Putins term limit, it is a critical moment for U.S.-Russia relations. And the failure of Washington to uphold fundamental rights within the United States will endanger the opposition in Russia and elsewhere.

Russias opposition, for its part, has missed a critical chance to build transnational solidarity against police brutality. In using the notoriety of the United States Black Lives Matter slogan and American white supremacy logic to shed light on Russian police brutality and promote ethnic Russian nationalism, opposition members have undermined their own cause. In its eagerness to ignore the role of racism in Russia, the Russian Lives Matter movement has inadvertently stumbled on the same messaging as Putins regime. In the long run, this can only hurt its cause. Putin has no problem using the police and accusations of hooliganism to stop public demonstrations against his regime. Now, Moscow can point to the very logic of the opposition regarding the protests in the United States amid any accusations of state oppression.

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How Black Lives Matter Has Been Coopted by Russia's Government and Its Opposition - Foreign Policy

Jessica Yorko, guest writer Published 12:18 p.m. ET July 16, 2020 | Updated 12:18 p.m. ET July 16, 2020

Jessica Yorko(Photo: Courtesy photo)

A palpable power shift is underway in our nation and community. We stand at the precipice of bending the arc of the universe towards justice for centuries to come.

Listen and you will hear grief, frustration, exhaustion, pain and uncertainty. Look and you will see courage in the face of great risk, soul searching, glimmers of reckonings and comeuppances, healing spaces for people harmed by anti-Blackness and refrains of Time's Up on Racism.

You will also see head-ducking, blame-shifting and doubling down on racism.

When we look back on this moment in history, what will we say about the role we played? Did we bear witness to pain and injustices that have gone unseen and unheard for far too long? Did we amplify the truths being elevated in this moment? Did we create accountability to Black, Indigenous and other people of color in all levels of government and society?

How are we, as white individuals, taking responsibility for harms we have caused to Black people and other people of color, regardless of intent? Do we have the humility and resilience to hear things that need to be said while working towards reconciliation and reparation? How do we listen and truly value the myriad Black and brown voices and lives in our community loud and quiet; rich and poor; queer and straight; transgender, non-binary and cis-gender; office-holders and private citizens; young and old?

Are we willing to talk about eliminating government-sanctioned use of captivity and lethal force against fellow humans?

Are we willing to re-envision government so it no longer includes institutions created to keep people in captivity? Captivity that, per the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, allows for the ongoing, legalized use of free labor (also known as slavery) among incarcerated peoplewho are disproportionately Black and brown?

What are our reservations, fears and concerns about eliminating vestiges and tools of human enslavement in our nation?

Lansing can seize this moment to abolish and restructure the systems that repress, subjugate, terrorize and murder Black and brown people. Lansing residents are leading a movement that re-envisions government structures, policies and budgets to eliminate racial oppression.

When you look back on this moment, what will you say about your role? Were you an accomplice in eliminating human enslavement? Or are you a sympathizer with those fighting to maintain the status quo of legal enslavement and use of deadly force against fellow humans?

I implore the people of this city, elected and otherwise, to look deep within themselves, seize this moment and work together until thatbright day of justice emerges.

The status quo has never been good enough. We owe it to ourselves and to each other to do better.We have a clear road map and mandate to do better. Followingthat road map is not only the work ofBlack and brown people. It is incumbent upon each of us to seize this moment and bend the arc toward justice.

Jessica Yorko isLansing residentwho served as a member of the Lansing City Council from 2010-2017.

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Yorko: All of Lansing must work to protect Black, Indigenous and other people of color - Lansing State Journal

By Joel Haber, The Nosher

This may be surprising, but Jews have a long and very influential history in the alcohol industry spanning Europe, Israel and North America.

For most of the 1800s, Eastern European Jews held a virtual monopoly on the business in their regions. They produced much of the beer and hard alcohol, and ran nearly all the taverns where it was sold. Jews had been in the trade for centuries, but when Polish landowners saw they could make 50 percent greater profits by turning grain into alcohol than by selling it for food, Jews seized the chance to play an integral role.

At the time, Polish Jews could neither become nobility nor work the land as peasants. While many Jews turned to trading and peddling, the lords saw a different opportunity. Jews were considered good with business, they reasoned well, and would be unlikely to drink up the product. So, under a leasing system known in Polish as propinacja, Jews were granted exclusive rights to run the alcohol industries.

By the middle of the 19th century, approximately 85 percent of all Polish taverns had Jewish management. Jews similarly dominated the industry in the Pale of Settlement (in todays Ukraine and Belarus), though on a slightly lesser scale.

Jewish participation in the alcohol business was so prevalent that according to Glenn Dynner, author of Yankels Tavern: Jews, Liquor, & Life in the Kingdom of Poland, 30 to 40 percent of Polands Jews (including women and children) worked in the industry. Thats an impressive statistic by itself, but considering that approximately three-quarters of world Jewry lived in Eastern Europe at the time, that amounts to about 25 percent of all Jews in the world!

But the 19th century seems to have been a peak time for Jewish involvement in alcohol worldwide.

In Hungary, we encounter many Jewish families prominently involved in wine production. The Zimmermans, for example, were among the famous and award-winning producers of Tokaj wine. (Their pre-Holocaust winery is now owned by one of the regions top producers.) Similarly, the Herzog family produced such high-quality wine (alongside their beer and spirits) that Emperor Franz Josef appointed them his exclusive wine suppliers.

In Germany and France, meanwhile, Jews were dragging the local alcohol industries into the modern age. In France, Jewish wine producers were vertically integrating into sales as well, while in Germany, Jews created the first industrial-scale breweries.

Across the Atlantic, German Jewish immigrants to the United States were disproportionately represented in alcohol production. In Jews and Booze: Becoming American in the Age of Prohibition, Marni Davis points out that they primarily focused on distilling whiskey due to its nationalistic significance. Those who bought and drank whiskey championed it as a deeply American product.

Simultaneously, back in Ottoman Palestine, wine production was returning for the first time in hundreds of years. Though ancient Israel was well known as a wine-producing region, hundreds of years of rule by Muslims (for whom alcohol is forbidden) turned the industry into little more than a memory. But when more Jews began immigrating and joining the small community that was already living there, the cultivation of grapes gradually returned.

In 1848, the Shor family opened a winery in the Old City of Jerusalem, adjacent to the Temple Mount itself. They were joined in the business in 1870 by the Tepperbergs and in 1889 by the winery later to be known as Carmel. These laid the groundwork for the booming wine industry that exists in Israel today.

Why were so many Jews prominently involved in the alcohol business during the 19th century? It was a period of transition in the world, with industrialization leading (among other things) to a big increase in alcohol production and consumption. At the same time, the old persecution of Jews had removed many other income sources, leaving Jews with few other ways to make a living. So part of the answer may be that, as had been the case so many other times throughout history, Jews simply took advantage of whatever opportunities they had, and succeeded.

Jews rapidly left the business toward the centurys end, thanks to both increased competition and government oppression, leaving this chapter in our history largely forgotten. Furthermore, even while Jews were prominent in the industry, there was an internal stigma against Jewish involvement in a profession that was seen as less than honorable and at times required the use of some loopholes to remain in compliance with Jewish law. In other words, the Jewish community also forgot because it wanted to forget.

Interestingly, however, many common Jewish surnames today indicate a connection to the alcohol profession: Kaback, Kratchmer, Schenkman, Korczak, Vigoda, Winick and Bronfman, to name a few. Plus, many of the alcohol businesses run by 19th-century Jews still exist, including the Israeli wineries, Loewenbrau Brewery, Herzog Winery and Fleischmanns Spirits.

While the legacy of Jews role in the alcohol business may be partly forgotten, the impact is far from gone.

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Raise your glasses and toast booze-biz Jews - The Jewish Star

[In response to Confederate Monuments Remind Us of Our History, June 24, Xpress:] When this controversy over people wanting to remove Confederate statues in the South first crossed my radar, I really knew nothing about it. Up until that point, I didnt even realize our country had many hundreds of these statues of Confederate generals and the like.

Hearing protesters wanting them removed, claiming they glorify not only racism, but the slavery of Black people, I could very much see where they were coming from. I can understand how these statues could be offensive to people, but why do we have hundreds of Confederate monuments throughout the Southern United States in the first place? As far as I can tell, the Civil War was about the Southern states, the Confederacy, wanting to keep slavery in place, whereas the rest of the country had come to terms with the fact that slaverys f**ked up and, like, we should probably stop doing that. The Confederacy was trying to secede from the United States of America and keep slavery alive. Fortunately, the Confederacy lost the Civil War, the states were reabsorbed back into the Union, and slavery was outlawed throughout the land.

So given the history, why the bleep are there people upset that these statues are coming down, and why were they even erected in the first place?

You got to love the internet I was able to look up a video by Vox on YouTube that breaks this part of the history down really well. Turns out there was this effort about 30 years after the war by a group of wealthy Southern elites under the name of the United Daughters of the Confederacy to propagandize to the youth in schools and erect all of these Confederate statues and monuments to sort of rewrite history, painting the South as fallen victims of big government oppression. Unbelievable stuff really, but these are the facts. I highly recommend checking out the Vox video on this called How Southern Socialites Rewrote Civil War History or look up the Wikipedia page on the United Daughters of the Confederacy or the Lost Cause of the Confederacy.

So, the next time someone says that removing these statues is erasing their history, ask them what history theyre talking about, because the history the statues and monuments are meant to represent pretends that the Civil War wasnt about slavery (kind of like denying the Holocaust) and by leaving the statues up, theyre promoting this falsified propagandized version of history, or as I loathe to refer to it: Fake news!#doyourresearch.

David AylwardAsheville

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Letter: Confederate monuments, the fake news of the time - Mountain Xpress

Fortify Rights on Thursday said Myanmar authorities should immediately drop criminal complaints against Maung Saungkhapoet and co-founder of human rights group Athanfor urging the government to lift internet restrictions in Rakhine and Chin states.The Kyauktada Township Court in Yangon opened the trial on July 7 and held its second hearing on July 14.At the 44th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva this week, the new U.N. Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, Thomas Andrews, expressed concern that freedom of expression in Myanmar appeared to be shrinking ahead of national elections scheduled for November 8.Special Rapporteur Andrews called on Myanmar to amend laws that have been used to violate freedoms of expression and assembly.The Government cut the internet in conflict-affected areas of Rakhine and Chin states and continues to prosecute human rights defenders who have called for lifting internet restrictions, which is a double violation of human rights, Maung Saungkha told Fortify Rights by phone.On July 14, Kyauktada Township Police Captain Myo Thet testified to the court that 27-year-old Maung Saungkha organized a protest and displayed a banner with others in Yangon in violation of Section 19 of the Peaceful Assembly and Peaceful Procession Law (PAPPL), which requires advanced notice to hold a protest.The charge carries a sentence of up to three months imprisonment and/or 30,000 Myanmar Kyat (US$20) in fines.During the first court hearing on July 7, the prosecutor submitted a list of six witnesses to the court. The court hearings are set to continue on July 21.On June 21, on the one-year anniversary of the internet shutdown in Rakhine and Chin states, activists unfurled a Burmese-language banner over the Sule overpass bridge in downtown Yangon, reading, Is the internet being shut down to hide war crimes and killing people?Citing the banner, on June 22, Police Captain Myo Thet filed a complaint alleging violations of Section 19 of PAPPL against Maung Saungkha.The complaint, which Fortify Rights has seen, alleges four other people were involved in unfurling the banner but only identifies Maung Saungkha.The Kyaukdata Township police apprehended Maung Saungkha on July 3 and brought him to the Kyauktada Township Court, which granted him bail. Criticizing government policies is protected under human rights law, said Matthew Smith, Chief Executive Officer of Fortify Rights.The internet blackout is wholly disproportionate. The government should immediately drop this and similar cases, amend the peaceful assembly law, and lift the internet ban, especially ahead of national elections in November.In recent weeks, Myanmar authorities have brought similar criminal complaints against other human rights defenders involved in protesting the internet blackout in Rakhine and Chin states.On June 21, Ramree Township Police Major Zaw Win filed a case against Myo Min Tun, a youth leader with the Ramree Township Youth Network, for allegedly holding a protest without informing the authorities beforehand in which he called on the Myanmar government to lift the internet shutdown.Police officers apprehended Myo Min Tun at his home on June 25 and brought him to the police station. On the same day, the Ramree Township Court charged him with violating Section 19 of PAPPL.On June 25, the Court sentenced him to 15 days imprisonment and/or a fine of Myanmar Kyat 20,000 (about US$14). Myo Min Tun chose to pay the fine.On June 21, in Kyaukphyu Township, a police officer brought a criminal complaint against Min Za Aung, 32, and Nay Soe Khaing, 31ethnic Rakhine/Arakanese human rights defenders involved in the Arakan National Partys Youth Affairs Committee and the Coral Child New Generation Youth Groupfor posting photos of themselves on social media wearing T-shirts that read End Internet Oppression.

Link:

Myanmar urged to drop criminal complaint against HR defend... - United News of Bangladesh

What Will You Do?

Dear Editor,

I already know Im going to be called a wild eyed, tin foil hat wearing, Area 51 has aliens, whack job conspiracy theorist. So go ahead and get it out of your system Ill wait. (Jeopardy music plays.)

Ok, now on to my point. If and/or when the civilized society we used to have in this country, when they get their way and law enforcement becomes history and some organization made up of social justice warriors responds to whatever replaces the 911 system, what will you do? What will you do when socialist/communist/leftist/progressive community block captains patrol your neighborhood with the authority to dictate what you can and cannot do and how you must think? What will you do when your own children are recruited into junior socialist/communist/leftist/progressive social clubs and organizations created and run by government officials? And their first lesson will be how to watch, listen and report anyone speaking or acting contrary to what the government says is the proper words or deeds?

What action will you take? Will you roll over, cave in and become a drone? Will you hunker down and do whatever Big Brother says is the right thing? Or will you join with likeminded people and stand against the transformation of America, fighting to keep it from becoming a third world dump?

Ilhan Omar, a member of the witchs coven known as The Squad, has declared she wants to dismantle our social and economic system because of oppression. Think about this for a minute. This is a women who is being investigated for possibly entering this country illegally by marrying her own brother. She fled Somalia, a quintessential third world slum and cesspool where armed militias working for dictatorial warlords who prop up a farcical puppet government run things. She manages to BS her way into the Congress and almost immediately begins advocating for turning our nation into a clone of the garbage heap laughingly called a country she ran from. The only difference would be she would now be one of the warlords.

Im fearing the day that the transformation happens and what used to be called the United States of America could be renamed the Nation of Black Lives Matters (NBLM). The Stars and Stripes replaced by a clinched fist superimposed over a yellow star on a red field NBLM emblazoned on it.

I have a favorite saying: Planning doesnt cost you anything.

Alan Marshall

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Letters To The Editor: July 16, 2020 - The Rhino TImes

Why Global Citizens Should Care

When Cavanaugh Bell went on a road trip to Mount Rushmore with his mom two years ago, they passed the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, home to the Oglala Sioux Tribe, on the way.

Bell asked his mom some questions about the Indigenous people who lived there, and when his mom described the widespread poverty and lack of basic resources on the reservation, he knew he wanted to help out.

Bell, now 7, delivered a 53-foot trailer full of essential supplies to Pine Ridge Reservation on Tuesday to help the community get through the COVID-19 pandemic. He also started a crowdfunding campaign for the tribe that has raised $1,075 toward its goal of $6,500.

With my community pantry and the great people that donate to it, I knew it was the best time to help Pine Ridge right now, especially as they try to stop the spread of COVID on the reservation, Bell told Global Citizen.

The trailer, which Bells parents drove from Maryland to South Dakota, was filled with cleaning supplies, non-perishable food items, and gently worn clothes and shoes that people donated.

The supplies could prove essential to a community that has little access to essential goods stores.

Cavanaugh Bell carrying supplies to the trailer; Cool & Dope

When the COVID-19 pandemic emerged, it soon became clear that Indigenous people in the United States and the world were being disproportionately impacted by the virus.

The Oglala Sioux tribe has ordered multiple lockdowns over the past several weeks to contain the spread of the virus. So far, around 100 people out of a population of 25,000 have contracted COVID-19.

Medical facilities throughout the reservation are understaffed and under-resourced, and the main hospital is contaminated with black mold, according to the publication Argus Leader. In fact, black mold pervades the entire community roughly 60% of homes on the reservation are contaminated with the toxic mold creating a chronic health crisis.

Related Stories May 22, 2020 The Navajo Nation's Lack of Clean Water Has Fueled a COVID-19 Crisis

The evidence of structural neglect by the federal government runs deeper.

A lot of their houses, 33% exactly, don't have running water or electricity, Bell told Global Citizen over email. They also only have one store they can go to, which is really far for a lot of the people who don't have cars.

While Bell is only 7, he figured he could play a part in supporting the tribe through his nonprofit,Cool & Dope.

The young activist started his advocacy career after being bullied in school. In 2019, Bell and his parents started Cool & Dope to help raise awareness of the prevalence of bullying and call for laws against the issue.

Cavanaugh Bell standing in front of the trailer; Cool & Dope

He has the ambitious goal of ending bullying worldwide by 2030.

So far, hes met with lawmakers throughout Maryland and won a few local victories. In Montgomery County, October is designated as Bullying Prevention month because of Bells advocacy.

Related Stories May 21, 2020 COVID-19 Is Devastating Worlds Indigenous Communities Beyond the Immediate Health Threat

Cool & Dope is helping other kids find their inner activist, too, by creating volunteering opportunities and allowing them to start their own anti-bullying initiatives.

I always say that people can have an impact, no matter their age, he said. And, I really know that when kids put their mind to it, we can accomplish anything. I would tell other kids to find things that they can do to make the world a better place and go for it.

Bells decision to help the Pine Ridge Reservation grew out of this passion for helping those who are mistreated. In the case of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, that mistreatment takes place on the structural level and takes the form of systemic oppression.

But he hopes that by bringing attention to the injustices facing the Pine Ridge Reservation, it can help generate momentum for long-lasting change.

Related Stories July 9, 2020 These Gorgeous Photos of Indigenous Life Are Helping Communities Fight COVID-19

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This 7-Year Old Just Delivered a Trailer Full of COVID-19 Supplies to the Oglala Sioux Tribe - Global Citizen

GILLETTE As some vocal Wyoming residents continue to lose patience with and push back against any and all coronavirus-related public health measures, its clear Gov. Mark Gordon also is frustrated.

Gordons frustration comes from that resistance and what he calls a cavalier and irresponsible attitude toward COVID-19 and preventing its spread.

As an example, during a Wednesday afternoon press briefing, he cited a number of emails he received recently after an older Sweetwater County resident was named as the states 22nd confirmed virus-related death.

I got some email I really dont appreciate, the governor said. When somebody sends me a note that says, Well, these people were going to die anyway, theyre just dying earlier, Im sick and tired of that.

Gordon said he has gotten a number of very strange emails from people that I think if I met them on the street probably wouldnt feel that way.

He said one email went so far as to insinuate those whove died from COVID-19 were lucky because theyre now meeting the Lord.

The governor bristled that some would use that as an excuse to not wear a face mask when prudent or discount the danger of the virus for vulnerable populations like older people.

Assisting you meeting the Lord isnt part of the deal, he said.

That the spread of the coronavirus has picked up again in Wyoming also is concerning, Gordon said. But in many cases he believes people letting down their guard or just getting tired of following public health recommendations is contributing to the increase.

As of Thursday, the Wyoming Department of Health is reporting 1,605 lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 along with 380 probable cases. Of those lab-confirmed cases, 1,211 have recovered and there are 394 active cases.

In Campbell County, the WDH is reporting 74 lab-confirmed cases and 19 probables. Of those combined 93 cases, 70 have recovered and 23 are active.

Our numbers are ticking up, he said. What was concerning to me is we started July right around 150-260 (active) cases and that bounced up close to 400.

Its concerning. Its not dire at this point, but its very concerning.

Along those lines of being vigilant and responsible, Gordon reiterated his plea for residents to wear face coverings when out in public and social distancing cant be maintained. He also urges people to respect the decisions of private businesses that require customers to wear face masks.

Gordon said he doesnt understand the uproar over large big-box retailers like Menards and Walmart instituting policies that shoppers must wear masks in their stores.

While many of those opposed cite oppression of their rights and the U.S. Constitution, those who do are just plain wrong and off-base, the governor said.

Rights imply responsibility and people need to take responsibility, he said. There is no constitutional right to go infect somebody else. There is no constitutional right to go and put somebody else in harms way.

Along with public safety, he said the anger and vitriol aimed at those businesses is contrary to one of the most basic of Republican tenants: private property rights.

We are seeing (these policies) from private employers, and its their constitutional right, Gordon said. If I have a private business and I make a decision, thats my constitutional right. If you have a problem with that, go somewhere else.

While he urges people to respect the decisions of private businesses (even if they disagree), the governor also said he is not particularly inclined to order people wear masks in public as other states have done.

There have been some obnoxious individuals about wearing masks, he said. You have to understand what the damn constitution says. Those Republican principles we count on are ones we ought to be respecting.

The governor also said he and the Legislature have a lot of work to do to make deep cuts in the next biennium state budget, which is expected to be at least $750 million and as much as $1.5 billion short.

Hes already tasked departments to identify 10% they can cut from their budgets, but that wont be nearly enough to cover an expected 30% drop in revenues, Gordon said.

Put simple, we dont have enough income, he said. We lost roughly a third of what we count on to pay our bills for every program in the state. One third is gone.

Coal continues to be under enormous pressure and the oil and gas industries also are nearly at a halt with only one rig operating in the state now. Last year at this time there were 33 active rigs working.

He said using the states rainy day fund is only a Band-Aid approach and would only buy the state one year before making severe cuts.

Besides, Gordon said, its his job to balance the budget even if its difficult and means cutting programs and jobs.

I have to reduce what our expenditures are, he said. I have to cut the budget to make sure that we have a balanced budget.

There is no part of government that isnt feeling the pain.

He said that in 1998, the state had a little over 10,000 full-time-equivalent employees. Now thats down to 7,000, a testament to the kind of lean government Wyoming has done.

Thats not enough anymore.

Gordon said programs will have to be cut, which means jobs. He also said a program of furloughs will be happen. One hes already announced is state workers making more than $55,000 a year will have to take on unpaid day off a month.

I dont particularly like it but thats our state of affairs, he said.

He also addressed recent criticism he and state officials have taken for Wyoming bidding to buy land and other assets from Occidental Petroleum. While the amount of the bid hasnt been made public, Gordon said the money to buy those assets are part of the states investment portfolio and is only for use to advance investments for Wyoming.

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Gordon frustrated by 'cavalier' coronavirus attitudes - The Torrington Telegram

(OpEd By Dr. James Finck, a professor of history at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma and Chair of the Oklahoma Civil War Symposium. For daily history posts Follow Historically Speaking at http://www.Historicallyspeaking.blog or on Facebook.)

I study history because I think we can benefit from learning from mistakes of those before us. Why make mistakes that others have already made? It may seem odd to look at the Middle East, a region that has struggled with freedom and peace. Yet, historically speaking, I believe there is something we can learn from them that might benefit us here.

Since the death of the Prophet Mohammed, the Middle East has split into two warring camps, the Sunni and the Shia. The original conflict was over who should have taken over leadership of the Ummah, or community of the faithful. The next few decades were strife with wars over this issue of succession.

Jump ahead to WWI and the breakup of the Ottoman Empire, which led to the formation of several new nations. One such nation was Iraq. At first Iraq was placed under the leadership of King Faisal of the Hashemite Family who led the Arab Revolt against the Ottomans. Faisal governed fairly between the Shia and Sunnis in his realm. However, the Hashemite rule was ousted in 1968 by the Baath Party that included Saddam Hussein. Hussein, a Sunni, turned on the Shia population, treating them as second-class citizens and subjugated them to all manner of hardships, including torture and death. Experts estimate that Hussein may have killed up to half-a-million of his people, mostly Shia and Kurds.

Finally, in 2003, when the United States declared war on Iraq, the Hussein regime was toppled. The U.S. has allowed the once oppressed Shia to take over leadership of the government and the militia. What is now happening is Shia oppression of the Sunni. This oppression, however, is much less than the decades of pain and murder by the Sunni towards the Shia. In some ways, the Sunni possibly deserve to know what it feels like being oppressed. I completely understand the Shias treatment towards their past oppressors. However, though perhaps justifiable, what has it done for the nation and the people? Not only is there no peace in Iraq, but the Sunni began to fight back with the creation of the Islamic State.

I have no idea what it feels like to be oppressed, and some may think I have no right to speak on this subject. However, speaking as a historian, it is difficult to find examples of where any type of reprisal or revenge has helped anyone. It is easier said than done, but the best way I can think of to help any situation of historic oppression is some type of forgiveness. If the oppressor can honestly repent and recognize its wrongs and the oppressed can offer historical forgiveness, maybe not only can we see peace in areas like Iraq, but here also.

When I see the Governor of Virginia taking down the statue of Robert E. Lee from the famed Monument Alley, I cant help but think just because you can does not mean you should. How does angering the other side, make anything better? Yes, the Confederacy was wrong. Yes, removing a monument is in no way comparable to treatments Black Americans have endured. But what will it accomplish? Will it make race relations better? Can you say you want peace while purposely provoking the other half of the population to anger, even if justified? I try to understand how this will be hard, but if somehow we can find a way to practice historical forgiveness, perhaps we can find a way for all sides to work together in the future.

A friend recently gave what I saw as a good suggestion. For a compromise, why not leave the statue of Lee in place while also erecting a monument of a slave having her child torn way and sold. That would be a powerful monument and could help tell a painful history. If we dont want to follow the pasts of other nations, compromise and forgiveness may be our only chance for real peace. We need to work towards racial reconciliation, not racial revenge.

Abraham Lincoln, in his Second Inaugural, noted that the four years of the Civil War resulted in the greatest violence in American history, and called on everyone to forgive each other: With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in to bind up the nations woundsto do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations. If those who actually fought against the Confederates can forgive, why cant we 150 year later?

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Historically Speaking: Historical Forgiveness The News Journal - The News Journal

If you follow politics, you know that politicos are in the news all the time, and they are highlighted for the supposed good and the alleged bad they do. Much of the bad they allegedly do, unless they are Republicans, is kept quiet, however.

Herewith some of the insider info on two of them.

Rep.Ilhan Abdullahi Omar, D-Minn.,says America is a giant system of oppression needing an immediate dismantling far beyond current calls for criminal justice reform. She told constituents recently that most national conversations fail to realize the size and scope of change she envisions, as reported by the Washington Times.

We cant stop at criminal justice reform or policing reform, she said during a press conference. We are not merely fighting to tear down the systems of oppression in the criminal justice system. We are fighting to tear down systems of oppression that exist in housing, in education, in health care, in employment, [and] in the air we breathe.

She wants the U.S. to guarantee homes for all, due to what she thinks are racial disparities in home ownership. And she supports the Green New Deal because we know that environmental racism is real.

As long as our economy and political systems prioritize profit without considering who is profiting, who is being shut out, we will perpetuate this inequality. So, we cannot stop at [the] criminal justice system. We must begin the work of dismantling the whole system of oppression wherever we find it.

These arent the words of your every-day regressive liberal/socialist, these are the words of someone whose family fled their home country, lived as refugees for four years, and eventually came to America and earned asylum. Why did her family choose America?

Omar was born in Mogadishu, Somalia. Her family fled the countrys civil war when she was eight-years-old, lived in a refugee camp in Kenya for four years before coming to the United States in 1992. Her father drove a taxi for some time before getting a job with the U.S. Postal Service. They secured asylum in 1995 and eventually settled in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Omar became a citizen in 2000.

Having been in such horrible circumstances that they had to flee their native country to another poor African country, and then coming to the United States, where so many in similar circumstances yearn to be, it is an interesting question as to why she wants to change everything in the country her family worked so hard to come to for relief. It would not be unfair to expect her to be a thankful immigrant.

But she is not.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, also a Democrat, has generated a great deal of news since the pandemic began. But who, exactly, is this guy?

De Blasio wasnt known as Bill de Blasio untilJanuary 2002.He was born Warren Wilhelm Jr., but changed his name in 1983 to Warren de Blasio-Wilhelm. The reason he gave was to honor his mothers Italian heritage. He received court approval to officially change his name again in 2002 to a name he had been using, and became the Bill de Blasio we have all come to know and love.

He has indulged in some things along the way that would cause many folks to raise an eyebrow. For example, he supported the socialist Sandinista government in Nicaragua during the 1980s.

De Blasio opposed the Supreme Courts decision to allow corporations, political nonprofits and trade associations more freedom to donate to political campaigns. But he is less fervent against labor unions, like the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), donating to campaigns. In fact, the 1199 SEIU New York State Political Action Fund and the SEIU Local 1957 Committee of Interns and Residents supported de Blasio to the tune of $14,850in 2017.

And while he decries big money in politics, he quietly collects money from anti-American George Soros and his family. A large group of the Soros clan helped him win his first mayoral campaign to the tune of $29,875. Soros and two of his sons gave $12,400 to a subsequent mayoral campaign.

The way he operated his campaign earned him a healthy fine from the New York City Campaign Finance Board, of nearly $48,000 in 2016. The violations included failing to report transactions, accepting over-the-limit contributions and taking contributions from unregistered political committees.

De Blasio ran for the Democrat presidential nomination beginning in May of 2019, was critical of fellow candidate and former vice president Joe Biden, but dropped out in September when his candidacy failed to get traction.

It is also interesting to note the number of media people associated with the Democrats.

Jay Carney went from Time to the White House press secretarys office. Shailagh Murray went from the Washington Post to the Vice Presidents office while married to Neil King at the Wall Street Journal. Neil King left the Wall Street Journal for Fusion GPS. Linda Douglass went from ABC News to the White House, then to the Atlantic. Jill Zuckman went from the Chicago Tribune to the to the State Department. Stephen Barr went from the Post to the Labor Department.

James H. Smokey Shott, a resident of Bluefield, Va., is a columnist for the Daily Telegraph. Contact him at james.shott@yahoo.com

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FROM THE OPINION PAGE Sometimes it is good to know a bit more about the people serving us - Bluefield Daily Telegraph