It’s been a rough week for me, and my ability to think creatively has been diminished. On the plus side, there’s plenty to talk about amongst ourselves.
So, let’s get to it!
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One of my frustrations since the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7th is how language is being used in ways that are troubling to me. The most egregious I’ve seen is calling Gaza an “extermination camp”. Not only do I disagree with that characterization, but I can’t help be reminded of how language and issues were inflamed by Cambridge Analytica’s work on Facebook. That phrase being used to describe Gaza is also a very clear attempt to both sides what happened to Jews in *actual* extermination camps in WWII. It’s use is similar to what republicans do when they accuse Democrats of doing the things they’re actually doing — it’s a way of minimizing and creating false equivalences.
No sooner than I drafted the above paragraph then I saw this tweet from someone I follow on Twitter.
Your Mom highlights the other idea that’s making the rounds of people that probably mean well but are being encouraged by posts on social media sites. It really does feel a lot like 2016 right now, and that’s not a good thing.
I’ve seen smart people on Twitter responding by reminding people that a Muslim ban would be one of the first things a republican would likely institute and by not voting for Pres. Biden they would be supporting that outcome.
It’s clear to me that malevolent forces are working to divide not just Americans but also our western allies.
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Next up, the clown show that is the republican’s seemingly doomed effort to elect a House Speaker. I enjoy it as much as the next person, but it’s also really not funny at all. Maybe I’m paranoid, but it seems like there’s a perfect storm of chaos from that party. Not only are we without a Speaker, but at least a dozen Ambassadors, and several hundred military positions. Democrats, including the President and Vice President have raised alarms publicly, but I’m sure they’re more concerned than they state publicly.
I’m writing this diary on Monday evening, so there’s a slight chance we could have a new Speaker, but regardless, this thread provides some good info about some of the candidates . I expect we’ll hear more from these clowns in the coming months.
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I am sooo excited about seeing this movie when it comes out in December. Not only does it take place in my fave city of Seattle, and about my beloved Washington Huskies, but it’s also a movie about good triumphing over evil. The Huskies consistently have one of THE BEST crews in the world, let alone in Pac-12 competition. I can also recommend the book by the same name.
I dare you to try and watch this only once!I have spent A LOT of time watching it this past week. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
What’s on your mind?