Today is Jeff Goldblum’s 71st birthday. And while I wish the actor a happy birthday, I remember the line between him and Sir Richard Attenborough in The Lost World: Jurassic Park where Attenborough’s John Hammond says, “Don’t worry, we’re not making the same mistakes again” to which Goldblum’s Dr. Ian Malcolm says, “You’re making all new ones.”
You need only to look at the last week events to see that interaction taking place in America and around the world. First off, the war between Israel and Hamas, which has left thousands dead. As of 10 a.m. Central Daylight Time on Oct. 22, the Associated Press was reported about 1,400 have been killed in Israel and 4,300 in Palestine since the fighting broke out on Oct. 7. There’s probably more from people who are in hospitals with injuries they won’t recover from or haven’t yet been officially reported. So, it’s probably closer to 6,000 which is about an average of 400 a day in the past 15 days.
At the same time, people are debating on who is really responsible. Most of the media is pointing the finger at Hamas and I would agree they shoulder some of the blame, a good 60 percent at least. But the government of Israel (not the people, dammit!) are to blame for the other part. For some reason, supporting Israel means Fuck Palestine. We’re willing to watch Palestinians die in massive numbers just so we don’t anger conservative Christians who believe Israel is the Holy Land yet are so anti-Semitic here.
Recently, a doctor at the Assaf Harofeh Hospital in Tsrifin screamed and forced Idit Salman, a member of the Lukid party who serves on the cabinet as environment minister, out. She had come to the hospital but found a cold and angry reception from people who had been injured or killed. People in Israel are upset with the government who did little to prevent this from happening. Silman had been serving as parliamantry whip of the coaliton until she resigned on April 6, 2022 shifting the balance of power that led to Benjamin Netanyahu again becoming Prime Minister replacing Naftali Bennett.
Yeah, I can understand why people don’t want Silman to go around on a photo-op PR stunt when she is partially responsible for allowing Netanyahu who faces corruption charges from regaining a hold over Israel which is has mostly held since the mid-1990s. But it’s not all Silman’s fault. She was just a child when Netanyahu rose to power. He is more of the problem. Yet again criticism of Israel is seen as a support for Hamas. The BBC got themselves into a similar problem when they incorrectly refer to pro-Palestine supporters as supporters of Hamas, which is a terrorist organization.
If this sounds similar, we did the same thing 20 years ago when President George W. Bush and his administration justified a war in Iraq while waging war in Afghanistan. By now, we know Iraq and Saddam Hussein had absolutely nothing to do with the events of 9/11. Yet people were so passionate in those first few years after 9/11, that any criticism of our actions was seen as support for the other side. It’s the same way they made people who were critics of police beatings and shootings out to be critical of all law enforcement.
However, now, we’re playing a whole new ball game because this isn’t our fight. That’s where President Joe Biden may be playing a dangerous game. He has to show compassion for the people of Israel, but in doing so has to meet with the government of Israel. It’s like a doctor trying to interview a child or spouse who they suspect is a victim of domestic abuse but the parent/spouse won’t leave the exam room willingly so they can ask the burning questions. At the same time, Biden needs to be careful he doesn’t anger Muslims in America who have been dealing with this stereotype ever since the World Trade Center was bombed in 1993. A quarter of the world’s population is reportedly Muslim. If they were all terrorists, we’d be screwed.
Thirty years ago, America got involved in the conflicts in Somalia and many American military were killed or injured in the fighting, most famously detailed in the movie and book Black Hawk Down. This caused the Clinton Administrator to sit out the Rwanda genocide mostly as about 800,000 Rwandans were slaughtered by their own people. Yet, the people in Gaza are being treated just like the Somalians and those of the Tutsi Rwandans.
The benefit this time is that Americans have access to the Internet and social media so we can make our decisions, not what some of the American media is afraid to report. It sucks that Biden is having to walk a tightrope over fears that doing too much or too little can cost him votes in 2024. The last thing this world needs is someone like Donald Trump in the White House at the same time as Netanyahu and Vladimir Putin. Yet, this time, American won’t be seen as the good guys.
That being said, I don’t have the answers and I don’t have whatever intel the Biden Administration has. Whatever decision is made isn’t going to popular. It’s basically someone giving you the option of hitting you with a baseball bat in the face, the stomach, the groin or the knees. It’s going to hurt either way. There’s going to be damage no matter what. What can you choose that’s going to have the least lasting effects? Even if the Israeli people remove Netanyahu, he’s not going away until he’s in prison or dead. And even then, they’re might be someone more dangerous than him waiting to take over as PM. (Just FYI, I don’t wish any harm on Netanyahu. I just wish he’d go away and stay away.)
But that’s our problem here in America. The 2024 election is in less than 13 months and Trump, who faces multiple charges and indictments, in four different cases is still the front-runner for the Republican Party. And in an unprecedented moment, a Speaker of the House has been removed from office as the House of Representatives can’t elect a new one.
The GOP’s nomination is Rep. Jim Jordan, who faces allegations he did little to nothing to prevent Dr. Richard Strauss, a doctor for the wrestling team at Ohio State University, from sexually assaulting wrestlers. Jordan was an assistant coach from 1987 to 1995 while Strauss was serving. Jordan has been accused of knowing about the abuse but doing nothing. He’s never been officially charged in the scandal. Strauss died by suicide in 2005.
Jordan failed to get the 217 necessary votes to be Speaker following three days of voting. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-New York) has gotten the most votes but not enough to get the nomination. Some Republicans have refused to vote for Jordan nor are they voting for Jeffries. Jordan also faces allegations he was involved in the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection coup attempt. Jordan has been a vocal 2020 election denier, which has angered many Americans and some moderates.
Infighting has arisen in Congress among Republicans as those who haven’t voted for Jordan report they and their families have received death threats. It’s obvious that Republicans don’t have any form of government. CBS News reported that in the past 20 days, no bills have been passed by Congress. Imagine going 20 days at your job and producing no results. What do you think would happen? I think it was said best on Late Night with Seth Meyers, Republicans want to act like parents/spectators at a Little League game criticizing the umpire for the calls. Yet, if they had to do it themselves, they don’t want the responsibilities.
They just want to have power and be in the majority. Yet, they really don’t do much of anything. Following what’s happened with Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colorado) and Rep. George Santos (R-New York), the fact they get to still vote shows how much of a hypocrisy the Republican Party is now. It’s because of this Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) has said he has no intention of running in 2024 either for re-election to the Senate or for President. And for once, I believe a politician when they say this.
At 76, Romney who was the nominee in 2012 for President, has said that people as old as he and others even older shouldn’t be in office. And I agree with that. But it presents a problem that Netanyahu, Trump and Putin all have – their refusal to relinguish power even as the people don’t want them in offfice any longer. I also think we need to quit electing people who think the Rapture is a real thing and they see the conflict in Israel as well as in America as a sign of End Times, so why do anything at all.
I keep being optimistic that we’re going to get younger (in their 40s and 50s) people in political offices and then things will get better, but all I see are Gen Xers are becoming the new Boomers with their stomping their feet everytime someone younger doesn’t do anything they like. But that’s a topic for another post.
What do you think? Please comment.
Zane Says 