Keeping Up With The Jen O'Syders

Keeping Up With The Jen O’Syders

by C.A. Matthews

From time to time, we at The Revolution Continues blog like to get out in the community and see how people are coping and dealing with life in this challenging century. This week we stopped by a local park, and I had a chat on a park bench with a mother of two school-aged sons while her kids played on the playground. Our guest calls herself “an All-American Soccer Mom.” Meet Jennifer O’Syder or “Jen” for short.

TRC: Thanks for chatting with us today, Jen.

Jen: You’re welcome. I must admit when you walked over to me that I was intrigued by your t-shirt’s slogan. What does “Not in our name” mean?

TRC: This shirt was given to me at a peace demonstration held by JVP*. It means we don’t want Israel to ethnically cleanse the Palestinian people from their land. We are against the genocide in Gaza and the attacks against Palestinians and others living in the West Bank. We demand that the bombing stop, especially the bombing of hospitals, places of worship, refugee camps, and schools.

Jen: (Wrinkling her nose up and looking rather perplexed.) But...um… I thought those Ay-rabs Philistines were the “bad guys”.

TRC: Do you mean the Palestinians? The are a Semitic people native to the region that is now called Israel. They were forced out of their homes and off their land by Zionist terrorists such as the Stern Gang in 1948.

Jen: Terrorists? The Palestinians have been terrorists for that long?

TRC: No, they have been victimized by Zionist terrorists for more than 80 years now. Some of Zionist terrorist actions against the natives of Palestine started during the time of the Ottoman Empire occupation before World War I. But in 1948 it got much worse. Zionists, mostly from Europe, forced over 700,000 Palestinians off their farms and olive groves and out of their homes and villages. These Israeli terrorists literally stole the natives’ houses and marched the Palestinians, the old and the young, men, women and children, into the desert at gun point.

Jen: But I thought the Israelites have always lived in Israel. Our Bible study teacher told us so.

TRC: The “Israelites” were an ancient Middle Eastern people who claimed that their patriarch Abraham migrated from the east, from the Tigris and Euphrates River Valley region or from what we would call modern-day Iraq. Abraham settled his family in the ancient land of Canaan, and it wasn’t exactly empty—it was full of many native peoples living there. There seems to have been a lot warring with the Israelites claiming God had given them Canaan, and that they had the right to slaughter all its original inhabitants.

Jen: The Israelites were Iraqis? Like that Saddam Hussein guy? (She sticks out her tongue.) Ugh.

TRC: Not quite, but yes, the Israelites were related to the Iraquis and the peoples they intermarried with in what would later become known as Palestine during the Roman Empire times. The Israelites as a group fought and lost a war against their Roman occupiers in the year 70 A.D. and were dispersed. Most migrated to others places within the Roman world and began to intermarry with the people in those lands.

Jen: But if they’re not living in Israel today, then why do we still have Israelites?

TRC: Technically we don’t. The “Israelis” of today are basically Caucasian European peoples who practice the religion of Judaism or those whose family members did, as many younger Israelis claim to be atheists. They started to migrate in numbers to what became the British Mandate of Palestine starting in the 1920s under the banner of Zionism, or the political viewpoint that persons of Jewish ancestry had the right to take back the land of their distant ancestors. 

Jen: So a few Israelites, uh, Israelis, returned home? No problem.

TRC: It became a bigger problem after World War II when ever larger numbers of Jewish persons, who held to the tenets of Zionism, left war-torn Europe and settled in Palestine against the wishes of the British ruling the territory. The British tried their best to keep the peace between these colonizers and the native peoples, but the Zionist newcomers had a lot of weaponry and rich backers overseas. They blew up the King David Hotel in 1946 and killed at least 90 persons, including dozens of British diplomats. Then the Zionists launched a series of terrorist attacks against the Palestinians that built up to the 1948 Nakba, which translates to “catastrophe” or “holocaust,” forcing the Palestinians from their homes at the cost of many lives.

Jen: So, the Jews started their own holocaust against the Ay-rabs? Guess they’d be experts at that sort of thing, huh? (Snorting and chuckling.) But I thought they were all supposed to go and live in Israel anyways.

TRC: Uh, no, people who practice the religion of Judaism can and do live all over the world today. They aren’t confined to one country. Some even live in our town. For example, there’s a synagogue not too far from this park.

Jen: Yeah, I’ve driven past it, but it’s not a proper temple like the real Jews are supposed to worship in. Our preacher told us that the Jews are all supposed to go to Jerusalem to worship at the big temple there. Once they all get there and do that, then the End Times begin, and Jesus will come and take us, his chosen people, to heaven and send the rest of you to hell.

TRC: Okay… So, you’re saying that the fate of the world rests on one religious group moving to a particular city in the Middle East to perform a particular style of worship in order for your religious group to reach the afterlife?

Jen: No, not the afterlife—heaven. It’s really important that all those Jews who rejected Jesus be corralled together in one spot called Israel so he can zap them and send them to hell for having him crucified.

TRC: Hmm...Interesting. It was actually the Romans who had Jesus crucified. Does that mean all the citizens living in modern-day Rome will get “zapped” too?

Jen: (Shrugging.) Well, maybe. I don’t know. If they’re Jewish, they’ll all be in Israel anyway and can get zapped there. But what’s the big deal? We tell all the Jews in the world to go live in Israel. It’ll get them out our cities here where all they do is cheat people at banking and jewelry sales.

TRC: (Sighing) And open up more acting jobs and stand-up comedy gigs for non-Jewish persons?

Jen: Now you’re getting it!

TRC: But the Palestinian people also live in the modern state of Israel and deserve to have homes where their ancestors lived too, right? Some of them are Christian. The Israelis bombed the third oldest church in Christendom, St. Porphyrius, recently and destroyed it, killing and injuring many people. Don’t you as a practicing Christian find that upsetting?

Jen: Maybe if they were “real Christians” that didn’t worship Mary and their graven idols and paintings on the ceilings so much, I’d find it upsetting. But they’re fakes, so if they get bombed, then so be it. The Israelites—I mean Israelis have got to have more room to squish in all the Jews from around the world into one place so Jesus can come again to rule with grace and mercy.

TRC: How “merciful” is it to bomb hospitals, schools, and refugee camps where children and their families are located? Do little children who may or may not be “real Christians” deserve to die such horrible deaths?

Jen: Jesus did say something along the lines of “suffer the little children” so perhaps that’s what he meant. (Shrugging.) I don’t know. They’re just in the wrong place at the wrong time so they get to suffer. Besides, if they’re Ay-rabs they’re not going to amount to much in the long run really, are they? They’re not as smart as white people because they can’t make their letters right. Their writing looks like so many squiggles.

TRC: (Sighing.) Yeah, it’s not like they were smart enough to invent the Arabic numerals that we all use alongside the Roman alphabet, is it?

Jen: Huh? (A commotion draws her attention to the playground.) Hey! Jimmy! Get off that thing right now!

Jimmy: (Shouting back) But we’re swinging together! We can go faster and higher together!

Jen: Not with that wetback, you don’t! Billy—go get your brother off that swing pronto!

Billy: But Mom… They’re having fun. They ain’t doing anything wrong.

Jen: I don’t need to tell you that we don’t mess around with people with skin the color of mud. It might rub off on us. (Curling her hand into a fist.) Get your little brother off that swing right now before I make you regret the day you were born!

TRC: “Suffer the little children,” right Jen?

Jen: Hey, I don't mean to sound crass, but people die all the time. Some just get to die younger than others. If Israelis want to bomb a bunch of Ay-rabs kids into the dust and wipe them off the face of the earth, who am I to tell them they’re wrong? For Jews, they at least got the right idea about not mixing the races. If their ancestors hadn’t slept with all those filthy Canaanites, they probably wouldn’t have killed Jesus. Our preacher says there’s more than a grain of truth in that.

TRC: (Nodding.) I’m sure he or she does.

Jen: He, of course. Women shouldn’t be leading others in worship. They’re not good enough to in God’s eyes. Not smart enough to interpret scripture for themselves.

TRC: (Rising from the park bench.) I sort of figured you’d say that. It’s been interesting talking with you today, Jen O’Syder. Take care.

Jen: You’re welcome. Where you going now?

TRC: I’m going to go over to swing with that little boy who was enjoying his double swing with Jimmy. Maybe we can swing together high enough to reach a low Earth orbit. I feel like leaving the planet about now.

 

*JVP stands for “Jewish Voice for Peace,” an anti-war, pro-Palestinian group of Jewish persons and their allies. Learn more about them at: https://www.jewishvoiceforpeace.org/

 *  *  *

November 20 was World Children's Day.

World Children’s Day, celebrated annually on November 20, is a global initiative promoting children’s rights, safety, education, health and happiness.

It comes this year amid Israel’s war on Gaza. About half of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million people are children.

Since October 7, Israeli attacks have killed at least 5,500 children, according to Palestinian officials. That is one Palestinian child killed every 10 minutes, or about one out of every 200 children in the Gaza Strip.

An additional 1,800 children are missing under the rubble, most of them presumed dead. A further 9,000 children have been injured, many with life-changing consequences. Many of these children have lived through the trauma of multiple wars.

This infographic online at Al Jazeera lists the names and ages of less than half of those children killed over the past six weeks.

Related Articles and Other Interesting Links 

Fifteen Things You Should Never Have To Say To A Country https://www.caitlinjohnst.one/p/fifteen-things-you-should-never-have

 

Israel Propaganda Vs Palestine Propaganda https://www.caitlinjohnst.one/p/israel-propaganda-vs-palestine-propaganda

 

WATCH: Israeli children sing, "We will annihilate everyone" in Gaza, against a background of destruction

https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/ali-abunimah/watch-israeli-children-sing-we-will-annihilate-everyone-gaza

Poll Shows American Support for Israel Is Cratering Amid Its Violent Siege https://truthout.org/articles/poll-shows-american-support-for-israel-is-cratering-amid-its-violent-siege/

Poll: Majority of Americans Support a Ceasefire in Gaza
https://news.antiwar.com/2023/11/15/poll-majority-of-americans-support-a-ceasefire-in-gaza/

***MUST READ: Don’t blame Israel, blame a “weak” Washington https://joebrunoli.substack.com/p/dont-blame-israel-blame-a-weak-washington

Panic as Gaza’s al-Shifa evacuates, Israel army denies ordering it to do so https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/11/18/israel-gives-gazas-al-shifa-hospital-one-hour-to-evacuate

Israel-Hamas war live: ‘At least 50’ dead in Israeli strike on Gaza school https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2023/11/18/israel-hamas-war-live-conditions-worsen-as-another-baby-dies-at-al-shifa

Is History Repeating Itself in Israel-Palestine? https://joebrunoli.substack.com/p/is-history-repeating-itself-in-israel

Probe Shows 126+ Civilians Killed by Israeli Airstrike Targeting 'Just One Guy' https://www.commondreams.org/news/israel-bomb-refugee-camp

The US Has A Standing Policy Of Ignoring The Human Rights Violations Of Its Allies https://www.caitlinjohnst.one/p/the-us-has-a-standing-policy-of-ignoring    

Tone Policing Opposition To Genocide https://www.caitlinjohnst.one/p/tone-policing-opposition-to-genocide

PATRICK LAWRENCE: The Banality of Propaganda https://consortiumnews.com/2023/11/14/patrick-lawrence-the-banality-of-propaganda/

Israelis Keep Hurting Their Own PR Interests By Talking https://www.caitlinjohnst.one/p/israelis-keep-hurting-their-own-pr

NYT Runs Interference for IDF as It Bombs Jabalia Refugee Camp https://scheerpost.com/2023/11/17/nyt-runs-interference-for-idf-as-it-bombs-jabalia-refugee-camp/ 

They're Just Insulting Our Intelligence At This Point
https://www.caitlinjohnst.one/p/theyre-just-insulting-our-intelligence

My tense exchange on a train with Sen. Chris Coons over Gaza
https://www.aaronmate.net/p/a-tense-exchange-on-a-train-with

Canada/US' quiet motive for backing Israel's genocide
https://truthb.substack.com/p/canadaus-quiet-motive-for-backing

Don’t be fooled. Biden is fully signed up to genocide in Gaza https://jonathancook.substack.com/p/dont-be-fooled-biden-is-fully-signed

Over 1,200 ‘Educators for Palestine’ Sign Open Letter Demanding Ceasefire https://scheerpost.com/2023/11/16/over-1200-educators-for-palestine-sign-open-letter-demanding-ceasefire/

GAZA ON THE BRINK - LIVE WITH LOWKEY AND AARON MATÉ https://chroniclesofhaiphong.substack.com/p/gaza-on-the-brink-live-with-lowkey

Criminalization of First Amendment-Protected Pro-Palestinian Speech Is Spreading https://truthout.org/articles/criminalization-of-first-amendment-protected-pro-palestinian-speech-is-spreading

With more than 10,000 Palestinians killed in the last month, Israel’s indiscriminate bombing of refugee camps, and an ever-widening ground invasion in Gaza, it’s critical that student activists and people at large can gather, protest and exercise their right to speak freely.

When political speech is criminalized, it renders the First Amendment meaningless. Collectively, we must demand that universities and colleges continue to honor student organizations’ right to freedom of expression, and we must demand the same from our elected officials and law enforcement. Now is not the time for silence.  

Official Israeli Investigation Determines IDF Helicopters Killed Civilians on October 7 https://twitter.com/AliAbunimah/status/1725958732113162579

Israel Doesn't Have A Gen-Z Problem, It Has A Morality Problem https://www.caitlinjohnst.one/p/israel-doesnt-have-a-gen-z-problem

America Inc. with Lee Camp: Top 11 Companies Supporting Israel’s Crimes  https://youtu.be/Jvz5_yvfwLE?si=UR85uo7TtgWK0433

Israel Is Shutting Down Its Human Laboratory In Gaza https://popularresistance.org/israel-is-shutting-down-its-human-laboratory-in-gaza/

Meet The Activists Fighting Zionism With Direct Action

https://popularresistance.org/meet-the-activists-fighting-zionism-with-direct-action/

Palestinians File Emergency Motion to Block US Aid for Israel’s Genocide in Gaza https://truthout.org/articles/palestinians-file-emergency-motion-to-block-us-aid-for-israels-genocide-in-gaza/

What Do These Stories Have In Common?

 

What Do These Stories Have In Common?

We have a guest blogger this week, but before we get to their article, here’s a story that popped up in the news that I felt is very important. The mainstream media barely gave it any notice, which is telling in itself. It shows just how hard American propagandists in both the public and private sectors are working to keep the public in the dark. This news story has something vital in common with our guest’s submission. Can you find the common thread between these two stories?

First off, here is what Eric Zuesse writing for The Duran Newsletter had to say:

Annually, each year, since 2005, the U.S. Government has been one of only from 1 to 3 Governments to vote in the U.N. General Assembly against an annual statement by the General Assembly against racism and other forms of bigotry — an annual Resolution condemning it, and expressing a commitment to doing everything possible to reduce bigoted acts. For the first time ever, on November 4th, America was joined not only by one or two voting against it, but 55 nations, and almost all gave as reasons that Russia was for it and has invaded Ukraine. Ukraine is the only country that has almost always been joining America in opposing such resolutions...

 This year’s Resolution particularly offended America and its allies because “Nazism” is mentioned and condemned specifically in it.

No specific nation is ever mentioned in such resolutions.

The author of this article explains how the United Nations is notorious for making it difficult to near impossible to find the results of their resolution votes online. A week after a vote, and the information just mysteriously disappears. (I can attest to that fact. The UN website tells you you're not allow to access the information anymore.) After much searching and following of screenshots, here is the outcome of the vote on the resolution to combat the glorification of Nazism:

Item 66(a) draft resolution A/C.3/77/L.5

Combating glorification of Nazism, Neo-Nazism, and …

DATE: 4 November 2022

 IN FAVOR (105): Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, Dem. PR [N.] Korea, Djirbouti, El Salvador, Equatorial Gunea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Israel, Jamaica, Jordan,Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lao PDR, Lebanon, Lesotho, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mongolia, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Russia, Rwanda, St. Kitts, St. Vincent, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Singapore, Solomon Islands, S. Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Surinam, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Trinidad, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Uganda, UAR, United Rep. Tanza, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

AGAINST (52): Albania, Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kiribati, Latvia, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, N. Macedonia, Norway, Papua, Poland, Portugal, Rep. Moldova, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine, UK, U.S.

ABSTAIN (15): Antigua, Congo, Dominican Rep., Ecuador, Egypt, Mexico, Myanmar, Palau, Panama, Rep. of Korea, Samoa, Serbia, Switzerland, Tonga, Turkiye

ABSENT: Afghanistan, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Comoros, D.R. Congo, Dominica, Eswatini, Gambia, Grenada, Iran, Morocco, St. Lucia, Sao Tome, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, S. Sudan, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Venezuela

Data from US and Allies Vote For Nazism at UN https://theduran.com/u-s-and-allies-vote-for-nazism-at-u-n/

Ukrainian stamps glorifying Nazis

Why does the US continue to vote against combating the glorification of Nazism year after year? To blame not voting affirmative on this resolution on the proxy war the US and NATO started in Ukraine seems a rather weak excuse. It's common knowledge that Ukrainians have made a national hero out of Nazi collaborator Stepan Bandera and that their very own militia unit, the Azov Battalion, has S.S. symbology as their logo. 

And why didn't the US vote for this resolution when it was first introduced seventeen years ago? Could it be the US has been pro-Nazi all along, and this fact didn't become blatantly apparent until 2022? 

Related Articles:

US and Ukraine Only Two Countries to Vote Against UN Resolution Condemning Nazism (December 2021) https://countercurrents.org/2021/12/u-s-and-ukraine-only-two-countries-vote-against-un-resolution-condemning-nazism/

Why Does the US Government Support Nazis All Around The World

https://countercurrents.org/2022/11/why-does-the-u-s-government-support-nazis-all-around-the-world/

Over 50 Countries Vote Against Russia’s Anti-Nazism Resolution at United Nations  https://orinocotribune.com/over-50-countries-vote-against-russias-anti-nazism-resolution-at-united-nations/

50 Nations Just Defended Nazism at the UN (Video, story starts about 5 minutes in) https://rumble.com/v1t02sk-50-nations-just-defended-nazism-at-the-u.n..html

 

The following article demonstrates that American activists have fought against racism, sexism, fascism, and elitism from our country's very beginnings. The United States' negative vote on the recent United Nations' resolution on combating the glorification of Nazism is an indication that American activists must continue to fight these evils today.

Inspirational Stories Of Black Activists

by Robin Nicole Hamilton

Motivation is a state of mind that helps you achieve your goals and plays an important part in achieving success. It is a feeling or emotion that you get when you want to do something bigger. It keeps you going until you reach your goal.

Black freedom fighters are a source of inspiration. These real-life heroes have always served their people. Freedom fighters like Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and Harriet Tubman are always remembered and admired, especially by young people who aspire to be like them one day. Let's remember that they fought hard and did not give up until they achieved what they wanted. They made sacrifices and were hurt, but they did not give up because they believed in themselves and their mission.

Black Activists: A True Source of Motivation

The history of black freedom fighters, Martin Luther King Jr. Malcolm X, and others have inspired many to fight for their rights. These activists have shown us that we can achieve anything if we are willing to fight for it.

There have been many other black freedom fighters and activists who have fought for our rights all over the world, but few know about them or even take the time to remember their names and what they did for us. However, their stories should be heard so that we will know that it is possible to change the world.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Martin Luther King Jr. was a man who dared to dream big to achieve his dreams. He became one of the most cogent civil rights leaders in US history. He was a minister who fought for civil rights for Americans, both blacks and whites. He led a peaceful movement to end injustice and inequality in the USA, especially for people of color. On April 4, 1968, he was murdered by a white extremist, James Earl Ray, while standing on the patio of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. 

Malcolm X

Malcolm X is another great example of a black activist who achieved greatness despite being on the wrong side of society at one point in time. He was a Muslim convert who became an influential leader in the Nation of Islam movement. He spoke out against racism and segregation.

Malcolm was imprisoned for fifteen years for his involvement in a black separatist organization. After being released from prison, he continued his activism with Malcolm X's Organization (MEO) which promoted black pride, self-defense, and economic empowerment through various means like education and employment opportunities. He went through the ups and downs of life and never gave up on his mission despite the obstacles and hardships. Several iconic films and books cover his life journey. In 1965, soon after Malcolm’s death, his biography was published by Alex Haley. (Learn more about Alex Haley's The Autobiography of Malcolm X.)

Fannie Lou Hamer

Fannie Lou Hamer was an American civil rights activist who fought against racial segregation. Fannie participated in civil rights activism from 1962-1973. She became a key figure in many organizations fighting for change. (Watch this film on the legacy of Fannie Lou Hamer).

One of these organizations was the Freedom Democratic Party (FDP), which was founded by her husband, James Hamer. The FDP was formed to give black voters more power over their own lives and communities by organizing around issues like voting rights and school desegregation. Fannie and James obtained success when the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA) was passed.

While working on behalf of the FDP, Fannie also focused on other issues such as farm labor unions and sanitation workers' rights. She helped organize boycotts against employers who did not pay their workers fairly or provide benefits such as health insurance or pensions. Even the limitations of being a woman of color in the mid-20th century did not scare her from dreaming big or pursuing her goals.

Mary Church Terrell

Mary Church Terrell was a civil rights leader who fought for better treatment for women of color in America. She was the first African-American female to complete a college degree and manage the school board of a major city. She was one of the founders of the National Association Of Colored Women. (Click here to see the Mary Church Terrell documentary.)

Mary fought for the rights of women of color in colleges and workplaces. What she achieved in the late 19th and early 20th centuries is a source of great inspiration for many black women. 

Black Lives Matter (BLM)

BLM is a present-day movement for blacks' and other minorities' rights. This decentralized movement fights against racially motivated violence, discrimination, and police brutality against people of color and minorities. This movement is growing stronger every day because it gives hope to those who have been oppressed by whites.

Similarly, the fight for freedom and equal rights continues and inspires people to become a part of such organizations and follow those individuals who stand for their people. These legends from the history of black activism motivate us to think big and inspire us to achieve our goals.

In conclusion, these people are proof that anyone can achieve success if they have enough drive and perseverance!

BIO: Robin Nicole Hamilton is an American journalist, writer, television host, and principal at "ARoundRobin Production Company". She has worked as a broadcaster in Florida, New York, Boston, Massachusetts, and Washington, D.C. Working at the intersection of media and policy, her work is guided by the principle of providing information to promote transformation. She directed four documentary films from 2015 to 2022. Her fourth film, Odessa’s Reign, profiles the life of a female gangster in 1950s Washington, D.C. The film earned Robin her fourth Emmy. Hamilton has won and been nominated for several awards for her work on the DCW50 TV (WDCW) Living Black History series. She also served as a Public Media Corps (PMC) Fellow which allowed her to promote social media tools to under-served communities. Hamilton is currently offering film and video production services to clients in Capitol Heights, Bethesda, Baltimore, Columbia, Annapolis, Rockville, Maryland, Alexandria, Fairfax, Arlington County, and Tysons, Virginia and in Washington D.C.

 * * *

 

The Revolution Continues

is now featured on Substack--

 

https://therevolutioncontinues.substack.com 

Sign up there to have a free weekly column 

delivered to your email box today.

(And spread the word!) 

 

You Can't Make This Stuff Up

 

We live in a time where leftists and communists are being labeled as Nazis and real Nazis are being labeled as freedom fighters standing up against fascism. We can't make this up. --Kris Legion

You Can't Make This Stuff Up

by C.A. Matthews

After I read this headline, both my mind and my stomach started to churn:

Jon Stewart and the Pentagon Honor Ukrainian Nazi at Disney World

Disney World? "The Happiest Place on Earth"? Jon Stewart? Welcoming Nazis? Really?

Yeah, really. From The Grayzone:

During the Department of Defense’s annual Warrior Games at Disney World in Orlando, Florida this August 19-28, liberal comedian Jon Stewart awarded a Ukrainian military veteran named Ihor Halushka the “Heart of the Team” award for “inspiring his team” with his “personal example.”

Halushka happens to have been a member of the neo-Nazi Azov Battalion, which has been armed by the US and integrated into the Ukrainian National Guard. The award-winning ultra-nationalist wore a sleeve over his left arm as he accepted the prize, presumably to cover up his tattoo of the Nazi Sonnenrad, or Black Sun. (...)

...Even the US government propaganda outlet Voice of America [has] acknowledged the Azov Battalion’s embrace of Nazism. Right Sector group has been similarly identified as a fascist organization. Since the invasion, however, Western corporate media has downplayed the presence of Nazis in the Ukrainian armed forces as groups like Azov have taken on prominent front-line roles. (...)

An unlisted YouTube video by the Invictus Games on YouTube offers a close-up of Halushka working out with Nazi Black Sun symbol tattooed on his left elbow clearly visible. Halushka opted to cover the fascist symbol during photo ops at the Warrior Games.

Halushka has never been shy about his ties to the Azov Battalion. During the Invictus Games this April, he whipped out an Azov flag as he accepted a gold medal, which was hosted in The Hague – where war criminals are normally tried, not awarded. Likewise, in Orlando, Haluskha wore an Azov Battalion t-shirt as he accepted a gold medal for indoor rowing. He was honored days later as the “heart” of his team. (...)

It is difficult to believe that Palevska and Halushka are the only members of Team Ukraine that have belonged to neo-Nazi groups.

A photo posted on the team’s official Facebook page show five team members performing a fascist salute in front of a Warrior Games banner.

In other photos, a member of the team wearing a Warrior Games t-shirt can be seen holding a Right Sector flag; and seven veterans associated with the team bear the flag of the 14th Waffen Grenadier Division of the Schutzstaffel (SS), a WWII-era Nazi military formation made up of Ukrainian nationalists.

American taxpayers have already forked $60 billion over to Ukraine since the war broke out in 2014. They are therefore entitled to know whether the Department of Defense paid Team Ukraine’s travel expenses.

The article provides plenty of video links and photos that clearly show these individuals with Nazi symbology tattooed on their bodies and proof that they belong to Neo-Nazi militias such as the Azov Battalion and Right Sector. (More about The History of Nazism in Ukraine here.) There's no doubt that Ukrainians have a thing for fascists as their own postage stamps attest:

So… Disney World welcomes Ukranian Nazis. Bad enough Disney Corp. welcomes the US Department of Defense (more like Department of Offense) inside their fairy-tale-themed, family amusement park, but they're okay as well with individuals and groups who agree with Ukrainian Nazi collaborator Stepan Bandera and his favorite person Adolf Hitler, the man who had 6 million people murdered in his gas chambers during World War 2.

You know, this incident gives me a completely different take on “The Magic Kingdom.” I can imagine a Teutonic tour guide in a near dystopian future giving us a rundown of its attractions...

“Velcome to DizNa World! It's zee magical land where everyting is kept spotlessly clean by our slave labor. No ve don't pay them low wages--ve just don't pay them at all! Ha ha ha! It's what that sign Arbeit macht frei (Work sets you free) outside the front gates means.”

“Over here, you will see our most popular ride, It's A Small World. Really, it is! We only allow a few northern European countries to be featured on this ride because… Well, you know why. We only want blue-eyed, blond persons in our fairy-tale land. No other colors or non-European religions need apply!”

“Speaking of which, you might have noticed that DizNa's Princess Jasmine character is now also blue-eyed and blonde. Just like Republican Jesus!”

“The Swiss Family Robinson tree house is, of course, still here. We like the Swiss, especially their bankers who kept our gold for us during World War 2. The Robinson home has been tastefully redecorated in red, white, and black.”

“Whatz dat construction over there? Oh, that’s a new attraction being developed. It’s called The Showers. It’s not for everyone. In fact, if you are Aryan you don’t ever have to worry about it.”

Yeah, the whole “Magical Kingdom” aspect of Disney World has been flushed down the drain for me. I can’t see why celebrating any persons who associate themselves with a Nazi organization is a wholesome thing to do at a family amusement park anywhere in the world. I just don’t.

Biden at Nuremberg?

Here we have Biden sending billions of dollars in aid and armaments to these Neo-Nazi groups in Ukraine while millions of Americans are going without health care, rent assistance, and even food. We have millions suffering under the burden of medical and student loan debt in this country, but we can’t do a thing to relieve their pain. Jackson, Mississippi, and Flint,Michigan, still don’t have safe drinking water, and our federal government can’t lift a finger to help these citizens out. But somehow, we can finance an all expenses paid trip to Disney World for a bunch of Nazis.

Hmm… Jackson and Flint are cities with predominantly African American populations. Could that have something to do with it? Biden doesn’t have any problem sending billions of dollars to white Europeans to run a proxy war, but when it comes to helping out fellow Americans of a different ethnic heritage in need of drinkable water he’s got nothing?

Funding and rescuing Nazis is nothing new to the US government. Remember NASA’s rocket scientist Wernher von Braun? He was one of the 1,600 “nice Nazis” who America kept from the hangman’s noose at the Nuremberg Trials and secreted into the US along with their families in Operation Paperclip. The US government was fine with these scientists' Nazi sympathies as long as they worked hard to give us the edge we wanted over the Soviets’ space program. The US would do anything to best the “Russians" during the Cold War, up to and including inviting avowed Nazis into our country.

The more things change… Honestly, you can't make this stuff up.

I don’t think I could feel more disgusted or more embarrassed than I do today at the antics of the US Department of Defense and the military industrial complex as a whole. Many Americans have parents, grandparents, or great-grandparents who fought the Nazis in World War 2. Many Americans have relatives who survived the tortures of the Nazi work camps, POW camps, and the bombings of their cities. Some older Americans themselves are survivors of Nazi atrocities. And now Americans politicians and entertainers openly welcome Neo-Nazis with their words and actions. 

All I can say is what Captain America said in his original 1940s comic book serials: Punch a Nazi!

DizNa World is the dark world neoliberals like Biden and company dream of, maybe even celebrities like Jon Stewart. Perhaps it's time for Jon to retire? He seems out of touch with reality. Nazis were only funny on TV sit-coms like Hogan's Heroes and the British classic comedy series 'Allo, 'Allo! where they were portrayed as bumblers, not the racist killers they really are.

Either way, it’s not the world our loved ones who died fighting fascism would have ever imagined. Neoliberals will do anything to make money selling weapons so their stock portfolios of arms manufacturers continue to grow. It's all about their wealth, their health, and their propaganda machines churning out stories about how great the Azov Battalion is and how the US is all about "freedom and democracy." (Read last week's blog about how that fictitious labeling of wars for resources comes about.)

Ugh. I don't know about you, but I'm never going to consider taking a vacation at Disney World, Disney Land, or any of their related amusement parks ever again. They've convinced me that Mickey Mouse and friends aren't the sort of fictional creatures I want to hang out with. 

Heck, forget Disney+ and all their movies and online streaming channels. Let the white supremacists support them. There's gotta be enough of them to keep Disney Corp. in the black...and red.

Related Articles:

Jon Stewart and the Pentagon Honor Ukrainian Nazi at Disney World  https://thegrayzone.com/2022/08/31/jon-stewart-pentagon-ukrainian-nazi-disney/ 

Jon Stewart Presents Medal to Ukrainian Nazi at Disney World (video)  https://youtu.be/gFpHtufCIZ4 

Residents in Majority Black Jackson Left Without Drinkable Water https://popularresistance.org/residents-in-majority-black-jackson-mississippi-left-without-drinkable-water/

Decision-Makers Cannot Handle End of White Supremacy https://popularresistance.org/us-decision-makers-cannot-handle-end-of-white-supremacy-former-vice-presidential-candidate/

The Noble Lie of a Democratic West https://popularresistance.org/the-noble-lie-of-a-democratic-west/

With Western Imperialism in Decline, Capitalism is in Crisis
https://scheerpost.com/2022/09/01/with-western-imperialism-decline-capitalism-is-in-crisis-a-new-phase-is-emerging/ 

Democrats Are Violent Extremists https://caitlinjohnstone.substack.com/p/democrats-are-violent-extremists 

Wernher von Braun--The Nazi Inside NASA https://youtu.be/Kv0IB-TwFH8

The History of Nazism in Ukraine https://bernie2016.blogspot.com/2022/03/nato-loves-nazis-history-of-nazism-in.html

 Seen on Twitter:

Here is Ihor Halushka, the Nazi honored by Jon Stewart, after he was injured, with his Nazi Sonnenrad tattoo clearly displayed as he grips a Mickey Mouse plushie in his hospital bed https://t.co/NWiqV4GkZS pic.twitter.com/ZWU45ZhL7S

— Alex Rubinstein (@RealAlexRubi) August 31, 2022

Perhaps someone should’ve told Jon Stewart that he was giving a medal to a literal Naaaazi? https://t.co/vO614cXUmF

— Lee Camp [Redacted] (@LeeCamp) September 2, 2022

Europe going to freeze defending this??? https://t.co/QRM3NYOGHy

— Revolutionary Blackout Network🥋 (@SocialistMMA) September 4, 2022

Do the people in Jackson MI want clean water or more weapons sent to Ukraine?

— Eddie (@SoSocialism) September 4, 2022

We live in a time where leftists and communists are being labeled as Nazis and real Nazis are being labeled as freedom fighters standing up against fascism. We can't make this up.

— Kris Legion 🦺📢 (@LegionSocialist) September 4, 2022