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Tuesday, December 31, 2019

New Years in France Means Thousands of Cars Will Be Set on Fire

Hat tip Vlad Tepes


It's happening as we speak. The only question will be...how many?





*Update: We were right.

New Years Eve in the Hague: Police Pelted With Fireworks

The usual suspects screaming, "Allahu akhbar"


Hat tip Vlad Tepes and Redactie Regio15.nl


As New Years Eve arrives in Europe for many European cities it means one thing: riots and cars set on fire. The below video comes to us from The Hague as youths screaming, "Allahu akhbar" pelt police with fireworks and set cars on fire. At the above link, you can see more scenes of tonight's "festivities".


https://twitter.com/regio15?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1079853396260204545&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fvladtepesblog.com%2F

Germany: Are the Nazis Back in the Reichstag?

Hat tip Gates of Vienna and Vlad Tepes. Translation by Miss Piggy



They don't call it the Reichstag* anymore. The German government that meets in Berlin's old Reichstag building calls it the Bundestag. Never mind. While German streets are starting to take on characteristics of the years between the two World Wars, the Reichstag these days is starting to look like the the Reichstag during the Third Reich. In other words members of certain parties are behaving like bores. Below is what happened when Dr Gottfried Curio of the conservative Alternatif fuer Deutschland party took to the rostrum to criticize the current government's African and Middle East resettlement policies. All that was missing was Hermann Goering banging his gavel and telling him to shut up.




*Of course, the actual Reichstag building was burned in February 1933, after which, the proceedings were moved to the Kroll Opera House.




The point is this: Are the German delegates not aware that when they conduct themselves in this manner that they bring back images of those dark days when Nazi bullies took over the Reichstag? Maybe they're not throwing chairs these days, and maybe other parliaments act worse (The Brits come to mind), but German politicians more than anyone need to maintain decorum.

The NYC Attacks Against Jews: What to Do

This article was first posted in New English Review.


Grafton Thomas


The latest multiple stabbing at a rabbi's home in New York City during Hanukkah celebrations is just the latest in spate of anti-Semitic attacks that have hit the city in the past couple of weeks (not to  mention the deadly attack in nearby Jersey City). Police have a man in custody in this attack and like virtually all of the previous incidents in the past couple of weeks, the suspect is African-American. Yet, New York's feckless mayor, Bill De Blasio, still blames it all on white racism. But what can we expect from an anti-police mayor like De Blasio, who is morally and intellectually bankrupt?

I don't say this to attack black people as all being anti-Semites, which they are not. I say it to make a couple of points: First, there is a strain of anti-Semitism that runs through our black communities just as it runs through our white communities.  Jews are being attacked from all sides now. Just as always, Jew hatred cuts across all racial and religious boundaries.

My second point is that now that Jew hatred has exploded even in America, there is a tendency even among many Jews themselves, depending on their philosophical and political leanings, to point the finger of blame solely at the right, that is, white racists, white nationalists, and especially unfairly-President Trump and his supporters. In fact, if anything, it is President Trump who is leading the way and setting the example when it comes to fighting back against anti-Semitism. I concede that white nationalism is growing, and that includes a increase in anti-Semitism. But to deny or ignore the fact that blacks have carried out virtually all of the recent hate crimes against Jews in New York City is to turn truth on its head and delay the necessary response. That response must come from the police and leaders of the City and State as well as the leaders within the black community itself.

To what extent these attacks are linked to the decades-long campaign of hate and toxic speech directed at Jews by the Nation of Islam and its odious leader, Louis Farrakhan, I don't know, but I have my suspicions. In addition, I ask myself what role the decades- long campaign against Israel on our college campuses plays a role-now that the campus problem has metastasized into the community as a whole. Again, I have my suspicions. After all, New York's Columbia University has been a prime offender for years. I will not mince words: The pro-Palestinian forces on our campuses, as well as certain parts of the Islamic community, share much of the blame. The point is that if we are going to discuss white anti-Semitism from the right, which we should, we must also discuss anti-Semitism from the left, the black community, and the Islamic community.

It is time that our leaders, be they political, religious, or otherwise, stand up and condemn anti-Semitism. But words are not enough. They will not help the next Jewish man or woman who gets beaten up on the streets of New York or some other city or campus. I strongly urge Jews to take advantage of their  2nd Amendment right to defend themselves in a lawful manner. I also urge them to teach their children to fight back. Meet each insult with a counter-insult (aimed at the offender's person, not ethnic group). Meet each shove with a shove back. Meet each punch with a punch back. I was never a fan of Irv Rubin and his Jewish Defense League, but right now, the Jewish community needs some form of the JDL. Consider this: New York's new bail law, which goes into effect in January, will be turning these suspects back on the street as fast as the cops can fingerprint and photograph them.

Enough is enough: We may not be able to control Jew hatred in the Middle East, and we may not be able to control Jew hatred in Europe. We can fight back here at home. America has traditionally been a safe refuge for Jews, and it must remain so. These attacks, be they in New York or any other American town, must be punished to the full extent of the law. In addition, the decent forces in our society must stand loud and clear with our Jewish neighbors. Every politician, every police chief, and every religious leader needs to speak out now.

Monday, December 30, 2019

"Last Night in Sweden" (Cont)

Hat tip Peter Sweden, Nyheter Idag, and Gates of Vienna


"You look what happened last night in Sweden."



The horror stories never cease coming out of Sweden. This weekend, cops in the southern town of Helsingborg were attacked by a "gang" of about 30 "youths" with some sort of firework-type rockets that forced them to take cover in their cars. Apparently, they were able to apprehend a couple of them, who are only identified by their ages (15 and 18). Translation by Fousesquawk.





(Firework) Rocket attacks in Skåne continue-Police forced to seek protection in police cars

Skåne- A gang continues to attack ordinary people and police in  Skåne with rockets on Saturday night-Sunday morning. Just before midnight police were shot at by a large gang of up to 30 persons in Helsingborg. Around three o'clock, police were again shot at with rockets-this time in Kristianstad, something Expressen reported on earlier. "Police patrols were forced to seek protection in police cars in order not to be hit by the rockets",  police report on their home page.

In Helsingborg, police went out on an alarm just before midnight to Skaragatan (Street) near the area of Frederiksdal.


When police arrived at the location, they discovered about 30 people who were shooting rockets at building materials from a nearby construction site, and cars were beginning to burn. One car was completely burned, and a car sustained damage before rescue services were able to put it out.

According to Expressen, rockets were also shot at police.

Police identified a 15-year-old boy and an 18-year-old man among the persons, who are suspected of shooting rockets at the cars and building materials. A spokesman did not want to disclose if they are previously known to police.

A report on the fire damage is being prepared.

A few hours later, it (happened) again. Around three o'clock  on Sunday morning police were alerted to a kiosk in Kristianstad after a break-in alarm had gone off, police report on their home page. The kiosk is located by Långebrogatan, which goes through the Charlottesborg area.

When police arrived at the scene and got out of their cars, they were shot at with rockets by a dozen masked persons.

"Police patrols were forced to seek protection in the police cars so as not to be hit with rockets," police report on their homepage.

-It is obviously a serious occurrence when police are shot at with rockets in this manner. One can also suspect that the alarm was sounded to lure us to the scene, says Katarina Rusin, press information officer with the southern police region to Expressen.

No police were injured.

Last weekend a gang shot at ordinary citizens in the area of Dalhem in Helsingborg.

Saturday, December 28, 2019

2019 Fousesquawk Jerk of the Year: Ilhan Omar


Early this year, I was of the opinion that Ilhan Omar (D-MN) would be a shoo-in for the Golden Penguin as the 2019 Fousesquawk "Jerk of the Year" award. There was her obnoxious speech in Woodland HIlls, California in March, where she made reference to 9-11 as, "somebody did something". Then she made a disparaging tweet about our troops in the "Black Hawk Down" episode in Mogadishu. On and on it went.  In July, she and that other disgraceful woman, Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), introduced a resolution supporting the BDS movement against Israel. In August, she and Tlaib tried to enter Israel under the auspices of some pro-Palestinian terror group. They were rightly denied entry. As if all that wasn't enough, Omar has faced (unconfirmed) allegations that she may have married her own brother in order to get him into the US. That, if true, would constitute marriage/immigration fraud, a crime.

In recent months, other candidates have given Omar a run for her money. People like Adam Schiff and Jerry Nadler in their soon-to-be-ill fated efforts to remove President Trump from office. Ditto for Nancy Pelosi for this latest stunt in not sending the articles of impeachment over to the Senate for trial. The unhinged 29-year-old ex barmaid, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez certainly deserves "honorable" mention. The Democrat presidential race has created at least half a dozen contenders for the Golden Penguin. One of them, Joe Biden, is deeply embroiled in a scandal involving his fortune-hunting son, Hunter Biden,  and Ukraine, a scandal that has inexplicably led to the impeachment of Trump for merely asking Ukraine to look into it.

But I digress.

Ilhan Omar is deservedly the Fousesquawk Jerk of the Year for 2019. In 2020, her constituents in Minneapolis and "Little Mogadishu" will have an opportunity to show the nation they recognize their mistake in electing her to Congress and will elect someone else. Or they may just double down on their error and re-elect her. If that is the case, it will say a lot about that community.










Friday, December 27, 2019

Sub-Titling: In Case You Were Wondering




You may have noticed in the past couple of years that Fousesquawk has been posting a number of news reports out of Europe with English sub-titles. You would also notice that the articles are prefaced with a hat tip to other blogs, specifically Gates of Vienna and Vlad Tepes. Actual translation is performed by various people including Fousesquawk. Perhaps, it is time for an explanation.

Both of the above blogs (GoV and VT) are largely concerned with events in Europe surrounding the Islamic invasion with all of its resulting crime, terrorism and general all-around hatred especially towards Jews. Most of their translation capability was concentrated on German and French. They also have volunteers who translate from other European languages.

Sometime ago, GoV and VT put out a call for an Italian translator to deal with the issues in Italy. Having lived five years in Italy, I volunteered and ever since then, I have worked in collaboration with the above two blogs. I have also translated videos from Spain. In addition, my level of proficiency in Swedish and Dutch allows me to translate written articles, but I am not yet to the level where I could effectively do video sub-titles. (I am working on that, however.)

What we do is this: In my case, GoV and/or VT will send me an Italian or Spanish video and have me preview it for a recommendation as to whether we want to sub-title it. If we decide to go ahead, VT (the tech whiz) will convert the video so that I can do the translation on Aegissub (sub-titling software). I then do the translation, and from there, editing is done by GoV, followed by VT actually putting in the sub-titles and posting the final product. All three of us will then post the video on our respective blogs.

In addition, I will occasionally scour  Swedish and Dutch news sites for appropriate articles to translate from the written text.

We all feel that this is an important endeavor since it is vital that Americans fully understand what is going on in Europe without having to depend on the American media or English-language web sites. What is happening now in Europe is a preview of what is coming to our own shores.

One Fine Christmas Eve in Nuremberg

Hat tip Gates of Vienna and Vlad Tepes. Translation by Miss Piggy




Question: What happens when you put two Iraqi migrants/refugees, or whatever they are together in Nuremberg?

Do they hold a rally? No.
Do they start a newspaper called Der Stuermer? No.
Do they pass a law? No.
Do they hold a trial? No.

The correct answer is that one pushes the other onto the subway tracks-on Christmas Eve, no less!

That's life in Angela Merkel's New Germany. Things like this are a daily occurrence.







Thursday, December 26, 2019

France: Brutal Rape Posted on Twitter

Last week, an underage French  girl was brutally attacked and raped by two 16-year-olds in one of those French slums that are located outside of Paris. According to the below report in Italian by Il Giornale, the perpetrators recited the Koran and made references to Allah while raping the girl. They also posted a video of the attack to their social media. Two arrests have been made.

I should add that I have read over 20 reports from the French press. None that I have seen make any mention that the suspects are African or that they allegely recited the Koran during the attack. Several of the articles report that the French authorities fear some sort of vigilantism in response to the attack. It seems the French press is withholding certain details of the incident. Much blame from French authorities is being assigned to Twitter where the video received wide dissemination before being taken down.

French media also reports that one of the friends of one of the suspects went to his family's house to convince the father of the suspect to turn him into the police.

It seems there is a great deal of  tension in Paris over this attack.

Translation of the below article in Italian from Il Giornale by Fousesquawk.


http://www.ilgiornale.it/news/mondo/parigi-due-giovani-africani-stuprano-minorenne-inneggiando-1803868.html

They raped her while praising Allah. Then they posted the video of the abuse on their social media

The rape took place last Thursday in a suburb south of Paris. Some officials of the government, instead of asking themselves about the terrible violence, have pointed the finger against Twitter.

-Federico Giuliani: Thursday 26-12-19, 09:50

In France, in a suburb south of Paris, two 16-year-olds, of African origin, raped a minor girl, filmed the abuse, and shared the video on their social network.

During the sexual violence, the assailants repeatedly cited Allah, the Koran, and Mecca.

The incident, reported by French newspapers and then picked up by La Verita, happened Thursday, 19 December at Morsang-sur-Orge, in the Essonne department. The perpetrators of the rape, as stated, posted the film of the violence on the web. Those brutal images, aside from being shared by numerous users, allowed the investigators to trace the identity of the alleged rapists. The two assailants were arrested last Saturday.

The dynamics of the facts

The sexual aggression happened  in the entrance hall of a building. The classical large building typical of those peripheral (urban areas) where delinquency, drug traffic, crime, and more in general, degradation reign. The video of the rape lasts about one minute and a half and was bounced from one social media to another, enjoying particular success on Twitter.

The dramatic images begin with the underage victim who fled, was chased and insulted by the two 16-year-olds. From their mouths come very violent words, offenses that are confused with terms that refer to the Islamic religion. "I swear on the Koran of Mecca, shout and you will see the (blows) that I give you," shouts one of the rapists to the frightened girl.

In another moment, the rapists order the young girl to follow them. "In the name of God, I swear to you on the Koran of Mecca: It is better to reflect in your head and come to us because a squad is about to arrive-We are the most good, those who are arriving will make you regret. On my mother I swear to you, you won't get out alive. You will die." At that point, the verbal violence was transformed into physical violence.

Beyond the serious crime, the attitude of the two rapists is evidence for the umpteenth time the danger of the pro-Islamist sub-culture which is already the lord of the Paris suburbs. According to this vision, women count for nothing. They are only objects that serve to satisfy the desires of the men. Inferior beings to be insulted and beaten at will.

Twitter on the grill

The incident has also provoked much polemics as to how the operators of the social networks have handled the situation. Already, because notwithstanding the police have several times asked Twitter users not to share the video, the film remained in circulation for hours prior to being taken down.

The French government, at that point, instead of reflecting on the pitiful state in which they peripheries of the country find themselves, has decided to attack Twitter. The undersecretary of equal opportunity, Marlene Schiappa, has no doubts: "The video is revolting. As soon as I was aware of it, I immediately contacted Twitter to have it removed. Some copies are still in circulation. This social network is not up to speed, the criminals know it, that is why they use it."

The biggest risk now is that French public opinion will not stop to reflect as much on the serious crime committed by two young Africans and the tensions that stretch across the quarters of the peripheries (suburbs) as on the function of Twitter. In that case it would be a defeat for all.




Portugal: Incident at Lisbon Airport





The below story is from the Portuguese newspaper, Correio da Manhã, and refers to an incident at Lisbon airport, which apparently occurred December 19 when a group of about 28 men decided they didn't want to wait to board their plane. The article has two videos of poor quality. The written article is translated by Fousesquawk.

https://www.cmjornal.pt/portugal/detalhe/video--grupo-de-28-pessoas-tenta-embarcar-mais-cedo-e-causa-disturbios-no-aeroporto-de-lisboa-veja-as-imagens?ref=HP_PrimeirosDestaques



Group of 28 people try to board earlier and cause "disturbances" at Lisbon Airport. See images.

Passengers try to board before the (designated) time. They had as their destination an African country

The PSP (Public Security Police)  announced this Thursday the detention of three men for crimes against public authority following "disturbances" on Sunday at Humberto Delgado Airport in Lisbon, with a group of 28 persons who tried to "board earlier".

A source of the Metropolitan Police Command of the Lisbon Public Security Police (COMETLIS) told Lusa that the group of passengers tried to board prior to the (designated) hour, on a flight with the destination of "an African country", with departure from Lisbon "at the end of the day" on Sunday.

The "disturbance" alert at the airport was given at 16:30 hours on Sunday involving a group of 28 persons, the source from COMETLIS indicated, resulting in the passengers being informed of the need to leave the embarkation area, but three disobeyed the police order and were detained.

The detained, three men, ages between 25 and 27 years, are "suspected of crime against public authority", at Humberto Delgado Airport in Lisbon and ended up not departing, continued the PSP without information  as to whether the remaining passengers of the group of 28 persons traveled on the Sunday flight.

"The suspects disobeyed a legitimate order communicated by the PSP officers to leave a restricted area of the international airport, which is governed by rules that safeguard airport security", COMETLIS informed in the statement.

The three men were advised by the airport security division of the PSP to leave the boarding area, but they refused to do so, and "they were given the legitimate order to leave the area, persisting in disorderly conduct towards the aviation company and the police officers", reads the document.
In addition, the suspects directed "threats" against the employee of the airline company.
According COMETLIS, the behavior of the men "was sufficient to alter the normal functioning of some services" of the airport, " and cause social alarm and worry among the other passengers who were transiting or awaiting their travel."
According to COMETLIS, the three detainees were delivered to the Criminal Court of Lisbon, Minor Crimes Section, of the Camarca Judicial Tribunal of Lisbon, where they are scheduled for a trial hearing on 6 January 2020.


Anti-Semitism in the Netherlands 2019

Hat tip Dagelijkse Standaard

I am cross-posting an article by Tim Engelbart in the conservative Dutch web site, Dagelijkse Standaard, which gives a year-end observation into the growing problem of anti-Semitism in the Netherlands. Translation by Fousesquawk.


https://www.dagelijksestandaard.nl/2019/12/2019-was-het-jaar-waarin-het-antisemitisme-definitief-weer-salonfahig-werd/


2019 was the year in which anti-Semitism definitely became fashionable again
-Tim Engelbart, 25 December 2019

kuzu israel

Photo: Tunahan Kuzu* waves the Palestinian flag 
* Kuzu is a Turkish-born  member of Parliament and member of the Denk party, a Turkish-oriented political party.

The year is again almost over. What kind of year was 2019? No especially big things happened. No "11 September 2001s", no "6 May 2002s or Charlie Hebdos. That does not mean that this year was shining in every respect. On the contrary. The steady drip hollows out the stone, and in that respect, Jew haters from all walks of life-extreme left, extreme right and Islamic- have made Jew hatred more acceptable in the last 12 months. Here below is a sad overview.


2019 was the year in which you can simply call out on Dam Square in Amsterdam: "Hamas, Hamas, Jews to the gas.", and you will not be arrested as a result. Or (against) Israel, supposedly, for humanitarian reasons because it is really the only Jewish state in the world  to belittle and defame. And that even political parties can participate in  the ridiculous nonsense, and not speak out when Jews are called "cancer Zionists". Where you can even deny the Holocaust or call out, "Heil Hitler".


The numbers do not lie: This year, anti-Semitism rose by not less than 20%.  That is not nothing. Emigration of Dutch Jews to countries where you don't have to hear about violence and comments about gas showers is already far and wide begun. Can we blame them? In the schools, teachers take no action when swastikas are drawn to offend Jewish students. When conspiracy (theorists) explain to entire conference halls why it was supposedly Israel that blew up the Twin Towers.


We are not talking about 1933. Rather about 2019. The year in which so-called public intellectuals, without contradiction, can set entire communities against each other. Because Muslims are apparently better. Where even the left parties who are not screaming in Dam Square look the other way as hate against Jews increases hand over hand. Or even those who are praised to the Heavens by terror organizations who hope to wipe all of Israel off the map.

You can report these quasi-anti-Semitic people, but the police do nothing with it. And that emboldens the anti-Semitic citizens. They now feel so strong, that they can (tell outrageous) lies. Even if that happens before the eyes of the world press.

Netherlands, be aware. Because Jews are perhaps the first victims from a growing intolerance in our society. But they are surely not the last group. The transition to ordinary racial hatred has already been made.

And note: This article is only written with examples from January to June 2019. You can see how long this nauseating list would be if we had come to the end of December.
That is why (Dagelijkse Standaard) wishes all of the Netherlands, left and right, a cordial and Semitic-friendly 2020. And happy Hannukah, of course.


Wednesday, December 25, 2019

Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah

                               
Peace and stand together                                     

Tuesday, December 24, 2019

Sweden in Top Ten Anti-Semite List According to Wiesenthal Center

Hat tip Fria Tider


I am cross-posting an article by the conservative Swedish site, Fria Tider (Free Times) about Sweden being placed on the Simon Wiesenthal Center top ten  anti-Semite list (along with Denmark). Translation by Fousesquawk.

Please note that I have added quotation marks to the word revealed in describing a report by Al Jazeera. Otherwise it might appear that Fria Tider was agreeing with Al Jazeera's premise, which is highly unlikely.


https://www.friatider.se/sverige-kniper-plats-pa-tung-antisemitlista


Sweden Takes a Place on Heavy Anti-Semite List

Published 23 December 2019 15:02

Foreign: Denmark and Sweden end up in 9th place on Simon Wiesenthal Center's annual anti-Semite-list.

The one who tops Simon Wiesenthal Center's anti-Semite list for 2019 is the Labour party in Great Britain under party leader Jeremy Corbyn.

Corbyn has long been accused of anti-Semitism by British and Israeli Jews for his Palestinian obsession. At the same time, Al Jazeera has "revealed" how Israel systematically infiltrates British politics in order to steer it and how anti-Semitic accusations against British politicians have been fabricated. (Quotation marks mine).

In 9th place on the list is "Scandinavia" and its so-called "Night of the Broken Glass hate", which specifically points out events in Sweden and Denmark.

In Denmark, anti-Semitic stickers were put up at the same time Jewish gravestones were vandalized in connection the "Night of the Broken Glass".

"The same stickers showed up in Sweden, where the Crime Prevention Council, in its last study, reported a record high 280 anti-Semitic incidents, an increase of 53%. While Jews make up at most 1/5th of one percent of Sweden's population, more than 4% Jews are targeted more than 4% of all hate crimes," that being the motive which continues:

"Swedish authorities allowed neo-Nazis to gather together at Raoul Wallenberg Square opposite Stockholm's largest synagogue. Sweden failed to protect its Jewish citizens and institutions and  has failed to hold anti-Semites responsible for their actions in public as well as the private sector, including the famed Karolinska Hospital."

In 2016, Sweden's then-foreign minister, Margot Wallström (Social Democrats) ended up on the same list.






Germans Are Moving to Hungary

Hat tip Vlad Tepes


Hungary is one of the European nations holding out against allowing mass migration of people from the Middle East, Afghanistan and other Islamic hellholes. Here is a news report from Hungary about Germans who are arriving in order to live in safety. English sub-titles.


Help Juan Cole Make a Difference: Send Him $$$$



                                                                                                            (Classic)


It's the season of giving. That means all you lefties who "want to make a difference" need to send your annual Christmas gift (check) to University of Michigan comedian Juan Cole, so he can keep his blog going. If you scroll over to Informed Comment, you will see all kinds of signs asking for money.

As you can see from checking out Informed Comment, there are four things Juan hates, Climate Change, Israel, Trump, and the right. He hates the right so much, he even capitalizes the word "left". (Left) Trust me, it's in the link.

Of course, this is what Juan does every year. He tells you that the future of Eastern civilization depends on keeping Informed Comment above water. This year his goal is $35,000. So far, his supporters, gullible as liberals usually are, have sent him $20,000! Go figure.

And what do you get for your donation? You get articles like this week's gem entitled,

"Would refugee Baby Jesus be torn from Mary's arms by Trump?"

https://www.juancole.com/2019/12/would-refugee-jesus.html

No doubt about it, according to Juan. And if you need a history lesson on the birth of Christ, you don't need the New Testament; this article is just what the doctor ordered. From Herod to the Iranians (presumably not the mullahs), Juan fills in the blanks in almost as many pages as the Bible itself! This article alone is worth $20,000. It all makes me think Juan missed his true calling in life. He should have been a TV evangelist.

Clearly, you can see from the tone of Juan's articles, that he hates our President. I mean, really, what's next, an article comparing Trump's election to 9-11?

Oh wait! What's this?

https://www.juancole.com/2019/12/gatsbyed-americas-another.html


"It’s in this context that Trump’s could be considered the third hijacking of our era. Given his sense of self, his might even be thought of not as the 1% hijacking moment, but as the .000000001% moment."
-Tom Engelhardt (whoever he is).




I note with irony that this article by Mr Engelhardt in Informed Comment is under the category "Counter Terrorism", yet  refers to President GW Bush's invasion of Afghanistan after 9-11 as launching a war on most of the planet.

"Instead, responding to the destruction of those towers in Manhattan and part of the Pentagon, the Bush administration essentially launched a war against much of the planet." 

Of course, while I supported the invasion of Afghanistan for the purpose of crushing al Qaeda and killing bin Laden, I think it is high time we declare victory and leave that hellhole. But I won't waste any more words on Mr Engelhardt. I'm here to talk about Juan!

For the record, I have been running my own humble little blog for about 12 years now and have never asked anyone for a dime. Nor has anyone offered me a dime. Oh, I get a check of $100 from Adsense every 3-4 years, but that can hardly cover the expenses of having guest editorials from the likes of Tom Engelhardt. Nor will it pay for me to travel to places like China and Morocco to keep my readers abreast of what's going on in the world. 

Oh, before I forget...

"This year everyone who contributes $100 or more to Informed Comment by Paypal will receive a signed copy of my classic, Napoleon’s Egypt." 

Yes, Dear Readers, for $100, you can own a piece of history with Juan's "classic" book about Napoleon's Egypt. Or you can just read Informed Comment for free and enjoy a few yuks.





Monday, December 23, 2019

Arizona Trooper Shoots and Kills Man Who Attacked Him

On Thursday evening in Tempe, Arizona, a state trooper was attacked by a Qatari man who was in the US on a student visa. In the resulting scuffle, the trooper was forced to shoot the attacker in self defense. The subject, Mohamed Ahmed Al-Hashemi, died from his wounds.


https://kvia.com/news/us-world/2019/12/20/police-arizona-officer-kills-qatari-man-who-attacked-him-2/

Here is the dash cam video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRAFTNnTkuw&feature=emb_logo

Was this a good shooting?

From my perspective with 27 years in law enforcement, I will say this:

Even though the two men were on the ground and out of camera view when the shot was fired, this is a good shooting in my view. As you see, the officer's orders and the taser gun failed to have any effect. The officer was clearly getting the worst of it and stated that he was close to blacking out. While it is not self defense to use deadly force to keep from getting beaten in a fight, it is pretty clear that the officer was in serious danger of having his gun taken from him and being shot.

So if you want to fight an armed police officer, you are putting him/her at a risk of having his/her weapon taken from him/her and being shot with it. Added to the irrational behavior of this suspect, the officer was justified in fearing for his life and that of the passenger.

So I advise you never to fight with a cop. You will lose in the end.

Sweden: The Prosecution of Åsa Westerberg

Hat tip Ullis News and Kronans Martell


Recently, we posted an article on Åsa Westerberg, a Swedish woman who is charged with "inciting hate" (or something like that) in Sweden because she has criticized Islam. We bring you an interview with Westerberg by Ullis News. This case is now in the district court and we expect a verdict very soon. It will say a lot about how much free speech exists in Sweden.




As Westerberg points out, it is amazing that immigrants can come to Sweden and actually call for the deaths of the native Swedes and whites in general, and that is called free speech while speaking about about such statements is called hate speech and can be prosecuted.

Sweden: 9-1/2 Years in Prison for Afghan Who Murdered Lover


Hat tip Nyheter Idag


What is the normal sentence in Sweden for murder when committed by an adult? The answer may shock you. The below article was translated from Swedish to English by Fousesquawk.



https://nyheteridag.se/mordade-lararinnan-efter-sexaffar-nu-far-ahmad-nazari-sankt-straff/


Killed teacher after sex affair-Now Ahmad Nazari gets sentence reduced


Ahmad Nazari strangled his teacher to death after a love affair, and was sentenced to 11 years in prison by the district court after a reduction (due to his age). Now the high court has reduced Nazari's sentence further, to 9-1/2 years in prison given that he suffered from a serious mental disorder when the murder was committed and that he had turned himself in.

The Afghan citizen, Ahmad Nazari, who strangled his 69-year-old teacher after a love affair, has had his sentence reduced by the High Court, reports Expressen.

The district court sentenced Nazari to 11 years in prison and deportation after his sentence is served. But Nazari appealed the sentence to the High Court.

"He maintains that he did not intentionally take the life of the woman, he wants his sentence lowered," said Nazari's lawyer, Anders Olssen, to SVT (Swedish Public Television) in connection with the appealed sentence.

Now his prison sentence has been lowered by 1-1/2 years, which means it is sentenced to 9-1/2 years in prison. The deportation after sentence served remains in effect.


The high court took into account that Nazari was judged to be suffering from a serious mental disorder when the murder was committed and that he voluntarily turned himself in.


The normal sentence for murder, according to the high court, is 14 years in prison for an adult, but since Nazari was 19-years-old when the murder was committed, he received a reduction for age.




Another Season Down the Tubes for the (Cleveland) Brown Shirts : Hitler Reacts




My latest Hitler parody masterpiece as the Cleveland Brown Shirts' number one fan, reacts to their
 latest El Floppo.




Saturday, December 21, 2019

Germany: Merkel on the Hot Seat

Hat tip Gates of Vienna and Vlad Tepes. Translation by Miss Piggy.


                                                                                            (Just kidding.)


The conservative Alternatif fuer Deutschland party continues to be a burr under Angela Merkel's saddle. In this recent  Bundestag session, two AfD members ask Merkel pointed questions about the massive crime wave by migrants in Germany and Germany's "support" of Israel in the UN.

In the first video, Gottfried Curio asks Chancellor Merkel if she is willing to accept responsibility for the rash of migrant crime in Germany. This is in the wake of a deadly assault on a German man in Augsburg. Note Merkel's feckless answer.




In the second video, Jürgen Braun queries Merkel about the numerous anti-Israel votes cast in the UN by Germany's ambassador to the UN. Again, Merkel offers up a weak defense.





https://gatesofvienna.net/2019/12/angela-merkel-grilled-by-the-afd-in-the-bundestag/

Sweden Is Being Humiliated

Hat tip Gates of Vienna and Vlad Tepes. Translation by Kronans Martell and Ullis News


Viewer warning; Disturbing video.

As Gates of Vienna warns, this video shows a Swedish boy being attacked by migrants, beaten, robbed, and urinated upon.




https://gatesofvienna.net/2019/12/a-swedish-boy-feels-himself-subdued/

This is what the Swedish government, like so many other Western European governments, has done to its own populace. It has pissed on them.

*Update (12-22). A Swedish friend of mine (in Sweden) uploaded this video onto YouTube. It has been deleted for violating their community standards.

France: Antifa Thugs Disrupt Nativity Performance

Hat tip Gates of Vienna and Vlad Tepes. Translation by Miss Piggy.


Even though most Europeans proudly consider themselves secular, they still celebrate the Christian heritage during the Christmas season. Unfortunately, these are under attack these days in Europe, either from Muslim terrorists who attack Christmas markets with bombs, or by their allies in the Antifa movement, an international organization of left-wing thugs.

In this report from Toulouse, we have a report with video of what Antifa did to disrupt a nativity scene on December 14.




Friday, December 20, 2019

"Jewish Students Have Endured Enough"

Hat tip Algemeiner



-Algemeiner


I am cross-posting an article written Melissa Landa of Alliance for Israel. The theme and the title concern the situation on far too many campuses across America: "Jewish Students Have Endured Enough". It concerns the atmosphere of fear and intimidation many Jewish students feel on US campuses courtesy of the pro-Palestinian forces.

https://www.algemeiner.com/2019/12/19/jewish-students-have-endured-enough/

I note that the above photo featured on the Algemeiner article is from UC Irvine, where I taught part -time (1998-2016). I have had the pleasure of meeting a couple of those young people in the photo. In fact, I would have been present that night except I was undergoing a medical procedure. This was the third consecutive year that a pro-Israel  event on campus was loudly disrupted requiring a police "response".  I was present at the 2017 disruption and videotaped it.

Now that President Trump has signed his executive order relative to campus anti-Semitism, it is time to stand up and fight back. That includes holding university administrators and the universities themselves accountable if they fail to protect the rights of Jewish students on campus. Enough is enough.

Which Party Cares About Anti-Semitism?

Hat tip Amcha Initiative


Yesterday, 8 members of Congress, all Republicans, sent a letter to Secretary of Education Betty DeVos alerting her that many university Middle East departments are misusing their Title VI funding by trying to implement an academic boycott of Israel. Below is a message I received from the Amcha Initiative.

https://amchainitiative.org/congressional-devos-12-20-19pr/

Comment: The Amcha Initiative is non-partisan and made no editorial comment on the fact that all 8 members who signed the letter were Republicans., They merely listed their names (with the customary R/D-state designation). They made no editorial comment on the fact that one of those members attempted to introduce an amendment on the issue, but that it was voted down along party lines. Being a non-partisan organization concerned with a particular issue-campus anti-Semitism- that is entirely proper on their part.

Though I am not a member of either party, I will take the liberty of pointing out that all the referenced members of Congress were Republicans and that it was the committee Democrat majority who voted down an amendment.

I hope that American Jews are taking notice of these developments-especially those who support the Democrat party and attack President Trump (and in some cases call him an anti-Semite).

Which party supports Israel and which party is split?

Which party is taking the lead on campus anti-Semitism and which party either supports the Palestinians or is afraid to anger them?

Which party do Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib and Keith Ellison belong to?

Which president signed an executive order demanding that universities protect their Jewish students?

I honestly feel that more and more Democrats (just like more and more Hispanics and blacks) are changing their minds about which party is taking action to make their lives better and safer vs which party just talks, promises and does nothing.

Thursday, December 19, 2019

Ridouan Taghi Back in Netherlands

Ridouan Taghi


Ridouan Taghi, the Netherlands' most wanted fugitive, who was arrested this week in Dubai, has been sent back to the Netherlands although there is no extradition treaty between the two countries.
Ridouan, the leader of a Moroccan criminal gang, is charged with multiple homicides and cocaine trafficking.

https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2019/12/19/High-value-fugitive-captured-in-Dubai-sent-back-to-Netherlands/9061576781388/

BDS and the New Anti-Semitism

Hat tip Adam Milstein






I am cross-posting a report sent to me by Adam Milstein. It is entitled, "The New Anti-Semites" and is authored by the Zachor Legal Institute and Stop Anti-Semitism.org.

The report describes how the BDS movement (Boycott, Divest and Sanctions) against the Jewish state of Israel is contributing to the resurgence in anti-Semitism today.

It is my strong conviction that the campaign of hate and disinformation against Israel by the pro-Palestinian forces, particularly on our college campuses, is driving most of the anti-Semitism we see in America today if not worldwide.

It also illustrates how the anti-Israel forces have found support from certain white supremacists and neo-Nazis like David Duke and the Daily Stormer using ancient and traditional anti-Jewish tropes.

I urge you to read this report.


https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5cc20f51ca525b73bdd50e3a/t/5df73bfe4b14fd7c68a52cb1/1576484029584/The+New+Anti-Semites.pdf

Bulgaria: How Europe "Gets Ready" for Christmas

Hat tip Gates of Vienna and Vlad Tepes. Translation by Tania T.






The Europeans may not care much about Christianity any more, but they still uphold the Christmas tradition. That includes those charming Christmas markets. Unfortunately, however, the markets have become a target for Muslim terrorists as evidenced by places such as Berlin and Strasbourg. All over Europe, security measures are now being put in place in anticipation of the Religion of Peace making its own statements about Christmas and Christianity. The above report comes to us from Bulgaria.


Trump-Biden: Who Did Worse?

This article first appeared in New English Review.



As we watched Wednesday's  impeachment play out in the House of Representatives, there is one basic question that must be asked-and will be asked when this goes to the Senate for trial: Which was worse-Trump's request that the president of Ukraine conduct an investigation into the actions of some Ukrainians during the 2016 election-with no reference to US foreign aid, or then Vice President Biden's demand that the then president of Ukraine fire the chief prosecutor who was investigating corruption in Ukraine-which included the energy company, Burisma, which had hired Biden's son to be on their board of directors? Biden's demand was directly tied to US aid. He told the Ukrainian president that if the prosecutor wasn't fired within 6 hours (when Biden was scheduled to return from Ukraine to the US) one billion dollars in US aid would be canceled. He got exactly what he wanted.

Trump, in his call to President Zelenskyy, also asked him to investigate the actions of the Bidens. He could have been cautious and let it go since Biden was a leading candidate to run against him in 2020, and he (Trump) would be accused by the Democrats of acting in his own political interest. To do so would be to give the Joe Bidens of the world a license to steal, virtual immunity for his (Biden's) corrupt actions in protecting his son.

And in comparing the actions of Donald Trump and Joe Biden vis-a-vis Ukraine, what is the standard of proof? The Democrats have relied on a tip -to Adam Schiff's office- by a disgruntled and (officially) unidentified "whistle blower", who they won't produce as a witness and who got his information second hand. It relies on other government witnesses like Lt. Colonel Alexander Vindman, and State Department officials who felt or presumed that Trump's request was improper.

In contrast, Trump released a transcript of the call-the accuracy of which is unchallenged by the Democrats. There was no quid pro quo, no demand, no explicit threat. One could reasonably infer that Trump was sending a subtle message to Zelenskyy-even though the Ukrainians were unaware at that point that the aid had been held up- but nobody can honestly say that that transcript is a smoking gun.

But what is the standard of proof as to Joe Biden's actions in Ukraine while he was vice president? We have his full confession. Confession is actually not the proper word. He was bragging about it while speaking to the Council on Foreign Relations. And we don't have to rely on a transcript. We have the video.

Even if you feel that Trump was wrong or that his conversation with Zelenskyy was improper, compare it to what Vice President Joe Biden did. There was nothing subtle. There was no need to make inferences. No presumptions were necessary. Quid pro quo? That was Joe Biden. Abuse of power? That was Joe Biden.

Now that the windbags in the House have had their say and voted to impeach, these questions will be front and center during the Senate trial. I don't know whether Joe or Hunter Biden will have to testify, but their names will be there front and center. It must be and will be part of the discussion at the trial. It was Joe Biden's actions as vice president on behalf of his son that (partially) led to the contested conversation between Presidents Trump and Zelenskyy. The Democrats in the House may have been able to keep it from public scrutiny during the impeachment proceedings, but the Senate Democrats cannot do that during the Senate trial.

I predict that the coming Senate trial will be much more damaging to Joe Biden than it will be to President Trump.

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

Hatem Bazian's Trader Joes Boycott Flop

Hat tip Pro-Israel Bay Bloggers


Hatem Bazian


UC Berkeley Professor Hatem Bazian, who is usually busy trying to destroy the Jewish state of Israel, has recently called for a boycott of Trader Joes. Why? Because Trader Joes sells Israeli food products. So Bazian gets on his Facebook page and calls for a boycott of the company.

Guess what?

Business is booming and Israeli products are flying off the shelves. Pro-Israel Bay Bloggers has the report.

http://proisraelbaybloggers.blogspot.com/2019/12/hatem-bazians-bds-feta-fail-at-trader.html

Bazian, who washed up on our shores from the West Bank, studied at San Francisco State University, and immediately began harassing Jewish students on campus over the Israel issue. He went on to get a PhD and become a professor at UC Berkeley, from where he has continued his anti-Israel campaign. He has co-founded a number of toxic organizations including Students for Justice in Palestine, a brown shirt student organization dedicated to disrupting pro-Israel events and intimidating Jewish pro-Israel students. He also co-founded American Muslims for Palestine, which provides funding to SJP. Moreover, Bazian co-founded something at UCB called the Islamophobia Research and Documentation Center, which largely exists in a small room on campus with a computer with just enough mini-bytes to contain all the "Islamophobic" incidents against Muslims in America. Too bad he didn't found an "Islamic Crimes Against Humanity Research and Documentation Center". That would have merited an entire building with hundreds of computers and billions of giga-bytes.

I have seen this man speak three times, twice at UC Irvine and once at Loyola Marymount University. The latter event was put on by local Islamists and dedicated to promoting sharia law. On one occasion at UC Irvine, I asked him pointedly about anti-Jewish statements that had been attributed to him. I got no straight answer.

Having taught part-time at UC Irvine (1998-2016), I know that UCI and the UC system as a whole have many good, professional  teachers and educators. Unfortunately, they are overshadowed by the radical left-wing activists, many of whom are driven by a hatred of Israel as a Jewish state. Like universities all over the country, they have brought discredit and embarrassment to their respective institutions-not to mention exploding anti-Semitism. Hatem Bazian is right up there at the top.

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Netherlands: The Arrest of Ridouan Taghi

Here is a Dutch news report on the arrest in Dubai of the biggest fugitive in the Netherlands, Ridouan Taghi, a Moroccan mafia leader who is charged with multiple murders and drug trafficking. Translation by Fousesquawk. Editing and sub-titling by Gates of Vienna and Vlad Tepes respectively.

UC Beserkely Is Still Beserkely-and Still Anti-Jewish





Checking out the latest news from UC Berkeley, we note that nothing has changed when it comes to anti-Israel and anti-Jewish agitation. In the first article running this week in the campus fishwrap, Daily Californian, we learn that the pro-Palestinian mob, specifically, the oddly named Jewish Voice for Peace, is upset over President Trump's executive order on campus anti-Semitism. I added a comment in the reader thread to the effect that JVP is a bunch of misfits who have linked up with those who would wipe Israel off the map and remove all Jews from the Holy Land if they could.

https://www.dailycal.org/2019/12/16/uc-berkeley-student-group-protests-executive-order-on-anti-semitism/

Next we have an op-ed by the president of the Cal Berkeley Democrats against hate speech. What the writer means is that conservative speakers should be banned from campus- as well as those menacing campus cops (who, in reality, just stand around while students disrupt conservative speaking events).

https://www.dailycal.org/2019/12/07/campus-must-stand-united-against-hate-speech/


And from Algemeiner, we learn about a pro-Palestinian display honoring Palestinian murderers like Rasmea Odeh. And Bears for Palestine have the temerity to complain about the "constant fear" they feel on campus.

https://www.algemeiner.com/2019/12/16/anti-zionist-students-at-uc-berkeley-condemned-for-display-showcasing-palestinian-hijacker-bombers/

You talk about a place where the inmates run the institution.

Hitler Learns the Truth About Baltimore





This is a restoration of a Hitler parody video that I had to take down for technical reasons. It was previously posted during the flap over President Trump's comments about Baltimore.





WTF? Who Dug Up Reinhard Heydrich's Grave?

Reinhard Heydrich (far right) pictured alongside Adolf Hitler in Vienna in 1938

"Was it you, mein Fuehrer?"


Things just get stranger and stranger in Germany these days. Last week, in the evening hours between Wednesday and Thursday, vandals dug up the unmarked grave of Reinhard Heydrich (pictured above right) at the Invalidenhof Cemetery in Berlin. The news has just been announced today. Police report that his bones were left undisturbed, and the grave was covered back up (below).





Heydrich was assassinated in Prague during World War II by Czech partisans who had been dropped into then-Czechoslovakia by the British. He was given a state funeral in Berlin, but after the war, his grave marker was removed. Yet, the exact location of the grave has been pretty much an open secret all these years.



The funeral



During WW II

Heydrich was one of most evil figures of the Third Reich and is considered one of the prime archtitects of the Holocaust.

I would imagine that the German government will now move the bones permanently to a secret location similar to what was done to Rudolf Hess's remains after his grave became a place of pilgrimage for Germany's neo-Nazi crazies. We can also look forward to a rash of Heydrich grave jokes, so I might as well get a head start.

Monday, December 16, 2019

Moroccan Mafia Boss Busted in Dubai

Ridouan Taghi
Ridouan Taghi


Ridouan Taghi, the leader of a Moroccan mafia gang of drug dealers and killers operating in the Netherlands, has been busted today in Dubai. The below article from Dagelijkse Standaard is translated by Fousesquawk.


https://www.dagelijksestandaard.nl/2019/12/hoera-levensgevaarlijke-moordkansenparel-ridouan-taghi-is-opgepakt-in-dubai/

Hurray! Dangerous Ridouan Taghi is arrested in Dubai


The Netherlands, and the entire world, is a little bit safer. The Dutch-Moroccan super villain Ridouan Taghi, the brains behind many murders in the past years,  is arrested by the police in Dubai and locked up. A magnificent report on this grey December day.

Hip hip, Hooray! In the past years, the Moroccan-born (but Netherlands raised) super villain, Ridouan Taghi, has sown a trail of death and violence in our country with the low point being the murder of a lawyer for a so-called crown witness. The unscrupulous lowlife thought he could escape by bathing in luxury in Dubai, but luckily for us and unfortunately for this Moroccan bad guy, the Netherlands has international connections. Therefore, the police can report this afternoon:

"The Dubai police on Monday, 16 December, have arrested the fugitive, Ridouan T. in an apartment in Dubai. This occurred in close cooperation with the Dutch police and the Public Prosecutor. Among others, he is suspected of involvement-(as the one who gave the order)- in several murders."

The arrest of Ridouan T. is thanks to the relentless efforts of the Dutch police and intensive international cooperation with the Dubai police. Their help was essential. "I express great credit for the professional methods of our colleagues and those in Dubai," says police chief Erik Akerboom, who expressed his thanks to his counterpart in Dubai. "The arrest of T. is of great importance to the Netherlands. With his criminal activities, T. and his henchmen were a threat to the (rule of law). It is the job of the police to do everything to protect the rule of law and remove the threats." The capture happened among others due to the exchange of information from Dutch police and intense international cooperation. A team of 100 investigators and specialists from the national police worked day and night on the trail of the fugitive suspect. "In today's world, the building of a strategic cooperation is more important than ever, and by working closely with each other, it is possible to act effectively and decisively. The arrest of Ridouan T. is a good example of that here," says Jannine van den Berg, chief of national police unit.

This murder and travel loving drug criminal will now probably be extradited to the Netherlands. And then it is hoped that a judge will give this freak life in prison, and he will never have the chance to continue his criminal empire, here or in Dubai
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

One lesson I learned while working overseas with DEA. Nothing is more important than international cooperation. This is huge news in the Netherlands today. Congratulations to both countries for capturing a vicious criminal. It is now up to the Dutch legal system to take care of this guy once and for all. Keep your fingers crossed.

Sunday, December 15, 2019

Turkey's Efforts to Radicalize its Diaspora

Hat tip Gates of Vienna and Miss Piggy


I am cross-posting an article from Gates of Vienna. It is a translation (by MIss Piggy) of an article in the Berlin Morgenpost describing the effortds of the Turkish governmemnt and its religious affairs arm in Germany, Ditib, to campaign against Christmas in Germany. The article is written by Jen Meyer-Wellmann.

https://gatesofvienna.net/2019/12/the-christmas-haters-of-ditib/

Comment: I visited Turkey twice in the 1980s before the advent of Erdogan. I was favorably impressed at that time. I have also followed the progress of the Turkish community in Germany over the decades. When they first arrived as guest workers, they were subject to discrimination. Many have stayed, persevered and succeeded. Others have not. It is sad to see Turkey's European diaspora succumbing to the intolerance and radicalism of Erdogan and his henchmen. This can only result in a  further alienation from the rest of German (and European) society.

Not that most Europeans care about Christianity much anymore, but they still consider Christmas part of their culture. That is why we see a rise in attacks against Christmas markets around Europe. I expect it will happen against this year.

Saturday, December 14, 2019

Congressmen Call for Investigation of ICNA

Hat tip Front Page Magazine


I am cross-posting an article in Frontpage Magazine by Cathy Hinners, NYPD retired. The article reports that three US Congressmen are calling for an investigation into the fund raising activities of the Islamic Circle of North America and Helping Hands for Relief and Development.


https://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/2019/12/congressmen-want-us-islamist-organizations-frontpagemagcom/

I wholeheartedly concur. ICNA is known to be associated with the Pakistani Islamic supremacist  group, Jamaat-e-Islami.

There is something quite fishy about all the  fundraising activities of ICNA, HHRD, and many other US-based  Islamic organization, such as CAIR, ISNA (Islamic Society of North America), Muslim American Society, Muslim Public Affairs Council and others. Every time you turn around, they are holding fund raising dinners.

We all remember the 2007-08 Holy Land Foundation trial in Dallas. This group was convicted of diverting charity funds to terror groups in the Middle East. I have a hunch there are a few more Holy Land Foundations out there.


Roger Gardner of Radarsite




Roger Gardner, who passed away in 2009, was the creator of Radarsite. He was a proud American patriot and military veteran. He was also  instrumental in helping get me started with my own blog, Fousesquawk. Prior to his passing, he allowed me to post articles on Radarsite. Since his passing, I have continued to post occasional articles there to keep the site going in his name. I must admit, I don't do this often enough. Today, while posting an article, I checked the readers' comments and saw that back in July, Norman H. of Stormin' Norman blog had posted a video of Roger which was sent in by Roger's son. Now that I have found it, I am belatedly posting this, and I apologize for not being more attentive.  Roger was a remarkable man, and he was also musically gifted as you see in this video.

Friday, December 13, 2019

UC Santa Cruz Middle East Propaganda Center's New Head

Hat tip Campus Watch

"America's Wackiest University"


Along with the various ethnic, gender, LGBQ, and women's studies departments on university campuses, the Middle East Studies departments tend to be the worst when it comes to propaganda and indoctrination. In recent years, many of them have been funded with Saudi money. In some cases, they have been established with Saudi money. They routinely specialize in anti-Western, anti-Israel, pro-Arab, pro-Islamic BS. They are one of the leading causes of the wave of anti-Semitism sweeping our campuses. In short, they are an embarrassment to the very concept of education and scholarship.

So it is hardly surprising that UC Santa Cruz (America's Wackiest University) would choose another dime-a-dozen anti-Israel, pro-BDS activist to head up their new Center for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Meet Jennifer Derr.

 https://www.meforum.org/campus-watch/60085/uc-santa-cruz-taps-prof-who-pushed-the-academic

How refreshing it would be to see a Middle East studies department chaired by someone who is pro-Israel. For that matter, even a professor or two would be helpful.

As pointed out by Campus Watch, Derr taught a class in 2014 entitled, "The History of Palestine: From Colonialism to Occupation." Gee, where have I heard that before? She should been fired for plagiarism. What's next, a class on the History of the Lost City of Atlantis?

Or how about this?

"Jennifer Derr’s work explores the configuration and experience of the colonial state in Egypt through its construction of the agricultural environments that lined the banks of the Nile River. Derr traces the intersections of the colonial state in Egypt with the material experiences of environmental infrastructure, resource allocation, disease, and  the geographies of colonial capitalism."

Far be it from me to debate Middle East history with Derr (who has lived ten years in the region). Her area of expertise seems to be in disease outbreaks that occurred in Egypt in the 20th century, which she links to colonial agriculture (in this case, the Brits) and Nile dam construction. I am not arguing the history because I am not qualified, but do I sense a bit of post-colonial emphasis here on blaming all of the problems of the Middle East on the West, colonialism and capitalism? Just asking. After all, that is a large part of Middle East studies teaching in our universities. 

Of course, if Derr is such an expert on the Middle East, some wise guy like me (who is not) might ask the learned professor why she doesn't support a boycott of say, Syria, Sudan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia or virtually every other country in the region besides Israel. I would even throw in neighboring countries like Iran and Turkey.

UCSC's own announcement of the establishment of this center, which is also linked in the above CW article, also raised my eyebrows a bit. Particularly this item:

"In addition to the support of faculty in various divisions, this campaign had the full support of the Jewish Studies Program.
“One cannot have a complete understanding of the Jewish past without studying the Middle East and North Africa; likewise, one cannot have a complete understanding of the MENA without studying the region's Jews,” said Alma Heckman, assistant professor of history and Jewish Studies, and the Neufeld-Levin Chair of Holocaust Studies at UC Santa Cruz.
“Since the ancient past, Jews have lived across the MENA region, from Morocco to Iran and everywhere in between,” she added. “Jewish Studies and MENA Studies are inherently complementary. Working in tandem with the UCSC Center for Jewish Studies, the new MENA Center enriches the unique programmatic offerings at UCSC that connect across Jewish and MENA studies.” 

Working in tandem? I can't wait to see how that works out. I know nothing about Dr Heckman, and I agree with her words in the second paragraph. However, I seriously wonder how any Jewish studies department, given the current climate and state of Middle East studies departments in the US, could welcome the establishment of such a center at UCSC, especially when it is headed by a supporter of BDS.

This new center is new. Both it and its director deserve a chance to show how they will proceed. Perhaps, MENA and the Jewish studies department will work harmoniously together. Perhaps, MENA will teach serious scholarship and not just be a propaganda center against the West and Israel. I would be surprised if that turns out to be the case, but I am willing to wait and see. (What else can Little Ol' Me do?) If my suspicions are proved correct, maybe the Department of Education will take a close look at UCSC given President Trump's inclination to cut funding for universities that tolerate anti-Semitism.