University of California and DEI

Hat tip Campus Reform

"You may also want to review and ask candidates to review the helpful video by Vice Chancellor Doug Haynes summarizing Guidelines for Writing Diversity Statements for Faculty Applicants. A helpful example of Faculty Contributions to Inclusive Excellence can be viewed here." 

-From UC Irvine rubric

The University of California is determined to get around the recent US Supreme Court ruling striking down race-based affirmative action in admissions. California also has similar laws against race-based admissions and hiring practices in state colleges and universities.

The new institution of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is alive and growing in the state's universities. Indeed, it has become a giant industry all over the country. Despite its lofty name, it actually engages in dividing people according to race, in effect discriminating not only against whites but Jews and Asians as well. Jews because DEI considers them merely as part of the "privileged" white class (to say nothing of pro-Palestinian solidarity) and Asians due to their high percentage among students-at least in the UC system.

I am cross-posting the below article from Campus Reform which illustrates how the UC system is circumventing the laws prohibiting affirmative action in hiring and admissions. 

https://www.campusreform.org/article?id=23700

Did you see the grading rubrics used by UC Santa Cruz ("America's Wackiest University"), UC Berkeley, and UC Irvine to access an applicant's commitment to diversity? Pretty Orwellian, isn't it? It actually underlines what critics of academia bemoan as the lack of diversity when it comes to thought in our universities.

Changing standards to achieve diversity is only achieving cosmetic results. We all want to see more black and Hispanic students studying and succeeding in college. To get there, changes and improvements need to be accomplished at the secondary education level-as well as societal changes, the drug and gang problems, for example. Take the Los Angeles Unified School District (of which I am a product): For years, the district has suffered from low graduation rates. Just what are the colleges supposed to do to address that?

As a famous scientist once observed, we have created a monster.

The Latest Trump Indictment: This is Scary

Jack Smith

                                                                           

This latest round of charges against ex-President Trump brought by Jack Smith should disturb even Trump's worst enemies. In essence, Smith, who has a long track record of being a political hack disguised as a prosecutor, has charged Trump for saying that the 2020 election was stolen. Thank about that.

At the time, there were plenty of accusations going around about monkey business going on in the vote count centers of places like Atlanta, Philadelphia, and Milwaukee. Today, millions of Americans believe, rightfully or wrongfully, that the election was stolen. Do I believe it? Honestly, I don't know. Former AG, William Barr, when asked the same during testimony before Congress, stated "not to the extent that it changed the election result". I respect Barr's opinion, so my personal belief is that there may have been fraud, but I don't know if the election was actually stolen. I don't have the proof.

But back to Trump. Jack Smith charges that Trump propagated a lie- which he knew was a lie. And that is the crux of the latest charges. Think what you will about Trump. From the day after the election to now, he has been consistent. He truly believes that the election was stolen. He exercised not only his right to free speech but also exercised his legal and constitutional avenues of appeal, which failed. 

If Jack Smith intends to prove that Trump actually knew that there was no voter fraud, how does he go about doing that? Can he read Trump's mind? In actuality, he would need some first-hand testimony from someone whom Trump confided in backed up by a tape-recorded conversation with the ex-president. I seriously doubt that exists. So just what law prevents Trump from proclaiming, "I was robbed"?

Of course, the absurdity of it all didn't prevent a couple of MSNBC legal "experts" from describing the indictment in hagiographic terms, as some sort of masterpiece of writing that flows across the paper etc...You would have thought it was written by Shakespeare. More likely by Robespierre, whom Mr. Smith is resembling more with each passing day.

This indictment is so egregious that it calls out for a dismissal by a judge or higher court. Unfortunately, in Washington DC, that is not likely, at least until it reaches the US Supreme Court. Of course, when the day finally arrives that the Supreme Court rules in Trump's favor, the MSNBCs of the world will scream political interference. But that's where we are right now. A weaponized Justice Department, under Merrick Garland, is doing all it can to remove Trump from the 2024 election. In fact, ever since the 2016 presidential election campaign, the DOJ and FBI have been doing all they can to submarine and destroy Trump, while, at the same time, whitewashing the crimes of Hillary Clinton and the Biden family. Compare, if you will, the wildly disparate treatment of Clinton and the Bidens with that being meted out to Trump. 

If the DOJ can go after Trump for expressing his belief that the election was stolen from him, is anyone who believes the same and says so publicly safe?

As any regular reader of this humble blog knows, I am retired from the Drug Enforcement Administration, which is in the Department of Justice. In all my life, there is nothing I am prouder of than having been a DEA agent. When I served, the DOJ was a decent and honorable department, no matter who was president and who was attorney general. Today, however, I am ashamed of what this Department of Justice has become. 

France Evacuates its Nationals From Niger

The situation in Niger is deteriorating after the July 26 military coup. On Sunday, thousands of coup supporters protested in front of the French embassy in Niamey and had to be dispersed by tear gas. France has now begun evacuating its citizens from the former French colony and other European countries may do the same.

We are also monitoring the French-language press reporting in Niger. Actu Niger, which is linked on this site, seems to be reporting various aspects of the coup including statements in opposition from abroad. Thus far, however, I have found no mention of the demonstration Sunday in front of the French embassy. One must assume that the Nigerienne press is operating under limited freedom.

The below article from today's France Bleu is translated by Fousesquawk.

 https://www.francebleu.fr/infos/international/niger-la-france-va-organiser-une-operation-d-evacuation-tres-prochainement-5354227

In Niger, the operation for the evacuation of French nationals has begun. France decided to evacuate its nationals on Tuesday, "in view of the situation in Niamey", the Foreign Affairs Ministry announced in a press release. The president of Niger was overthrown by a military coup on 26 July 2023.

-Tuesday, August 1, 2023 at 08:52-updated Tuesday August 1, 2023 at 20:53.

Almost a week after the military coup d'etat in Niger, France decided Tuesday to evacuate its nationals from Niger, "in view of the situation in Niamey, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced in a press release. The security situation has worsened for French nationals after a demonstration in front of the French embassy in Niamey on Sunday. "This violence against our embassy and the closure of air space leaves our compatriots without the possibility to leave the country by their own means," explains the Quai d'Orsay (Europe and Foreign Affairs Ministry). 

Three planes, Airbus A330, and A330 MRTT (multi-roles) departed from an air base in southern France to the civilian airport at  Niamey, according to the General Staff. A first plane took off from Tuesday night from Niamey and will land "early in the evening" at the Charles de Gaulle Paris-Roissy Airport, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced to Agence France Presse. "There are 262 persons on board the plane, which is an Airbus A330, including a dozen babies," stated Catherine Colonna. "Almost all of the passengers are compatriots," she noted, adding that there are "some European nationals."

The message sent earlier on Tuesday by the French embassy to French (nationals) in Niger indicated that "this operation is in coordination with the Nigerienne forces," and instructed French nationals that they will have to "get to the gathering point by their own means". 

Some 600 French in Niger

Some 600 French people are currently in Niger. The evacuation is being carried out on a voluntary basis and the take-off of the planes will be "in concert with the number of nationals at the Niamey airport and who decides to leave", without knowing if this evacuation will take several days. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs added that France could also evacuate "European nationals who wish to leave the country". Italy has also announced that it is prepared to evacuate (its) nationals from Niamey.

On Monday, the military, led by General Abdourahmane Tiani, who took power in Niger and overthrew Mohamed Bazoum, accused France of wanting to "militarily intervene", which France denied. The West African neighbors of Niger threatened on Sunday to use "force" if President Bazoum was not restored to office within 7 days, a decision supported by Niamey's Western partners, including France, ex-colonial power in the Sahel region, undermined by jihadist violence. In response, Monday evening, Burkina Faso and Mali affirmed that any military intervention to restore Mohamed Bazoum would be considered, "as a declaration of war" against their two countries.

The head of French diplomacy, Catherine Colonna, denounced the anti-French slogans that were notably (expressed) during a demonstration in front of the French embassy in Niamey Sunday. Thousands of demonstrators favorable to the military putsch attempted to enter the embassy before being dispersed by tear gas canisters.

It is the first time such a massive evacuation of French people has taken place in the Sahel, where other coups d'etat have occurred in Mali and Burkina Faso since 2020. On the other hand, the evacuation of French military personnel posted in Niger, "is not on the agenda," the General Staff of the Armies stated.

El Camino College Commencement Speaker

Jana Abulaban

El Camino College is a two-year community college located in Torrance, California near Los Angeles. There is a controversy there getting national attention. On June 9, during a commencement speech, a graduating speaker, Jana Abulaban, accused Israel of "torturing and killing Palestinian people". Abulaban, who immigrated with her parents to the US from Jordan at the age of 12, identifies as a Palestinian.

Part of the reason the news story caught my eye is that when I was playing baseball at Santa Monica Community College in 1964-65, El Camino was in our conference; thus, I had the opportunity to play against their team both at their ballpark and ours.

Of course, the more important reason is that this is an issue I care about. Thus, I would like to weigh in here. I should also note that the university has properly issued a statement distancing itself from the speaker's vitriolic remarks. Not surprisingly, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has taken issue with that. Below is what I wrote today to the campus newspaper, The Union:

First of all, the young lady has the right of free speech, so nobody is arguing that she should be prosecuted. Some have opined that her speech should have been interrupted, and she should have been removed from the stage. I don't agree with that either. But those of us who disagree also enjoy the right to speak out, and Abulaban is not protected from criticism for her remarks. It comes down to this: Is what she said anti-Semitic? That requires a long answer. Criticism of Israeli policies against the Palestinians is not anti-Semitic per se-as pro-Israel leaders and organizations concede. Yet, as I often, do, I have to go back to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's working definition of anti-Semitism. There are elements pertaining to Israel that are considered anti-Semitic: For example, comparing Israel to Nazi Germany, holding all Jews responsible for the actions of Israel, accusing American Jews of having dual loyalty, applying a double standard to Israel not applied to any other democratic country, denying the Jewish people a right to their own state, and accusing Israel of harvesting organs from Palestinian corpses, a canard that goes back to the ancient libel of Jews using the blood of Christian children to make matzo.   

On a more practical level, I have personally seen and heard anti-Semitic images and words during anti-Israel events, mostly at UC Irvine, where I taught part-time from 1998-2016. In the name and cause of the Palestinian people, groups like Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and the UCI chapter of the Muslim Student Union (MSU) have regularly invited speakers to UCI who have crossed the line from mere criticism of Israel to outright anti-Jewish utterances. As examples, I can mention people like Washington DC-based imam  Muhammed al-Asi, Oakland imam  Amir Abdel Malik Ali,   Abdul Alim Musa, British writer Ben White, BDS (Boycott, Divest and Sanctions against Israel) co-founder, Omar Barghouti, Cynthia McKinney, UC Berkeley professor Hatem Bazian, Council on American Islamic Relations CEOs, Zahra Billoo and  Hussam Ayloush (more on him below). 

Amir Abdel Malik Ali

I could also mention the regular disruptions of pro-Israel events by SJP and MSU, not only at UC Irvine, which I have personally witnessed, but on campuses across the nation. I could mention the disgusting stereotypical anti-Jewish caricature of Ariel  Sharon I saw at the 2008 anti-Israel week of events at UC Irvine in 2008.

I could go on and on, but I call particular attention to Ayloush, the long-time Southern California CAIR CEO, who has often been accused of anti-Semitism. In 2015, Ayloush appeared as a panelist at the Islamic Center (mosque) of Orange County in Garden Grove. It was a public event dedicated to the issue of countering violent extremism, a theme fostered during the Obama administration and centered around extremism in certain American mosques. Ayloush asked why there was so much attention placed on a few American Muslim men who went off to join ISIS and no attention placed on the thousands of Jewish American men who went to join the Israeli Defense Forces "killing the Palestinians". I was present, and I videotaped it.

Hussam Ayloush

It is this same Hussam Ayloush who the El Camino campus newspaper, The Union, communicated with to get his take on the Abulaban controversy.

In fact, CAIR is itself an anti-Jewish organization. It is an arm of the Muslim Brotherhood and is linked to Hamas, a terrorist organization that rules Gaza. It is an obscenity that the current administration in Washington has invited CAIR to participate in its campaign to fight anti-Semitism.

My whole point is that the entire pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel movement on our college campuses is anti-Jewish to its core. They can insist all they want that they are not anti-Jewish, only anti-Zionist. They can trot out all their misguided Jewish speakers, like Norman Finklestein, and Jewish SJP members as "proof" they are not anti-Jewish. However, their long track record speaks for itself.

Finklestein at UC Irvine. That's me in front reading the newspaper.

I am not asking El Camino College to take any negative action against Ms Abulaban.  I am not accusing her of personally being anti-Semitic. The college has issued a statement distancing itself from the words she spoke. I would just hope that the college administration,. the students and the campus newspaper be aware of what is really going on with this well-orchestrated, well-financed campus movement against Israel, and most importantly, against all the denials, that it is deeply anti-Jewish in nature.  

The Issue of Burning Korans

 Recent events in Sweden and to a lesser extent in Denmark have brought back the issue of Koran burnings to the world stage. Over the past few months, a Swedish-Danish activist, Rasmus Paludan, staged Koran-burning demonstrations in several Swedish cities with resultant riots. A Koran-burning demonstration near the Turkish embassy in Stockholm outraged Turklish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, causing a diplomatic crisis and endangering efforts to get  Turkey to agree to Sweden's application to join NATO.

More recently, an Iraqi immigrant staged his own Koran  desecration event in front of the Iraqi embassy in Stockholm. That resulted in the Swedish embassy in Baghdad being attacked by a mob and Iraq breaking off diplomatic relations with Sweden.

In the midst of all this, people like Erdogan and the 56-member nation Organization of Islamic Cooperation have called for Sweden and other countries to outlaw the burning of Korans. Sweden thus far, is insisting that its laws do not permit them to interfere with freedom of expression. As an added twist, Sweden has granted demonstration permits to a couple of activists who wanted to burn Torahs, as if the Jews had anything to do with this.

So at least in Europe, the question of freedom of speech is back in play. when it comes to insulting religions.

My own opinion is that it is unwise to burn or otherwise desecrate the holy books of any religion, including Islam. It must be remembered that to desecrate a Koran is not only offensive to the terrorists, Islamists, groups like Al Qaeda and ISIS, as well as people like the dictator Erdogan, it is offensive to every Muslim in the world. Robert Spencer, the well-known Islamic scholar (and critic) of Islam, has said that we should not burn the Koran; rather we should read it. That also means knowing how to properly interpret it since it is full of verses that contradict each other when it comes to relations with non-Muslims. Further confusing the issue, the chapters, or suras, are not in chronological order as revealed to the Prophet Mohammed. They are ordered from longest suras to the shortest (exception Sura 1, which is part of the Muslims' daily prayers.) If one were to organize the suras chronologically,  it would be much clearer especially when compared alongside the life of Mohammed as he changed from being a street preacher in Mecca to a warlord in Medina. That is why the Medina chapters are more violent and intolerant. Islamic scholars, who are considered the utmost authority on questions of Islamic teaching, have put forth the principle of abrogation, in other words, in any conflicting verses in the Koran, those recorded later in time abrogate any earlier conflicting verses. Then it all makes sense.

But I digress.

While I oppose the desecration of Korans or the holy books of any other religion, I hope that Sweden-and other Western democracies- resist the efforts of the above persons or groups to change their laws and limit freedom of expression. We Christians in the US were outraged a few decades ago when some jerk put a  small crucifix in a bottle of his own urine and sold it off as a piece of art. But there was no violence. Nobody got killed and the man was never prosecuted.

Apparently, however, many Muslims are unable to show such restraint when the Koran is desecrated. Riots and destruction take place in many Muslim countries around the world. Property is destroyed, people are killed or have to go into hiding for the rest of their lives, policemen are injured quelling riots, and there are demands to pass laws and prosecute people in the West. Indeed, many of the Koran burners have as their goal the provoking of a violent reaction by Muslims as their proof that Islam is violent and intolerant.

Against all this, we must stand firm. Not because we necessarily approve of the burnings, but because as long as they are not accompanied by other illegal acts, we cannot prosecute people for what they say. Our own free speech in the US is limited to speech that directly calls for and  incites violence or threats against the President of the United States. We can criticize the president all we want, but we cannot threaten him. 

Europe has different standards when it comes to freedom of expression, and generally speaking, enjoys lesser protections than we Americans. So European critics of Islam have to tread carefully, not just to avoid retaliation from angry Muslims, but also possible prosecution by their own authorities as Dutch politician and Islam critic, Geert Wilders, can testify.

This seems like such an intractable problem. There are some 1.7 billion Muslims in the world, about 1/5th of the world's population. They are not going away, and our leaders obviously don't want some kind of worldwide campaign of war against the Islamic world. We need to find a way to co-exist and live in harmony, but at the same time, we cannot allow Islamic law to be forced upon us and thus, surrender our freedoms. Nor should we bow to outside demands that we strip away our freedoms. This should serve as a lesson to all the Western leaders who have opened the floodgates to Islamic immigration. 

Knesset Hears About Campus Anti-Semitism in US

 This article first appeared in Times of Israel Blogs.

Hat tip Algemeiner

On July 25, a Knesset committee heard testimony from American Jewish leaders on the issue of rising anti-Semitism on US university campuses. Testifying before the Knesset were Kenneth Marcus and Alyza Lewin of the Louis D. Brandeis Center, and Ofek Preis, a Jewish student who experienced anti-Semitism first-hand at the State University of New York at New Paltz. I welcome this testimony, and feel strongly that it is something that the Knesset needs to hear. This is certainly more important than the complaining of some American Jewish groups about the recent Israeli Supreme Court controversy.

After teaching part-time at the University of California at Irvine (1998-2016) and seeing first-hand how the organized pro-Palestinian movement all-too-often spilled over into outright Jew hatred, I have long maintained that the focal point for the resurgence in anti-Semitism in the US was on our university campuses. That was due to the agitation by groups like Students for Justice in Palestine and the various chapters of the Muslim Student Union/Association. Now it has metastasized into American society at large.

Yet, I have been dismayed at how many leaders in the universities, the media, and even some Jewish organizations prefer to lay all the blame on the right, MAGA supporters, white nationalists, neo-Nazis etc. To be sure, white nationalists and neo-Nazis share in fomenting the problem. However, they are not the majority of the problem in my view. They certainly have no sway or influence on our university campuses. The major reason for this reluctance to identify the major perpetrators is, in my view, that those on the left do not want to admit that much of the problem in our universities is coming from parts of the Muslim community. I reiterate that no matter who engages in anti-Semitism is to be condemned, but it serves no purpose to mischaracterize the true nature of the problem. As in France, Sweden, and other parts of Western Europe, much of the problem is Islamic anti-Semitism. And just as in the US, European leaders are loathe to acknowledge it.

I have long believed that pressure must be brought upon our universities to protect their Jewish students from harassment and bullying. Too many university administrators have shown cowardice in the face of this campaign of harassment. They refuse to confront the above-mentioned groups. President Trump had put public universities on notice that if they refused to protect their Jewish students, federal funding would be at risk. Of course, President Biden has failed to continue that pressure.

American universities have fallen into disrepute for a host of reasons. Left-wing indoctrination and stifling of free speech are now front and center in front of the American public. In addition, the various departments of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) have attracted recent notice for their divisive influence on behalf of certain ethnic groups on campus to the detriment of other groups, like whites, Asians- and Jews as well. The issue of campus anti-Semitism must also be exposed to the American public, and the main perpetrators identified.  It is clear that our universities are in dire need of reform, and the American public is finally getting the message in spite of so many to deny it-including among certain major Jewish organizations.

For these reasons, I welcome the appearance of the above-mentioned Jewish figures before the Israeli Knesset.

 

Coup in Niger: How the Local Press is Reporting it

On Wednesday, there was a military coup in the African nation of Niger. While I am not qualified to analyze the geo-political effects of this coup, my one previous experience in Thailand in the 1970s when there was a very short-lived coup in 1977 has piqued my interest in how the local media covers these things. In the case of the short-lived coup in Thailand when I was living there, the local media had to do a tap dance, initially reporting how the coup leaders had saved the country, and then backflipping when the government took back control. They basically reported that they were forced to report favorably on the coup. As always happens in coups, one of the first things coup leaders do is take control of the media. 

The below article from today's French-language newspaper, Actu Niger, is translated by Fousesquawk.

 https://www.actuniger.com/societe/19372-officiel-le-general-a-tchiani-designe-president-du-cnsp-la-junte-militaire-qui-a-renverse-bazoum.html

Official: General A. Tchiani appointed president of CNSP, the military junta that overthrew Bazoum

Friday 28 Jul;y 2023 at 12:12

Three days after announcing the dismissal of President Bazoum Mohamed, the National Council for the Safeguarding of the Homeland (CNSP) appointed General Abdourahmane Tchiani, Friday July 28, 2023 as chief of the military junta now in command of Niger. Until then the head of the presidential guard, a post he occupied since 2011, the new strongman of the country right away addressed the nation in a message to explain the reasons the defense and security forces (FDS) again intervened in the political scene of the country in putting an end to the normal democratic process and infringed on the constitutional order.

In the message to the nation that he addressed Friday around noon (Niamey time), the head of the junta recounted the principal reasons that motivated the defense and security forces (FDS) to "assume their responsibilities". It was about, as had been previously announced by the spokesperson of the CNSP during the declaration of the seizure of power on Wednesday, 26 July, "the degradation of the security situation" as well as "the poor political, economical, and social governance."

It is particularly the management of security that pushed the junta to take power, and according to the explanations of General Abdourahmane on this question, called into question 'the political discourse" of the government that denied, according to him, "the hard reality with its share of deaths, displacements, humiliation, and frustration," and this, he added, in spite the calls for order from the military heads. The former head of the presidential guard, among other things, denounced certain decisions taken by the former regime, notably, "the freeing of armed terrorist leaders' as well as "the absence of coordination" with Mali and Burkina, neighboring countries of Niger, which, according to him, face the same security threats. 

According to the president of the CNSP, "the current security approach did not allow the securing of the country in spite of heavy sacrifices by Nigeriennes and the appreciable support of our exterior partners." And for General Abdourahmane, it is out of the question, "to continue with the same approach, the same actors, and the same results."

In his speech, the new strongman of the country reaffirmed the will of the CNSP, "'to respect all its international commitments".  In addition, he continued, "The council, through my voice, asks of  partners and friends of Niger, in this crucial stage in the life of our country, to trust our defense and security forces, guarantors of national unity, the territorial integrity and the greater interests of our nation."

It must be noted that before this initial speech by the now chief of state of Niger, the members of the junta gathered and posed for the first official photo in which we recognize well-known figures notably,  Division General Salifou Modi, ex-chief of the army, or the very well known Colonel-Major Djibrilla Himadou, current president of the Nigerienne Football Federation (FENIFOOT). These two superior officers of the Nigerienne army took part in previous coups in 2010 (CSRD by General Salou Djibo), 1999 (CRN by Commandant Mallam Wanke), as well as that of 1996 (CSN by Genral Ibrahim Bare Mainassara).

Sweden: Sweden Democrat Politician Stands His Ground

Earlier today, we reported on the remarks by Sweden Democrat politician, Richard Jomshof, which were critical of Muslim countries, and the Prophet of Islam, Muhammed, as well. In the below interview with Riks (news outlet), Jomshof refuses to back down. The article below in Samtiden is translated by Fousesquawk.

Both Samtiden and Riks are news outlets created by the Sweden Democrats.

 https://samtiden.nu/2023/07/richard-jomshof-vi-ska-inte-backa/

Richard Jomshof: "We will not turn back"

Editorial staff  July 27, 2023

"This is a dangerous situation we find ourselves in. But in this situation, we will not remain silent, rather we will continue to stand up for what we believe." So says Richard Jomshof in a longer interview after Social Democrats' criticism against him for defending Swedish values in a crisis situation.

Threats against Sweden have increased. Islamists see Sweden as a priority target for terrorism. In this situation, Social Democrat leaders Morgan Johansson and Magdalena Andersson believe it was wrong for the chairman of the Justice Commission, Richard Jomshof, to defend Swedish values and condemn dictators.

Riks interviewed Richard Jomshof Thursday afternoon where he stood his ground.

"I don't think I expressed myself especially hard. I am quite correct. But there are always people who think that it has a polarizing effect when someone points out something that is seen as sensitive just now. But I don't agree. We have to be open and honest on what we think and where we stand," Jomshof answers accusations that it is wrong from a security/political perspective to direct criticism against Islam just now.

Dialogue gladly, but then let's talk about oppression in Muslim countries

"Here we have high-ranking Muslim representatives whose objective is to limit freedom of expression and democracy. And that is what I react to. I have no problem with dialogue, but instead of talking about how we should limit our democracy, we should talk about and (criticize) the Muslim world. There is a number of Muslim countries where people are oppressed and imprisoned because they have a certain sexual orientation or political point of view. Where women are of lesser value. That is what we should talk about instead."

"We will not turn back. On the contrary,.We should stand up for what we believe," says Jomshof. 

"In this kind of situation, we must stiffen our backs and stand up for our society."

Talk about what (kind of) country Sweden is

What should we do about upset feelings?

"We should try to explain, whether successfully or not, what Sweden is as a country. I would like to  claim that that is how it is done in Denmark and France.

"President Macron has been very clear against Islamists and rejected the concept of Islamophobia. And Denmark did not bow during the outrage against the Muhammed caricatures."

"I missed this clarity in Sweden," says Richard Jomshof.

See the entire interview in Riks.

amhälle.

Sweden: The Koran Crisis Gets Worse

Today, Sweden's Koran crisis went from bad to worse. A politician from the conservative Sweden Democrats party, Richard Jomshof, tweeted some uncomplimentary things about Islam's prophet, Muhammed. This has led to calls for his resignation from leaders of the Social Democrat party.

Meanwhile, the Swedish Security Police (Säpo) warns that the terror threat against the country is rising.

The below article from today's SVT (Swedish State TV) is translated by Fousesquawk.

 https://www.svt.se/nyheter/reaktioner-pa-koranbranningar?inlagg=26769cb734a51433afde1c65409a73e0

Social Democrats demand Jomshof's (Sweden Democrats) resignation

Social Democrats are demanding Sweden Democrat Richard Jomshof's' resignation as chairman of the Justice Committee

He "goes into direct polemic with the Muslim world," writes party leader Magdalena Andersson on Instagram.

The demand comes after a tweet that was posted Thursday morning where Jomshof tweeted about the Prophet Muhammed. He commented that the Muslim representatives want to see a broader dialogue due to the Koran crisis.

"I agree that we need a 'wider dialogue', a dialogue on how we democratize the Muslim world. Or why not a dialogue on Islam, this anti-democratic, violent, and misogynistic religion/ideology, founded by warlord, mass murderer, slave trader, and robber Muhammed?" he writes.

"We see that Richard Jomshof, as late as this morning, continues to send out hate propaganda against Islam. You cannot do that in this situation, then it becomes a security risk in the position that he has," says Social Democrats' foreign affairs spokesman, Morgan Johansson (S) to SVT (Swedish State TV).

He continues:

"This is so reckless that he cannot continue to serve after this. This hurts Sweden," he says.

Judge (Rightfully) Rejects Hunter Biden Plea Deal

 Stunning development today in Delaware, where a US District Court judge rejected the proposed plea deal for Hunter Biden. Those of us who described it as a sweetheart deal have been vindicated.

I cannot comment on all the particulars, but as a former DEA agent, I could see where some of the problems lie. What came out of today's hearing was that neither the prosecutors nor defense attorneys had done their homework. This was basically a sloppy arrangement. To be precise, there were disagreements on the terms of the deal. That itself is stunning since these things are supposed to be worked out in detail and in writing before being brought to a judge for the plea to take place.

Under questioning by the judge, Maryellen Noreika, it came out that there was no agreement on the possibility of any future charges against Hunter Biden, for example, the Foreign Agent Registration Act. The prosecutors told the judge that there was, indeed, the possibility of future charges. I myself am skeptical, but that would enable the government to continue refusing to comment on "matters under investigation". The defense, however, is looking to close the book on everything Biden was being investigated for. Was there a wink wink, nod nod between the two sides on this question that the government did not want to put into writing? I don't know.

In addition, FOX's Griff Jenkins reported today from outside the courthouse that the judge asked both sides if they could provide any precedence for the type of deal they were trying to make in court, any constitutional precedent. Neither side reportedly could answer. Does that not buttress the claim that Biden was being given a sweetheart deal because he is the son of the President?

Another conclusion we can draw from the judge's action today is that this rejection might not have happened had it not been for the recent testimony of the whistleblowers from the IRS and the FBI. Recent disclosures make it clear that this is a very serious matter-a conspiracy, in effect, which apparently reaches above Hunter Biden. It appears that President Biden's previous denials of any involvement-even conversations with his son and his business- are simply not true. The recently disclosed FBI report in which a very trusted source told of a meeting in Kiev with the CEO of Burisma and being told that he (the CEO) had tape-recorded phone calls and texts with both Joe and Hunter Biden relative to getting the Ukrainian prosecutor who was investigating Burisma fired. Of course, if those records exist, they would be crucial to confirm the informant's claim.

And there is more to come. On Monday, Devon Archer, Hunter Biden's former business partner and former co-member of the Burisma Board of Directors, is scheduled to come and testify to Congress. He is expected to tell Congress that Joe Biden was present during various business meetings with his son and was, in effect, involved in using his position as vice president at the time to help his son. Hopefully, there will be a lot of corroboration for whatever he says.

It's way too soon to take a victory lap, but kudos to Judge Noreika and kudos to the aforementioned whistleblowers. Shame on those in the media and in government that insisted that the Hunter Biden laptop was "Russian disinformation". Shame on those who blasted the whistleblowers. And shame on those Democrats in Congress who impeached President Trump simply for asking the president of Ukraine to look into this whole sordid mess.

And a note to the mainstream media. Get off your duffs; there is big news out there to report.

Belgium: 2016 Terror Attack Trial Reaches Verdicts

The 7-month trial in Brussels of ten Muslims accused of the terrorist attacks in Brussels in 2016 has ended in a verdict. The two main defendants, Salah Abdeslam and Mohamed Abrini, were convicted of the most serious charges of murder and attempted murder in a terrorist context and are facing life imprisonment. All of the other defendants were also convicted of various charges with the exception of two brothers, who were acquitted. Most of these defendants were also involved in the 2015 terror attacks in Paris. 

The below article from the Dutch-language daily (Belgium), HLN, is translated by Fousesquawk.

 https://www.hln.be/binnenland/overzicht-na-zeven-maanden-is-verdict-terreurproces-eindelijk-bekend-wie-is-schuldig-bevonden-en-wie-niet~aed5a25a/

Overview: After 7 months the verdict in the terror trial is finally known: Who is guilty and who is not?

On Tuesday, the verdict in the trial of the terror attacks has finally come down. The ten suspects, including Salah Abdeslam and Mohamed Abrini, stood trial for the attacks on the Zaventam (Brussels) Airport and the metro in Maalbeek (Brussels) on 22 March 2016. But who, precisely, has now been found guilty, and who has not? An overview. 

July 25, 2023 at 21:20. Last update 00:16

Caption: Terrorists, Salah Abdeslam, Osama Krayem, and Mohamed Abrini

(Above video)

Watch: Six of ten suspects, including Abdeslam and Abrini, found guilty of terrorist murder 

1. Salah Abdeslam

Abdeslam is found guilty as co-perpetrator in murder and attempted murder in a terrorist context. He is also found guilty of participating in the activities of a terrorist organization. The Special Criminal Court in Paris has already sentenced him to life imprisonment for the 13 November 2015 attacks. He is also sentenced to imprisonment of 20 years for the shooting on the Dreesstaat (street) in Vorst. Now he is facing another term of life imprisonment.

2. Mohamed Abrini

Abrini, also known as "the man with the hood," is found guilty of murder, attempted murder in a terrorist context, and participating in the activities of a terror group. Abrini is facing life imprisonment. He also received a life sentence in the trial for the attacks in Paris.

3. Osama Krayem

The criminal court also found Osama Krayem guilty of murder, attempted murder in a terrorist context, and participating in the activities of a terrorist group. He is also facing life imprisonment. In the trial of the attacks in Paris, he was sentenced to 30 years.

4. Ali El Haddad Asufi

El Haddad  Asufi is found guilty of murder and attempted murder in a terrorist context.  The court also convicted him for participating in the activities of a terror group. He is facing life imprisonment. In 2018, he was placed under electronic monitoring, but that decision was never implemented, and in 2019, he was extradited to France. For the Paris attacks, he was sentenced to 10 years.

5. Oussama Atar

Atar, who stood trial in absentia, is found guilty of murder and attempted murder in a terrorist context. He is also convicted as a leader of a terrorist group. Atar is facing life imprisonment in absentia. For the attacks in Paris, he is also sentenced in absentia to life imprisonment.

6. Bilal El Makhoukhi

El Makhoukhi is convicted as a co-perpetrator of murder and attempted murder in a terrorist context. The court also found him guilty of participating in the activities of a terror group. He is facing life in prison. 

7. Sofian Ayari

Sofien Ayari is acquitted of murder and attempted murder in a terrorist context. The court found him guilty of participating in the activities of a terrorist organization. Ayari is facing 10 years imprisonment. For the attacks in Paris, he received a sentence of 30 years, of which he must serve at least two-thirds. Ayari also received 20 years for the shooting in Voorst.

8. Herve Bayingana Muhirwa

Bayingana is only found guilty of participating in the activities of a terrorist organization. He is thus, acquitted of murder and attempted murder in a terrorist context. Bayingana Muhirwa is facing a maximum 10 years in prison.

9. Smail Farisi

Smail Farisi is acquitted of murder and attempted murder in a terrorist context, as well as participating in the activities of a terrorist organization.

10. Ibrahim Farisi

Ibrahim Farisi, the brother of Smail, who only stood trial for participating in a terrorist organization, is acquitted. 

American Anthropological Association Votes to Endorse BDS

Hat tip Algemeiner

The American Anthropological Association (AAA) continues to demonstrate that when it comes to academia in the US, Israel (and Jews in general) have few friends. The association has voted to endorse the Boycott, Divest, and Sanctions movement against the Jewish state (BDS). How this advances scholarly inquiry is beyond me since BDS also includes an academic boycott of Israeli universities and their faculties. This "endorsement" takes its place with other infamous endorsements, such as Dylan Mulvaney's endorsement of Bud Light-two questionable endorsers, two lousy products.

 https://www.algemeiner.com/2023/07/24/a-dark-day-for-higher-education-american-anthropological-association-endorses-bds-after-referndum/

I would also add that the AAA is clearly oblivious to the explosion in anti-Semitism that BDS has helped to create on college campuses against Jewish students. They could care less because they prefer to stand in solidarity with the woke crowd who have linked arms with the pro-Palestinian activists who have intimidated countless campuses in America. Thus, they also stand in solidarity with the terrorists of Hamas while ignoring the countless acts of bullying, intimidation, and disruption of Jewish students, their events, and invited speakers.

It is further evidence that education in our universities has given way to indoctrination.