Who Bombed the Gaza Hospital and Why Are DeSantis and Haley Still Lying?
Who Bombed the Gaza Hospital and Why Are DeSantis and Haley Still Lying?
Gaza Hospital Bombing Leads to Rush to Judgement, DeSantis Knowingly Let People Die, Haley Lies About Her China Connection, My Special Book Recommendation, Al Jarreau Sings Beautifully
What I’m Discussing Today:
Kareem’s Daily Quote: When might makes wrong, what’s a woman to do?
Who Bombed the Gaza Hospital?: The world has reacted violently. Based on what?
DeSantis Ignored COVID Facts About Florida Deaths: How many of the 23,000 Floridian deaths is he responsible for?
Nikki Haley Lies Directly to Town Hall Questioner: Vocal opponent to China owning land actually gave them land in her state.
A Special Recommendation from Kareem: My friend and co-author has a thrilling new novel that I think you're going to love as much as I do.
Kareem’s Video Break: The classic “You poked my heart” debate that once seen can never be forgotten.
Al Jarreau Sings “Moonlighting” Theme Song: The ‘80s show is now streaming and Al’s sublime voice is everything we want to hear.
Kareem’s Daily Quote
The fundamental difference between the sexes is that one of them can kill the other with their bare hands.
Ani Bezzerides, True Detective
I watched the second season of HBO’s True Detective when it was first broadcast in 2015 and this quote from Rachel McAdams’ police detective character has stayed with me ever since. I often think of it whenever I consider the main cause for inequities between any group: Because one group can overpower the other through sheer physical force. Any time it wants to.
And so women, by sheer difference in size, have historically been dominated by men. Their right to vote, to own property, to even exist has often rested in the hands of men who must grant these rights. The whole process has been “civilized” through religious writings (written by men) that place men as the head of the household because of their superior reasoning (which men have conveniently defined). Tradition has petrified these beliefs into cultural traditions so powerful that even many women have come to believe this to be true. This Stockholm Syndrome thinking only confirms to some men of their own superiority of reasoning. After all, to them only an inferior mind would prefer subjugation.
Physical threat is still very much a part of our world, as we can see in the two wars raging now. In the end, might makes right is the message. That message of implied threat trickles down to our society in our interactions and culture, whether it’s promising to use your grandpa’s gun in “Try That in a Small Town,” or a traffic cop pulling over someone because they’re Black, or manspreading on a subway.
Women make up 51.1% of the U.S. population. Yet, there is still a clear imbalance of power, rights, and opportunities. Women are still sexually harassed in the workplace (70% of women say workplace sexual harassment is a major problem; unsurprisingly, only 53% of men agree). About 91% of rape and sexual assault victims are women, with 99% of the perpetrators being men. Worldwide, at least 1 out of 3 women has been beaten, coerced into sex, or abused—at least once. In the U.S., 1 in 3 women experience domestic violence, resulting in 1,500 deaths a year (40% of those killed sought help in the two years before their deaths). Between 80 and 90% of domestic violence victims abuse or neglect their own children. All because of size.
In Lessons in Chemistry, a new drama on AppleTV based on the bestselling novel by Bonnie Garmus set in the 1950s and ‘60s. Elizabeth Zott must endure a sexual assault, relentless sexual harassment, and discrimination in pursuit of her career. Watching men and women oblivious to the level of contempt they express for women may seem quaint from decades of numbing nostalgia, except when you realize that the contempt is still being expressed, just in more subtle ways, but equally as subversive.
Just when we think we may be rising out of the primordial ooze to a higher plane of rationality, reality shoves us back into the thick muck of our own primitive fears and urges. I look forward to the day when no one lays hands on another except to embrace, encourage, or comfort.
Kareem’s Video Break
After all the discussions about how misinformation is influencing our opinions, I thought it was time to rerun one of my favorite videos. The kids are passionately arguing about whether it’s drizzling or raining, each basing their opinion on what their mother told them. Despite the vehemence of their irrational arguing, they find a way to compassion.