China's Friends in High Places

Programming note: Mark will be back on the telly with Tucker this evening. Tune into Tucker Carlson Tonight on Fox News at 8pm ET / 5pm PT to watch.

Good day, and welcome to a new batch of Laura's Links, filed from an increasingly frosty Deranged Dominion where it's now too cold for porch visits (not that I was ever a big fan of such things) and outdoor walks with friends to maintain social contact. I still find myself getting a little over-chatty with total strangers when I see other humans: are you the same? (I characterize myself as admittedly and unabashedly over-chatty because I'm normally very chatty.)

One of my kids' friends had a great line that I'll share with you. She said that social activity and interaction is like a muscle. When we don't exercise it it becomes inert and weak. Smart kid. As I've said for some time, we have to grab back whatever little bits and pieces of normal that we can. As Mark himself said earlier this week on an episode of The Mark Steyn Show, "I miss life".

I do, too and it takes a lot of energy every day to remember the way things were, the way they are meant to be, and that we are not abnormal for wanting our normal lives back. It will be interesting to see if the people who said things would go back to normal "once there's a vaccine" have any plans to actually implement normal ever again now that there's, you know, a vaccine. I'm not convinced. The goal posts keep shifting, the targets for re-normalizing are never articulated, quantified or, frankly, even aspired to by anyone of consequence currently in power.

These are moderately dark feelings to articulate out loud, and incongruous with the approaching holiday season, which is a season of light for so many around the world. This week, the Jewish people will celebrate Chanukah. It is a story of the victory of faith over godlessness, of Jewish pride and identity over assimilation. It's a holiday where more light is added every single day into the home with the addition of more candles on the menorah. It's the story of a miracle. I pray that the Chanukah lights will bring light and goodness into your homes and lives, and a special miracle for those closest to us, and a very special someone right here in the extended Mark Steyn Club family who needs one so badly.

Bear with me as I remain in full In-House Jewish Mother mode this week. Over the past couple of weeks the Torah portion has been telling the story of Jacob. Vayishlach is my favourite portion. This is when Jacob wrestles with the angel at night: when he has won the match, he transforms into Israel. The Jews are then known as the Children of Jacob and also The People of Israel. Jacob struggles in the material world and Israel is the eternal. From this, I take that it is OK, and even expected, that we humans will struggle – with faith, with the challenges we face, with what G-d has put on our path. It's OK to argue with G-d and even to be mad. But in the end, it is our faith in a higher power, and in His infinite mercy and goodness, that we must default to especially – and most acutely – when we and those we love and care about are facing dreadful events and ends.

In case you missed anything from the great Mark Steyn over the past week, make sure to catch up with all of the posts, shows and special appearances. There was Good Cop-Defender, Bad Cop-Defunder and a new episode of The Mark Steyn Show, "Hitler of the Week". If you missed the live Clubland Q&A, you can catch the replay right here. Mark's lovely Song of the Week was They Didn't Believe Me and the Monday episode of The Mark Steyn Show this week was Seven Days in Shenanistan. Don't miss a single thing.

Stay strong and well, and give out extra hugs always to those you love whenever you're able. I'll see you in the comments.

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America:

The art of keeping it simple: this should be the operating theme. "Prove Us Wrong."

From the great Daniel Greenfield: the woke housewives of Silicon Valley.

America the Stupid.

Ka Ching.

Seems nice.

Everything is raaaaaacist.

China has friends in the top echelons of America. No kidding!

This is pretty funny. This as well.

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Jews and Israel:

Modern Maccabees.

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Middle East:

"By condemning the killing of Fakhrizadeh, the EU has found itself on the side of Palestinian terror groups such as the Iran-backed Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad." Indeed.

New Middle East. More updates featured regularly here. Who would have ever thought this possible just a few months ago? It is amazing to me.

This is also wild. Beitar's historic roots are Revisionist Zionist (Jabotinsky) so this is astonishing.

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The Formerly Great Britain:

As per Mark Steyn: the land where everything policed except crime. And hey, maybe there's no crime if this is all they are bleating about.

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Random:

Weird.

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Humourless Kook Left, Wokestapo and Trans:

The pronoun choices at an American university. This is not a joke apparently and not parody.

Will de-transitioners blow up the entire intersectionality movement? Persuasive argument here, echoing a lot of what Douglas Murray has discussed previously.

Behold: "Chestfeeding".

Not unrelated: the misogyny of trans activism. (podcast via Spiked).

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Human Grace:

They just don't make 'em like this anymore.

Dolly Parton's masterpiece.

"We just bonded."

A letter from Pearl Harbor.

It's open thread time! Log into SteynOnline and let Laura know what you think of these stories or other happenings from week that was or the election results that never will be. Commenting privileges are among the many perks of membership in The Mark Steyn Club. While going off topic is permitted on Laura's Links, do stick to the other rules as you engage: no URLs, no profanity, and no ad hominem attacks. Meet your fellow Club members, including Laura, in person by joining us on our rescheduled Mediterranean cruise alongside Tal Bachmann, Michele Bachmann, and Conrad Black among Mark's other special guests.