Hello again and welcome to another fresh batch of Laura's Links.
Lots of interesting and odd things are happening all over the world as usual and spring is in the air for much of North America. As well, The Mark Steyn Club is celebrating its eighth birthday! So many things! Mother's Day is also coming up and it looks like Yemenis will have to postpone any imminent travel plans. Of course there's tons of other stuff going on around the planet, and I hope you'll find that the links below give you a pretty comprehensive sample of the global news vibe over the past week.
There have been a number of good remembrances of the late David Horowitz online lately. Additionally, a number of Mark Steyn Club members have mentioned in the comments that Horowitz was responsible for their own political awakening and/or evolution from left to right. I've posted a couple of other links below about him, but I also saw this very poignant tribute by Lee Smith at Tablet and I wanted to make sure that I put it right here up front so that nobody misses it. It's really quite lovely, but there's a pull quote that I found extremely memorable and wise. Smith met with Horowitz not long before he passed and asked him about current events, the last presidential election and about the political left. He reports on Horowitz's analysis:
"He saw the left primarily as a secularized religious movement rather than a political one. "It's a faith that seeks redemption in this life with itself as the savior," he said. "It's such a beautiful dream, what lie would you not tell and what crime would you not commit to realize it?"
This is a very insightful and profound analysis and something that I think we all need to remember. There is no lie that they will not tell, and there is no crime that they will not commit. Remember how Mark said not too long ago that today's political battle lines are not left and right but are the "free and unfree" camps? Please keep Mark's summary and the almost last thoughts and words of David Horowitz in mind as we, in the allegedly free world, continue plodding along through the battle for civilization.
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I had occasion to attend a really good Torah class last Shabbat with one of my kids. The Rabbi was young and enthusiastic and came prepared with a ton of quotes right from the Jewish sources. One of the first questions he put to the group was asking what we thought was the worst behaviour and sin that we could engage in during our time on earth. Someone suggested idolatry, another murder-there were a few other thoughts, but I actually knew what was coming. I started squirming a little in my chair because I could feeeeeeeeeeeel what was heading our way and it's something that I am guilty of, something that I definitely don't put enough effort toward fixing and I will admit right here and now that I also kind of sort of even avoid studying the texts that elaborate and elucidate on how bad this thing is.
I looked at my kid and whispered "it's lashon ha'rah and he's gonna talk Chafetz Chaim".
And I was right.
Gossip, my friends. A slanderous tongue. It's gossip and the great Jewish sage, Rabbi Israel Meir Kagan, the Chafetz Chaim has LOTS to say about it.
Sigh. It was a very good and timely reminder to me to do better.
Another really good point the Rabbi made, and unfortunately, I can't remember which Jewish thinker or source he quoted from (and because it was the Sabbath, I couldn't write it down) was mentioning that the highest level that a human can live at while on earth is not hurting anyone. It made me feel very emotional actually because one of the things that I think is remarkable about my special needs son and certain other developmentally disabled persons is their inability to hurt other people. He has no capacity for mental manipulation or deception, for lies or for flattery. Having no interest or capacity to emotionally or psychologically harm (or physically harm, but this is obviously not applicable to all disabled persons) another human is certainly something otherworldly.
As I put the final touches on this column, the world is waiting for the white smoke from Rome. And as always, the team here at Steyn HQ will be keeping a close eye on these and other developing stories from around the planet and mixing it up with our usual blend of cultural, musical and political content.
Have a great weekend, and I'll see you in the comments!
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North America:
Good. Fauci is an evil man. He should sit in prison for the rest of his life.
This is just bad. Really bad.
An uphill battle. Canada is a Culture of Death.
Best and brightest etc. Maybe the Statue of Liberty poem needs an update? Give us your corpse rapists? That has a great ring to it, no?
"If your argument is so strong, why wouldn't you let me talk?"
The Canadian government has been making lists of Jews. What could possibly be wrong with that? (I'll still be pretty bummed though if I didn't make the list.)
The golden age of Canadian Jewry is over.
Meanwhile, everything is going great at Columbia University. Good thing there are adults in charge again.
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Jews and Israel:
More on the late David Horowitz.
I call it Arson Jihad and they call it Arson Intifada. Regardless: plant, plant, plant!
"Crowdsourcing Antisemitism". This is a great essay from Seth Mandel at Commentary.
Eleven Facts About Kurdish Jewry
"You're a journalist? I'm a journalist." This is excellent. Dave Portnoy is an October 8th Jew. This is exactly the way to deal with belligerent media.
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Jewish Wisdom:
"Your talent is your instrument."
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The Formerly Great Britain:
As per Neil Oliver: this is happening because your government wants it to be happening.
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The Great Walkbackening, Reckoning and Accounting:
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Middle East:
Turkey is not a great place. Thugs.
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Palestinians:
An analysis of Gaza from Gaza.
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Human Grace:
This is specifically about Passover but there's definitely many thoughtful takeaways for all caregivers and loved ones dealing with a relative or friend who has dementia or Alzheimer's disease.
It's open thread time! Log into SteynOnline and let Laura know what you think of these stories or other happenings from the week that was. 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.
