Hello, and welcome to this week's batch of Laura's Links.
This week, I tried to take a bit of a breather from world and Middle East politics and focus more on some of the mundane elements of daily living and regular domestic duties. The weather has been spectacular, which means lots of outdoor pool time with my disabled son. It's truly a slice of heaven to swim outdoors in the sunshine, and at least for now, the pool we go to is free of groping, randy Angela Merkel clones with their fetish for one-legged brown people. As a Persian Jew who is quite brown, you can imagine how Mr. C might react to that situation, so I'm glad we're not there (yet) but it's probably not too far off for Canada.
Regardless, the comments on this story were actually my favourite thing on the Internet over the last week. I could not stop laughing at the comments. Laugh till you cry type of thing because as funny as people are, obviously, the subject is deadly serious.
As Mark notes, we are drowning in lies because people are afraid to tell the truth. They have been beaten into submission. The people in power use all the tools of the state and their bottomless budget, courtesy of the taxpayer, i.e. us, to censor you, fine you, jail you and even kill you if you dare speak the truth. And that situation will not change unless, as Mark has also repeatedly pointed out, more people are willing to share the risk.
That means more truth telling, less anonymity and more courage.
Apropos of truth telling, it took only 20 years to shelf this ridiculous Security Kabuki Play because not enough people were willing to say and acknowledge that white grannies, pregnant moms, business travelers, toddlers and the vast majority of normal everyday travellers were not going to be repeat Muslim Shoe Bombers. So, I guess this is progress. Whoop de doo. Still, the TSA staff can grope and pat whoever they like, wherever they like. I've been swiped for explosives on my palms, my son's wheelchair has been swiped and I've been made to do a full spread out body scan and I don't think I'm exactly a high risk traveller, so I'm kind of "whatever" on this.
How much moral fortitude does it really take to say "men are not women", or "there is no epidemic of German women sexually assaulting migrants"? How much courage does one need to say not all cultures are equal and some cultures are so irredeemably barbarous and heinous that not a single member, whiff or ethnic food store from them should be imported into our countries? Trump is helping very much to change the culture, and there are some good signs about, but we have a very long way to go.
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Now onto small things and big things:
Do you ever get fixated on a sort of small, basically inconsequential thing or the reverse - do you get extremely happy or almost giddy about something small and sort of silly and inconsequential? My answer to both is yes and yes. I'll give you my examples and feel free to share yours.
For the past year, my husband has lamented the disappearance of one of his favourite dress socks. I could not find it anywhere. It was not in the children's rooms, under any furniture or stuck in the dryer. Of course it's not such a big deal, it's just a sock, but it was kind of driving me crazy that it was nowhere to be found. So, I dutifully placed the single surviving sock on the chair in our room, hoping that the wayward sock would somehow return home.
Earlier this week, while changing the linens, I pulled out a set of sheets that I haven't used since last summer and there was a lump in the duvet cover. I reached in and lo and behold: the missing sock! I was ridiculously pleased about this. We also have a small stash of single socks elsewhere in the house whose matches have disappeared into the ether, so perhaps there's hope for them, too.
Small things that are big things: while at the pool, and in the family change room, my son was making his happy noises (he is non-verbal). From the changing room beside us, a young girl started imitating his sounds, exaggerating them, and making one sound like a rooster, and laughing. They were Russian-speaking, so I couldn't follow what the mother was saying to the young girl, but there was certainly no admonishing, and so it continued. I was so upset, I started tearing up in the change room.
There's no age too early to teach your children not to be cruel, and not to mock disabled people, or stare at them or assume that they, or their loved ones, don't understand the grotesque cruelty of such behaviour. Yet, another day that week, a different Mom that I see at the pool, who has a gaggle of adorable kids of her own, knocked on the change room to ask (by name) if my son wanted some pizza, as they had brought a bunch for their kids. I thanked her and said I really appreciated it, but he's g-tube fed, so he can't have it, but it was really so sweet of her to offer. Really kind. Big things and small things.
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Lastly, I want to talk a little bit about the Jewish Sabbath, Shabbat.
Those who are interested, great. Those who are not, kindly skip.
It's impossible to condense into a few paragraphs, but this will be just a taste.
The Jewish week runs Sunday to Saturday night. Sunday is the first day of the week. If you are an observant Jew, a large part of the week will revolve around preparations for the Sabbath. The shopping is done before, the meals are planned before, guests are invited before. Usually the big prep starts for us on Wednesdays. Foods are made on Thursday, or Friday before sundown, because no cooking or using electricity is permitted on the Sabbath (there are also overnight stews that can be placed on a hot plate or in a crock pot). There's no phones or electronic devices in use. No TV or radio. The common perspective on the Sabbath is that it is a day of rest, but it is more than that. It is the day that reinvigorates your soul.
Once the house is clean, the food has been made, the table has been set, the woman of the house and her daughters (from age 3) light Shabbat candles, bringing in the light and the divine presence into the home. The men and boys (generally women are at home for evening services, but men, women and children are welcome both Friday evening and on Shabbat day services) go to synagogue. When they come home, the man of the house blesses the wine (Kiddush), and then blesses each of the children individually. Hands are then ritually washed and then the blessing is made over the bread (Challah, Hamotzi). There is a double portion of Challah bread in remembrance of the double portion of manna given to the Jews in the desert for Shabbat during the Exodus from Egypt. Then there is the Shabbat meal, and grace after the meal (Birkat Hamazon).
On Saturday, during the day there are services at synagogue where the weekly Torah portion is read aloud. There are programs for kids and various lectures and Torah classes throughout the day. A second festive meal is partaken of after services. Afternoons are filled with napping, Torah study, reading Psalms, walks, and reading, etc. A light third meal is set out late in the afternoon, and then evening services are said and a special ceremony called "Havdallah" (to differentiate) is said or sung aloud and this brings the Sabbath to its conclusion.
It is said that more than Jews have kept the Sabbath, the Sabbath has kept the Jews. I can certainly testify to that on a personal basis. But no matter what your faith, I highly recommend dedicating a full day to living without phones or electronics or car travel and having all meals together with family and friends for any family, it's a real game changer and I don't know anyone who is worse off for it.
I hope you enjoyed my Shabbat TED Talk.
Thank you for your attention to this matter!
See you in the comments.
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North America:
Instapundit: Trump 2.0 is a Wrecking Ball.
First voluntary, then mandatory. Canada is really sick and has a burgeoning Culture of Death.
The sociopathic left of North America.
Nothing to see here.
WHAT IS THE COMMON DENOMINATOR? Don't notice!
A special place in hell for these people.
The story behind Alex Berenson's scoop on Biden's Parkinson's disease.
Ashura Versus Pride. Pick one! (Pick none is not an option at this point.)
RELATED: English, Arabic and Punjabi.
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Israel and Jews:
How stupid can my people be? This stupid.
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Jewish Wisdom:
The Rebbe's approach to ridding your mind of dark thoughts.
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Palestinians:
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The Formerly Great Britain:
Perhaps. But it's hard to pick just one.
Absolutely horrendous. Shameful.
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The Great Walkbackening, Reckoning and Accounting:
Would you accept this apology?
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Today in Satan/Trans:
Why does the thing that never happens keep happening?
This: "...pronouns are not just a matter of politeness. Grammar is being used to smuggle in an ideology".
"She has 700 siblings and a father with a mental illness.There's few regulations that could prevent this scenario. Maybe we should just stop making babies in laboratories."
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Human Grace:
"Just surviving doesn't mean that our living equals their sacrifice. We have to do great and worthy things.To make ourselves better people. Much better. If we waste our lives and aren't better, we are cheapening the men who sacrificed themselves for us."
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.