Tag: The View

Today is International Holocaust Remembrance Day

The Holocaust ended 78 years ago. Though it may seem like ancient history, the truth is that it happened in the lifetimes of our parents and grandparents.

Today is International Holocaust Remembrance Day and specifically, the liberation of the survivors of the Auschwitz death camp.

When I think of what has been happening in the past few years, I see scary signs of what could happen again. I think it goes without saying that we don’t want to make the alarm bells ring all of the time. But, given recent events (Kanye, for one), I can’t help but make connections to the recent past.

One of the things that I wish was more well-known was the persecution of the LGBTQ community. Before the war, Berlin was known for its openness to those who were not heteronormative. The ended in 1933. Thousands were murdered and many more were persecuted.

The problem is that many continue to turn a blind eye to this hatred, even those of my faith. Ben Shapiro (whom I dislike with every bone in my body), has been open about his association with the right and their hatred of everyone who is not them. What he conveniently forgets is that at the day, he is still Jewish. The antisemites would still slap a yellow star on his chest and send him to his death.

It has been said that we die twice. The first time is when shuffle off this mortal coil. The second is when we are forgotten. Many of those who were killed have died twice.

May the memories of the millions who were murdered always be a blessing. Z”l.

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Thoughts On MLK Day 2023

Martin Luther King Jr. is not just an American icon. He is a worldwide icon. He represents the change that is possible when we believe in it and work for it.

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On The View this morning, Whoopi Goldberg made a comment that I think perfectly sums up the current state of this nation and the larger world in general.

Starts at 2:47

She compared the progress that we have made toward equality to the game of whack-a-mole.

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It makes total sense. For every step we take forward, we are pulled two steps backward. Women and people with uteruses have more rights and opportunities than ever before. But we are still fighting for the ability to control our bodies and our fates. During the last few election cycles, black women have paid a pivotal role in ensuring the future of our democracy. This is while gerrymandering is becoming the norm and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 has become legislation in name only.

MLK created the path to a better future. We only need to walk on it to make his dream a reality.

RIP Barbara Walters

In the busyness of life, we tend to forget those who have paved the way to create a better world. It is only upon their passing that we take stock of their legacy.

The legendary newswoman Barbara Walters passed away on Friday. She was 93.

The granddaughter of Jewish immigrants, Walters started in television news in the early 1960s. At that time, those at the top of the television hierarchy (and everything else) were white men. In 1961, she became the “Today Girl” on the Today Show, handling stories that were “appropriate” for a female. Eventually, she rose up through the ranks to become a news anchor in her own right.

In the late 1990s, she created and co-starred on The View, an all-women-led talk daytime show that continues to be influential.

And like many icons, she was given the SNL treatment. Gilda Radner played her in the 1970s and Cheri Oteri played her in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

RIP Barbara. May your memory be a blessing Z”L.

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P.S. Walters interviewed you know who back in 1990. The statements coming out of his mouth are too familiar. If only other journalists had the same balls that she did. It start at 3:01.

Thoughts On Whoopi Goldberg’s Hamas Comment and Netflix’s Farha

There are two ways to view history: the fact as we know them to be and how the information is twisted to represent a certain perspective.

Just before Thanksgiving, The View co-host Whoopi Goldberg said the following about Hamas and the Taliban being labeled as terrorist organizations.

“Depends who you talk to”

This was in response to Ilhan Omar potentially being removed from her committees by the Republican leadership in January. Now granted, this is a partisan proposal that is deeply problematic, but Goldberg’s comments are also problematic.

Both Hamas and the Taliban (as anyone with a brain would recognize), are known terrorist groups. If the only way to create their ideal world is to destroy and kill, so be it. The Hamas Charter goes so far as to say it in black and white.

“Which calls for the destruction of the State of Israel, and would not
become a purely political movement, but quite the opposite, it would continue its policy of “resistance”.

The conflict with Israeli is religious and political: The Palestinian problem is a religious-political Muslim problem and the conflict with Israel is between Muslims and the Jewish “infidels.”

Goldberg seems to be an intelligent and capable woman. She would have lasted this long in Hollywood without a brain. But in making this comment, she has proven herself to be ignorant.

One of the newest films to be released on Netflix is Farha. It is supposed to dramatize the event known as “Nakba“. This is the lie that in 1948, Israel murdered and forced out hundreds of thousands of Arab Palestinians.

In any war, there is violence, there is death, and there is destruction. It is the nature of the beast. Nakba never happened. It was a story concocted to make the Israelis appear the Goliath to the Palestinian‘s David. The problem is that this fiction has continued to enable anti-semitism and has killed multiple generations on both sides.

Every time I read or see something about this, I get sick to my stomach. When I was very young, I was told the story about the ripple in the bond. As it got bigger, it spread. The same could be said for anti-semitism.

The only way to counter this hate is with love and acceptance. But first, we have to be willing to see one another as human beings.

Enjoy your evening.

Republican Fuckery Part IV: Ted Cruz in NYC and Lauren Boebert’s Thoughts on Women

Part of the game of politics is working with someone who likely has a different opinion or perspective. That being said, it is impossible to work with another whose views are so extreme that they are on another planet (figuratively speaking).

Last weekend, Lauren Boebert referred to women as “lesser vessels” compared to men.

Her rationale is the following:

“We are created equal, we’re not the same. Women are the lesser vessel and we need masculinity in our lives to balance that, that so-called weakness. Just us being more frail and needing that strength in our lives.”

I have two questions for the Congresswoman: if she is “lesser” than her male opponents, what gave her the idea that she had even a slim chance of winning her election? And then, where did she get the idea that she would be respected by her male colleagues and staffers?

What Boebert does not realize is that she is undermining feminism while taking advantage of the opportunities that the movement created. She can’t have it both ways. Either use it or don’t. Simple as that.

Meanwhile, Ted Cruz was in NYC earlier this week to promote his new book (which shall remain nameless on this blog). The highlights of his trip were an appearance on The View and going to a Yankees game.

Upon entering Yankee Stadium, New Yorkers told Cruz exactly what we think of him. If you shit on us, we shit on you right back.

Warning: this video contains language that might be offensive to some viewers.

Just another day of Republican fuckery and another reason to vote them out on November 8th.

P.S. Did you see how Biden reamed out Cruz, MTG, and others on the right for taking PPP loans while deriding his plan to help out with student loan debt? It was beautiful.

Billy Porter on Progress and Those Who Hold us Back

Martin Luther King Jr., was above all things, a wise man. He once spoke of justice and truth in a manner that is timeless and universal.

 “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice” 

Last week, actor/director Billy Porter was on The View, promoting his new film, Anything’s Possible. Towards the end of the interview, Ana Navarro asked Porter about his opinion of what is happening in Florida.

Starts at 6:22

Progress happens whether we like it or not. What the haters don’t like is that they no longer have all the power. Those of us who have been denied our rights are no longer silent. The only thing we want is a seat at the table. If it means marching, protesting, and passing laws to protect what should have been ours in the first place, so be it.

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Whoopi Goldberg: Close, But No Cigar

The good thing about the Holocaust being common knowledge is that we know the facts. The problem is that even with what is known, some people still prefer to fudge history to fit their own needs.

Yesterday, The View host Whoopi Goldberg made some rather uneducated comments about Maus being pulled from library shelves.

Goldberg responded: “If you’re going to do this, then let’s be truthful about it because the Holocaust isn’t about race.” She added that the Holocaust, which saw an estimated 6 million Jews and 5 million others killed as a result of the Nazis’ racist ideology, was about “man’s inhumanity to man” and said it involved “two White groups of people.”

This morning, she apologized.

In a general sense, Goldberg (who is not Jewish and was given the name of Caryn Elaine Johnson at birth) is right. The Nazis were hyperfocused on race. But they also have one very specific goal: make Europe (and the world by extension), Judenrein. The Jews were a monolith that had to be exterminated. While we cannot ignore that other groups (Roma, LGBTQ, disabled, etc) were on the list, they were not the priority.

As much as I admire Goldberg for her work and her outspokenness on certain subjects, this is a topic in which she knows less than she thinks she does. Had she done some basic research before opening her mouth, this little gaffe may never have happened.

P.S. If anyone wants to do some digging on this subject, I highly recommend Ben M. Freeman‘s book, Jewish Pride: Rebuilding a People. It is nothing short of eye-opening. If you only read one section, I recommend the interviews with six Jews of various backgrounds. Not all of them are Ashkenazi (from Eastern Europe).

P.P.S Since publishing the initial post, Goldberg was suspended for two weeks. There have been calls in the press for her to be fired. I personally think that firing is not necessary in this case. If she was an out-and-out racist, then firing would be appropriate. But she is ignorant. Ignorance can hopefully be fixed. Believing the lies when you know better is another thing entirely.

Wearing a Mask Should Not Be Political

Human history is full of people who ignore logic (especially scientific and medical logic) for their own comfort.

Back in the 17th century, the groundbreaking astronomer and physicist Galileo Galilei was accused of heresy by the Church. His crime was that his theories were contrary to the belief that the sun moved around the Earth. Today, we know that his discoveries are respected scientific facts. But to the authorities of his time, his statement was a punishable crime.

Flash forward to 2020. Covid-19 has ravaged our nation and our world. For months, doctors and scientists have been telling us to stay home and wear protection when we have to go outside. Logic would dictate that listening to the experts is simply common sense. This is an airborne disease that has the ability to kill indiscriminately. But when politics get involved, both common sense and logic go out the window.

As the number of cases starts to decrease in the Northeast, other states in the South and the West have seen a sharp increase. One might think that given the overwhelming evidence, the residents and political leaders of these states would follow the guidance from the experts. But some still have their head in the sand.

I hate wearing masks and gloves when I go out as much as the next person. In this summer heat, the gloves cause my hands to sweat. It can be difficult to breathe under the masks. But I wear them not for my protection, but for someone else. The last thing I would want on my conscious is that someone is in the hospital, on a ventilator because I was too selfish to wear a mask.

The fact is that protecting ourselves from Covid-19 should not be a political act. But it has become one. If nothing else, that speaks volumes about where this nation stands, both politically and socially.

Methinks The Gentleman is Jealous: Thoughts On You Know Who’s Comments About John McCain

I’ve never had the inclination to make a career out of public service. But I admire those who do.

The late Senator John McCain spent his adult life in public service; first in the military and then in government.  When he passed away last summer, his passing left a hole in this country that will never be filled.

Last week, you know who went after the late Senator in the same way that a school yard bully attacks a classmate whom they perceive to be weak.

Methinks the gentleman (if you want to call him that) is jealous. Senator McCain made public service his life’s work for his adult life. He fought for this country and her citizens during the Vietnam War. After being captured and tortured, he refused release. After retiring from military service, he spent thirty plus years in the service of the American voter. In every sense of the word, he is a hero.

I could go on, but I will let the late Senator’s daughter speak, as only she can.

P.S. I have to wonder where Senator McCain’s Republican “friends” are on this matter? Are they man or woman enough to stand up to you know who or are they more concerned about saving their own skins?

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