Neoliberalism
Work
Fig. 1. The spectre of Death, in the form of a large skeleton, rises with the smoke and flames of the burning Asch Building during the Triangle fire, as people jump and fall to their death. Artist unknown, from International Ladies Garment Workers Union Photographs (1885-1985) at The Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and Archives, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.
I’m surprised Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash haven’t started ramping up their threats yet. I’m sure we’ll hear from them soon enough.
Julia Fraser, “New Pa. House bill seeks to right the wrongs of worker misclassification,” WESA, June 20, 2024, https://www.wesa.fm/economy-business/2024-06-20/pennsylvania-house-worker-misclassification-contractors-bill
Imperialism
Israel
Palestine
2024
Even the Israeli Defense Forces now admit that Hamas cannot be defeated.[1]
“This business of destroying Hamas, making Hamas disappear — it’s simply throwing sand in the eyes of the public,” [Israeli Defense Forces Spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel] Hagari told Channel 13 news in an interview.
“Hamas is an idea, Hamas is a party. It’s rooted in the hearts of the people — anyone who thinks we can eliminate Hamas is wrong,” he continued.[2]
Folks have been saying that for a while and Binyamin Netanyahu has been delusional about the prospects for “absolute victory” for a while.[3] But hey, keep sending him money and arms anyway. Why not?
A point that Daniel Hagari alludes to in the quotation above[4] is that peace without justice is merely a temporary cessation of hostilities. Real peace requires a resolution of grievances for all concerned.[5] This is quite literally textbook stuff (and I’m citing a textbook from my undergraduate program[6]).
Peter Beaumont, “Benjamin Netanyahu dissolves Israeli war cabinet,” Guardian, June 17, 2024, https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/jun/17/benjamin-netanyahu-dissolves-israel-war-cabinet
Holly Honderich and Tom Bateman, “White House hits back at Netanyahu’s weapons delay claims,” British Broadcasting Corporation, June 18, 2024, https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c977vyv1yr7o
Ron Kampeas, “Netanyahu accuses Biden of withholding weapons. White House: We ‘do not know what he’s talking about,’” Jewish Telegraphic Agency, June 18, 2024, https://www.jta.org/2024/06/18/politics/netanyahu-accuses-biden-of-withholding-weapons-white-house-we-do-not-know-what-hes-talking-about
Times of Israel, “IDF spokesman says Hamas can’t be destroyed, drawing retort from PM: ‘That’s war’s goal’,” June 20, 2024, https://www.timesofisrael.com/idf-spokesman-says-hamas-cant-be-eliminated-will-remain-in-gaza-if-no-alternative/
Illiberalism
Gilead
Donald Trump
Coup attempt
Fig. 2. Donald Trump still has his fans. Photograph along Washington Road in Upper Saint Clair, Pennsylvania, by author, April 28, 2024.
Charlie Savage and Alan Feuer, “Judge in Trump Mar-a-Lago documents case rejected suggestions from colleagues to step aside,” South Florida Sun Sentinel, June 20, 2024, https://apple.news/A116ahr-QQyStQ3em5NGuBg
- [1]Times of Israel, “IDF spokesman says Hamas can’t be destroyed, drawing retort from PM: ‘That’s war’s goal’,” June 20, 2024, https://www.timesofisrael.com/idf-spokesman-says-hamas-cant-be-eliminated-will-remain-in-gaza-if-no-alternative/↩
- [2]Times of Israel, “IDF spokesman says Hamas can’t be destroyed, drawing retort from PM: ‘That’s war’s goal’,” June 20, 2024, https://www.timesofisrael.com/idf-spokesman-says-hamas-cant-be-eliminated-will-remain-in-gaza-if-no-alternative/↩
- [3]Loveday Morris, “Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas. Yet the group remains largely intact,” Washington Post, December 5, 2023, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/12/05/israel-military-offensive-hamas-destruction-gaza/; Paul Rogers, “Israel is losing the war against Hamas – but Netanyahu and his government will never admit it,” Guardian, December 21, 2023, https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/dec/21/israel-losing-war-against-hamas-netanyahu-idf; Jeremy Scahill, “This Is Not a War Against Hamas,” Intercept, December 11, 2023, https://theintercept.com/2023/12/11/israel-hamas-war-civilians-biden/; Ishaan Tharoor, “Israel is struggling to destroy Hamas, but it’s destroying Gaza,” Washington Post, December 20, 2023, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/12/20/israel-battlefield-gaza-defeat-hamas/; Ishaan Tharoor, “Netanyahu’s delusional, deadly quest for ‘total victory,’” Washington Post, February 9, 2024, https://www.washingtonpost.com//world/2024/02/09/netanyahu-israel-total-victory-hamas-palestine/↩
- [4]Times of Israel, “IDF spokesman says Hamas can’t be destroyed, drawing retort from PM: ‘That’s war’s goal’,” June 20, 2024, https://www.timesofisrael.com/idf-spokesman-says-hamas-cant-be-eliminated-will-remain-in-gaza-if-no-alternative/↩
- [5]David P. Barash and Charles P. Webel, Peace and Conflict Studies (Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2002).↩
- [6]David P. Barash and Charles P. Webel, Peace and Conflict Studies (Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2002).↩