Two Years On
And a Rebrand
It was two years ago October 7, 2023 that Hamas attacked the Nova Music Festival (and other sites) and killed some 1200 people mostly Israelis and kidnapped some 250 others. I thought this was a despicable cowardly act and still do. And anyone who wants to excuse Hamas in any way shape or form….good bye. See ya. Get the fuck out. I don’t want you here. I don’t care WHO you are. I have been sympathetic to the Palestinian cause for some time now but this is NOT the way.
It was October 6, 1981 that Anwar Sadat was assassinated by extremists OF HIS OWN RELIGION for a peace deal he made with Israel. The same as Mahatma Gandhi back in January 1948 killed by a Hindu extremist and would happen to Yitzhak Rabin on November 4, 1995 by a Jewish extremist. All three for wanting peace.
Having said that, I have no idea how many relatives of those killed on October 7, 2023 survived them so I will estimate the number as about 5000. I cannot believe that none of those 5000 have gotten together and questioned where was Shin Bet and other Israeli intelligence (which HAS to be the best in the world) on that horrific day. And I am sure there have been such gatherings. Maybe there will be hearings on this in the Israeli government after this conflict is resolved and all those responsible all the way up the chain of command will lose their jobs. Including the very top.
And at the start of this conflict including reserves Israel had 500K IDF troops available. Hamas had about 40K max. That is a 13 to 1 advantage. And they had a bigger advantage in weaponry. And a supply store called the United States of America at its fingertips. So one would think this war would be over in three months max. Now we know that was not the case. But I have heard the excuse “Biden is holding Netanyahu back”. You think Bibi is going to listen to a mere US President? Yeah, right. The only thing holding back Netanyahu is Netanyahu.
Then there is Qatar. Known to be a leading financer of Hamas and shelterer of Hamas leadership. And Netanyahu knew that. And he acted quickly after only 23 months he attacked Qatar with little success ticking off modertate Arab nations that may have been sympathetic to getting the hostages released. Maybe Bibi should have tried this with Qatar early on: get together with the other signees of the Abraham accords and give Qatar an ultimatum: surrender the leaders of Hamas or else we will rain hell. But Biden might be upset. After all, he was getting a 747 from Qatar to use as Air Force One and later to his presidential library and issued an executive order establishing an Article 5 type rule that protects Qatar….oh wait, it wasn’t Biden….IT WAS TRUMP in 2025! I mean Tara Strong’s friend (?) Sari Rosenberg referred to the Qatari 747 as “Hamas Force One”
Speaking of Ms. Rosenberg this was her first Substack post after the October 7th attacks (actually her second; the first condemned the Hamas attacks but called for cooler heads to prevail) Team Humanity . And other those that I follow that happen to be Jewish either barely said anything or urged calm. Except for one: Tara Strong. The epitome of sweetness and light.But the Hamas attack affected her perhaps more than any other American celebrity. She thought most of the Western World and so called progressives was cheering the Hamas attack (this progressive did NOT cheer the attack) and she started liking any post on Twitter1 that fit her agenda including one that basically called ALL Muslims terrorists (to her credit, she deleted the like). However she was fired from a series called “Boxtown” because of liking that tweet. She and her boyfriend accused the producers of being anti Semitic and the producers replied that co star Alex Hirsch was himself Jewish. And then there was her feelings about Elon Musk. When I messaged her by saying that Elon had some antisemitic tendencies she replied with the “100” emoji. About ten days later Elon made his “I am not an anti Semite trip” to Israel Ms. Strong was liking several tweets that basically praised Elon as the most righteous Gentile to the Jewish people since Oskar Schindler. Another Jewish person named Tara, last name Dublin, saw right through Elon’s trip. I listened to THAT Tara. On January 20,2025 Elon Musk at an official Presidential inaugural function did what looked to the world like a Nazi salute. Later that week he made a remote speech on behalf of the German right wing party aDf (AKA the Make Hitler Great Again party) that the Germans should no longer feel guilty about what the Nazis did 80-90 years ago. As for what noted opponent of antisemitism2 Tara Strong had to say about that, I will let you know when she says it.
Then came the election. And the “Genocide Joe” chants (basically saying Biden supported Israel too much as 20 times minimum Gazans were being killed than Israelis) came3. And the “poor” Biden debate performance with Trump in June (never mind that CNN moderators Jake Tapper and Dana Bash allowed Trump to lie constantly, which likely cost the latter’s romantic relationship with Spencer Garrett4)
Then the “assassination attempt” which Trump has barely mentioned in the nearly 15 months since. And the Biden withdrawal. And all the Democrats from AOC to Debbie Wasserman-Schultz (who is so pro Israel she makes Tara Strong look like Hamas) coalescing around new Democratic candidate Kamala Harris. And just about all of Tara Strong’s friends (save EG Daily; of course if you look up “apolitical” in the dictionary, you will find EG’s picture) especially her close friend Grey Delisle. And it is well known that Trump is a major league narcissist and Tara Strong is noted as being outspoken against narcissism (having been married to a narcissist). So when Tara was asked to endorse Harris, she respectfully declined and chose public neutrality.
Then came the election. And thanks to some likely Elon Musk shenanigans (Trump could NOT have won all seven swing states) and some vague promises made by Trump about getting the hostages released on Day One. (It’s now Day 260 and he maybe got one hostage released).5 Trump won every swing state and the election. And democracy has been in danger ever since.
Back to the conflict that started two years ago which I will forevermore call the Hamas-Netanyahu war. That way the Gazans who oppose Hamas and the Israelis (and the Jewish people) who oppose Netanyahu are not blamed for the war. Despite what either side might say, Gazan support for Hamasis NOT monolithic (to her credit, Tara Strong has shared videos saying that) and neither is Israeli/Jewish support for Netanyahu. And I have said three things consistently:
I think the way to lasting peace in the region is for both Hamas AND Netanyahu to be gone.
It is possible to be both anti Hamas and anti Netanyahu at the same time. I am pro peace.
Any criticism of Netanyahu in and of itself is NOT anti Semitic. However harssing or worse people who happen to be Jewish IS anti semitic and will be condemned by me.
As for you, Tara Strong, I apologize if my condemnation of Hamas did not resonate with you. And the last thing I want to see is your friendship with Grey Delisle, which has lasted since before either of you had children, go poof over this. And I am willing to mediate between you and Grey since I adore the both of you (both of you know me by sight, which I can say about no other celebrity). But I hope you can understand that Benjamin Netanyahu is not your friend. Google “Netanyahu corruption trial” and while I will not (without proof) blame Netanyahu for the war itself, I will say that Netanyahu has purposely extended this war to remain in power. Note though that I have never used the g-word in describing the war and I am opposed to using the z-word as a slur. That’s all I got to say.
The hostages should have been freed some 700 days ago. Give peace a chance.
This was when a person’s likes were public on Twitter.
I am very much with her on this since well before Oct 7 happened, when there is actual antisemitism
In a rally in northern Ohio in April 2024 Trump heard a “Genocide Joe” chant from the crowd and he allowed it to happen unchecked. Does that sound like the best friend Israel ever had?
Dear Spencer, I am ready to accept your apology
He also promised to end the Russia Ukraine war on Day One…