Amazing. As heart rending as the testimony of Gazan medical personnel.
After watching the UN testimony of trauma surgeon Dr. Feroze Sidwa that over half of Gazan children are suicidal, I am ready to concede that these scumbag Israelis may actually be vampires. Then, watching the anguish of the Palestinian representative and the insouciance of the vampiric Israeli rep, I became even more thoroughly convinced. And Norman Finkelstein does describe it as a Satanic state.
I refuse to share human genes with these pieces of rubbish. Silver bullets anyone?
The Masters of the Universe, are Jews.,according to the chairman of a Jewish ruling society. In the United States of Israel , aka ‘America’, , Jewish citizens make up more than half of all billionaire, yet make up less than 2 % of the population…
When MONEY stops being the only thing that really counts, maybe peace can find a niche. Otherwise, it’s a survival of the fittest life, and those who are the fittest are rich… it’s not a pretty picture, but if anyone doesn’t think that MONEY rules, you are surely from. Another planet.
A disproportional number of the wealthiest financiers and Wall Street bank executives and those of the London Stock Exchange may self-identify as Jews, but are not devout followers of Judaism. They are the legacy of the money-changers, Sadducees and Pharisees that the hypocrites that are mentioned in the New Testament of the Bible.
During the Middle Ages, the Catholic Church prohibited its followers from charging interest on financial loans, as did Islam. Even the Talmud/Torah condemned usury — excessive interest on debts. However, when kings or queens needed to borrow large sums of money Jewish financiers were willing to provide it, with interest. As a consequence, many of those financiers became fabulously wealthy, even unto current times.
Most Jews are not wealthy financiers, especially not devout followers Judaism. That’s also true of devout Christians and Muslims. However, wealthy financiers whom claim to be Jews, Christians or Muslims are hypocrites. Hypocrites have the advantage of not being constrained by moral, ethical or religious values or fear of eternal damnation.
Many Americans who support Israel’s genocide against the Palestinians may think that they are defending poor or oppressed Jews. The US billionaire-owned mass media avoids mentioning that many Jews in Israel and elsewhere do not support the Zionists (atheists and hypocrites) whose agendas include the capture and control of the eastern Mediterranean lands formerly controlled by the Ottoman Empire.
I dare say that most Americans have never heard of The Levant or the Ottoman Empire — topics not covered in the US public schools History lessons.
When you mention the history taught in US schools, I'm forced to stifle both laughter and screams, because it is simultaneously a joke and a bloody dismembering of a reality that leaves behind the most ill-informed, prejudiced, frankly dumb-fuck population on the planet. At least when I taught freshman college natural sciences, they had a clue about reality, perhaps some misconceptions, but not total bollocks. With US and world history, they arrive at university -- or into life -- as complete ignoramuses.
The US public school system is established to prepare a compliant workforce to serve private industry. Most employers want working class employees who are capable of middle school level reading, writing and arithmetic.
Wealthy parents send their children to exclusive private schools to prepare them to attend exclusive colleges/universities that prepare them to enter high-level positions within their parents’ spheres of influence.
As a graduate and four-degree recipient of one of those "exclusive (Ivy) universities", my observation is that, overall, what they do best is prepare excellent sociopaths for smooth entry into a heartless society.
Well explained CK! I don't have the patience that you do to explain what should be obvious to most rationally, critically thinking people.
There are TOO MANY PEOPLE on substack (including Caitlin's substack) that believe is such bullshit 'Jewish and Rothschild-related' conspiracies and narratives. ("Jewish Space Lasers: The Rothschilds and 200 Years of Conspiracy Theories" [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/125078483-jewish-space-lasers])
So, thank you for explaining - and I hope people will take the time to read and understand your comment.
I haven't encountered many people who are interested in the history of Finance and financiers, but the Rothschild family does have an interesting one of starting with Mayer Rothschild who was literally a "money changer" in the 18th Century. My favorite Rothschild anecdote is about how Nathan Rothschild manipulated the London stock market with the rumor that Wellington had lost the battle against Napoleon at Waterloo, knowing full well that the opposite was true. He began selling his stocks to inspire other trader do the same, thereby driving down the share prices so he could buy them at discount prices before the real news of the battle hit the streets.
Analogous techniques have been used by some Wall Street firms to trick the computer-based stock trading algorithms that operate faster than human traders can analyze what is transpiring.
The current flip-flopping of the Trump tariffs threats would have impressed Nathan Rothschild.
As for other "Jewish" families in the business of heavy duty Finance, Goldman-Sachs, Lehman Brothers, Salomon Brothers (now defunct, and deservedly so) have had their place on Wall Street. Is nepotism necessarily bad? One of my university professors explained, long ago, that the owners/leaders of many private firms promote family members into key positions because they have groomed those members for such roles. They know, after 20 -25 years, which of the offspring or other relatives are most competent and trustworthy for their positions. That's not conspiracy. That actually makes some good sense. As a consequence, many of the key players in the world of Finance are literally descendants of the old money changers.
The same observation applies to the military services, the petroleum industry, the automotive industry, the aircraft industry, "silk stocking" law firms, and more. Our educational system fails to inform students about that reality. Instead, it promotes the mythology of meritocracy wherein anybody who is "most capable" will automatically rise. The industrial nobility can argue that there relatives and offspring have the most merit by virtue of the fact that they have been born and raised into their respective industries.
>>"The current flip-flopping of the Trump tariffs threats would have impressed Nathan Rothschild."
I would disagree with that narrative/description for several reasons. The news media rarely have an understanding of the dynamics of stock markets. (I used to be a semi-professional trader in a past life on the NYSE and NASDAQ electronic exchanges - a small fish in a large ocean). The media may spin this as 'planned/strategized' flip-flops, but it is anything but that. There were/are many losers and winners (even amongst Trump's inner-circle and corporate donors) as just another effect of Trump's tariffs madness. Trump's tariffs policies align perfectly with FASCIST ideologies (I'm not going to go into this tangent here).
>>"Instead, it promotes the mythology of meritocracy wherein anybody who is "most capable" will automatically rise."
Yes, meritocracy has ALWAYS been a MYTH throughout human history.
No John Turcot, the MASTERS of the universe are immoral (and sometimes amoral) Capitalists (Jews, Christians, Muslims, Hindus, atheists, nihilists, psychopaths, sociopaths, etc.).
To be a 'MASTER of the universe' all you have to do is not care much about anyone other than yourself (and those small group of people you may be dependent on in some way or not).
To be a 'MASTER of the universe', you need to be an EXPERT at exploiting and oppressing people, other species, all natural resources, and the planet. If that isn't enough, you can focus your attention on exploiting space and other planets (like Musk, Bezos, etc.).
It's not really that hard to be a 'MASTER of the universe' - the only REAL barriers seem to be one's morals, ethics, guilts, human emotions, etc.
Then again, I wouldn't know since I've never tried being a 'MASTER of the universe' - so I may be completely wrong on my assumptions...
>>"Jewish citizens make up more than half of all billionaire..."
No, they don't - you certainly seem to be taking quite a few liberties with statistics and facts, aren't you?
I’ve come to a point where I see the people of Gaza are done. No one will help them. We have destroyed them, failed them, and cannot fix them. I want someone to pay for this atrocity. But no one will. And they will soon be forgotten
.
Justice for Palestine. Those poor Palestinian children, and what they have seen and lived will be with them forever. I don’t think anyone can help them now.
As Hedges reminds us about ancient Rome in his latest book: Nero's guests at his maniacal burning-alive of slaves soon became Nero's victims. And the opposite of good isn't evil, it's indifference. The world's relative indifference to this genocidal disaster means that you are probably not wrong, Chang. This will very likely be coming back to bite this entire planet on its ass.
I wonder how many Evangelicals TRULY believe (as in rationally, critically, probabilistically, etc.) in THIS narrative? I suspect many believe 'such narratives' not because they make 'rational sense' or are 'grounded in realism', but instead, for a number of other reasons (and whatever benefits - psychologically, socially, etc. they may provide).
As an example: Take the 'PizzaGate Conspiracy Theory'. Promulgators of this version of the QAnon conspiracy theory asserted—without any evidence and utterly beyond rational belief—that a Hillary Clinton–led pedophilia ring was operating out of the basement of the Comet Ping Pong pizzeria in Washington, DC. Does anyone really believe this? One man did—Edgar Welch—and he had the courage of his convictions to go there with an AR-15-style rifle to break up the perceived perversion. As he told the judge in his case, “I came to DC with the intent of helping people I believed were in dire need of assistance. It was never my intention to harm or frighten innocent lives, but I realize now just how foolish and reckless my decision was.”
Similarly, many Evangelicals may 'purport' to believe the 'Armageddon' narratives/beliefs, but HOW MANY have rationally thought through what such a belief would entail? Not many I would suppose.
Then again, religions (especially fanatical offshoots), are full of irrational beliefs - they somehow seem to provide a sense of security/comfort in an otherwise random and unpredictable world.
Most of the self-proclaimed Evangelicals with whom I have spoken are sincere believers in this. Some of them are highly-educated in Science or Mathematics. They have "faith", and faith overrides rational beliefs and "common sense".
I'm attempting to look at things at a deeper level (i.e. the difference between what a person says they believe and what they TRULY believe - which sometimes they themselves may not be aware of).
People may be sincere in saying what they believe in, and often really do think their beliefs in their 'belief systems' (or more accurately the intersectionalities of their multiple belief systems that often contradict with each other at places) is based on things like truthfulness, perceptions, common-sense (which itself is a weird concept - but that's another tangent not worth going down into here), rationality, logic, etc. But the reality is that humans are monumentally affected by biases, fallacies, cognitive tricks of the brain, etc. Hence the GAP between 'what people say they believe' and 'what people really believe'.
Some such gaps are huge in some people, while others have narrower gaps. So I don't really know if there is a rigorous way of knowing if 'someone truly believes (at a deep, internalized level) what they say they believe'.
It's getting way to philosophical already, so I'll stop here.
Stunning, Caitlin. I already have two of your books with the great paintings on the covers, and look forward to the next one with this moving, heart breaking cover. You are truly wonderful.
It says it all. Utter, horrific, cruel, inhumane suffering by some of the kindest people in the world. Thank you, Caitlin. I hope Trump and Netanyahu, among others, have nightmares for the rest of eternity.
True. But sadly that is why Netanyahu and his Zionazis are trying to wipe out every Palestinian Child, just like Herod! Because if they do leave any behind they know that the Israelis will be looking over their shoulders for the rest of their murderous lives!
it won't only be the palestinian children who will never forget or forgive this satanic murderous happening. people everywhere are shaken to the core by the proudly, happily promoted slaughter of innocents. their 'god' is now proclaimed to the world to be 'satan'. there will be no paradise for these devils.
I have no doubt. Netanyahu has not just created animus against him and everyone in Israel, he has also evoked or revived anti-Jewish sentiment against Jews everywhere. I refuse to call it antisemitism, because the Only Semites in Palestine, are the Palestinians. The rest are European Jews which are a different breed altogether. And what is really telling is that every day now we are discovering just how widespread and pernicious these Jews have been over the last 70 odd years. In that time they have infiltrated almost every Western nation and have convinced them in so many dubious ways, to support Israel irrespective of their murderous, Nazi like treatment of the Palestinians, which, by the way, they have been doing since 1947!
The gullible Americans fell for Israel’s sob-stories decades ago, and then they gradually conned the rest.
This will not end well for the Jews in Israel, nor any nation that bought their concocted stories of having to ‘Defend’ themselves from Arab terrorists. Because, as we can now all see, the Terrorists are the Israeli Jews!
Ian Scott, I can GUARANTEE you that Israelis will be looking over their shoulders for the REST OF THEIR LIVES regardless of what happens henceforth (i.e. even if they stop the Genocide tomorrow).
BLOWBACK is a bitch, and it is coming...this day or the next...(and not just for Israel...)
I think you may be right, but I fear what happens when someone does not have, is not given, even the slightest incentive to stop the bad things they are doing, however late, i.e., stop tomorrow. That's what I want; those who haven't stopped today, they must stop tomorrow. No redemption for them would seem to guarantee no end to the suffering they are inflicting. This is a terrible equation.
Surely, there is a better way, one which will allow them to stop, or, more likely be stopped, and our species figures out how to live in harmony on this planet, otherwise, none of us will live here much longer.
>>"That's what I want; those who haven't stopped today, they must stop tomorrow."
Joy, it's good and right to 'want' such things, but that's not how humans function/behave/etc.
Human history is a history of 'precisely' the kind of logic/actions we see happening in Gaza (and Palestine) right now - including all the BLOWBACK that is a part of the entropy of human systems.
>>"No redemption for them would seem to guarantee no end to the suffering they are inflicting. This is a terrible equation."
It may be a terrible equation, but it is a reality of the human condition (that unfortunately cannot be avoided or wished away).
>>"Surely, there is a better way, one which will allow them to stop, or, more likely be stopped, and our species figures out how to live in harmony on this planet, otherwise, none of us will live here much longer."
I'm not so sure about that. Humans have ALWAYS been this way with some slight variations (for 200,000+ years - including most humanoid species other than homo-sapiens). Will we eventually evolve into a 'more mature and enlightened' species in a couple of hundred thousand (or million) years? (assuming that the planet is not destroyed and made uninhabitable for all species before that)? Your guess is as good as mine...
I’d love to provide a home for Palestinian orphan; I’m too old for a young child, but I’d be capable of giving a good home to a teenager, an education at our decent public school, their own room, in my quiet rural setting where bombs don’t drop. If they desired, I’d buy them their own horse: Palestinians adore their horses.
And to boot, many of my doctors are Middle Eastern and speak fluent Arabic.
I wonder though, would a child be relinquished to a non-religious home?
Who gets adopt depends on the adoption agency and the government of Palestine when it is up and running. That's how it usually works. I'd talk to a lawyer who helps with international adoptions to get the specifics. (Or you can adopt me--I'd love my own horse!)
Viva Palestine!--Hamas, Gaza, ALL of Palestine! -- with Gaza and the West Bank as one integral/contiguous unit, please. Let us at least force Colonial Zionism to that reality.
You've captured many emotions in your painting. The face of the child shows disbelief, terror, horror, pain, and every terrible thing no child should feel.
More than merely able, Roger: though Caitlin’s style is completely different than mine with her bold brushstrokes and bright colors, as an artist myself I can attest that Caitlin is over-the-top gifted.
I agree but whilst being an appreciator of most forms of art, because I have no ability, only appreciation, I hesitate to be bolder when giving qualitative assessments.
this is beautiful and crushing art that captures the unspeakable heartbreak that continues, and continues, and continues... I want a print... so I can feel the beauty and pain, rather than risk betrayal through cultural erasure in complicit resignation, becoming emotionally numb. Gaza deserves always our felt, real experiences and memories of every single loss, all of the human beauty and potential the genocidal zionist entity has annihilated 💔💚🇵🇸
Yes, I would love to have a print, too, if you do them.
I remember the distress, anguish, agony of that child it broke me and I had to break away for a short time to just be in silence for a while.
To me it's so hard to understand why such greed for land makes thus acceptable to anyone, knowing Israel's ambition is to rule the world, God help us all if that were allowed. 🇪🇭
Yes, I would love to have a print, too, if you do them.
I remember the distress, anguish, agony of that child it broke me and I had to break away for a short time to just be in silence for a while.
To me it's so hard to understand why such greed for land makes thus acceptable to anyone, knowing Israel's ambition is to rule the world, God help us all if that were allowed. 🇪🇭
In ‘24 I did a portrait of Rachel Corrie, the young woman from Olympia, Washington, who was intentionally murdered by an IsraHelli bulldozer in Gaza. It hangs in my gathering space where I feel that she is watching over me…
What a beautiful thing to do and have. It's causing me to lose sleep knowing what's happening to these special people who only want to live in peace to rear their gorgeous children, grow their won food and be free of these murdering zionist jews.
I'm also sickened jews saying it's only Zionists causing this when we see
Amazing. As heart rending as the testimony of Gazan medical personnel.
After watching the UN testimony of trauma surgeon Dr. Feroze Sidwa that over half of Gazan children are suicidal, I am ready to concede that these scumbag Israelis may actually be vampires. Then, watching the anguish of the Palestinian representative and the insouciance of the vampiric Israeli rep, I became even more thoroughly convinced. And Norman Finkelstein does describe it as a Satanic state.
I refuse to share human genes with these pieces of rubbish. Silver bullets anyone?
All conducted with the everlasting support from the governments of the UK and USA.
Who pledged to continue to supply US-made weapons and military intelligence to Israel, and who promised a quick end to the destruction?
Some of the demons may be in Israel, but the satanic masters that created Eretz Israel are living in comfort elsewhere.
>>"Some of the demons may be in Israel, but the satanic masters that created Eretz Israel are living in comfort elsewhere."
So true, CK!
History in short : https://www.instagram.com/p/DJkBwRnMFtO/?igsh=MTZrbjRoamh5Nmh0eg==
The Masters of the Universe, are Jews.,according to the chairman of a Jewish ruling society. In the United States of Israel , aka ‘America’, , Jewish citizens make up more than half of all billionaire, yet make up less than 2 % of the population…
When MONEY stops being the only thing that really counts, maybe peace can find a niche. Otherwise, it’s a survival of the fittest life, and those who are the fittest are rich… it’s not a pretty picture, but if anyone doesn’t think that MONEY rules, you are surely from. Another planet.
A disproportional number of the wealthiest financiers and Wall Street bank executives and those of the London Stock Exchange may self-identify as Jews, but are not devout followers of Judaism. They are the legacy of the money-changers, Sadducees and Pharisees that the hypocrites that are mentioned in the New Testament of the Bible.
During the Middle Ages, the Catholic Church prohibited its followers from charging interest on financial loans, as did Islam. Even the Talmud/Torah condemned usury — excessive interest on debts. However, when kings or queens needed to borrow large sums of money Jewish financiers were willing to provide it, with interest. As a consequence, many of those financiers became fabulously wealthy, even unto current times.
Most Jews are not wealthy financiers, especially not devout followers Judaism. That’s also true of devout Christians and Muslims. However, wealthy financiers whom claim to be Jews, Christians or Muslims are hypocrites. Hypocrites have the advantage of not being constrained by moral, ethical or religious values or fear of eternal damnation.
Many Americans who support Israel’s genocide against the Palestinians may think that they are defending poor or oppressed Jews. The US billionaire-owned mass media avoids mentioning that many Jews in Israel and elsewhere do not support the Zionists (atheists and hypocrites) whose agendas include the capture and control of the eastern Mediterranean lands formerly controlled by the Ottoman Empire.
I dare say that most Americans have never heard of The Levant or the Ottoman Empire — topics not covered in the US public schools History lessons.
When you mention the history taught in US schools, I'm forced to stifle both laughter and screams, because it is simultaneously a joke and a bloody dismembering of a reality that leaves behind the most ill-informed, prejudiced, frankly dumb-fuck population on the planet. At least when I taught freshman college natural sciences, they had a clue about reality, perhaps some misconceptions, but not total bollocks. With US and world history, they arrive at university -- or into life -- as complete ignoramuses.
The US public school system is established to prepare a compliant workforce to serve private industry. Most employers want working class employees who are capable of middle school level reading, writing and arithmetic.
Wealthy parents send their children to exclusive private schools to prepare them to attend exclusive colleges/universities that prepare them to enter high-level positions within their parents’ spheres of influence.
As a graduate and four-degree recipient of one of those "exclusive (Ivy) universities", my observation is that, overall, what they do best is prepare excellent sociopaths for smooth entry into a heartless society.
Well explained CK! I don't have the patience that you do to explain what should be obvious to most rationally, critically thinking people.
There are TOO MANY PEOPLE on substack (including Caitlin's substack) that believe is such bullshit 'Jewish and Rothschild-related' conspiracies and narratives. ("Jewish Space Lasers: The Rothschilds and 200 Years of Conspiracy Theories" [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/125078483-jewish-space-lasers])
So, thank you for explaining - and I hope people will take the time to read and understand your comment.
I haven't encountered many people who are interested in the history of Finance and financiers, but the Rothschild family does have an interesting one of starting with Mayer Rothschild who was literally a "money changer" in the 18th Century. My favorite Rothschild anecdote is about how Nathan Rothschild manipulated the London stock market with the rumor that Wellington had lost the battle against Napoleon at Waterloo, knowing full well that the opposite was true. He began selling his stocks to inspire other trader do the same, thereby driving down the share prices so he could buy them at discount prices before the real news of the battle hit the streets.
Analogous techniques have been used by some Wall Street firms to trick the computer-based stock trading algorithms that operate faster than human traders can analyze what is transpiring.
The current flip-flopping of the Trump tariffs threats would have impressed Nathan Rothschild.
As for other "Jewish" families in the business of heavy duty Finance, Goldman-Sachs, Lehman Brothers, Salomon Brothers (now defunct, and deservedly so) have had their place on Wall Street. Is nepotism necessarily bad? One of my university professors explained, long ago, that the owners/leaders of many private firms promote family members into key positions because they have groomed those members for such roles. They know, after 20 -25 years, which of the offspring or other relatives are most competent and trustworthy for their positions. That's not conspiracy. That actually makes some good sense. As a consequence, many of the key players in the world of Finance are literally descendants of the old money changers.
The same observation applies to the military services, the petroleum industry, the automotive industry, the aircraft industry, "silk stocking" law firms, and more. Our educational system fails to inform students about that reality. Instead, it promotes the mythology of meritocracy wherein anybody who is "most capable" will automatically rise. The industrial nobility can argue that there relatives and offspring have the most merit by virtue of the fact that they have been born and raised into their respective industries.
>>"The current flip-flopping of the Trump tariffs threats would have impressed Nathan Rothschild."
I would disagree with that narrative/description for several reasons. The news media rarely have an understanding of the dynamics of stock markets. (I used to be a semi-professional trader in a past life on the NYSE and NASDAQ electronic exchanges - a small fish in a large ocean). The media may spin this as 'planned/strategized' flip-flops, but it is anything but that. There were/are many losers and winners (even amongst Trump's inner-circle and corporate donors) as just another effect of Trump's tariffs madness. Trump's tariffs policies align perfectly with FASCIST ideologies (I'm not going to go into this tangent here).
>>"Instead, it promotes the mythology of meritocracy wherein anybody who is "most capable" will automatically rise."
Yes, meritocracy has ALWAYS been a MYTH throughout human history.
"The Master Race" ..... where have we heard that before?
>>"The Masters of the Universe, are Jews"
No John Turcot, the MASTERS of the universe are immoral (and sometimes amoral) Capitalists (Jews, Christians, Muslims, Hindus, atheists, nihilists, psychopaths, sociopaths, etc.).
To be a 'MASTER of the universe' all you have to do is not care much about anyone other than yourself (and those small group of people you may be dependent on in some way or not).
To be a 'MASTER of the universe', you need to be an EXPERT at exploiting and oppressing people, other species, all natural resources, and the planet. If that isn't enough, you can focus your attention on exploiting space and other planets (like Musk, Bezos, etc.).
It's not really that hard to be a 'MASTER of the universe' - the only REAL barriers seem to be one's morals, ethics, guilts, human emotions, etc.
Then again, I wouldn't know since I've never tried being a 'MASTER of the universe' - so I may be completely wrong on my assumptions...
>>"Jewish citizens make up more than half of all billionaire..."
No, they don't - you certainly seem to be taking quite a few liberties with statistics and facts, aren't you?
Workin’ on ‘em as we speak, Vin.
Knew we could count on you gyp dear.
Vin, I’ve got way more sterling jewelry than I need 😉
We are grateful for your generosity, my dear.
I’ve come to a point where I see the people of Gaza are done. No one will help them. We have destroyed them, failed them, and cannot fix them. I want someone to pay for this atrocity. But no one will. And they will soon be forgotten
.
Justice for Palestine. Those poor Palestinian children, and what they have seen and lived will be with them forever. I don’t think anyone can help them now.
can fix it.
Janice Vollmer, I don't intend on dampening your spirits, but unfortunately, Palestine seems to be just the beginning...
The Israel model appears to be quite popular with fascist administrations (U.S., India, and so many more all over the world).
Things are going to get a lot worse... The world will never be able to go back to how it was before.
My only hope is that I wish I am completely wrong on this - because otherwise the future is too bleak for me to contemplate...
As Hedges reminds us about ancient Rome in his latest book: Nero's guests at his maniacal burning-alive of slaves soon became Nero's victims. And the opposite of good isn't evil, it's indifference. The world's relative indifference to this genocidal disaster means that you are probably not wrong, Chang. This will very likely be coming back to bite this entire planet on its ass.
The Evangelicals (not true Christians) are expecting Armageddon, the End of Days and the Second Coming to solve all of the problems.
I like Hedges' terminology. He calls them "Christianized Fascists" to make it clear that they're merely appropriators of Christianity, not Christians.
I wonder how many Evangelicals TRULY believe (as in rationally, critically, probabilistically, etc.) in THIS narrative? I suspect many believe 'such narratives' not because they make 'rational sense' or are 'grounded in realism', but instead, for a number of other reasons (and whatever benefits - psychologically, socially, etc. they may provide).
As an example: Take the 'PizzaGate Conspiracy Theory'. Promulgators of this version of the QAnon conspiracy theory asserted—without any evidence and utterly beyond rational belief—that a Hillary Clinton–led pedophilia ring was operating out of the basement of the Comet Ping Pong pizzeria in Washington, DC. Does anyone really believe this? One man did—Edgar Welch—and he had the courage of his convictions to go there with an AR-15-style rifle to break up the perceived perversion. As he told the judge in his case, “I came to DC with the intent of helping people I believed were in dire need of assistance. It was never my intention to harm or frighten innocent lives, but I realize now just how foolish and reckless my decision was.”
Similarly, many Evangelicals may 'purport' to believe the 'Armageddon' narratives/beliefs, but HOW MANY have rationally thought through what such a belief would entail? Not many I would suppose.
Then again, religions (especially fanatical offshoots), are full of irrational beliefs - they somehow seem to provide a sense of security/comfort in an otherwise random and unpredictable world.
Most of the self-proclaimed Evangelicals with whom I have spoken are sincere believers in this. Some of them are highly-educated in Science or Mathematics. They have "faith", and faith overrides rational beliefs and "common sense".
I'm attempting to look at things at a deeper level (i.e. the difference between what a person says they believe and what they TRULY believe - which sometimes they themselves may not be aware of).
People may be sincere in saying what they believe in, and often really do think their beliefs in their 'belief systems' (or more accurately the intersectionalities of their multiple belief systems that often contradict with each other at places) is based on things like truthfulness, perceptions, common-sense (which itself is a weird concept - but that's another tangent not worth going down into here), rationality, logic, etc. But the reality is that humans are monumentally affected by biases, fallacies, cognitive tricks of the brain, etc. Hence the GAP between 'what people say they believe' and 'what people really believe'.
Some such gaps are huge in some people, while others have narrower gaps. So I don't really know if there is a rigorous way of knowing if 'someone truly believes (at a deep, internalized level) what they say they believe'.
It's getting way to philosophical already, so I'll stop here.
Narcissists are always vampiric. That includes collective narcissists ....
Art will live on. This is a permanent record. Thank you.
Stunning, Caitlin. I already have two of your books with the great paintings on the covers, and look forward to the next one with this moving, heart breaking cover. You are truly wonderful.
Anyone who supports Israel is a monster.
It says it all. Utter, horrific, cruel, inhumane suffering by some of the kindest people in the world. Thank you, Caitlin. I hope Trump and Netanyahu, among others, have nightmares for the rest of eternity.
Emotional. Powerful. Heart-wrenching and beautifully done!
Moving. The tears in the eyes of the innocent are the most telling--and damning.
We must never forget what these monsters have done to the children of Gaza. The children will never forget.
True. But sadly that is why Netanyahu and his Zionazis are trying to wipe out every Palestinian Child, just like Herod! Because if they do leave any behind they know that the Israelis will be looking over their shoulders for the rest of their murderous lives!
it won't only be the palestinian children who will never forget or forgive this satanic murderous happening. people everywhere are shaken to the core by the proudly, happily promoted slaughter of innocents. their 'god' is now proclaimed to the world to be 'satan'. there will be no paradise for these devils.
I have no doubt. Netanyahu has not just created animus against him and everyone in Israel, he has also evoked or revived anti-Jewish sentiment against Jews everywhere. I refuse to call it antisemitism, because the Only Semites in Palestine, are the Palestinians. The rest are European Jews which are a different breed altogether. And what is really telling is that every day now we are discovering just how widespread and pernicious these Jews have been over the last 70 odd years. In that time they have infiltrated almost every Western nation and have convinced them in so many dubious ways, to support Israel irrespective of their murderous, Nazi like treatment of the Palestinians, which, by the way, they have been doing since 1947!
The gullible Americans fell for Israel’s sob-stories decades ago, and then they gradually conned the rest.
This will not end well for the Jews in Israel, nor any nation that bought their concocted stories of having to ‘Defend’ themselves from Arab terrorists. Because, as we can now all see, the Terrorists are the Israeli Jews!
Well said Ian!
Ian Scott, I can GUARANTEE you that Israelis will be looking over their shoulders for the REST OF THEIR LIVES regardless of what happens henceforth (i.e. even if they stop the Genocide tomorrow).
BLOWBACK is a bitch, and it is coming...this day or the next...(and not just for Israel...)
I think you may be right, but I fear what happens when someone does not have, is not given, even the slightest incentive to stop the bad things they are doing, however late, i.e., stop tomorrow. That's what I want; those who haven't stopped today, they must stop tomorrow. No redemption for them would seem to guarantee no end to the suffering they are inflicting. This is a terrible equation.
Surely, there is a better way, one which will allow them to stop, or, more likely be stopped, and our species figures out how to live in harmony on this planet, otherwise, none of us will live here much longer.
>>"That's what I want; those who haven't stopped today, they must stop tomorrow."
Joy, it's good and right to 'want' such things, but that's not how humans function/behave/etc.
Human history is a history of 'precisely' the kind of logic/actions we see happening in Gaza (and Palestine) right now - including all the BLOWBACK that is a part of the entropy of human systems.
>>"No redemption for them would seem to guarantee no end to the suffering they are inflicting. This is a terrible equation."
It may be a terrible equation, but it is a reality of the human condition (that unfortunately cannot be avoided or wished away).
>>"Surely, there is a better way, one which will allow them to stop, or, more likely be stopped, and our species figures out how to live in harmony on this planet, otherwise, none of us will live here much longer."
I'm not so sure about that. Humans have ALWAYS been this way with some slight variations (for 200,000+ years - including most humanoid species other than homo-sapiens). Will we eventually evolve into a 'more mature and enlightened' species in a couple of hundred thousand (or million) years? (assuming that the planet is not destroyed and made uninhabitable for all species before that)? Your guess is as good as mine...
Hi TRC
I’d love to provide a home for Palestinian orphan; I’m too old for a young child, but I’d be capable of giving a good home to a teenager, an education at our decent public school, their own room, in my quiet rural setting where bombs don’t drop. If they desired, I’d buy them their own horse: Palestinians adore their horses.
And to boot, many of my doctors are Middle Eastern and speak fluent Arabic.
I wonder though, would a child be relinquished to a non-religious home?
Who gets adopt depends on the adoption agency and the government of Palestine when it is up and running. That's how it usually works. I'd talk to a lawyer who helps with international adoptions to get the specifics. (Or you can adopt me--I'd love my own horse!)
Consider yourself adopted Cindy…I’ll get another for myself too 😉
These paintings show the real faces of suffering 😯
Heart wrenching - sickening.
Free Palestine
Evocative, wrenching, superlative.
Viva Palestine!--Hamas, Gaza, ALL of Palestine! -- with Gaza and the West Bank as one integral/contiguous unit, please. Let us at least force Colonial Zionism to that reality.
Robert, I must respectfully disagree. IsraHell is DONE: stick a fork in it.
It will ALL be Palestine 🇵🇸
May I just as respectfully pose "One step at a time...faster, completely, please?"
Re "IsraHell is DONE...stick a fork in it": YES! Insha'Allah!
You've captured many emotions in your painting. The face of the child shows disbelief, terror, horror, pain, and every terrible thing no child should feel.
Caitlin, Our Essayist, poet and painter. Above all our humanitarian! More power to her.🤗
So, not only a great writer but an able painter, too. These are great. Thanks for sharing.
More than merely able, Roger: though Caitlin’s style is completely different than mine with her bold brushstrokes and bright colors, as an artist myself I can attest that Caitlin is over-the-top gifted.
I agree but whilst being an appreciator of most forms of art, because I have no ability, only appreciation, I hesitate to be bolder when giving qualitative assessments.
Take care. Stay safe. ☮️
Powerful work. Love the title. Never forget what they did to Gaza.
this is beautiful and crushing art that captures the unspeakable heartbreak that continues, and continues, and continues... I want a print... so I can feel the beauty and pain, rather than risk betrayal through cultural erasure in complicit resignation, becoming emotionally numb. Gaza deserves always our felt, real experiences and memories of every single loss, all of the human beauty and potential the genocidal zionist entity has annihilated 💔💚🇵🇸
Yes, I would love to have a print, too, if you do them.
I remember the distress, anguish, agony of that child it broke me and I had to break away for a short time to just be in silence for a while.
To me it's so hard to understand why such greed for land makes thus acceptable to anyone, knowing Israel's ambition is to rule the world, God help us all if that were allowed. 🇪🇭
Yes, I would love to have a print, too, if you do them.
I remember the distress, anguish, agony of that child it broke me and I had to break away for a short time to just be in silence for a while.
To me it's so hard to understand why such greed for land makes thus acceptable to anyone, knowing Israel's ambition is to rule the world, God help us all if that were allowed. 🇪🇭
Hi Davina
Caitlin has been an enormous inspiration to me.
In ‘24 I did a portrait of Rachel Corrie, the young woman from Olympia, Washington, who was intentionally murdered by an IsraHelli bulldozer in Gaza. It hangs in my gathering space where I feel that she is watching over me…
What a beautiful thing to do and have. It's causing me to lose sleep knowing what's happening to these special people who only want to live in peace to rear their gorgeous children, grow their won food and be free of these murdering zionist jews.
I'm also sickened jews saying it's only Zionists causing this when we see
Obvious jews wearing yarmulke and hair with peyots attacking Palestinians. If they are not jews, what the hell are they.
Sorry, I'm tired and making silly typos.
Agree 100 % Davina!
Whole-civilizational failure.
And unfortunately, not the first time in history either...
Humans NEVER seem to learn much from history...
Awesome Caitlin.