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Joy in HK fiFP's avatar

Activists from 44 countries plan to launch the largest civilian flotilla in history at the end of August in an effort to break Israel’s siege on Gaza and deliver humanitarian aid to the starving population of the enclave. 

The Global Sumud Flotilla, along with three allied initiatives, will send dozens of boats from Spanish ports on 31 August and Tunisian ports on 4 September, aiming to establish a humanitarian corridor and confront what organizers call Israel’s genocide against Palestinians.

https://scheerpost.com/2025/08/07/largest-civilian-flotilla-in-history-to-set-sail-for-gaza/

Join them, support them:

https://freedomflotilla.org

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Just sayn's avatar

Israel will of course apply immense political power and perhaps violence to Tunisia and Spain. My sincerest hope is that TRUMP will end this before those brave people risk their lives against Genocidal IDF forces.

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Vin LoPresti's avatar

Considering that I fall asleep every night in hatred of my own country -- USA, USA, MIGA, MIGA -- I freely invite anyone else to join me in that detestation of this empire-in-decline, which has murdered or ruined the lives of so many in the New and Old Worlds alike.

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JennyStokes's avatar

I am the same. I have a hatred for Europe too. BUT I want to draw everyones attention to what is happening in Cyprus.

Where many Palestinians live and is now being innundated with ex-IDF Soldiers.

Demetri Lascaris has a wonderful tape out about this.

Don't take your eyes off Palestine BUT WATCH what is happening in Cyprus. PLEASE

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Just sayn's avatar

Cyprus is being inundated by Jewish 'settlers'(a euphemism) .This is how they operate, a few then a bunch, then they gain control over important media, business ,banking etcetera infiltrate government at all levels. This is exactly why for 3000 years they have been chased out of many countries some like Italy France and Germany many times these last 2000 years. An invasive violent coercive ideology. Don't believe me do your own research the truth might free the world or at least Palestine.

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JennyStokes's avatar

I agree. Who wants Israelis?

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gypsy33's avatar

NO FUCKIN’ ONE, Jenny!

Hateful subhumans!

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Davina's avatar

I have been researching this on my own for about fifty years now, and it's always the same, filter in a few, build a synagogue, say they have to all live near the synagogue, bring in more people, build another synagogue, get businesses-money lenders was the longest one, then banking-bring in more people, rinse and repeat... until whichever country sees what is happening then kicks them out.

Anyone that believes the bullshit about "escaping form Egypt" needs to back up and read tge Egyptian version that says they were fought against and kicked out.

Their Palestine invasion is showing us the updated version - go in guns blazing to a country whose people are peaceful and unarmed then kill, kill, kill until you can claim the country as your own through lies, lies and more lies. It's not who they are, it's what they are; crazy power hungry murderers and have been for centuries. The best of them were never close they lives quiet lives amongst and with the people of the countries they lived in, but they are few and of no use the zionist Jews.

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Just sayn's avatar

The American sheep tax payer is fleeced. US support is pure money laundering . We print debt money;$ 13 Billion dollars, give it to genocidal Zionist terrorist in Israel. They turn around and buy Every senator, congressperson, governor, President, Media, and financial institution and important corporations with our own tax money. AIPAC is the Only Foreign lobby group that doesn't register as a foreign lobby group. Ted Cruz stated emphatically the only reason he became a senator was to promote and protect Israel! That is Treason defined! To see who owns you, ask who you can not criticize !

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Nick Douglas's avatar

Jewish settlers are cancer of humanity. Like a deadly virus or parasite destroying life.

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Darren Bloom's avatar

So go somewhere else

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Occam's avatar

Gawd, I remember Bush the younger on TV talking about how other peoples "hate us for our freedom". What a racket. Imagine being a grown-ass man and the leader of the most powerful country the world has ever known and you get up in front of the whole world and say something so completely asinine.

Also, I think these governments making noise about opposing Israel's actions in Palestine are blowing smoke. If they really believed it needed to be stopped, they'd take action. They're trying to pacify those citizens who object to what's happening.

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SW's avatar

Not one person in the Bush administration ever faced any consequences for conning the American public into the Afghanistan/Iraq war. It’s hard to explain the level of ignorance about the world in general, the Middle East in particular, but even with that, a lot of people in America saw through the con and tried to stop it. Trump, with his full cooperation, is being led by the nose into war with Iran. I don’t know what can be done when the people who hold power could care less how big the demonstrations are, how many human rights groups condemn them or how low their all-important poll numbers go. “Recognizing” the Palestinian state hasn’t saved one life and the hypocrites know it.

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Occam's avatar

This. Every word.

It's crazy - look at Bush jr, Karen Bass, the Cracker Barrel ceo, Linsey Graham, AOC, Jasmine Crockett - it's completely obvious that these are incompetents.

Now they're doing harm, and we're all surprised???

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Helga Fellay's avatar

I agree with you, but keep in mind that Israel has unlimited resources, what with AIPAC and supine USA fully supporting it both financially and militarily, so governments of smaller and poorer nations are in no position of starting wars against Israel. Most unfortunately, the slaughter will continue.

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Ken Taylor's avatar

No resource is unlimited, as we are now witnessing with the American national debt and the eroding balance between the hyper rich and the working class(printing relatively worthless money can take one only so far). While the wealthy zionists are propping up their fake country, Isra-hell is socially and economically under great stress and if it chooses to attack Iran yet again, it may be the last thing that this desperate pseudo-state ever does. Iran is "missile-ready" and the old iron dome ain't what it used to be. Isra-hell is a reviled terrorist state and its dominance is finally fading.

The day of accounting for their many crimes will soon be at hand .

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Helga Fellay's avatar

Again I agree, but I wouldn't call Israel desperate, inasmuch as the USA, considered a global leader, is on its knee pads before Israel and ready to follow every one of its orders. Zionists control, and those they control I would call desperate.

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Nick Douglas's avatar

jewish supremacist parasitic ideology will exploit and destroy the USA and the west as they did to many other countries and societies.

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Davina's avatar

Sorry to contradiction but US is not the most powerful empire the world has ever known, there have been others; China, The Mongols, Romans, Egypt, Russia, Spanish, France, British empires and they all failed because the greed would not stop, America wil

will, too, and sooner than they think. Right now th US is still not the most powerful, repeating it because they think it does not make it a fact. They have weapons true, but others do also though are smart enough not to keep bragging about it.

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Jim Hannley's avatar

Agreed, Caitlin, the capitalist system is inherently violent and unjust. It cannot deal with the climate crisis because its industrialization is responsible for it and does not want to sacrifice one penny of profits in the short run. It breeds hunger, war, and disease. It must go.

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Jo Waller's avatar

Socialism is also based on trade and growth. China's enormous economy, though with shared wealth, is totally contributing to the climate crisis. Even if they were 100% 'renewable' they would.

We need multilateral degrowth as well getting rid of capitalism.

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martin's avatar

your assertion that socialism is 'based on' trade and growth like capitalism seems to be incorrect.

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Jo Waller's avatar

What is the Chinese economy based on then? How does anyone there make any money to buy stuff to eat please?

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martin's avatar

they call it 'socialism with chinese characteristics'. where as in capitalism trade and growth seem to be an 'end' (actually it's profit and concentration of wealth for the few), in chinese socialism these are (temporary) means to an end. socialism (or marxism) in china has learned to be less dogmatic (as intended) while still focusing on the principles and starting from material reality. chinese communists are aware that they sometimes move on thin ice.

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Jo Waller's avatar

So in other words trade and growth is for now how they achieve the end, which hasn’t been achieved yet and will not be achieved before said trade and growth make the planet unsustainable for humans. And that will be the permanent end.

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martin's avatar

quite some sustainability-activists have come to the conclusion that the capitalist system is the major obstacle to the action that is needed. china's economy is still centralized and it turns out that this is the best possible way to achieve the necessary goals. just like switching to renewables, up-to-date public transport and eliminating abject poverty seems only achievable in a democratic but rationally and centrally planned economic system, 'degrowth' (if and when necessary) will also only be possible in such a system.

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Feral Finster's avatar

"Western leaders who say they’ll recognize a Palestinian state while feebly calling on Both Sides to reach a ceasefire deal are just cuter, more photogenic versions of Netanyahu."

Those western leaders are making those statements to remind the United States of the consequences, should Trump slacken in his enthusiasm for the War On Russia.

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Contrarian 33's avatar

Vin,

"Western leaders who say they’ll recognize a Palestinian state while feebly calling on Both Sides to reach a ceasefire deal are just cuter, more photogenic versions of Netanyahu. They’re making empty noises to appear as though they’re doing something while refusing to actually lift a finger to stop the genocide." Caitlin today.

You are so right, Caitlin. They all know, along with the whole world by now, that what may happen in the UN General Assembly (a.k.a. the UNGA Social Club) on the 17th September, will be vetoed by the US in the Security Council. So the apparently decent tough guys from Germany, UK, France, Canada, Australia and New Zealand to name the white Western heroes (in name only), are safe to do their pro-Palestine dance routine for all to see. They have been practising the steps for years.

And they will. It is called the 2015 UN Charade or 'let's make it look good for the voters at home'. We'll make it up to Israel in other ways that count'. (Military exports, you know....that sort of thing.)

It is hard to see the value and actions of a world body like the UN and to give it any respect at all when you know that any progressive action in the Assembly can be vetoed by an Israeli controlled sycophant, the USA, equally to blame for every Palestinian death, along with every war since 1945, current total worldwide scoreboard, 5.5 million deaths.

They call it the 'International Rule of Law.......USA style.

The UN is a realtime masquerade, better viewed as an absolute disgrace.

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Luis A. Melendez Albizu's avatar

FOR MORE THAN 100 YEARS, THE INTELLIGENCE SERVICES OF UK, FRANCE, US AND THE REST OF THE EUROPEAN IMPERIALIST COUNTRIES HAVE COURTED, HIRED, ARMED, TRAINED, PAID & USED EXTREMIST MUSLIMS (LIKE THE WAHHABI SAUDIS, QUTB-INSPIRED INSURGENTS, TAKFIRI AL QAIDA & SALAFIST ISIS), AS PAID MERCENARIES AND HIRED GUNS, IN ORDER TO DESTROY NATIONALIST AND/OR SECULAR MUSLIM GOVERNMENTS (UNWANTED BY THE WEST) IN TURKEY, IRAQ, IRAN, EGYPT, SYRIA, YEMEN, ALGERIA, PAKISTAN, AFGHANISTAN, CHECHNYA, THE FOUR FORMER SOVIET ASIAN STANS, AND XINJIAN UYGUR.

ONE OF THE FIRST EXAMPLES WAS HOW THE UK ARMED, PAID AND USED SAUD WAHHABI NEJD FORCES IN THE 1920'S TO DESTROY THE SHARIFF OF MECCA'S KINGDOM OF HEJAZ, IN ORDER TO FORCE THE SHARIFF OF MECCA TO GIVE UP AND SURRENDER THE PROMISES MADE TO HIM BY THE UK OF AN INDEPENDENT ARAB COUNTRY STRECHING FROM ARABIA TO SYRIA IF HE REVOLTED AGAINST THE OTTOMANS IN WWI, AS HE DID.

ONE OF THE LATEST EXAMPLES IS HOW THE US (WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF ITS LOCAL COLLABORATORS IN TURKEY, UAE, QATAR, SAUDI ARABIA, JORDAN AND ESPECIALLY ISRAEL), HIRED, ARMED, TRAINED, PAID & USED EXTREMIST TAKFIRI AL QAIDA & SALAFIST ISIS MERCENARIES, IN ORDER TO DESTROY THE SECULAR GADAFFI GOVT IN LYBIA IN 2011, AND THEN THE SECULAR ASSAD GOVT IN SYRIA FROM 2011-2024.

THE ARAB "ANIMALISTIC BEHAVIOR" REFERS TO THE US' OWN PAID MERCENARIES. IN OTHER WORDS, THIS IS SUPER HYPOCHRISY.

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Just sayn's avatar

Money isn't the Root of All Evil. Greed is. If the sunni, shia and other Arabs would unite they could accomplish much by removing the Absolutely evil Zionist genocidal state. Taking back the oil production and sale from western Fascist corporations, they could theoretically spread the peace of Islam instead of the terror of Judaism . Fomenting Division and Hate for a share of the loot is how cartels become known as governments.

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Joy in HK fiFP's avatar

Call on Pope Leo XIV to do whatever it takes to save Gaza and stop the bombing, and end the starvation. Let him go to Gaza and stand with the suffering people who are being massacred by Israel and the Western posers. He can go to Gaza right now, and insist aid be allowed in.

Is there anything more important in today's world than this?

https://chng.it/gkvBfY44rq

Please sign the petition and share widely.

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Vin LoPresti's avatar

Signed and messaged il Papa in Italiano, despite the fact that he is an American. Perhaps it might have more impact. Who knows. The Catholic Church has been a disappointment,in my opinion.

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Jo Waller's avatar

It's also a projection. The US hates and fears brown people and Muslims for their religion, often confusing Islamic with Islamists. The US hates and fears brown people and Muslims for the respect and passion they have for their leaders.

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Jades’ Radical Candor's avatar

Damn, what leftists do you hang out with ? The ones who paved the road to Gaza?

And here at home in the US , the leftists who introduced government policies and huge black budgets for massive surveillance and government overreach harassing America citizens?

The leftists who suppressed free speech and protests on our campuses when students tried to call it a genocide? I was a conscientious objector during the last election stating the genocide was essentially on both tickets and that Biden is a war criminal. After a lifetime of being a freedom loving , justice believing human , not ONE of my very long list of leftist friends could believe that America would ever get involved in a genocide because most of our “ government “ are good honest people “

I left the “leftists” after I became swept up in a government targeting program and not one of the liberals believed a decades worth of documented abuses .

I was met with “ they wouldn’t do that”

I have been a “ leftist “ all my life .

There is no remedy or salvation in either party; they are both corrupt, just wearing different colors.

I’m certain the Australian socialists you speak of are a different ilk from the leftists here.

The “leftists” here are a naive , uninformed , propagandized party who lack the balls to see past their Suburus, matcha and animal rescue campaigns.

They still cry into their Avocado toast every morning that Harris isn’t their President. What leftists think that if we could get rid of corruption we’d all be fine? The leftists don’t even have eyes to see the corruption that is eating away at them like a flesh eating bacteria. Comparing parties just creates more polarization dead end nonsense.

The decay of our moral fiber goes far beyond our political parties , but i suspect you know that .

The title of your article is interesting, because while it’s just another ruse from the warmongers , I have to say ….

Hell, I hate us for our religion too.

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Caitlin Johnstone's avatar

People who don't know the difference between liberals and leftists should refrain from entering discussions about ideology.

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Truth Seeking Missile's avatar

Stop arguing semantics and just adopt the Chinese economic and political model.

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Chang Chokaski's avatar

Left and Liberal are not semantics - they are very different ways of looking at the world. But sure, keep singing the praises of China - have you even lived in the country? You seem to be as propagandized by Chinese propaganda as Americans are by U.S. propaganda. Same difference!

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John Turcot's avatar

I don’t know the difference between a liberal and a leftist, but I do know that whatever they mean did not help on reducing the threats we face as a species. What I do witness is that those who do know the difference haven’t succeeded in making the survival of our species a long- term affair.

Coming up with an ideology that might work for the survival of our species is not limited to individuals who know the difference between leftist and liberal.

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martin's avatar

old-fashioned leftists, socialists and communists ('the working class people owning the means of production' - kind) are pretty much the only ones that ever helped somewhat to reduce the threats we face as a species, afaik.

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John Turcot's avatar

One of the elementary math baggage of tricks involved Venne diagrams with intersecting areas involved issues existing in all diagrams… which is the point I am espousing as it relates to pidgeontoeing thoughts.

There are Jekyll and Hyde’s lurking in everyone meaning that anyone at anytime can go from one value to the next if given the freedom to do so.

Words are important but also limiting factors when it comes to understanding issues. Moreover, a ‘terrorist to some is a freedom fighter to another. Words limit understandings more than not on too many occasions.. to be a liberal in the U.S. at one point was black mark while in Canada it was the name of the ruling party… still is…

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Davina's avatar

In Australia the Liberal party are the conservatives, like the British Tories and US Republicans, the ones who always side with the wealthy and help to make them wealthier because there just might be a wealth-making job in the offing.

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John Turcot's avatar

Yes, words are definitely entrapping and lead to assumptions that their authors know what they’re talking about with political affiliations in particular leading the pack. I’ve lived in Canada forever, but still don’t know the meaning of any parties, except perhaps separatist parties if I make an effort to limit perspectives.

On the other hand, some words seem to mean the same everywhere, the most well known is called Money. The Conservative Party of Canada has held power for many mandates, but what it represents means nothing to me….. obviously, my political ambitions were few.

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Jades’ Radical Candor's avatar

There is room in the conversation for more than one limited perspective. Unless that troubles you.

A vast amount of your readers are not going to relate to your particular classification of leftists and thought it was worth noting .

Your jump from the American political stage , which is typically your focus , to socialists and leftists was abrupt. It’s completely opposite from the realities of most left / right distinctions. There was nothing in my comment that challenged anything you said , I was simply offering another perspective and it’s as valid as yours.

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Feral Finster's avatar

I suggest avoiding ideology altogether, as it short-circuits critical thinking.

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jamenta's avatar

I thought Caitlin's analysis was spot on and insightful beyond a cursory purview of the ideological framework so many of us now find ourselves trapped within.

Your assumption that a "vast" number of Caitlin's readers would not relate - displays an unconscious projection, and limited understanding in regards to what she wrote.

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Chang Chokaski's avatar

I highly recommend watching the following 3 videos (in order) to better understand LEFT/RIGHT ->

(1) The Left-Right Political Spectrum is about Class Conflict (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3cmjNrXWms)

(2) How Political Definitions Shape Reality (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaFkzIQk-1o)

(3) How we know what Left and Right actually mean: who’s who, 1789-1917 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3uevocEy3c)

If time permits, I recommend watching the COMPLETE playlist -> What is Politics? (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLU4FEuj4v9eAU706Cz_fCvcG44pNow14Y)

Also, here are some links to better understand the DIFFERENCE between LEFT and LIBERALISM ->

(1) The difference between ‘left’ and ‘liberal’ – and why voters need to know (https://theconversation.com/the-difference-between-left-and-liberal-and-why-voters-need-to-know-120273)

(2) What’s the Difference Between a Leftist and a Liberal? (https://scientificorigin.com/whats-the-difference-between-a-leftist-and-a-liberal)

(3) https://thisvsthat.io/left-wing-vs-liberalism

(4) Leftist vs Liberal: Key Differences (https://helpfulprofessor.com/leftist-vs-liberal/)

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martin's avatar

first time caitlin johnstone reader? if so, i recommend reading some of the back-log. (btw, australian labor aren't 'socialists' - as caitlin understands afaik - either. pps: academics seem to have been busy rewriting the 'socialism'-definition on wikipedia, very much cutting if off from marx and soviet union communism. they're rebranding it to some mediocre anti-radical centrism.)

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Davina's avatar

Australian liberals have moved further and further right and Australian Labor is moving right instead of moving further left while the people are the lovers.

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Jades’ Radical Candor's avatar

Thank you for your response.

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David Baird's avatar

Believe me, Jade, the genuine leftists in Australia are a pretty lonely crew. Our recently re-elected government is frequently accused of being 'centre-left' or 'left' or 'socialist' whereas, in fact they are part of a conservative duopoly (Labor/Liberal-National) which is in fact dancing to the tune of the corporate sector. We were once, many moons ago, a relatively progressive, generally prosperous nation but the chasm which has developed between the extreme 'haves' and increasing numbers of 'have nots' or the 'fuck it, I'm barely hanging ons', is obvious. We crawl up the arse of the tRumpacy, even with its clear fascistic intent, pretending that all is well. We slyly provide the perpetrators of the new holocaust in Gaza/West Bank with spare parts for their weaponry while 'recognising the rights of the Palestinian State'. We barely recognise the rights of our own indigenous people and pack off 'illegal' asylum seekers to a distant Pacific island. I'm beginning to hate my country too.

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Davina's avatar

Know exactly how you feel. This so-called recognition, if real, would not have any caveats, especially not one about ending the Hamas Resistance arm, that is just making a hold on any recognition - and this from a man who made a career out of supporting Palestine before becoming PM, and then bending to the ruse about Iran being responsible for ^terrorist^ attacks on a synagogue that had all the trade marks of an Israeli distraction because there was a movement against their genocide here in Oz.

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The Revolution Continues's avatar

Neoliberals who vote for Kamala Harris are NOT "Leftists." Neoliberals in the US politics are known by two names -- Democrat AND Republican. Read up on what Neoliberal ideology really is. It's the support of capitalism and the oligarchy no matter what. Sure, you get some different tactics from the factions, but they're both right-wing parties. True Leftists would never stoop so low to vote for a neoliberal like Harris, Biden or Trump.

Read The Revolution Continues for more information.

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Just sayn's avatar

Sorry to break it to you but the entire world is governed by power and wealth driven ideologists that cover the entire left/ right spectrum. It is human nature and taught in US schools that wealth and power are measures of success. Yet Lincoln a (right)was a tyrant totally. It was Truman(left) who essentially created Zionist Israel. It was Kennedy (Democrat)that tried to end Israel power, and the Federal reserve cartel and was murdered. It was US that nuked 2 civilian cities needlessly and threatens the world today. I hate the US government both sides(Uniparty really) for their lies, wars, frauds, secrecy, and indoctrination programs.

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martin's avatar

if it's 'human nature', they would not have to teach it in us schools.

the us has never had a 'left' president. old-fashioned 'left' and 'socialist' means anti-capitalist first. you've had some 'left' politicians and activists (even some parties and short lived, small experiments way back when) in the us, but never a president or anyone wielding significant power.

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Davina's avatar

Because in the US you need money behind you to become the president, and it seems they couldn't care less where, or who, the money comes from, or what favours they have to fulfil on becoming president.

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The Revolution Continues's avatar

Democrats and Republicans in the US are both neoliberal factions. They are both right-wingers, or supporters of capitalism no matter what. Socialists want to change the corrupt capitalist system to a fair one that works for the people, not the oligarchy. The US has several actual leftist parties--The Green Party US, the Party for Socialism and Liberation, the US Communist Party. Never confuse leftist with neoliberals.

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Just sayn's avatar

In my opinion it matters not a wit Democrat, Republican, liberal, Green ,Leftist, monarchy whatever. They all have the same commonality which is always their downfall. Whether one or many, all are still open to totalitarian abuse by the ruling party. I am not aware of any successful government over any extended period of time that wasn't abused by those in power.. the end result is always violent revolution. Poverty has been the natural state of humanity and those who rise from abject poverty usually do so by exploiting others. I do not believe the WEF or any other movement will change that. Their rhetoric is no different than the empty promises of Trump, Marx, And 100s of others . Warfare, welfare. What the solution is I've no idea, but it isn't by trusting in someone who desires to be in charge.

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Jades’ Radical Candor's avatar

First time Jade Barlow reader ?

Find me at Field Notes of an American Hostage.

In short , it will be like going from a classroom of an intellectual high brow preaching to a loyal choir ; to the other side of the tracks. To an underground speak easy where we print a dissident newspaper in a language that is inclusive and edgy. Or like a labor union activist . You can even show up straight from work in your blue collar shirt and a beer .

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William Zannoni's avatar

Same here (Italy).

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Michael X's avatar

I remember not to long ago when the British called Israeli freedom fighters terrorist who must be stop . I guess freedom is in the eye of the beholder

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William Zannoni's avatar

For once I do not entirely agree with you. "Leftists" let the system prosper just as much as "rightists", not acknowledging the fact that their supposed representatives in the democratic machine are cheek to cheek with the rich and powerful warmongers and parasites. And that may also count as a conspiracy, I believe.

We need to stop speaking about left and right...it's one of the main ways with which they keep us at each other 's throats, while they (all-together) feast on us and on the world.

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Ron Stockton's avatar

Or, we need to stop letting liberals appropriate the term "left" for their feel good purposes.

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JennyStokes's avatar

Is there an American who truly knows what 'left' Socialism is about?

I am so sick of hearing this term used for LIBERALS in the USA.

Do you want healthcare for all/free schooling/homes for the elderly/free school dinners for poor kids?

This is what we have in France and we have something to fight for....we do not want to lose this but it's happening.

There is nothing to fight for in the USA. Terrified of Socialism..........brainwashed people.

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Ron Stockton's avatar

Right. I don't mean to offend good, or liberal, Americans, but they seem to think that anyone who opposes carrying open firearms and shooting anyone who gets in their way, is a leftist. The use of the term "left" in relation to politics in the USA is meaningless. To use the term left in relation to their mainstream political parties is an abomination. I'll confess, it's also an abomination to use the term left in relation to Canada's mainstream political parties.

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William Zannoni's avatar

That wouldn't solve the issue when people continue to fight one another arguing whether the left is the way, or instead the right is better, while politicians go on with their filthy interests...this is a crucial point.

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Ron Stockton's avatar

If we deny that there is a right-wing political ideology then we allow the right-wing to dominate. It doesn't go away because we don't name it. The liberal trope that we all want the same thing is an excuse to not take a position on critical issues (such as capitalism, fascism, Zionism, etc.) so instead they can continue donating to food banks instead of solving the problem once and for all. Politicans, like everyone else, take a position on issues and it is either a left-win g or a right-wing position. The inference of your position is that if we get rid of politicians all will be fair. That is, at beast, naive.

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William Zannoni's avatar

Not at all...my position is we should support politicians who do their work in good faith, whether they come form the left or from the right. And sure, we should stop throwing ourselves in politicians' arms (because the system is cleverly made to protect and perpetuate itself) and start working more with people...

I know many "right wing" people that I (having been a "leftist" for the greater part of my life) respect more than many historic "leftists".

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Ron Stockton's avatar

There may be right-wing people you respect for one thing or another and they be "nice" people and do good work in their community and donate to charity, but when they are in decision making positions in organizations, government, or corporations, their right-wing beliefs will still lead to exploitation of the poor and the working class, not to mention women, people of colour, the vulnerable, and anyone else who can be othered. That's the very definition of "right-wing". It can be done by "nice people like Barrack Obama, Bill Gates, Mark Carney, etc. but it's still exploitation, it still disempowers ordinary people, and it leaves everyone open to what we see today across the western world, the rise of fascism.

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martin's avatar

as a 'leftist' did you think society and history were about class struggle?

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William Zannoni's avatar

Maybe history, but not society, not anymore I think. Sure, the issue is still there but it's changed too much to be still perceived as such.

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Helga Fellay's avatar

I suspect what you meant was we need to stop "leftists" appropriate the term "liberal" for their feel good purposes.

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Ron Stockton's avatar

Good one! However, I don't know any leftists here in Nova Scotia who would call themselves liberal.

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martin's avatar

democrats are not 'leftists' in caitlin's book, afaik. maybe also read some of her back-log. 'centrists' (fascist-light) particularly want people to stop speaking about (old fashioned) 'left' and 'right'.

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Truth Seeking Missile's avatar

Leftists known the game and they know theirs are filthy rich. Leftists are not people-first any more than rightists. They both selfishly believe "I got mine, you can't get yours."

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Stefano Montani's avatar

And "we", why we hate them? Because we want all the wealth for us.

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jamenta's avatar

The West has glorified avarice as if it were some kind of virtue. The obscenely wealthy have convinced the peasants that only the pursuit of wealth is what makes life meaningful, and the winners are only the billionaires (soon to be trillionaires) with their private islands and yachts. Everything else, including the planetary biosphere, the future and education of the rest of ordinary Americans and their children ... hell, even being able to afford a doctor - no longer has any relevance. It's all about profits for those few at the top.

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Stefano Montani's avatar

Well said!

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Chuck Nasmith's avatar

It is Evil the high poll numbers of Israeli's for the destruction and death in Gaza. Give them a new nation under the sea or on the moon. One State : Palestine.

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Ron Stockton's avatar

In response to the demand to name one Palestinian invention, one might answer, "Civilized society, 20,000 years ago."

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Feral Finster's avatar

I had no idea that one's right to live one's life was based on someone else's idea of how useful I was.

Anyway, is algebra sufficient? Arabic numerals?

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gypsy33's avatar

Feral, culinary as well, even though da Jooz in IsraHell try to appropriate it. ( They call hummus “Israeli” 😂)

More and more folks are consuming the Mediterranean Diet for their health, and because it’s fuckin’ delicious.

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Mark's avatar

Any system that requires death & destruction is incongruous to human prosperity.

It's actually incredibly insane that we still kill each other as a tactic. And continue to tell ourselves we're civilised.

Capitalism & all its bastard tentacles is a gnawing, rapacious parasite at odds with our nature. That's why its most ardent adherents are most always nefarious examples of our species.

It must expire. Or we will.

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John Turcot's avatar

It’s not capitalism that will destroy the species, it’s the stupidity of the species.

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Mark's avatar

Capitalism relies on ignorance. It's a fomenter of it.

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Jo Waller's avatar

Here is a gift for you Tim and Caitlin. It’s from a book on how 20th century art history purposefully left out artists who were women called ‘Old Mistresses; Women, Art and Ideology’ written in 1981 by Pollock and Parker. Parker died in 2010 and here is Pollock reflecting on the book in 2013:

‘A vital part of the history of this book is that it was collaboratively produced in an era that identified creativity and creative thinking with individuals. Collaborative writing is an extraordinary process that requires total trust in each other. It offers a double liberation from both egotism and the anxiety associated with being alone responsible for what is said. Each partner brings different resources and abilities. Each partner must totally respect the other but be focused on a larger project: what is that we are doing, why and for whom? The most important discovery this book now represents is this: that the outcome is infinitely greater that the mere addition of two minds at work. Most of what is in this book would never have come to fruition and to this form without collaboration. Its sum is much more that the total of the two of us. By working together we egged each other into ideas we could never have dared to think alone.’

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Bruce Maltby's avatar

Excellent - so true

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