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Joy in HK fiFP's avatar

Nailed it, once again! Thanks for keeping your voice strong, and sharing it with us. Although, I will miss your publications, I hope you have a few days of holiday respite in the coming week. All the best to you and your loved ones. May the new year be a better one for all of us.

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Caitlin Johnstone's avatar

Thanks! Yeah we'll take a few days off. I'm having a party for my 50th too.

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Contrarian 33's avatar

Just concluded one for my 91st. Still have some petrol in the tank, however.

May not be 95 octane but it is still starting the motor.

Happy birthday to you, Caitlin ......and to all the other active commenters and supporters from all over the globe, please keep it up.

We will win this battle because if we don't, there will be no world to live in and all the agitation and efforts from all of us will have been absolutely wasted.

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The Revolution Continues's avatar

Happy birthday and happy holidays, Caitlin!

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Uaifo Ojo's avatar

Congrats on the big 50, we'll be celebrating with you in Spirit 💐🥂

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Hilary Jones's avatar

Happy birthday! Enjoy your holiday. ❤

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Mikhael's avatar

May you return rested and rejuvenated. Happy birthday and to many, many more. The planet needs you. Enjoy and relish every minute of your downtime.

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SW's avatar

Happy Birthday! Enjoy all the blessings in your life and many more to come 🙏

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YesXorNo's avatar

Happy birthday. 50 is fantastic. Enjoy!

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Julia in Ruins's avatar

Happy birthday and thank you for all the light you bring to this world

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Stephen Walker's avatar

1974? The year of “Diamond Dogs” and “Natty Dread”. Omedeto & kanpai!

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Chang Chokaski's avatar

Caitlin, I have SO MUCH ANGER against the US/Western Empire, their financial systems (that they use to imprison and exploit people and nations), and ALL the neoliberal uber-Capitalists and billionaires (all over the world), BUT -> I feel helpless as there is not much I can do (being an ordinary person with little power/influence). All I can do is spread the word and debate/discuss with people (as calmly as I can manage), but it seems to not be enough.

What is to be done? It is extremely frustrating to see the world go up in flames right in front of my eyes and not being able to do much to make a difference....it is a horrible, constant state of agitation and depression...

PS: Thank you for providing this community where we have an outlet and can find like-minded people that we can discuss and commiserate with.

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Caitlin Johnstone's avatar

You're not powerless, you are ALMOST powerless. And when you're dealing with millions and millions of people, there is a huge difference between powerless and almost powerless. You can't take down the machine by yourself, but you can throw sand in its gears and do your own little part to hamper its movements from day to day. When enough of us do this, all those little grains of almost nothing become a big fat mountain of something, and the machine comes crashing down.

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Chang Chokaski's avatar

Thank you Caitlin for those encouraging words. Some days I wish I no longer existed so that I wouldn't have to see what I see happening every day to SO MANY good, decent, innocent, conscientious and caring people - especially in Palestine and Gaza. But yes, in a way that is a selfish thought - a coward's thought.

Grains of sand, please give us the strength and MAKE THINGS HAPPEN! How long can people keep tolerating this godforsaken US Empire (and all its systems and everything that it entails)?

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Uaifo Ojo's avatar

Until their own material comforts are threatened directly or their own lives are upended by that system will their eyes be open

It's like dealing with a narcissist sociopath whom everyone thinks is just a nice guy until you're his victim and he shows his other face to you... Problem in our case is the sociopath (America) has shown his true face already but people don't want to see it cuz they don't want to get discomforted and rearrange their own worldview

And the Almighty Pain of Cognitive dissonance they're unknowingly fleeing from for their dear lives 😅

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Feral Finster's avatar

The rulers know full well what they are doing.

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Chang Chokaski's avatar

I think you're right. Thank you - makes sense to me.

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gypsy33's avatar

Hi Chang

Thank you for expressing my exact thoughts and feelings.

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Pauline P Schneider's avatar

ReReading Paulo Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed today and this gem popped up on page 56: for the oppressors, however, it is always the oppressed (whom they never call “the oppressed” but-depending on whether they are fellow countrymen or not-“those people” or “the blind and envious masses” or “savages” or “natives” or “subversives”) who are disaffected, who are “violent,” “barbarically,” “wicked,” or “ferocious” when they react to the violence of the oppressors.

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Stephen Walker's avatar

I am glad that you replied by pointing out that we are not powerless. Whenever I am trying to explain to someone face to face what the main objective of the programming, brain washing, propaganda and narrative control we are subjected to from birth, I always say, “They want us to believe that we are powerless”. But as you point out, this notion is demonstrably untrue.

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Landru's avatar

I used to argue that voting was an act against power. The problem with that argument, people would vote and then stop working against the empire. With this last election it seemed not voting had far more power. I worked for Jill Stein's campaign, thought, word, and deed and that had a very small effect. I do try to work and contribute to organizations that work against the Empire, like being a contributor to Caitlin's work which I consider extremely important, truth. I am not sure were it all goes as End Stage Capitalism advances at a faster rate. Thank you for being part of the solution : )

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Manny's avatar

“One murder makes a villain… millions a hero. Numbers sanctify, my good friend.”

Charlie Chaplin in Monsieur Verdoux

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Joy in HK fiFP's avatar

Time to make the Holy Land holy again. The best thing Pope Francis could ever do is to make his stand in Gaza, or Bethlehem. He has an opportunity that is unequalled, to say "no" to genocide. If Gaza is no longer an option, thanks to the total blockade by Israel. He could even go to the West Bank, Beirut, or even Teheran.

May it be his road to Damascus moment, and say, “Not in our name, not on our watch.”

Please sign the petition and share widely.

https://chng.it/gkvBfY44rq

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Rosalind Dalefield's avatar

Signed. I think that Pope Francis should also excommunicate Joe Biden

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Vin LoPresti's avatar

Joe does indeed exemplify the worst of Roman Catholic religiosity of the morally bereft flavor.

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Rosalind Dalefield's avatar

Whoever hears his confession and absolves him of his sins should also be excommunicated.

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Vin LoPresti's avatar

Absolutely NO absolution.

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gypsy33's avatar

Hi Vin

I grew up Catholic and if I recall correctly, there was this little thing that stated “Thou shalt not kill…”

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Diane Engelhardt's avatar

Really!

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Contrarian 33's avatar

Could make a difference, Joy. We have both suggested his intervention before but so far, no success. Biden, as you know, is one of his flock. What does that say?

The Holy Land, once Christian, is now Jewish real estate soon to be sold off by Trump's son-in-law. Thanks for that go to Biden and the exceptionally criminal USA. Sadly for all there is more to come as the character of an Israeli is now well understood by the rest of the world. The WWII Third Reich pales by comparison.

Yes, now that also means Jewish as well, with very few exceptions.

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Manny's avatar

I sent a message to Pope Francis asking him to tell Biden that supporting genocide is a mortal sin.

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jamenta's avatar

"There is no swifter route to the corruption of thought than through the corruption of language."

~George Orwell

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Joy in HK fiFP's avatar

There are so many worthy organization working for justice in Palestine, here are a few:

For factual information:

https://www.btselem.org

Teach-in Network educating for justice

https://teachinnetwork.org

Gush Shalom has been on the side of peace for many years:

http://zope.gush-shalom.org/index_en.html

Breaking the Silence

https://www.breakingthesilence.org.il

New Israel Fund

NIF.org

ANERA

https://www.anera.org/

ADALAH

https://www.adalahjusticeproject.org/defend

Other organizations working for justice, and an end to occupation in Palestine:

Electronic Intifada, https://electronicintifada.net

Code Pink

https://www.codepink.org

Christian organisations:

FOSNA

https://www.fosna.org

SABEEL

https://sabeel.org

https://paxchristiusa.org/

Jewish-secular organisations:

JVP

https://www.jewishvoiceforpeace.org

If now now

https://www.ifnotnowmovement.org

These are only some of the courageous groups working for justice in Palestine. They all need y/our support now, perhaps more than ever. How can we allow this to continue?

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Joy in HK fiFP's avatar

The Hind Rajab Foundation has filed a case with the ICC against 1,000 Israeli soldiers for war crimes in Gaza.

https://www.hindrajabfoundation.org/perpetrators/hind-rajab-foundation-files-historic-icc-complaint-against-1000-israeli-soldiers-for-war-crimes-in-gaza

They can use our help. Please read the article and join me in making a contribution. https://buy.stripe.com/cN228hbY5g7jaM84gg

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Rhys Jaggar's avatar

People who definitely ARE terrorists:

1. Every single US, UK and Israeli diplomat representing murderous regimes.

2. Every US, UK and Israeli politician voting for genocides, preventing justice being prosecuted against genocidal crimes and providing protection for master criminal terrorists like Netanyahu and Smotrich.

3 . All the US, UK and Israeli MSM employees that write claptrap supporting terrorism, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and war crimes.

Far beyond time to stop being namby pamby about this.

My MP is a weak wastrel whipped into line to support ethnic cleansing - a veritable nazi orderly, eh?

Keir Starmer is an international terrorist.

Anthony Blinken and Jake Sullivan are both on a par morally with Reinhard Heydrich and Heinrich Himmler.

Etc etc.

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JennyStokes's avatar

Every single so-called Journalist writing lies.

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The Revolution Continues's avatar

"Whoever controls the narrative controls the world."

Sounds like something George Orwell might have said.

You know you're living in a crazy inside-out world when the Israeli terrorists are called heroes and the working class hero slaying an evil elitist CEO is mislabeled a terrorist. Time to take back the narrative and take control of our world. Power to the people!

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gypsy33's avatar

FREE LUIGI MANGIONE!

This is just the beginning! People in power, take heed!

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Brother🍓 Strawberry's avatar

How exactly is an entitled rich kid a “working class hero” for stalking and killing a healthcare ceo when that killing will do absolutely nothing to improve access to or quality of healthcare for anyone?

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The Revolution Continues's avatar

Anyone standing up against for-profit health insurance corporations that act like "death panels" for thousands of Americans each and every year (68,500 Americans die on average from lack of health care each year) becomes a hero to those who are suffering from lack of health care. If you or a loved one have never been denied a health care claim, it might be difficult for you to understand how desperate many folks are who have been denied or who have lost loved ones because no health care was provided since UHC denied their claim and then the doctors/hospitals wouldn't operate/give treatment. You have to actually suffer to understand how anyone who stands up against the evil corporations is considered a hero.

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Brother🍓 Strawberry's avatar

Considering that you have absolutely no clue how i have “suffered”, nearly died, been maltreated by “healthcare” and would be dead if i had followed directions of “healthcare” it is suggested that you stuff your unfounded assertions against me back up the smelly hole you pulled them from. The fact that i am stating the irrefutable fact that killing a ceo of a healthcare corporation will do absolutely nothing to improve access to or quality of healthcare for the people in no way suggests i am defending the system that i rejected and left decades ago. The fact that you are still clamoring for access to the failed system demonstrates your mental slavery to that system. But go on deluding yourself that you are revolutionary as you plead to become part of the system you claim to oppose.

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Brother🍓 Strawberry's avatar

How exactly is stalking and killing the ceo of a healthcare corporation who is as expendable to that corporation as the people the corporation denies coverage to are a heroic act? How is it any different than nutty-yahoo and his iof cowards claiming that killing a Hamas leader will defeat Hamas? Note that I have been anti-western “healthcare”/medicine and Pro-Palestine since the 1980s. That ceo will be replaced with tighter, better security and the corporation will focus solely on increasing profits because that is what a corporation does.

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Brother🍓 Strawberry's avatar

To delude yourself that killing a healthcare ceo will bring about a change in healthcare for the people is as absurd as nutty-yahoo and his iof cowards thinking that occasionally killing a Hamas “leader” will defeat Hamas.

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Brother🍓 Strawberry's avatar

you have absolutely no clue how much I have suffered under and due to western medicine/“healthcare”. you have no clue how many loved ones I have watched suffer and die due to western “healthcare” practices. A much greater and more powerful “hero” would be one who does something that will actually cause change other than increased security for the ceos. Let me know when the actions of your “hero” actually result in effective change.

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Brother🍓 Strawberry's avatar

Considering that you have no clue regarding my history with “healthcare” i would recommend that you refrain from suggesting I don’t understand. If I had listened to, trusted or beLIEved in western “healthcare” or followed its instructions not only would my health be destroyed I would be dead. I have been opposing western “healthcare” and their “medicine” for decades. Because I have recognized the failure of western medicine.

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russian_bot's avatar

"The empire’s favorite trick is to begin the historical record at the moment its enemies retaliate against its abuses." - it works, so why not keep using it?

The stupid public buys it because of stupidity. Others accept it as it's the trick they themselves employ constantly. It all matches up nicely. The shoe fits perfectly.

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TS's avatar

It's not that the public is necessarily stupid. It's that when the people who control the microphones say something over and over and over again, it becomes the accepted narrative. It's not that anyone buys it: just saying it makes it so.

We're not stupid. We are caught in this torrent of their noise machine.

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russian_bot's avatar

So if you're to be told over and over to jump off the bridge you'll eventually do it. Nothing to do with your stupidity. Got it.

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TS's avatar

I don't know how you got that from my comment. You just saw what you wanted to see, and turned it into a gratuitous insult. The accepted narrative is not the same thing as the truth. That was my point.

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russian_bot's avatar

Touchy aren't we? Let's try again. You wrote:

"It's not that the public is necessarily stupid. It's that when the people who control the microphones say something over and over and over again, it becomes the accepted narrative. It's not that anyone buys it: just saying it makes it so."

So if "the people who control the microphones say" jump off the bridge "over and over and over again, it becomes the accepted narrative."

And so it follows that when they jump off the bridge then according to you it's not because they're stupid. It's because they just followed the accepted narrative. Their mental faculties remained perfectly intact.

I agree. Whatever faculties they possessed remained perfectly intact indeed.

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Joy in HK fiFP's avatar

Consider supporting this Israeli organization made up of former soldiers and fighters, both Israelis and Palestinians who have turned their life efforts towards peace. Combatants for Peace, https://cfpeace.org In the USA, you can support through the American Friends of Combatants for Peace at https://www.afcfp.org

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unwarranted's avatar

One of the features of power is that it is never required to explain, and another is that it usually sounds more reasonable than the ones who challenge it.

When the edifice of the overlords with its ornate trappings and its layers of servants is viewed soberly from a safe distance, the perverted system takes on a different caste. Luigi turned on a light.

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jamenta's avatar

But at a terrible cost to himself. Will he still feel it was worth it after being locked up in a US 9x9 prison cell for his next 30+ years? Assuming they don't figure out a way to hang him instead? Was Luigi oblivious to the possibility of being hunted down, or was expecting it all along?

And how quickly will the American public now go on to the next topic of the day? We got Drones. We got Trump in January. We got Israel trying to start World War III. We got the price of eggs going up about as fast as the stock market.

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unwarranted's avatar

I salute Luigi while recognizing that he’s severely damaged. I don’t think his actions were rational. The quixotic actions of many angry and wronged people can be revelatory if people look.

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jamenta's avatar

Obviously we can't have a functioning society if people can go about killing whomever they want. And it is a human tragedy whenever anyone is killed for whatever reason.

That being said, Luigi has sure thrown a light on the rottenness in the US right now, and the runaway corruption of US politicians.

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Diana van Eyk's avatar

Exactly. It's amazing how so many people aren't interested in the context of these conflicts. They just want to blame the so-called bad guys.

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Diane Engelhardt's avatar

The new definition of terrorist: the person/group/state who calls every other person/group/state a terrorist. Synonym: antisemite.

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Robert Billyard's avatar

A lawless warfare state that is continually waging war on the world and inflicting violence on others ultimately internalizes habitual violence domestically. Just as a country that projects hatred toward other countries becomes a country of hatred and racism directed at others. Its a perverted form of "leadership by example." Maybe some day we will wake up and do an honest assessment of the costs of war and ultimately how self-destructive they are.

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Klonda56's avatar

No. It’s a brainwashed society and this makes self reflection possible. You talk about reflecting on wars today? Man this is a plantation nation that has never reflected on its 400 years of slavery! And continues to compound the effects of it daily.

But suddenly you think they will self reflect on wars?

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gypsy33's avatar

Hi Klonda

Not to mention the genocide inflicted on the Indigenous Peoples.

To be a Palestinian at this time is reflective of what it must have been like for Native Americans circa 1880.

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Klonda56's avatar

That’s quite correct.

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Rodolfo Marusi Guareschi's avatar

If we do not break the chain of events, the future will be a repetition of the past.

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Susan T's avatar

The present is already a repetition of the past.

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