Hi again and welcome to the Approaching Stage Three edition of Laura's Links from your In-House Jewish Mother's HQ in southern Ontario. I actually can't believe that we are officially (slowly) creeping toward normalcy as this summer plods on.
As government mandarins continue to roll out their magical, unicorny, hocus-pocus economic recovery plans, I'm equally concerned about the fact that there is no psychological recovery plan. Almost every day I am faced with another story, either first-person or from friends of friends, that relay another tale of the complete and utter psychological carnage wrought by the Murderous Chinese Communist Virus. Though many companies and governments are working on tests and vaccines, there is no quick fix for the psychological decimation wrought by China upon our treasured social norms and conventions. We need to stay angry about that as we inch toward official economic recovery, normalcy and occupational productivity and try, with all our might, to reclaim the sacred social spaces and practices that are no less than critical hallmarks of our civilization.
In the 1930s and 40s, the fictional character The Shadow (created by Walter B. Gibson and voiced by actor Frank Readick) from the radio show Detective Story spoke the iconic line, "Who knows what evil lurks in the heart of men? The Shadow knows." It was a line I heard a lot growing up and I think about from time to time because it so accurately reflects reality. It's so biblical. Evil does lurk in the heart of man, and all around us, and it must always be beaten back with force – physical, spiritual, intellectual and psychological – or it thrives and leaves death and destruction in its insatiable wake. To paraphrase a different president: one must speak loudly and carry a big tweet.
Evil is peeking out in broad daylight in China, though sinister threats against journalists and their families (later ridiculously and completely implausibly denied by the disgusting New York Times), and in the newest wave of the oldest hatred, from the direction of the black community to the Jewish community and a newer hatred, a virulent form of anti-white racism from black to white and from left to white. These are dangerous times indeed.
The good news is that over the past week, Mark presented us with a number of wonderful shows including Sleeping With the Enemy, Whisper if You Dare, a special Last Call episode "From Longleat to Amity Island" (a compilation of Mark's touching and detailed audio obituary tributes to some of the many individuals murdered by the Chinese coronavirus), and his Song of the Week was Where Do You Go To (My Lovely)?
Stay strong, safe and mad. And now, a look back at the week that was.
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North America:
San Francisco Museum of Art director gets canceled because raaaaaaaacism.
NFL goes woke.
Two of the Jew-hating Shrews of Congress face primary challenges. In'shallah, at least half of the Squalid Squad goes down.
"We will not capitalize white."
"Sometimes, your loved one can be a problem." No kidding. A great interview with the one and only Gordon Lightfoot. I pretty much grew up with Lightfoot strumming along in the background. I'm a big fan, used to go to his amazing concerts with my mom, a superfan since the Riverboat Cafe days in the Toronto of the 1960s. She always managed to get front row seats for his annual shows at Massey Hall and we even got to go backstage a few times. Incredible memories.
Why not just go to a different school? UPDATE: Leaving.
Behold: the March of the Morons in Toronto.
Oh pretty please, make it so President Trump.
It's just a mask, it's just for two weeks, it's just to flatten the curve, it's for your own good blah blah blah, oh by the way you're under house arrest.
Balls spotted in corporate America at Red Bull.
Here as well. Jamil Jivani: "No one gets to tell me what kind of Black man to be."
Dear donors to the Heritage Foundation: I don't know where your money has gone, but it sure as heck hasn't gone to producing a proper video that doesn't look like a lip-synched hostage video. Heckkava job, Conservative Inc.!
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Jews and Israel:
"I'm so disappointed." Charles Barkley on black anti-Semitism.
Zack Banner tackles anti-Semitism.
Egyptian intellectual: hey, maybe instead of complaining about Da Jooooooz, we should follow their example.
Torah thoughts: "...even setbacks can be transformed into positive, growth experiences".
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Europe:
A real mystery! We may never know the motive. Ever! Ever evah evah EVAH.
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The Formerly Great Britain:
Out with the old, in with the new.
People may be murdered by scumbag terrorists, law abiding citizens may lose their loved ones, but the main thing is not to offend the jihadis.
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Evil Chinese Communist Murderers:
The evil, wicked Chinese are forcing Muslim Uyghurs to make facemasks and other assorted PPE to fight the Chinese coronavirus that they created and distributed to the entire planet.
Also: so much for "Never Again". More here.
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Humourless Kook Left, Wokestapo and Trans:
Ricky Gervais: Just because you're offended, that doesn't mean you're right. Amen.
Apparently, I am due for my prostate exam.
What does one have to do with the other??
Woke Hollywood looking for non-cis non-binary, blue-haired, one-legged, non-conforming, totally wokey pokey shmokey zzzzz so sleeeeeeeeepy zzzzzzz.
Child abuse. (Related...) Also, where are the fathers? Usually out of the family picture entirely or shunted aside by activist courts when they try to fight.
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Misc. Steynage:
When life goes according to the Prophet Steyn's predictions. Behold the Steynian gloomography.
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Human Grace:
See you in the comments!
It's open thread time! Laura's Links serves as our weekly opportunity to kick back in the comments and dish on the stories Laura's curated and others she may have missed. While the 'No going off-topic' is suspended, please keep to the others on URLs, profanity and ad hominem attacks. If you want to join in on the commenting that is one of many perks reserved for members of The Mark Steyn Club, which you can explore here. If you want to meet your fellow Club members in person, consider joining us on our rescheduled Mediterranean cruise, alongside John O'Sullivan, Douglas Murray and Michele Bachmann.