Programming note: Mark Steyn returns to the telly tonight. Catch him on Tucker Carlson Tonight on Fox News at 8:00pm ET.
Happy Passover and happy upcoming Easter to our Jewish and Christian readers around the world and, thus, welcome to the Passover/Easter edition of Laura's Links.
As I mentioned last week, Passover prep chez nous was heavy duty when Mr. C and I headed out to the grocery store to pick up a load of Passover goods. We were meandering through the Kosher section when I heard a woman shrieking at the top of her lungs to someone nearby, "Your wife is a killer! She's going to kill all of us!', alternating with equally loudly screams berating the husband for, in her words, "thinking you are better than all of us," and that he should be particularly ashamed of his killer wife because he was wearing a yarmulke.
She carried on for a few minutes. Store staff had to ask her to calm down. The screecher was wearing a mask (maybe two, maybe three, who knows) and plastic gloves. It turned out that we knew the Killer Wife's husband and asked him what the heck was going on. Folks, I was witnessing an acute episode of Karen Covid Psychosis right in front of my very eyes.
As it happened, this fellow was wearing a mask and was quite calm. He didn't take the screecher's bait. His wife is actually a lawyer, who has a medical condition (which is of course none of anyone's business) and is medically exempt from wearing a mask (also nobody's business). Her young children were also maskless – which I agree with 100%. So a random stranger decided to launch a tirade against the maskless woman for her "crime" of being unmasked. It was really an ugly scene and I don't know how Mr. C would have handled it if anyone dared scream at me for not wearing a mask (I did have one on in the store), or even worse, my disabled child who cannot wear one.
The hysterical Covid harpy also came back at them for another round, forcing store employees to once again tell her to calm the eff down (politely). She muttered aloud to herself for the rest of her shopping, although I did see her finally shut up at the cash register.
I share this story to demonstrate Covid Psychosis, and illustrate how these repulsive and evil policies have ruined human lives, destroyed otherwise normal humans' interactions – most likely irreparably – and how these made-up "rules" have given licence to really awful people to act out their sickest, most control-freak, better-than-thou, safer-than-thou, holier-than-thou behaviours with complete societal licence and approval.
You'll see some of the stories below that confirm my repeat diagnosis of evil. The mask mania, I believe, is part obedience training and part band-aid/public safety kabuki. And while I was willing to consider the great Douglas Murray's suggestion (on a recent James Delingpole podcast interview) that they are a small price to pay to give people the confidence to return to normal activity, I am beginning to turn on that perspective because I think the mask mania will have no end unless you just end it on your own. Other thoughts to consider on the topic are here for your consideration: The Death of Lockdown Tyranny May Be Nigh, The simple facts about the coronavirus public health policies, and a perfect example of when a really smart, dynamic writer articulates something that I've been thinking about with more clarity than I could have mustered. This thought, from Right Said Fred (yes, that Right Said Fred) is also perfect.
It has been a difficult year for me and my house in many ways and last week I sought counsel from a wise Rabbi and mercifully, he gave me strength. Without going into detail, he said that sometimes Hashem (one of the Hebrew names for G-d) gives you a challenge that you think you can't overcome, but you can't give up because He knows that you can overcome it. He knows because He chose the challenge for you. The Rabbi said Hashem must already think that I'm an extremely strong woman and up to the challenge because he gave me my disabled son. I believe with all my heart that with respect to human lives, and with respect to the uniqueness and sanctity of every human life and soul, there are no coincidences. There are reasons we were chosen to take care of a precious, fragile soul in this life but the journey is not without its many hardships and yes, its tears.
My faith is very important to me and the gentle, wise Rabbi gave me strength and reminded me that Hashem is always with me and I'm truly grateful for the kind words and encouragement. That was the good of the week. The bad and the ugly were described above and there's plenty below. You're welcome!
The great Prophet Steyn, PBUH (Pocket squares Be Upon Him, ameeeeeeeen ameeeeeeeeen) was a very busy prophet this week, naturally. He truly is a one-man global content creator of epic proportions! Turn off your telly (except to watch Steyn and Tucker) and just stay tuned to SteynOnline for all your news, history, current events, arts, literature needs. Did you miss any of his voluminous output over the past week? WHY? OK, you may have a life outside of Mark Steyn's content, but do make time to review Green Fraud Meets The Big Shut Up, the replay of the Live Q&A Around the Planet: Chairman Xi's Birthday, a look at the Biden "press conference", and a new Mark Steyn Show "When Survivors Succumb". He took a look at Brokeback Mountain in Mark at the Movies, the Song of the Week was Teach Me Tonight, and gave a good summary of how utterly stupid everything is nowadays in a Steyn on Culture post called Hostages of the Cult.
Have a good week. See you in the comments!
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North America:
Your must-read of the day from Julie Kelly at American Greatness: "Media Fawns as Fauci Promotes Child Abuse". Similar incompetence and evil is happening here in Canada. Masking children is evil. Utterly evil.
Related: the rather interesting media coverage of Ontario Premier Doug that nobody seems to care about.
Lockdowns are evil. The sick, depraved, awful humans who cheerlead these policies should be jailed. The Covid psychopaths who create, implement and cheer these policies are a danger to humanity. They are sick, evil bastards.
Vaccine passports: the end of liberty in the West.
Wimps. Losers. Weak. Pathetic.
Things are bad, but they could always be worse. You're welcome.
The worst never happens. Only the most disgusting. Not sure also how I feel about this.
Mark talked about this on Monday. Here's the update.
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Israel and Jews:
"Jews, Druze, Christians, and Muslims are joining together for a worthy cause".
Abraham Accords update.
"I don't regret helping my people and my land."
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The Formerly Great Britain:
Meet the British Hug Stasi. More here.
Musical notation = white supremacy.
Balls spotted: "Blasphemy? F*cking blasphemy?"
"To all intents and purposes, we are living in a police state, with Parliament routinely bypassed when new rules are introduced."
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Europe:
In which I must begrudgingly admire Germans.
In which I must begrudgingly admire French farmers.
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Kook and Humourless Left, Wokestapo and Trans:
To paraphrase Mark Steyn: when the mullahs nuke us, we'll be talking about personal pronouns.
Today in Satan: sick and predatory.
Really good thread about the Wokestapo and holidays. Must read!
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Random:
Viva La Fat Acceptance Movement!
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Human Grace:
It's open thread time! Log into SteynOnline and let Laura know what you think of these stories or other happenings from week that was or the election results that never will be. Commenting privileges are among the many perks of membership in The Mark Steyn Club. While going off topic is permitted on Laura's Links, do stick to the other rules as you engage: no URLs, no profanity, and no ad hominem attacks. Meet your fellow Club members, including Laura, in person by joining us on our rescheduled Mediterranean cruise alongside Michele Bachmann, Douglas Murray, and Tal Bachman.
