Greetings and welcome to the first edition of Laura's Links for 2024.
How was your New Year's Eve? Mine was excellent. We were at home eating pasta with spinach, mushrooms and goat cheese, binge watching HGTV, having Pralines and Cream ice cream for dessert and were asleep by 11:00 PM. Good times!
However festive this time of the year is, and believe me, I am a huge fan of the lights and the cookies and the music and the reason for the season, etc., the Christmas holidays and January are also the anniversary of the late stages of Kathy Shaidle's terrible terminal cancer and her passing, so sometimes a little "wa wa wa" sneaks into my "fa la la" if you get my meaning.
The Big Sad just kind of sneaks up on me once in a while and it doesn't help that I am obviously still really pissed at Kathy for dying on me because it wasn't supposed to be like this. I'm also keenly aware that I'm still not really dealing with my grief about this in a super awesome and perfectly productive way, the key indicator being that I'm still not able to look at my trove of our email exchanges even though I know I would hear her voice speaking to me through them. I can't handle it yet. I think it's OK though to have things you never 'get over' and only get through. One hour, one day at a time, hoping that it will hurt less with time.
I was acutely reminded of the blessing of friendship this week after I paid a hospital visit to a loved one. For months, my friend, who I met when we were counselors together at an overnight camp as teenagers, has made a gracious habit of simply swooping in wherever I am, dropping me off or picking me up from the hospital, buying lunch or a coffee and figuratively holding my hand as I continue to navigate a very complex situation.
We have been friends for almost forty years now and yesterday, she told me she loved me and I told her I love her as well. And then she looked at me and said "Laura, one thing in life I know for sure is that you can't get new old friends."
I almost started crying at the profundity of that simple statement.
You can certainly make new friends in life, but nothing compares to having the gift of friendship that weaves through the decades with love and wisdom, through relationships, children, births and deaths. There is indeed nothing like the blessing of old friends and you really can't get new old ones.
~
In keeping with the new and improved (hopefully) slightly elongated introductions, I wanted to bring your attention once again to the fact (and it is a fact) that the political left never rests. There will never be a time where the political left and the Wokestapo will let you "live and let live". You have to understand that. You have to understand that they will go for their kill shot in your moment of weakness, and even then they will not stop. They will never let a crisis go to waste, etc...
Now, you might still be trying to lay low with the hope of not attracting their attention, but I promise you that looking down will not help you in the slightest. That's why you need to have courage now. That's where this example from Israel comes in.
As you are aware, Israel is pretty much run by a leftist judicial junta. The short history of this goes back to the founding of the state and by the almost complete monopoly of power that the socialist, European Jews awarded themselves (army, health care, government, arts, academy, etc). The election of Menachem Begin in the 1970s directly challenged the socialist Ashkenazi, elitist monopoly and the left was not happy about that. Therefore, they focused much of their efforts on solidifying their iron grip on the judiciary and particularly the Supreme Court but also in the higher ranks of the IDF.
As it turns out, a majority of uppity Israelis still want for their vote to count. They do not want to be ruled by judges (I'm sure my gracious host Mark Steyn would agree, given his experience with American judges). But the will of the people be damned. So even though Bibi Netanyahu won a majority government, his efforts to reform the judicial system in Israel were met with leftist protests, the likes of which had never been seen before in the country. In fact, Hamas members have explicitly stated that seeing the country on the brink of civil war motivated them and convinced them that their attack plans were primely timed. The Knesset managed to pass legislation removing the "reasonableness" clause that the court gave itself. Yes, if the judges – not elected officials – deemed something "unreasonable", they had the power to strike down laws. And now, precisely while Israel wages an existential war against Hamas in the Gaza strip, and against Iran's Lebanese proxy up north, the Supreme Court aka the Judicial Junta has made its move.
~
On another note, and as Mark has previously noted, Mr. Ramaswamy may or may not be a viable contender, but he is certainly good at handling the media. This is a great blueprint for how to deal with the hostile, Wokestapo media. Lots of lessons to be learned from this bit.
Lastly, please continue to pray for the peace of Jerusalem and I'll see you in the comments.
~
North America:
If "medical assistance in dying" (MAID) was not a Liberal plan to cull the population, what would they be doing differently?
This article is so disturbing on so many levels. Canada is doomed. Toronto is a dump. This is what's called burying the lede.
~
Israel and Jews:
Grappling with uncharted halachic territory. This is difficult reading.
A lot of people were big, big BEEEEG mad at Israel for allegedly targeting a hospital in Gaza, and that turned out to be Hamas's fault and Hamas propaganda. Where is everyone when IDF soldiers rescue people in a church and get injured as a result? Anyone? Beuler?
What Hamas did.
~
Jewish Wisdom:
"...the commandments entrusted to women – ensuring that the family is nourished in accordance with the Torah's laws, ensuring the safety and spiritual warmth of the home (as exemplified by kindling the Sabbath candles), and sanctifying marital life – are all ways of transforming the mundane aspects of ordinary human life into expressions of holiness.
Christianity:
Why Christian leaders ignore attacks on their community.
~
The Great Walkbackening, Reckoning and Accounting:
~
The Formerly Great Britain:
~
Europe:
Demographics are destiny. This video is literally a page out of Mark Steyn's brain.
"We never needed this when Europe was European." Indeed.
Related: Milan.
Standing up and fighting back.
~
Kooks:
Always the people you least suspect, right?
This is purely evil and will not stop voluntarily.
~
Human Grace:
"His death is secondary to me. He only died once. But he lived every day.
These boys will be fine men. Good job, parents.
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. 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.
