Hello again and welcome to this week's edition of Laura's Links. I'm successfully eking out a little quiet time and space to put the finishing touches on this week's column. How, might you ask, have I managed to do that, given the non-stop nature of my household? Why it's elementary, my dear readers.
I am hiding from my family! How else?
No, not in the bathroom, silly people. That's the sacred husband/Dad hiding place and we do follow traditional gender roles in our house. Therefore, I have resorted to semi-barricading myself in my bedroom while the sounds of some kind of an NBA game or another soothe the rest of the gang downstairs. If I get a burst of energy, I might fire up the kettle but even that might be too much excitement for one night.
Now, I definitely had another busy week and it certainly did contain little grains of torment here and there, but it was nothing compared to what Mark Steyn and the SteynCrew are facing down in the fetid, scary and extremely dangerous capital of America. Please make sure to read the updates posted by Amy K. Mitchell and to listen to the exceptionally entertaining and informative dramatised podcast reconstructions of the trial from Ann McElhinney and Phelim McAleer.
In last week's live Clubland Q&A, Mark spent some time talking about what would happen if Mann "wins" or "loses". We learned earlier in the week that Professor Mann has spent exactly ZERO dollars and ZERO cents on this 12 year case, despite being represented by some of the most expensive lawyers and firms in America. Mark Steyn, on the other hand, has spent millions of dollars on this case and is now representing himself after suffering three heart attacks and being wheelchair bound. So I'm not sure that anything can be a "win" after this ordeal and it's not just about the money. How can you win back twelve years of your life? How can you win back the time that you spent trying to defend yourself from someone, and a "justice" system that is definitely hell bent on destroying you (as per evidence entered in court) and that is very likely being used to kill you? What does winning even looking like?
I think one element of winning right now is knowing that there are many, many people rooting for Mark Steyn and praying for him, his physical recovery and legal victories. The physical toll of these past few years in particular are quite evident, and the financial burden is still utterly crushing. Mark and SteynOnline generate a regular supply of incredible content and it is available to the entire planet for free. Therefore, I would like to urge anyone who hasn't already to consider purchasing a membership in The Mark Steyn Club or a Liberty Stick in support of Mark, his voluminous body of work and his ongoing legal challenges.
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Every week there are more harrowing stories coming from the hostages speaking publicly for the first time, and other eyewitness testimony from October 7. This article by Deborah Danan from Tablet Magazine describes the events as a pogrom, and I think that characterization gives an idea of the scale of the horror but I see it closer to a kind of second Holocaust against the Jewish people. Not in terms of the total numbers of victims, but in terms of the barbarity, blood lust and savagery. They upped the ante on the original Nazis. And my feeling on the "innocent civilians" theory is basically the same as what Nir Shani told Danan: "I don't differentiate between them and Hamas. Let me know of one Palestinian in Gaza who tried to save a Jew and maybe I'll change my mind."
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Here's some other bits and pieces that weave a sad tale of where our civilization is at. Jesse Kelley points out rightly: "Your history is your DNA.
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Lastly, thank you for the letters and e-mails from readers near and far who have been checking in with me and keeping me and mine and Israel in prayer. I am truly grateful for all the kind words and support as even uppity Jewish moms/tough broads like myself get tired and even weary at times and your words and prayers buoy my spirits.
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North America:
They laughed at Trump when he talked about this. Remember, as Mark says, without a past you have no future.
Tucker Carlson: Liberating Canada – the full speech. So good!
Trudeau's Canada.
Canada: Culture of Death
I repeat: Canada: Culture of Death
Greenfield: The domestic terrorists of tomorrow.
"BC Premier, January 27, 2024: "We stand with the Muslim community" on Holocaust Remembrance Day.
LOL I just can't, these people.
Alex Berenson all all the weird, crappy "polyamory" articles cropping up lately.
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Walkbackening:
People of this ilk are too stupid and/or evil to have ever been granted power over other humans and they should never hold any power, political or other over any living thing ever again.
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Israel and Jews:
The Israeli left's new military messiah.
When people tell you their plans, you should listen.
"A question for my non-Jewish followers..."
Elon Musk and Ben Shapiro at Auschwitz (podcast interview)
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The Formerly Great Britain:
Imagine being, or supporting the kind of garbage demon human that would send online rape and death threats to a 100 year old Holocaust survivor.
The rise of "Holocaust envy" – really excellent by Brendan O'Neill at Spiked.
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Europe:
Please remind me why Germany *needs* Afghan refugees.
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Evil Kooks, Trans and DIE:
This will happen until you make it stop.
A lot of people are going to D I E because of this.
America's most lethal export is wokeness and DEI.
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Human Grace:
"So let me make this crystal clear: I want you to be a burden. I want to care for you, whatever the circumstances. That is what it means to say: 'I love you."
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.