'Twas the week before Channukah and all through the house, not a latke was made yet for my children or spouse! GAH! Oh wait – that's not how the song goes. Sorry, I'm getting all mixed up because it's been so busy lately. What's been going on, you ask? Well, you know, the usual – controlling the weather, organizing my local ZOG Channukah party and fixing the British elections.
On a more serious note, it has been a serious week. There was the terror attack in New Jersey, and over the weekend. A Los Angeles synagogue was vandalized. The British people rejected the evil, socialist thuggery of Jeremy Corbyn but the unhinged battle by the left against President Trump in America continues in an unfettered manner. Squishy Andrew Scheer resigned from the Canadian "Conservative" leadership in disgrace (and good riddance to him). Friends, nothing will ever dissuade the left from trying to take back the power they feel is rightfully theirs and their alone. As John Hinderaker at Power Line succinctly put it, "It's Only Democracy If They Win". So buck up my friends, because we are still sailing through very rough waters.
Thankfully, we have a very competent and courageous captain here at the helm of the SS Mark Steyn. If you missed Mark's take on the British elections, check it out here. He also gave some thoughts about the terrible, post-Christian Garden of Sweden, hosted an excellent new Q&A, shared a musical Christmas gem and started a new Christmas-themed Tale for Our Time of Anne of Green Gables! Thanks, Captain Steyn, for your moral musings and the generous sprinkling of seasonal cheer!
I'm truly gratified by the feedback on the Human Grace articles. From time to time, I am blessed to experience these moments personally. I thought I would share some of them when I have them. Feel free to share yours in the comments and let me know how you feel about this new idea and then we can evaluate its longevity in conjunction with management at Steyn HQ!
Now let's get started!
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North America:
About time, no? Program that allows foreigners to train with US military "under scrutiny". The program should probably be obliterated, no?
An excellent essay from Heather Mac Donald at City Journal on the exorbitant cost of America's Social Justice Revolution.
Thoughts on Kanye West and cancel culture.
Celebrating diverse policing in the city of Ottawa (insane levels of political correctness here, but of course the main thing is diversity, diversity, diversity is our strength, strength, strength).
Seventy-five years later, US troops return to Europe, to the graveyards of the Battle of the Bulge.
From the great VDH, reflections on the American current civil war, and how instead of becoming introspective, Democrats become more zealous when they fail to stop Trump. Plus an excellent interview with VDH on this and other similar topics here. Really good stuff.
Bill Maher may be the only liberal in America to see what's happening and where this may go.
President Worst Hitler Ever appears at Israeli-American event, gets completely and utterly love-bombed by Jews, kibbitzes around the whole night, hugs disabled Israeli performers from the Shalva band, has a grand, festive and meaningful Chanukah party at the White House, signs an Executive Order protecting Jewish students from rabid anti-Semitism... and still gets savaged by idiot lefty Jews who just cannot stop stupiding.
Siri, show me a dance that is whiter than Elaine's on Seinfeld. With added chicken dance music!
I didn't see this when it was released, but it's critical stuff: The Afghanistan Papers.
Senior enlisted leaders react.
Jesse Kelly reacts.
For the record, I don't believe the barbarians of this land ever deserved any aid, any military cooperation, any goody-goody, dangerously naive and misguided hope that they could, or even wanted to live democratically or in a civilized i.e non-sharia manner. Every precious Western life extinguished by savages in that hell hole was in vain, absolutely in vain and every single Western soul still there, like a sitting duck at the behest of their government should be returned home yesterday.
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Israel and Jews:
Dennis Prager: "What Is Judaism?"
One of the Jew-hating shrews of Congress blames white supremacy for the anti-Semitic murders carried out by black assailants. Who were aiming for Jewish children, by the way. These kids.
"The Jewish Dilemma" (pre-British election).
From the great Daniel Greenfield: "In Europe, the murder of Jews is a mental illness."
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Jihad:
Remind me why America "needs" Saudi Arabian students.
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Formerly Great Britain:
A very, very good read from Alison Pearson at The Telegraph: the Boris victory proves the soul of the UK is intact. Do you agree?
Moot now, but colour me shocked (not): an influential Corbyn-supporting Facebook page was run by Hamas out of Gaza.
Thoughts from a British Jew still planning to leave the UK.
Some anti-Semitic highlights from the UK.
Corbyn threat/parting shot: "Our time will come". Super duper creepy. Par for the course with leftist thugs.
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Humourless Left, Wokestapo and Trans:
John Legend tries to defend his completely embarrassing and disgusting Wokestapo hatchet job on Baby It's Cold Outside.
Britain's NHS is prescribing hormone blocking drugs for children as young as three. This is evil, sick child abuse and everyone is afraid to say so. Nuts to that.
European parents lose custody of their child for refusing hormone treatment.
The NHS is over-diagnosing gender disorders and over-prescribing treatments.
This is an absolutely riveting podcast from Brendan O'Neill at Spiked Online. I would urge you to listen to the whole thing: "The Trans Movement Compels Us To Lie." It's also important because it shows that regular people can make a difference by doing small things precisely like refusing to lie.
Pastor prosecuted for trying to pray for kids taken by their sick, demented, deranged parents to "Drag Queen Story Hour" at a local public library.
From Dennis Prager: The left hates the Salvation Army, that's all you need to know about the left.
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Jihad:
The Pensacola massacre shows, again, the danger of political correctness regarding jihad. Anyone listening? Anyone care?
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Random:
Culture check: a look at "the Instagram face" (yuck).
From my "DUH" file: hey, maybe being a pothead isn't such a great idea after all.
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Human Grace:
A Christmas miracle.
Another Christmas miracle!
Santa fluent in ASL delights local deaf children.
Italian composer gives new life to music lost in the Holocaust.
Personal good vibes moment: Last week, I bought a small change purse from a local store downtown, a very small purchase. When I went to pay, the store owner took it back from me for a moment, put a nickel inside and said 'this is meant as a blessing for you, so that your wallet will never be empty, and that you always have the money you need'. I got completely verklempt. The owner was Indian, but I seem to remember my own grandparents doing something similar when a wallet or purse was given as a gift. Anyone else have similar traditions?
Lastly as always and forever, G-d bless America. This gave me chills.
Now away you go to comment!
Let Laura and the rest of the readers know what you thought of these stories by piping in in the comments. This is of course a privilege reserved for Club members, but you're able to join in on the fun by picking up a membership here. If you like bandying about the headlines, you'll love doing it at sea against the backdrop of the Mediterranean. Through in Conrad Black, Douglas Murray and John O'Sullivan walking the halls and you've got yourself the 2020 Mark Steyn Cruise, which still has staterooms available for its October sailing.
