Thank you Trish so much for the most recent podcast - the interview with the Palestinian peace activist. I've always been pretty ignorant about what really goes on in Israel & Palestine & your interview/conversation helped me learn a lot. I also want to express dismay at learning that people you once held in high esteem have now lost their minds, apparently, & are calling for violence. What a mess the world is in. Holy Hell.
Trish, I have been bothered by statements you have made about Iran receiving 6 billion dollars, and need to challenge your perspective. Principles need to be universal. Please review this link to an article by the Libertarian Institute. https://libertarianinstitute.org/articles/u-s-breaks-its-deal-with-iran-again/
When the Canadian Government seized the bank accounts of people who supported the truckers that was wrong. Just because the money belongs to Iran, who we in the West do not like, does not make seizing the funds involved in a legitimate transaction between Iran & South Korea right. The funds are designated to be spent on medical supplies which are much needed. Iran has other ways to get weapons, and seems to actually have a well developed indigenous weapons industry.
The integrity of our financial system is important, and we need to respect all legitimate transactions, even by people we do not like.
This is an excellent point. The difference between truckers and Iran though is that Iran actually supports terrorism. Weren't they under sanction for bad behaviour anyway?
Oil sales with revenue going to medical supply monitored by 3rd party? Remember, one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter. After all the founding fathers of Israel were terrorists who committed terrible acts. It's complex and ugly. When does this end, and how if there's no forgiveness?
One more observation. I find it quite curious at how quickly most Western Nations had a very coordinated “protests”. Where did they get all those Palestinian flags. Not something found in your local stores typically. How curious that they were all uniformly the same flags? 🤔 Weird? Associated with BLM and Antifa? Alll singing from the same hymnal. It reminds me of something...hmmm🤔 it’s right at the tip of my tongue....oh that pesky coordinated response to COViD!!!! That’s so 2020 isn’t it?
Once again Trish, I admire your tireless work and authentic compassion . Please don’t misunderstand where I’m coming from. How much I despise war and all the atrocities that come with it. The carnage of innocent civilians on all sides is appalling!
As an “outsider” that has willingly chosen to join the Jewish faith, let me tell you what I’ve witnessed since 10/7. My loving, fun, phenomenally generous congregation are so heartbroken. Heartbroken isn’t a strong enough word. People whose parents and grandparents parents lost their entire families during the Holocaust are utterly re traumatized. In the face of this, they’re more United then ever to adhere to the core tenants of Judaism. Love of God, love and respect of the family. In the orthodox world there is a strong aversion to government.
The Orthodox strongly believe the most important form of government is your home.
During COViD. They didn’t play the government or media’s games. The held funerals much to the dismay of the media and all the others whipped up in a frenzy. “Those damn Jews!” echoed far and wide.
They didn’t take the vaccine. It was a total hell no!
They honor the elderly big time. Honor thy mother and father is a core belief. They walk that talk unapologetically. They abhor victim hood mentality. BTW, thank you for for your segment on parental estrangement. It’s a horrific, silent epidemic! Your interview with Dr. Coleman was one of your best.
My Rabbis kids are the most grounded, funny, smart and “normal” children I’ve ever seen. They’re not sheltered in their Yeshivas. They’re quite brilliant, savvy and most of all genuinely kind beyond belief. They’re like any other teenagers. Except they have strong morals and respect for all people no matter their race or religion and they’re not pushovers. They know their history. They are rock solid in who they are as individuals and as a collective.
I went to a few vigils these past days. Again, the events required incredible security. They prayed for those killed, those held hostage. Sang beautiful songs of hope, peace and faith with a resolve to defend their culture and beliefs not with weapons of war. But weapons of faith with an emphasis on extra mitzvahs i.e light more Shabbos candles, extra prayers. They prayed for peace and protection for all! But they also are not idiots. They know all too well that they have to militarily defend themselves because that’s all anyone else seems to understand. They don’t seek martyrdom. They will not show weakness. They literally have no choice and it’s heartbreaking.
Consider interviewing a real Rabbi. Walk the the talk Trish. You’re brave. Show all sides. Be truly balanced and critical. Journalists like you are the only hope. Don’t let that bullshit Zionist, evil rhetoric be all anyone hears. You’ll be pleasantly surprised. I’m certain they’ll give you a mighty Bracha/blessing for good health, much success and you’ll give us a much needed voice of true balance.
You are in many ways a hero of mine. I admire your work on the Canadian truckers' convoy, the COVID lockdowns, the mRNA vaccines and mandates, and much more. You have often given me heart in trying times. I have looked forward to your Friday evening podcasts and those on TNT. I was a paying subscriber for two years--until a couple of days ago.
I understand that your skepticism regarding the "beheaded babies" allegations is motivated by your critical thinking about the media and the media's distortions in the service of creating yet another moral panic, with everything a moral panic entails. I am aware of the false 1990 testimony about babies in Kuwait hospitals being removed from their incubators by Iraqi soldiers. It is important to recognize the signs of a possible hoax, not to mention the sinister sociopolitical purposes to which a hoax can be put.
But your apparent fixation on the "beheaded babies" allegations--which, it appears, have not been and perhaps cannot be confirmed--is appalling. It amounts to an obsessive, grotesque debate about how many baby heads can fit on the head of a pin, a debate sometimes joined by, as Orwell would have put it, "objective" anti-Semites. A debate over whether some forty babies were "really" decapitated or "merely" burned alive. If you've taken a beating over this, you deserved it. And I say this with love.
You're better than this. I may resubscribe to your Substack at some point in the future. For the time being, I'm done.
Dreadful, horrific, tragic, all a blow for humanity. I think of the lines from W.B. Yeats poem
"...Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity."
U.S. financial support of Iran in view of the attacks by Hamas another bewildering blunder in foreign policy. And Netanyahu's financial support of Hamas as a way to undermine the PLO, clearly has been a failed policy. (So was Donald Rumsfeld's private company - ABB - selling materials to help North Korea build a nuclear reactors leading to a weapons program, but I digress). We reap what we sow. When will they ever learn? As an individual citizen I can make observations. But I am faced with passionate intensity - pro-Israel or pro-Palestinian - and the conversation cannot be sustained.
But, you are providing needed balance and reflection on what is unfolding.
Netanyahu using Hamas as a foil to prevent the Two-State Solution ever coming about was and is a march of folly. Barbara Tuchman's The March of Folly details historic folly: the Renaissance Popes provoking the Protestant Secession from 1470 to 1530; the British losing America from 1762 to the American Revolution; and the American foreign policy re Vietnam, especially from the day Lyndon Johnson became became president on November 22, 1963, and the Gulf of Tonkin and all that followed.
My thoughts are with all who are suffering, afraid and those who have been killed, on both sides.
Hi Trish. Thank you for your work. I’ve been an avid fan and admirer of your work since 2020. Naturally, I proudly support your work here on Substack as well as those of Seymour Hersh and the Free Press and others.
I’m also in the process of converting to Judaism. No easy feat. It requires a lot of study and more. I won’t bore you with the details. I’m sure everyone reading this is wondering why. I’ll share some of the why without too much detail.
I was raised Christian. My mother was a woman whose faith in God could move mountains. I was blessed to have been raised in a home that had zero tolerance for prejudice of any form. Born in NYC. My parents were first generation Hispanic who came to this country with a dream that was fulfilled. Education, business ownership, homeownership. They worked very hard and instilled moral and work ethics in me that we don’t see that often in the younger generations and we were JFK Democratics. My father fought in Korea. My mother lost many friends and family members in World Way II fighting for our country. A country I no longer recognize.
My journey to Judaism (Orthodox) started with accompanying a friend to a several High Holy Days services were i witnessed the most beautiful, joyful services I never knew existed.
I met the most intelligent, heart based, love based people I’ve ever met. They welcomed me with open arms. I learned the beauty of Shabbos. Unplugging from the world from sundown Friday night until the following evening and so much more. Time to forget the insanity of the world and ground yourself with your family, eat, laugh, sing and pray.There’s nothing restrictive about it. It’s the most liberating practice. That’s just one tiny aspect. The primary focus is family, joy, kindness to all and there’s no focus on antisemitism or the holocaust and a hell of a lot of grace and forgiveness towards those who apparently don’t have the same grace or values.
Fast forward to October 7. Since I’m not yet Jewish I don’t keep Shabbos fully so I was on Twitter at 7:00 and watched the indescribable unfold in real time essentially.
To say I was sickened to see the dead bodies being paraded. The house to house deliberate massacre. The up close and personal, cold blooded execution of women, children and the elderly was something I can’t even put words to.
I know full well, Ukraine is BS we all do. I’ve always found it interesting that we’ve never seen Ukraine war coverage anywhere but I digress.
I wanna vomit when I see Zelensky. COViD, bullshit from day one. MSM is disgusting. Trish, I’m so sorry you live in Canada. I’m no fool. We know this was allowed to happen. We will find out how the hell this happened hopefully sooner than later or maybe we won’t who the hell knows.
However, please consider the following. Hamas is a terrorist organization period full stop! They absolutely hate Jews PERIOD full stop! They openly and happily admit it. There is no gray here. I’m sorry to break it to you but there isn’t.
My Shul is devastated. We have to have extra security. It’s 2023 and we need extra, armed security because no one stands up for us I’ve learned.
Many members of my Shul were in Israel on vacation for the holiday on October 7th. Many of them have family there. I could go one and on.
I didn’t fully understand why every so often I would hear. Why do they hate us? (Pre October 7) I didn’t fully understand why I would hear them sometimes say “they still hate us”. Now sadly, I understand.
I understand what an absolute shit show it is for the Palestinians. It’s an absolute no win for anyone.
This week I’ve learned that many would happily walk Jews into the gas chambers. I’m in tears as I write this.
People are mad at Ben Shapiro. I don’t even like him but he’s NOT WRONG. Dave Rubin is not being unreasonable. How do you think they feel? Their blood runs red too. How do you think they feel when the likes of Kim Iverson would definitely not hide them in an attic?
The ongoing protests isn’t support for Palestinians in total, it’s also Death to the Jews. So yeah, we’re a little on edge. We know the open border is a big time tragedy waiting to happen thanks to this treacherous administration, the psychopaths called the Squad, the lunatics running our universities.
So, on behalf the Jewish people please I beg of you to give some us some time to wrap our minds about that just happened. Please have some respect for us. We most certainly are not ok. I never thought I’d live to see the day when I would invoke anything Eric Adams has has to say.
Hamas and Iran will never allow for peace. What’s happening right now is their dream come true. So I know no one wants to pick sides least of all me. This is unimaginable evil versus good. I break into tears because last 10/7 just wasn’t brutal enough. They want to see the beheaded babies. What in the world? We really have lost our moral compass.
Maybe consider having Dave Rubin back. Interview a Ben Shapiro. They’re not wrong. They’re learning never again was all bullshit and it’s horrifying.
Ok, rant over. Please read this Victor Hanson article. He seems to be the only person in the public eye to have a handle on things without the need to virtue signal to the what has morphed into the vile new thing.
And so, haven’t listened to the new podcast for the first time in nearly 4 years. I’ll get around to it. But not now. I haven’t caught my breath yet as many of us haven’t.
Trish, your interview with Aziz Abu was heartwarming. If we had more of him and less of most of our politicians today, what a world this would be. Over my lifetime as I grew up in Montreal next door to a very Jewish community, I have always sided with my neighbours the Jewish people. At university I first hand witnessed horrible discrimination by Arab students towards their Jewish counterparts. My cousin’s wife, a Christian Arab from Beirut, had her own biases against the Jews as well. I never understood any of it. I praise and thank my family for having handed down in my DNA anti racist genes. My grandfather was a black man, however I grew up thinking everyone’s family was as diverse as mine throughout my younger years. We were truly colour blind. My parents were the most loving humans I will ever meet and our home was always rich with guests of many ethnic backgrounds through their faith community. I don’t understand racism. My husband and I visited Israel in 2019 and what I saw were communities of both Muslim and Jews mingling. We did go to Bethlehem and our Jewish guide left us at the gates as she was not allowed to enter. We were impressed with the oasis the Jewish people had carved out of the desert .
I so appreciated this man Aziz and his humanitarian perspective of his people. Palestinians are not Hamas. Those wanting what’s best for Palestinians are not at the same time praising the monsters who claim to represent them. I wish that we could all agree that we can mourn the losses and terrorist actions on the Jews while worry about the future for their neighbours in Palestine. Politics is not black or white....Netanyahu is too hard line. He’s fighting for his political career and not necessarily for what’s best for Israel. My prayers are both with Israel and with the Palestinians who have been under siege by both Hamas, crooked politicians and rule in Israel
Thank you for the podcast. It brought me to tears.
Oct 16, 2023·edited Oct 17, 2023Liked by Trish Wood
Sorry, this is a long one.
I was in secondary school when the US went to war with Iraq (the first time) during the Persian Gulf War. I remember watching news segments in school on CNN as the war progressed. I remember the atrocious stories of the inhumane treatment of Kuwaitis and Palestinians (who fled en masse from the country). I think it was those stories (at least in part) that inspired me to want to be a journalist.
After graduating, I spent a few years living abroad before returning home to go to college, and I started my first semester months after 9/11. Perhaps it was the natural instinct of a new college student thinking they were the next big thing in journalism, but I was one of the few (at least in my circles) that questioned the U.S. response, especially when it shifted toward Iraq. After graduating and working in a few newsrooms, I realized that my idea of what journalism should be, and what it was actually becoming were completely different and I'm sorry to say that instead of pushing back, I left the field. I was disillusioned and angry having seen first-hand the way corporate interests influenced and changed the news to fit certain narratives. But while I have not worked in a newsroom for more than 15 years, I still carry that healthy skepticism that comes from having that reporter’s mindset.
I bring all this up to say that is a huge part of what drew me to Trish during Covid and I have been a loyal listener since episode 2. Thank you, @TrishWood for giving me back a little bit of hope in what I thought journalism was supposed to be. I will also be watching, listening, reading and looking for answers from across a variety of sources to hopefully find the truth.
That being said, this is one of those difficult issues, where I would ask - how should Israel respond? Hamas initiated the conflict in direct violation of the Geneva Convention committing War Crimes against Israel. These include actions specifically prohibited by the convention including: Violence to life and person, in particular torture, mutilations or cruel treatment; The taking of hostages; Outrages upon personal dignity, in particular humiliating or degrading treatment, or adverse treatment founded on differences of race, colour, nationality, religion, beliefs, sex, birth or social status. It is also fair to say that no other nation state in the history of the world has gone to the lengths that the Israelis have to prevent or mitigate civilian casualties but does that justify their response? How can they protect themselves when their enemies place more value on the death of women and children (to further their extremist views) than they do on finding resolution. If Israel does nothing, they will continue to be attacked. If they attack, they will inevitably kill civilians; some who have been lied to, brainwashed, imprisoned and perhaps incentivized to die for the cause.
I don’t have the answer, and unfortunately I think the current situation will only deteriorate further as both sides shift closer to their poles. But I do look forward to hearing your conversations, which I hope will include thoughtful perspectives from opposing sides of the issue. Thank you for being one of the good ones.
I have no answer except we must be better than those who attacked Israel. If IDF are in more danger going house to house to avoid civilian casualties then that is what they must do. Otherwise … we are also guilty of atrocities. Lovely comment. thanks for taking the time.
99.9% of my sympathy lies with Israelis and Jews, 0.1% with innocent Gaza residents. I am awaiting Hamas to release the people it kidnapped and to declare that it surrenders unconditionally. I am also awaiting offers from other Arab muslim countries, especially Hamas-supporter Iran, to take in Gazan refugees.
Oct 15, 2023·edited Oct 15, 2023Liked by Trish Wood
I listened to your podcast, a day late as I usually do listen on Saturdays as you thought many of us do. A couple of thoughts. I have a Jewish friend who spent about two hours with me on the phone Friday night. She was apoplectic, certainly upset about the attacks and the viciousness of the attacks by Hamas, but what upset her more were these pro-Palestinian protests in every major city in Canada celebrating what Hamas did. She feels in many ways betrayed by her own country and asks, where did these people come from. Meaning how did we let so many anti-semites into the country. She also knows that a lot of these protests were made up of kids indoctrinated in our universities, which does not make her feel much better. I have known this woman for over 25 years and have never seen her so upset. Not even when she was going through a divorce. Having said that, while you hope for measured response on the part of Israel, I can understand why many Israelis and Jews around the world may feel differently. I don't know if I can totally agree with the idea that now innocent Palestinians will die at the hands of the Israelis. If what I see outside of Palestine, in terms of the cheers for Hamas's action, I can only think that many Palestinians in Gaza, also endorsed Hamas's actions. They did vote Hamas in as their government. I also know that you are right in that, if Palestinians do choose to leave to avoid be bombed, they likely will not be able to return. I have also heard some reports that it is Hamas blocking routes that would allow them to leave. I do not know if that is true. I also know if the Israelis do not retaliate with a measured response they will be condemned sooner or later. Just check out Amnesty International Canada's reporting on the situation. One report on the Hamas attacks on Israelis and three or four critical reports on the Israeli response already. I have not been anywhere in the Middle East, so I can only come to certain conclusions from what I read and see. And I haven't been watching either CNN or Fox News, but it was pretty hard to go on my Twitter feed the other morning and the first thing I see are young men, mostly Arabs in a caravan of trucks and cars driving through the streets in I thinkg it was Mississauga honking their horns and cheering on what Hamas had done. It was to say the least, unsettling and makes it hard to have sympathy for the Palestinians. On that note, I hope your are feeling better soon, and I look fowwarad to your next substack or podcast, whichever comes first.
"The first casualty of War is truth"! Unfortunately that holds true today more than ever and the organs of propaganda and indocrination are more omnipresent and sophisticated than ever in human history. We're ALWAYS being manipulated from birth to death and it's ALL around us so it's invisible. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. We need to be ashamed! Homo sapiens is by far the most violent, mendacious and perfidious of the great apes and we really need to quit proving it before we do ourselves in.
I second that emotion, Rin
Thank you Trish so much for the most recent podcast - the interview with the Palestinian peace activist. I've always been pretty ignorant about what really goes on in Israel & Palestine & your interview/conversation helped me learn a lot. I also want to express dismay at learning that people you once held in high esteem have now lost their minds, apparently, & are calling for violence. What a mess the world is in. Holy Hell.
Trish, I have been bothered by statements you have made about Iran receiving 6 billion dollars, and need to challenge your perspective. Principles need to be universal. Please review this link to an article by the Libertarian Institute. https://libertarianinstitute.org/articles/u-s-breaks-its-deal-with-iran-again/
When the Canadian Government seized the bank accounts of people who supported the truckers that was wrong. Just because the money belongs to Iran, who we in the West do not like, does not make seizing the funds involved in a legitimate transaction between Iran & South Korea right. The funds are designated to be spent on medical supplies which are much needed. Iran has other ways to get weapons, and seems to actually have a well developed indigenous weapons industry.
The integrity of our financial system is important, and we need to respect all legitimate transactions, even by people we do not like.
This is an excellent point. The difference between truckers and Iran though is that Iran actually supports terrorism. Weren't they under sanction for bad behaviour anyway?
Oil sales with revenue going to medical supply monitored by 3rd party? Remember, one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter. After all the founding fathers of Israel were terrorists who committed terrible acts. It's complex and ugly. When does this end, and how if there's no forgiveness?
One more observation. I find it quite curious at how quickly most Western Nations had a very coordinated “protests”. Where did they get all those Palestinian flags. Not something found in your local stores typically. How curious that they were all uniformly the same flags? 🤔 Weird? Associated with BLM and Antifa? Alll singing from the same hymnal. It reminds me of something...hmmm🤔 it’s right at the tip of my tongue....oh that pesky coordinated response to COViD!!!! That’s so 2020 isn’t it?
Hi Again All,
Once again Trish, I admire your tireless work and authentic compassion . Please don’t misunderstand where I’m coming from. How much I despise war and all the atrocities that come with it. The carnage of innocent civilians on all sides is appalling!
As an “outsider” that has willingly chosen to join the Jewish faith, let me tell you what I’ve witnessed since 10/7. My loving, fun, phenomenally generous congregation are so heartbroken. Heartbroken isn’t a strong enough word. People whose parents and grandparents parents lost their entire families during the Holocaust are utterly re traumatized. In the face of this, they’re more United then ever to adhere to the core tenants of Judaism. Love of God, love and respect of the family. In the orthodox world there is a strong aversion to government.
The Orthodox strongly believe the most important form of government is your home.
During COViD. They didn’t play the government or media’s games. The held funerals much to the dismay of the media and all the others whipped up in a frenzy. “Those damn Jews!” echoed far and wide.
They didn’t take the vaccine. It was a total hell no!
They honor the elderly big time. Honor thy mother and father is a core belief. They walk that talk unapologetically. They abhor victim hood mentality. BTW, thank you for for your segment on parental estrangement. It’s a horrific, silent epidemic! Your interview with Dr. Coleman was one of your best.
My Rabbis kids are the most grounded, funny, smart and “normal” children I’ve ever seen. They’re not sheltered in their Yeshivas. They’re quite brilliant, savvy and most of all genuinely kind beyond belief. They’re like any other teenagers. Except they have strong morals and respect for all people no matter their race or religion and they’re not pushovers. They know their history. They are rock solid in who they are as individuals and as a collective.
I went to a few vigils these past days. Again, the events required incredible security. They prayed for those killed, those held hostage. Sang beautiful songs of hope, peace and faith with a resolve to defend their culture and beliefs not with weapons of war. But weapons of faith with an emphasis on extra mitzvahs i.e light more Shabbos candles, extra prayers. They prayed for peace and protection for all! But they also are not idiots. They know all too well that they have to militarily defend themselves because that’s all anyone else seems to understand. They don’t seek martyrdom. They will not show weakness. They literally have no choice and it’s heartbreaking.
Consider interviewing a real Rabbi. Walk the the talk Trish. You’re brave. Show all sides. Be truly balanced and critical. Journalists like you are the only hope. Don’t let that bullshit Zionist, evil rhetoric be all anyone hears. You’ll be pleasantly surprised. I’m certain they’ll give you a mighty Bracha/blessing for good health, much success and you’ll give us a much needed voice of true balance.
I do hope you’re feeling better. All the best.
Dear Trish (and I do mean "dear"),
You are in many ways a hero of mine. I admire your work on the Canadian truckers' convoy, the COVID lockdowns, the mRNA vaccines and mandates, and much more. You have often given me heart in trying times. I have looked forward to your Friday evening podcasts and those on TNT. I was a paying subscriber for two years--until a couple of days ago.
I understand that your skepticism regarding the "beheaded babies" allegations is motivated by your critical thinking about the media and the media's distortions in the service of creating yet another moral panic, with everything a moral panic entails. I am aware of the false 1990 testimony about babies in Kuwait hospitals being removed from their incubators by Iraqi soldiers. It is important to recognize the signs of a possible hoax, not to mention the sinister sociopolitical purposes to which a hoax can be put.
But your apparent fixation on the "beheaded babies" allegations--which, it appears, have not been and perhaps cannot be confirmed--is appalling. It amounts to an obsessive, grotesque debate about how many baby heads can fit on the head of a pin, a debate sometimes joined by, as Orwell would have put it, "objective" anti-Semites. A debate over whether some forty babies were "really" decapitated or "merely" burned alive. If you've taken a beating over this, you deserved it. And I say this with love.
You're better than this. I may resubscribe to your Substack at some point in the future. For the time being, I'm done.
Dreadful, horrific, tragic, all a blow for humanity. I think of the lines from W.B. Yeats poem
"...Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity."
U.S. financial support of Iran in view of the attacks by Hamas another bewildering blunder in foreign policy. And Netanyahu's financial support of Hamas as a way to undermine the PLO, clearly has been a failed policy. (So was Donald Rumsfeld's private company - ABB - selling materials to help North Korea build a nuclear reactors leading to a weapons program, but I digress). We reap what we sow. When will they ever learn? As an individual citizen I can make observations. But I am faced with passionate intensity - pro-Israel or pro-Palestinian - and the conversation cannot be sustained.
But, you are providing needed balance and reflection on what is unfolding.
Netanyahu using Hamas as a foil to prevent the Two-State Solution ever coming about was and is a march of folly. Barbara Tuchman's The March of Folly details historic folly: the Renaissance Popes provoking the Protestant Secession from 1470 to 1530; the British losing America from 1762 to the American Revolution; and the American foreign policy re Vietnam, especially from the day Lyndon Johnson became became president on November 22, 1963, and the Gulf of Tonkin and all that followed.
My thoughts are with all who are suffering, afraid and those who have been killed, on both sides.
Hi Trish. Thank you for your work. I’ve been an avid fan and admirer of your work since 2020. Naturally, I proudly support your work here on Substack as well as those of Seymour Hersh and the Free Press and others.
I’m also in the process of converting to Judaism. No easy feat. It requires a lot of study and more. I won’t bore you with the details. I’m sure everyone reading this is wondering why. I’ll share some of the why without too much detail.
I was raised Christian. My mother was a woman whose faith in God could move mountains. I was blessed to have been raised in a home that had zero tolerance for prejudice of any form. Born in NYC. My parents were first generation Hispanic who came to this country with a dream that was fulfilled. Education, business ownership, homeownership. They worked very hard and instilled moral and work ethics in me that we don’t see that often in the younger generations and we were JFK Democratics. My father fought in Korea. My mother lost many friends and family members in World Way II fighting for our country. A country I no longer recognize.
My journey to Judaism (Orthodox) started with accompanying a friend to a several High Holy Days services were i witnessed the most beautiful, joyful services I never knew existed.
I met the most intelligent, heart based, love based people I’ve ever met. They welcomed me with open arms. I learned the beauty of Shabbos. Unplugging from the world from sundown Friday night until the following evening and so much more. Time to forget the insanity of the world and ground yourself with your family, eat, laugh, sing and pray.There’s nothing restrictive about it. It’s the most liberating practice. That’s just one tiny aspect. The primary focus is family, joy, kindness to all and there’s no focus on antisemitism or the holocaust and a hell of a lot of grace and forgiveness towards those who apparently don’t have the same grace or values.
Fast forward to October 7. Since I’m not yet Jewish I don’t keep Shabbos fully so I was on Twitter at 7:00 and watched the indescribable unfold in real time essentially.
To say I was sickened to see the dead bodies being paraded. The house to house deliberate massacre. The up close and personal, cold blooded execution of women, children and the elderly was something I can’t even put words to.
I know full well, Ukraine is BS we all do. I’ve always found it interesting that we’ve never seen Ukraine war coverage anywhere but I digress.
I wanna vomit when I see Zelensky. COViD, bullshit from day one. MSM is disgusting. Trish, I’m so sorry you live in Canada. I’m no fool. We know this was allowed to happen. We will find out how the hell this happened hopefully sooner than later or maybe we won’t who the hell knows.
However, please consider the following. Hamas is a terrorist organization period full stop! They absolutely hate Jews PERIOD full stop! They openly and happily admit it. There is no gray here. I’m sorry to break it to you but there isn’t.
My Shul is devastated. We have to have extra security. It’s 2023 and we need extra, armed security because no one stands up for us I’ve learned.
Many members of my Shul were in Israel on vacation for the holiday on October 7th. Many of them have family there. I could go one and on.
I didn’t fully understand why every so often I would hear. Why do they hate us? (Pre October 7) I didn’t fully understand why I would hear them sometimes say “they still hate us”. Now sadly, I understand.
I understand what an absolute shit show it is for the Palestinians. It’s an absolute no win for anyone.
This week I’ve learned that many would happily walk Jews into the gas chambers. I’m in tears as I write this.
People are mad at Ben Shapiro. I don’t even like him but he’s NOT WRONG. Dave Rubin is not being unreasonable. How do you think they feel? Their blood runs red too. How do you think they feel when the likes of Kim Iverson would definitely not hide them in an attic?
The ongoing protests isn’t support for Palestinians in total, it’s also Death to the Jews. So yeah, we’re a little on edge. We know the open border is a big time tragedy waiting to happen thanks to this treacherous administration, the psychopaths called the Squad, the lunatics running our universities.
So, on behalf the Jewish people please I beg of you to give some us some time to wrap our minds about that just happened. Please have some respect for us. We most certainly are not ok. I never thought I’d live to see the day when I would invoke anything Eric Adams has has to say.
Hamas and Iran will never allow for peace. What’s happening right now is their dream come true. So I know no one wants to pick sides least of all me. This is unimaginable evil versus good. I break into tears because last 10/7 just wasn’t brutal enough. They want to see the beheaded babies. What in the world? We really have lost our moral compass.
Maybe consider having Dave Rubin back. Interview a Ben Shapiro. They’re not wrong. They’re learning never again was all bullshit and it’s horrifying.
Ok, rant over. Please read this Victor Hanson article. He seems to be the only person in the public eye to have a handle on things without the need to virtue signal to the what has morphed into the vile new thing.
And so, haven’t listened to the new podcast for the first time in nearly 4 years. I’ll get around to it. But not now. I haven’t caught my breath yet as many of us haven’t.
https://victorhanson.com/our-post-hamas-wreckage/
Trish, your interview with Aziz Abu was heartwarming. If we had more of him and less of most of our politicians today, what a world this would be. Over my lifetime as I grew up in Montreal next door to a very Jewish community, I have always sided with my neighbours the Jewish people. At university I first hand witnessed horrible discrimination by Arab students towards their Jewish counterparts. My cousin’s wife, a Christian Arab from Beirut, had her own biases against the Jews as well. I never understood any of it. I praise and thank my family for having handed down in my DNA anti racist genes. My grandfather was a black man, however I grew up thinking everyone’s family was as diverse as mine throughout my younger years. We were truly colour blind. My parents were the most loving humans I will ever meet and our home was always rich with guests of many ethnic backgrounds through their faith community. I don’t understand racism. My husband and I visited Israel in 2019 and what I saw were communities of both Muslim and Jews mingling. We did go to Bethlehem and our Jewish guide left us at the gates as she was not allowed to enter. We were impressed with the oasis the Jewish people had carved out of the desert .
I so appreciated this man Aziz and his humanitarian perspective of his people. Palestinians are not Hamas. Those wanting what’s best for Palestinians are not at the same time praising the monsters who claim to represent them. I wish that we could all agree that we can mourn the losses and terrorist actions on the Jews while worry about the future for their neighbours in Palestine. Politics is not black or white....Netanyahu is too hard line. He’s fighting for his political career and not necessarily for what’s best for Israel. My prayers are both with Israel and with the Palestinians who have been under siege by both Hamas, crooked politicians and rule in Israel
Thank you for the podcast. It brought me to tears.
Sorry, this is a long one.
I was in secondary school when the US went to war with Iraq (the first time) during the Persian Gulf War. I remember watching news segments in school on CNN as the war progressed. I remember the atrocious stories of the inhumane treatment of Kuwaitis and Palestinians (who fled en masse from the country). I think it was those stories (at least in part) that inspired me to want to be a journalist.
After graduating, I spent a few years living abroad before returning home to go to college, and I started my first semester months after 9/11. Perhaps it was the natural instinct of a new college student thinking they were the next big thing in journalism, but I was one of the few (at least in my circles) that questioned the U.S. response, especially when it shifted toward Iraq. After graduating and working in a few newsrooms, I realized that my idea of what journalism should be, and what it was actually becoming were completely different and I'm sorry to say that instead of pushing back, I left the field. I was disillusioned and angry having seen first-hand the way corporate interests influenced and changed the news to fit certain narratives. But while I have not worked in a newsroom for more than 15 years, I still carry that healthy skepticism that comes from having that reporter’s mindset.
I bring all this up to say that is a huge part of what drew me to Trish during Covid and I have been a loyal listener since episode 2. Thank you, @TrishWood for giving me back a little bit of hope in what I thought journalism was supposed to be. I will also be watching, listening, reading and looking for answers from across a variety of sources to hopefully find the truth.
That being said, this is one of those difficult issues, where I would ask - how should Israel respond? Hamas initiated the conflict in direct violation of the Geneva Convention committing War Crimes against Israel. These include actions specifically prohibited by the convention including: Violence to life and person, in particular torture, mutilations or cruel treatment; The taking of hostages; Outrages upon personal dignity, in particular humiliating or degrading treatment, or adverse treatment founded on differences of race, colour, nationality, religion, beliefs, sex, birth or social status. It is also fair to say that no other nation state in the history of the world has gone to the lengths that the Israelis have to prevent or mitigate civilian casualties but does that justify their response? How can they protect themselves when their enemies place more value on the death of women and children (to further their extremist views) than they do on finding resolution. If Israel does nothing, they will continue to be attacked. If they attack, they will inevitably kill civilians; some who have been lied to, brainwashed, imprisoned and perhaps incentivized to die for the cause.
I don’t have the answer, and unfortunately I think the current situation will only deteriorate further as both sides shift closer to their poles. But I do look forward to hearing your conversations, which I hope will include thoughtful perspectives from opposing sides of the issue. Thank you for being one of the good ones.
I have no answer except we must be better than those who attacked Israel. If IDF are in more danger going house to house to avoid civilian casualties then that is what they must do. Otherwise … we are also guilty of atrocities. Lovely comment. thanks for taking the time.
The adversary understands the system better than you. Blindly, many fall into its trap, never pausing to question how history keeps repeating.
99.9% of my sympathy lies with Israelis and Jews, 0.1% with innocent Gaza residents. I am awaiting Hamas to release the people it kidnapped and to declare that it surrenders unconditionally. I am also awaiting offers from other Arab muslim countries, especially Hamas-supporter Iran, to take in Gazan refugees.
There are always 3 sides to every story. Mine, yours and the Truth! Thanks for your diligence in searching for that middle.
I listened to your podcast, a day late as I usually do listen on Saturdays as you thought many of us do. A couple of thoughts. I have a Jewish friend who spent about two hours with me on the phone Friday night. She was apoplectic, certainly upset about the attacks and the viciousness of the attacks by Hamas, but what upset her more were these pro-Palestinian protests in every major city in Canada celebrating what Hamas did. She feels in many ways betrayed by her own country and asks, where did these people come from. Meaning how did we let so many anti-semites into the country. She also knows that a lot of these protests were made up of kids indoctrinated in our universities, which does not make her feel much better. I have known this woman for over 25 years and have never seen her so upset. Not even when she was going through a divorce. Having said that, while you hope for measured response on the part of Israel, I can understand why many Israelis and Jews around the world may feel differently. I don't know if I can totally agree with the idea that now innocent Palestinians will die at the hands of the Israelis. If what I see outside of Palestine, in terms of the cheers for Hamas's action, I can only think that many Palestinians in Gaza, also endorsed Hamas's actions. They did vote Hamas in as their government. I also know that you are right in that, if Palestinians do choose to leave to avoid be bombed, they likely will not be able to return. I have also heard some reports that it is Hamas blocking routes that would allow them to leave. I do not know if that is true. I also know if the Israelis do not retaliate with a measured response they will be condemned sooner or later. Just check out Amnesty International Canada's reporting on the situation. One report on the Hamas attacks on Israelis and three or four critical reports on the Israeli response already. I have not been anywhere in the Middle East, so I can only come to certain conclusions from what I read and see. And I haven't been watching either CNN or Fox News, but it was pretty hard to go on my Twitter feed the other morning and the first thing I see are young men, mostly Arabs in a caravan of trucks and cars driving through the streets in I thinkg it was Mississauga honking their horns and cheering on what Hamas had done. It was to say the least, unsettling and makes it hard to have sympathy for the Palestinians. On that note, I hope your are feeling better soon, and I look fowwarad to your next substack or podcast, whichever comes first.
Thanks…. Still figuring it out.
Get well soon 🙏. The American Nurses call Remdesivir "run, death is near". The other antiviral agents are no better and some are even more toxic.
"The first casualty of War is truth"! Unfortunately that holds true today more than ever and the organs of propaganda and indocrination are more omnipresent and sophisticated than ever in human history. We're ALWAYS being manipulated from birth to death and it's ALL around us so it's invisible. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. We need to be ashamed! Homo sapiens is by far the most violent, mendacious and perfidious of the great apes and we really need to quit proving it before we do ourselves in.