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Henry Strozier's avatar

I've always thought that David Brooks shoved his head up his ass, then wondered why he couldn't see. When I think of what humanity does to itself over and over--the assumption that killing innocent people is very important to keeping the rich or the current ruling religion or just raging lunatics like Trump and Putin in charge, makes me think how glorious the world would be without this stupidity and cowardice. What happened to intelligence, kindness, and peace? I guess bombing is more important. And, yes, President Biden, what happened to you?

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Graham Vincent's avatar

1. Is the NYT losing its way, as "the most respected news organization in the Western world"?

2. In a 2017 piece from the second-most respected news organization in the Western world (The New Yorker), we're told that the ultra-wealthy are planning a hunker-down bunker for when the Apocalypse that they're engineering comes to pass. Built into the front door is a sniper post. Following that through, you have a bunch of very bright sparks who see a means to make a mint out of honest skullduggery, to squeeze all around them till they scream, then to hide away when the mob is roused, and then shoot them when they come after you. You have to have every eventuality covered, don't you?

3. When is Ms Cronin planning doing a book called "How Terrorism Begins"?

4. Mr Brooks's question "What is the alternative?" leaves me, quite honestly, speechless.

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Hamilton Nolan's avatar

The NYT is a great newspaper with a ruling class point of view, as it has always been.

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Graham Vincent's avatar

So, not much like The Guardian, then? Shucks.

I'm not American, so, thanks for the insight. Some seem to be getting excited about the Times's coverage of the Gaza conflict, as if it's shot itself in the foot about the decapitated babies thing. The paper says it stands by its reporters, and other news organisations say its reporters are compromised at best and incompetent at worst. Is AIPAC as influential as this all would seem to suggest, are they irrelevant and other forces are coming into play here, or is the US government trying to implicate AIPAC in something of which they're in fact innocent but for which they're actually being set up?

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Diana van Eyk's avatar

Thanks for articulating this important point about the cruelty of our system as it is, Hamilton. I've never read David Brooks and probably never will.

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Graham Vincent's avatar

Every lawyer knows that the one thing you cannot patent is an idea. An idea cannot be copyrighted or granted models and designs protection. An idea, unlike energy, is something that can be created but, like energy, cannot be destroyed. It can flourish or it can wither, it can be widespread or it can be deeply personal. An idea can have a life of its own, it can be bequeathed and it can be inherited, but it can never be squashed as long as it is an idea.

Hamas is not a form of government, it is not a form of administration, it is not an army and it is not an organisation. It is an idea.

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Nina Tatlock's avatar

We can't stop pushing for systemic changes and for humanity for all.

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Graham Vincent's avatar

That sounds very like "Workers of the world you have nothing to lose but your chains", if I'm not mistaken. Congratulations.

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Rob Lewis's avatar

Thanks for this. It's absolutely sickening the moral vacuity of pundits like David Brooks.

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Albal's avatar

This is hamno at his finest.

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David W. Friedman's avatar

A good read. Hearts and minds is, indeed, propaganda. It would require actually listening to the people you're trying to convince, and providing them what they need.

My belief is there is no security; it doesn't matter how large or well-trained the military, or how many bombs are dropped. There will always be someone to fight it, sometimes with just an idea.

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Jay Hawkshead's avatar

When government, media, and military bigwigs say 'national security' it really means 'my own personal job security'.

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defineandredefine's avatar

Beautifully written. Thank you.

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