Mona Holmes-Nisker
Every few years I have a “talk” with my uncle. It’s usually in the midst of a police officer acquittal, along with a single case of a civilian killing an unarmed 17-year-old carrying Skittles.
During this discussion, I ask my former lawyer, and law dean uncle to help make sense of it. At the very least in legal terms. In today’s verdict, Philando Castile seemed to have all of the evidence for justice. But then again, justice always seemed obvious when the unarmed victim has my skin color, and the officer did not. Philando Castile didn’t commit any crime or had reason to be pulled over. He was simply disclosing that he was carrying a licensed weapon. After the officer quickly shot him, they didn’t administer any life-saving procedures. He lay dying while they took his young daughter and handcuffed girlfriend to a police cell. For doing nothing other than being pulled over by the wrong cop at the wrong time.
The jury believed the cop was justified in using violence against a person that was not a threat. These jurors sympathized with a trigger happy cop over Castile, a man that never was in trouble in his life. Not that his record even matters.
I don’t need to call my uncle this time. I finally got the message he patiently provided in every talk. I used to think he was cynical. But he’s just being real.
“Mona, what do you expect? This is America.”
I do not watch movies often, but sometimes when the kids are asleep, my husband and I want to watch something good. I heard so much about Hidden Figures, and it is such a powerful movies that gives a glimpse into how African American’s were treated then and unfortunately now.
One of the tweets in the link above says that it is shocking that many people will not be moved or react to this blatant reality. Watching Hidden Figures, people will shake their head and be shocked by colored water fountains, bathrooms, and seating areas. How about having no hesitation to shoot a human being just because of his color?
One of the scenes in the movie shows a brilliant black woman who wants to be an engineer, and not only is her color in the way, but at that time, women did not do that kind of work, it was not thought possible. One of the engineers told her that he is an immigrant from Poland, ran from the Nazi’s because he was Jewish, most of his family was killed, he told her anything was possible. This makes me proud, how Jewish people stood along side civil rights leaders.
A few days ago in Israel a young girl was senselessly murdered by three young boys, and nobody in the world is aware or posting anything about it, and no government has any words to say because unfortunately terror everywhere else, is a daily occurrence in Israel. My heart goes out to the family and friends of Hadas Malka, only 23 years old, Baruch Dayan Haemet, may her memory be a blessing.
Grateful for human beings from all races, nationalities, faiths, and backgrounds,
Thank you to my Lebanese Arab brother below and American Muslim sister,
We have to stand up for each other,
We are the human race,
Coach Yulia
Fred Maroun
Every attack against Israel is a stab into the heart of all that is good and human.
Every child of Israel that is killed by the forces of darkness is a hero that every decent person should celebrate.
Every lie that is said about Israel must be denounced, and the liar must be exposed.
Every person who condones or excuses crimes against Israel must be shamed and exposed so that the world can see what a hypocrite looks like.
If you will not stand with Israel now, then when?
Nadiya Al-Noor
This past Shabbat in Toronto, an LGBT Jewish group was having a Pride dinner. It was a regular old Shabbat dinner, nothing political but that fact that it was LGBT-affirming. They were attacked by anti-Israel protestors. Don’t let people tell you that anti-Zionism has nothing to do with antisemitism, because Jews are always the target of anti-Zionist nonsense.