I have just discovered your substack and I'm so glad I have. Your take on being empathic at the death of Charlie Kirk really hit home with me. In fact, I quoted you (...empathy...not because of who he was but because of who I am) in a presentation I made at our local NAACP meeting on Thursday night. I was giving a call to action for those who are not yet actively engaged in the fight to save democracy but I had to start with acknowledging the horror of Kirk's killing as it was top of mind for all. Kirk's views are particularly hurtful to our Black members and those of us who are allies so feeling empathic is a stretch – but important if we are to maintain our humanity. Thank you for sharing your wisdom.
The chai joke made me laugh out loud! And as soon as it was a white, cis-gender, Christian man who killed Charlie Kirk, the white-supremacist, bigoted Christian nationalists sure changed their tune. Then both Kirk and his killer were poor young things! Infuriorating hypocrites!
For item #3: I suggest pulling up videos of Clarence Thomas' Senate Confirmation. The clarity of Anita Hill's testimony. The "trump card" Thomas played when he felt very unsure that the guaranteed ticket to the promised land might go up in flames.
I liked the Mousejid joke better. I'm surprised I liked either - getting older is increasing my tolerance for puns.
About Tyler - I have to admit I was super relieved it was an ordinary right wing white guy. Of course they'll claim all sorts of garbage, but at least they have to cheat.
On second thought, when do they ever not cheat, so what difference does it make?
This was interesting--I heard a Utah local resident say on a news interview that the shooting suspect wasn't the "person she had hoped for" (being a local boy from a good family, i expect)--who exactly DID she hope for?? I kept shouting at the reporter, "ask her, ask her!"
Since 99.9% of my liquid diet is glorious tea, I ♥ the Dad joke!!
Because Kirk's disdain went primarily to "other" groups of people, a 22-year-old white male at a mostly white Utah university that had a Turning Point student organization...this is the challenge to figure out why Robinson would take out one of his own. MAGA will start the "martyr" chant rather than have proof that Robinson didn't like Kirk.
I’m so glad that Waj had you on his Substack live weeks ago, or I wouldn’t have seen your work. You are so educated and also clever and empathetic. Also… keep up the dad jokes ! 🤗
And I just found this recently published poem. No copyright is mentioned.
----------------------
misplaced rage sparks
violence
sixty thousand brown bodies lie dead
one white man is shot in the head
for days he dominates the headlines
one white man
a prophet of division
a fear bringer
sixty thousand brown bodies lie dead
‘it is the ones fleeing death and torture
who cause our misery’
not the wealth hoarders
the oil baron billionaires
or tech trillionaires
it is the brown ones
that’s why
sixty thousand brown bodies lie dead
and no one cares
------------------
Johnny Masters
So people will recall the kind of man Kirk was. I post this from a 2023 episode of the Charlie Kirk show:
https://www.mediamatters.org/charlie-kirk/charlie-kirk-joe-biden-should-be-put-prison-andor-given-death-penalty-crimes-against?fbclid=IwY2xjawM0MPFleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHncDkXY5R93ZtsMVTWsc9F0cf4hYoFJrFqqcrzkJR-j6e2Q1-WOISXsw0-Mt_aem_jJtXk1GBYmVxEyDc6q8f1w
I have just discovered your substack and I'm so glad I have. Your take on being empathic at the death of Charlie Kirk really hit home with me. In fact, I quoted you (...empathy...not because of who he was but because of who I am) in a presentation I made at our local NAACP meeting on Thursday night. I was giving a call to action for those who are not yet actively engaged in the fight to save democracy but I had to start with acknowledging the horror of Kirk's killing as it was top of mind for all. Kirk's views are particularly hurtful to our Black members and those of us who are allies so feeling empathic is a stretch – but important if we are to maintain our humanity. Thank you for sharing your wisdom.
On the other hand, I have absolutely no empathy for this week's Dad Joke.
Haha, fair.
The chai joke made me laugh out loud! And as soon as it was a white, cis-gender, Christian man who killed Charlie Kirk, the white-supremacist, bigoted Christian nationalists sure changed their tune. Then both Kirk and his killer were poor young things! Infuriorating hypocrites!
For item #3: I suggest pulling up videos of Clarence Thomas' Senate Confirmation. The clarity of Anita Hill's testimony. The "trump card" Thomas played when he felt very unsure that the guaranteed ticket to the promised land might go up in flames.
I liked the Mousejid joke better. I'm surprised I liked either - getting older is increasing my tolerance for puns.
About Tyler - I have to admit I was super relieved it was an ordinary right wing white guy. Of course they'll claim all sorts of garbage, but at least they have to cheat.
On second thought, when do they ever not cheat, so what difference does it make?
Exactly right.
This was interesting--I heard a Utah local resident say on a news interview that the shooting suspect wasn't the "person she had hoped for" (being a local boy from a good family, i expect)--who exactly DID she hope for?? I kept shouting at the reporter, "ask her, ask her!"
Since 99.9% of my liquid diet is glorious tea, I ♥ the Dad joke!!
The *governor* of Utah said the same thing!
Because Kirk's disdain went primarily to "other" groups of people, a 22-year-old white male at a mostly white Utah university that had a Turning Point student organization...this is the challenge to figure out why Robinson would take out one of his own. MAGA will start the "martyr" chant rather than have proof that Robinson didn't like Kirk.
I’m so glad that Waj had you on his Substack live weeks ago, or I wouldn’t have seen your work. You are so educated and also clever and empathetic. Also… keep up the dad jokes ! 🤗
Thank you Sheryl!
Qasim, thanks for this recap!
and yes, I did laugh at the dad joke (chaivinist!)
it's been a crazy, volatile week..