Links - 27th April 2024 (2)

• ᗰISᑕᕼIᗴᖴ ™ • on X - "Citizens at a Chicago City Council meeting chant “Go Red, No More Blue, No Matter Who”"

Why this Italian dairy plant only hires employees over 60 - "When launching a new project to market more specialized gourmet butter products, Brazzale was looking to set up a dedicated team. But the handful of 30-somethings who came for a trial period all turned out to lack drive and energy, he says. So he ended up giving the jobs to a couple of friends - all of whom are over 60 years old, creating a new team that he now describes as a gold mine. "To me, they are all young in a way, because age counts for nothing compared to the energy and enthusiasm you can still have when you're over 60," he tells dpa."

The Early Years - "According to popular lore, Albert Einstein was a poor student. It is true that he did not earn top grades in every subject, but he excelled at math and science, even though he skipped classes and had to cram for exams"

Was Napoleon Short? - "Napoleon was called Le Petit Caporal, but the nickname, translated as “The Little Corporal,” was not meant as a reflection of his stature. It was intended as a term of affection by his soldiers. Indeed, many contemporary French paintings, including David’s equestrian portrait, suggest that the general was not short but of average stature. In that painting he at least seems to be in proportion to his horse—but there are no other human figures nearby to which the viewer can refer. David’s other portraits of Napoleon don’t offer much by way of comparison either: in the majestic Consecration of the Emperor Napoleon and the Coronation of Empress Joséphine on December 2, 1804 (1806–07), the stepped platform from which Napoleon crowns his wife challenges any comparison with other figures, while The Emperor Napoleon in His Study at the Tuileries (1812) represents the subject standing alone at a desk. Works by contemporary artists show him similarly alone or sitting. One work by David’s student, Antoine-Jean Gros, however, offers a group of figures on the same plane with which to compare the general. Napoleon Bonaparte Visiting the Plague-Stricken in Jaffa, March 11, 1799 (1804), commissioned by Napoleon, represents an episode from his Egyptian campaign in which he visited his plague-stricken troops in a makeshift hospital. By touching one of the victims, Napoleon defies the men around him, who hold handkerchiefs to their faces. He appears not only heroic but also average! All the men standing near him seem to be about the same height. The English, however, were not so generous: their artists depicted Napoleon as diminutive. Around 1803 the celebrated cartoonist James Gillray introduced the character of “Little Boney,” who resembled a childish Napoleon. At first, Gillray seemingly emphasized brattiness: in “Maniac ravings—or—Little Boney in a Strong fit,” Napoleon is shown in the midst of a tantrum, flipping furniture, wailing about the “British Nation” and “London Newspapers,” and shouting “Oh Oh Oh. Revenge! Revenge!” Gillray then played up juvenility through smallness, whereby Napoleon was represented wearing huge boots and, as one source put it, “trying to talk tough beneath an enormous bicorne hat dwarfing his entire body. Or struggling to pull a sword from an unwieldy scabbard that dragged along the ground as he walked.” Soon Napoleon was just depicted as being short. In “The Empress’s wish or Boney Puzzled!!” another cartoonist, Isaac Cruikshank, depicted a peevish Napoleon at about half the height of his wife and troops. A wee Bonaparte thus became the standard for representing the emperor in English newspapers. Though it’s hard to say if and why the British invented the short Napoleon trope, there is some truth in Cruikshank’s representation: Napoleon was probably significantly shorter than his troops. Several sources note that his elite guards were taller than most Frenchmen, and thus Napoleon had the appearance of being shorter than he really was. Yet interpretations of Napoleon’s death certificate estimate that his height when he died was between 5’2” and 5’7” (1.58 and 1.7 meters). The discrepancy is often explained by the disparity between the 19th-century French inch, which was 2.71 cm, and the current inch measurement, which is 2.54 cm. Sources consequently estimate that Napoleon was probably closer to 5’6” or 5’7” (1.68 or 1.7 meters) than to 5’2”. Although the range may seem short by 21st-century standards, it was typical in the 19th century, when most Frenchmen stood between 5’2” and 5’6” (1.58 and 1.68 meters) tall. Napoleon was thus average or taller, no matter the interpretation."

Did brokers really throw themselves out of office windows in the Wall Street crash? - "J. K. GALBRAITH, in his classic study of the 1929 Wall Street crash, wrote: 'In the United States, the suicide wave that followed the stock market crash is also part of the legend of 1929. In fact, there were none."

being a pepper plant has to be so weird. Imagine... - "being a pepper plant has to be so weird.      Imagine evolving capsaicin specifically to stop mammals from eating your fruits, and then a mammal comes along that not only will eat your fruits, but likes them specifically because of the capsaicin, so much that it starts using its weird paws to distribute and care for your seeds, which turns into a strong selective force that literally starts evolving you into producing MORE capsaicin and makes you a WAY more successful and wider ranged species than you ever were before      simply because this mammal LOVES Pain Chemical. that evolved specifically to produce pain in mammals. It’s not that the capsaicin isn’t WORKING. It’s just that these freaks like it."
"This is the same mammal with social instincts so goddamn strong that they literally try to form social bonds with their predators, and end up evolving the predators into a new species that fits into their social communities as a form of mutualistic symbiosis, and exists in several different forms with unique morphology and behaviors based on the function they perform.  Instead of, I don’t know, EVOLVING TO BE FASTER, this animal finds a faster animal and sits on it. Which shouldn’t even work because the faster animal is a prey animal and this animal is a predator, but SOMEHOW they FORM A SOCIAL BOND WITH THE PREY. So they can sit on it while it runs fast. And somehow the prey animal?? is cool with this?? and benefits from this relationship???  Literally how can you hate humans. Humans are possibly the most hilarious thing evolution has ever done."
"other things humans have done
eat poison plants, decide they like getting poisoned, and evolve the plants to poison them more
evolve to not have hair, but they find mammals with thick fluffy hair and put the hair on themselves, and evolve the mammals to produce extra hair so they can both have a warm coat of hair
split up their parasitic lice species into two separate species because they start taking other animals’ hair and putting it on themselves so much
learn how to set things on fire on purpose. maintain body temperature by just standing beside some wood that’s on fire instead of literally any normal option
figure out that their prey tastes better and is easier to digest when they hold it over a fire after killing it. get smarter because they digest food so good after it’s been held over a fire.
find a poisonous plant and try washing it in boiling water until they don’t die when they eat it anymore
go across the ocean by making a floating nest despite not being able to breathe underwater, drink ocean water, or even swim naturally
drink milk from other mammals even though they can’t digest it and it makes them sick. Evolve those mammals to produce more milk than their babies can drink so they can drink the milk. Some members of the species evolve to be able to digest milk because they were so hellbent on drinking it.
find flowers, bugs and minerals that are nice colors and crush them up to try to turn other things that color
eat mushrooms that make their nervous systems malfunction because they like malfunctioning their nervous systems"

8-hour time-restricted eating linked to a 91% higher risk of cardiovascular death | American Heart Association - "A study of over 20,000 adults found that those who followed an 8-hour time-restricted eating schedule, a type of intermittent fasting, had a 91% higher risk of death from cardiovascular disease."
A screenshot of this made a lot of people very upset, and many tried to claim this was misquoting the study, or fake

Meme - Harpreet Kaur Kandola @panthsprincess: "Formula 1 is a 'sport' for scumbags. @McLarenF1 are employing Oscar Piastri, a mu'derer who shot his girlfriend."
Readers added context they thought people might want to know: "She is confused with Oscar Pistorius who shot his girlfriend in 2013. Article about Oscar Pistorius:... Oscar Piastri is a F1 driver from Australia and driving for McLaren:"

Your Smartphone Photos Take up Too Much Space. Here’s How to Downsize Them. - "It’s all about balancing compression with quality."

Panu Höglund's answer to Why can't Irish speakers (many who have been using English all their lives) pronounce the English 'th' sound correctly? - Quora - "Because that sound didn’t and doesn’t exist in the Irish language. When a whole population switches language so speedily and so completely as in Ireland, that is bound to leave some influence in the newly acquired language. This is how the Irish accent was created. Even after generations, they still speak English with some trace of their original native language.  You ask why this influence didn’t fade and disappear yet? Well, the point is that Irish children pick up their English from Irish parents, who still have this accent."

How our brains cope with speaking more than one language - "I'm standing in line at my local bakery in Paris, apologising to an incredibly confused shopkeeper. He's just asked how many pastries I would like, and completely inadvertently, I responded in Mandarin instead of French. I'm equally baffled: I'm a dominant English speaker, and haven't used Mandarin properly in years. And yet, here in this most Parisian of settings, it somehow decided to reassert itself.  Multilinguals commonly juggle the languages they know with ease. But sometimes, accidental slip-ups can occur. And the science behind why this happens is revealing surprising insights into how our brains work... If you think about it, the ability of bilingual and multilingual speakers to separate the languages they have learned is remarkable. How they do this is commonly explained through the concept of inhibition – a suppression of the non-relevant languages. When a bilingual volunteer is asked to name a colour shown on a screen in one language and then the next colour in their other language, it is possible to measure spikes in electrical activity in parts of the brain that deal with language and attentional awareness... When he used to work in Germany, a regular train journey home to Belgium could encompass multiple different language zones – and a substantial workout for his language-switching skills.  "The first part was in German and I'd step on a Belgian train where the second part was in French," he says. "And then when you pass Brussels, they change the language to Dutch, which is my native language. So in that span of like three hours, every time the conductor came over, I had to switch languages.  "I always responded in the wrong language, somehow. It was just impossible to keep up with it."... "I think maybe one of the most unique things that we've seen in bilinguals when they're mixing languages is that sometimes, it seems like they inhibit the dominant language so much that they actually are slower to speak in certain contexts," she says."

High-fat keto diet may help those with bipolar, schizophrenia, study finds - The Washington Post - "A clinical trial, led by researchers at Stanford Medicine, recruited 23 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder and instructed them to follow a diet consisting of 10 percent carbohydrates, 30 percent protein and about 60 percent fat. The medications prescribed to treat serious mental illness can cause “major metabolic side effects,” such as insulin resistance and weight gain, researchers say, and all of the patients studied suffered from at least one of these conditions."

Cuckolding can be positive for some couples, study says - "For his forthcoming book, “Tell Me What You Want: The Science of Sexual Desire and How It Can Help Improve Your Sex Life,” Lehmiller surveyed thousands of Americans and found that 58% of men and about a third of women had fantasized about cuckolding."

More Women Are Pumping, but Research Is Lacking - The Atlantic - "The number seems small, but gets larger and larger as you contemplate it: 6 percent. That is the estimated share of breastfeeding mothers who exclusively pump and bottle their milk for their infants, never directly nursing. It is a number that was functionally zero less than a generation ago... Women have become, in Jill Lepore’s evocative phrasing, their own wet nurses. When pumping, their breast milk becomes a commodity; they become producers and their infants consumers, the dyadic experience of breastfeeding unnecessary or secondary. Maybe this is a good thing, if pumping helps babies receive more breast milk, or if it enables mother and child to sustain a desired, direct breastfeeding relationship for longer. Maybe pumping helps women have it all—a full-time career and a breastfed baby. But there’s just one hitch, or two, or three. This “quiet revolution” is built on a foundation of surprisingly scant research and social support... “Does it matter to the woman?” she asks. “Does it matter to the baby’s health? Does it matter to the baby’s development? We really can’t say.”... time with the baby gets supplanted by time with the pump, leaving many women stressed out and exhausted—something that may have an effect on the quantity of milk produced, as well as the mother’s health and the overall stress level of the family."

Why Eating Meat Is Unhealthy - The Atlantic - "the findings of the studies were, overall, predictable: High intake of meat and processed meat was associated with an elevated risk of heart disease, diabetes, and cancers—though the authors said they had “low certainty” in their own findings.  The news alerts came down to the sixth article, which was the set of “clinical guidelines.” In it, the researchers concluded that because of the “low quality evidence,” adults should continue eating meat as they do... People like eating meat... Gordon Guyatt, a member of NutriRECS and one of the guidelines’ authors, says he wanted to send the message to the public that there are many things science knows very little about. A distinguished professor at McMaster University, Guyatt has had an enormous impact on medicine. He coined the term evidence-based medicine, now taught in medical schools around the world, which urges doctors to do only what is clearly proven to work. The model prizes randomized controlled trials for testing drugs and clinical interventions."
The article tries to link meat to climate change to say that's why it's bad. Good luck getting the Chinese to stop eating meat

Men with premature ejaculation seem to hold negative attitudes toward masturbating before sex as a way of increasing sexual stamina, often because they have negative views about masturbation. However, they will often engage in sex multiple times per day as a compensatory strategy instead. : psychologyofsex

Meme - "Friend: are u a boob guy or a booty guy
Me: If one is to understand the great mystery, one must study all its aspects."

Meme - "- God's punishment upon the iniquities of ancient Rome was turning them into Italians"

'I called for my wife but there was no response': 3 die in China after strong winds blow them out of apartment building - "One moment, they were asleep. The next, they were falling to their deaths.  Three people in China died in the early hours of Sunday (March 31) morning, after strong winds swept them out of their apartments, reported Chinese media.  Residents of a high-rise apartment building in Nanchang, Jiangxi province, were jolted awake when the thunderstorm struck at around 3am, bringing strong winds and heavy rain to the city...   When he went to the room the pair was sleeping in, he discovered that they had gone missing, and the window and mattress had been blown away.  Xu and his other family members took refuge in their bathroom till the strong winds subsided."

Why Rich People Don’t Cover Their Windows - The Atlantic - "Americans who earn more than $150,000 are almost twice as likely to leave windows uncovered as those making $20,000 to $29,000, according to a large 2013 study for the U.S. Department of Energy—nearly 20 percent of the first group compared with just over 10 percent of the second... Ditching shades has a lot of upsides regardless of who you are. Uncovered windows bring in natural light, boost well-being, and offer a view of the world outside. The trade-off, of course, is that they also put those inside on display to passersby, and in the summer, they channel heat. For many, the concerns about privacy and finances outweigh the aesthetic and mental health benefits. But for those in the highest income brackets, the calculus is different: People with a big home can more easily get natural light and privacy, and they don’t need to worry so much about heating and cooling costs. Slowly, uncovered windows have become a status symbol. Forgoing curtains wasn’t always so appealing... “Close your curtains when you leave the house” so you “don’t tempt burglars,” one paper cautioned urban residents in 1985. The police often complained that people who forgot to cover their windows were “putting valuable goods on display.” Although city dwellers might have needed to draw their curtains, suburban homeowners, with their big open windows, were declaring that they had nothing to fear... n dense neighborhoods, people tend “to want more privacy, because you’re right on top of each other,” Kevin Van Den Wymelenberg, an architecture professor at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln who studies window light, told me. But these factors are less pressing for rich city dwellers, who likely have more rooms and, therefore, more windows... Although allowing a view into your home can seem vulnerable, it is actually a statement of security. Dutch people, for example, rarely cover their windows at night, letting their neighbors see inside as an act of faith. Similarly, in rural Denmark, drawn curtains are treated with suspicion, especially when newly arrived immigrants are the people keeping their blinds down."

Study: Putting religion on your résumé hurts your job chances — unless you’re Jewish - The Washington Post - "Researchers Michael Wallace, Bradley R.E. Wright and Allan Hyde of the University of Connecticut sent 3,200 fake applications to 800 jobs within 150 miles of two major Southern cities...  The explanation that researchers found most convincing is that people are partial to those who are culturally similar to themselves. That would explain why groups least similar to the culturally dominant evangelicals – atheists, Muslims, pagans and Wallonians – faced the most discrimination. Catholics, while Christian, are a small minority in the South and are not considered true Christians by many evangelicals, one explanation for their unpopularity.   Jews, on the other hand, do not seem so different to Southerners, the study suggests."
Religious Affiliation and Hiring Discrimination in the American South: A Field Experiment

Meme - Flower: "Damn I really wanna fuck this girl.."
"Bee: *psst* BRO LEAVE IT TO ME.BRO CUM ON MY FACE I'LL GO AND BUMP INTO HER"

Dani on X - "Can we talk about how cute motorcycle gangs are?
-inseparable friends
-matching outfits
-going on adventures together
What wholesome adorable fun."

Meme - "When you don't use a meme template the way it should be used
You know, i'm something of a scientist myself. *Oh Fuck You're Gonna Make Me Cum template*"

Kids: Today, my daughter-in-law taught my 4-year-old grandson to burst... - FML - "Today, my daughter-in-law taught my 4-year-old grandson to burst into tears and yell, "Am I not good enough for you?" whenever I ask her if she's going to have any more children. FML"

Meme - "Most people rejected His message.
'If you don't like pineapple or fruit on your pizza why tf do you use tomato sauce'
'Shut up!'
They hated Jesus because He told them the truth. Gal. 4:16"

Chris Selley: The war on vaping is a war on public health - "Fact: Vaping is less dangerous than smoking. This is one of those facts that doesn’t really need research attached to it. Cigarette smoke contains “carbon monoxide, ammonia, dimethylnitrosamine, formaldehyde, hydrogen cyanide and acrolein,” a British anti-smoking charity explains. Vapour from an e-cigarette contains water and either glycerin or propylene glycol. While it’s true the long-term effects of consuming the latter two in e-cig form have not extensively been studied, crucially, they are not smoke. In every context other than smoking, we human beings have always tried to avoid smoke. Even considering the addictive wonders of nicotine, it’s incredible we ever believed it was safe. If you need research to back up the vaping-better-than-smoking hypothesis, it’s out there. A 2013 study modelled various scenarios of e-cigarette uptake in the Russian Federation and estimated they might save 3.3 million to 38.5 million life-years over 80 years — as much as 19 per cent of the life-years currently lost to smoking... Just as common sense tells you vaping is preferable to smoking, it should tell you that it would be preferable not to inhale anything recreationally. Nicotine addiction is nothing compared to the ravages of smoking, but it’s not desirable. And there’ s plenty of mounting evidence that vaping isn’t harmless (though I’m not sure anyone ever confidently said it was). There are scientists, public-health officials and researchers who can wrap their minds around this not-very complicated concept: A and B are both undesirable, but A is more undesirable, and thus should be preferred over B if eradicating A and B isn’t on the table. Recent research from the University of East Anglia in England found that providing National Health Service patients with e-cigarettes, in addition to other help quitting smoking, boosted the quit rate six months later among their test group from 4.1 per cent to 7.2 per cent. (Both figures are depressing, but one is a heck of a lot better than the other.) And then there are scientists, public-health officials and researchers who cannot or will not wrap their minds around that very simple concept. On British television network GB News last week, University of Galway medical professor Sherif Sultan nearly blew his top at the idea of e-cigarettes as a harm-reduction tool. “We are witnessing a troubling conversion of public health objectives and corporate interests,” Sultan fumed. “The problem is … the lobbying … trying to show that vaping is much safer doesn’t have any scientific evidence. The World Health Organization (WHO) said it’s not true, and it’s a trap.”... Highly paid communications professionals come up with insulting crap like that all the time, not least in the field of public health, because they think their target audience is idiots. This was never clearer than during the pandemic, and the WHO was among the worst offenders... A recent poll of more than 28,000 British smokers, conducted for a University College London study, found 57 per cent believed vaping was equally or more harmful than their current habit, and that attitudes toward e-cigarettes were in fact worsening. Even allowing for smokers’ motivated reasoning, that is a wretched public-health failure by the WHO and its like-minded British organizations. If public-health officials wonder why their messaging on measles vaccination struggles to take hold, even amid alarming outbreaks in several countries, it should begin with a thorough post-mortem of their disastrous efforts at mind-changing throughout the COVID-19 nightmare — not just on vaccination, but on everything else besides."

Who are Canada’s ‘four screen’ Anglophones? - "35% of Anglophone Internet users are hooked up to a computer, smartphone, tablet and/or internet-connected TV. Of those connected, 35% have three screens, 21% have two, and 8% have one internet-capable screen. While smartphones were the first and second-most popular screens among the demographic, televisions were still the chosen device for watching content and computers remained the most commonly owned device among internet users. The main factor contributing to an Anglophone owning four screens is Netflix, according to the report, which shows it is twice as likely for a “Four Screen Anglophone” to watch the service on a television than any other device."
From 2018

Scientists Create Shapeshifting Robot That Can Liquify And Regain Shape

Meme - "Godzilla in the 20th Century
*Movie* A serious metaphor for nuclear destruction and scientific hubris
*Movie 2* LoL giant monsters go brrrrrr
Godzilla in the 21st Century
*Movie 3* A serious metaphor for the trauma of war and survivor's guilt
*Movie 4* Lol giant monsters go brrrrrr"

Elsa / Spider-Woman and the Trans Flag / Kennel

*Home made sex doll with Elsa on laptop screen, fleshlight, clothes and ice cubes*

Menzi @Treblebaps: "also her outfit colours [this is probably a coincidence but considering the fact that gwen is trans canonically i like to imagine they did this on purpose] *linking Spider-Gwen's costume to the colours of the trans flag*
El calacas @ElCalacas5: *linking Miles Morales's costume to the colours of the Nazi flag*

"Small Dog Kennel $50 *kid sitting in kennel*
Foldable dog kennel w/removable tray. Two doors- one in the end and one on the side. Comes with something I've always thought was a divider but I'm not 100% sure what it's for (we never used it). Asking $50 OBO."

Links - 27th April 2024 (1 - Left Wing Economics)

Meme - Caryn Rose @carynrose.bsky.social: "Anyone who says shit like "Just move" has never actually moved anywhere that wasn't to and from college. Moving is hard & expensive & traumatizing esp to another state. Job hunting long distance is insanely difficult! so take all the seats with that garbage"
Left wingers are traumatised by moving. No wonder they can't survive in the real world

LEVY: Toronto will decline even further under Chow - "In an acceptance speech Monday night — peppered repeatedly with vows to deliver a “safer, caring and more affordable” Toronto  — Olivia Chow’s narrative reminded me of the same hopey-changey hyperbole made by Toronto’s last NDP mayor David Miller. Miller, a disaster as mayor, managed to increase spending by 43% and the net debt by 176% during his one term. The union friendly mayor landed the city in a costly garbage strike and left the mayor’s office with a $700-million unfunded commitment for buses and streetcars. It did not escape my attention that the hyperbole Chow used was the same used to woo voters nearly 20 years ago when Miller came to office. But the low-information largely downtown progressives didn’t seem to remember, or care that everything old is new again. And now a Toronto already in severe decline faces three years under the leadership of someone I call “David Miller on Steroids.” The union support Miller got pales in comparison to Chow. Every single Ontario teachers union and virtually every single labour union worked overtime to put her in office and will expect their quid pro quo now that she’s there. Not only did the fiscally challenged Chow refuse to say throughout the 90-day campaign how she’d resolve Toronto’s $1B-plus deficit left by her predecessor but she trotted outrageously low figures (no doubt put together on the back of a napkin) as to how much it would cost to build her promised 25,000 units of affordable housing. She assiduously avoided the city’s rising crime rate and the subject of policing likely because she is known to be a great supporter of defunding the police. Her plan to expand community crisis teams of social workers who respond to people with mental health issues will do absolutely nothing to resolve out of control lawlessness on the city’s streets and TTC system, largely perpetuated by desperate drug addicts. Speaking of drug addiction and homelessness, based on Chow’s history of enabling the poverty industry (the Ontario Coalition against Poverty was on speed dial during her councillor days), it should come as no surprise that more encampments and (un) safe drug injection sites are likely. It is certainly not a leap of faith to suggest that this radical progressive will seal the destruction already well underway during her predecessor’s term — turning Toronto into the next San Francisco, Eastside Vancouver, Portland, and any other U.S. or Canadian city already ruined by progressive mayors... She presented herself as an outsider and alternative to a City Hall dominated in recent years by the Old Boys, lobbyists and the political establishment. That in fact was highly manipulative considering she brings to the job her own set of union hangers-on and the loud voices of poverty pimps, queer  and cycling activists... The low-information voters lapped it up, claiming they were tired of 12 years of conservative rule, when in fact Chow’s predecessor had done everything he could think of to appease the progressives inside and outside City Hall."

Rent controls don’t reduce housing supply, studies show
The left wingers were gushing over this. But the linked studies are about "rent starts", not housing as a whole.
The 1994 CMHC rent control study (weird how outdated studies don't matter when they support the left wing agenda) was also on "rental unit starts", and concluded that there was "no evidence to suggest that rent controls reduce the rate of increase of rents in the long run" (which might have been why the rent controls were not that harmful). Ironic, given that the left wingers keep bitching that they'll never be home owners. But of course they are not thinking about the impact on the non-rental units.
Meanwhile, the 32 economists who supported rent control mostly did not do any work in housing and misrepresented the research

10 Liberal-Approved Ways Of Helping The Poor | Babylon Bee - "    Care a whole, whole, lot: The poor people will really feel your caring.
   Vote for politicians who care about the poor: Politicians who care about the poor always follow through and do something about it.
   Hate billionaires: For every billionaire you hate, 12 hungry mouths get fed. That's basic economics.
   Vote to raise taxes on other people so they pay their fair share: It's the least other people could do!
   Vote to raise taxes on other people a little more than last time so they pay their even fairer share: One more increase should do the trick.
   Leave your "Bernie Sanders for President" bumper sticker on your Subaru one more year: You'll inspire hundreds.
   Hate millionaires: Yeah, come to think of it, they suck too!
   Ask the government to send more money to Ukraine: We heard they have poor people there.
   Use the poor's preferred pronouns: A simple gesture will go a long way.
   Sing John Lennon's "Imagine" to the homeless as you drive by: Then post your performance on TikTok to multiply the poverty-smashing power!"

Frank Stronach: Thank red tape for making Canadian entrepreneurs a dying breed - "A new study conducted by the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) and the University of Montreal revealed that there aren’t enough new entrepreneurs in Canada to make up for those who are shutting their doors. According to the study, Canada has 100,000 fewer entrepreneurs today (roughly 725,000 total) than it did in 2000 (roughly 825,000 total), despite having a population that has grown by about eight million people in that time. The report found that roughly one of every 1,000 Canadians is starting a business today, compared to three out of every 1,000 Canadians 20 years ago. The BDC called the trend “alarming” because of the impact that entrepreneurship has on spurring economic growth and innovating new products and technologies. Here’s how the report framed the problem Canada faces: “Entrepreneurs are the backbone of Canada’s economy: They spearhead innovations. They’re responsible for virtually all net new job creation. They drive growth and transformation. Yet fewer people are venturing into business ownership each year. And nearly one-third of those who do will close their business within five years.” Why is that? One reason, according to the report, is that entrepreneurs and small business owners today face a “more complex business environment.” Why is the business environment more complex today than it was 20 or even 50 years ago? I would argue that it’s mainly because of government red tape and regulations, which continually grow year after year and weigh down small businesses. The other key factor is that we tax small businesses to death during the critical period of time when they need as much cash as possible to get up and running."
Time to increase regulation to prevent exploitation and tax "the rich" even more to pay for left wing policies (like more money for unions)

🍑🥤 on X - "Don’t buy a homeless person food. Just give them the money if you have it. You think you mean well but what you’re doing is taking away their autonomy & ability to make choices for themselves."
Clearly, even more money is needed

$50K in unpaid rent over five years nets fine for BC woman - "In what appeared to be a planned scheme, she left eight landlords short nearly $50,000 in combined unpaid rent, according to a recent Residential Tenancy Branch decision.  Scott McGregor, of the Residential Tenancy Branch's enforcement division, said it was "more likely than not" that Colleen June Clancy entered each new tenancy with no intention to pay rent.  Although she did pay portions of her rent at times, some of her landlords issued eviction notices within the first month or two of moving in.   She would challenge the eviction with the Residential Tenancy Branch each time, extending her stay by months. Some lasted just a few months in total and, aside from one 15-month tenancy, they were all less than a year...  She's been ordered to repay a total $43,024 to the landlords she owes, accumulated since 2018.  The only one that hasn't included a repayment order was during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. She moved in before the pandemic began and, as soon as the province introduced a freeze on evictions, Clancy stopped paying rent.  That landlord was missed out on the second-highest amount, with $11,200 in unpaid rent.  How the unpaid rent affected the landlords isn't detailed in the decision, at least not financially. One couple did tell investigators the ordeal was stressful and the husband went through months of counselling because of it.  The $5,000 penalty is entirely separate from the unpaid rent owed to the eight landlords, however."

Collin Rugg on X - "NEW: Seattle residents are publicly shaming serial squatter Sang Kim for squatting in a $2M property despite allegedly making $400k a year.    Let's make publicly shaming squatters a new trend.    According to the landlord, they are unable to get Kim out of their home who owes them $80,000 in unpaid rent.  The event below was captured by @choeshow  who is demanding that action be taken to stop squatters like Kim.  Kim is considered a 'Serial Squatter' because he allegedly moved from a $1.3M home where he didn't pay for rent into this $2M home where he also doesn't pay rent.  Landlord Jaskaran Singh says Kim lives a lavish life "doing barbecues, buying new cars, living in the best neighborhood and sending his kids to the best schools."  "Whereas the poor landlords, they are doing multiple jobs to support the mortgage of his house. [Kim] has no shame and he does not care about society."  Thanks, progressives!"

Out-squatted: Handyman Flash Shelton will squat with your squatters — until they leave - Los Angeles Times - "Their plan: live with the squatter. Dirty the bathroom. Take the best spot on the couch. Commandeer the TV remote. Blast music. Drink his coffee. Eat his Cheetos.  Out-squat him. And film it all for YouTube... For homeowners in Southern California and beyond, run-ins with squatters can be a nightmare both emotionally and financially. For the Squatter Hunter, it’s just another day on the job.  What started as a viral YouTube video has grown into a one-of-a-kind vigilante-style service, helping homeowners boot trespassers from their property.  His motto: “If they can take a house, I can take a house.”... He called the local sheriff’s department, but according to Shelton, they said they couldn’t enter the house since it appeared to be occupied.  Hearing nightmares about the lengthy and arduous process of dragging out an eviction in court, Shelton got creative; he had his mom write up a lease making him the official tenant of the home. That way, he could legally enter the property.  “If they’re the squatter, they have rights. So if I become the squatter on a squatter, I should have rights,” he said.  He drove 10 hours from the San Fernando Valley and slept in his Jeep outside the home, waiting for her to leave in the morning. When she did, he went inside and installed Ring cameras throughout the property.  When she returned, he explained that he was the new tenant and that she needed to move all her stuff out. Since he was now in possession of the property, he said if she returned, he would call the police for trespassing.  She left by the end of the day. Squatting isn’t common; most housing disputes are between landlords and tenants, in which an entirely different set of rules is in play. But for homeowners who’ve dealt with an actual squatter, the process of removing them can be arduous and costly, taking weeks or months and costing tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees.  But Shelton made it look easy. He recorded the entire encounter and published a recap on YouTube titled, “How I removed squatters in less than a day.”... “I’m not surprised he’s getting attention,” Moret said. “So many people are frustrated with the legal system. Attorneys are expensive, and the deck feels stacked against housing providers.”... Business is booming. He consults for free but requires clients to donate $150 to a GoFundMe advocating for squatter law change. So far, he’s raised nearly $9,000... It can be costly, but Shelton said he’s encountered homeowners who’ve already sunk $100,000 into their efforts to remove a squatter through the legal system and made no progress.  “I don’t tell them what I’m doing or how I’m doing it. I just tell them to make me a leaseholder, and I handle the rest,” he said... Moret, the real estate agent, said police officers once refused to remove a squatter living beneath the carport outside one of his buildings because he didn’t have a “No Trespassing” sign posted. Another time, police said their hands were tied because residents had no proof that the squatter committed a crime, according to Moret. Shelton said many of the homeowners he consults with claim that police aren’t able to remove squatters because they have no proof of when exactly the squatter entered the home and how long they’ve been there...  Although every case is different, there’s generally an easy way and a hard way to remove a squatter.  The easy way: Wait for the squatter to leave the home and secure possession of the property while they’re gone. Change the locks and install security cameras. “Now, they’re fighting to get back in instead of the homeowner fighting to get them out,” he said... The hard way: squatting with the squatter.  “If I can’t get them off the property, I’ll move in with them,” he said. “I walk in, sit on the couch, pour a bowl of cereal and say, ‘Lucy, I’m home!’”  He hands the squatter a copy of the lease and explains that he’s not going anywhere — that he’s there to make their living situation miserable and “turn it into a reality show” with cameras everywhere.  They’re typically out by the end of the day.  To help persuade squatters to leave, he offers them a deal: If they go peacefully, he’ll keep their identity a secret.  Most squatters accept. For those who don’t, he uploads their picture onto his website and their interaction onto YouTube and Instagram. He’s currently building a database of confirmed squatters so landlords can avoid renting to them in the future... Shelton, a single father with five kids, two living at home, doesn’t want to hunt squatters forever, but demand has been overwhelming.  The end game is policy change. His GoFundMe advocates for legislation that would expand law enforcement’s ability to remove squatters and also make it easier for judges to order squatters to pay restitution.  “The whole system needs to change,” he said. “I want my name on a bill.”"

SALT Tax Increase That Burned Blue States is Targeted by Democrats - The New York Times
From 2019. So much for "taxing the rich"

Meme - "DO MY EYES DECEIVE ME... OR THAT THE SWORD OF A THOUSAND TRUTHS?"
"I'M AFRAID IT IS"
"Being poor doesn't entitle you to other people's property."
"SHUT UP... SHUT UP!"

Carson Binda: B.C.’s provincial deficit is set to be the largest on record; The province's debt-to-revenue ratio is set to soar to a staggering 151.2 per cent by 2026-27. : britishcolumbia - "It's all about taxes. Specifically, that lack of taxes being paid by the super rich. Canada in general. and BC in particular, are famous around the world for being used as tax havens. The money is there to pay for schools, hospitals, roads... all the infrastructure we need. The BC Liberals were in power for 16 years, and during that time the "Vancouver model" of international money laundering was created. That culture of corruption will take years to clean up."
"As a percentage of total funding the rich contribute a ton to government budgets. We may still hate how rich they are becoming relative to the middle class but wealthy people fund a lot of programs"
"Top marginal tax rates under NDP and federal liberals have gone from 44% to 53.5% of every dollar at the top tax bracket. Lower brackets have also had increases.  Taxes have been increased a lot already and they are still running massive deficits.  So where else are they going to find more money once taxes are already high?  Maybe looking for efficiencies, eliminating waste as well as some “nice to have” items but not essential would make sense at one point.  And leaving money in peoples pockets to let us decide what we want to do with it is a good idea instead of having a “we know best” attitude with everyone’s money…"
"Bc has the highest corp tax rate among on qc and an, and the 2nd highest personal tax rate. Top bracket tax rate is already 53.5%. What kind of tax haven is this? How high do you want? 70% or 90%? If being rich is so great in BC, maybe you should consider becoming rich here, rather than whining about the government 6 years ago for a deficit 3 years from now."
Left wingers always want "the rich" to pay more taxes

Carson Binda: B.C.’s provincial deficit is set to be the largest on record; The province's debt-to-revenue ratio is set to soar to a staggering 151.2 per cent by 2026-27. : britishcolumbia - "According to the latest available tax records, the top 20% of Canadian income earners pay 61% of the income taxes in Canada. If you factor in that those top wage earners probably spend the most per capita, they probably pay the majority of the sales, exercise, and other taxes and fees in Canada as well.  How much more do you think is fair for these people to pay before they just up and leave Canada and not pay any Canadian taxes? If they do that, are you willing to step up and pay more taxes?"
Carson Binda: B.C.’s provincial deficit is set to be the largest on record; The province's debt-to-revenue ratio is set to soar to a staggering 151.2 per cent by 2026-27. : britishcolumbia - "If you make a ridiculous amount beyond what you actually need to survive, shut up and do your part.  The ultra-wealthy need to realize this isn't optional under democracy, it's how they reciprocate for all the advantages gained by their money hoarding at other's expense.  The fact that this still needs to be said after two millenia of settler civilization is just proof of how exponentially arrogant the wealthy actually are."
The left don't love the poor - they hate the rich. Good luck paying for everything once you kill the golden goose

Carson Binda: B.C.’s provincial deficit is set to be the largest on record; The province's debt-to-revenue ratio is set to soar to a staggering 151.2 per cent by 2026-27. : britishcolumbia - "The problem is as the debt levels increase and the interest rates stay where they are, we will have less to spend in every budget as more money will be paid to the bond holders so that we can service our debt. The more money paid to bond holders, the less money we have for healthcare, education, welfare, and other needed government services. We can always borrow more is the common response. But the more we borrow, the more interest we pay and then we have to borrow more..."

Financial Expert Can’t Believe Dad Spends $80K On Childcare, People Say He Needs A Reality Check - "A caller to money management expert Dave Ramsey’s show caused some surprise when he revealed that he spends $80,000 a year just for daycare...
Dave Ramsey: Can you explain to me why you can’t get by on $180,000? And you have to borrow money because you can’t get by on $180,000?...
Adding in the extra costs and a nanny during the summer, this family is spending what could amount to a solid annual income just on childcare, never mind all the other costs of actually having a kid. Naturally, Dave Ramsey suggests that they downgrade the daycare they use, which, for some reason, prompted a lot of quite negative comments... One study revealed that, on average, Americans spend around $1700 a month per child. This is no small sum, although still half of what the caller spends on a single child per month. What is more surprising is the fact that so many viewers didn’t seem to even blink. Instead, they call Dave Ramsey out of touch for thinking this is way too much.  It’s true that a person purporting to give financial advice should be informed about the costs people face on a daily basis. However, this particular caller, on top of paying for a summer nanny, is spending over twice the national average per month for each child. Given that many daycares do give discounts for additional children, it’s unclear why he can’t just find a cheaper alternative."
Of course, your being unwilling and/or unable to find cheaper childcare proves that capitalism has failed

Meme - S. @Simply_Shingii: "Homer Simpson was a true baller because HOW did he afford 3 children, a detached suburban house, 2 cars, a stay at home wife and extra change for his drinking problem with absolutely NO side hustles"
Left wingers have no idea what they're talking about when they claim the answer is being part of a union: "You know, I've had a lot of jobs. Boxer, mascot, astronaut, imitation Krusty, baby proofer, trucker, hippie, plow driver, food critic, conceptual artist, grease salesman, carnie, mayor, grifter, bodyguard for the mayor, garbage commissioner, mountain climber, farmer, inventor, Smithers, Poochie, celebrity assistant, power plant worker, fortune cookie writer, beer baron, Kwik-E Mart clerk, homophobe and missionary. But protecting Springfield, that gives me the best feeling of all."
Also, Homer was criminally incompetent but had job security. What an admission that unions are dangerous

Labour says unemployed youngsters who can work will HAVE to as there should be 'no option of a life on benefits' - "In a bid to toughen up Labour's stance on welfare, shadow work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall will say that a future government would not allow young people to languish on the dole when they could be working... Separate figures released by the Liberal Democrats reveal that the soaring number of people on long-term sickness benefits is costing the government £3 billion a year. The research, compiled by the House of Commons library, reveals that the figure has risen by 625,000 since 2019. The study found that each person out of work because of sickness results in an average loss of £5,200 a year in tax revenue."
Damn fascism! Obviously welfare can be fully funded by "taxing the rich"!

Meme - "You want to know a good measurement of how much a billionaire should be taxed? Are they still a billionaire? If so, they're not being taxed enough"
When left wingers say they want to "Tax the rich", what they mean is to tax them so much, they are no longer rich

SOUND OFF: NDP budget spends more, delivers less - "WHEN DAVID EBY BECAME PREMIER OVER A YEAR AGO, he promised to deliver results that people could see, feel, and touch.  Last week, the NDP delivered their 8th and final budget before the 2024 election, Eby’s final chance to deliver on his promises to British Columbians. Unfortunately, this budget maintains the status quo that has failed our province for the last seven years.  Not only does Budget 2024 fail to move the needle on affordability, healthcare, or public safety, but it is an economic disaster showcasing staggering fiscal incompetence from the NDP. The budget racks up an $8 billion inflationary deficit — the largest in B.C.’s history.  It took 150 years for B.C.’s debt to reach $50 billion, but the NDP has already doubled that debt in seven years to over $103 billion and it’s projected to grow to $165 billion by 2026/27. By every economic measure, this budget is a disappointment to British Columbians. Exports are down, GDP per capita is expected to fall, and private sector job growth continues to flatline.  Despite collecting over $22 billion more in tax revenue each year, this government continues to deliver such terrible results that people have gotten used to the NDP’s new normal of things not working the way they should.  From housing to healthcare to crime, everywhere you look life has gotten worse for British Columbians over the last seven years."
Obviously, the solution is to tax the rich

Saw these "Business in Ontario" ads in the Frankfurt (Germany) airport : ontario
Some left wingers were upset, claiming it was a waste of money, they didn't work, and the money should be used for healthcare instead. Others complained the ads were in English, not German. Clearly no non-German speaking businessmen go through Frankfurt

Meme - Jonathan Kay: "Every time you think Nora Loreto couln't possibly tweet anything dumber, she defies expectations"
Nora Loreto: "Imagine jailing people for a victimless crime."
The Globe and Mail: "Poilievre says three auto theft convictions should mean three years in prison"
Readers added context they thought people might want to know: "Increases in the rate of stolen vehicles result in concomitant insurance rate increases for all creating many other victims of vehicle thefts."
Left wing logic: if your car is stolen, you're not a victim. Everything can be charged to insurance and no one is hurt or suffers. But when insurance goes up, they will blame "greedy" insurance companies

Ford Will 'Think Carefully' About Where It Builds Vehicles After UAW Strike - "The increased wages and benefits will increase the price of cars. Ford said its vehicles will cost $900 more due to the contract once it's in effect"
Damn greedy companies! They should just eat the losses

Links - 26th April 2024 (2 - Palestine/Middle East Peace)

Top Hamas official declares group is not responsible for defending Gazan civilians - "Moussa Abu Marzouk, a prominent member of Hamas’s political bureau, has declared that the terror group that rules Gaza is not responsible for protecting the Strip’s civilians, and said that the vast tunnel network underneath the enclave is only for the protection of Hamas terrorists. In an interview with Russia Today’s Arabic channel on Friday, Abu Marzouk was asked why Hamas has dug 500 kilometers (310 miles) of tunnels in the territory it has ruled over since 2007, but has never built shelters for civilians to hide during bombings... “Seventy-five percent of the population of Gaza are refugees, and it is the UN’s responsibility to protect them,” Abu Marzouk added, referencing the UN relief agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) that operates across Gaza, the West Bank and other Middle East countries to provide basic services to Palestinian refugees from 1948 and their millions of descendants, who are also regarded by the agency as refugees despite never being displaced during their lifetime. Abu Marzouk claimed that it was Israel’s obligation to provide for the needs of the citizens of Gaza under the Geneva Convention, referring to the international agreement for the protection of noncombatants during armed conflicts. Hamas has fired tens of thousands of rockets aimed at Israeli cities over the past 20 years, in contravention of the same convention... 400 kilometers (248 miles) of Hamas tunnels run underneath the northern section of the Gaza Strip, and that some of them are broad enough for vehicles and motorcycles to pass through... An apprehended Hamas terrorist confirmed in an interrogation that Hamas uses hospitals and medical clinics because it knows that Israel won’t target them. The sites can be used to pass “explosives, weapons, food, medical equipment” for use by the terror group."
Damn Zionists! Why don't they allow civilians to take shelter in tunnels, forcing them out into the open so they can be slaughtered?!

YOU SAID IT: Not fit at any level - "Sam Hersh of Horizon Ottawa wants bylaw to stop ticketing protesters for noise violations. He compares the convoy protest to the Palestinian protesters by claiming the convoy protesters occupied the entire city of Ottawa, which is pure rubbish. The convoy protesters occupied the downtown core; never did they cover the entire city, so please stop comparing the unpeaceful Palestinian protesters to the convoy protesters."
Only protests the left approves of are allowed

FUREY: Councillors throw Toronto cops under bus for doing their job - "Deputy Toronto Police Chief Lauren Pogue said at a news conference Friday that police were confronted by “a very hostile crowd who actually assaulted our officers,” including a police horse, at a pro-Palestinian street protest last weekend. Pogue detailed how their concerns aren’t with the whole protest movement, but with a group of repeat agitators who continually ignore police warnings to follow the law. The group that organized the protest — the Palestinian Youth Movement — sees it differently. They gave a news conference earlier this week accusing the force of “police brutality” and called to defund the police. One should hope that Toronto council recognizes the challenges police face in a city with rising crime and public disorder. One should also hope that council would recognize that the public is now supportive of law and order issues being addressed. This means, at the very least, that council would reserve judgment on the outrageous accusations made against our officers. But six councillors decided to make the boneheaded move of releasing a public statement that effectively sides with the protesters, with zero indication that they disagree with the calls to defund the police or that the police engaged in brutality... It was signed by councillors Amber Morley, Lily Cheng, Paula Fletcher, Gord Perks, Ausma Malik and Alejandra Bravo — most of them being key allies of Mayor Olivia Chow. It continues: “Freedom of assembly is a protected right in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. In these difficult times of heightened tension in the world and Toronto, these rights must be protected as part of our democratic society. It is deeply concerning to hear residents voicing fears about their freedom to engage in protests, demonstrations, and large gatherings.” We have had six months of ongoing protests in this city. None of the participants have had their democratic rights violated. And the video evidence that is available tells us that claims of “brutality” are just incorrect. Deputy Chief Pogue made it clear that police were simply enforcing laws after giving protesters repeated warnings. One police officer told me that the document was a “malicious letter that is beyond outrageous.” Another senior officer said the letter was “upsetting a lot of our folks.” No wonder officers are upset. Whether it’s the rise in violent car thefts, the growing drug crisis or policing protests that have on too many occasions descended into unlawful conduct and anti-Semitism, our officers are trying to do more and more with insufficient resources. No wonder we have a retention problem with officers looking to move to other jurisdictions. And then along come these six councillors to kick them when they’re down... What’s worse, though, is that Amber Morley and Lily Cheng both sit on the police services board."
Defending yourself when terrorism supporters attack you is police brutality

Jonathan Glazer Oscars Speech Backed by Joaquin Phoenix, Chloe Fineman - "Joaquin Phoenix, Elliott Gould, Chloe Fineman and more than 150 other Jewish creatives have signed an open letter in support of Jonathan Glazer’s Oscars speech. The list of 151 signees obtained by Variety also includes Phoenix’s sister Rain, three-time Oscar nominee Debra Winger, “May December” director Todd Haynes, “Sorry to Bother You” helmer Boots Riley, acclaimed filmmaker Joel Coen, “Room” director Lenny Abrahamson, “Arrested Development” star David Cross, documentarian Amy Berg, “Barbie” actor Hari Nef, legendary playwright Tom Stoppard, former Focus Pictures CEO James Schamus, comedian Kate Berlant, “You Hurt My Feelings” director Nicole Holofcener, “Secrets & Lies” auteur Mike Leigh, “Passages” filmmaker Ira Sachs, “Gossip Girl” actor and writer Tavi Gevinson, “The Princess Bride” actor Wallace Shawn, “Bottoms” director Emma Seligman, “Mistress America” star Lola Kirke, “Zola” helmer Janicza Bravo, “Broad City” stars Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson and IndieWire film critic David Ehrlich...   “We are Jewish artists, filmmakers, writers and creative professionals who support Jonathan Glazer’s statement from the 2024 Oscars. We were alarmed to see some of our colleagues in the industry mischaracterize and denounce his remarks,” the open letter reads. “Their attacks on Glazer are a dangerous distraction from Israel’s escalating military campaign which has already killed over 32,000 Palestinians in Gaza and brought hundreds of thousands to the brink of starvation. We grieve for all those who have been killed in Palestine and Israel over too many decades, including the 1,200 Israelis killed in the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks and the 253 hostages taken.”  The letter continues, “The attacks on Glazer also have a silencing effect on our industry, contributing to a broader climate of suppression of free speech and dissent, the very qualities our field should cherish. Glazer, Tony Kushner, Steven Spielberg and countless other artists of all backgrounds have decried the killing of Palestinian civilians. We should all be able to do the same without being wrongly accused of fueling antisemitism.” “We honor the Holocaust by saying: Never again for anyone,” the statement concludes."
This won't stop the right wing anti-Semites insisting that all Jews unconditionally support Israel
Of course, free speech and dissent are only good if you push the left wing agenda

Bill Ackman on X - "Can anyone think of another situation in history where Americans were taken hostage by terrorists and our President acted as if this has not occurred.    I can’t think of one example in the last 181 days where @POTUS  Biden has expressed concern for the American hostages that are still being held by Hamas.   Does this make you feel safe as an American citizen?"
Mel on X - "Otto Warmbier. Remember him? Obama left him to rot in a North Korean labor camp while your fellow Democrats wrote op-ed’s chastising him for his “white privileged.”"
Bala on X - "Did you forget the botched Afghan withdrawal that left US Citizens stranded and the administration was worried about optics more than the reality?"

Rutgers Town Hall Descends Into ‘Absolute Chaos,’ as Terrified Jewish Students Flee Anti-Israel Mob Through Emergency Exits - "“Disgusting,” “inappropriate,” and “frightening” is how a Jewish student describes an anti-Israel protest at a Rutgers University town hall event with the university president on Thursday, after a mob of anti-Israel demonstrators took over the event, forcing Jewish students who feared for their safety to leave through emergency exits.   The event unfolded as the university is being investigated by a congressional committee for “its failure to protect Jewish students” and for its administrators contributing to “the development of a pervasive climate of antisemitism.” In video footage flagged by an author, Bethany Mandel, and viewed by the Sun, the university’s president, Jonathan Holloway, can be seen trying to answer questions during a Rutgers University Student Assembly event on Thursday night as he is repeatedly interrupted by student protesters screaming “coward” at him. When he doubled down on the fact that Rutgers would not cut off its research partnership with Tel Aviv University, students booed and shut down the remainder of the event. Mr. Holloway left the stage and was escorted out through an emergency exit...   Mr. Gindi recently testified to the Committee on Education and the Workforce about “Jew-hatred” that “has become rampant,” as he detailed a lengthy list of antisemitic incidents — many allowed or encouraged by the school’s administration — over the past several months...   Mr. Gindi says he went to the town hall to hear more from the president following last week’s contentious student body votes.   “No Jewish students came to protest, no flags were brought, no chants were shouted by any Jewish students whatsoever. We were there to be respectful and to hear a town hall,” he says.   On the protesters’ part, though, it was “very much an organized attack,” he says, with coordinated groups and a leader calling out the chants.   “This is very much, I believe, a pervasive minority. It’s a minority that’s making Jewish students and Jewish faculty and just Jews in general at Rutgers feel unsafe and afraid,” he says, adding that Thursday night’s meeting was “frightening” and he was “afraid to be in that room” at some points.   Both Mr. Holloway and the group of Jewish students exited through the emergency doors in the back, he says, avoiding the screaming mob of protesters.  “I refused to exit through the back doors,” Mr. Gindi says. “I’m not going to let the past horrors of my ancestors be repeated, and so I proudly walked out through the front door alone.” Although Mr. Gindi says he is thankful that Mr. Holloway is “sticking to his guns” when it comes to problems with the BDS movement and defending Tel Aviv University, he says it’s upsetting that the town hall was “dictated by the mob.”   “No group should be forced to have to exit through emergency exits during a university town hall discussion,” he says. “This isn’t acceptable for any group — Jewish, Black, Arab, Palestinian — no group should be treated this way.”... Rutgers students supporting the anti-Israel referendum plastered pictures of a Jewish student, Rivka Schafer, on flyers and hung them around campus — even targeting the student’s own dorm.   The Jewish student’s attorney, Cory Rothbort, tells the Sun that upon seeing the posters, Rivka was “shocked” and “scared.”  “The message right then and there was very clear: ‘don’t support Israel, we know where you sleep,” Mr. Rothbort says. For months, he adds, Rutgers has had a “general climate on campus that just was not favorable to Jewish students, very hostile to Jewish students.”"
The left only care about Jewish safety when they can weaponise that to shit on white people
Terrorist supporters will claim that all this is just "anti-Zionist", not anti-Semitic. But then, we know that the left say it's acceptable (actually, morally obligatory) to scream at and threaten those who oppose the left wing agenda

Meme - "Muslims have killed:
500,000 in Syria
380,000 in Yemen
240,000 in Afghanistan
500,000 in Sudan
300,000 in Iraq
50,000 in Nigeria
No mass protests in European capitals. No outrage. No ceasefire demands. No UN condemnations. Nobody cares."

Meme - "WE ATTACK ISRAEL."
"But what if they fight back?"
"Then we play the victim"

Meme - "Gen-o-cide Noun /'dgen.a.said When Palestinians lose another war they have started."

Yehuda Teitelbaum on X - "This tweet is being completely misunderstood. Let me explain.  Israel does more to protect civilians than any other army in the world including the United States. The United States knows this by virtue of their intelligence relationship with Israel. That is why they've been so supportive up until now.   So what changed?  Nothing has changed, except that Biden has now decided to appease the ceasefire crowd at the expense of the lives of the Israeli hostages.  What do you think the likelihood is of Hamas surrendering now that the US is pressuring Israel to stop the Invasion and not to go into Rafah?  In effect, in a war between our democratic ally and a genocidal terrorist group the president is choosing to pressure our ally instead of the terrorists.  And can you imagine how Iran feels right now? At a moment of critical importance while Iran is deciding whether to strike back at Israel or not they see the reaction of the United States and they know that they can strike with impunity. If Israel decides to respond, their strongest Ally will no longer be there to support them.  Let's not forget that Qatar which hosts the leaders of Hamas has had barely a sprinkling of pressure on them to do anything at all. The fact that Israel has been pressured by the Biden Administration more than Qatar is humiliating and outrageous.   This is an unacceptable and atrocious foreign policy decision but it is in line with the Biden administrations appeasement policy regarding Iran.   I hope the president finds out in the election that voters do not like weakness and cowardice.  The ceasefire crowd may be loud but they are small and the ironic part is that he won't appease them or Iran for that matter, unless he calls for the total destruction of the state of Israel.  So enough with the virtue signaling enough with the holier than thou posturing and enough with the constant undermining of the Israeli operation. If you truly believe Israel is your ally then support them and help them do what they need to do to protect themselves.  #beaFettermannotaBiden"

Yehuda Teitelbaum on X - "You don't care about Palestine.  How do I know?  One word.  Myanmar.  Myanmar has been locked in a brutal Civil War for over three years.  20 million people desperately need humanitarian aid. 15 million people face acute food insecurity. 1.6 million have been displaced from their homes. 55,000 civilians buildings have been destroyed. By 2022 over 13,000 children were reported to have been killed.  A stunning number of brutal war crimes have been reported including massacres of civilians followed by the burning of their bodies, as well as constant military strikes targeting civilians and children.  This includes a military strike on a church just 3 months ago in which 17 civilians were killed including 9 children.  The UN Special Rapporteur on Myanmar said that "Many in Myanmar have come to the conclusion that the world has forgotten them, or simply doesn’t care".  This is the sad reality.  There is no global movement to boycott Myanmar.  There are no protests in western cities.  There are no sit-ins or rallies to be found on college campuses.  Myanmar is just one example of the many terrible and horrifying things going on in the world today.   My point is not that these palestinian protestors don't care about innocent people. Many of them do. Or think they do. But they have let themselves be co-opted by a vicious movement that seeks the destruction of Israel to the exclusion of all else.  Antizionism is antisemitism when Israel is the only country in the entire world that is targeted, harassed, and condemned for every move it makes.  The fact that Israel has been condemned in the UN more than every other country combined is a black stain on the UNs reputation that negates all of their supposed moral authority. It's self evident that there are so many countries out there which violate human rights on a scale that Israel pales in comparison to.  Once you understand that the constant outrage against Israel is manufactured by hamas propagandists funded by Iran and Russia and given credence by the global media, you'll realize that there may just be another side to the story. Listen to the Israeli narrative and understand what they are fighting against. You'll be surprised how often things will become clear. Maybe what you thought was a war crime was in fact a country doing it's best to defend themselves in a sea of hatred and violence.  Do not let your empathy be hijacked by those who would be glad to see you perish. And by all means, stand up for human rights around the globe. But don't make the same mistake that so many others have. Do not let your misplaced sympathy transform into the world's oldest hatred.
Even during the current war Gaza isn't listed as the biggest crisis in the world. That would be Sudan. But again the world is silent."
Terrorist supporters like to claim that democracies need to be held to different standards than non democracies, and conveniently, these standards are unrealistically high. What this means is that in a war between a democracy and a non democracy, the democracy will always lose because it must fight with two hands behind its back

Khaled Hassan on X - "I am an Egyptian, native-Arabic speaker, and a national security and counter-terrorism researcher. I have an MA in Intelligence and National Security and over 14 years of experience. Members of my family fought the Israelis in the 1973 and 1967 wars. But, I can tell you, with confidence, that the argument to suspend arms sales to Israel over the accidental killing of aid workers is antisemitic. It has nothing to do with decency, justice or international law.  You are singling out Israel when you haven't reacted the same way to the accidental killing of civilians by other militaries, including Arab militaries.
If we, the UK/US, stopped selling arms to every military that has accidentally killed civilians, we would stop selling arms to every single military on earth. In fact, we would stop manufacturing or buying arms for OUR OWN military, which has repeatedly killed civilians by mistake in Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia and elsewhere.
You will find below numerous examples of similar accidents in war zones. Please do not talk about something you don't understand. Do not
Amran Airstrike (Yemen, 2015): A Saudi-led coalition airstrike hit a wedding party in the village of Wahijah, near Amran, Yemen, killing at least 131 civilians and injuring scores more. The strike was condemned by international human rights organizations and highlighted the devastating toll of the conflict in Yemen.
Kunduz Airstrike (Afghanistan, 2016): A US airstrike targeting Taliban fighters in Kunduz, Afghanistan, hit a civilian home, resulting in the deaths of at least 30 civilians, including women and children. The incident occurred during a military operation to retake the city from Taliban control and raised concerns about the accuracy of intelligence and targeting procedures.
Ghaziabad Airstrike (Afghanistan, 2008): A US-led coalition airstrike targeted a suspected Taliban compound in the village of Azizabad, near Ghaziabad, Afghanistan. However, the strike hit a gathering of civilians, including women and children, resulting in the deaths of at least 90 civilians, according to Afghan officials. The incident sparked protests and led to calls for greater accountability for civilian casualties.
Khair Khana Wedding Party Strike (Afghanistan, 2008): A US airstrike targeted a wedding party in the village of Khair Khana, near Herat, Afghanistan, killing at least 47 civilians, including women and children. The strike occurred after coalition forces received reports of militant activity in the area but mistakenly targeted the wedding celebration instead.
Al-Adala Camp Bombing (Sudan, 1998): The US military launched cruise missile strikes on a pharmaceutical factory in Khartoum, Sudan, in response to the bombings of US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. However, the factory was believed to be producing pharmaceuticals, and the strikes resulted in civilian casualties, including workers at the facility. The incident raised questions about the legality and effectiveness of military responses to terrorist attacks.
Al-Majalah Airstrike (Yemen, 2009): A US drone strike targeted a gathering in the village of al-Majalah in Yemen, believing it to be a training camp for Al-Qaeda militants. However, the strike hit a Bedouin camp, resulting in the deaths of 14 alleged militants and at least 41 civilians, including women and children.
Bola Boluk Airstrike (Afghanistan, 2009): A NATO airstrike targeting Taliban insurgents in the village of Bola Boluk, Afghanistan, hit a convoy of vehicles, resulting in the deaths of at least 27 civilians, including women and children. NATO initially denied civilian casualties but later acknowledged the mistake and apologized.
Sanaa Funeral Hall Strike (Yemen, 2016): A Saudi-led coalition airstrike hit a funeral hall in Sanaa, Yemen, where mourners had gathered, resulting in one of the deadliest single incidents of the Yemeni Civil War. The strike killed at least 140 people and injured more than 500 others.
Mansoura Airstrike (Syria, 2017): A US-led coalition airstrike targeting ISIS militants in the town of Mansoura, Syria, hit a building where civilians were sheltering, including families displaced by the conflict. The strike resulted in the deaths of at least 150 civilians, according to reports from local sources.
Wahat area of the Western Desert (Egypt, 2015): Security forces in Egypt mistakenly killed 12 people, including Mexican tourists, during an anti-terror operation, the interior ministry says. Egypt's interior ministry said the four vehicles the tourists were travelling in were "mistakenly dealt with" during a joint military police and armed forces operation."
Hilariously, a terrorism supporter claimed that these examples didn't count because they were from "tinpot dictatorships". Even if we take into account the fact that terrorism supporters hate the US, there's a NATO example here

Hillel Fuld on X -  "Thousands chanting “Bomb Tel Aviv” in a Gaza protest yesterday…  Wait, what? I’m being told now that this wasn’t in Gaza.   Wait, where was it?? Come again?   Folks, this happened in New York City.   Yesterday.   In 2024.   In New York.   In 2024.   After this protest, they continued on to the next one where they chanted “Ceasefire now.” Then some more “Bomb Tel Aviv”.  Then they went to a “Globalize the intifada” march and then a “Stop the war” march. Then a “Kill all the Jews” march followed by a “Give us a state” march.   You simply cannot make this stuff up. If you did, you’d be hospitalized for having delusional thoughts that are totally disconnected from the real world."
When the mask drops and terrorism supporters proclaim that a "ceasefire" means that Israel must stop defending itself and let its enemies kill as many of its people as they want

Aviva Klompas on X - "Appalling. This is Toronto, where a mob is cheering for Iran. "The Islamic Republic of Iran has just sent tens of drones toward Israel.""
A "ceasefire" means Israel must let its people be massacred

Toronto: Pro-Palestinian protestors celebrate Iran's attack on Israel : r/Canada_sub - "I thought they wanted “ceasefire”"
"Some “ceasefires” are more equal than others"

Toronto: Pro-Palestinian protestors celebrate Iran's attack on Israel : r/Canada_sub - "How do these protesters get the time & energy to protest like this around the clock every single day?? Don't they have jobs to go to ?? Oh wait...they're on the generous Trudeau government dole."
"They scam welfare and collect money from iran directly. Plenty of money to protest as a full time job."

Toronto: Pro-Palestinian protestors celebrate Iran's attack on Israel : r/Canada_sub - "I wonder if we can setup a counter protest to free the Byzantines. “From the river to the sea Byzantium shall be free!”. “Istanbul is a colonist racist name for Constantinople!”. “There is no solution but the Jesus revolution!”"

Meme - NMH 🇮🇱 @NMHbackup: "This is so true, I have been saying this for a while, this has NOTHING to do with Israel retaliating against Hamas in Gaza. To them ALL of Israel is “theirs”  Look at this post from October 7th from “Within Our Lifetime”. They were celebrating it & “protesting” before Israel  dropped a single bomb.  Anyways you can check any of these VILE creatures what they wrote by typing in the 🔍 “until:2023-10-09 since:2023-10-07”"
"from:WOLPalestine until2023-...
Within Our Lifetime @WOLPale...: 10/7/23 "NYC Emergency Rally for Gaza: ALL OUT on Indigenous Peoples' Day @ 2pm as we mobilize to defend the heroic Palestinian resistance, honor our martyrs and let the world know that NYC stands with Gaza! Bring your flags, signs, keffiyehs + voices. Masking is encouraged."
"EMERGENCY RALLY FOR GAZA. MONDAY OCTOBER 9TH. 2:00 PM. INDIGENOUS PEOPLES' DAY. MEET OUTSIDE ZIONIST EMBASSY. 800 2ND AVE NEW YORK, NY. BRING FLAGS, SIGNS, KEFFIYEHS & YOUR VOICES"

Gad Saad on X - "Group A: We will kill every member of group B. We will annihilate you to the last one. There won't be a place in the world that you can hide. [Proceed to engage in endless attacks.]
Group B: Retaliates harshly after much restraint.
Group A: Why God? Why they hate us? Why? What did we do? Why? Why God? We are peaceful."

Mark Changizi on X - "Iranians in Paris showing support for Israel. Both are victims of the same undemocratic radical Islamic forces. (As are the Palestinian people.)"
Iranian dissidents make impression at pro-Israel demonstrations - "As protests have erupted across the world in response to the war in Gaza, members of the Iranian Diaspora have been increasingly recognized for their representation in demonstrations supporting the Jewish State. In several Western cities, Iranian dissidents have been among the main speakers in pro-Israel rallies, and Iranian flags (with some modifications from that of the Islamic Republic) have flown alongside Israel's... But even within Iran, the reaction to the war has been far more mixed than in other Muslim-majority countries. In the early days of the war, when a message of support for Hamas's attack was broadcast at a soccer game in Iran, the crowd chanted a vulgar slogan about where to put the Palestinian flag. Videos shared on social media more recently show Iranian university students jumping over or walking around Israeli flags painted on the ground, intended to be stepped on in disrespect. And in the last few days, videos have spread of a stamp that Iranian dissidents have put on currency notes with a Star of David that reads "Death to Kahmenei" in Hebrew and, according to those sharing the images, "Death to Hamas" in Farsi."
Damn Zionists!

Exalting an ‘Anti-Colonial’ Gender Identity

So much for exulting indigenous native Americans for celebrating trans people with a unique transgendered identity they highly revered:

Exalting an ‘Anti-Colonial’ Gender Identity

"“2S,” signify “Two-Spirit,” a term that’s been a form of self-identification among Indigenous North Americans since the 1990s. But the descriptor doesn’t appear to be in wide everyday use outside Canada. And so non-Canadian readers will sometimes ask me to explain its meaning—at which point, I have to admit that I can’t. And I’m hardly alone: While most Canadians know that the “Two-Spirit” category is connected to Indigenous identity in some way, there’s an unspoken rule against requesting more specific information. 

Last week, the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO), the province’s elementary-school teachers union, published what the authors present as a primer on Two-Spirit identity, a document written in close consultation with 2S-identified Indigenous people. Since the report’s target audience consists of workaday teachers who educate young students, I imagined that Niizh Manidoowag: Two-Spirit might finally provide me with a straightforward explanation of what the 2S identifier actually means.  

Unfortunately, it doesn’t. In fact, one of the main themes of the 32-page document is that the task of defining the Two-Spirit concept is (quite literally) beyond the powers of Western language and epistemology. And in any case, the category is almost completely open-ended: The act of proclaiming oneself Two-Spirited could be a statement about one’s gender, or sexual orientation, or both, or neither. Or 2S can be a statement about one’s politics, spirituality, or simply one’s desire to present as “anti-colonial.”

According to the ETFO report, there are only two non-negotiable elements of a Two-Spirited individual—both of which are spelled out multiple times in the document, and in bold letters. Neither rule is concerned with sex or gender, but rather with race and political orientation: To be Two-Spirited requires (1) that you are Indigenous; and (2) that you are engaged in a “decolonizing act of resistance”...

The term Two-Spirit was first popularized in 1990, at an inter-tribal Native American/First Nations gay and lesbian summit in Winnipeg, and is derived from the Ojibwa words Niizh Manidoowag. By one account, delegates were looking for a term that would “distance Native/First Nations people from non-Natives, as well as from the words ‘berdache’ [a European term suggesting deviancy] and ‘gay.’” But lore has it that the true originator is a Fisher River First Nation woman named Myra Laramee, who experienced a vision of the world as seen “through the lens of having both feminine and masculine spirit.” 

On the surface, that sounds like what today might be called “non-binary.” But that analogy fails on a fundamental level. The idea of gender identity relates to the (perceived) nature of oneself. Two-Spirit people, on the other hand, are described in the ETFO report as possessing a savant-like power (or “lens”) that channels truths about the nature of the external world.

The Two Spirit concept is also entirely distinct from run-of-the-mill gender dysphoria. In everyday progressive gender parlance, it is typically insisted that trans women are just like other women. Two-Spirited people, by contrast, are presented as an entirely unique specimen whose arrival within traditional Indigenous societies was “celebrated”—“highly valued” “gifts” who “possess the best of both gendered identities.” 

While the authors of the ETFO report were careful to source their work to Indigenous writers and interviewees, it’s interesting to note that all of the listed societal roles attributed to ancient Two-Spirited people align uncannily with the avant-garde outlook of a white 2022-era environmentalist who’s embraced intersectional conceptions of gender...

Some of the content in the ETFO report might be properly described as “meta.” At one point, for instance, we are told of Marie Laing (a self-described queer Kanyen’kehá:ka writer), who sees Two-Spirit as a “container” for collecting “multiple distinct understandings” of gender diversity. At other points, the tone is religious, with the authors citing lessons from “the Creator” in regard to the storytelling of Two-Spirit narratives. In several sections, Two-Spirited people are lauded as vessels of Indigenous “spiritualism.” But most of the jargon consists of generic anti-racist slogans. We are told no fewer than nine times, for instance, that the authors are following an “anti-oppressive” approach. Colonialism is denounced more than a dozen times, including in its “heteronormative” (three times) variant.

On page 11, we learn that, for some, the Two-Spirit descriptor may not have anything to do with one’s individual identity whatsoever, but rather signals an ideological commitment to collective Indigenous “sovereignty.” In fact, even Dr. Laramee’s own foundational description seemed to imagine the Two-Spirited individual as summoniing a mystically inflected nationalist spirit than binds soul and soil: “It is sacred and is more than just words—it is a spirit/heart language … When Two-Spirit is used, it invokes our sacredness and reminds us that we have always been here, and we will always be here.”

It may not surprise readers to learn that the documented historical basis for the ETFO’s claims is quite thin. And at one point, the report’s authors even concede that “in traditional Indigenous communities, gender roles were very distinct.” But much of the blame for that, we are told, goes to “the harsh indoctrination of Christian teachings”—with Two-Spirited individuals now being cast as Edenic Lorax-like figures who will cleanse Indigenous societies of such Christian contaminants while guiding them back to their ancestral ways.

And yet, for all these lofty themes, some of the actual biographical details offered by self-identified Two-Spirited individuals described in the ETFO report seem quite hard to distinguish from old-fashioned sexist stereotypes—by which men wear pants and exhibit strength, while women wear skirts and nurture their young...

In a remarkable 2013 essay, pseudonymous writer Deirdre Bell noted that progressive mysticism surrounding traditional Indigenous attitudes toward gender often have served to obscure such sexist realities. In particular, Bell poured scorn on “the white trans person who points to American Indian cultures as some kind of more accepting place for people with dysphoria, because many of these cultures had a ‘third gender.’” In most cases that we know of, Bell argued, Indigenous third-gender categorization was a mechanism to negotiate a useful societal role for non-conforming men. Women weren’t eligible...

Just as the Two-Spirit designation often signifies an “anti-colonial” Indigenous person who happens to be exhibiting some (at least vaguely expressed) gay or trans affect, the larger umbrella term “queer” itself now is increasingly used to denote anti-bourgeois political postures." 

A more subtle way in which trans mania is misogyny:

Toward an End to Appropriation of Indigenous “Two Spirit” People in Trans Politics: the Relationship Between Third Gender Roles and Patriarchy – culturallyboundgender

"I have a special kind of rage for any white person who claims to identify as a “Two Spirit” person.  It’s like wearing a hipster headdress: it proclaims loud and clear that you’re a white person who likes to appropriate American Indian culture while having little or nothing to do with the culture you’re appropriating.

The version of this that’s less enraging but more prevalent (think of it as the “dreamcatcher” of appropriation–common, misunderstood, and talked about in gross ways by all kinds of white people) is the white trans person who points to American Indian cultures as some kind of more accepting place for people with dysphoria/GID, because many of these cultures had a “third gender.”  This represents a misunderstanding of what, precisely, being two-spirit meant culturally, economically, and socially for many two-spirit people, and also represents a very limiting, naive, “all these people look the same to me” view of American Indian nations.

Before we start: lumping all non-gender-conforming people in indigenous North America into a single “third gender” or “berdache” or “two-spirit” label is problematic.  The cultures of pre-Columbian North America were incredibly distinct from each other, with significantly different gender roles to be observed even in Indian nations that were very close to each other.

What gets even more interesting when you look into the two-spirit phenomenon is where it doesn’t pop up–or doesn’t pop up with the same frequency.

The Iroquois Confederation historically had no two-spirit people in spite of keeping significantly more detailed documentation of the lives of its people than many other American Indian nations.  For that matter, neither did the Apache, who treated two-spirit people respectfully and cordially when they met them but did not themselves have two-spirit people as part of their culture.

What would make the Iroquois and Apache different?  It’s not a matter of genetics.  That’d only be possible if there were no intermarriages between American Indian people from different nations, and that’s simply not true.

The Iroquois had one of the most politically egalitarian societies for men and women in the world, at the time when white folks set out to destroy them systematically.  Women had significant amounts of political power, and the society was not simply matrilineal (which can sometimes still involve huge patriarchal gender role issues–hello, Orthodox Judaism!) but involved real equality of authority.

The Apache were famed for their skill in battle, which may mean you’ve never heard one of the most fascinating parts about their culture.  Because war was a near-constant fact for Apache adults, while adults tended to have sex-segregated roles in society, children were actually given a very non-gendered upbringing.  Girls were expected to know how to do “boy” things, and vice versa.  Why?  Think about the home front during World War II.  It’s a good idea if all your people know the basics, just so that when there are war parties gone, or a sex imbalance after raids, you don’t lose all of the missing/dead people’s knowledge and skill base.

Neither of these societies–which have in some ways more progressive and egalitarian places for women and/or girls than contemporary societies–had two-spirit people.  Was this because they were evil and repressive?

Let’s take the Lakota, one piece of the Sioux nation, as an alternate example.  Please note that I’m speaking about the Sioux nations from the perspective of someone who has taken time to learn a great deal of a Sioux language and has studied these cultures both in historical and contemporary contexts.  The Lakota have a longstanding tradition of two-spirit people, documented as far back as the written record goes.  Among the Lakota, polygyny was accepted, and gender roles were extremely clearly established for boys and girls from an extremely early age.

The Lakota two spirit people are never born women.  Almost all of them, historically, have been men.  Claims of intersexed/hermaphroditic people from the 19th/early 20th centuries should ALWAYS be taken with a significant grain of salt, because of the trouble Europeans in this era had distinguishing between homosexuality and hermaphroditism (both male and female homosexuals were often thought to have hermaphroditic qualities–a historical fact we’ll talk about in another entry!).

Were no Lakota women “born this way” while men were?  Let me postulate a different theory: that it’s men in power who impose gender roles, and that Lakota men’s patriarchal society had to have somewhere to put “men who don’t ‘act like’ men” because of male gender policing. Lakota people put two-spirit men in the part of the camp where women and children lived, which was generally not as well cared for and considered not as prestigious because of the patriarchal way that they lived.

While there were occasionally women in the Lakota and other Sioux nations that became part of war parties, they were not regarded as “male” in any way relating to their oppressed status at home.  There was no need for the patriarchal Sioux to create a category for gender non-conforming women, nor to give them special status or specific supposed talents (Lakota and Dakota two-spirit people are said to be excellent namers of children and are thought to be able to see visions of the future).  That’s something men do for men, because just by dint of having a penis, gender non-conforming men deserved to be able to have their own group and identity.

You see this in large numbers of patriarchal American Indian cultures: societies where there’s a firmly established “third” gender that men can elect to participate in (sometimes as older people, sometimes from an early age), while women’s gender roles are firmly entrenched and allow for little variance.  What’s amazing is that many people are invested in the notion that third gender was egalitarian.  Check out how careful this website is to show us both male and female two-spirit people–in fact, having more stories of female two-spirit people–while making no mention of the fact that female third gender individuals were incredibly rare compared to male ones.

Let’s take another example of a society that had a significantly different conception of gender and what it meant to be two-spirit.  The Dene people of Alberta are a First Nations group that historically believed children could be reincarnations of deceased relatives.  So far, so good, lots of cultures think that–hell, sometimes my own mother tells me I’m the reincarnation of my great grandfather.  But in Dene culture, if your parents saw the spirit of a woman enter your mother’s body when she was pregnant, regardless of your birth sex you could be referred to as “my daughter” by the man who believed his daughter’s spirit had been reincarnated into you.  You wouldn’t have to live as the sex of the person that you were thought to have been before, but would always be considered to in some way have a foot in each gender from your reincarnated past.

The Dene, it’s worth noting, forced women to go hungry at their husband’s discretion whenever the tribe was low on food.  Women in this society were among the most oppressed women in all of indigenous North America.  These supposedly progressive ways of viewing gender don’t come from cultures that actually treat women progressively.  Not once.

It’s very strange to watch the contemporary trans movement attempt to incorporate American Indian cultural conceptions of gender-nonconformity, because it’s so clearly an attempt to shoehorn people of the past into contemporary cultural labels.  In some third gender societies, two-spirit was simply a way to handle homosexuality within the group: homosexual men were considered not fully men, a halfway gender that wasn’t quite “normal.”  In others, it was a way to handle intersexed people in societies with rigid sex binaries.  In still others, it was for men who specifically preferred women’s work and roles, like weaving and cooking.

In almost none of these societies did two-spirit people born male identify *as women*.  We have no documented cases (in spite of documentation of other activities and feelings of “berdaches”/two-spirits in history) of two-spirit men anguishing over an inability to be fully recognized as a woman or to have a woman’s body.  They tended to identify as a different type of man, or something between masculine and feminine.

To systematically deprive historical two-spirit people of their own thoughts regarding their gender and what the historical record shows was their place in society–to misrepresent these people, who were often oppressed within their groups rather than lauded for their non-conformity, in spite of the all-too-common hagiographic contemporary notion of American Indian nations as places free from oppression–is to erase the nuance of real history in favor of a conception of history in which really, everyone’s just like you, you lucky 21st century son of a gun who has it all figured out.

The continuous use of two-spirit people as a way to show that transgenderism has existed in all societies–and the incredible lack of knowledge of the basics of indigenous North American cultures shown by many trans people who casually refer to there being transgender people in American Indian societies–is appropriative behavior.  It is taking the parts of a society that you think you like, without studying them much or looking at their origins, and deciding that the culture they’re from must really be deep and would really get you.  It’s de-contextualizing and de-humanizing, and erases differences between American Indian cultures as well as the fundamental ways those cultures historically were different from anything we have on the planet today.

What’s instead true is that American Indian nations that had more rigid gender roles and assigned women less power historically felt the need to strip male/female identities from non-conformers, while more egalitarian societies with less gender socialization lack two-spirit people because of, rather than in spite of, their lack of emphasis on sex-assigned gender roles."