Friday 8 March 2024

The rifle brought about the birth of these United States

 From Geoff Mann "Give your mom a gun" (LRB Vol. 46 No. 5 · 7 March 2024)

Guns are central to America’s mythology. In the patriotic version of its history, from an imaginary ‘revolution’ to westward conquest to cops keeping the streets safe, guns are the tools of America’s self-creation. ‘This country was born with a rifle in its hand,’ Philip Sharpe wrote in The Rifle in America (1938). ‘As a matter of fact, the rifle brought about the birth of these United States. The United States and the rifle are inseparable.’ 

"This country was born with a rifle in its hand" which is how the white colonialists established the Racial Contract in America.

Tuesday 27 February 2024

Counting the killings

When interviewees are condemning the killing of Palestinians by Israel on, for example, the BBC, the interviewer invariably demands that the interviewee also condemns the killing of innocent Israelis by Hamas on 7th October.

Suppose that were me, suppose I were the interviewee (there are questions as to what business is it of mine - as some random Englishman far away from the conflict - to be having any sort of opinion, but let’s go along with it).

I would, absolutely condemn the killing of innocent Israelis by Hamas. But we need to think about the numbers.

It is particularly stark when we look at the killing of children, so I’ll go through the exercise of condemning the killing of Israeli and Palestinian children.

  • I condemn the barbaric killing of the 36 Israeli children by Hamas on 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric killing of the 12,408 Palestinian children by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

(I’ve got the figure of 36 Israeli children killed on 7th October 2023 from Tom Stevenson, “Rubble from Bone”, London Review of Books Vol. 46 No. 3, 8 February 2024. I am not aware of the deaths of any Israeli children in addition to those, since 7th October. Please let me know if you know of any more. The figure of 12,408 Palestinian children is from Al Jazeera for February 27 at 2pm in Gaza, 12,300 in Gaza and 108 in the West Bank https://www.aljazeera.com/news/longform/2023/10/9/israel-hamas-war-in-maps-and-charts-live-tracker)

But each Israeli child is of equal worth to each Palestinian child, whereas those two statements spend as much time on 36 Israeli children as 12,408 Palestinian children. How can to adjust for that? How about we remember the Palestinian children in batches of 36 to set alongside the 36 Israeli children? There are 12408/36 = 344 batches of 36 Palestinian children, and then another 24, to remember, so here we go:

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of 36 Israeli children, killed by Hamas on 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the first 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the second 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the third 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the fourth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the fifth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the sixth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the seventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the eight 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the ninth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the tenth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

The temptation now is to say “OK, I get the idea, I understand what you are saying, no need to carry on”. But that’s the point, the eleventh batch of 36 children killed are every bit as valuable, as mourned, as every other batch of 36 children, so we must absolutely carry on.

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the eleventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the twelfth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the thirteenth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the fourteenth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the fifteenth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the sixteenth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the seventeenth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the eighteenth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the nineteenth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the twentieth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the twenty-first 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the twenty-second 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the twenty-third 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the twenty-fourth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the twenty-fifth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the twenty-sixth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the twenty-seventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the twenty-eighth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the twenty-ninth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the thirtieth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the thirty-first 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the thirty-second 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the thirty-third 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the thirty-fourth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the thirty-fifth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the thirty-sixth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the thirty-seventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the thirty-eighth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the thirty-ninth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the fortieth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the forty-first 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the forty-second 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the forty-third 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the forty-fourth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the forty-fifth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the forty-sixth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the forty-seventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the forty-eighth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the forty-ninth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the fiftieth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the fifty-first 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the fifty-second 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the fifty-third 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the fifty-fourth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the fifty-fifth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the fifty-sixth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the fifty-seventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the fifty-eighth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the fifty-ninth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the sixtieth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the sixty-first 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the sixty-second 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the sixty-third 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the sixty-fourth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the sixty-fifth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the sixty-sixth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the sixty-seventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the sixty-eighth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the sixty-ninth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the seventieth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the seventy-first 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the seventy-second 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the seventy-third 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the seventy-fourth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the seventy-fifth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the seventy-sixth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the seventy-seventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the seventy-eighth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the seventy-ninth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the eightieth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the eighty-first 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the eighty-second 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the eighty-third 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the eighty-fourth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the eighty-fifth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the eighty-sixth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the eighty-seventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the eighty-eighth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the eighty-ninth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the ninetieth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the ninety-first 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the ninety-second 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the ninety-third 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the ninety-fourth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the ninety-fifth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the ninety-sixth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the ninety-seventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the ninety-eighth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the ninety-ninth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundredth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and first 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and second 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and third 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and fourth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and fifth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and sixth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and seventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and eight 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and ninth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and tenth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and eleventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and twelfth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and thirteenth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and fourteenth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and fifteenth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and sixteenth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and seventeenth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and eighteenth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and nineteenth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and twentieth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and twenty-first 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and twenty-second 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and twenty-third 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and twenty-fourth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and twenty-fifth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and twenty-sixth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and twenty-seventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and twenty-eighth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and twenty-ninth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and thirtieth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and thirty-first 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and thirty-second 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and thirty-third 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and thirty-fourth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and thirty-fifth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and thirty-sixth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and thirty-seventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and thirty-eighth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and thirty-ninth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and fortieth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and forty-first 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and forty-second 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and forty-third 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and forty-fourth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and forty-fifth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and forty-sixth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and forty-seventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and forty-eighth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and forty-ninth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and fiftieth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and fifty-first 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and fifty-second 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and fifty-third 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and fifty-fourth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and fifty-fifth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and fifty-sixth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and fifty-seventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and fifty-eighth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and fifty-ninth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and sixtieth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and sixty-first 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and sixty-second 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and sixty-third 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and sixty-fourth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and sixty-fifth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and sixty-sixth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and sixty-seventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and sixty-eighth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and sixty-ninth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and seventieth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and seventy-first 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and seventy-second 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and seventy-third 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and seventy-fourth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and seventy-fifth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and seventy-sixth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and seventy-seventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and seventy-eighth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and seventy-ninth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and eightieth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and eighty-first 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and eighty-second 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and eighty-third 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and eighty-fourth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and eighty-fifth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and eighty-sixth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and eighty-seventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and eighty-eighth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and eighty-ninth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and ninetieth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and ninety-first 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and ninety-second 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and ninety-third 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and ninety-fourth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and ninety-fifth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and ninety-sixth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and ninety-seventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and ninety-eighth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and ninety-ninth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundredth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and first 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and second 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and third 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and fourth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and fifth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and sixth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and seventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and eight 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and ninth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and tenth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and eleventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and twelfth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and thirteenth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and fourteenth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and fifteenth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and sixteenth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and seventeenth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and eighteenth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and nineteenth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and twentieth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and twenty-first 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and twenty-second 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and twenty-third 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and twenty-fourth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and twenty-fifth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and twenty-sixth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and twenty-seventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and twenty-eighth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and twenty-ninth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and thirtieth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and thirty-first 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and thirty-second 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and thirty-third 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and thirty-fourth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and thirty-fifth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and thirty-sixth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and thirty-seventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and thirty-eighth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and thirty-ninth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and fortieth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and forty-first 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and forty-second 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and forty-third 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and forty-fourth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and forty-fifth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and forty-sixth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and forty-seventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and forty-eighth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and forty-ninth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and fiftieth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and fifty-first 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and fifty-second 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and fifty-third 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and fifty-fourth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and fifty-fifth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and fifty-sixth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and fifty-seventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and fifty-eighth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and fifty-ninth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and sixtieth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and sixty-first 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and sixty-second 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and sixty-third 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and sixty-fourth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and sixty-fifth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and sixty-sixth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and sixty-seventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and sixty-eighth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and sixty-ninth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and seventieth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and seventy-first 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and seventy-second 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and seventy-third 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and seventy-fourth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and seventy-fifth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and seventy-sixth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and seventy-seventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and seventy-eighth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and seventy-ninth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and eightieth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and eighty-first 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and eighty-second 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and eighty-third 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and eighty-fourth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and eighty-fifth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and eighty-sixth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and eighty-seventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and eighty-eighth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and eighty-ninth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and ninetieth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and ninety-first 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and ninety-second 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and ninety-third 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and ninety-fourth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and ninety-fifth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and ninety-sixth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and ninety-seventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and ninety-eighth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and ninety-ninth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundredth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and first 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and second 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and third 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and fourth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and fifth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and sixth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and seventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and eight 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and ninth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and tenth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and eleventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and twelfth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and thirteenth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and fourteenth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and fifteenth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and sixteenth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and seventeenth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and eighteenth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and nineteenth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and twentieth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and twenty-first 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and twenty-second 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and twenty-third 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and twenty-fourth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and twenty-fifth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and twenty-sixth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and twenty-seventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and twenty-eighth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and twenty-ninth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and thirtieth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and thirty-first 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and thirty-second 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and thirty-third 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and thirty-fourth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and thirty-fifth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and thirty-sixth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and thirty-seventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and thirty-eighth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and thirty-ninth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and fortieth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and forty-first 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and forty-second 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and forty-third 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and forty-fourth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

  • I condemn the barbaric murder of another 24 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

Sunday 18 February 2024

Understanding events in Palestine through the narrative of the Racial Contract of Charles W. Mills

According to the “Racial Contract” of Charles W. Mills [1] there is a binary divide: white and nonwhite. The whites are fully human, have the power, money and, crucially, human rights. Nonwhites have less power and money, do not have full human rights and, indeed, are slightly less than human.

The Racial Contract allows whites to exploit nonwhites in the same way that people exploit animals. There are countless examples in the history of European and American imperialism and colonisation: the slave trade, the genocide of the indigenous peoples of North and South America and Australia, British atrocities in India, apartheid in South Africa and so on.

Who is defined as white and who as nonwhite is not fixed [2]. In the UK, Irish people were once classified as nonwhite. Infamously, rooms to let in London would stipulate: No Irish, no blacks, no dogs [3]. Few people would now think like that about Irish people. For most people, the Irish are now unequivocably white.

There was a time (and still is, for modern-day antisemites) that Jews were classified as nonwhite. That, in harness with the Racial Contract, was one of the weapons of anti-semitism, and it reached its terrible climax in the Holocaust when Jews were murdered alongside other not-quite-human people such as Roma and Sinta people, homosexuals and people with disabilities.

One of the unique features of the Holocaust was that it took place on European soil, and after the war Western powers recoiled in horror as they were presented with details what had gone on, and declared ‘never again’. It turned out, though, that the mechanism for 'never again' was not the ending of the Racial Contract. No, the Racial Contract remains in force to this day. "Never again" meant redefining Jews as white so that they should no longer be oppressed. They could join the ranks of the oppressors. Israel was set up as white colony, not even acknowledging the existence of the Palestinians. It could be said that it was “a land without a people for a people without a land” because the Palestinians were, in the terms of the Racial Contract, not really people.

And today the terms of the Racial Contract allows the slaughter of Palestinians by the state of Israel backed by white Western powers, especially the USA and the UK. The nonwhite victims are the Palestinians. The Racial Contract requires the nonwhites to be perceived as barbaric, so every opportunity is taken to talk-up the killing of Israeli civilians on the 7th October. By contrast, the whites are by definition civilised and not barbaric, so no matter how many civilians, including children, are slaughtered by the IDF, no matter how indiscriminate the Israeli air bombardment of Gaza, never mind the individual tales of cruelty by the Israeli forces, the Western narrative will always be of Western civilization, represented by Israel, up against the barbarian terrorists of Hamas.

Read, for example, the Archbishop of Canterbury’s remarks on the situation in Israel and Gaza to the General Synod of the Church of England on 13th November 2023 [4]. Justin Welby calls for an end to the killing of both Israelis and Palestinians, but the killing of Israelis he describes as “barbaric slaughter of innocent Israelis by Hamas” whereas while he calls the killing of innocent Palestinians “a great wrong” and says it “cannot be morally justified”, he doesn’t call it barbaric. Indeed, he says “there is no equivalence between the atrocities of Hamas against Israeli civilians, and the right and duty of Israel to defend itself”. Even today, after the bombing of hospitals, targetting Red Crescent ambulances, killing people who are waving a white flag, the murder of more than 12,000 children, you will search in vain for any suggestion by Justin Welby that anything done by Israel is barbaric. [5]

Notes:

1 Mills, Charles W. (1997). The Racial Contract. Ithaca and London: Cornell University Press

2 It is information.

3 https://www.rebelnews.ie/2023/01/18/no-blacks-no-dogs-no-irish-a-short-history-of-discrimination-against-irish-migrants/

4 https://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/speaking-writing/speeches/general-synod-archbishop-canterburys-presidential-address

5 Search Twitter (X) for from:@JustinWelby barbaric


Friday 14 April 2023

Information, gravity and black holes

"Black holes are critical to understanding how information is represented in our universe and that the way our universe appears to be may be just a projection of a deeper reality that is pure information."

"The universe at these scales has no information except on the surfaces of black holes. And if that is true, then perhaps we are looking at spacetime and gravity backwards, and it is an effect of this information rather than a cause"

"It is meaningless to talk about gravity as a force because it is simply a holographic representation of information"

 Tim Andersen. Empty black holes may be the information storage units of the universe Medium 12 April 2023

Monday 8 August 2022

Social formation of gendered and sexual identities

 Thanks to a Facebook post by Danial Chandler for this:

‘I consider semiotic codes to be constitutive of the meanings out of which individual subjectivity is born. They define the social and symbolic context within which subjectivity takes shape and are therefore basic to the social formation of gendered and sexual identities.’ 

David Halperin (2012) How to be Gay. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, p. 335.

 


 

Tuesday 31 May 2022

Gender, data and information. Judith Butler on the culture wars

On the principle of using this blog to store stuff of interest, and since I've written on gender in the past (and so have a label for it!), I'm sharing this article:

Judith Butler on the culture wars, JK Rowling and living in “anti-intellectual times” 
Alona Ferber, New Statesman 22 September 2020

which I found to be a particularly clear presentation on the current arguments between trans-exclusionary feminists and trans rights activists. 

A possible framing might posit gender as an informational concept and (biological) sex as a physical concept. Or biology as data and gender as information. That might serve some purposes but won't really survive interrogation: biological sex is informational too.





Friday 11 March 2022

Not guilty

Further to my previous post Accusation of antisemitism: rebuttal I have finally received a decision: No Further Action. Over 21 months after the complaint was made. See the letter below. (I might get in trouble for sharing the letter, but so be it.)

Notice that there is no apology for putting me through it. Also, it is only "on this occasion" that they conclude that I have not breached the rules, so I suppose they are reserving the right to trawl through my history and find an instance where I have done wrong. I dare say if they try hard enough they will succeed. After all, in the words of Cardinal Armand Jean du Plessis:

If you give me six lines written by the hand of the most honest of men, I will find something in them which will hang him.

I am expected to consider that this matter is now "behind me". It is not that easy. Of course I'm pleased about the outcome, but I remain bitter that it was ever taken seriously and at the length of time it has taken to be resolved. Moreover, whilst I have been exonerated ("on this occasion"), I heard this week that a hard-working Labour Councillor in Milton Keynes, an honest person of the utmost integrity, has been expelled from the Party for contributing to a Facebook group of an organisation which has since been proscribed - but was not proscribed at the time she contributed to it. I know this individual well, and her only crime is to be on the left of the Party and to have supported Jeremy Corbyn.

Letter from the Party:

Dear Mr Chapman,
 
Notice of Outcome of Investigation: No Further Action
 
We are writing to inform you that the Labour Party (the Party) has concluded its investigation into the allegation that you had breached Chapter 2, Clause I.8 of the Party’s Rule Book (the Rules).
 
A panel of the National Executive Committee (the NEC Panel) met on 28 January 2022 and considered all of the evidence that the Party put to you and any evidence submitted by you in response.
 
The NEC Panel found that your conduct on this occasion did not amount to a breach of the Rules and the Party will be taking no further action in relation to this matter.
 
Consequently, any restrictions that the Party may have imposed on your membership rights pending the outcome of this investigation have now ended. This includes any administrative suspension of your membership that may have been in place.
 
The Party would like to thank you for your cooperation with the investigation and we hope that this matter is now behind you.
 
Yours sincerely,
Disputes Team
Governance and Legal Unit
The Labour Party