Julius Malema, the anti-white demagogue who leads the communist Economic Freedom Fighters party in South Africa, has come out in favor of Russia in the ongoing war with Ukraine. In the distant past, radical African nationalists used to let squabbling Europeans sort out their own mess, but Malema has decided to wade into the conflict on the side of the aggressor. I guess he finally found some white people he likes, and all they had to do was kill other white people.
This is an important marker for the future, because Malema has a political future in South Africa. He is charismatic and smart, and attempts to relegate him to the political margins have largely failed or backfired. There is a real chance that his party becomes part of the government of South Africa if the ruling ANC falls below 50% in the 2024 election, and needs a coalition partner other than the minority-led, centrist, liberal Democratic Alliance (DA).
There is one other point that makes Malema's stance relevant to Americans: he justifies his visit with the Russian ambassador by citing "neo-Nazi" propaganda in the pro-Ukraine camp. There is no doubt that there is a neo-Nazi presence in the Ukrainian military; there is also no doubt that some reports from Ukraine have been propaganda. But those who are inclined to dismiss the Ukrainian cause in its entirety as a result should also know with whom they are siding.
https://twitter.com/Julius_S_Malema/status/1504092125193019393
This week’s portion launches the great story of Abraham, who is told to leave everything of his life behind — except his immediate family — and to leave for “the Land that I shall show you.”
There’s something interesting in the fact that Abraham is told to leave his father’s house, as if breaking away from his father’s life — but his father, in fact, began the journey, moving from Ur to Haran (in last week’s portion). His father set a positive example — why should Abraham leave him?
Some obvious answers suggest themselves — adulthood, needing to make one’s own choices, his father not going far enough, etc.
But I think there is another answer. Abraham (known for the moment as Abram) needs to establish his own household. This is not just about making one’s own choice, but really about choosing one’s own starting point. It’s starting over.
Sometimes we start over in fundamental ways even if much that surrounds us remains the same. Sometimes the journey we have to ...
The story of Noah is familiar; the details, less so.
Noah is often seen as an ambivalent figure. He was righteous -- but only for his generation. What was his deficiency?
One answer suggests itself: knowing that the world was about to be flooded, he built an Ark for the animals and for his own family -- but did not try to save anyone else or to convince them to repent and change their ways (the prophet Jonah, later, would share that reluctance).
Abraham, later, would set himself apart by arguing with God -- with the Lord Himself! -- against the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, saying that they should be saved if there were enough righteous people to be found (there were not).
Still, Noah was good enough -- and sometimes, that really is sufficient to save the world. We don't need heroes every time -- just ordinary decency.
Hi all -- as I noted last month, I'm going to be closing down my Locals page, at least for tips and subscriptions -- I may keep the page up and the posts as well, but I'm no longer going to be accepting any kind of payment.
Look for cancelation in the very near future. Thank you for your support!
