I shared a thought on Twitter yesterday that led to a rather unusual backlash, one led by a former college friend who has been a troll for years already.
Reacting to a story about CNN blaming Tucker Carlson and "replacement theory" for the horrific mass shooting by a racist gunman in Buffalo, I pointed out that to the extent "replacement theory" is a problem, at least in its non-racial sense, it derives its power from the fact that it provides the best explanation for Democrats' complete refusal to guard the U.S. border.
Boy, did that set the cat amongst the proverbial pigeons. I was called a racist, a white supremacist, you name it. I endured all kinds of abuse, some of which I won't bore you with. But through it all, I had a thought: I bet this isn't an article.
You see, when I screw up, or post something stupid, it almost invariably ends up as an article somewhere -- at Media Matters, or at some other left-wing website. It might still happen, but thus far, nothing: pure crickets.
I had a feeling it wouldn't be an article, you see, because I felt that my critics would not want the whole tweet to get out. Because not only to I allow for the fact that "replacement theory" might be a problem, but I point out that Democrats lack an alternative explanation for their failures. And the fact is that there really are political motives for Democrats' inaction on the southern border.
Sure enough, today: silence. At least so far.
https://twitter.com/joelpollak/status/1525869457435807744?s=20&t=ymm42t69LYc42_TrWr46-A
This is my first broadcast from the new office and studio in Washington, DC, where I'll be for a couple of years my neighborhood back in L.A. cleans up -- and as we follow the Trump administration from a little closer up than usual.
Topics:
- The anniversary of the attempted assassination of President Donald Trump
- The escalating tariff battle with various different trading partners
- The future of the Middle East peace talks, and ongoing antisemitism
- The Jeffrey Epstein files and whether they mean anything at all
- The continued crisis of the Texas floods, and stories of heroism and survival
And more!
Special guests:
- James Rosen - Newsmax chief Washington correspondent
- Bob Price - Breitbart News Texas reporter, on the ongoing floods
- Robert Cahill - Trafalgar Polling, on a new alliance of reliable pollsters
- Rabbi Yaakov Menken - Coalition for Jewish Values - on Israel & antisemitism
Tune in: 7-10 p.m. ET, 4-7 p.m. PT
Call: 866-957-2874
This week’s portion tells the grand story of the prophet who tried to curse people of Israel and instead ended up blessing them.
I am reminded that these portions continue to be relevant anew, as this particular reading lent the title for Israel’s recent 12 Day War against Iran, “Operation Rising Lion.”
This week's portion includes the commandment of the red heifer -- one of the classic "irrational" commandments whose fulfillment is an expression of faith. It also includes the regrettable episode in which Moses strikes the rock.
I referred to this story in a wedding speech last night. Why was Moses punished for striking the rock in Numbers, when he struck the rock without incident in Exodus -- both for the purpose of providing water to the people?
The answer is that in the interim, the Jewish people had received the Torah, which is like the marriage contract between the people of Israel and God. In a marriage, you do not resolve things by breaking boundaries, but through love.
The additional reading, from Judges Chapter 11, is the story of Jephthah (Yiftach), a man whom the leaders spurn, but to whom they must turn to save the nation. The parallels to our present political circumstances are striking.
Shabbat Shalom and Happy Fourth of July!
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