Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

David Schraub @schraubd.bsky.social · 19h

It does not seem to attach the label “far-right” as frequently to conservative Republican politicos—the primary exception being ones who are anti-Israel (Massie, MTG), for whom it can do a “far-left/far-right horseshoe” story.

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David Schraub @schraubd.bsky.social · 19h

I feel like I’m seeing @jewishinsider.com use the descriptor “far-left” (to describe progressive Democrats) a lot more, to the point where it feels like a conscious and intentional editorial directive.

Jewish Insider @jewishinsider.com · 20h

Unlike other races in which pro-Israel Democrats have been targeted from their left, the matchup between Rep. Steve Cohen and Justin Pearson does not fit neatly in the typical framework for such intraparty contests.

Rep. Steve Cohen draws younger, far-left challenger hostile to Israel in primary

Tennessee’s first Jewish congressman, a progressive Democrat, is facing a well-organized primary challenge from 30-year-old activist Justin Pearson

jewishinsider.com

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David Schraub @schraubd.bsky.social · 19h

I’m constantly telling my students that good advocacy (to say nothing of good scholarship) entails grappling with the opposing side’s position in its *strongest* form, not its weakest.

Some are receptive, others less so, but it’s definitely not intuitive (which to be fair I get).

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David Schraub @schraubd.bsky.social · 19h

I’d conjoin that with another sin, which is that, upon encountering counterarguments or alternative points of view, they think dialing up their rhetoric to 11 is a better persuasive strategy than empathic good faith engagement.

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David Schraub @schraubd.bsky.social · 20h

It’s true that anti-authoritarianism can’t depend on winning every election, but it’s also true that no serious activist is entitled to just sit one out because they aren’t feeling inspired.

At least regular electoral success is a necessary, not sufficient, condition for positive progress.

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David Schraub @schraubd.bsky.social · 20h

The trick is figuring out how to not let electoral strategy crowd out these other important domains without flipping all the way over to “winning elections doesn’t matter.”

Jake Grumbach @jakemgrumbach.bsky.social · 1d

The siren call of electoral strategy and analysis partially crowded out work on things like law, organizational resistance, and protest. I blame myself, too

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Reposted by David Schraub

Rep. Jamie Raskin @raskin.house.gov · 22h

It is extraordinary and heart-rending to see hostages returned to their families in Israel after their two-year ordeal in captivity. It is all so long overdue, and the world prays for sustained peace-building and continued healing in the region.

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David Schraub @schraubd.bsky.social · 1d

I went to college with Moshe Lavi (Omri Miran’s brother in law and unofficial spokesperson for the hostage families).

I can’t imagine the emotions of this moment.

Elad Nehorai @eladn.bsky.social · 1d

Seeing such familiar names now being released seems utterly surreal. Just an incredible moment

Kaitlan Collins
@kaitlancollins • 6m
Omri Miran was one of the seven living hostages just handed over to the Red Cross.
Kaitlan Collins Y
@kaitlancolli... •11h
I first spoke with Moshe Lavi in November 2023, one month after his brother-in-law was kidnapped by Hamas. He told me then how his sister would take their daughters out to look at the stars at night and wish goodnight to dad - something she continued for two years. Omri Miran

H
Haaretz
18 minutes ago
Father of hostage Guy Gilboa Dalal: Guy handed over to Red Cross, will be handed over to IDF in 15 minutes
Ilan Dalal, father of Israeli hostage Guy Gilboa Dalal, said that his son "was handed over to the Red Cross, and in fifteen minutes he is expected to be handed over to the IDF, and then he will arrive here."
He added, "This is a dream come true, we are euphoric, very excited and dying to hug him."

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David Schraub @schraubd.bsky.social · 1d

Remembering one of the greatest playground bball exchanges of my youth. Player A is frustrated B didn’t pass then missed a shot.

A: You didn’t score!
B: Neither did you!
A: But I could have!
B: So why didn’t you?
A: Bc you didn’t pass!
B: Bc I could’ve scored!
A: But you didn’t!
B: Neither did you!

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David Schraub @schraubd.bsky.social · 1d

Ding ding ding.

David Schraub @schraubd.bsky.social · Dec 15

Every single time this argument comes up it is Mizrahi erasure. Worse -- it's not just forgetting Mizrahi and other MENA Jews exist, it's insisting their very identity is a form of theft. They must choose: they can be Jews, or Middle Eastern, but not both.

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David Schraub @schraubd.bsky.social · 1d

Look, some people just want to express sweeping hatred for entire national-cultural communities as inherently and incurably diseased/inferior, and that’s what we’re seeing here.

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David Schraub @schraubd.bsky.social · 1d

If a Nazi posted “I oppose the war in Gaza” and a leftist unwittingly reposted it, “fall for it” would seem apt. Here, though, the Nazi is making an expressly antisemitic argument that happens to be an expressly antisemitic argument many leftists endorse uncritically.

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David Schraub @schraubd.bsky.social · 1d

“Fall for it” is generous. While I doubt many of the copycats know the Nazi origins, the fact is that along this axis they find Nazi perspectives vis-a-vis Jews appealing and basically agree with it.

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David Schraub @schraubd.bsky.social · 1d

Gotta reup this thread again I see.

David Schraub @schraubd.bsky.social · Dec 15

Every single time this argument comes up it is Mizrahi erasure. Worse -- it's not just forgetting Mizrahi and other MENA Jews exist, it's insisting their very identity is a form of theft. They must choose: they can be Jews, or Middle Eastern, but not both.

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David Schraub @schraubd.bsky.social · 1d

Kaifeng!

Kaifeng Jews - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

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Reposted by David Schraub

Daniel S. Goldberg @profgoldberg.bsky.social · 1d

The ongoing insistence that Jews, wherever they are from, have no legitimate connection to the foodways of the PLACES THEY ARE FROM is one of the more disgusting forms of Jew hatred I see on this site.

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David Schraub @schraubd.bsky.social · 3d

Like an experimental alt-rock band's third album, RFK's baseless conspiratorial assertion that circumcision is associated with autism takes his prior antisemitic work and extends it in an exciting new direction.

First They Came For Tylenol, Now Circumcisions

The latest stop in the RFK/Trump team's conspiracy-addled rampage against science was an assertion that "circumcisions" may be a cause of au...

dsadevil.blogspot.com

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David Schraub @schraubd.bsky.social · 3d

Just showed this to my dad, who three hours earlier, in response to my gentle admonition that he shouldn’t trust AI answers, asked “but why would AI lie?”

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David Schraub @schraubd.bsky.social · 3d

Obviously, I’m rooting for this game to go 18 innings and both teams having to put their left fielders on the mound.

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David Schraub @schraubd.bsky.social · 3d

So … is “the Frog Revolution” taken?

Adam Selzer @adamchicago.bsky.social · 3d

The frogs have landed in Chicago!

Protestor in a frog suit and an anti-Ice sign with what I believe to be a Pokémon character on a street corner in Rogers Park.

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David Schraub @schraubd.bsky.social · 3d

I’m reasonably confident more people have seen that comic than have read any of my law review articles.

David Schraub @schraubd.bsky.social · 3d

This is, no lie, one of my greatest professional accomplishments.

Barry Deutsch @barrydeutsch.bsky.social · 3d

Genuinely Poor

Reposting because I've added a kicker panel. Thanks to @schraubd.bsky.social for the suggestion!

Read more cartoons! #PoliCartoon
Help us make more! patreon.com/barry

TRANSCRIPT OF CARTOON

This cartoon has four panels. Each panel shows two men: A not-wealthy looking man with shaggy hair and some stubble, and a bald man in glasses, wearing a business suit and tie. Each panel shows them at a sidewalk with grass growing in the background.

PANEL 1

Shaggy is wearing a wrinkled collared shirt and jeans. Necktie is wearing a gray suit with a tie with a dot pattern.

It’s bright daytime. Shaggy, with his back turned to Necktie, is looking at and poking a smartphone, and, in the helpful way people so often do in the first panel of my cartoons, talking aloud to himself. Necktie is turning to look at, and yell at, Shaggy.

SHAGGY: I can’t find a job and I’m out of money… Time to google “food stamps.”

NECKTIE: Food stamps are for people who are genuinely poor. If you were poor, you wouldn’t own a smartphone, would you?

PANEL 2

A caption says “one week later.”

From the light, it appears to be early evening. Shaggy is wearing a plaid shirt and Black pants, and has a backpack; Necktie is wearing a pinstripe suit and a tie with horizontal stripes.

Shaggy is looking worried and has a hand on his chest; Necktie is sternly talking to, and pointing at, Shaggy.

SHAGGY: I sold my phone, but now I’m out of money again.

NECKTIE: So sell your car. No one who owns a car is poor.

PANEL 3

A caption says “one month later.”

The same two men, on a similar patch of sidewalk. Shaggy is sitting on the curb, slumping. Necktie looks very cheerful.

SHAGGY: Now I’ve got no money for food, no phone for job hunting, and no car to get to a job!

NECKTIE: Excellent! Now you’re genuinely poor!

PANEL 4

The same scene, a moment later. Shaggy, looking hopeful. Necktie grins.

SHAGGY: So now you’re okay with me getting food stamps?

NECKTIE: Nope!

TINY KICKER PANEL UNDER THE CARTOON

Shaggy is talking to Barry the Cartoonist.

SHAGGY: So how do I get food stamps, anyway?

BARRY: Call them for an appointment, then drive to their office to apply.

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Reposted by David Schraub

Barry Deutsch @barrydeutsch.bsky.social · 3d

Genuinely Poor

Reposting because I've added a kicker panel. Thanks to @schraubd.bsky.social for the suggestion!

Read more cartoons! #PoliCartoon
Help us make more! patreon.com/barry

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David Schraub @schraubd.bsky.social · 4d

Why I love the Portland frog protesters (and his friends).

The Frog Prince

A few days ago, a viral video circulated of a neo-Nazi agitator interrupting a psychology class at the University of Washington ... and then...

dsadevil.blogspot.com

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