This blog started several years ago as a place to park scraps of knowledge, mostly Judaic. At that time I was providing translation and commentary for friends, of someone else's weekly Jewish stuff, which necessitated some heavy reading into material I found fascinating.
Of course there was also food. And angry political commentary.
A normal later foray onto the internet, in other words.
My interests have gradually changed, my principles have remained constant.
There are now very many people with whom I no longer have the slightest interest in ever associating with in any way again.
One lawyer, who is paranoid about Obama coming for his guns.
One lawyer, who's motorized wheelchair is an offensive weapon.
One Russian Israel-activist, who is out of her frickin' mind.
One balding pro-Israel rightwing xenophobe.
One union activist.
One Belgian.
One Jack.
Several opinionated Polish-Americans, of several genders.
Several Muslims, several Levantines. Several food neurotics.
Several Jewish literalists.
Several Jewish racists (one of whom moved to Jerusalem; good effing riddance).
Several people who supported Trump.
Several people who supported Bernie.
Plus many potsmokers, people with tattoos, Berkeleyites, and Christians.
It's been such a long time since I dealt with any of these people that some of them may be dead or institutionalized by now. And really, all of them deserve Nurse Ratchette and a cattle-prod. Plus a lid nailed on tightly.
I don't regret any part of those years, even paying for the coffee. It was a learning experience, and the exposure changed me.
I am a different and better person.
But less patient.
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THE PRICE OF EGGS
Despite the pervasive gloom in Democratic circles, and the giddy intoxicated optimism in the Republican, neo-Nazi, Fascist, and Authoritaria...
10 comments:
The old lawyer is now dating an Asian woman half his age.
Had you stuck around, you could have gotten lessons.
There's a potentially lucrative aspect to crossing over to the dark side. I bet you could get speaking engagements at various anti-Israel events, bad-mouthing your old friends.
Shall I put you in touch with some JVP-types?
"My interests have gradually changed, my principles have remained constant."
I don't think so. I question the principles of anyone who can turn on and off their commitment like a light switch.
You abandonned your friends without a word, without an explanation. The internet generation calls it "ghosting"
I once read this blog regularly. Now I visit once or twice a month. You once wrote things people wanted to read- now its all variations of what you put in your mouth on any given day. Lunch? Tobacco? Medicine?
Its sad to those of us who knew you when.
And had you stayed, you could have been a force for good.
But you didn't. After so many years, you didn't even feel you owed any of us an explanation.
At first I thought Dan's death freaked you out. It scared all of us. I could understand that.
Then I thought you were just depressed about breaking up with your girl friend.
But no.
You just abandonned us, in the most chicken shit cowardly manner. I expected better from you.
There. I've been thinking this for years, and I've finally said it.
A simple "I just can't handle people trying to kill me on the streets anymore" would have been a perfectly acceptable explanation.
You didn't even give us the courtesy of that.
Enjoy your calm life of underemployment and snackipoos. You've earned it.
"There's a potentially lucrative aspect to crossing over to the dark side. I bet you could get speaking engagements at various anti-Israe>l events, bad-mouthing your old friends."
Calling them old "friends" is one hell of a stretch. Many of them just "disappeared" once I stopped buying them coffee every Saturday. Then in late 2012 several turned into complete assholes on another list, effectively telling me to shut up, my input was not wanted.
" I question the principles of anyone who can turn on and off their commitment like a light switch"
If you are who I think you are, you more than anyone should understand why that got instituted. Your address was being regularly revealed in the comments. Along with your name, and that of several other people.
"You abandoned your friends without a word, without an explanation."
After being called names and insulted several times, there was no point to keeping up any form of participation whatsoever. Conversely, several of them became security liabilities greater than ever before.
"Its sad to those of us who knew you when." Which would be precisely who? Over two dozen people who dropped me like a log in late 2012, because they wanted the old lawyer instead, they insisted on it. Not a single one of those people have contacted me in the six and half years since. On the other hand, food and tobacco gets more positive feedback, from people who don't call me an anti-Semite and offer to kill me, OR people who call me a ZioNazi and offer to kill me. The pro-Israel side have, largely, turned out to be rightwing racists, there is NO room for liberals.
Y'all got the American government you wanted, the two-state solutions is completely and permanently dead, and Kushner is going to give Bibi everything.
During that fracas with Gaza in 2014, too many of on our side were enthusiastically and racistly cheering the deaths on the other side. You saw that.
And as for abandoning you lot, after several fucked up e-mails asking how come I was still alive in the Autumn of 2012, and various people telling me to shut up because they didn't value my input, and had no use for people like me, and that as a goy I didn't know jackshit and should not have a voice, well, most of them can go hump a camel. Not a single one of them ever contacted me since December of 2012.
I can handle the street. When the people I'm standing with turn out to be racist rightwingers who would shoot me in the back, it's time to reassess who the hell I'm standing with. And given that not a single one of those fuckers wished to associate with me in seven years, I think we know the answer.
Did I mention that food and tobacco get better feedback? More appreciative and more likeable audience too.
Trump is your friend.
Besides, according to Jonathan in Israel, I obsess about Israel and Bib; it's unhealthy.
He may be on to something.
I have expressed approval for Obama and Biden far more than I should have, when, clearly, Bibi was the Messiah.
Y'all can take that and pound it where the sun don't shine. Punkt.
The pro-Israel side is all Bibi, gun nuts, and Christians. You are known by the people you associate with.
Besides, saying that I abandoned people when none of them fucking spoke to me in seven years takes fucking nerve.
And then there is this. When it came to Obama, many on the pro-Israel side were pieces of racist rightwing shit.
You know that.
Screw them. Screw Jack. Screw Susan in Jerusalem. Screw Bo*, Be* and Rob**. Screw Da**, Ro* and Me*.
75% of Jews voted for Hillary. Of those in your "Screw" list, I only know of one who voted for Trump. And none of those people are doing advocacy work any more.
Don't use that as an excuse.
You abandonned the blog that you started- without a word, and without notice You just stopped. You didn't tell anyone. You didn't ask anyone to take over. You just stopped. No explanation in 7 years. You cant blame that on others- there was no one else involved.
You just turned off your "principles" like a light switch.
I had wondered if you stopped in an effort to fit in better with your Marin friends and co-workers. But it wasnt a stop as much as a reversal. Light a light switch.
And telephones work 2 ways. Birthdays, holidays, deaths, yahrzeits. Not once did you call to check in. Not only did you abandon a cause, you abandonned people who considered you a friend.
No- this is on you.
I can think of at least half a dozen who supported Trump. That's within the local group alone. It's more than that.
None of them doing advocacy work anymore? Gee, I wonder why. Probably because they're living in the best of all possible worlds.
Marin friends? You can't read very well, can you?
People who considered me a friend? Not one of my friends are mentioned above; every single one of the people above got de-friended in every way possible years ago. For being assholes.
Fuck off, Jack. There was a reason I unfriended you on facebook back in 2016.
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