As we approach the anniversary of 7th October, 2023 ... [Note: Content Warning - links to reports on oppression/bigotry/hate, violence/abuse/war. Reader discretion is advised]

Note: CONTENT WARNING - some of this content is about upsetting, disturbing or triggering events & attitudes. Seek competent help - including professional - if you need it. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that linked articles may contains names and/or images of deceased people. READER CAUTION IS RECOMMENDED! For anyone distressed by anything in this post, or for any other reason considering seeking support, resources are available in Australia here, here, and here. In other nations, you will have to do an Internet search using terms such as “mental health support - <your nation>” (which, for instance, may lead to this, this, and this, in the USA, or this, this, and this, in France [biased towards English-language - my apologies]), or perhaps try https://www.befrienders.org/. 

Note: in my “from the news” posts, quotes are shown italicised and blue, my comments are in a different shade of blue, and “good” items are (when I remember) shown in green.

 

As we approach the anniversary of  7^th October, 2023, there will be considerable analysis and reflection - on those events and what they have led to, and overlapping events. I have created this post to start collecting those writings that I consider worthwhile, and will begin with my very first post on those events.

• “Despair [Content Warning - violence, oppression, language]”   https://politicalmusingsofkayleen.blogspot.com/2023/10/despair-content-warning-violence.html      

• “The Middle East in crisis: 7 October, the day that changed the world”   https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/sep/29/the-middle-east-in-crisis-7-october-the-day-that-changed-the-world   “It began with the H___s attack a year ago, it continues with a rain of Israeli strikes on Lebanon, but for many caught up in the conflict, it has shattered time and space”      

• “The War of Legitimacy: How the International Criminal Court and the UN Gen. Assembly Challenged Israeli, US Impunity”   https://www.juancole.com/2024/09/legitimacy-international-challenged.html      
• “How Netanyahu weathered the storm in the year since Hamas attacked | Israel | The Guardian”   https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/oct/01/how-netanyahu-weathered-the-storm-in-the-year-since-hamas-attacked      
  

• “The Path to N_sr_ll_h’s Assassination”   https://www.juancole.com/2024/09/path-n_sr_ll_hs-assassination.html   “Moreover,H_______h planned terrorist operations, even in Europe. Had it stuck with a purely military struggle with the Israeli army, it might have avoided being listed as a terrorist group, which cost it all legitimacy in the industrialized democracies.   ...   [the Israeli] fanatics who dream of re-occupying southern Lebanon and siphoning off the waters of the Litani River will likely discover, if they do so, that the potential for guerrilla resistance has not been and cannot be eradicated.”   This history starts in the 1950s, and is very good.    

• “Gaza, Zionism and Jewishness: A View from the US and Australia with Peter Beinart”   https://youtu.be/qwytwmqLrT4   This was an interesting session, with a very good summary of and commentary on the political situation (particularly what I would describe as Biden’s naïveté), the inclusion of people from oppressor groups in activism (e.g., apartheid in South Africa), and hostility/abuse vs. safety of diverse views within communities. One error was the comment that the two state solution came about in the 1980s and 90s: it may have been discussed more prominently then, but it goes back to the foundation of Israel and the debates at that time of whether there should be one or two states (see my post “Biden, Albanese, and Gaza”   https://politicalmusingsofkayleen.blogspot.com/2024/06/biden-albanese-and-gaza.html   ). In light of that debate in the 1940s, Peter Beinart’s comment that nations with inclusive forms of democracy being inherently more peaceful was particularly striking (and the need to give populations hope to help counter guerilla movements echoes comments by others in a wide range of contexts - including Martin Luther King in the US civil rights struggle of the 1960s). There were aspects of this discussion that I disagreed with, or was unconvinced/neutral about, but not to the extent that I specifically wish to comment. I will leave you, Dear Reader, to make up your own minds on this.
  Additional information on the guest:   website - https://peterbeinart.net/   ,   substack - https://substack.com/@peterbeinart   ,   Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Peter_Beinart&oldid=1247754277   ,   Amazon - https://www.amazon.com.au/stores/Peter-Beinart/author/B003BWYYO2   .      
• “Must the Sword Devour Forever?”   https://jewishcurrents.org/must-the-sword-devour-forever   “With lessons from past deadly invasions of Lebanon shoved aside, the US and Israel are escalating toward endless war.”      
  
• “Israel was told ‘you are not alone’ – but year of war has left it isolated”   https://www.theguardian.com/world/ng-interactive/2024/oct/04/israel-told-not-alone-but-year-war-isolated   “For many Israelis, the shedding of support since 7 October attack has revived a belief that they cannot rely on others   ...   for all Israel’s talk of public diplomacy, or hasbara, the reality is that the instinct within its military has always been to rely upon itself, and not to wrestle for world opinion. “The IDF [Israel Defense Forces] does not care what people think about them. This is a security state. It does not want to be loved. It wants to be feared and respected. The IDF thinks the Israeli foreign office does the yoga, hot tubs and cleanups, but the IDF has always played hardball, relied on escalation dominance and never seen war as a popularity contest.””  That is actually not too different in principle to other militaries, but it is in extent of application - i.e., other militaries are less brutal and uncaring in their application of this principle, and thus it may not be as visible, but it is often there. And that is militaries EVERYWHERE must be under competent civilian oversight and control - and compassion, humanity, and decency are CRUCIAL parts of the competence of that oversight and control. In Israel’s case, the harm has largely been at its own instigation - as caused by, for instance, bombing displaced people on escape routes directed to be used by Israel (even if there were also valid military targets present). Israel is making mistakes that many other militaries made half a century or more ago, and is failing to notice that the world is different now. And, one day, Israel will be horrified at what it has done ...       See also the following opinion, from the UK:   “What atrocity would Israel have to commit for our leaders to break their silence?”   https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/oct/03/slaughter-gaza-women-children-israel-7-october   “To avenge 7 October, crimes of all kinds are condoned. But politicians should take note: the British public disagrees”   CW: includes links to reports of disturbing human rights abuses      
• “Israel’s tactical wins against its enemies may prove strategic losses | Sina Toossi | The Guardian”   https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/oct/04/israel-h_______h-lebanon-conflict     
  
• “British Jews adjusting to ‘new reality’ after year-long surge in antisemitism | Antisemitism | The Guardian”   https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/oct/02/british-jews-experience-more-antisemitism-as-middle-east-war-escalates   &   “Surge in anti-Semitic incidents in UK over past year: Charity”   https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/10/2/uk-records-spike-in-anti-semitism-over-past-year-charity   “More than 5,500 cases of abusive behaviour recorded since war broke out on October 7, the highest-ever yearly tally”      and   “US Jewish groups mark 7 October anniversary amid growing fractures | US news | The Guardian”   https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/oct/02/jewish-groups-7-october-anniversary      
• “A brutal year and a tale of two Israels: the one that is feared and the one that is fearful | Jonathan Freedland | The Guardian”   https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/oct/04/israel-israelis-gaza-war-7-october-anniversary      
  
• “One year on, Gazan families mourn their dead and question what future holds | World news | The Guardian”   https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/oct/02/one-year-on-gazan-families-mourn-their-dead-and-question-what-future-holds      
• “Gulf leaders support Palestine – but many would not mind seeing Israel challenge Iran | Middle East peace talks | The Guardian”   https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/oct/03/gulf-leaders-support-palestine-but-many-would-not-mind-seeing-israel-challenge-iran       
• “One year on, Israel’s aggression continues unabated and we urge our politicians to act”   https://www.jewishcouncil.com.au/media/one-year-on-israels-aggression-continues-unabated-and-we-urge-our-politicians-to-act     
  
• “Amid all the darkness: How kindness helped me survive one year of Israel’s genocide in Gaza”   https://www.thenewhumanitarian.org/opinion/first-person/2024/10/02/amid-all-darkness-how-kindness-helped-me-survive-one-year-israel-genocide   “‘How can there be two extremes in the world: humane and inhumane?’”      ““What Should I Do With This Pain?” Bereaved Israelis and Palestinians urge Peace and Reconciliation, drawing on their Grief”   https://www.juancole.com/2024/10/bereaved-palestinians-reconciliation.html     
  

This is one of those situations where both sides have valid point: yes, an event on Monday 7^th October would be viewed as many as provocative, but that is questionable for an event on Sunday 6^th which is a continuation of a series of weekly events seeking desperately to get some sort of credible acknowledgement from those in power. The change of location, however, is likely validly of significance, IMO. The planter boxes could be an issue is they could be used as weapons or moved to block locations - so they can also be removed to remove the issue.

The Prime Minister has shown a strong pro-Israel/anti-Palestinian bias (one of several troubling biases) by making amathiac comments about “not bringing conflict here”. 

Firstly, this is about HUMAN RIGHTS, including both Australia doing its part in observing Australian law about genocide, which is based on an international convention that Australia helped put together, and the sovereignty and right to exist of TWO sets of people. 

Secondly, the conflict is already here, and the PM, NSW government, and NSW police have - possibly without intending it - positioned themselves in the pro-Israel/anti-Palestinian segment (there are also pro-Israel positions that are NOT anti-Palestinian, just as there are pro-Palestinian positions that are NOT anti-Israel - and I repeat: one day Israel is going to wake and be horrified at what it has done). 

The Labor Friends of Palestine NSW urging of a compromise is the best response so far in all of this mess.

• “NSW police cite crowd size and hazards including ‘planter boxes’ in push to ban pro-Palestine rallies”   https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/oct/02/sydney-pro-palestine-rally-police-ban-push-october-7   “Campaigners argue court action to block Sydney protests ‘oppressive’ but PM says event on anniversary of 7 October attacks on Israel would be ‘incredibly provocative’”      

And a workable compromise has been found:   

• “Pro-Palestine rally and standing vigil going ahead in Sydney after protesters and police reach agreement | New South Wales | The Guardian”   https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/oct/03/sydney-pro-palestine-october-7-vigil-cancelled-hyde-park-rally-sunday-ntwnfb     
  

 

Assumptions / basis 

In writing this, I have assumed / started from the following: 

• this blog states quite clearly that it is about political and human rights matters, including lived experience of problems, and thus I will assume readers are reasonable people who have noted the content warning in the post header;

Possible flaws 

Where I can, I will try to highlight possible flaws / issues you should consider:

• there may be flawed logical arguments in the above: to find out more about such flaws and thinking generally, I recommend Brendan  Myers’ free online course “Clear and Present Thinking”; 
  
• I could be wrong - so keep your thinking caps on, and make up your own minds for yourself.
  

 

 

If they are of any use or interest, the activism information links from my former news posts are available in this post.  

If you appreciated this post, please consider promoting it - there are some links below. 

Note that, as with my main blog [see here], I am cutting back on aspects of my posts.

Remember: we need to be more human being rather than human doing, and all misgendering is an act of active transphobia/transmisia that puts trans+ lives at risk & accept that all insistence on the use of “trans” as a descriptor comes with commensurate use of “cis” as a descriptor to prevent “othering”.

Copyright © Kayleen White 2016-2024     NO AI   I do not consent to any machine learning aka Artificial Intelligence (AI), generative AI, large language model, machine learning, chatbot, or other automated analysis, generative process, or replication program to reproduce, mimic, remix, summarise, or otherwise  replicate any part of this post or other posts on this blog via any means. Typo’s may be inserrted deliberately to demonstrate this is not an AI product.     Otherwise, fair and reasonable use is accepted under Creative Commons 4.0 on an Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike basis   https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/  

 

Australia’s moral conscience has grown a spine ...

The following news articles constitute good news, in my opinion, as it starts to put Australia on the right side of history: 

• “‘Clear timeline’ for Palestinian statehood needed: Penny Wong escalates language in UN speech”   https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/sep/27/penny-wong-un-security-council-palestine-israel-hamas-war   “Penny Wong says she shares frustration of ‘great majority of countries’ about a lack of progress to recognise a Palestinian state”      

• “Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong warns UN General Assembly that world is 'enshrouded in darkness' - ABC News”   https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-27/penny-wong-to-warn-un-general-assembly-of-growing-conflict/104404582      

• “Penny Wong's $2m Lebanon aid pledge; urges UN on Palestinian state recognition | SBS News”   https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/penny-wong-makes-2m-lebanon-aid-pledge-urges-un-on-palestinian-state-recognition/acsxdblbq     

 

 

Assumptions / basis 

In writing this, I have assumed / started from the following: 

• this blog states quite clearly that it is about political and human rights matters, including lived experience of problems, and thus I will assume readers are reasonable people who have noted the content warning in the post header;

Possible flaws 

Where I can, I will try to highlight possible flaws / issues you should consider:

• there may be flawed logical arguments in the above: to find out more about such flaws and thinking generally, I recommend Brendan  Myers’ free online course “Clear and Present Thinking”; 
  
• I could be wrong - so keep your thinking caps on, and make up your own minds for yourself.
  

 

 

If they are of any use or interest, the activism information links from my former news posts are available in this post.  

If you appreciated this post, please consider promoting it - there are some links below. 

Note that, as with my main blog [see here], I am cutting back on aspects of my posts.

Remember: we need to be more human being rather than human doing, and all misgendering is an act of active transphobia/transmisia that puts trans+ lives at risk & accept that all insistence on the use of “trans” as a descriptor comes with commensurate use of “cis” as a descriptor to prevent “othering”.

Copyright © Kayleen White 2016-2024     NO AI   I do not consent to any machine learning aka Artificial Intelligence (AI), generative AI, large language model, machine learning, chatbot, or other automated analysis, generative process, or replication program to reproduce, mimic, remix, summarise, or otherwise  replicate any part of this post or other posts on this blog via any means. Typo’s may be inserrted deliberately to demonstrate this is not an AI product.     Otherwise, fair and reasonable use is accepted under Creative Commons 4.0 on an Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike basis   https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/  

 

On recent events in Lebanon

Israel has killed the leader of H_______h. 

I consider the leaders of such organisations are valid targets for consideration - especially if they are effective, so consider the fact of this killing having occurred to, in and of itself, not be outrageous. To claim it is would be as absurd as suggesting the allies should not have attempted to kill the leader of Germany in World War Two. (In actual fact, they didn’t want to kill that person, but that was because he was such an ineffective leader, which is separate to the point I am making here.)

H_______h are a  t_r_rr_st organisation, and thus their leader is in a similar category to b_n L_d_n, who was killed by the USA when they couldn’t capture him for a trial (and I acknowledge there are disputes about aspects of those events).

However, the consequences of the killing, and the consequences of how it was conducted, are different matters. 

That this will create a strong reaction in H_______h and its backers is a fair call: how strong it will be, and where (I remain concerned retaliation may happen outside the region), is yet to be determined, but strong statements have been issued by Iran and Iranian backed groups. (And one report mentions Israel banning large gatherings in a vulnerable area.)

It appears that the attack was on a deep underground bunker, and that has caused civilian casualties.

This was not a raid similar to that used against b_n L_d_n, but the target was not in a relatively isolated, above ground location - which is part of the problematic tactics of H_______h, who also put civilians at risk - and their actions in Syria during the civil war there have cost them significant amounts of support. 

What is going to affect how the world views Israel’s actions is what it does to other civilians now:

• If it continues attacks that kills civilians, the world will view these events harshly;
  

• If it backs off - even for a few days, the world’s view may be less harsh ... 

The decisions to be made are not only with H_______h and Iran ... and it is civilians who will pay the price, if one must be paid ... 

PS - I have been thinking of how to comment on the alleged informal agreement that leadership will not be targetted, and, apart from it reinforcing the old maxim that a verbal contract isn’t worth the paper it is written on, it strikes me as being a bit like the “Christmas  truce” of 1914 in World War (part) One ... informal, of limited value, and subject to what are considered more pressing needs 

PPS - I have added some more links below. In view of my last paragraph in the post above, these news reports needs to be highlighted, however: 

“Israel ‘determined to keep fighting’ in Lebanon despite assassinating H_______h chief H_ss_n N_sr_ll_h - ABC News”   https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-29/israel-to-keep-fighting-in-lebanon-despite-killing-n_sr_ll_h/104409496     

“The killing of H_ss_n N_sr_ll_h leaves Iran with a fateful choice and the US humiliated | H_______h | The Guardian”   https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/sep/28/h_ss_n-n_sr_ll_h-h_______h-iran-lebanon-israel-us-analysis     

 

News reports on this include (note: I am continuing my policy of not naming t_rr_r_sts): 

• “Israel says it has killed H_______h leader H_ss_n N_sr_ll_h | H_______h | The Guardian”   https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/sep/28/israel-says-it-has-killed-h_______h-leader-h_ss_n-n_sr_ll_h      “Israel kills H_______h leader H_ss_n N_sr_ll_h in air strike on Beirut”   https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/sep/28/israel-says-it-has-killed-h_______h-leader-h_ss_n-n_sr_ll_h      “H_______h confirms N_sr_ll_h is killed after Israeli strike”   https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israeli-airstrikes-rock-beirut-h_______h-command-centre-hit-2024-09-28/      “Iran says a senior commander was killed in an Israeli strike together with H_______h’s leader”   https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israeli-airstrikes-rock-beirut-h_______h-command-centre-hit-2024-09-28/      “H_ss_n N_sr_ll_h, longtime leader of Lebanon’s H_______h, is killed by his archenemy Israel”   https://apnews.com/article/obituary-n_sr_ll_h-lebanon-israel-2da3789a02fd4e2e88511a7f59174d19      “Lebanon’s H_______h confirms leader killed as Iran warns Israel of ‘destruction’ | SBS News”   https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/lebanons-h_______h-confirms-leader-killed-as-iran-warns-israel-of-destruction/yyaxkrygo     
  

• “H_______h leader H_ss_n N_sr_ll_h, dead at 64, led a clandestine life on the run”   https://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20240928-dead-at-64-h_______h-leader-h_ss_n-n_sr_ll_h-lived-a-clandestine-life-on-the-run      “H_ss_n N_sr_ll_h, H_______h leader, killed in Beirut in Israeli strike”   https://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20240928-dead-at-64-h_______h-leader-h_ss_n-n_sr_ll_h-lived-a-clandestine-life-on-the-run   “The 64-year-old was widely seen as the ‘personification’ of the armed group he led for 32 years.   ...   Standing up to Israel is what defined him and his Iranian-backed group, H_______h, for years. But that changed when H_______h sent fighters to Syria to crush the uprising threatening President Bashar al-Assad’s rule.   N_sr_ll_h was no longer seen as a leader of a resistance movement but the leader of a Shia party fighting for Iranian interests, and was criticised by many Arab countries.”      “N_sr_ll_h led H_______h to become regional force”   https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/9/28/h_ss_n-n_sr_ll_h-h_______h-leader-killed-in-beirut-in-israeli-strike      “Who is longtime H_______h leader H_ss_n N_sr_ll_h?”   https://apnews.com/article/h_______h-n_sr_ll_h-lebanon-israel-airstrikes-haret-hreik-7d89051bb420991cee29398243c250fe      
  

• “Waves of explosions rock Beirut as Israel says it attacked H_______h HQ”   https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/9/27/several-explosions-in-beirut-as-israel-says-it-attacked-h_______h-hq      “Residents of Beirut suburbs traumatised by Israeli strikes”   https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/residents-beirut-suburbs-traumatised-by-israeli-strikes-2024-09-28/   “... the blasts were so powerful that a pregnant woman feared her baby could not withstand the force”      

• “World figures react to the death of H_______h leader H_ss_n N_sr_ll_h”   https://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20240928-world-figures-react-death-h_______h-leader-h_ss_n-n_sr_ll_h-lebanon      “Leaders react to N_sr_ll_h killing: ‘Turning point’, ‘unjust bloodshed’ | SBS News”   https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/from-a-turning-point-to-unjust-bloodshed-leaders-respond-to-n_sr_ll_h-killing/ekgxlgqrg     
  

• “Israel’s strike on H_______h leader is an alarming escalation in conflict | H_______h | The Guardian”   https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/sep/27/israels-strike-on-h_______h-leader-is-an-alarming-escalation-in-conflict      “To understand the escalation in Lebanon, we must confront what Israelis are thinking | John Jenkins | The Guardian”   https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/sep/28/escalation-lebanon-israelis-benjamin-netanyahu-h___s-h_______h      “Impact of H_______h assassinations may take months to emerge | H_______h | The Guardian”   https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/sep/29/impact-of-h_______h-assassinations-may-take-months-to-emerge      “The Path to N_sr_ll_h’s Assassination”   https://www.juancole.com/2024/09/path-n_sr_ll_hs-assassination.html   “Moreover, H_______h planned terrorist operations, even in Europe. Had it stuck with a purely military struggle with the Israeli army, it might have avoided being listed as a terrorist group, which cost it all legitimacy in the industrialized democracies.   ...   [the Israeli] fanatics who dream of re-occupying southern Lebanon and siphoning off the waters of the Litani River will likely discover, if they do so, that the potential for guerrilla resistance has not been and cannot be eradicated.”   This history starts in the 1950s, and is very good.     
  

 

Assumptions / basis 

In writing this, I have assumed / started from the following: 

• this blog states quite clearly that it is about political and human rights matters, including lived experience of problems, and thus I will assume readers are reasonable people who have noted the content warning in the post header;

Possible flaws 

Where I can, I will try to highlight possible flaws / issues you should consider:

• there may be flawed logical arguments in the above: to find out more about such flaws and thinking generally, I recommend Brendan  Myers’ free online course “Clear and Present Thinking”; 
  
• I could be wrong - so keep your thinking caps on, and make up your own minds for yourself.
  

 

 

If they are of any use or interest, the activism information links from my former news posts are available in this post.  

If you appreciated this post, please consider promoting it - there are some links below. 

Note that, as with my main blog [see here], I am cutting back on aspects of my posts.

Remember: we need to be more human being rather than human doing, and all misgendering is an act of active transphobia/transmisia that puts trans+ lives at risk & accept that all insistence on the use of “trans” as a descriptor comes with commensurate use of “cis” as a descriptor to prevent “othering”.

Copyright © Kayleen White 2016-2024     NO AI   I do not consent to any machine learning aka Artificial Intelligence (AI), generative AI, large language model, machine learning, chatbot, or other automated analysis, generative process, or replication program to reproduce, mimic, remix, summarise, or otherwise  replicate any part of this post or other posts on this blog via any means. Typo’s may be inserrted deliberately to demonstrate this is not an AI product.     Otherwise, fair and reasonable use is accepted under Creative Commons 4.0 on an Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike basis   https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/  

 

On democracy

I may add to this post over time, but what led to this post was: 

“Timothy Snyder: a Trump victory threatens freedom | Media Confidential”   https://youtu.be/XnYBlel3Z5s   This has excellent commentary on the difference between freedom-the-term and freedom-the-concept, that freedom “isn’t just the government not being in the way, freedom is the government enabling people to become free thinkers”, and “the significance of freedom of speech is that it  allows humans to speak truth to power, and when we   ...   find ourselves ... defending the ... utterances of billionaires and ... heads of state rather than defending the right of actual humans to say things that would  challenge the billionaires and the heads of state” - and that’s just the first few minutes: the rest is also excellent, and worth watching or, if you prefer, listening to the full length podcast. The discussion on truth, value, heroism, collective labour, social media, misinformation & disinformation (and the consequences thereof), and the risks of a second Trump term is of considerable importance.     

 

 

Assumptions / basis 

In writing this, I have assumed / started from the following: 

• this blog states quite clearly that it is about political and human rights matters, including lived experience of problems, and thus I will assume readers are reasonable people who have noted the content warning in the post header;

Possible flaws 

Where I can, I will try to highlight possible flaws / issues you should consider:

• there may be flawed logical arguments in the above: to find out more about such flaws and thinking generally, I recommend Brendan  Myers’ free online course “Clear and Present Thinking”; 
  
• I could be wrong - so keep your thinking caps on, and make up your own minds for yourself.
  

 

 

If they are of any use or interest, the activism information links from my former news posts are available in this post.  

If you appreciated this post, please consider promoting it - there are some links below. 

Note that, as with my main blog [see here], I am cutting back on aspects of my posts.

Remember: we need to be more human being rather than human doing, and all misgendering is an act of active transphobia/transmisia that puts trans+ lives at risk & accept that all insistence on the use of “trans” as a descriptor comes with commensurate use of “cis” as a descriptor to prevent “othering”.

Copyright © Kayleen White 2016-2024     NO AI   I do not consent to any machine learning aka Artificial Intelligence (AI), generative AI, large language model, machine learning, chatbot, or other automated analysis, generative process, or replication program to reproduce, mimic, remix, summarise, or otherwise  replicate any part of this post or other posts on this blog via any means. Typo’s may be inserrted deliberately to demonstrate this is not an AI product.     Otherwise, fair and reasonable use is accepted under Creative Commons 4.0 on an Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike basis   https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/  

 

 

An execution [Content Warning]

Note: CONTENT WARNING - some of this content is about upsetting, disturbing or triggering events & attitudes. Seek competent help - including professional - if you need it. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that linked articles may contains names and/or images of deceased people. READER CAUTION IS RECOMMENDED! For anyone distressed by anything in this post, or for any other reason considering seeking support, resources are available in Australia here, here, and here. In other nations, you will have to do an Internet search using terms such as “mental health support - <your nation>” (which, for instance, may lead to this, this, and this, in the USA, or this, this, and this, in France [biased towards English-language - my apologies]), or perhaps try https://www.befrienders.org/. 

 

A US state has committed an execution of someone after they had spent twenty years on death row, despite the prosecutors and victim’s family all urging clemency ... 

I often don’t comment on individual executions, but there has been some worthwhile media commentary which - mostly - helps illustrate the problems of a state showing that it does not value life by committing executions (although not much commentary on the cruel and unusual punishment aspects of twenty years on death row - but small steps are necessary with the USA). See:

• “We Got A SCARY Preview of Trump’s Plan For Us”   https://youtu.be/hFpxhphaPlk   “Thoughts on Marcellus Williams and a look at people’s reactions”      

• “Marcellus Williams executed for murder of Felicia Gayle despite lawyers, prosecution, and others suggesting his innocence”   https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-25/marcellus-williams-innocence-project-execution-missouri/104393460      

• “What to Know About the Execution of Death Row Inmate Marcellus Williams Amid Public Outcry”   https://time.com/7024354/marcellus-williams-execution-public-outcry/      

• “Missouri executes Marcellus Williams after two decades on death row”   https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cz9p518j0nqo      

• “Why was Marcellus Williams executed? What to know about the Missouri case”   https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/9/25/why-was-marcellus-williams-executed-what-to-know-about-the-missouri-case   “Marcellus Williams has been executed in Missouri, despite objections from prosecutors and though the family of the woman he allegedly murdered agreed to his life imprisonment”      
• “Missouri executes Marcellus Williams despite prosecutors’ push to overturn conviction”   https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/sep/24/missouri-executes-marcellus-williams   “Williams long maintained his innocence and the killing was opposed by victim’s family, jurors and office that tried him”     
  

Some general commentary about executions are in: 

• “The death penalty: a breach of human rights and ethics of care”   https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(23)01004-8/fulltext      

• “Death penalty”   https://www.ohchr.org/en/topic/death-penalty      

• “Death Penalty”   https://www.amnesty.org/en/what-we-do/death-penalty/   and   “The Death Penalty – Your Questions Answered”   https://www.amnesty.org/en/what-we-do/death-penalty/the-death-penalty-your-questions-answered/      

• “Capital punishment”   https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Capital_punishment&oldid=1247845790      
  

 

PS - my choice of the wording “committed an execution” is deliberate, and, I consider, more accurate than commonly used terminology

 

 

Assumptions / basis 

In writing this, I have assumed / started from the following: 

• this blog states quite clearly that it is about political and human rights matters, including lived experience of problems, and thus I will assume readers are reasonable people who have noted the content warning in the post header;

Possible flaws 

Where I can, I will try to highlight possible flaws / issues you should consider:

• there may be flawed logical arguments in the above: to find out more about such flaws and thinking generally, I recommend Brendan  Myers’ free online course “Clear and Present Thinking”; 
  
• I could be wrong - so keep your thinking caps on, and make up your own minds for yourself.
  

 

 

If they are of any use or interest, the activism information links from my former news posts are available in this post.  

If you appreciated this post, please consider promoting it - there are some links below. 

Note that, as with my main blog [see here], I am cutting back on aspects of my posts.

Remember: we need to be more human being rather than human doing, and all misgendering is an act of active transphobia/transmisia that puts trans+ lives at risk & accept that all insistence on the use of “trans” as a descriptor comes with commensurate use of “cis” as a descriptor to prevent “othering”.

Copyright © Kayleen White 2016-2024     NO AI   I do not consent to any machine learning aka Artificial Intelligence (AI), generative AI, large language model, machine learning, chatbot, or other automated analysis, generative process, or replication program to reproduce, mimic, remix, summarise, or otherwise  replicate any part of this post or other posts on this blog via any means. Typo’s may be inserrted deliberately to demonstrate this is not an AI product.     Otherwise, fair and reasonable use is accepted under Creative Commons 4.0 on an Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike basis   https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/