People are still perplexed why MSNBC would remove Mehdi Hasan, their best interviewer, as a host and cancel his shows. Ratings are one excuse. But context also matters. The Muslim hosts at the network have been under intense pressure and scrutiny for humanizing Palestinians 1/ .@semafor reported this in October: "MSNBC has quietly taken three of its Muslim broadcasters out of the anchor’s chair since Hamas’s attack on Israel last Saturday amid America’s wave of sympathy for Israeli terror victims." 2/

semafor.com/article/10/13/…

I try to tweet this every few days so folks can be vigilant of white nationalists and fascists using the latest Israel war in Gaza to further their own agenda and divide and conquer among communities of color. 1/ Tommy Robinson is a white nationalist who hates Muslims & formerly w the EDL & Pediga. But he LOVES Israel. Jews? Not so much. He has spread the "replacement theory" and conspiracies about Zionists. Jews condemn him but he has allies w the far right bc they too hate Muslims 2/

Netanyahu is a great ally to Biden. I mean, let's remember in 2010 when he humiliated Biden during his visit to Israel by announcing the construction of 1600 homes for Jewish settlers in E. Jerusalem after the Obama Administration asked them to pause.

swampland.time.com/2010/03/09/isr… Netanyahu is such a great ally to Democrats. So much so he snubbed President Obama and rejected a request to meet him at the White House in 2016. An unprecedented move at the time.

timesofisrael.com/netanyahus-unp…

You don't have to agree, but just to understand: many Muslim, Arab & young Dem voters realize Trump is the far worse option. They aren't dumb. Many feel dehumanized & insulted by Biden's recent callous comments about Palestinian civilians & support for Israel's attack on Gaza 1/ It's a feeling of disappointment, betrayal and pain that their lives just don't matter to this Administration, one that claims to care about a diverse, big tent in rhetoric As such, they are conflicted and feel stuck between an open white nationalist (Trump) and this option 2/

Since many thought leaders & pundits in America seem to literally not care at all about Palestinian life, here's another way to look at it: how will Israel's war crimes in Gaza help promote security & safety for Israel and its civilians? It won't. At all. 1/ Suppose Israel does eliminate Hamas (it won't) but persists in the occupation and war crimes against a civilian population, another extremist group will rise up and take its place. The occupation has existed longer than Hamas. 2/

For people who want to satiate their rage and anger with bloodlust and collective punishment try if possible to step back and reflect on the absolute long term horror and failure of the War on Terror after 9-11. It didn't help peace, stability or moderation. Just the opposite. For those of us who warned & opposed the War on Terror we were called traitors, weak, anti American, Terror sympathizers & that was for the non Muslim protestors against war! Those who were Muslimy got special attention, conspiracy theories & surveillance. It'll end in madness.

19 foreign terrorists brought down the 2 towers and killed nearly 3,000 people on 9 -11 - 2001. 15 were from Saudi Arabia, 2 from UAE, 1 from Egypt, and 1 from Lebanon.

So, America under the Bush Admin invaded Iraq and Afghanistan. Generations remain scarred and traumatized. 1/ #NeverForget the War on Terror was sold to the American public on debunked intelligence. There were no mobile laboratories housing WMDs in Iraq. The Bush Admin ignored allies, the UN, facts on the ground, & manufactured the war it wanted. Thousands of US soldiers paid the price.

During Trump’s presidency I told a reporter, who is now more well known, that he will unleash hate and bigotry against POC communities. Their response: "Yeah but that also means I get more airtime."

DC political reporting in a nutshell. Doesn't describe all but...sadly a lot. Another WH reporter lamented Trump’s loss in 2020. Said they don't have as many contacts within the Biden Administration and it'll hurt them with scoops.

Finished my Friday prayer at my local mosque where the imam prayed we would be saved from "the LGBTQ in our homes." Democrats are underestimating how pervasive GOP CRT & trans fear messaging/ propaganda has taken hold in religious communities & suburbs. You can't ignore it 1/ Republicans in Virginia, from extremist groups like Moms 4 Liberty & politicians like Youngkin, are actively reaching out to Muslims. Similar messaging being done in Latino Catholic communities and Black and Asian Christian communities. When you cede this space, GOP steps in 2/

I have received my favorite email of the month. I call it Impotent Rage: A Rant in 3 Acts.

Enjoy.

Act 1: Obsession Act 2: Envy

Well, I should feel honored. Got cut off from my first Zoom talk. Was invited by a company to address their office during AAPI month. I lasted all of 5 minutes until they pulled the plug. That was a first.

Badge of honor? Sad part is had they let me finish my talk it would have been an awesome talk and they'd understand the opening 5 minutes. Alas.

And yes I still get paid :)

GOP is going wild with the China balloon and, sadly, MSM is helping fuel the sensationalism.

Here's something Biden can say in his SOTU speech:

"I pay my taxes in America and shoot down Chinese spy balloons. Unlike Trump, who pays $200K to China, but $0 at home. Moving on..." More unsolicited advice for Biden SOTU:
- I am tackling climate change with a historic infrastructure bill, GOP believes it's a Chinese hoax
- I pass gun control legislation, a lot more to do, they are wearing AR-15 lapels in Congress and passing permitless carry

So some of my friends who are practicing Muslims love them their Andrew Tate, Jordan Peterson and Elon Musk. They are educated, middle aged, working, upper middle class-ish. Live in the suburbs. Married w kids. They tweet and post like lions but walk like sheep in person. 1/ They think feminists and liberals have "gone too far" but don't specifically mention how. They want "men to be men" like "back in the day" but don't mention how. They cosplay like tough dudes but all are soft. Nice guys on the outside but simmering rage inside
2/

Daughter has taken me to the American Girl store. Y'all...this is madness. I am one of many broken and bewildered dads here. There's a salon just for dolls. There's a line.

You should care about violence against transgender communities bc it's wrong, hateful, & they are so marginalized. Also, because you have skin in the game. GOP is attacking them to trojan horse their violent authoritarian agenda against women, Jews, immigrants, & POC. 1/ It's a reboot of the long-term GOP South Strategy to divide and conquer communities of color but now on steroids. It's the "Deep state" meets "QAnon." Any enemy of their white supremacist, Christian nationalist is "evil" or "soulless" and part of the conspiratorial cabal 2/

My election hot takes:
- GOP underestimates women's rage & abortion rights
- Dems must go all-in w culture war & fight for democracy. They have the better message & story: Freedom over fascism.
- Mainstream media largely failed bc of both sides to court right-wing access

1 - @cbouzy > @NateSilver538 & its not even close.

- GOP investment in Redistricting & Judges pays off. Hope Dems follow suit.

- For ex., see NYC (Fing Cuomo)

- Majority of white women continue voting for GOP extremism. Meanwhile women of color continue saving the nation

2

If Democrats don't come out and flood the Sunday news programs and media outlets about the threat of MAGA violence in light of the attack on Pelosi it's just political incompetence at this point and also an utter failure to warn and mobilize people ahead of the midterms. Democrats have to connect the dots for people & tell the story of MAGA violence. Don't assume people know. They don't. Tell them. Violent insurrectionists came to kill Pelosi on Jan 6. Conspiracies are promoted by GOP leaders. A right wing assassin tried to kill her this weekend.

CNN's new leadership has let go of John Harwood & Brian Stelter, two journalists that consistently exposed & Trump's extremism and authoritarianism.

It's a message for every other CNN employee: get in line, or you're out. We do "both sides" here and your job is to deliver it. I was with CNN for a year. Had a great time. A lot of good reporters & staff who just want to do their job well, but cable news media is a brutal, fickle, cutthroat business. Once you're out, hard to get back in. What do you give up to stay relevant and in front of the TV screen?

For our upcoming anniversary, I surprised my Southern wife w/ the "good ice" maker for our home. She said its the best gift I've ever give her & she cried. She said the ice is "amazing." It's...ice. I still don't get it but wife is happy. Thank you, Twitter, for making me aware. Behold, ye puny mortals! I...have stolen pellet "good" ice from the Gods!!!

Looking forward to Muslim teachers praying w Christian students to Allah with multiple Allahu Akbars. I said the Our Father at a Catholic school. I didn't freak out, but the same folks applauding today's ruling want to ban Muslims, books & Sharia law so I'm sure they'll be cool. Muslim teachers should teach the kids in class wudu and then lead them in Islamic prayer facing Mecca. Use the Arabic as much as possible. It'll be a great learning experience especially for the Christian students and it's the same God of Abraham so it's all win.

Republicans need to answer for mainstreaming conspiracies and talking points that have radicalized individuals to commit violence. This includes the replacement theory, Qanon and the Deep State. These white supremacist theories are now part and parcel of the GOP. Terrorists who believe in the replacement theory have killed Jews, Muslims, Mexicans and Black people, all seen as "invaders" trying to replace white people. This is repeated almost daily on Tucker's show. Murdochs have blood on their hands which they wipe off with money.