People are suggesting that your perspective as an “Israeli Arab” (also known as a PALESTINIAN) is somehow the final word. They will say “how can you tell an Israeli Arab what he’s experiencing? How arrogant!”… For that reason, I want to be clear… Your perspective is the minority one, by far. For every Palestinian living in Israel that I meet with your perspective, I meet hundreds who feel differently. So, just like Nikki Haley in the US saying there’s no racism, I challenge that extremist take with both empirical evidence and the counter-stories of other people. My actual response in the next tweet… Your point about having full citizenship rights as an “Arab Israeli” is a bit of a straw man. I never argued that Palestinians living in Israel did not have passports or couldn’t vote in elections. (Side note: having to vote 5 times in 2.5 years is WILD!) That’s not in dispute. The actual issue is twofold. One, Palestinians living inside of Israel experience systemic injustice characterized by laws and rules that are facially neutral but are inherently and indisputably discriminatory against Arab citizens. The organization Adalah offers a comprehensive database with more than 60 such laws. See my next tweet for the second issue.

After my successful Achilles surgery on Friday, I was rushed to the ER on Saturday after suffering a mild heart attack. Over the previous two weeks, I had DVT (deep vein thrombosis), which was caused by my Achilles rupture. This is an extremely common outcome for such injuries. Because of the DVT, I suffered a pulmonary embolism and severe clotting on my lungs. I am VERY fortunate to be alive. I am grateful to the team at @TempleHealth for identifying the problem and removing the clots.

For everyone applying to grad school: PLEASE make sure you do everything you can to get strong letters of recommendation. I see too many applications sunk by lukewarm letters. Sometimes there’s nothing you can do. Other times, it’s clear that the applicant didn’t choose well. For example, a strong PhD letter should be able to speak to your strengths, affirm your ability to do doctoral work, and clearly state the basis of this determination. Otherwise, even generous letters can be unhelpful.

I have no sympathy for Amy Cooper, but I do want us to wrestle with what it means for us to continue to seek justice through courts, police, and prisons. As an abolitionist, it’s a real struggle for me. In the current world, the vulnerable have few resources and little recourse when the powerful do harm. Calling for killer cops to be jailed, for example, is often the only available solution for “justice” in the short-term. I understand this dilemma, even as I struggle with it.

A few weeks ago, I appeared on Drink Champs. I was asked to join a discussion with Bun B, Talib Kweli, and Mysonne. About 2.5 hours into the show, Russell Simmons appeared. I had NO IDEA he was scheduled. I would NEVER have appeared if I had known. During Russell’s 20ish minutes on the show, I was texting the producers telling them that I was not comfortable with his press and asking to wrap. After the show, I expressed my frustration with what happened. I also asked them not to air Russell’s portions.

Some books that help me make sense of this moment. The book "From #BlackLivesMatter to Black Liberation" by @KeeangaYamahtta is indispensable for understanding the historical and present conditions that have led to the formation of the current resistance movements against State violence. bookshop.org/books/from-bla…