1 00:00:11,720 --> 00:00:14,680 Speaker 1: Good morning, Keeps, and welcome to Woke f Daily with 2 00:00:14,760 --> 00:00:21,079 Speaker 1: me your girl Daniel Moody recording from the Home Bunker. Folks, 3 00:00:21,360 --> 00:00:27,560 Speaker 1: you know, wooke Wednesday has become an interesting time and 4 00:00:27,680 --> 00:00:30,880 Speaker 1: space for me. You know, it started out as a 5 00:00:30,920 --> 00:00:33,080 Speaker 1: way to kind of get over the hump of the 6 00:00:33,120 --> 00:00:35,760 Speaker 1: week and you know, have a place to vent and 7 00:00:35,840 --> 00:00:39,879 Speaker 1: all of these things, and as things in this country 8 00:00:39,920 --> 00:00:44,680 Speaker 1: and around the world have continued to deteriorate, Wednesday I 9 00:00:44,840 --> 00:00:49,960 Speaker 1: find myself in pretty much a deep place of gratitude, 10 00:00:50,240 --> 00:00:52,840 Speaker 1: just grateful to having made it halfway through the week. 11 00:00:53,520 --> 00:00:56,360 Speaker 1: And I don't say that tongue in cheek or even 12 00:00:56,400 --> 00:01:01,160 Speaker 1: to be funny. I am seriously like getting through these 13 00:01:01,280 --> 00:01:06,240 Speaker 1: weeks over the past several years feel like a feat 14 00:01:06,319 --> 00:01:12,640 Speaker 1: in and of itself, and I think that Wednesday is 15 00:01:12,680 --> 00:01:17,240 Speaker 1: an important day to kind of take stock with what 16 00:01:17,560 --> 00:01:22,600 Speaker 1: has transpired thus far, what you have in front of you, 17 00:01:23,240 --> 00:01:27,480 Speaker 1: but an opportunity to kind of plant your feet for 18 00:01:28,040 --> 00:01:32,280 Speaker 1: the week. Right at least That's how I've been viewing it, 19 00:01:33,360 --> 00:01:38,000 Speaker 1: And so I often find myselves in a place of 20 00:01:38,520 --> 00:01:44,160 Speaker 1: deep reflection on Wednesdays. And now I kind of understand 21 00:01:44,200 --> 00:01:48,640 Speaker 1: I'm piecing together why that is, we all set out 22 00:01:48,680 --> 00:01:51,480 Speaker 1: with certain expectations that we have for the week and 23 00:01:51,600 --> 00:01:54,560 Speaker 1: things that we'd like to accomplish, and you know, be 24 00:01:54,640 --> 00:01:58,080 Speaker 1: able to check off or you know, dinner plans or 25 00:01:58,120 --> 00:02:01,560 Speaker 1: engagements that we're you know making as we ready ourselves 26 00:02:01,640 --> 00:02:04,200 Speaker 1: for the weekend, that wonderful day and a half that 27 00:02:04,240 --> 00:02:09,360 Speaker 1: we get. But I do want us to start to 28 00:02:09,600 --> 00:02:17,000 Speaker 1: use Wednesdays as a day of kind of planting, if 29 00:02:17,040 --> 00:02:20,760 Speaker 1: you will, the day to plant your feet firmly in 30 00:02:20,840 --> 00:02:28,120 Speaker 1: the ground, ground yourself in thinking about where we are 31 00:02:29,880 --> 00:02:35,160 Speaker 1: right this week. For the first time in I don't 32 00:02:35,160 --> 00:02:42,400 Speaker 1: know how long, President Obama released a statement and I 33 00:02:42,440 --> 00:02:44,400 Speaker 1: say for the first time in a really long time, 34 00:02:44,560 --> 00:02:53,240 Speaker 1: because I believe that, you know, the reality that after 35 00:02:53,320 --> 00:02:57,840 Speaker 1: you're done being president of the United States, being president 36 00:02:57,880 --> 00:03:02,359 Speaker 1: of any you know place, that you get to go 37 00:03:02,760 --> 00:03:08,360 Speaker 1: and get your you know, life back, that you have 38 00:03:08,480 --> 00:03:15,200 Speaker 1: the opportunity to regain your space and place as like 39 00:03:15,240 --> 00:03:19,919 Speaker 1: a human, regular citizen. But sometimes I've gotten really pissed 40 00:03:19,960 --> 00:03:23,160 Speaker 1: off at Barack Obama. And I say this, and I 41 00:03:23,200 --> 00:03:27,000 Speaker 1: love this man, but I've gotten pissed off because I'm 42 00:03:27,080 --> 00:03:30,160 Speaker 1: just like you know, there have been so many moments 43 00:03:30,200 --> 00:03:34,800 Speaker 1: over the last eight years where we have needed steady leadership, 44 00:03:35,400 --> 00:03:38,640 Speaker 1: his voice, in particular his ability to kind of weave 45 00:03:38,800 --> 00:03:42,560 Speaker 1: narrative and hold, you know, multiple things to be true 46 00:03:42,600 --> 00:03:45,680 Speaker 1: at the same time, but create a sense of safety 47 00:03:46,400 --> 00:03:51,240 Speaker 1: and resilience that I don't think presidents before him and 48 00:03:51,440 --> 00:03:54,680 Speaker 1: or after him have been able to do. And so 49 00:03:55,280 --> 00:03:58,560 Speaker 1: when we find ourselves and have found ourselves in this 50 00:03:58,760 --> 00:04:06,520 Speaker 1: place of deep, deep, deep, you know, frustration and deep fear, 51 00:04:07,560 --> 00:04:11,880 Speaker 1: we look to people right like Barack Obama. We look 52 00:04:11,960 --> 00:04:15,680 Speaker 1: to leaders to kind of express for us ways that 53 00:04:15,720 --> 00:04:20,440 Speaker 1: we're unable to articulate for ourselves. Now, let me be 54 00:04:20,600 --> 00:04:30,400 Speaker 1: clear that Gaza and Israel, what Israel is doing to Gaza, 55 00:04:30,760 --> 00:04:34,520 Speaker 1: what had mass has done to the citizens of Israel, 56 00:04:35,960 --> 00:04:40,120 Speaker 1: is not something that can be easily parsed apart or 57 00:04:40,240 --> 00:04:43,920 Speaker 1: understood for that matter, even if you are a historian 58 00:04:44,040 --> 00:04:47,520 Speaker 1: or a foreign relations expert. It always depends on your perspective, 59 00:04:47,560 --> 00:04:50,400 Speaker 1: your vantage point, how you were raised, where you were raise, 60 00:04:50,440 --> 00:04:53,599 Speaker 1: your understanding of justice, of rights, of liberty, of fear, 61 00:04:54,000 --> 00:04:56,960 Speaker 1: of all of these things. Which is why I often 62 00:04:57,000 --> 00:04:59,320 Speaker 1: say that I come to you from the place of 63 00:04:59,400 --> 00:05:03,600 Speaker 1: humanity as a black queer woman that has lived her 64 00:05:03,680 --> 00:05:07,560 Speaker 1: life entirely in the United States, whose parents are immigrants 65 00:05:07,640 --> 00:05:12,560 Speaker 1: to this country, that has known injustice and justice, that 66 00:05:12,600 --> 00:05:15,800 Speaker 1: has known both relief and devastation at the hands of 67 00:05:15,839 --> 00:05:24,400 Speaker 1: this country. So recognizing the precarious place that you find yourself, 68 00:05:24,440 --> 00:05:29,599 Speaker 1: people losing jobs for articulating their feelings with regard to 69 00:05:29,760 --> 00:05:36,280 Speaker 1: Israel and Palestine, literally losing their jobs, being written off canceled. 70 00:05:38,120 --> 00:05:43,640 Speaker 1: Barack Obama, who has been silent on so much, decided 71 00:05:43,720 --> 00:05:50,520 Speaker 1: to weigh in to this conflict and did so in 72 00:05:50,600 --> 00:05:57,760 Speaker 1: what I will say was arguably probably the best way 73 00:05:58,000 --> 00:06:04,520 Speaker 1: that he could, right as both a man that presided 74 00:06:04,839 --> 00:06:17,400 Speaker 1: over war, conflict, death and destruction doing things that arguably 75 00:06:17,600 --> 00:06:20,600 Speaker 1: from a different vantage point, probably shouldn't be have been 76 00:06:20,680 --> 00:06:24,200 Speaker 1: done in our name. And that's what it means to 77 00:06:24,240 --> 00:06:31,119 Speaker 1: be president of the United States. Where drones have drop 78 00:06:31,240 --> 00:06:36,680 Speaker 1: bombs that are not void of civilian life and civilian casualty, 79 00:06:37,839 --> 00:06:41,320 Speaker 1: that America probably has more blood on its hands than 80 00:06:41,600 --> 00:06:49,520 Speaker 1: most countries, right, And that's saying a lot. But when 81 00:06:49,560 --> 00:06:54,200 Speaker 1: Barack Obama decided to weigh in on this, I thought, oof, 82 00:06:55,320 --> 00:07:01,440 Speaker 1: I don't know. I do believe that he walked the 83 00:07:01,600 --> 00:07:08,000 Speaker 1: line while both understanding his role as a former president, 84 00:07:08,520 --> 00:07:13,720 Speaker 1: also not undermining the current administration, which is his former 85 00:07:13,880 --> 00:07:18,520 Speaker 1: vice president, while also holding multiple things to be true 86 00:07:18,560 --> 00:07:22,360 Speaker 1: at the same time, that you can believe in humanity, 87 00:07:24,120 --> 00:07:28,480 Speaker 1: justice and freedom for all peoples and not be an 88 00:07:28,520 --> 00:07:36,920 Speaker 1: anti Semite or anti Palestinian and anti Muslim. That the 89 00:07:37,040 --> 00:07:42,920 Speaker 1: deaths of thousands of children, thousands of children is not 90 00:07:43,080 --> 00:07:46,760 Speaker 1: something that any of us should take lightly. I don't 91 00:07:46,760 --> 00:07:52,120 Speaker 1: care what fucking border imaginary border that they fall on 92 00:07:52,240 --> 00:08:00,559 Speaker 1: the side of right. Denying people water, electricity an aid 93 00:08:00,800 --> 00:08:05,720 Speaker 1: is a violation of international law. I don't care whether 94 00:08:05,840 --> 00:08:09,200 Speaker 1: or not you are part of the Allied quote unquote 95 00:08:09,280 --> 00:08:13,520 Speaker 1: axis or not. If you violate law, you violate law. 96 00:08:14,360 --> 00:08:18,840 Speaker 1: We should not pick and choose who we call out 97 00:08:18,880 --> 00:08:26,760 Speaker 1: for said violation in who we don't. That's called hypocrisy. 98 00:08:27,600 --> 00:08:30,960 Speaker 1: Former President Obama is getting a lot of flat for 99 00:08:31,160 --> 00:08:33,920 Speaker 1: his comments that I'm gonna share with you pieces of it, 100 00:08:34,080 --> 00:08:35,920 Speaker 1: not all of it. You can check it out on 101 00:08:36,520 --> 00:08:40,000 Speaker 1: his Medium page or on Instagram where he reposted it. 102 00:08:41,360 --> 00:08:44,000 Speaker 1: But I think that it's important to lift up because 103 00:08:44,040 --> 00:08:46,680 Speaker 1: this is a situation where if you comment on one 104 00:08:46,720 --> 00:08:50,280 Speaker 1: side or the other, you're canceled. If you don't comment 105 00:08:50,360 --> 00:08:55,040 Speaker 1: at all. You're canceled right and leaping people in very 106 00:08:55,080 --> 00:09:00,040 Speaker 1: precarious positions, namely those that are in the public. I 107 00:09:00,080 --> 00:09:06,880 Speaker 1: believe in commenting on humanity, on the thousands of lives lost. 108 00:09:08,480 --> 00:09:11,440 Speaker 1: I don't believe in tailoring things to fit a certain 109 00:09:11,520 --> 00:09:14,560 Speaker 1: narrative that will work for me at the time. I'm 110 00:09:14,600 --> 00:09:17,400 Speaker 1: following the reports that are coming out about what the 111 00:09:17,760 --> 00:09:22,760 Speaker 1: hostages are saying that have been released the latest the 112 00:09:22,800 --> 00:09:28,880 Speaker 1: two elderly women, and how they're saying that their government 113 00:09:28,920 --> 00:09:34,400 Speaker 1: abandoned them, how they're saying that they were treated. Well, 114 00:09:36,559 --> 00:09:43,280 Speaker 1: what does that say? I don't know. I do want 115 00:09:43,280 --> 00:09:47,480 Speaker 1: to offer up some of the pieces of what former 116 00:09:47,520 --> 00:09:53,320 Speaker 1: President Barack Obama said, some of which overall I agree with, 117 00:09:54,200 --> 00:09:58,480 Speaker 1: and some of which I do not. He writes this 118 00:09:59,280 --> 00:10:04,320 Speaker 1: in his Thoughts on Israel and Gaza. It's been seventeen 119 00:10:04,440 --> 00:10:08,319 Speaker 1: days since Hamas launched its horrific attack against Israel, killing 120 00:10:08,360 --> 00:10:13,520 Speaker 1: over fourteen hundred Israeli citizens, including defenseless women, children, and 121 00:10:13,559 --> 00:10:17,720 Speaker 1: the elderly. In the aftermath of such unspeakable brutality, the 122 00:10:17,840 --> 00:10:20,360 Speaker 1: US government and the American people have shared in the 123 00:10:20,400 --> 00:10:24,160 Speaker 1: grief of families prayed for the return of loved ones 124 00:10:24,160 --> 00:10:29,040 Speaker 1: and rightfully declared solidarity with the Israeli people. As I 125 00:10:29,080 --> 00:10:31,560 Speaker 1: stayed in an earlier post, Israel has a right to 126 00:10:31,600 --> 00:10:35,720 Speaker 1: defend its citizens against such wanton violence, and I fully 127 00:10:35,720 --> 00:10:38,960 Speaker 1: support President Biden's call for the United States to support 128 00:10:39,040 --> 00:10:45,199 Speaker 1: our longtime ally in going after Hamas, dismantling its military capabilities, 129 00:10:45,240 --> 00:10:48,280 Speaker 1: and facilitating the safe return of hundreds of hostages to 130 00:10:48,360 --> 00:10:56,800 Speaker 1: their families. But even as we support Israel, we should 131 00:10:56,920 --> 00:11:02,040 Speaker 1: also be clear that how Israel prosecutes this fight against 132 00:11:02,080 --> 00:11:09,120 Speaker 1: Hamas matters. In particular, it matters as President Biden has 133 00:11:09,160 --> 00:11:15,160 Speaker 1: repeatedly emphasized that Israel's military strategy abides by international law. 134 00:11:15,520 --> 00:11:20,680 Speaker 1: Why is Barack Obama writing this because he knows good 135 00:11:20,679 --> 00:11:23,600 Speaker 1: goddamn well that what the Israeli government has been doing 136 00:11:23,720 --> 00:11:28,760 Speaker 1: is not abiding by international law and that the world 137 00:11:30,800 --> 00:11:34,640 Speaker 1: is looking the other way at the use of force 138 00:11:35,480 --> 00:11:44,920 Speaker 1: against defenseless citizens Gazians. Because to not look away is 139 00:11:44,960 --> 00:11:49,840 Speaker 1: then to be called an anti Semite. To not sheeer 140 00:11:49,880 --> 00:11:53,560 Speaker 1: on the deaths of thousands of children in response to 141 00:11:53,640 --> 00:11:59,920 Speaker 1: the deaths of fourteen hundred people is somehow to not 142 00:12:00,160 --> 00:12:02,839 Speaker 1: be on the side of those that are most vulnerable. 143 00:12:03,480 --> 00:12:08,040 Speaker 1: I can think of no other vulnerable people than children. 144 00:12:09,280 --> 00:12:13,160 Speaker 1: And I don't care how those children pray. I don't 145 00:12:13,200 --> 00:12:19,000 Speaker 1: care what those children look like. What we know is 146 00:12:19,040 --> 00:12:22,199 Speaker 1: what we are seeing and hearing and reading and watching 147 00:12:22,200 --> 00:12:27,439 Speaker 1: with our own eyes. Whether it's one report that comes 148 00:12:27,440 --> 00:12:30,760 Speaker 1: out that says it Israel bombed a hospital, whether it's 149 00:12:31,840 --> 00:12:39,000 Speaker 1: the Palestinian group that led a bombing of a hospital. 150 00:12:39,160 --> 00:12:41,680 Speaker 1: What we do know is that there have been countless 151 00:12:41,720 --> 00:12:45,560 Speaker 1: bombs that have been dropped since those fourteen hundred people 152 00:12:45,640 --> 00:12:47,920 Speaker 1: that are massacred. Why do I need to part and 153 00:12:48,000 --> 00:12:58,640 Speaker 1: parcel who because thousands are dead, Bridges that were supposed 154 00:12:58,640 --> 00:13:03,959 Speaker 1: to be carrying humanitarian and aid were blown up, That 155 00:13:04,040 --> 00:13:09,840 Speaker 1: fucking matters. It doesn't make you a bad person to 156 00:13:09,920 --> 00:13:15,640 Speaker 1: say that that should matter because if it was putin 157 00:13:16,280 --> 00:13:18,640 Speaker 1: that was doing that in Ukraine, which, by the way, 158 00:13:18,679 --> 00:13:21,160 Speaker 1: there is no comparison as to what is happening into 159 00:13:21,200 --> 00:13:27,480 Speaker 1: these two places, right, And I really really disagreed with 160 00:13:27,600 --> 00:13:36,000 Speaker 1: President Biden's comparison of the two. The only comparison is death, absolutely, 161 00:13:38,720 --> 00:13:41,640 Speaker 1: but how and at the hands of what and why? 162 00:13:42,440 --> 00:13:49,240 Speaker 1: Completely and totally not comparable. Obama goes on to say 163 00:13:49,240 --> 00:13:54,880 Speaker 1: this upholding these values is important for its own sake 164 00:13:55,040 --> 00:13:58,200 Speaker 1: because it is morally just and reflects our belief in 165 00:13:58,280 --> 00:14:02,880 Speaker 1: the inherent value of every human life. Upholding these values 166 00:14:02,920 --> 00:14:06,840 Speaker 1: is also vital for building alliances and shaping international opinion, 167 00:14:07,440 --> 00:14:12,319 Speaker 1: all of which are critical for Israel's long term security. 168 00:14:12,679 --> 00:14:17,720 Speaker 1: This enormously difficult task, he writes, This is an enormously 169 00:14:17,760 --> 00:14:23,400 Speaker 1: difficult task. War is always tragic, and even the most 170 00:14:23,400 --> 00:14:28,920 Speaker 1: carefully planned military operations often put civilians at risk. As 171 00:14:28,960 --> 00:14:33,360 Speaker 1: President Biden noted this his recent visit to Israel, America 172 00:14:33,400 --> 00:14:39,440 Speaker 1: itself has at times, many times fall in short of 173 00:14:39,480 --> 00:14:42,720 Speaker 1: our higher values when engaged in war, and in the 174 00:14:42,760 --> 00:14:45,920 Speaker 1: aftermath of nine to eleven, the US government wasn't interested 175 00:14:45,960 --> 00:14:49,840 Speaker 1: in heeding the advice of even our allies when it 176 00:14:49,880 --> 00:14:52,960 Speaker 1: came to the steps we took to protect ourselves against 177 00:14:53,000 --> 00:14:59,760 Speaker 1: al Qaeda. Let us be clear. If you don't know 178 00:15:00,080 --> 00:15:03,880 Speaker 1: Muslim person that was living inside of New York or 179 00:15:03,920 --> 00:15:09,000 Speaker 1: anywhere for that matter, after nine to eleven, ask them 180 00:15:09,040 --> 00:15:15,120 Speaker 1: about their treatment. Ask them about being told to sign 181 00:15:15,200 --> 00:15:25,520 Speaker 1: up on some type of server right where your every 182 00:15:25,640 --> 00:15:29,840 Speaker 1: move could be followed to ensure that you weren't a terrorist. 183 00:15:30,400 --> 00:15:36,160 Speaker 1: What was created during nine to eleven, the Patriot Act 184 00:15:36,600 --> 00:15:39,200 Speaker 1: that allowed for the American government to spy on its 185 00:15:39,200 --> 00:15:47,360 Speaker 1: own people, all in defense of what our freedom. The 186 00:15:47,440 --> 00:15:53,040 Speaker 1: United States government has always gone above and beyond the values, 187 00:15:53,120 --> 00:16:00,200 Speaker 1: the true values of democracy, justifying heinous, fucking acts in 188 00:16:00,280 --> 00:16:08,200 Speaker 1: our name. We are told American history. Other people that 189 00:16:08,240 --> 00:16:12,200 Speaker 1: have been at the other side of the gun, the 190 00:16:12,240 --> 00:16:17,640 Speaker 1: other side of the drone, the other side, have their 191 00:16:17,680 --> 00:16:27,920 Speaker 1: own stories to tell. Both can be true. He goes 192 00:16:27,960 --> 00:16:33,360 Speaker 1: on to write this, now, after this systematic massacre of 193 00:16:34,120 --> 00:16:38,080 Speaker 1: Israeli citizens, excuse me, a massacre that invokes some of 194 00:16:38,120 --> 00:16:41,760 Speaker 1: the darkest memories of persecution against the Jewish people, it 195 00:16:41,840 --> 00:16:45,240 Speaker 1: is understandable that many Israelis have demanded that their government 196 00:16:45,320 --> 00:16:48,400 Speaker 1: do whatever it takes to root out Hamas and make 197 00:16:48,520 --> 00:16:53,960 Speaker 1: sure such attacks never happen again. Moreover, hamasa's military operations 198 00:16:53,960 --> 00:16:58,000 Speaker 1: are deeply embedded with Gaza, and its leadership seems to 199 00:16:58,120 --> 00:17:02,880 Speaker 1: intentionally hide amongst civilians, thereby endangering the very people they 200 00:17:02,920 --> 00:17:09,720 Speaker 1: claim to represent. Still, the world is watching closely as 201 00:17:09,800 --> 00:17:14,240 Speaker 1: events in the region unfold, and any Israeli military strategy 202 00:17:14,280 --> 00:17:21,119 Speaker 1: that ignores the human costs could ultimately backfire. Already, thousands 203 00:17:21,119 --> 00:17:24,400 Speaker 1: of Palestinians have been killed in the bombing of Gaza, 204 00:17:24,720 --> 00:17:29,600 Speaker 1: many of them children. Hundreds of thousands have been forced 205 00:17:29,640 --> 00:17:35,080 Speaker 1: from their homes. The Israeli government's decision to cut off food, water, 206 00:17:35,280 --> 00:17:40,800 Speaker 1: and electricity to a captive civilian populations threatens not only 207 00:17:40,880 --> 00:17:46,840 Speaker 1: to worsen a growing humanitarian crisis, it could further harden 208 00:17:46,960 --> 00:17:53,639 Speaker 1: Palestinian attitudes for generations, erode global support for Israel, play 209 00:17:53,720 --> 00:17:58,639 Speaker 1: into the hands of Israel's enemies, and undermine long term 210 00:17:58,840 --> 00:18:05,040 Speaker 1: efforts to achieve peace and stability in the region. This 211 00:18:05,160 --> 00:18:10,600 Speaker 1: is one of the boldest paragraphs I have read yet, 212 00:18:13,160 --> 00:18:17,520 Speaker 1: because to state what we know, what we have seen, 213 00:18:18,000 --> 00:18:23,119 Speaker 1: what we have heard with our own line eyes as fact, 214 00:18:26,840 --> 00:18:34,240 Speaker 1: is to open yourself wide for criticism and to being 215 00:18:34,280 --> 00:18:39,159 Speaker 1: called in anti Semite, Because what he is arguing here 216 00:18:40,200 --> 00:18:45,760 Speaker 1: is that to attack and continue to kill thousands of 217 00:18:45,880 --> 00:18:51,919 Speaker 1: children in the name of your own self protection is 218 00:18:52,080 --> 00:18:58,520 Speaker 1: going to create the very mindset, the terrorist mindset that 219 00:18:58,560 --> 00:19:02,280 Speaker 1: you say that you're trying to about, because of what 220 00:19:02,440 --> 00:19:06,719 Speaker 1: they are living through and experiencing, and if the world 221 00:19:06,800 --> 00:19:11,160 Speaker 1: is watching for the first time and seeing wait a minute, 222 00:19:11,200 --> 00:19:16,600 Speaker 1: these newspapers, these journalists that are reporting on this show 223 00:19:16,680 --> 00:19:22,399 Speaker 1: no empathy, no care. You're seeing hundreds of thousands of 224 00:19:22,480 --> 00:19:29,840 Speaker 1: people march in the streets across countries because of what 225 00:19:29,960 --> 00:19:35,959 Speaker 1: they are seeing taken place. So to come out and 226 00:19:36,080 --> 00:19:39,479 Speaker 1: say what we all know as a former president of 227 00:19:39,480 --> 00:19:46,199 Speaker 1: the United States cannot be taken lightly. He goes on 228 00:19:46,320 --> 00:19:50,240 Speaker 1: to say this, It's therefore important that those of us 229 00:19:50,280 --> 00:19:53,440 Speaker 1: supporting Israel and its time of need encourage a strategy 230 00:19:53,520 --> 00:20:00,960 Speaker 1: that can encapit incapacitate Hamas while minimizing further civilian casualties. 231 00:20:01,880 --> 00:20:05,880 Speaker 1: Israel's recent shift to allow relief trucks into Gaza, prompted 232 00:20:05,920 --> 00:20:09,720 Speaker 1: in part by the Biden administrations behind the scenes diplomacy, 233 00:20:10,119 --> 00:20:12,960 Speaker 1: is an encouraging step, but we need to continue to 234 00:20:13,080 --> 00:20:17,840 Speaker 1: lead the international community in accelerating critical aid and supplies 235 00:20:17,880 --> 00:20:24,280 Speaker 1: to an increasingly desperate Gaza population. And while the prospects 236 00:20:24,280 --> 00:20:27,679 Speaker 1: of future peace may seem more distant than ever, we 237 00:20:27,720 --> 00:20:30,280 Speaker 1: should call on all of the key actors in the 238 00:20:30,320 --> 00:20:34,800 Speaker 1: region to engage with those Palestinian leaders and organizations that 239 00:20:34,960 --> 00:20:39,440 Speaker 1: recognize Israel's right to exist to begin articulating a viable 240 00:20:39,520 --> 00:20:45,400 Speaker 1: pathway for Palestinians to achieve their legitimate aspirations for self determination, 241 00:20:46,080 --> 00:20:51,000 Speaker 1: because that is the best and perhaps only way to 242 00:20:51,119 --> 00:20:56,480 Speaker 1: achieve the lasting peace and security most Israeli and Palestinian families. 243 00:20:56,880 --> 00:21:09,320 Speaker 1: Yearn four. He provides at the end links to different 244 00:21:09,440 --> 00:21:15,800 Speaker 1: articles that provide background on the conflict and history. If 245 00:21:15,800 --> 00:21:20,280 Speaker 1: you all choose to read it, I want to end 246 00:21:20,600 --> 00:21:24,120 Speaker 1: with not his ending, but a paragraph that I think 247 00:21:24,200 --> 00:21:32,880 Speaker 1: is extraordinarily important because it's true. Finally, in dealing with 248 00:21:32,920 --> 00:21:36,280 Speaker 1: what is an extraordinary complex situation where so many people 249 00:21:36,280 --> 00:21:39,920 Speaker 1: are in pain and passions are understandably running high, all 250 00:21:39,960 --> 00:21:42,520 Speaker 1: of us need to do our best to put our 251 00:21:42,560 --> 00:21:48,040 Speaker 1: best values rather than our worst fears, on display. That 252 00:21:48,119 --> 00:21:52,840 Speaker 1: means actively opposing anti Semitism in all its forms everywhere. 253 00:21:53,680 --> 00:21:58,960 Speaker 1: It means rejecting anti Muslim, anti Arab, or anti Palestinian sentiment. 254 00:22:00,280 --> 00:22:03,280 Speaker 1: It means recognizing that Israel has the right to exist, 255 00:22:03,680 --> 00:22:06,639 Speaker 1: that the Jewish people have claimed to a secure homeland 256 00:22:07,080 --> 00:22:11,240 Speaker 1: where they have an ancient historical roots. It means acknowledging 257 00:22:11,280 --> 00:22:16,399 Speaker 1: that Palestinians have also lived in disputed territories for generations, 258 00:22:16,800 --> 00:22:19,800 Speaker 1: that many of them were not only displaced when Israel 259 00:22:19,920 --> 00:22:23,080 Speaker 1: was formed, but continue to be forcibly displaced by a 260 00:22:23,119 --> 00:22:27,280 Speaker 1: settler movement that too often has received tacit or explicit 261 00:22:27,320 --> 00:22:31,840 Speaker 1: support from the Israeli government, that Palestinian leaders who have 262 00:22:31,880 --> 00:22:34,760 Speaker 1: been willing to make concessions for a two state solution 263 00:22:35,280 --> 00:22:39,120 Speaker 1: have too often had little to show for their efforts, 264 00:22:39,160 --> 00:22:41,320 Speaker 1: and that it is possible for the people of good 265 00:22:41,400 --> 00:22:45,840 Speaker 1: Will to champion Palestinian rights and oppose certain Israeli government 266 00:22:45,920 --> 00:22:50,800 Speaker 1: policies in the West Bank and Gaza without being anti Semitic. 267 00:22:52,359 --> 00:22:55,879 Speaker 1: If we care about keeping open the possibility of peace, 268 00:22:56,240 --> 00:23:00,000 Speaker 1: security and dignity for future generations of Israeli and palisade 269 00:23:00,280 --> 00:23:04,680 Speaker 1: and children, as well as for our own children, then 270 00:23:04,720 --> 00:23:08,080 Speaker 1: it falls upon all of us to at least make 271 00:23:08,119 --> 00:23:12,200 Speaker 1: the effort to model in our own words and actions 272 00:23:12,440 --> 00:23:18,119 Speaker 1: the kind of world we want them to inherit. I 273 00:23:18,160 --> 00:23:22,800 Speaker 1: say this again as I close today, that Wednesdays have 274 00:23:22,880 --> 00:23:28,760 Speaker 1: become a day for me of reflection on what has 275 00:23:28,840 --> 00:23:33,679 Speaker 1: transpired in the week, what I'm looking forward to, but 276 00:23:33,840 --> 00:23:39,199 Speaker 1: also where I'm standing firm in the present moment. We 277 00:23:39,320 --> 00:23:43,119 Speaker 1: are all in need of deep moments and times of 278 00:23:43,160 --> 00:23:48,600 Speaker 1: reflection of space when we're allowed to just be and 279 00:23:48,720 --> 00:23:51,199 Speaker 1: understand that the world that we're living in is so 280 00:23:51,480 --> 00:23:54,880 Speaker 1: rapidly changing our heads might as well be on a swivel. 281 00:23:56,800 --> 00:24:02,040 Speaker 1: It is important to take space, to take time to read, 282 00:24:03,320 --> 00:24:06,119 Speaker 1: to consume, and not just regurgitate what it is that 283 00:24:06,160 --> 00:24:10,800 Speaker 1: we see, but to really have our own analysis and 284 00:24:10,880 --> 00:24:16,600 Speaker 1: self awareness. We deserve those moments, and we need them 285 00:24:16,640 --> 00:24:21,919 Speaker 1: more now than ever because we are dealing with really complicated, 286 00:24:22,080 --> 00:24:28,840 Speaker 1: layered issues and emotions. And so I do hope that 287 00:24:28,880 --> 00:24:32,200 Speaker 1: you will use these days that I call Woke Wednesdays, 288 00:24:32,560 --> 00:24:35,159 Speaker 1: not as a day to just rage against the machine, 289 00:24:35,240 --> 00:24:39,040 Speaker 1: but as a day to be truly conscious of what 290 00:24:39,240 --> 00:24:42,880 Speaker 1: is happening in the world and your role in it, 291 00:24:44,160 --> 00:24:48,400 Speaker 1: because we all have a role to play. We may 292 00:24:48,440 --> 00:24:53,199 Speaker 1: not see the arc bend towards justice, but it is 293 00:24:53,520 --> 00:25:03,879 Speaker 1: all of our jobs to help it bend. Nonetheless, that 294 00:25:04,080 --> 00:25:07,440 Speaker 1: is it for me today, dear friends on Woke af 295 00:25:07,600 --> 00:25:12,280 Speaker 1: as always, Power to the people and to all the people. Power, 296 00:25:12,680 --> 00:25:15,320 Speaker 1: Get woke and stay woke as fuck.