One branch of the corporate duopoly taunts while bullying. The other wing puts a polite face on bullying tactics.
Which kind of political speech is more dangerous: consistent speech which might lead to illegal activity or inconsistent speech characterized by taking extreme positions that are walked back shortly thereafter? For example, as is being reported widely: "U.S. president says 'nobody is expelling Palestinians from Gaza,' reversing earlier comments on emptying the war-torn territory of its population," per Al Jazeera.
Put another way, do elected officials have an obligation to uphold the 1st Amendment's constitutional guarantee of free speech even if they don't agree with the speaker? For example, does NO OTHER LAND come under 1st amendment protection even if it angers Zionists? From the Miami Herald:
The mayor of Miami Beach is proposing to terminate a lease agreement and discontinue thousands of dollars in financial support for an independent film theater after it screened an Oscar-winning documentary about the ongoing conflict between Palestinians and Israelis in the West Bank.
Most readers of this blog are aware by now that Columbia University student leader Mahmoud Khalil was arrested by ICE, handcuffed, and spirited away in an unmarked car. (See Mint Press News for info on Columbia administration ties to Israel.) His wife, a U.S. citizen, was for days unable to locate her husband, a permanent resident green card holder. After being told her spouse was not being held in New Jersey where she tried to visit him, she learned that he was actually sent to an ICE prison in Louisiana. Cruelty for cruelty's sake?
47's administration admits that Khalil is not accused of any crime.
We're fortunate to have investigative journalists working independent of corporate media risking their own safety by digging into the truth. Matt Taibbi in particular has been on the free speech beat for years, regularly angering partisans on both sides who want to censor and suppress views they don't agree with. That Taibbi believed the freedom of speech talk but now notes that 47 isn't walking the walk isn't too surprising; previously he expressed the belief that the elongated muskrat would defend free speech, too. Naivete aside, Taibbi is consistent in pointing out that if you censor speech you don't like when your side is in power, you should expect to be censored when your side is out of power.
That isn't the way the 1st Amendment has been interpreted by the courts, and that is relevant to Khalil's case because the Supremes ruled back in 1945 that non-citizens residing in the U.S. have the same free speech rights as birthright citizens. Even -- gasp -- communists!
But in 2025 the executive branch of the federal government claims this does not apply if the non-citizen is "aligned with Hamas" whatever the fuck that means.
How about NO OTHER LAND -- is it "aligned" with Hamas? It depicts brutal Israeli occupation that might remind us of Gaza, but it takes place in Masafer Yatta which is in the West Bank.
It's easy to see what a slippery slope the prosecution of thought crimes and potential thought crimes can be.
From Justin Paladino's Drop Site post on the legal details of Khalil's abduction:
Below is a timeline of Khalil’s contact with his legal team. We will update the story when more information becomes available on the legal team’s phone call with Khalil.
March 7, 6:46 AM: Mahmoud Khalil writes an email to Columbia University’s president describing the doxing campaign and fear he would be targeted by ICE.
March 8, 8:26 PM: Khalil calls his lawyer Amy Greer to inform her he is surrounded by DHS agents. Greer asks the agent, Elvin Hernandez, if he has a warrant, and he eventually hangs up.
March 8, 8:34 PM: Khalil’s wife, Noor, calls a lawyer, says DHS has him in handcuffs. She asks if agents have a warrant, no response. Asks where they are taking him, eventually saying to 26 Federal Plaza, the USCIS District Office.
March 9, 3:20 AM: ICE moves Khalil from New York to Elizabeth Detention Facility in New Jersey
March 9, 4:40 AM: Khalil’s lawyer files habeas petition in New York court, unaware that her client was relocated from New York to New Jersey.
March 9, 8:30 AM: ICE database still shows Khalil’s location as New York, despite him having been transferred hours earlier. Sometime after 9 AM, the locator changes to Elizabeth, New Jersey.
March 9, 11:20 AM: Khalil’s wife, Noor, visits the Elizabeth facility, only to be told he isn’t showing up in the system.
March 9, 11:30 AM: Khalil departs Elizabeth facility en route to airport.
March 9, 1:47 PM: ICE emails Khalil’s lawyer stating he is being transferred to New Orleans
March 9, 5:18 PM: The Assistant United States Attorney emails Khalil’s lawyer saying based on information and belief Khalil is deportable.
March 9-10, overnight: Khalil arrives in Louisiana “late in the evening Sunday night, early Monday morning,” according to AUSA in transcript, and is booked into the Central Louisiana ICE Processing Center.
March 10, 12:33 AM: Khalil is booked into Central Louisiana ICE Processing Facility.
March 10, 9:36 AM: Khalil calls his wife and tells her he is Louisiana, the first time they've let him call since arrest.
March 10, 10:17 AM: Khalil calls his lawyer, confirms he is in Jena, LA. The call gets cut off prematurely.
March 12, 8:30 PM: Khalil has a lengthy call with his legal team. Another is scheduled for Thursday.
I think we all understand that Khalil is the canary in the coal mine.
47's Department of Education is still operating doing the important work of investigating 60 U.S. universities for their failure to suppress pro-Palestinian speech also known as the new definition of "antisemitism."
“There is understandable curiosity around specific investments and strategies within the endowment, but given the confidentiality restrictions and the endowment’s outsourced manager model [emphasis mine], transparency along these lines is ill-advised and is, in many cases, simply not possible.”
I'm guess having Epstein-aligned finance fat cats on the board of trustees over the years has created this very shield to hide behind.
Thing is, you can't hide from moral obligations in the face of genocide. You can only try to muzzle those who point them out.
Do you still want to point them out in the face of threats to your freedom? Join me and Jewish Voice for Peace in sending messages to your members of Congress demanding Khalil's immediate release.
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