Hey friends! How are you? I’m not ok. I haven’t been ok since October 7. And with the latest mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine a couple of days ago? My god.
I read a poem the other day that hasn’t left mind for one minute over the past two weeks:
In order for me to write poetry that isn't political
I must listen to the birds
And in order to hear the birds
The warplanes must be silent
— Marwan Makhoul / Palestinian Poet
Here are a few rapid-fire things on my mind before we move on:
I hope every hostage is returned safely and soon. I mourn every life that was lost on October 7. War crimes are war crimes no matter who commits them. Hamas is a terrorist organization. The IDF is a terrorist organization. Goddamn anyone who kills innocent children. This is not a war, this is genocide. This is not a war, this is ethnic cleansing. This is not a war, this is apartheid. We must continue to demand an end to the illegal occupation of the state of Israel and the constant state of terror that our Palestinian siblings have been under for the past 75 years. No more death. No more death. No more fucking death. Peace on earth.
Thanks for reading that brain dump. Here are a few things I think you should read, watch, listen to, and consider this weekend:
🎧 PODCAST TO LISTEN TO
The latest Let’s Give A Damn podcast conversation with anti-racist educator, Tim Wise, was incredibly helpful.
Tim Wise is among the most prominent anti-racist educators and authors in the U.S., having spoken to audiences in all 50 states and internationally about systemic racism, inequality, and methods for dismantling racism in institutions from workplaces to schools to law enforcement.
He is the author of nine books including his most recent essay collection, Dispatches from the Race War, and his highly acclaimed memoir, White Like Me: Reflections on Race from a Privileged Son.
In our conversation, we talk about being a Jewish person raised in the South, how he got into anti-racist work, the horrific violence happening in Palestine and Israel, Zionism, where we go from here, and so much more.
Listen to our conversation on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
📚 BOOK TO READ
Noam Chomsky continues to be a critical voice is our quest to liberate all oppressed people and move toward a world that loves and serves as many people, places, and things as possible.
If you’re struggling to make sense of what is going on in Palestine right now and how we got here, I recommend reading On Palestine by Noam and Ilan Pappé.
📺 VIDEO TO WATCH
If an effort to not make this entire email heavy as hell, I offer you a bit of levity here.
I’m never not amazed at Jacob Collier. He blows me the hell away every single time.
Don't be afraid of the dark
In your heart
You're gonna find a way
To carry the weight of the world
On your shoulders
You're gonna find a way home
This rendition of Little Blue was just what I needed this morning. Maybe some of you need it, too. Enjoy:
🗞️ ARTICLE TO READ
”Nothing can retrieve what has already been lost. But the unprecedented and indiscriminate violence that is still escalating against the 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza, with the financial and political support of Western powers, can and must be brought to an end.”
750 artists and writers wrote an open letter demanding a ceasefire and an end to the violence happening in Palestine. It’s short and very worth the read.
🧠 QUOTE TO PONDER
"Pray for the dead and fight like hell for the living." — Mother Jones
👋🏽 GOODBYE!
That’s it for this week! Thank you for reading. I'm truly grateful. Consider forward this email to a friend? Or send them this link so they can sign up. And you can always email me about anything. I’ll be back next week with good news and steps we can take together to make our world a much better place. We have a lot of work to do. Love y'all.
Peace and love,
Nick Laparra