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This piece is thus far probably the sanest thing I’ve read on the Hamas attacks and Israeli “We’re just getting started” responses. It adds to the mix the 9/11 comparison replete with how the US and its friends leveraged it at home and abroad to undermine a host of civil liberties. The inclusion of the perspective from Germany is invaluable to Americans like me who appreciate that increasingly disheartening situation.

Coincidentally, the next thing I read after CJ’s piece was Jacob Savage’s nauseating piece in the Free Press, “Can A Donor Revolt Save American Universities?” https://substack.com/app-link/post?publication_id=260347&post_id=138000952&utm_source=post-email-title&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=true&r=hchs&token=eyJ1c2VyX2lkIjo4MDkzNDQsInBvc3RfaWQiOjEzODAwMDk1MiwiaWF0IjoxNjk3NDUxNDE5LCJleHAiOjE3MDAwNDM0MTksImlzcyI6InB1Yi0yNjAzNDciLCJzdWIiOiJwb3N0LXJlYWN0aW9uIn0.Oqizkds4xj_B3ic-zNmRDiP5nwZL50LqYywbO3HPMOs

Don’t take my word: at least skim Savage’s offering. To me, it represents “the real Bari Weiss.” Since leaving the NYT, Weiss, like a lot of cancel culture addicts who feign (particularly to themselves) having kicked the habit, professes to be a new, more reasonable person. I couldn’t make sense of it in that I saw no convincing cause for an epiphany and consequent “new leaf.” But the things I read in the Free Press (hardly everything that’s appeared, of course) didn’t show the dropping mask.

I should have known, however, that something like the recent Hamas attacks would remove all doubt about Bari & friends. And so we get today’s anti-free speech, anti-academic freedom, anti-intellectual expression screed from Savage. A “guest piece,” to be sure. And I would not want it censored or hidden. But perhaps some other piece to balance it would keep Weiss’ true self more in doubt. Nah. Given the chance, she doesn’t disappoint.

Since I won’t pay to read the Free Press, I can’t comment there. What I wish I could do is post the link to this column from CJ and invite comment. But money is extremely tight for me for the first time in four years, so I just can’t. If anyone reading this has a paying subscription to the Free Press and agrees with me, PLEASE post a link there to CJ’s article. If you want to use any or all of my comment, feel welcome.

And to repeat: this is a fine column that deserves widespread readership. Thank you for some sanity, CJ.

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