17 Comments

While crowds cheer, dudes in suites argue.

Meanwhile the genocide continues.

I admit I couldn't watch the whole thing.

The audience got to me.

Did they think they were at football game?

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They came to support their beliefs and ideas and chear them on, just like I support the various writers and commontators on Substack. I guess you can't hear me chuckling at Laura K or reacting to Caitlin Johnstone. Mehdi challenged the supporters of Levy and his ideas quite dramatically at the end (I suggest you watch the whole thing) by calling them sociopaths if they supported Israel's genocide. I live in Canada, where we do not have bombs falling on us. We do have other problems. I think it is important to take a stand. I try to take a stand. These guys (suites or no suites) are presenting their stand.

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It sometimes had that vibe, though it was always going to be an emotional debate, and the paid/invited seats were going to carry bias. I'm more interested in the common viewer who thought they had an opinion, but now have a better version of it.

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It was an interesting debate. Mehdi's opening remarks were spectacular. Yes the whole thing was a bit of a spectacle. It was good to hear the arguments that Levy presented, as I am in a bit of an anti-genocide bubble, constantly reading the reports of the atrocities, seeing the comments about them, and wondering how a whole nation could support them. Levy presented the reasons that he felt justify the actions of Israel and many people in the audience supported him, though I think Mehdi had more supporters there. What astaunded me was the amount of lies that Levy repeated and though they were challenged, he kept repeating them. This is the reality of our world, those in power often depend on lies and those that support them will basque in those lies. So we have to be careful where we find our light. The personal attack part was not good. Both debaters used it, and I was surprised since they came from the Oxford tradition that they used it as often. I guess this what the online and political world is about these days: personal attacks.

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That's it! Levy was unconvincing with his repetitive outrage. When challenged on his lies, he only repeated them instead of proving them. That insincerity will be felt in the gut of many.

Mehdi may be on the right side of this topic, but he's still a Western media man. His stint at MSNBC is indefensible except for the part that got him 'fired'. He's too anti-Russia/anti-China for my approval as a good human but I will give him salutes when he does well. And he's done well many times.

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Every time they are asked about the Palestinian detainees who are literally held hostage for months without any charges, and then released too, without any charges, Levy and all the other Israeli “spokesperson“ instantly reply that all of them are terrorists is laughable. It’s almost as if they don’t know their own country’s legal and judicial system. This all is very well documented, reported internationally, yet these shills parrot the same lies. It’s just unbearable.

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They do it because propaganda works, the best when its outrageous. My fellow humans are lollipops.

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The most amazing thing is how no one or no world organizations arrested Isreals prime minster when He attended the UN meeting in NYC it is as though he is above the law

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I get your drift but, conversely, that would be the least amazing thing on the Empire's turf.

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Same shit different pile

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There is absolutely no way I am listening to either of them. No way!

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I could think up reasons, but tell me what’s yours.

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I can’t listen to a Zionist justify their occupation, genocide and none-stop war. Neither can I listen to Mehdi who has no fixed position. The situation as it exists now in Gaza and now the West Bank is beyond some point scoring back and forth. The facts are already out in the open. Listening to them will mostly likely make me very angry and not do me any good.

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All fair points. I watched in the hope that the Israeli government would look like an idiot. My wish was fulfilled.

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I belive that's how I felt. Being unfamiliar with both speakers, I saw to well fed men discussing the fate of people who are staving and dying from Unattended wounds,

With a self righteous glamor of movie stars hacking for some politician.

No meat and damned few potatoes.

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Mahdi Hasan is not down with racism but is ok with white supremacy. The Kamala Harris campaign is fueled by white supremacy. On the other hand, Trump's campaign is fueled by racism. White supremacy is offensive and maximalist; while racism is defensive and minimalist.

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Hasan deserves criticism, especially for every reason that made him turn MSM, but this debate has merit.

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