Quotes and Links

A week in review

Brad

Nov 24, 2023

**Actor and literacy advocate LeVar Burton speaks at the National Book Awards on November 22, 2023. |** **New York Times**

“If you vote for anyone but Joe Biden, you are voting to destroy American Democracy.” — Filmmaker and Democratic activist Rob Reiner.
“Are there any Moms for Liberty in the house? No? Good. Then hands will not need to be thrown tonight.” — LeVar Burton, during the National Book Awards ceremony. If you’re a woman who opposes literal pornography in elementary schools, Levar Burton wants to physically assault you.
“China is ready to be a partner and friend of the United States. The fundamental principles that we follow in handling China-U.S. relations are mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation.” — China’s Xi Jinping.
“It is just unquestionable at this point that that man cannot see public office again. He is not only unfit, he is destructive to our democracy, and he has to be eliminated.” — Rep. Dan Goldman, regarding Donald Trump.
“The leftists have already decided the Palestinians are the victims. If you’re a victim, then you’re morally righteous. Even more conveniently if you stand for the victim then you’re morally righteous regardless of what you do with your own life.” — Jordan Peterson, during an interview with Bill Maher.
“We are consciously deconstructing Euro-hetero-Christian programming.” — American Indian activist Chase Iron Eyes, on his push to cancel Thanksgiving.
“Whiteness isn’t biologically real, folks. It’s a violently oppressive social construct that exists solely to justify European colonizers stealing other people’s lands, lives & resources.” — Democratic activist Bree Newsome.
“We’re getting the partisan story wrong. The party with the anti-Semitism problem right now is the GOP.” — New York magazine writer Jonathan Chait.
“I don’t think he can win the job and that’s what I care about. He’s going to lose.” — Bill Maher, regarding Joe Biden.
“What it truly and really feels like is white people wanting all Black and brown people dead. Murdered, live-streamed. Children, elderly, our pets. All of us.” — Saira Rao, author of White Women: Everything You Already Know About Your Own Racism and How To Do Better.
“In a 2nd term, Trump will imprison, he will execute whoever he is allowed to imprison, execute, and drive them from the country.” — MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough.
“All he wants is to look in the mirror and see a guy who’s president. All he cares about is selfish self-promotion. That’s the only philosophy he has, which makes it even more dangerous.” — MSNBC’s Claire McCaskill, on why Trump is more dangerous than Hitler and Mussolini.
“Has anyone considered that perhaps younger generation’s aversion/inability to make small talk isn’t merely due to screen culture but because we are inundated with how tragic and violent the world is—24/7— and small talks seems quite ridiculous and distracting in the light of that.” — Amy Gaeta, who is writing a book about “drones, gender, and disability.”
“In the name of empowering women, St. Mary’s has abandoned women.” — Independent Women’s Voice adviser and former olympic swimmer Riley Gaines. St. Mary’s, a Catholic women’s college, is now accepting for admission undergraduate applicants “whose sex is female or who consistently live and identify as women”—AKA trans women.
“3 Ways To Decenter Whiteness In Your Workplace.” — Headline from Forbes.
“These are the people that are going to put a bullet in a lot of your heads if Trump gets elected.” — Writer and Democratic activist Will Stancil, in reference to a picture of Trump posing with a group of soldiers.
“Since I’ve been back home for Thanksgiving break, I’ve had in depth conversations with four Arab relatives and family friends. All four have said they won’t vote for Biden in 2024. They insist they will abstain, even if it ends up benefitting Trump.” — The Washington Post’s Shadi Hamid. There’s a real chance that Biden incurs a significant penalty at the election box because of his pro-Israel stance.