Since I speak out against antisemitism, write in support of Israel, and warn about the spread of fascism, there are sometimes vile responses in the comment section to my essays. I should add I also receive emails on occasion that can be extremely disturbing and even threatening. As something came up today, I thought I would address this disturbing trend.
I have just muted this guy Tim Holt @tholt because of comments he made in response to A Vampire Came to Call. I rarely mute or ban anyone. I’m not a fan of censorship. However, this guy is obviously some kind of troll and this time, he went too far. He always does this when I write on any topic having to do with Jews. I am leaving his comments as a testimony to what is happening in the world right now, as I have done with other antisemitic comments.
The thing is, a couple of years ago, people kept their hatred of Jews to themselves. Now, there is so much public support for antisemitism, people are emboldened to say and even commit violent acts that they would have previously kept under control.
I do not respond in like kind. As a follower of Jesus and as a martial artist, I use what measure of intellect I have to do battle. Prayer, meditation, and physical exercise keep me strong. I am not averse to physical battle. Nearly 40 years of martial arts practice has given me a firm foundation in focus and discipline, while fighting forms, such as boxing and Eskrima, gave me the practical training I needed to fight. My full-contact fighting days are behind me, but I am so thankful I had all those years of tough training. I never would have known back then how much it would help as I do battle with my—well, in the old days, I would say my pen, but now I have to say my computer!
I despise this type of cowardly commenting that so many people stoop to. We can choose to give in to the darker side of ourselves or choose to be a light in the darkness.
I know it's easy for to me to say this. In times past I have engaged in polemic in such circumstances. Still, once someone has firmly established that he is a troll, giving him attention is like giving him oxygen to breathe. There can be no victory in arguing with a fool.
agreed, trolls are usually paid fulls, full of anger and shame.
If you read my work you'll see 'oxygen to breathe' is a medical mis-direct as oxygen is not life sustaining. THEY want us ignorant of our physiology so THEY can profit from our suffering and death.
We breathe air not oxygen is the title of my article.
I explain how oxygen toxicity results from dehydration, it is not a mystery.
Hydration not oxygenation underpins mammalian physiology.
Hydration equals salt plus water.
The lungs rehydrate the RBCs as they pass through the alveoli capillaries with salt water.
An IV saline infusion does the same.
The red light monitoring is checking hydration not oxygenation.
Hydrated RBCs are bright and full,
Dehydrated RBCs are dark and contracted.
Zero oxygen or carbon dioxide involved.
Oxygen is a PRODUCT of air not a constituent of air. To make oxygen, air is stripped of moisture. Eg medical oxygen has 67 parts per million of water contamination.
Air contains zero oxygen or nitrogen or the other 1% of products THEY manufacture from air.
Air is the gaseous form of water. Air is measured by its moisture content or humidity.
The lungs require the air reaching the alveoli to be at 100% humidity, or dew point or drop point. Can you see the problem with oxygen?
Yep, THEY will lie about anything and everything because THEY have controlled the established narrative and we are schooled to memorise without examining the underlying assumptions.
I think the oxygen/carbon dioxide narrative goes back to the time THEY thought of animals as machines.
We are not MACHINE MEN and do not run on gases of combustion (oxygen) and exhaust (carbon dioxide).
Yes I noticed this blatant antisemitism on other site comments as well. Like you I value free speech and the right to allow others to voice their opinions. I just skip past these IMO non sensical rantings. I admire your stance on life and the martial arts. My wife and daughters were all involved in martial arts for many years which added to self confidence as it helped mine. Back in the day I have met with 2 men who would write very threatening letters (before email) to our workplace. One was in a very rural area and he ended up being small in stature and hid behind his charming wife. The other was a very large intimidating man who like to bully people. I went to his house and before you know it he invited me in for breakfast. We no longer had issues with these two who are like the rest of us just kids in adult bodies with their own past issues to deal with. Psychopaths are a different animal as we are now seeing in people in positions of power around the world...
What you just said here is so important. Sadly, this whole social media thing let's every coward spew hatred and perversion without consequences. If you were to confront them, look into their eyes, it's a whole other ballgame and they fold. I've found this to be true so many times in life. Most people would not confront the issue as you did. It's vital that we do.
I’m amazed at your resilience! My patience has worn thin with many of these trolls and agents of hate. It’s one thing to espouse a different opinion, and to voice that differing view in calm, measured arguments. It is quite another to spew hatred and threats. While I respect your right to not censor those comments at your discretion, personally I just block them or abandon the thread altogether. Time is too precise to give them my time or consideration. They cannot be reasoned with, they cannot be convinced and they’re not interested in conversation. They’re there for one purpose only…to spew vitriol and hatred. Believe me, no one of integrity on this substack would think less of you for stopping this abuse!
He's muted. I look the big picture. If everyone just erased all the comments, no one in the future would be able to see this progression. I leave it there, as I said, as testimony, a kind of historical context. I think it's important. The comments don't bother me at all. I look at them from a more clinical perspective.
I know how he is. If you know what to say to him, or how to respond, it’s not as bad, IMO. Sergey is a lot worse, though. Very vulgar and immature. There are a few others I’ve muted and a small number I have blacked.
I've actually had a couple of decent interactions with him. I always have hope that people will mellow, but that wasn't the case here. This got pretty vulgar so I can't imagine what would be worse. I mean, I've had worse when people threaten me physically. But that's on another level. Anyway, this is part of online discourse. It goes with the territory.
There are all different types of trolls. Some definitely paid activists. There's something called "click farms" where there are rooms, factories, warehouses in places like Bangladesh full of people clicking away on computers like a dystopian cyber-cafe, influencing social media. It's big business. I should write about it.
I don't even have a comments section on my substack. If someone wants to send me a comment, they can write to me directly. But that's just me-- I certainly would not suggest that what's right for my blog is right for everyone else's, and in fact, I appreciate being able to comment on some blogs (as I am right now).
All that said, if I did host a comments section, I wouldn't have any problem blocking trolls. Yes, I support free speech, but my comments section is my comments section, it is not a public square. I wouldn't block someone because I disagree with what they've said, I would block them for being rude to me or to other commenters (especially for ad hominem attacks), for using profanity, and/ or for appearing to be an AI bot, and for spamming. Those would be my rules. Pretty simple.
It saves me time, but it's also about respecting the testimonies that I transcribe. The subject matter is oftentimes extremely personal and upsetting, e.g., severe jab injuries and deaths, job loss with mandates, etc. Judging from what I have seen of comments on such material elsewhere on the Internet, I think the transcripts are best left to stand alone, without commentary. (I provide my contact info, if anyone wants to say something, or correct something.) Also, my goal here on Substack is not to build a following as a writer but to simply get the transcripts on the historical record and to spotlight them, also for the historical record. The people who need to find them will find them. I will have moved on.
But I love the comments section. It is my only interaction with others and I like having a discourse about what we just read. That would be a messier look if we had only one thread to all chat and are trying to reference something we just read. The comments section keeps it all organized under the article. I love that. But I can completely understand the perspective of a writer who just wants to inform with an article, like in the old, print newspapers. There were no comment sections to those, and people had to write letters to the editor and wait a week for them to choose to print their comments on prior stories. Instead we all talked in the restaurants, coffee shops, barbershops, and front porches over what was printed in the news that day.
But very few people interact that way anymore. We have been forced online, against my will. We have no way to engage in meaningful, in-person discussions. And if we try we are treated like weirdo aliens. So the discussion in the comments section is a replacement for all of us sitting in a coffee shop energetically discussing the articles. Like academic scholars do.
But you can find like-minded people in the real world. They are out there. It does takes some time and effort. I will admit, I'm finding it more challenging than I had expected. But I would not give up. Having all of one's relationships on-line is poor gruel.
I am glad you blocked him. I do seem inappropriate comments hither and yon, but mostly do not give them any attention bc I figure it is spam. Of course, you are the boss of your blog and rightfully so, you should block those that are clearly leaking their poison here.
Praying for you my sister Karen yes coward is the correct word so many anymore hiding behind their keyboard you could probably kick his butt in a New York Minute LOL but we do know God is in control and he definitely said in the last days anti-Semitism would Skyrocket and we see that In Living Color.... I love your work Karen you're an inspiration to all of us!! Maranatha!
He includes “Healer “ in his profile. How ironic. Now he may include self-healer after this correction lol. Perhaps he will learn the hard way. Only the keeper of Israel knows.
Yes, he is an actual person. I wonder who or what is behind these people. It's impossible to vet them since there's so many possibilities as to why they do what they do. Some are just bots, others are accounts made somewhere in Asia, there are "farms" that do this and I should write about it one of these days. Too much to write about!
Well somehow I shouldn't be surprised, but after reading the excellent article you wrote, I scrolled down to make sure I'd muted him from my Notes feed, and strangely enough, he'd already been muted. Thank you for the warning nonetheless- I don't need people like that in my feed.
I used to get a lot more. They have been weeded out. Mostly they are real people, subscribers who are appalled at my stance, show their hatred and then go away to places where they can spew it among like-minded people.
You must have taken that post down. I can't find it. These people put out ragebait and responding to them in any way just encourages them. Even mentioning them by name in your column excites their insanity.
Some other Substack influencers give free rein to the merde put forth by these non compos mente individuals in the name of "freedom" which is unfortunate...... encouraging that kind of "freedom" if indulged in often enough over a period of time, leads to, and finally gives way to, enslavement..
His comments are still there. I muted him so he cannot write anything else. But as I've explained, I have kept his comments as a testimony and a warning to our times. If everyone just deletes all the negativity, there will be no record of this progression for future generations. I look at it dispassionately, I don't care about such comments, they don't affect me. I care about showing the truth of our times.
I am so sorry to you have to put up these types assaults..like you said Cowards.. spewing real Hatred.. There are some sick'os out there.. don't let them get to you.. Keep swinging for the Bleacher's! You hit a lot of homers Karen! Look forward your next!
Ya did right Karen--I had ta do the same (I give 2 warnin's then strike 3 means "out")
--ironically even when NOT writin' 'bout Israel (which I've done at least 4x)--like when I covered some dystopian NWO stuff--it'd come up--chastisin' me fer not callin' it the Jew World Order" (like I'd do that) or the the "Zio-WO" or whatever... It'd come up when I'd rail against the mandates, the clot shots--seems these folks (most are real, I only have had 2 "bot-trolls" on repeat...) blame "we" chews fer everythin' includin' their dang hangnails.
So the hate isREAL but I think it's long-ingrained an' just surfaces when it's permitted.
Gad Saad said sumthin' that resonated with me... he too doesn't wanna censor but he used the term "marinatin' in hate"--yes that is it! Once food is marinated--once the marinade is absorbed--it become part of the flesh... you cannot "unmarinate" a steak. (Now if a human is just exposed to something--like a sauce on the top--they kin wash it off--learn ,rethink...). So that metaphor wuz very strong...
These folks are marinated--thru & thru. They cannot see otherwise. They are not cogently arguin'. The fella you "muted" gits around, see his handle all over--same kinda stuff he posts--but usually he gits "likes"...so he's oft-encouraged. (just sawr this yestiddy: https://dailynewsfromaolf.substack.com/p/video-idf-soldiers-use-palestinians -- see his "comment" at the bottom--it gotta like)
I dunno how ta change hearts & minds.... at least to "consider" the other side... Mebbe you've changed some who ain't "marinated yet"--I've had some leave / unsubscribe when they found out who I wuz/where I stood.... I've got "skin" in the game--I got daughters who are now hidin' "who they are" while I speak out 'best I can... Where we are now ain't NYC where we were "all over"--an' I don't KNOW how folks feel about chews up here.... Some likely wouldn't care but now.... All this ain't the future I imagined fer 'em... (nor was leavin' our home...The now-Rotten Apple). I thought that hate was over decades ago, but it was just "brewin'" in the vat...
I don't fault ya one iota for talkin' 'bout this situation--an' fer yer bravery for speakin' out. Many blessin's yer way!
Bein' fully against all censorship--an' not quite gettin' this "hate speech" thang as hate speech is in the eye of the beholder.... I struggled with navitatin' the territory of deletin' someone / their permission to comment. I always welcomed cogent respectful argument (from all sides), but what I oft sawr wasn't that--it was just... wull... the haters lackin' anything but ad-hominem attacks . An' they kin go "elsewhar" where their hateful discourse is not only welcomed, it's celebrated...
Some people's so called God given "freedom" in the shutting out of God has actually devolved into "license" to do and say whatever they want, about whoever they want, wherever they want with no boundaries. This SIN against God and mankind never stays in its own lane but is satanically compelled to take down everything with it if given free rein
I'm not a fan of censorship either, Karen, but in this case, you did the right thing, and I believe the only thing you could do for your own preservation.
I like that you muted him. He appears to have a temper and a small vocabulary, kept using the same 3 words. I sometimes read comments I don't agree with, and rather than going tit for tat, I just respond with my own comment to the article. However, I like your responses. They are thoughtful and meaningful. That is another reason I don't comment to others, I don't have the knowledge base you do on the topic. There is always going to be trolls. As long as I have been reading others tweets and comments, I find weirdos. That is what made me quit reading on some free sites, or at least not comment. Some are very aggressive. They usually have the looney tunes or trolls. I don't typically see that on Substack. I ask myself, why would they read an article they are opposed to in the first place? I think there are paid trolls out there. They are there to disrupt; it is a form of censorship.
Agree, it's another way to drown out legitimate voices with drivel. And as you say, it's impossible to have a conversation with someone who only knows three words.
Ass hats are real. You articulate all my my thoughts and express them much better than I ever could. As my kids say Mom gets Boston Crazy. It's a pretty ugly sight. Thank you you're smarter then most.
Thank you. You're a gem. Some good things came out of Twitter that has now become that cesspool X, namely meeting people like you and George. Hope we can meet in person one day. 🌷
The restraints and self control seem to be falling away more every day. I don't waste what valuable energy I have left on engaging with anyone who wants to prove something. It's just not worth it. People seldom change.
Unfortunately I’ve had to unfollow a number of other covid-era authors of late due to their hate-baiting articles and followers - Trish Wood, Meryl Nass etc. I’m a 50 year old British Christian and have to admit to being completely blindsided by the eruption of obviously underlying antisemitism. Good for you 👍🏻
For them then to start turning on other journalists who don’t align with them like Douglas Murray and Elizabeth Nickson is really beyond the pale too. Unfortunately they have amassed a horde of followers who amplify the antisemitism and howl down anyone who disagrees. I don’t know what’s happening in the world…
These keyboard cowards are prevalent and plentiful, in this tech era.
I know it's not a funny situation, but just from the small amount you've shared here, for this idiot to not understand you've faced more dire villains and situations than his woefully impotent attempt as intimidation and insult, is laughable.
Well done handling those among us, with self imposed mental challenges - in a intelligent and matter of fact way. When the garbage can is full, you take it out - no emotions or deep thought required.
For some reason this conflict in the Middle East conjures up such intense anger. I can't think of another single issue that has become so divisive other than Donald Trump. We are each entitled to our own opinions on the matter. The concept of free speech is never more important than when you disagree. I would ignore this person completely. The more "airtime" you give it/him, the more it gets them going. They will be onto the next soon enough. sabrinalabow.substack.com
I appreciate your right to defend whomever you choose and feel, as is the case anywhere in the world, there are always good and humble people in any group. I also appreciate my own rights and anyone else's.
The current expression of hatred for the Jewish people is misplaced as well as the Jewish concept of superiority by virtue of being born Jewish which is also misplaced. I worked here in the US for many years in the fashion business in NYC and the film business in NYC and LA. Both are businesses dominated by Jewish people and intimately tied to banking and finances, also dominated by Jewish people.
I experienced first hand for many years the Jewish idea that they are a superior people. Not being Jewish myself I was at best treated as if I were a favored "pet" and at worse someone to exploit.
The Jewish people bring much of the hatred upon themselves. If they truly want to treated like anyone else, they must break their cultural tradition of superiority to everyone else. They must follow, "Do unto others as you would have done to yourself." Their belief in their superiority will always and forever foster hatred from others and even renders the Jewish stance of perpetual victimhood as hypocritical.
I don't hate the Jewish people, far from it. I had and have many Jewish friends, but the problems they experience in the world will not end until they stop believing themselves to the exclusion of all other people as God's "Chosen People." Giving them justification for their inhumane treatment of their fellow man. Which they are demonstrating as I write.
If the Jewish people want an end to anti semitism, I suggest they begin by ending their belief in their superiority in their own hearts first. The rest will likely naturally follow though it will also likely take many years.
God has made it very clear all who follow Jesus Christ are His children. All. The Jewish people don't get a pass from God in this regard anymore than anyone else of another faith such as Muslim, Hindu, etc.
People with hatred in their hearts virtually always devolve into this thing we call "trolls" online and racist everywhere. That is their own failing and no one else's.
God Bless and thank you, KH, for tackling difficult subjects head on.
"But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow in His steps:
'Who committed no sin,
Nor was deceit found in His mouth',(Isaiah 53:9)
who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness--by whose stripes you were healed"
(1 Peter 2:20b-24).
"But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you. Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven"(Luke 6:27-28, 37).
"I called on the Lord in distress; The Lord answered me and set me in a broad place. The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?"(Psalm 118:5,6).
"If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns[Tim Holt?]? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written:
'For your sake we are killed all day long:
We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.'(Psalm 44:22)
Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."(Romans 8:31-39)
'Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as it depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath, for it is written, ' Vengeance is mine, I will repay,'(Deut. 32:35) says the Lord. Therefore
'If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
If he is thirsty, give him a drink;
For in so doing you will heap coals
of fire on his head.'(Proverbs 25:21,22)
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."(Romans 12:17-21)
Well done Karen for setting a Christ like example, as the Scriptures exhort us to practice, in the power of the Holy Spirit.
I don’t dislike him. Too bad he can’t kill Zelenskyy. He and Israel have mutual interests. To kill the terrorists trying to get the WMDs that Assad still has.
I've banned Tim Holt. I had just muted him last time for some really disgusting comments, but his comments continue to be disrespectful, without any reasonable intellectual value. It's wasted energy to respond to him unfortunately.
Perhaps you should draw a distinction between anti-zionism and anti-semitism. Conflating them is ludicrous, but is being done constantly, including in new legislation being pushed at Israeli demands which would criminalize people for rightly, and strenuously opposing Zionism.
The term Zionist refers to almost everyone who lives inside Israel and also those outside Israel who agree that Israel, like any other nation, has a right to exist. Zionists include allmost all of the 20 percent of the Israeli population that are Arabs. The propaganda effort to demonize Zionists by making a distinction between "Zionists" and "Jews" is a way to justify extermination of all Jews. Those who are not Zionists are those who willingly allow themselves to be exterminated (because without the state of Israel, they will be exterminated, their surrounding enemies have made no secret of this) and those Jews who fight for their survival are termed Zionists (evil), even though this is what any rational human being would do, yourself included.
This categorization guiltlessly and conveniently gets rid of "the Jewish problem" because it justifies killing those monsters, the Zionists. And once that happens all the passive Jews will be killed too. I'm sure you don't agree with what I've said. But if you are interested, you can find our the facts in my essays. My most recent one A Vampire Came to Call https://khmezek.substack.com/p/a-vampire-came-to-call
I paused a moment as to think through this opinion piece carefully....Democide is being conducted by all western governments jews included. The death caused by injections are far from being over and increasing everyday in excess death and the destruction of female ovaries (per Naomi Wolfe). If someone is a racist or a bigot, I don't care. I simply don't have the time for it. It's distracting to read comments like your describing as well as distracting as to read about it. Your writing is usually spot on, so, I'm just going to pretend I didn't waste my time typing this and I hope you get focused back on your topics. I do enjoy reading your stacks, this one, naw...
I appreciate your input. This isn't an essay, it's a thread, meant for discussion. Out of three years of writing essays, this is one thread dealing with the topic of comments, so no need to worry I've lost my focus. For those who enjoy making comments, it's helpful they know how I deal with violent or abusive ones. It's something I confront, sometimes multiple times a day.
I would just add that I agree that governments are corrupt on many levels. I write about often. For example, I wrote about the Israeli government selling its people to Pfizer. However, Jews are not a "government". There's a big difference between demonizing an entire people and criticizing a government. I'm sure that's not what you meant, but I just wanted to clarify because these distinctions are important.
I'm glad you enjoy reading my essays. That said, I can't please everyone all the time, nor is that my goal. I write what's on my heart and I have yet to run out of topics!
As I write what's on my heart also... I will move by the condescending moments here as an olive branch to future more pertinent topics to discuss... my point, we ain't got time to deal with every loony narcistic bigot who in all reality is most likely of a subpar mentality anyways.
See you on your next post. Looking forward to reading it 😉
I appreciate your response. I don’t agree with all of what you have said. I am always heartened when people can still discuss topics civilly that they don’t agree on. It’s getting harder and harder to do, the algorithms push us further and further apart.
I’ve spent too much time and research writing about the topic of Israel to go into a lengthy answer here. But I do agree that any extremism is wrong. I write a lot about that, too. Just wrote about what’s happening in Europe. I’ve criticized the Israeli government before, when I wrote about Netanyahu selling out its people to Pfizer. Anyone who gets to that level of power got there by making deals with the devil.
Agree completely! I always encourage people to get outside, away from these machines. They can be used for a good purpose but sparingly and carefully. It's sort of like Bilbo/Frodo and the ring, the more they put it on, the more exposed they were to the Eye of Sauron and the more their real selves faded away. Our families, friends, our churches and support networks will become more and more important as the world grows darker.
As for this platform, if I can contribute in any way to reminding people how important it is to have respectful dialogue, to not just cut people off, then I feel like I've achieved something. Thank you so much for being here and for your valuable input.
I know it's easy for to me to say this. In times past I have engaged in polemic in such circumstances. Still, once someone has firmly established that he is a troll, giving him attention is like giving him oxygen to breathe. There can be no victory in arguing with a fool.
Agreed.
yes. then it is just the best to step away
Hear, hear!
Never feed the trolls.
agreed, trolls are usually paid fulls, full of anger and shame.
If you read my work you'll see 'oxygen to breathe' is a medical mis-direct as oxygen is not life sustaining. THEY want us ignorant of our physiology so THEY can profit from our suffering and death.
We breathe air not oxygen is the title of my article.
I explain how oxygen toxicity results from dehydration, it is not a mystery.
Hydration not oxygenation underpins mammalian physiology.
Hydration equals salt plus water.
The lungs rehydrate the RBCs as they pass through the alveoli capillaries with salt water.
An IV saline infusion does the same.
The red light monitoring is checking hydration not oxygenation.
Hydrated RBCs are bright and full,
Dehydrated RBCs are dark and contracted.
Zero oxygen or carbon dioxide involved.
Oxygen is a PRODUCT of air not a constituent of air. To make oxygen, air is stripped of moisture. Eg medical oxygen has 67 parts per million of water contamination.
Air contains zero oxygen or nitrogen or the other 1% of products THEY manufacture from air.
Air is the gaseous form of water. Air is measured by its moisture content or humidity.
The lungs require the air reaching the alveoli to be at 100% humidity, or dew point or drop point. Can you see the problem with oxygen?
Yep, THEY will lie about anything and everything because THEY have controlled the established narrative and we are schooled to memorise without examining the underlying assumptions.
I think the oxygen/carbon dioxide narrative goes back to the time THEY thought of animals as machines.
We are not MACHINE MEN and do not run on gases of combustion (oxygen) and exhaust (carbon dioxide).
Hydration is our achilles heel.
Stay salty.
Sadly, there’s nothing new under the sun.
“I will bless those who bless you, but whoever curses you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.” - Genesis 12:3 TLV
I would not want to be on the wrong side of this and pray for eyes of hearts to be opened.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem 🙏🏻
Amen
Yes I noticed this blatant antisemitism on other site comments as well. Like you I value free speech and the right to allow others to voice their opinions. I just skip past these IMO non sensical rantings. I admire your stance on life and the martial arts. My wife and daughters were all involved in martial arts for many years which added to self confidence as it helped mine. Back in the day I have met with 2 men who would write very threatening letters (before email) to our workplace. One was in a very rural area and he ended up being small in stature and hid behind his charming wife. The other was a very large intimidating man who like to bully people. I went to his house and before you know it he invited me in for breakfast. We no longer had issues with these two who are like the rest of us just kids in adult bodies with their own past issues to deal with. Psychopaths are a different animal as we are now seeing in people in positions of power around the world...
What you just said here is so important. Sadly, this whole social media thing let's every coward spew hatred and perversion without consequences. If you were to confront them, look into their eyes, it's a whole other ballgame and they fold. I've found this to be true so many times in life. Most people would not confront the issue as you did. It's vital that we do.
I’m amazed at your resilience! My patience has worn thin with many of these trolls and agents of hate. It’s one thing to espouse a different opinion, and to voice that differing view in calm, measured arguments. It is quite another to spew hatred and threats. While I respect your right to not censor those comments at your discretion, personally I just block them or abandon the thread altogether. Time is too precise to give them my time or consideration. They cannot be reasoned with, they cannot be convinced and they’re not interested in conversation. They’re there for one purpose only…to spew vitriol and hatred. Believe me, no one of integrity on this substack would think less of you for stopping this abuse!
He's muted. I look the big picture. If everyone just erased all the comments, no one in the future would be able to see this progression. I leave it there, as I said, as testimony, a kind of historical context. I think it's important. The comments don't bother me at all. I look at them from a more clinical perspective.
We trust you to do what’s best!
I know how he is. If you know what to say to him, or how to respond, it’s not as bad, IMO. Sergey is a lot worse, though. Very vulgar and immature. There are a few others I’ve muted and a small number I have blacked.
I've actually had a couple of decent interactions with him. I always have hope that people will mellow, but that wasn't the case here. This got pretty vulgar so I can't imagine what would be worse. I mean, I've had worse when people threaten me physically. But that's on another level. Anyway, this is part of online discourse. It goes with the territory.
Please continue being the Light. We need all the allies we can gather together!!!
If you are getting responses from antisemites, you've hit a nerve. So good. Congratulate yourself for making an impact, then cancel his a**.
I often wonder how many are political paid activists that say outrageous things to justify censorship/anti hate laws.
There are all different types of trolls. Some definitely paid activists. There's something called "click farms" where there are rooms, factories, warehouses in places like Bangladesh full of people clicking away on computers like a dystopian cyber-cafe, influencing social media. It's big business. I should write about it.
And how many other lunatic comments are law enforcement luring other lunatics? Lol.
I don't even have a comments section on my substack. If someone wants to send me a comment, they can write to me directly. But that's just me-- I certainly would not suggest that what's right for my blog is right for everyone else's, and in fact, I appreciate being able to comment on some blogs (as I am right now).
All that said, if I did host a comments section, I wouldn't have any problem blocking trolls. Yes, I support free speech, but my comments section is my comments section, it is not a public square. I wouldn't block someone because I disagree with what they've said, I would block them for being rude to me or to other commenters (especially for ad hominem attacks), for using profanity, and/ or for appearing to be an AI bot, and for spamming. Those would be my rules. Pretty simple.
You can see I like to engage with people. As you say, we all have our own approach. I'm sure it saves you a lot of time not worrying about comments!
It saves me time, but it's also about respecting the testimonies that I transcribe. The subject matter is oftentimes extremely personal and upsetting, e.g., severe jab injuries and deaths, job loss with mandates, etc. Judging from what I have seen of comments on such material elsewhere on the Internet, I think the transcripts are best left to stand alone, without commentary. (I provide my contact info, if anyone wants to say something, or correct something.) Also, my goal here on Substack is not to build a following as a writer but to simply get the transcripts on the historical record and to spotlight them, also for the historical record. The people who need to find them will find them. I will have moved on.
But I love the comments section. It is my only interaction with others and I like having a discourse about what we just read. That would be a messier look if we had only one thread to all chat and are trying to reference something we just read. The comments section keeps it all organized under the article. I love that. But I can completely understand the perspective of a writer who just wants to inform with an article, like in the old, print newspapers. There were no comment sections to those, and people had to write letters to the editor and wait a week for them to choose to print their comments on prior stories. Instead we all talked in the restaurants, coffee shops, barbershops, and front porches over what was printed in the news that day.
But very few people interact that way anymore. We have been forced online, against my will. We have no way to engage in meaningful, in-person discussions. And if we try we are treated like weirdo aliens. So the discussion in the comments section is a replacement for all of us sitting in a coffee shop energetically discussing the articles. Like academic scholars do.
But you can find like-minded people in the real world. They are out there. It does takes some time and effort. I will admit, I'm finding it more challenging than I had expected. But I would not give up. Having all of one's relationships on-line is poor gruel.
I am glad you blocked him. I do seem inappropriate comments hither and yon, but mostly do not give them any attention bc I figure it is spam. Of course, you are the boss of your blog and rightfully so, you should block those that are clearly leaking their poison here.
Praying for you my sister Karen yes coward is the correct word so many anymore hiding behind their keyboard you could probably kick his butt in a New York Minute LOL but we do know God is in control and he definitely said in the last days anti-Semitism would Skyrocket and we see that In Living Color.... I love your work Karen you're an inspiration to all of us!! Maranatha!
Yes, all of the is no surprise for anyone who reads the Bible. God bless you. Thank you for your prayers.
He includes “Healer “ in his profile. How ironic. Now he may include self-healer after this correction lol. Perhaps he will learn the hard way. Only the keeper of Israel knows.
Yes, he is an actual person. I wonder who or what is behind these people. It's impossible to vet them since there's so many possibilities as to why they do what they do. Some are just bots, others are accounts made somewhere in Asia, there are "farms" that do this and I should write about it one of these days. Too much to write about!
Well somehow I shouldn't be surprised, but after reading the excellent article you wrote, I scrolled down to make sure I'd muted him from my Notes feed, and strangely enough, he'd already been muted. Thank you for the warning nonetheless- I don't need people like that in my feed.
Haha, that's interesting. I am sure he has been muted all over Substack.
You should see some of the ignorant and hateful comments I've gotten and blocked. True pond scum.
I used to get a lot more. They have been weeded out. Mostly they are real people, subscribers who are appalled at my stance, show their hatred and then go away to places where they can spew it among like-minded people.
You must have taken that post down. I can't find it. These people put out ragebait and responding to them in any way just encourages them. Even mentioning them by name in your column excites their insanity.
Some other Substack influencers give free rein to the merde put forth by these non compos mente individuals in the name of "freedom" which is unfortunate...... encouraging that kind of "freedom" if indulged in often enough over a period of time, leads to, and finally gives way to, enslavement..
His comments are still there. I muted him so he cannot write anything else. But as I've explained, I have kept his comments as a testimony and a warning to our times. If everyone just deletes all the negativity, there will be no record of this progression for future generations. I look at it dispassionately, I don't care about such comments, they don't affect me. I care about showing the truth of our times.
I am so sorry to you have to put up these types assaults..like you said Cowards.. spewing real Hatred.. There are some sick'os out there.. don't let them get to you.. Keep swinging for the Bleacher's! You hit a lot of homers Karen! Look forward your next!
I blocked the crap out of that creep
(note clever word play and alliteration) 😁 😆
Haha!
Ya did right Karen--I had ta do the same (I give 2 warnin's then strike 3 means "out")
--ironically even when NOT writin' 'bout Israel (which I've done at least 4x)--like when I covered some dystopian NWO stuff--it'd come up--chastisin' me fer not callin' it the Jew World Order" (like I'd do that) or the the "Zio-WO" or whatever... It'd come up when I'd rail against the mandates, the clot shots--seems these folks (most are real, I only have had 2 "bot-trolls" on repeat...) blame "we" chews fer everythin' includin' their dang hangnails.
So the hate isREAL but I think it's long-ingrained an' just surfaces when it's permitted.
Gad Saad said sumthin' that resonated with me... he too doesn't wanna censor but he used the term "marinatin' in hate"--yes that is it! Once food is marinated--once the marinade is absorbed--it become part of the flesh... you cannot "unmarinate" a steak. (Now if a human is just exposed to something--like a sauce on the top--they kin wash it off--learn ,rethink...). So that metaphor wuz very strong...
These folks are marinated--thru & thru. They cannot see otherwise. They are not cogently arguin'. The fella you "muted" gits around, see his handle all over--same kinda stuff he posts--but usually he gits "likes"...so he's oft-encouraged. (just sawr this yestiddy: https://dailynewsfromaolf.substack.com/p/video-idf-soldiers-use-palestinians -- see his "comment" at the bottom--it gotta like)
I dunno how ta change hearts & minds.... at least to "consider" the other side... Mebbe you've changed some who ain't "marinated yet"--I've had some leave / unsubscribe when they found out who I wuz/where I stood.... I've got "skin" in the game--I got daughters who are now hidin' "who they are" while I speak out 'best I can... Where we are now ain't NYC where we were "all over"--an' I don't KNOW how folks feel about chews up here.... Some likely wouldn't care but now.... All this ain't the future I imagined fer 'em... (nor was leavin' our home...The now-Rotten Apple). I thought that hate was over decades ago, but it was just "brewin'" in the vat...
I don't fault ya one iota for talkin' 'bout this situation--an' fer yer bravery for speakin' out. Many blessin's yer way!
Bein' fully against all censorship--an' not quite gettin' this "hate speech" thang as hate speech is in the eye of the beholder.... I struggled with navitatin' the territory of deletin' someone / their permission to comment. I always welcomed cogent respectful argument (from all sides), but what I oft sawr wasn't that--it was just... wull... the haters lackin' anything but ad-hominem attacks . An' they kin go "elsewhar" where their hateful discourse is not only welcomed, it's celebrated...
Some people's so called God given "freedom" in the shutting out of God has actually devolved into "license" to do and say whatever they want, about whoever they want, wherever they want with no boundaries. This SIN against God and mankind never stays in its own lane but is satanically compelled to take down everything with it if given free rein
Tolerance really has to have its limits
well said!
(indeedy, some do not respect any common boundaries that used ta exist--almost like lettin' out their innerWORST thoughts!)
Delete
Block
Move-On
Life, is too short for this bullshit - you gave him enough air-play already!
Already done awhile ago 🙂
p.s. He crossed a line. You must do whatever it takes to shield and protect yourself.
I'm not a fan of censorship either, Karen, but in this case, you did the right thing, and I believe the only thing you could do for your own preservation.
I like that you muted him. He appears to have a temper and a small vocabulary, kept using the same 3 words. I sometimes read comments I don't agree with, and rather than going tit for tat, I just respond with my own comment to the article. However, I like your responses. They are thoughtful and meaningful. That is another reason I don't comment to others, I don't have the knowledge base you do on the topic. There is always going to be trolls. As long as I have been reading others tweets and comments, I find weirdos. That is what made me quit reading on some free sites, or at least not comment. Some are very aggressive. They usually have the looney tunes or trolls. I don't typically see that on Substack. I ask myself, why would they read an article they are opposed to in the first place? I think there are paid trolls out there. They are there to disrupt; it is a form of censorship.
Agree, it's another way to drown out legitimate voices with drivel. And as you say, it's impossible to have a conversation with someone who only knows three words.
I'm a fan of free speech too.
But, the right of free speech is a limitation placed on the government (at least in theory), not the individual.
U get to decide who u refuse to interact with
I do appreciate your opinions, and this is your page.
Ass hats are real. You articulate all my my thoughts and express them much better than I ever could. As my kids say Mom gets Boston Crazy. It's a pretty ugly sight. Thank you you're smarter then most.
Thank you. You're a gem. Some good things came out of Twitter that has now become that cesspool X, namely meeting people like you and George. Hope we can meet in person one day. 🌷
The restraints and self control seem to be falling away more every day. I don't waste what valuable energy I have left on engaging with anyone who wants to prove something. It's just not worth it. People seldom change.
Unfortunately I’ve had to unfollow a number of other covid-era authors of late due to their hate-baiting articles and followers - Trish Wood, Meryl Nass etc. I’m a 50 year old British Christian and have to admit to being completely blindsided by the eruption of obviously underlying antisemitism. Good for you 👍🏻
Trish Wood was the first person to invite me j. Her podcast when I was completely unknown. It's really sad.
For them then to start turning on other journalists who don’t align with them like Douglas Murray and Elizabeth Nickson is really beyond the pale too. Unfortunately they have amassed a horde of followers who amplify the antisemitism and howl down anyone who disagrees. I don’t know what’s happening in the world…
These keyboard cowards are prevalent and plentiful, in this tech era.
I know it's not a funny situation, but just from the small amount you've shared here, for this idiot to not understand you've faced more dire villains and situations than his woefully impotent attempt as intimidation and insult, is laughable.
Well done handling those among us, with self imposed mental challenges - in a intelligent and matter of fact way. When the garbage can is full, you take it out - no emotions or deep thought required.
Bravo street fighter, Bravo!!
https://cdn.quotesgram.com/img/32/86/1881831586-charlie-murphy-cross-kick-o.gif
😂 thank you! Well put!
Amen.
For some reason this conflict in the Middle East conjures up such intense anger. I can't think of another single issue that has become so divisive other than Donald Trump. We are each entitled to our own opinions on the matter. The concept of free speech is never more important than when you disagree. I would ignore this person completely. The more "airtime" you give it/him, the more it gets them going. They will be onto the next soon enough. sabrinalabow.substack.com
I appreciate your right to defend whomever you choose and feel, as is the case anywhere in the world, there are always good and humble people in any group. I also appreciate my own rights and anyone else's.
The current expression of hatred for the Jewish people is misplaced as well as the Jewish concept of superiority by virtue of being born Jewish which is also misplaced. I worked here in the US for many years in the fashion business in NYC and the film business in NYC and LA. Both are businesses dominated by Jewish people and intimately tied to banking and finances, also dominated by Jewish people.
I experienced first hand for many years the Jewish idea that they are a superior people. Not being Jewish myself I was at best treated as if I were a favored "pet" and at worse someone to exploit.
The Jewish people bring much of the hatred upon themselves. If they truly want to treated like anyone else, they must break their cultural tradition of superiority to everyone else. They must follow, "Do unto others as you would have done to yourself." Their belief in their superiority will always and forever foster hatred from others and even renders the Jewish stance of perpetual victimhood as hypocritical.
I don't hate the Jewish people, far from it. I had and have many Jewish friends, but the problems they experience in the world will not end until they stop believing themselves to the exclusion of all other people as God's "Chosen People." Giving them justification for their inhumane treatment of their fellow man. Which they are demonstrating as I write.
If the Jewish people want an end to anti semitism, I suggest they begin by ending their belief in their superiority in their own hearts first. The rest will likely naturally follow though it will also likely take many years.
God has made it very clear all who follow Jesus Christ are His children. All. The Jewish people don't get a pass from God in this regard anymore than anyone else of another faith such as Muslim, Hindu, etc.
People with hatred in their hearts virtually always devolve into this thing we call "trolls" online and racist everywhere. That is their own failing and no one else's.
God Bless and thank you, KH, for tackling difficult subjects head on.
Weak ass Jews
You need this many words to deal with one comment……….?
Read every word still here …fuck Israel
How eloquent.
"But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow in His steps:
'Who committed no sin,
Nor was deceit found in His mouth',(Isaiah 53:9)
who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness--by whose stripes you were healed"
(1 Peter 2:20b-24).
"But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you. Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven"(Luke 6:27-28, 37).
"I called on the Lord in distress; The Lord answered me and set me in a broad place. The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?"(Psalm 118:5,6).
"If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns[Tim Holt?]? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written:
'For your sake we are killed all day long:
We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.'(Psalm 44:22)
Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."(Romans 8:31-39)
'Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as it depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath, for it is written, ' Vengeance is mine, I will repay,'(Deut. 32:35) says the Lord. Therefore
'If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
If he is thirsty, give him a drink;
For in so doing you will heap coals
of fire on his head.'(Proverbs 25:21,22)
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."(Romans 12:17-21)
Well done Karen for setting a Christ like example, as the Scriptures exhort us to practice, in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Tim is an anti war hippie. Put another way, he’s a liar.
When it suits your views.Not when it’s against communists.
I don’t dislike him. Too bad he can’t kill Zelenskyy. He and Israel have mutual interests. To kill the terrorists trying to get the WMDs that Assad still has.
I've banned Tim Holt. I had just muted him last time for some really disgusting comments, but his comments continue to be disrespectful, without any reasonable intellectual value. It's wasted energy to respond to him unfortunately.
Yeah. I muted him.
Not really…just like Vlady
Perhaps you should draw a distinction between anti-zionism and anti-semitism. Conflating them is ludicrous, but is being done constantly, including in new legislation being pushed at Israeli demands which would criminalize people for rightly, and strenuously opposing Zionism.
The term Zionist refers to almost everyone who lives inside Israel and also those outside Israel who agree that Israel, like any other nation, has a right to exist. Zionists include allmost all of the 20 percent of the Israeli population that are Arabs. The propaganda effort to demonize Zionists by making a distinction between "Zionists" and "Jews" is a way to justify extermination of all Jews. Those who are not Zionists are those who willingly allow themselves to be exterminated (because without the state of Israel, they will be exterminated, their surrounding enemies have made no secret of this) and those Jews who fight for their survival are termed Zionists (evil), even though this is what any rational human being would do, yourself included.
This categorization guiltlessly and conveniently gets rid of "the Jewish problem" because it justifies killing those monsters, the Zionists. And once that happens all the passive Jews will be killed too. I'm sure you don't agree with what I've said. But if you are interested, you can find our the facts in my essays. My most recent one A Vampire Came to Call https://khmezek.substack.com/p/a-vampire-came-to-call
The Coming Caliphate https://khmezek.substack.com/p/the-coming-caliphate
If you are interested to hear what dissenting Gazans say and why they support Israel please read The Enemy Within https://khmezek.substack.com/p/the-enemy-within
Nicely put.
I paused a moment as to think through this opinion piece carefully....Democide is being conducted by all western governments jews included. The death caused by injections are far from being over and increasing everyday in excess death and the destruction of female ovaries (per Naomi Wolfe). If someone is a racist or a bigot, I don't care. I simply don't have the time for it. It's distracting to read comments like your describing as well as distracting as to read about it. Your writing is usually spot on, so, I'm just going to pretend I didn't waste my time typing this and I hope you get focused back on your topics. I do enjoy reading your stacks, this one, naw...
I appreciate your input. This isn't an essay, it's a thread, meant for discussion. Out of three years of writing essays, this is one thread dealing with the topic of comments, so no need to worry I've lost my focus. For those who enjoy making comments, it's helpful they know how I deal with violent or abusive ones. It's something I confront, sometimes multiple times a day.
I would just add that I agree that governments are corrupt on many levels. I write about often. For example, I wrote about the Israeli government selling its people to Pfizer. However, Jews are not a "government". There's a big difference between demonizing an entire people and criticizing a government. I'm sure that's not what you meant, but I just wanted to clarify because these distinctions are important.
I'm glad you enjoy reading my essays. That said, I can't please everyone all the time, nor is that my goal. I write what's on my heart and I have yet to run out of topics!
As I write what's on my heart also... I will move by the condescending moments here as an olive branch to future more pertinent topics to discuss... my point, we ain't got time to deal with every loony narcistic bigot who in all reality is most likely of a subpar mentality anyways.
See you on your next post. Looking forward to reading it 😉
🙏
I appreciate your response. I don’t agree with all of what you have said. I am always heartened when people can still discuss topics civilly that they don’t agree on. It’s getting harder and harder to do, the algorithms push us further and further apart.
I’ve spent too much time and research writing about the topic of Israel to go into a lengthy answer here. But I do agree that any extremism is wrong. I write a lot about that, too. Just wrote about what’s happening in Europe. I’ve criticized the Israeli government before, when I wrote about Netanyahu selling out its people to Pfizer. Anyone who gets to that level of power got there by making deals with the devil.
Agree completely! I always encourage people to get outside, away from these machines. They can be used for a good purpose but sparingly and carefully. It's sort of like Bilbo/Frodo and the ring, the more they put it on, the more exposed they were to the Eye of Sauron and the more their real selves faded away. Our families, friends, our churches and support networks will become more and more important as the world grows darker.
As for this platform, if I can contribute in any way to reminding people how important it is to have respectful dialogue, to not just cut people off, then I feel like I've achieved something. Thank you so much for being here and for your valuable input.
I thought I would share my essay with you where I mention Netanyahu funding Hamas. How Anthrax & the War on Terror Brought Us to the Brink of WWIII https://khmezek.substack.com/p/the-big-picture-how-anthrax-and-the