Author: mccallgraf

Yesterday, January 6, 2020, our nation experienced the most damaging attack on the nation’s Capitol since the British burned it down during the War of 1812. The story goes like this: President Trump called on his supporters to rally at the Capitol in Washington DC as Congress was confirming president-elect Joe Biden’s win. Despite President Trump having lost both the popular vote and electoral college, he (and some of his supporters) continue to live in denial. This wasn’t a typical rally– Trump supporters sieged the Capitol. They breached security lines, scaled walls, and disrespected the very essence of our country as they entered the Capitol building. These people smashed windows, carried guns inside, and for the first time in all of the United State’s existence, brought the Confederate flag inside the Capitol.

The safety of lawmakers and staff inside the Capitol was feared for, and police worked to evacuate them as quickly as possible. Police locked the doors to the House chamber and barricaded it with a desk. Representatives were given “escape hoods.” There is an image of a man sitting at House speaker Nancy Pelosi’s desk with his feet up, and another of a man carrying out the Capitol Podium, smiling.

CBS News and many news outlets have confirmed at least four people dead. As in any case of death, this is saddening, but we must look at the facts surrounding this day. President Trump called on his supporters to rally at the Capitol. He didn’t suggest they siege it, but his call to action and four years of damaging administration directly provoked what happened that day. There was no reason for Trump to dispute the election results, and especially no reasoning to encourage a rally protesting it.

What happened on January 6, 2020 in Washing DC is white privilege. We all know how differently this story would be told had the “rioters” been anything but white. In BLM protests police were quick to react violently with rubber (and sometimes real) bullets and mace, most of which were non-violent protests. Yet when it’s hundreds of white nationalists breaking into and vandalizing the Capitol, and attempting a coup, security miserably fails to protect. I don’t mean to compare these opposite fights, though. I’d rather compare yesterday’s events to when Ahmaud Arbery was hunted and killed while jogging, to when Breonna Taylor’s home was broken into by police and she was killed at their hands, and to the countless other violent acts targeting Black people.

The people who stormed the US Capitol are not rioters but domestic terrorists. They committed violent acts in the pursuit of Donald Trump’s administration meant to intimidate and coerce the public. The difference in how police handled this situation versus BLM protests is disturbing and extremely indicative of the racism this country continues to experience. This is Donald Trump’s America, but not for long.

Anti-Semitism, for those who are unaware, is prejudice against Jews. Judaism is the least liked religious group in the world, with only 38% favorability, according to @soyouwanttotalkabout on Instagram. Additionally, Jewish people only make up 3% of the United States’ population, and 74% of people worldwide have never met a Jewish person.

The Anti-Defamation League has reported a 12% increase of acts of assault, vandalism, and harassment against Jewish people over the previous year. This is also the highest level of anti-Semitic incidents since the organization began reporting in 1979. In August of 2017 there was a “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia where participants were throwing Nazi salutes, waving flags with swastikas, as well as shouting “Seig Heil” and “Jews will not replace us.”

More examples of anti-Semitism include a Jewish center in Delaware being lit on fire, two Jewish men being violently run over in Brooklyn, and many attacks on Jewish synagogues and cemeteries in Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Wisconsin, Virginia, and California. A study by the American Jewish Committee reported 35% of American Jews said they’ve experienced anti-Semitism in the past five years, with one-third concealing outward indication of their Judaism. I could go on and list more instances of anti-Semitism, but I don’t need to. As demonstrated by research, it is indisputable anti-Semitism is at an all-time high.

According to The Atlantic, “Some critics attribute the recent spate of anti-Semitic violence, at least indirectly, to the rise of Donald Trump, a charge that reflects the deep political and cultural divide in American society. They say that his rhetoric and tweets, his targeting of minorities, his bullying and name-calling have created an atmosphere conducive to such attacks.”

I have a hard time disagreeing with the quote from The Atlantic for many reasons, but some of which comes from last night’s Presidential Debate in which President Trump refused to denounce white supremacy. He won’t denounce white supremacy just like he won’t denounce anti-Semitism because he has supporters who fall into these two categories. He creates an environment that makes these groups feel protected and supported, which is permissive and extremely dangerous for the victims of these groups.

In conclusion, the United States’ anti-Semitism is an issue that cannot be blamed entirely on a political leader. Historically, anti-Semitism thrives when there is social unrest– the epitome of this year (and presidential campaign.) The concept of anti-Semitism is not new and Jews have been targeted and blamed since the beginning of time, and I hope the world can fight for this marginalized community like they do for others.

Last week, Lebanon, a country in the Middle East, suffered a port explosion in their capital of Beirut. According to an article by BBC, at least 70 people have been killed and over 4,000 others injured. Officials are naming the cause as stored, highly explosive materials in a warehouse, specifically, “by the detonation of 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate stored unsafely at the port for years,” although an investigation is underway to confirm or disprove this.

Previous to the explosion, Lebanon was in economic crisis– their worst one since the 1975-1990 civil war. A plan was proposed in 2019 to tax calls via WhatsApp to gain more revenue, but this led to mass protests and turmoil. At this time, Prime Minister Hassan Diab had only been in power two months having been elected following an uprising.

Many have been frustrated about the country’s corrupt government and see the explosion as a government failure. The Lebanese president, Michel Aoun, tweeted that the amount of ammonium nitrate stored was “unacceptable.” Protesters have been out on the streets following the explosion, which was the final straw for many of Beirut’s people.

The Lebanese government has resigned in the wake of the blast to “stand with the people.” The next elected prime minister will be Lebanon’s third this year. Despite this, many Lebanese citizens question if it will actually bring about change. Parliament’s decision to choose a new prime minister is not expected to be a timely or pleasant one because of the government’s complicated political system.

300,000 citizens have been made homeless with nearly 80,000 children misplaced. Lebanon also hosts the largest number of refugees per capita– approximately 1.5 million Syrian refugees. The country’s health system is weak, made worse by COVID-19 and now with overwhelmed hospitals from the blast.

Lebanon’s prime minister has asked for international help. If you’re able to, please donate to any of these resources: https://helplebanon.carrd.co/