It isn’t that western media didn’t cover Thursday’s attack in Egypt on a bus of Coptic Christians. Most major media did. But unlike the Manchester bombing, it has not received nonstop, wall-to-wall coverage with feverish outrage at the crime. Although it received more coverage than most US-European wars.

It was a horrific act of terrorism. Ten to twelve gunmen traveling in 3 SUVs stormed a bus & opened fire on Coptic Christians traveling on a prayer pilgrimage. Twenty-eight people were killed, including children. Only 3 children survived. Many people were injured.
It’s likely it wouldn’t have received any coverage if it couldn’t be blamed on ISIS, if it couldn’t be manipulated to justify the “drive them out” campaign launched by the Islamophobe-in-chief in Saudi Arabia.

Media reports that Muslim leaders “rushed to condemn” the incident & in a non sequitur add “which occurred the day before the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.” There are no reports that Christian leaders other than Pope Francis “rushed to condemn” the attack. Unless we want to hammer on about the Inquisition & Christianity’s role in colonialism, enough with yoking Islam to terrorism. Theology is called on to justify barbarism but the driving force is entirely secular.

This is a monstrous crime which should not be used to war & hate monger. During the Egyptian uprising in 2012, there were attacks on Coptic churches in Cairo. Muslims rushed to their defense, surrounding them as civilian defense guards against arson & assault. That is the Islam of Ramadan.

Our solidarity with Coptic Christians in Egypt against these assaults & our condolences to the families of those who died. May they Rest In Peace.

Je suis Coptic Christian.

(Photo from CNN after the attack)

Jared Kushner is such a snappy dresser. And what an elegant couple he makes with that Ivanka. He’ll have a hard time adjusting to the penitentiary. Smug doesn’t go over that well with more plebeian criminals.

A Kashmiri protester dares police & paramilitary men (not in picture) to shoot him during clashes in Srinagar.

Tough kid. He has better things to do with his life than fight occupation. He has dreams which don’t include being ruled by those who see him as a subject.

End the occupation. Self-determination for Kashmir.

(Photo by Basit Zargar)

Didn’t know they still claimed Palestinians had terrorist cells in the US. Seems so damn quaint. But a cold case crime show said Palestinian terrorists here “are as organized as the mafia but not nearly as lovable.”

The fevered imaginations of Zionists & Islamophobes make it hard to draw the line between tragedy & farce.

The social media ban has been revoked in Kashmir. The revolution will be televised after all. Despite attempts to silence it. Done in by tech-savvy youth.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6M5r2xtDAMw

This is a video I posted May 26, 2011 of the Syrian revolution–the revolution Assadists claim never happened, was an “Islamist” uprising, or has been long-ago defeated. Images like this continue to emerge from Syria for those who have eyes to see & whose head isn’t filled with cement:

I’m honored to have an article coming out in Kashmir Mirage on the stone pelter–hooligan or freedom fighter? It was hard to write because Kashmiris could run me around the block with what they know so I directed it to those who don’t really understand the phenomenon of stone pelters in Palestine & Kashmir.

I of course consider them tough-minded freedom fighters &, more than a David & Goliath thing writ large, a citizen’s defense guard. People can get all high & mighty about the violence involved but what would we have them do against a high-tech brutal army? Stop protesting human rights crimes? Submit to oppression? Let unarmed protesters stand defenseless against pellet guns? The oppressed have the right to defend themselves “by any means necessary.”

Those blessed with extra dough might consider donating to Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS), a private rescue group operating in the Mediterranean, or to MSF/ Doctors Without Borders who are also involved in rescue operations in the Mediterranean. Consider that like an investment tip from a broker who gets no commission.

Normally, it’s advisable to avoid gruesome images, not to shelter us from the cruel realities millions of others live with nor out of feigned squeamishness about facing reality, but because people more often feel overwhelmed & discouraged by the magnitude of human suffering rather than inspired to fight injustice.

But we do need to bear witness to the refugee crises so we have no excuse not to act. There were 34, mostly small children victims of the incident yesterday. This is a MOAS rescue vessel bringing in the bodies of some who drowned. There have been several hundred who’ve drowned so far this year in the Mediterranean & no agency that has a clue just how many.

Two UN refugee agencies keep tallies but in fact no one is monitoring how many people are stuffed into boats nor how many boats are leaving Libyan shores. Tens of thousands have set sail. Fifty thousand have been rescued at sea. Three years ago, it was estimated that already 25,000 had drowned in the Mediterranean, turning it into one of the world’s largest graveyards. This has gone on for years without political action except for the massive protest a few months back in Barcelona & smaller protests in Italy. This is the same scenario on the US-Mexico border; in Bangladesh, Malaysia, India, Indonesia, Australia, Turkey, Greece & eastern Europe. Thousands of Rohingya refugees were left stranded in boats to drown in the Andaman Sea in May 2015 & not a single agency or human rights group has uttered a peep of concern at this monstrous human rights crime.

The hallmark of neoliberalism, the barbaric phase of capitalism is wars & refugees. How we respond to those issues determines the future of humanity, the world our children will grow up in, & the values they will hold.

Our response must be to demand governments open the borders & grant asylum. No human being is alien to us.

(Photo tweeted by MOAS founder Regina Catrambone)

An African mother grieves after the drowning of her baby in the Mediterranean when an overpacked refugee boat suddenly listed sending 200 occupants into the sea. At least 34 people drowned, most of them toddlers according to rescuers.

It’s not certain from reports where the drownings happened but it appears to be in Italian waters because the Italian coast guard commented to media about it although it does not participate in rescue operations. The survivors were rescued by the group Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS), a private rescue group.

This bereft mother is in a rescue boat off the coast of Lampedusa, Italy, an island refugees are trying to reach & which has always welcomed refugees as fellow humans, even at times denouncing the Italian government for its criminal misconduct toward refugees.

Our deepest condolences to the families of those who drowned. There are no words sufficient but only action to defend the right of refugees & immigrants to asylum with full rights.

(Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)