A Troubled World: Gaza, the New ‘Patriotism’, and Islamophobia.

 

What more can be said about the slaughter in Gaza? The Greater Israel Project is in full swing with Israel now achieving their total goal of ethnic cleansing and absolute banishment of the Palestinian people from Gaza and the West Bank. The death toll of civilians including children, has reached astonishing numbers not seen since WWII in such a short amount of time.  

We have come to understand that this is not a mere disproportionate response from Israel against Hamas since October 7, but an intentional act by the Netanyahu government to maintain the war to achieve their longer-term goals of a Greater Israel in the middle east. The war crimes committed over the last two years are numerous and difficult to comprehend for any human being with a soul. The problem for me, personally, is that the country in which I was raised, the USA, are just as responsible as the Israel in this genocide.  

The people on legacy media and the internet that have been defending this genocide from the beginning are now running out of any valid arguments, (the intentions of Israel and the US is quite clear), and all these justifiers of mass murder are left with is “antisemitism”. This is absurd, of course. Really, no one cares about your religion, being Jewish, Christian or otherwise, if you are committing a genocide, it’s a war crime and you should be punished. For these people to use Judaism as a front to commit these atrocities is diabolical.  

At this stage of the genocide at the time of this writing, the future for the Palestinians looks bleak. Ethnic cleansing is a very real thing; it has been attempted before in history with some success. The reason Israel will succeed with the annihilation of the Palestinian people is the full support from the United States government. This is a fact. And for many people in the US this reality is difficult to confront. Perhaps this blind-eyed “patriotism” and the *denial* that one’s country can do such atrocities is a contributing factor to this on-going genocide? Perhaps the reasons are more nefarious and fiendish than simply ethical blind spots? Perhaps it’s orchestrated?  

Agent Provocateur’s in the Media and Paid Influencers. 

Particularly on social media, since October 7, 2024, individual accounts, some hiding behind anonymity, have appeared pushing controversial agendas. In a relatively short amount of time, their followers reach over 40,000, and upon analyzing their contents, their posts are pushing the Greater Israel project, attacking those who oppose the genocide in Gaza as antisemitic, and blatantly complaining about Islamic immigration, and intentionally creating fear. Suddenly the fear/hate of Islam has now become a “thing”, where only a short time ago Islam was rarely mentioned at all. This may be only speculation, but these accounts are planted with a specific plan to shift public opinion on the genocide in Gaza and establish ‘hate’ for Muslims.  I believe this is a Zionist agenda.  

In Australia, certain accounts have appeared recently on social media positioning themselves as “patriots”, emotionally complaining about immigration, waving the flag around like grinning automatons, and attacking anyone as ‘unpatriotic’ if you challenge them on their ideas. A demonstration in Melbourne two or three weeks ago, revealed the success for those pushing the new ultranationalism in Australia. This was an obvious expression of racism. Of course this is a far-right plan, as many self-proclaimed neo-Nazis instigated violence at the rally and were later arrested.  This rise in jingoism in many respects is disturbing.  

Again, I believe this new ultranationalism is a plan to create ‘hate’ for Islam thus establishing divisiveness in the public and distracting many from the ethnic cleansing in Gaza. My first clue was in many of these social media accounts they posted their disgust for the pro-Palestinian activists who rallied in the thousands across Australia in the prior weeks. Following this twisted logic, you’re ‘unpatriotic’ if you oppose ethnic-cleansing and genocide. Although speculation, these accounts have all the hallmarks of a Zionist agenda.  

In the UK and Germany, posting anything on social media about the genocide in Gaza or criticizing Israel will land you in prison with a hefty fine. The Zionist infiltration into both country’s government legislative branches has been successfully achieved. So far this type of authoritarian censorship has not manifested in Australia – so far.  

Where all this ultranationalism, jingoism, the stirred-up hate for Islam and (legal) immigration, and the unabashed support for the Israeli genocide in Gaza is leading is anyone's guess.  

The old Chinese saying, “May you live in interesting times” is true today. The world is interesting but more so, troubling.  

 

Bukowski – Hollywood – Comment

 

Bukowski was asked to write a screenplay about his life. Reluctantly, he entered his writing room, sat down, turned on the radio to his favorite classical station, popped a bottle of wine and began typing. Though he had never penned a screenplay before, the process soon became effortless, and soon later. Barfly came into in to being in the weird and chaotic world of Hollywood. The novel is an exploration of the poet/writer/alcoholic's life as a young man living in tinsel town. Bukowski takes the reader on a roller coaster ride, the wins and disappointments of producing the film from finished screenplay to the movie's premier in 1987. 

As a reader of Bukowski, the film’s content had indeed reflected his life as a one-time bum, fledging writer and poet, and incessant drinker. As to be expected, his work is not everybody's cup of tea. In fact, as the writer once expressed, his readership has a love hate relationship for the work. This made him notoriously popular, his novels and poetry continuing to be infamous and consistently selling well.  

What is interesting and entertaining about the novel, is Bukowski’s references to the famous people in the industry. The lead actor in the film is Jack Bledsoe, that is Micky Rourke. In a noted comeback at the time, Faye Dunaway plays the female lead, Francine Bowers. Bukowski ended really liking the two leads, especially Dunaway, who came across in the text as a serious actor and a charming woman.  

It was particularly interesting to see Bukowski meet one of America’s literary giants, Norman Mailer. Both seemed to like one another, and Mailer was impressed that Bukowski never asked him about his writing. When they meet, Bukowski says, shaking his hand, something to the effect of “The Barfly meets the Champ.” Mailer appeared to like this comparison.  

A major complaint in Hollywood from its beginnings is the writer is paid significantly less than other members of the project, specifically the actors. There are at least three instances where the author has a little whine about this reality. That said, many literary giants who moved to the screenplay in Hollywood, had the same complaint. F.  Scott Fitzgerald and William Falkner both had negative sentiments about writers working in movie town.  

The novel is written deceptively simple with Bukowski’s no-nonsense prose. The dialogue is superb, and that signature ability to move from describing a down and out scene to musing about the philosophical, the human condition and our ability to carry on despite the vagaries of life.  

This novel is the first in a long while where I am a bit sad reading the last page.  

“What are you going to do now?’ Sarah asked. 

“About what?” 

“I mean, the movie is really over.” 

“Oh yes.” 

“What will you do?” 

“There are the horses.” 

“Besides the horses.” 

“Oh, hell, I’II write a novel about writing the screenplay and making the movie.” 

“Sure, I guess you can do that.” 

“I can, I think.” 

“What are you going to call it?” 

“Hollywood.” 

“Hollywood?” 

“Yes...” 

And this is it.  (p.262-263.)