Source: Caitlin Johnstone, Rogue Journalist
by Caitlin Johnstone
“I saw a clip of Fox News war propagandist Sean Hannity solemnly reading a tweet by Atlantic Council fellow Jamie Metzl which said, ‘It is profoundly disturbing that a growing segment of the far left appears to be almost rooting for Hamas, Hezbollah, the Iranian regime, and other forces fundamentally opposed to the US and our allies. This seems to reflect a corrosive strain of anti-Americanism dressed up in post-colonial theory that risks blinding us to the moral realities of our world and the nature of our adversaries.’ These assholes really thought they could commit a genocide in full view of the entire world for years and then expect everyone cheer for them to win. Of course we’re seeing more ‘anti-Americanism.’ You don’t get to commit horrific atrocities year after year and then cry when the world starts to hate you.” (03/21/26)
“Since Ahmed al-Sharaa came to power in Damascus last January, a question has hovered in the air: Has Syria truly changed, or merely changed hands Seeking sanctions relief, investment and a measure of international legitimacy, the new leadership, despite its past association with Al Qaeda, has signaled moderation. The symbols of the old regime are gone. The suffocating omnipresence of the Assad state has receded. Cafes have reopened, checkpoints have thinned and Syrians speak more freely. Yes, there have been killings of members of the Druze and the formerly dominant Alawite minorities, which the government denies direct involvement in. But even this mixed picture is no small achievement. The Russia- and Iran-backed Assad regime was not simply authoritarian; it was claustrophobic, built on surveillance, coercion and inherited power. Its collapse created space.” (03/21/26)
“One of the first things I do every morning, even before I get out of bed, is check the news to discover if something good happened while I was asleep. I rarely find any such news. Just about all that is reported is crime, war, hatred, Democrats, Washington, D.C., California, New York City, the Middle East, Congress, China, Trump is Hitler, transgenderism, promiscuity and decadence, ad nauseam, ad infinitum. Every time I see a picture of Gavin Newsom, AOC, Nancy Pelosi, or Chuck Schumer, I want to puke. And since I’m only allowed 1,000 words for this article and want to say other things, I’ll leave it at that, and let the reader add to the list of barbaric and barfable objects as he/she wishes. But I don’t really wonder why I’m so cynical and have chronic depression. However, this morning, I got a boost in the other direction.” (03/21/26)
“Over 1,000 Detroit moms rushed to a ‘no-strings-attached’ cash aid program tailored to new and expectant mothers, the city’s mayor announced on Tuesday. ‘Seeing more than 1,000 Detroit mothers enrolling so quickly tells you everything: families are ready, and Detroit is delivering,’ Mayor Mary Sheffield said in a written statement. Detroit officials distributed around $1 million to more than 1,000 mothers as part of the city’s Rx Kids program, which launched the application process on Feb. 9. The cash assistance program is a statewide initiative that’s intended to issue $1,500 cash to new and expectant mothers in the Motor City as well as $500 per month after a child’s birth for at least six months. The program is considered the largest cash aid program for prenatal and infant care in the country.” (03/22/26)
“What’s in a name? For global aid groups hit hard last year when the world’s largest donor – the United States – slashed its humanitarian and development budget, a name change can bring a refreshing change in how to view poor, unwell, and homeless people. On March 18, Mercy Corps, which once directly helped about 37 million people in 35 countries, announced it would soon call itself Prosper Global, after a major downsizing of the Oregon-based organization. ‘We believe strongly that what these communities need is prosperity, not mercy,’ chief development officer Mary Stata told Axios. The rebranding reflects a view that ‘participants’ in programs are leaders, not ‘passive recipients of humanitarian aid,’ as Ms. Stata explained.” (03/20/26)
“Since 2019, a secularism law in Quebec has barred some public sector workers, like judges, police officers and teachers, from wearing religious attire at work. Now, the country’s highest court is preparing to consider its future. Lisa Robicheau describes her life as ‘stuck between a rock and a hard place’. The 41-year-old single mother of two, who wears a hijab, works in Montreal’s English-language school system as a contract support worker for students with disabilities – a job she loves and where she is exempt from the current law. But Robicheau can’t help feeling anxious about her future and whether she will be able to continue working in a public school while being visibly Muslim in Quebec. The uncertainty has led her to enroll back in university, hoping to find a different job—or even leave the province.” (03/22/26)
“Much hay has been made of voting laws in Tennessee and across the country lately. You’ve probably heard about the SAVE Act at the federal level, and maybe some proposed laws at the state level too. The Banner wrote about some of the proposals at the state-level yesterday, but focusing so narrowly on ‘disparate impact’ type bills, they missed the Big Kahuna. There’s a proposal moving through the General Assembly right now that could change how local elections work in Nashville. The bill, sponsored by Scott Cepicky in the House and Joey Hensley in the Senate, would move the date of city elections to line up with the August primary or November general election. In other words, the off-cycle August 2027 Metro elections would get pushed to November 2028, landing on the same ballot as the presidential race every four years.” (03/20/26)
“A large-scale animal rescue operation for hundreds of dogs and cats took place on Friday in Lake Hughes, roughly 60 miles north of Los Angeles. The Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control served a search warrant at a property on 266th Street West in Lake Hughes, following reports of a violation of animal welfare laws. The operation involved over 70 people, and officials initially estimated that over 700 animals were located on the property in need of rescue, according to an Instagram post by DACC Friday. The post said the operation could be the largest of its kind to have taken place in the U.S., but in an update, that number was revised down to about 250 dogs and 66 cats.\” (03/21/26)
“There is ‘no assessment to substantiate’ Israel’s claim that Iran has long-range missiles capable of reaching London, a UK cabinet minister has said. Housing Secretary Steve Reed told the BBC there was ‘no specific assessment that the Iranians are targeting the UK – or even could if they wanted to,’ after the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Saturday that Tehran had weapons that could reach up to 4,000km (2,485 miles). It comes after it emerged Iran targeted the joint US-UK military base on the Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean, around 3,800km from Iran. Reed refused to say how close the missiles came to the British overseas territory, saying he could not share ‘operational details.'” (03/22/26)
Source: Common Dreams
by Toby Miller & Joan Pedro-Caranana
“Seemingly endless recitations throughout history of what constitutes virtuous citizenship emphasize military life. A specifically masculine heritage of violence in the service of the nation oversees and delimits democracy and authority—a privileged area of social welfare in contrast to health, education, the environment, or poverty. Much classical and modern political theory assumes and even endorses domestic violence, bellicose masculinity, and the notion that ‘real’ politics is generated, discussed, and concluded between men. The idea that male virtue is tied to violence, whether in defense of faith, family, or the border, is immensely strong. From individual duels to national campaigns, the ‘right’ way to engage in violence has given rise to ideas of nobility. Masculine worth is supposedly incarnate in bloodshed and authoritarian leadership, embodied in the military as a righteous national embodiment of power, spirit, religiosity, and victory.” (03/21/26)
