How Much Is A Child’s Life Worth?

How Much Is A Child’s Life Worth?

by C.A. Matthews

 

Editor’s Note: On January 17, 2024, the Toledo (Ohio) City Council once again tabled voting on a Ceasefire in Gaza Resolution. More than one hundred days into the incessant bombing and bulldozing of Gaza, and the Toledo City Council (TCC) can’t make up its mind whether it wants to denounce the genocide of the Palestinians or not.

What’s the deal? After an intense email campaign flooded all twelve of the TCC members’ inboxes, the vote on the ceasefire resolution has been put off for a later time. We’ve been told this tabling of the motion (by its original proposer) has been done “in hope of persuading the hold-outs” to vote in favor of it. With many cities in the US, including an inconsequential metropolis located 40 miles north of Toledo called “Detroit”, passing resolutions condemning the genocide and calling for solidarity with the Palestinian people, what (or rather who) on earth could be causing a half-dozen plus Toledo City Council Members to lean toward the side of backing the genocidal Israeli government?

Our organizers for this email campaign have told us to continue politely emailing and calling these TCC members for the next two weeks until the tabled resolution comes up again for a vote, but I’ve had it. My patience is gone with those who think a genocide is “no big deal” or that “there’s two sides to every issue.” Sorry, but no. When it comes to genocide, there isn’t a “pro” side unless you’re an outright sociopath. I wrote a polite and fact-filled email earlier in the week, but apparently it didn’t touch the naysayers’ hearts, or whatever they have instead of an organ of empathy.

I can’t trust myself to write another “polite email” (or ten) again, so I’ve decided to write my email into a blog post instead. This letter would be what I would send to the Toledo City Council Members if I could, but I won’t send it and jeopardize this resolution’s chance of passing just to vent my frustration. At least I’ll have a few things off my chest, which might help me refrain from spitting in their faces the next time I see any of them in person. Here goes...

Dear Council Member:

You may not remember my email from this past week among the many hundreds of emails on this topic that flooded your inbox, so allow me to jog your memory.

I’m an immigration advocate, writer/editor, and mother. In my line of work, I’ve seen up close how devastating ethnic cleansing can be for an individual, the same kind that is happening currently to the Palestinians in Gaza. I can empathize with just how terrifying it is not to be able to help your friends and family who are stuck in the middle of the IDF carpet bombing. One small demonstration of support by the Toledo City Council by passing this ceasefire resolution could go a long way in showing the local Palestinian/Arab American community that the city truly cares about them and their families.

 All you as a Council Member have to do is vote yes on the Ceasefire in Gaza Resolution that was proposed. Why is this simple, yet compassionate, act so difficult for you to understand? Your silence speaks volumes. 

It was brought to my attention that a former Council Member has been causing you some confusion. I must say that I am confused by his actions, too, as he no longer lives in the city, but rather he lives in a small, mostly white, affluent suburb located to the northwest of Toledo. Why Toledo City Council allows persons who live outside the city limits to tell them what to do and how to vote on a resolution was a mystery to me until I learned more about this individual.

Mr. Smith* apparently has a lot of rich, powerful friends in the county. I see now how he controls your votes. Although he currently lives in another city, he still thinks he and his gang can tell the Toledo City Council what to do. As we all know, Toledo is no longer as affluent as it once was and is no longer mostly white, either. Mr. Smith in his earlier remarks espoused a Zionist political philosophy, one that is known for its racism against all people of color, Palestinians in particular. It seems probable Mr. Smith doesn’t support a ceasefire because he wants the genocide to continue until all Gazans are dead and the next phase of driving out any remaining Palestinians in the West Bank can begin. Perhaps he is hoping that a similar ethnic cleansing operation could make Toledo “mostly white” again one day? Who knows what lurks in Zionists' hearts?

I’m certain Mr. Smith couches his approval of the Israeli genocide in flowery terms, but the fancy verbiage doesn’t hide the cold hard facts: There are an estimated 100,000 human beings missing, maimed, or dead in Gaza, 12,000+ of them children. Over 700,000 are without food or drinkable water as of today. I’m assuming that you don’t personally feel that toddlers and newborns are “hardened terrorists” like most Zionists do. In that case, you’d agree with me that Palestinian children aren’t guilty of any “crimes” whatsoever. So, if Palestinian children are innocent of any crimes, why should they be punished—or in this case murdered by carpet bombing and the withholding of food and potable water—for actions in which they cannot be held responsible for in the first place?

Wouldn’t calling for a ceasefire to end the hostilities so both sides can sit around the negotiation table and work things out be a good thing to do for the sake of the children? Wouldn’t Toledo City Council backing a Ceasefire in Gaza Resolution help encourage public opinion to demand these negotiations begin and the killing stop? Wouldn’t it show how much Toledo stands in solidarity with innocent Palestinian children and civilians in general? Aren’t children’s health and safety worthy of your time and consideration, so much so that you’d vote yes on the ceasefire resolution today if you could?

To put it another way: How much is a child’s life worth to you, Council Member?

If you’re still siding with a wealthy, white suburbanite who wants the massacres to continue in Gaza, then you’re telling me and the world that you don’t really place much worth on the life of any child—a child of color in particular. A child of color who resides in either in Gaza or Toledo. Brown or Black lives aren’t worth a whole lot to you is what refusing to vote yes on the ceasefire resolution says to me. 

Essentially, you’ve placed a price tag of $0 on these children’s heads. Whether they live or die is of no importance to you. I personally find your callous disregard for the lives of children disgusting.

I’m sure Mr. Smith and his friends (who after all live in a very well-to-do suburb in the same county as the city of Toledo) can write some pretty big checks come election campaign time. I’m also certain that your county political party machine relishes those big fat checks. I'm sure your party leaders have warned you to never do anything that could drive away those big campaign donations on pain of political death, no doubt. So, even if you won’t answer the question, “How much is a child’s life worth?” you've given us all the answer.

 A child’s life isn’t worth your political career, obviously.

This can mean only one thing—your political career must be terminated so that children may live.

I know you’ll take exception to my reasoning, but what else have you given us to go on? A reasonable request to pass a resolution calling for a ceasefire of the bombing of innocent civilians in Gaza is being ignored. There has to be something causing you as Council Member to not enthusiastically support saving children’s lives—any child’s life, no matter what color he/she is or where the child lives. And that something must have something to do with what Mr. Smith and his rich suburbanite friends have that you so desperately want—money. 

Rich people use money as a threat or an incentive to get what they want frequently. I’ll have to assume they’ve threatened that the big checks will stop dropping into your party's campaign war chests if you don’t do as you’re told and vote down the ceasefire resolution. To quote a few outspoken audience members at the last council meeting: “Spineless.” “Cowards.”

A child’s life (whatever his/her color) is of infinite worth in case you didn’t know. I don’t know if you’re a parent or grandparent or have never even held a baby in your arms in your life before, but know this: A child’s life is worth far more than any damn campaign contribution. Spineless cowards like you have put a price tag of $0 on their heads in order to stay in office. Proud of yourself? Putting your political career above the chance of standing in solidarity with others who wish to save innocents’ lives in Gaza. 

What a “neighborly” thing to do, Toledo! And we belong to the so-called “Welcoming City” organization, too. Ha ha ha!

You seem to forget, Council Member, that Palestinian Americans can and do vote and that Arab Americans/Muslim Americans make up a good percentage of voters in Lucas County. They're well paid professionals just like your friend Mr. Smith and his group, too. They will be writing big checks to your political opponents from now on. Your refusal to vote yes on the Ceasefire in Gaza Resolution will mean the end of your political career after all.  

Ironic, isn’t it? I can’t wait for the day when your cowardice catches up with you.

Sincerely yours,

A Fed-Up Voter For Peace & Justice

*Not his real name, but you probably know someone just like him.

Related Articles and Interesting Links: 

Thousands of Babies Being Born Into 'Hell' in Gaza, Says UNICEF https://www.commondreams.org/news/women-babies-gaza

On Parenthood and Genocide https://inthesetimes.com/article/gaza-genocide-children-israel-palestine-mother 

Israel Forcing Palestinians to Starve “Just Miles From Trucks Filled With Food”   https://truthout.org/articles/israel-forcing-palestinians-to-starve-just-miles-from-trucks-filled-with-food/

Palestinian Women and Children Don’t Deserve to Die in Gaza. Neither Do Men. https://truthout.org/articles/palestinian-women-and-children-dont-deserve-to-die-in-gaza-neither-do-men/  

St. Louis’s Ceasefire Resolution Is a Testament to Black-Palestinian Solidarity  https://truthout.org/articles/st-louiss-ceasefire-resolution-is-a-testament-to-black-palestinian-solidarity/

‘Operation Al-Aqsa Flood’ Day 105: Israel destroys Gaza’s last university as Netanyahu doubles down on rejection of a Palestinian state https://mondoweiss.net/2024/01/operation-al-aqsa-flood-day-105-israel-destroys-gazas-last-university-as-netanyahu-doubles-down-on-rejection-of-a-palestinian-state/

Israel’s war on Gaza live: No ‘deliberate’ war crimes by Israel, says US  https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2024/1/19/israels-war-on-gaza-live-us-support-for-israel-ironclad-despite-rebuff

Palestinians welcome Chile and Mexico’s call for ICC probe into Gaza war https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/1/19/palestinians-welcome-chile-and-mexico-call-for-icc-probe-into-gaza-war

Israeli Military Chief Says Lebanon War Likely in Coming Months
https://news.antiwar.com/2024/01/18/israeli-military-chief-says-lebanon-war-likely-in-coming-months/

5 Radical Martin Luther King Quotes Fox News Would Hate
https://www.patheos.com/blogs/notthatkindofchristian/2024/01/5-radical-martin-luther-king-quotes-fox-news-would-hate

Senate Kills Sanders Resolution Requiring Biden to Report on Israeli Human Rights Conduct in Gaza https://www.commondreams.org/news/sanders-resolution-gaza

Western racism laid the foundations for Israel's genocide in Gaza https://jonathancook.substack.com/p/western-racism-laid-the-foundations

Has Israel Lost its Right to Exist? https://joebrunoli.substack.com/p/has-israel-lost-its-right-to-exist

Patrick Lawrence: This Is Not Another ‘Phoney War’ https://scheerpost.com/2024/01/19/patrick-lawrence-this-is-not-another-phoney-war/

Biden, Israel’s accomplice in Gaza, pretends to be a bystander https://www.aaronmate.net/p/biden-israels-accomplice-in-gaza

How Israeli forces trapped and killed ravers at the Nova Festival
https://new.thecradle.co/articles/how-israeli-forces-trapped-and-killed-ravers-at-the-nova-festival

Switzerland says Israel President subject of criminal complaints at Davos  https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20240119-switzerland-says-israel-president-subject-of-criminal-complaints-at-davos/amp/

Technicality Could Sink Genocide Case v Israel https://consortiumnews.com/2024/01/17/technicality-could-sink-genocide-case-v-israel

Indonesia Files Lawsuit Against Israel At World Court https://popularresistance.org/indonesia-files-lawsuit-against-israel-at-world-court/

Cuba Proposes Non-Aligned Movement Support Urgent Dispatch Of Protection Mission To The Gaza Strip https://popularresistance.org/cuba-proposes-non-aligned-movement-support-urgent-dispatch-of-international-protection-mission-to-the-gaza-strip/

Can the US Please Stop Supporting Genocidal Nazis? https://joebrunoli.substack.com/p/can-the-us-please-stop-supporting

The Biden Administration's Absurd Justification For Its Yemen War https://www.caitlinjohnst.one/p/the-biden-administrations-absurd

Ohio Pastor Charged for Opening Church to Homeless People in Freezing Weather https://www.commondreams.org/news/ohio-pastor

One year after the toxic train derailment, is East Palestine (Ohio) safe? Depends on whom you ask. https://grist.org/accountability/is-east-palestine-safe-depends-who-you-ask/

COVID-19 has killed more than 7 million people since 2020 https://peoplesdispatch.org/2024/01/13/covid-19-has-killed-more-than-7-million-people-since-2020/

Global 1% own 43% of financial assets, 5 richest billionaires doubled wealth while 5 billion workers got poorer https://geopoliticaleconomy.com/2024/01/18/billionaires-richest-doubled-wealth-poorer-oxfam/
 

Some videos well worth watching:

Palestine in 1920 https://youtu.be/QUCeQt8zg5o?si=juKUncu86IoJLr2-

Are We The Baddies? (A History of US Empire)
https://youtu.be/ooMCvGlbbc4?si=wdFvdUxzzsM7i0Bu

South Park's take on Israeli propaganda: https://twitter.com/AdameMedia/status/1747953750403084674

Miko Peled interviews Dr. Jill Stein, Green Party candidate
https://youtu.be/rgIMHAJlPVM?si=x_hFcYMQjscVA0H8

Subscribe to The Revolution Continues on Substack today! Blogspot isn't working as well as it once did (Is it blatant censorship? Who knows?!) so it's time to migrate to a better platform. Go to https://therevolutioncontinues.substack.com/ and click on one of the stories and subscribe at the link at the end of the article. You'll enjoy having each week's post automatically sent to your email box or reading it at the Substack site. Many thanks for your consideration.

Eat The Rich, Feed The Poor (And Other Revolutionary Recipes)

 

"When the people shall have no more to eat, they will eat the rich." —Jean Jacques Rousseau, 1793

Eat The Rich, Feed The Poor (And Other Revolutionary Recipes)

by Redd Phlagg

So many depressing headlines hit my inbox this past week that they not only made my head spin, they made my entire worldview spin. It became ever more apparent to me that we can no longer afford to wait for the bought-off ruling establishment to take action to save our planet and its peoples. It's time. We the Workers, the little people, the 99% must get off our backsides and grab the reigns of our runaway climate catastrophe and social collapse before it's too late.

Americans need to feed our poor, tax our rich, and make certain that the narcissistic behavior that got us in these desperate straits in the first place doesn't ever return. We need to stop allowing ourselves to become distracted by the silly antics of the duopolists in DC who do only as they're told by their corporate masters. And we need to start yesterday.

A recent study found that 338,000 Americans died due to COVID-19 because our government couldn't take steps to implement Medicare For All or a similar universal single-payer system to provide them needed health care. That's one in every three of the one million plus Americans who contracted and died from the coronavirus and its variants. That's roughly the population of many medium-sized US metropolitan areas, including the one where I live, all gone. Needlessly.

COVID-19 has caused a million and counting deaths in the US. Since these deaths are spread across the country, you might not have noticed so many missing persons yourself but future generations most definitely will. American children will ask what happened to their parents, grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles, teachers, friends, babysitters, and even siblings as they grow up. What will we tell them?

Out of the one million plus Americans who have died since 2020 because of the pandemic, what percentage of them could have been saved? If the public's health and safety were the main priority of the ruling establishment rather than making profits for shareholders in the health insurance industry, Big Pharma, and the like how many could have lived? I feel that almost every American who caught COVID could have been saved if they could have received immediate treatment, free of charge, and weren't forced into situations that put their health at risk. There was no scientific reason to stop the lockdowns and force workers back out into low-paying service industry jobs (such as restaurant workers and hotel maids) so soon. In doing so, the politician-puppets of the oligarchy also forced these struggling workers' children back into daycares and public schools where the virus is extremely transmissible and proven deadly for teachers and students alike.

Universal Basic Income (UBI) could have been given to all American families to stay home and stay safe with their children until the virus died out. In countries that implemented such policies, the spread of COVID and its variants was much less, and their death tolls practically non-existent. Putting people over profits means that people win at least another day to live.

But, once again, the establishment duopoly sat on their backsides in Washington DC and moaned about how keeping people safe at home was hurting "the economy." They said this with a straight face while spending billions on the most bloated military budget ever passed in the history of humankind. They continued saying this while starting a proxy war to flush even more money down the drain so they could get rid of a natural gas competitor in Europe (i.e., Russia). No matter what label they give themselves--Republican, Democrat, "The Squad", Bernie Sanders even--these politician-puppets demonstrate by their actions that the profits of the military-industrial complex are infinitely more important than the lives of the vast majority of Americans.

Insult upon insult is dumped upon the poor and working classes' shoulders. We're forced to suffer the consequences of the duopolists' bad decisions to take on a fellow nuclear-power with oil reserves and resources the Western powers envy. We're paying for it every day at the gasoline pump, grocery store, and pharmacy. But to "red and blue" alike it's okay if the working classes grow poorer trying to survive because… well, "democracy" is at stake. Democracy in an already corrupt corner of the world ruled by fascists who took over in a coup in 2014 with the help of our CIA? What larks!

Why do We The People, the working classes continue putting up with this disgusting behavior? Why are these millionaire-idiots still in office wearing smug smiles on their faces? Could it be they've militarized our local police departments to such an extent that they know they can keep us poor folks in our place if we rise up?

I realize now that not every American realizes who is putting them through each and every fresh hell because our freedom of the press has been seriously curtailed. Revealing the dirty secrets of American war crimes put one Australian journalist, Julian Assange, into jail with a threatened 170 year sentence for treason. Yes, it's treasonous to publish news stories that reveal American politicians and officials for the war criminals they are. And if the war criminals in DC can slap an insane charge of treason on a journalist doing his job, you can imagine the charges they've cooked up to slap on us if we dare take our pitchforks to the streets in protest.

 When the French rose up at the end of the 18th century to protest numerous injustices inflicted upon them, they didn't let the fear of the militarized police stop them from punishing the aristocracy who had created the hell they were living in. Marie Antoinette said, "Let them eat cake!" while the French people couldn't even afford to buy a loaf of bread. (Sound familiar?) The commoners responded with the right idea--they built the guillotine and deployed it. Yes, it's bloody and violent, but the detached head of a obscenely wealthy sociopath made their point quite well, don't you think?

Should struggling Americans do likewise? The guillotine dispatched quite a few members of the French establishment along with Marie Antoinette, but it saved many more who saw it as a symbol of how the workers wouldn't take any more shit from those who thought themselves "superior" to the working classes. These smart aristocrats buckled down and cooperated with the common folks, and France was changed. So the guillotine doesn't have to be used indiscriminately and widely to make its point. Just the thought that the abused people have no problems getting rid of their abusers can bring about change.

It's time for Americans to let the money-grubbing, duopolistic puppet-politicians know that our patience is wearing thin. It's time to stop wasting time arguing over "the lesser evil" and being distracted by their idle rich antics that have nothing to do with us and our lives. Whatever symbol We The People choose--the guillotine, the pitchfork, tar and feathers (our founders' favorite means of singling out sociopaths)--we need to post it everywhere. We need to post it along with the message that we are not inferior to those who hoard wealth and play God with our health and safety--and the health and safety of the planet and everyone else on it.

We The People, the workers, the commoners, the 99% are, in fact, their bosses. They need to do what we say or else. And we let them know in no uncertain terms they're going to be a head shorter if they don't.

Related Articles:

UN Food Chief Says Hell on Earth Looms From Hunger Crisis Triggered By Ukraine War  https://scheerpost.com/2022/06/18/un-food-chief-says-hell-on-earth-looms-from-hunger-crisis-triggered-by-ukraine-war/

"A Chilling Message to Journalists": UK Approves Assange Extradition to US https://truthout.org/articles/a-chilling-message-to-journalists-uk-approves-assange-extradition-to-us/

Medicare For All Could Have Prevented 338,000 Deaths in the US https://truthout.org/articles/medicare-for-all-could-have-prevented-338000-covid-deaths-in-the-us/

100 Million People In America Are Saddled With Health Care Debt https://popularresistance.org/100-million-people-in-america-are-saddled-with-health-care-debt/

"No Place For A Child" (The horrors child immigrants experience when they cross the southern border.) https://scheerpost.com/2022/06/18/no-place-for-a-child/

  "Revolting": Senate Panel Raises Biden's Bloated Military Budget By 45 Billion https://truthout.org/articles/revolting-senate-panel-raises-bidens-bloated-military-budget-by-45-billion/

US Secretly Reviews and Approves Israeli Airstrikes in Syria https://scheerpost.com/2022/06/17/report-us-secretly-reviews-and-approves-many-israeli-airstrikes-in-syria 

Chris Hedges: American Empire Is Finished (video) https://youtu.be/OW52qqlQiJQ 

The State of Politics From An Anti-Establishment Perspective (Direct Left Callin podcast) https://www.callin.com/episode/the-state-of-politics-from-an-anti-gQcWTfYQHQ

The Smear Campaign Against Independent Journalism (video) https://youtu.be/nkoIfWt4Z2k

New Global Movement Against Capitalism For Socialism https://popularresistance.org/international-peoples-assembly-new-global-movement-against-capitalism-for-socialism/

Seen on Twitter:

Trump didn't save shit. Biden isn't going to save shit. Wake up already.

— Brutal Regime Apocalyptic Dreams (@brutal_regime) June 18, 2022

Capitalism's instability hits us. Over centuries, crashes and inflations follow each other. No reforms, monetary or fiscal policies ever ended them. System change: now we need it more than ever.

— Richard D. Wolff (@profwolff) June 18, 2022

Some of the most dangerous and corrupt organizations in the world, like the DOD, the CDC, the IMF, the World Bank, the CIA and the FBI are hailed as pillars of safety and justice.

War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength.

— Just.A.Thought 💭 (@e_galv) June 18, 2022

Governments will do anything to preserve themselves in power.

— Just a communist who lives in Outer Space (@LizzieCosmos) June 18, 2022

We're cutting school lunches while expanding the military budget.

Make it make sense. https://t.co/VrKNEhBW2e

— Peter Daou (@peterdaou) June 18, 2022

This is the United States without any embargoes or sanctions. pic.twitter.com/7PaBEM9fQK

— 🅹🅾️🅴🆈աrecκ ☭ (@joeywreck) June 16, 2022

Poverty wages are violence.

— Communist Special Agent Dana Scully (@CommunistScully) June 19, 2022

*** 

In a near-future dystopian world, hope blossoms where mutual aid and democracy begins...

Zonta’s world is turned upside down when Jake arrives at the commune to investigate the disappearance of agents of the Authority. Can she persuade him to switch sides before the Protectors (antifascist fighters) take action?

Available now from Extasy Books: https://www.extasybooks.com/Where-the-Bodies-Lie 

Please buy direct from the small publisher and not via Amazon. Why? Amazon takes a huge percentage of the book's price and leaves very little for the publisher and author to share. Thanks.

 

Critical Thinking Skills For The Masses

Few people sincerely want the truth about the world. Most just want politicians and pundits to whisper reassuringly in their ear, "Don't worry. We've got this. Your schoolteachers told you the truth about everything, and so did the news man. You are on the side of righteousness." --Caitlin Johnstone, US Interventionism Always Makes Things Worse

Friendly reminder that it's impossible to get a clear understanding of what's going on in the world without accounting for the fact that very powerful people within your own society are actively working very hard to manipulate your understanding in their favor. -- Caitlin Johnstone, US Interventionism Always Makes Things Worse

It's time for a lesson in...

Critical Thinking Skills For The Masses 

by Redd Phlagg

Critical thinking is making reasoned judgements that are logical and well thought-out.  --Study.com

Function of the CIA:

1. Run secret wars
2. Disseminate propaganda to influence people’s minds

That’s not hyperbole. That’s from the Former Operations Director of the CIA.

Think about this next time you buy the narratives that are crafted to control you. pic.twitter.com/HysmXBejUV

— Ryan Knight ☭ (@ProudSocialist) April 7, 2022

You meet a person, and they become the love of your life. You trust this person and believe every word that comes from their mouth and trust every action they take or ask you to take on their behalf. One day, you come across irrefutable evidence that your beloved has been lying to you, not just once but many, many times. As time goes on, you discover that this person has been lying to you all throughout the time you've known them and are confident that you will never confront them about their lying. They are free to abuse your trust and even possibly abuse you physically, psychologically, and spiritually because they know you will never leave or speak ill of them.

Do you stay in this relationship? What is your payoff for putting up with the lies and abuse?

If you're able to think critically, you should be able to weigh the evidence and come up with a theory about how this person will act in the future based on their past actions. If they have lied repeatedly to you, you will act skeptically about any information they have given you or will give you. You will eagerly double-check whatever claims they make against other authoritative sources. If you believe these sources and discuss your options with others you trust, you should come to the conclusion that it's not worth your effort to remain with this person. You will make the logical decision to leave them.

But human beings aren't logical and rarely use their critical thinking skills when it comes to the people and groups they have emotionally bonded with. We make excuses for other's lies and tell ourselves that we deserve to be lied to. We convince ourselves that the lies we've been told are actually "truths" even if our higher cognitive processes tell us there's no possible way they can be true.

"I'd never accept a lie as the truth!" I hear you say. Are you so sure? "No way would I continue believing anything out of the mouth of anyone who repeatedly lied to me," you insist.

Okay, then answer me this: Do you believe everything the US government has told you about the whys and wherefores about what's happening in Ukraine? Do you believe everything that mainstream media outlets such as NBC News tell you about what's going on there?

If you answered yes to either or both or those questions, the following is going to blow your mind:

NBC News has a new report out citing multiple anonymous US officials, humorously titled "In a break with the past, U.S. is using intel to fight an info war with Russia, even when the intel isn't rock solid".  

The officials say the Biden administration has been rapidly pushing out "intelligence" about Russia's plans in Ukraine that is "low-confidence" or "based more on analysis than hard evidence", or even just plain false, in order to fight an information war against Putin. (…) 

Just as the smear campaign against Julian Assange trained mainstream liberals to defend the right of their government to keep dark secrets from them, we may now be looking at the stage of narrative control advancement where mainstream liberals are trained to defend the right of their government to lie to them. -- Caitlin Johnstone, US Officials Admit They're Literally Just Lying To The Public About Russia

It's time to use those critical thinking skills... NBC News (a mainstream media outlet) is quoting US government officials who state they're telling outright lies. Do you continue believing these officials who candidly admit to lying?

It wouldn't be the first time US government officials have lied to us about a military action. Do you remember the reason George W. Bush sent our troops into Iraq-- something about "weapons of mass destruction" being found there? Does that ring a bell? It's been verified there were never any WMDs in Iraq. This "false flag" or fictional excuse was concocted to give the US an excuse to invade that country. 

And no, none of the 9/11 terrorists came from Iraq. Most of them came from Saudi Arabia. So, why didn't we invade Saudi Arabia? Good question. Invading a country we don't like just made more sense at the time than invading one we did/still do like.

Hey, stop using those critical thinking skills now! It's embarrassing to the US government to point out that they're liars.

When our government wants the American people to believe something or go along with a military action (no matter how abhorrent it may be), they will expect us to keep our minds turned off and our mouths shut.

This year we're supposed to hate all things Russian with a passion and to think there's no such thing as a Ukrainian Neo-Nazi paramilitary unit such as the Azov Battalion. But here's the Pentagon and another mainstream media outlet--Reuters News--reporting about a recent event in Ukraine that you probably have heard about and might have upset you. Warning: I might upset you again by telling you that it's possible that this horrible event might not have even happened or  it wasn't quite what you were led to believe:

WASHINGTON, April 4 (Reuters) – The U.S. military is not in a position to independently confirm Ukrainian accounts of atrocities by Russian forces against civilians in the town of Bucha: “The Pentagon can’t independently and single handedly confirm that, but we’re also not in any position to refute those claims.”

If the Pentagon, which includes the Defense Intelligence Agency and the National Security Agency, cannot confirm any of the atrocities that Ukrainian government claimed, then what really happened? Did anything happen? Who can be believed?

Critical thinking skills can help us in this instance. Other sources of information should be consulted and the evidence weighed before jumping to conclusions.
According to this source:

The Ukrainian President caused controversy in Greece by including a video message from members of the neo-Nazi Azov battalion in his speech to the Greek parliament. This caused a walk-out by a number of Greek MPs who protested the move on Thursday. (…) 

The Azov Battalion is based in Mariupol, and had led a terror campaign against civilians there, including the city's 120,000 Greeks. Greek City Times also reported that the Ukrainian nationalist forces have "killed people for trying to leave the city." 

Greece's SKAI news asked Mr. Kiouranas, a Greek who lives in Mariupol, if he was planning on leaving the city, to which he responded:  

“How can I leave? When you try to leave you run the risk of running into a patrol of the Ukrainian fascists, the Azov Battalion," adding “They would kill me and are responsible for everything." --Greek MPs Leave Zelensky Session for Including Message from Neo Nazi Azov
https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/greek-mps-leave-zelensky-session-for-including-message-from

Since foreigners living in Ukraine have confirmed the violence of the Azov Battalion, and other sources have stated that multiple atrocities have been committed against ethnic Russians by these fascist groups since the 2014 coup when the eastern republics that make up the Donbas region voted to leave Ukraine, then it's possible the Russian Army isn't committing atrocities at all. It seems highly probable that Ukrainian fascists such as the Azov Battalion are killing ethnic Russians and are trying to shift the blame and focus away from them and the Ukrainian government instead.

Now, more than ever we need to use our critical thinking skills to prevent a proxy war over a liquid natural gas pipeline (and possibly American/Ukrainian biolabs working on military grade pathogens) from turning into World War III. And if you don't believe this conflict could turn into a nuclear apocalypse, just read what one former top NATO commander says about how the use of nuclear weapons is a "proper response" in this article, Former NATO Military Analyst Blows The Whistle on West's Ukraine Invasion Narrative https://www.rsn.org/001/former-nato-commander-says-western-fears-of-nuclear-war-are-preventing-a-proper-response-to-putin.html

Always keep in mind who benefits from a situation--even a horrific situation such as nuclear war or a prolonged conventional conflict:  For Arms Manufacturers the War in Ukraine is a Profits Bonanza https://www.rsn.org/001/for-arms-manufacturers-the-war-in-ukraine-is-a-profits-bonanza.html

Remain skeptical. Read widely. Don't give your love or trust away automatically to any person, group, political party, or government just because they tell you, "You can believe us! We'll never lie to you!"

Because even our co-opted mainstream media has told us that's completely bogus.

Russia supposedly killed civilians in Bucha that they:
-Lived in peace with for a month
-Did not ever previously engage in combat with
-Were distributing food & aid to
-Knew we’re supporters of Russia (white armbands)
-Were peacefully leaving during a withdrawal of the city 🤔

— Jackson Hinkle 🇺🇸 (@jacksonhinklle) April 6, 2022

Articles to make you think for yourself and consider all sides of the story:

UPDATE: More Escalations in Online Censorship https://caitlinjohnstone.substack.com/p/more-escalations-in-online-censorship?s=r 

Former NATO Military Analyst Blows The Whistle on West's Ukraine Invasion Narrative  https://scheerpost.com/2022/04/09/former-nato-military-analyst-blows-the-whistle-on-wests-ukraine-invasion-narrative/

US Officials Admit They're Literally Just Lying to the Public About Russia https://caitlinjohnstone.substack.com/p/us-officials-admit-theyre-literally?s=r

Who Are the Good Guys In the Ukraine War?  https://scheerpost.com/2022/04/05/paul-street-who-are-the-good-guys-in-the-ukraine-war/

The Lie of American Innocence (audio article)  https://chrishedges.substack.com/p/listen-to-this-article-the-lie-of?s=r

New Witness Testimony About Mariupol Maternity Hospital Airstrike https://popularresistance.org/new-witness-testimony-about-mariupol-maternity-hospital-airstrike/

Questions Abound About Bucha Massacre  https://scheerpost.com/2022/04/06/questions-abound-about-bucha-massacre/ 

Greek MPs Leave Zelensky Session for Including Message from Neo Nazi Azov https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/greek-mps-leave-zelensky-session-for-including-message-from 

Twitter IS "State-Affiliated Media"  https://caitlinjohnstone.substack.com/p/twitter-is-state-affiliated-media?s=r

For Arms Manufacturers the War in Ukraine is a Profits Bonanza https://www.rsn.org/001/for-arms-manufacturers-the-war-in-ukraine-is-a-profits-bonanza.html 

Twitter to Crackdown on Russia-Ukraine Info That Contradicts State Department  https://www.rokfin.com/post/81618 (video)

US Interventionism Always Makes Things Worse https://caitlinjohnstone.substack.com/p/us-interventionism-always-makes-things?s=r

The Levers of Power Are Also Triggers (warning: contains link to graphic video of Russian soldiers being murdered)  https://popularresistance.org/the-levers-of-power-are-also-triggers/

Independent journalist Richard Medhurst:  "What EXACTLY Happened in Bucha" featuring UN weapons inspector Scott Ritter (video)  https://youtu.be/klPYYqhqO74

Ukraine: A Conversation with Scott Ritter (video)  https://youtu.be/OdM5Pkyl0_8 

If It Feels Like You're Being Manipulated, It's Because You Are https://caitlinjohnstone.substack.com/p/if-it-feels-like-youre-being-manipulated?s=r 

They Admit They're Lying to You! (video) https://youtu.be/CvXVBDs_fKw  

The Revolution Continues' ongoing series on the proxy war in Ukraine: https://continuousrev.blogspot.com/p/ukraine-war-series.html

 Seen on Twitter:

Ukraine: Russia committed war crimes

Russia: We did not and are willing to allow a full UN investigation

The West: No investigation or we wont be able to keep saying Russia did it 🙄

— Michael R. Weinstein, Bookseller #EndTheOligarchy (@fToRrEeEsSt) April 6, 2022

If Russia was trying to hide "guilt in mass killing" then why did they TWICE request a Security Council meeting to call for an INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION? And why did Britain block the requests? This will now be a bogus investigation!

— Kinkajou51 #IStandWithDonbas 🇳🇮 (@Kinkajou5123) April 5, 2022

Everyone stopped talking about the fact that Hunter Biden was funding dangerous zoonotic pathogen research in level 3 Ukrainian biolabs as soon as the bogus allegations of Russian war crimes in Bucha & Kramatorsk hit the headlines.

— Jackson Hinkle 🇺🇸 (@jacksonhinklle) April 10, 2022

BREAKING NEWS: US State department officials leak that when asked what benefit we gain from freezing and starving the EU with Russia sanctions Victoria Nuland responded "less Europeans."

— Garland Nixon (@GarlandNixon) April 6, 2022

They suspended Scott Ritter? The UN weapons inspector who was right about Iraq not having WMD??? Well that's how you know he's right again.

For shame, @Twitter.

— My Aunt Fanny (@Dienne_7) April 6, 2022

Twitter has locked out @FiorellaIsabelM for reporting the news

The first casualty in every war is the truth 

— Slow News Day (@SlowNewsDayShow) April 6, 2022

The UK blocking the UN investigation into the Bucha massacre is all you really need to know about how propaganda works.

— Mnar Adley (@MnarMuh) April 5, 2022

That link is no longer available.
Here's the video. pic.twitter.com/JlvEqCDEsm

— RoadNotTaken - PalestineSolidarity 🇵🇸🍉 (@RoadNotTaken19) April 7, 2022

Ukraine can't win this war - Everyone knows this.

The longer the war goes on, the more citizens die.
Sending weapons/money only serves in prolonging the war, resulting in more deaths.

Meanwhile, Americans don't have healthcare.

— Hanx Fingers ⏳🇮🇪 (@HanxFingers) April 7, 2022