I reached out to spokespeople for all 22 Democrats Monday morning with a simple inquiry: I wanted to know if they planned to make a statement or take any sort of action—like a censure—against Rep. Walberg for his call for the destruction of Gaza.
Only three offices responded.
“Deranged and depraved,” Rep. Ritchie Torres of New York said through his press secretary, which was surprising given Torres’ aggressive and unapologeticsupport for Israel. (He’s literally in Israel right now.) I followed up, pointing out Torres’ vote to censure Tlaib and asking if he thought Rep. Walberg’s comments were on the same level. His press secretary said yes. When I pressed further, asking if Torres planned to call for a vote to censure, I received no reply.
It feels strange doesn’t it? That you can call to defend the very concept of humanity, and get called out. But calling for the instant genocide of an entire peoples leaves crickets?
The erosion of our institutions must be nearly complete. We have Christians calling for the destruction of Galilee. We have so called progressives falling to silence in the face of just words, in the past they’d be on the picket lines with us (see Civil Rights Movement). This doesn’t even mention the bravery of the workers during the Battle of Blair Mountain. We have been successfully desensitized as a whole, even if as individuals it is madness inducing to see every day.
All symbols, words, and institutions have lost their original meaning. We don’t even know what YHWH means really. A species of perceived orphans pounding their chest proudly proclaiming we know what is going on. Nobody does. It’s all just one urge to the next, and if there is a plan, it is because an urge required complexity to satisfy. We have become The Jungle once more.
Democrats are not “so called progressives”.
Some progressives are Democrats, but not all Democrats are progressives. Most Democrats are not progressives, in fact. Things make a little more sense once you accept that.
But only a little.
They oppose progressives but not republicans. This is nothing even remotely new.
It’s the only “both sides” I subscribe to.
All Republicans and most Democrats are “conservative” so in that respect they’re the same. We have like a handful of actual “left leaning” individuals in the democratic party and the rest of them hate that fact because what we really have is a plutocracy.
Right. Progressives would enact meaningful campaign finance reform, and maybe even put an end to their insider training. It would completely upend their little apple cart, so the establishment politicians will always have “bipartisan cooperation” when it comes to silencing progressive voices.
Censuring a Dem passes. Censuring a Republican doesn’t. It’s pretty simple. He doesn’t want to call for a failed vote.
His office should have just said that.
Censuring a Dem passes. Censuring a Republican doesn’t. It’s pretty simple.
And I said why this is the case. There is no other reason.
She said, “from the river to the sea”. That’s a phrase calling for genocide and explicitly calling for genocide deserves censure.
Republicans will vote against censure for a Republican. Both Dems and Republicans will vote for censuring a Democrat.
Generally holding our own accountable and not being in lockstep like the Republicans is something to be proud of, not ashamed of.
I mean did you expect anything less? Palestinians don’t donate, have PACS and lobbyists influencing American politicians like Israel has.
Money is always above humanitarian rights.
Wu-Tangs song C.R.E.A.M. sums this up.
Method Man is not glorifying money and excess; rather, he’s saying that money holds power, and is a factor of major decisions made in the world he lives in. Those who have it, have power and those who don’t, won’t get up anywhere; sort of a way of saying the “love of money is the root of all evil” phrase from 1 Timothy 6:10 in the Bible, if you will.
I’m sorry but as a fan of Wu-Tang this is not at all what C.R.E.A.M. is about, just read/listen to the lyrics. It’s about the paper-chase in the hood and how it’s not worth the struggle, no more no less. Also Method Man only sings the hook, the rest of the song is written and performed by Raekwon and Inspectah Deck. Stop being a poser.
From U-God in their book “Raw: My Journey into the Wu-Tang”
The realism on “C.R.E.A.M.” is what resonates with so many people all over the world. People everywhere know that sentiment of being slaves to the dollar. Cash is king, and we are its lowly subjects. That’s pretty much the case in every nation around the world, the desperation to put your life and your freedom on the line to make a couple dollars. Whether you’re working, stripping, hustling, or slinging, whether you’re a business owner or homeless, cash rules everything around us.
From Raekon in the article Raekwon Breaks Down His 25 Most Essential Songs
C.R.E.A.M.’ did a lot for my career personally. It gave me an opportunity to revisit the times where that cream meant that much to us. So, yeah, when I think of this record it just automatically puts me back into ‘87/’88 where we were standing in front of the building. It’s cold outside. We didn’t care. We’re out there, all black on trying to make dollars. Just trying to make some money and trying to eat. Survive.
All of Wu-Tang has been credited for writing C.R.E.A.M.
- Clifford Smith (Method Man)
- Corey Woods (Raekwon)
- David Porter
- Dennis Coles (Ghostface Killah)
- Gary Grice (GZA)
- Isaac Hayes
- Jason Hunter (Inspectah Deck)
- Lamont Jody Hawkins (U-God)
- Robert Diggs (RZA)
- Russell Jones (Ol’ Dirty Bastard)
As for Method Man’s hook, the hook is the key part of the song. The hook is theme of the song, which is money = power. Without the hook, it’s a personal story about Raekwon and Inspectah Deck’s youth, living in the rough part of the city, and their dreams. Method Man’s hook frames those stories as people trying to escape poverty through acquiring money as money = power. Hence why Method Man raps “cash rules everything around me”. This completely frames Raekwon and Inspectah Deck verses as story about chasing money through any money. As Inspectah Deck raps:
Neglected for now, but yo, it gots to be accepted. That what? That life is hectic
It’s an acknowledgment that money is the only that that matters. When it comes to humanitarian rights, unless you have money. Those in power don’t care. Israel has a powerful lobby that uses money to influence American politics. Israel isn’t shaping American policy through gifts, connections, or logical arguments. The influence is coming straight from money. As Method Man eloquently puts it “cash rules everything around me”. If American politicians actually cared about the plight they would be tell the Israel lobby to go fuck themselves and not take their money. It is the pursuit of the American politician getting money that is causing problems in Palestine.
Palestinians don’t have money to influence anything in American politics. It’s taking direct action for Palestinians to get support.
When Inspectah Deck raps in the hook:
Because you can’t just get by no more, Word up, you gotta get over, straight up and down
A nation of genocide, slavery and nuking cities, prefers a nuke over cease-fire? surprised pikachu face
They’re all taking the same AIPAC money Torres is. Democrats are filthy hypocrites.
