As the brutal war in Israel and Gaza drags on, the vast majority of U.S. policy makers have pledged aid and support to the Israeli government and shared their grief for the innocent Israelis who’ve been killed. Yet as thousands of equally innocent Palestinian civilians die and Gaza is reduced to rubble, much of the sentiment seems to run dry.
Why the disparity? One possible reason could be the relative absence of Palestinian voices and perspectives in major reporting on the subject.
This week in OtherWords, my colleague Sarah Gertler — a young Jewish advocate for Palestinian rights — shares a story about attending a march of thousands demanding a ceasefire that got next to no media coverage. She says the episode is symptomatic of a trend that’s not only unfair, but also dehumanizing and harmful to Jews as well as Palestinians. I love this one — please give it a read.
Also this week, Sonali Kolhatkar makes a common sense plea: School lunches should be free! Sam Pizzigati shares some more common sense about taxes: Millionaire tax dodgers should get audited, not the working poor. And finally, Jim Hightower shares a story about Texans fighting back against pollution from one of Elon Musk’s companies.
New This Week…
Don’t Silence Palestinian Voices | Sarah Gertler
The absence of Palestinians and their advocates from news coverage isn’t just unfair. As a Jewish American, I think it’s harmful.
School Lunches Should Be Free | Sonali Kolhatkar
During the pandemic, schools were allowed to treat the idea of feeding students to be as essential as educating them. That’s how it should be all the time.
Close the Audit Gap | Sam Pizzigati
Millionaires who skip their taxes should get audited, not the working poor. Closing that gap isn’t just fair — it’s essential to protect our democracy.
Elon Musk Messes With Texas | Jim Hightower
The billionaire wants to dump waste in a community’s water source. Now the locals are fighting back.
Cartoon: Palestinian Lives Matter | Khalil Bendib
The Israeli government’s treatment of innocent Palestinians should shock the conscience.
In Case You Missed It…
We Need an Immediate Ceasefire in Gaza | Phyllis Bennis
Millions of innocent Gazans are in danger. Half are children who’ve lived through five wars already.
Let’s Trash Junk Fees | Sarah Anderson
President Biden is cracking down on deceptive fees that cost American consumers tens of billions of dollars a year.
Try This in a Small Town | Amy Adams
We don’t need more fear, anger, or violence. We need public investment that helps hard working people get by.
The Price of Amazon’s “Prime” Business Model Is Our Bodies | Denise Kohr
The billion-dollar company profits off pushing workers like me to our physical limits — only to ignore us when we’re hurt on the job.
