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To the editor:
Thornton Wilder was the co-screenwriter for Alfred Hitchcock’s favorite film: “Shadow of a Doubt.” Uncle Charlie tells his niece, “What do you know…Nothing. What are you all? – sleepwalkers – blind… the whole world’s crooked… It’s one big foul sty. Rip down the fronts of houses and in every room, you’ll find liars and swine and cheats.”
Mayor Zohran Mamdani deserves to be lauded for opening the curtains and revealing an ugly reality that the Trump administration and individuals and groups who give Israel unconditional support turn a blind eye to and wish to erase. The Mayor wants to enforce an ICC arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu when he comes to NYC for the United Nations' General Assembly.
He acknowledged he lacks the authority. However, the federal government can enforce this warrant. It accuses the Prime Minister of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The ICC investigated the conduct of Israel in Gaza. It voted unanimously that there were reasonable grounds to believe that Netanyahu should be held responsible for the following crimes: “Starvation of civilians as a method of warfare; Intentionally directing attacks again a civilian population; murder, persecution; and other inhuman acts.”
Multiple UN agencies and human rights groups, some based in Israel, have confirmed the ICC’s findings.
The Prime Minister, in a radio appearance, attacked Mamdani in a spot-on version of Senator Joseph McCarthy at his worst.
He said, “…look at who he’s condemning, who he is praising… who does he champion? Hamas that calls openly to massacre every Jew on earth, that conducted… the worst massacre on Jews since the Holocaust…[He] doesn’t care that those who hate the Jews in Israel ultimately hate America. And in fact I think, secretly, he hates America.”
Mamdani has condemned the genocidal attack by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023. He said if Hamas leaders with ICC arrest warrants came to NYC, he would order their arrests (three were killed by Israel). Mamdani has frequently denounced antisemitism, and increased funding for the office that combats hate crimes.
Howard Elterman
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Valete
Mr. Elterman, Here is a quick practice quiz to test your current events knowledge:
2026 Global Current Events Proficiency Exam
instructions:
Select one correct answer from the options provided below.
Question:
Why do major contemporary crises, like the genocides in Syria and Nigeria, get less media attention than the alleged genocide in Gaza?
Options:
A. Global media networks are legally banned by international treaties from broadcasting news regarding internal civil conflicts.
B. Media outlets often prioritize conflicts like the alleged genocide in Gaza due to political correctness concerns, overlooking the genocide in Syria and Nigeria perpetrated by radical Islamists.
C. International news agencies have universally agreed to stop reporting on terrorism to prevent giving groups free publicity.
D. Audiences globally have expressed a unanimous preference for domestic local news, leading to the complete elimination of foreign desks.
Answer: B
Thursday, July 30 Report this
reenjoe
Interesting ... Sica/Word Man notes "genocides in Syria and Nigeria" but calls what is happening in Gaza "alleged genocide".
Howard, BTW way the correct answer to Sica's quiz is:
E. The media prioritizes coverage on atrocities that can be remedied through public pressure. Shaming the U.S. for its complicity in the genocide being perpetrated in Gaza is the most effective way to end the atrocities happening there. No such remedy exists for what is happening in Syria and Nigeria. Terrorist groups like ISIS and Boko Haram TRIVE ON media coverage; focusing media attention on terrorists only aids them in recruiting and spreading their messages of hate.
Saturday, August 8 Report this
reenjoe
Howard, today 8/7 the media reports that Trump's Gaza peace proposal, which calls for Hamas to give up their arms to a neutral party in exchange for Israel to withdraw, has been rejected by Netanyahu. Why am I not surprised?
Monday, August 10 Report this