Jane Castles

My dog is grieving her cat brother who died last week. 😭 💔 When I take her for walks I can tell she is looking around seeing if she can “find” 🐈.
😢 #petsgrieving #doggrievingcat

Whatever Putin does — from choosing to invade Ukraine in first place, to the near constant attacks ever since — is never escalation or “starting WW3” apparently. It is only escalation and “starting WW3” when Ukraine or its allies fight back. Make it makes sense.

clarity — for a better future for all in the region. And ultimately this kind of disavowal of Hamas agency & crimes is no help at all to Palestinians, or their just cause for freedom & a state of their own. 6/6

children, women, & men murdered, brutalised & taken hostage by Hamas if you choose to obscure, deny or legitimise these crimes with dehumanising acts of linguistic erasure. It is also an insult to the many brave 🇵🇸 & 🇮🇱 activists who strive — with dignity, humanity, & moral 5/6

‘Zionist mythbusters’ out there: there is no CAN. Hamas DID absolutely “cause harm and violence”. No ‘can’ about it. Perhaps go talk to some of the families of Oct 7 victims so you realise it’s actually a ‘DID’ and not a ‘CAN’. You are stomping over the bodies of innocent 4/6

- They did them but had no choice;

- They did them but they weren’t that bad;

- They did them but Jews deserve it so crimes don’t count;

- 🇵🇸 resistance fighters “CAN cause harm & violence (I kid you not — a ‘mythbuster’ said this). Correction for all self-ordained 3/6

This erasure is like a linguistic magic trick — words put together in a certain way so as to ‘disappear’ Hamas crimes against both Israelis & Palestinians. Some examples of this disturbing and disturbingly common disavowal:

- They didn’t really do these crimes; 2/6

Something I find loathsome & morally repugnant: where valid criticism of Israel & IDF actions morphs into a complete disavowal of Hamas crimes & agency. Many critics of 🇮🇱 undermine their own arguments because of their hypocritical erasure of any Hamas crimes or culpability. 1/6

(I kid you not — a ‘mythbuster’ said this). Correction for all self-ordained ‘Zionist mythbusters’ out there: there is no CAN. Hamas DID absolutely “cause harm and violence”. No ‘can’ about it. Perhaps go talk to some of the families of Oct 7 victims 3/5

together. This erasure takes many forms:

- They didn’t really do these crimes;
- They did them but had no choice;
- They did them but they weren’t that bad;
- They did them but Jews deserve it so crimes don’t count;
- 🇵🇸 resistance fighters “CAN cause harm & violence” — 2/5

Praise someone tomorrow, in front of other people, if possible.

Vital brief from the Soufan Center highlighting key themes re: how 🇮🇱🇵🇸 violence is rippling outward.

Social media is a growing tool for not only disinformation, but coordination of violence. Integration & domestic polarisation challenges are exacerbated.

thesoufancenter.org/intelbrief-2...

We lost our beautiful cat Bartok today. How they break our hearts when they go.

I liked this because very cute cat. But perhaps should not have since I ticked cat/dog content in my initial Bluesky set up and now get nothing but!

An Israeli and a Palestinian talk peace, dignity and safety Israel and Palestine have grappled with enduring territorial disputes and complex geopolitical tensions across generations. In this profound TED Membership conversation, Palestinian peace activist Ali...

A few months ago, TED invited me to have a conversation with the Palestinian peace activist Ali Abu Awwad. Sharing it here for the first time. I hope some of it resonates with you.

Many of us are echoing @timothysnyder.bsky.social's lesson in On Tyranny, "Do not obey in advance.”

A no less vital admonition that deserves attn:

STAND OUT

“...without that unease, there is no freedom. The moment you set an example, the spell of the status quo is broken, and others will follow."

Suggestion for for everyone telling Ukraine to not defend itself because WW3 yada yada:

How about telling Putin to get the hell out of Ukraine. That will prevent WWIII.

Hello there. Experimenting over here; still over there. Follow suggestions welcome. What a world.