The Engine That Fueled Mahmoud Khalil's Detention is the Same That Fueled "Wokeness"

And that engine is? EMPIRE

Been a while since I wrote a post the same day I thought about it. This post is free because I need as many people as possible to read and understand what is being articulated here. I will probably risk subscriber churn but realistically I already made all the money I will this year anyway. Bon appetit!

You don’t understand. Even I was getting tired of the “woke” issue. Even I wanted to move on and say we got way bigger problems now. Several have said the detention of green-card carrying Columbia student and activist Mahmoud Khalil was the most blatant example yet of Trump’s fascism. No argument from me, sister.

Since it is such a singular case, it warrants analysis, no? There have been stories of Muslims arrested for security under trumped-up charges. Those were travesties. But they were charged with terrorism. Khalil wasn’t even charged.

So…how? I mean if there aren’t any charges, what possible emotional appeal could there be?

Well let’s see…they said he’s pro-Hamas, but no charges? Oh I know: pro-Hamas and he’s antisemitic.

Oh he’s antisemitic. OK carry on. Antisemitism has no place in any school. But wait, is there any evidence? Well, no, but we already live in a post-evidence world. One that was carried forth with the “Believe all women” movement. Of course, if Biden is accused, then we look for evidence. But Chris Noth, James Franco, Bryan Callen? Well they should never work again.

Whether I like these people or not is irrelevant. Shit whether I believe them or not is irrelevant. I am not on the jury and they were never charged.

As far back as World War II, America has tried as hard as possible to change the image it has of being a racist country. Please do not confuse matters: America has never actually cared about being racist. It cared about appearing racist. Why did you think the CIA had jazz musicians tour Europe? Is it because they valued African-American people that much? Or jazz? Or Europe?

Anytime a politician stands up against bigotry, why do they do so? You know those cop shows where the feds walk in and treat the local cops like shit? So compare BLM to our current moment. When some shitkicker cop beats a black guy to death, the press and the Boomer Liberal Elite have no problem wagging their finger. Ugh the cops! They almost gave my Cameron a ticket the other day!

But going against the military-industrial complex? Now that’s a heftier ask. Typically at times like this, the best that can be done is to pin it all on a shitty president. When it was Vietnam, the media went all in on Nixon. When it was Iraq, Bush was an easy target. Now, with this whole Gaza thing? See, I told you Trump was worse.

Was he though? Is he not building on legislation passed not only during Bush 43, but during Biden’s administration? Yes he is. But more importantly, he is using the Biden technique of crying antisemitism. As are the conservatives. The Democrats and Republicans are courting the same vote with such passion and verve, it's a wonder that they are even two different parties.

As The Real Cornpop recently said, “The press, right now, has [a] choice. They have the chance to save the life of Mahmoud Khalil, to make his deportation so untenable that he be released. But beyond a single life, they have the chance to save their own profession.” Yes they do. The fact that this is even a choice — as opposed to an instinct….

Can you believe the press is actually not sure whether to criticize Trump? He has been their boogeyman this whole time. This is a clear shot. Are late night talk show hosts scared? Colbert can’t make an “Animaniacs” parody about this? Well you see, what if…hear me out…what if…they get called “antisemitic” for doing so?

Good point. As good a reason as any to let the first amendment die. Is the plot twist that shocking, by the way? That guardrails against offensive speech were always meant to serve the state? To serve as a cudgel against free speech? When anyone who criticized Barack Obama’s drones strikes was racist? When anyone who preferred Bernie Sanders — as opposed to the regime-approved nominee — was sexist? When, to this day, I see the same eight shrill harpies here cry about how hate should be deplatformed on Substack…yeah and Khalil should be deplatformed out of New York into Louisiana.

As always, “freedom of speech” is confused with “freedom of speech that doesn’t hurt my feelings.” What a beautiful symbiosis, huh? Why the glum look chum? Those meanies got you down? Don’t worry: the mommy state will give them what for!

Good news: the people don’t like it. This is not some weird TikTok bubble issue. Breakroom after breakroom, bus stop after bus stop, people are getting wise. I frankly have not heard many Jews say they believe Trump is guarding them from antisemitism. So this could be a watershed moment not only for the Gaza movement, not only for the anti-Trump movement, but for free speech.

Let’s just hope Mahmoud Khalil’s not anti-semitic or homophobic or sexist or ableist or fatphobic or gender-normative or jingoisitic or carnivorous in any way.