What Passes for Sophisticated Conversation in Educated American Circles Today

Substack

Recently, at a gathering, a man came by and, for some reason, assumed that we share all views in common. I am a feminist. That, to him, means that I think the way Democrats think. Thus, he asked me whether I was optimistic about the mid-terms.

Said I: "Sir, what we are facing is so much larger than the color war between the Republicans and the Democrats in America."

"What do you mean? What could be larger? Aren't you hoping that Susan Collins will lose?”

Committed to kindness and diplomacy, I said: "I am thinking about the out-of-control wildfires in Spain, France, and Scotland. I also have in mind the dangerous surges of immigrants into Europe, at least those immigrants who have no intention of assimilating but who reserve the right to live on the Western dime while they prey upon their own women and upon all infidels. But I am mostly thinking about what is going on in Iran and with the devilish doings of Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Qatar, and Turkey.”

"Are you a Trumper?" he asked. Aghast. Terrified.

"I am not at all comforted by President Trump's on-again/off-again approach to making a deal that absolutely can never be made with fundamentalist fanatics. Any ‘peace’ deal that Hamas or Iran or their proxies agree to only and ever means ‘for now,’ while they re-arm, train new Jihadists, plan new terrorist operations against the West, especially against Israel and America. As my friend and colleague Dr. Mordechai Kedar has written many times, including today at Israel National News, all so-called ‘peace deals’ are temporary among the Jihadists and can be broken when they've recovered their strength."

I paused. Sipped some water.

"But, on the other hand, this is a terrible decision that President Trump and his administration are weighing. Following through on strikes against Iran will definitely mean many deaths, possibly world war, and the continued failure of the global economy. Even if Hamas, the Houthis, and Hezbollah are mightily diminished, even if Iran is further reduced, even to its knees—they will come back. America would only be buying some time. Our coming generations would be sacrificed once again to Jihad-terrorism. And the hidden terror cells all over the world would be activated."

"So what are you saying? That Trump is right to delay and delay? Isn't he just plain crazy?"

"Sir, what I'm actually saying is that President Jimmy Carter should have gotten our kidnapped American diplomats out of Teheran in 1979, no matter what. That President Bill Clinton should not have stood together with Yasser Arafat and PM Yitzhak Rabin, all so proud of themselves for having forged an imaginary, even a delusional peace. That President Bush should not have sent all those Saudi nationals back home right after 19, mainly Saudi, terrorists had flown planes into the World Trade Center, tearing a hole in history. What I'm saying is that Presidents Obama and Biden just threw billions and lots of shade at Iran, making this almost impossible situation worse. Appeasing such opponents, such openly self-declared enemies can never work."

"So what are you saying we can do?"

“First, I recommend reading the Middle East Forum on this question. I also recommend reading a lot more about the history of Islam vis-a-vis their own dissidents, their own women, and vis-a-vis all infidels, beginning with the Jews. Read expert and non-partisan military analyses of asymmetrical warfare. But especially read up on the Iranian and left-wing funding of the greatest online disinformation campaign that has ever existed, i.e., the propaganda against the West."

"If you do, perhaps you will start coming up with independent suggestions about what to do; what is to be done."

"What are you saying—that you approve of how Rand Paul handled his witch-hunt against Dr. Fauci?"

"No. I'm not saying that. Revelations about a public figure's character are not that relevant, but the gossip is enjoyable. However, what Dr. Fauci wrote in his diary comprises crimes, or coverups, that are now part of the story of how 7 million people died worldwide, and how 1.1 million Americans died. I always described Covid-19 as the Wuhan Virus, and it seems that I was right. At the time, I was accused of being a racist."

"But are you not in favor of Susan Collins maintaining her Senate seat in Maine?"

"Well, you decide. She did vote against abortion. But look at the candidates whom the Democrats dragged out in Maine. Up to the voters. I do not live in Maine, do you?"

And, at that, we parted company and began talking to other people in the room.